Home Insurance in Windsor

Windsor home insurance coverage defined

What is home insurance and what does it cover? These are the questions we seek to answer below. The general purpose of home insurance is to offer financial protection in the event that something goes wrong in your home. For example, if a fire breaks out in your home or someone breaks into it and steals your belongings, home insurance can protect you.

What does home insurance cover?

There are many types of home insurance on the market today, ranging from vacation property & cottage insurance to condo insurance. You can also find tenant insurance, commercial property insurance, as well as standard homeowner’s insurance. Regardless of what type of coverage you need, most home insurance policies include the following types of standard coverage:

Dwelling coverage

Dwelling coverage is a must-have for all policyholders, including first-time home buyers. This is one of the most obvious forms of home insurance coverage as it protects you from physical damage to your home. If any part of your home’s physical dwelling is damaged, so long as it is damaged by an insured peril listed in your policy, you can file a dwelling coverage claim to receive a payout. Perils that are usually included in most home insurance policies in Windsor are as follows:

• Fire
• Lightning
• Smoke
• Theft
• Wind
• Car / aircraft impact
• Explosion
• Falling objects

Content(s) coverage

Contents coverage is a second type of home insurance coverage that is standard for most Windsor homeowner’s insurance plans. Unlike dwelling coverage that pertains to the structure of your home, contents coverage deals with what’s inside your home. In other words, contents coverage offers financial protection in the event that the personal belongings inside your home are damaged or lost. For example, if your expensive jewellery was stolen, you can file a contents coverage claim to cover the cost of replacing the stolen jewellery. Similarly, if electronics, clothing, or furniture were damaged in a house fire, you could also file a contents coverage claim to replace these damaged items.

When picking a contents coverage limit, make sure to choose one that reflects the value of the items inside your home. Selecting a limit that is too low would be a mistake, as in the event of a total loss, your payout would not be equal to the value of the items that need to be replaced. If you have many high-value items inside your home, BrokerLink insurance advisors recommend purchasing high-value home insurance. Examples of high-value items are fine jewellery, original artwork, musical instruments, and vintage wine.

Personal liability coverage

Lastly, personal liability coverage is another staple of Windsor home insurance plans. As the name suggests, this will cover you if someone files a third-party liability claim against you. This may occur if a guest visiting your home slips and falls on an icy walkway or injures themselves while on your property. They could also file a claim if they suffer personal property damage while visiting your home. Since lawsuits can be costly, having personal liability coverage as part of your Windsor home insurance plan is very important. This type of coverage can pay for legal, medical, and repair bills.

Extra protection for Windsor homeowners

Are you curious about what other forms of protection you can add to your Windsor home insurance plan? There are all kinds of endorsements and riders that you can add to a Windsor home insurance plan, from Airbnb or accommodation insurance to home renovations insurance. Find out more about a few of the most common extra coverages added to home insurance plans in Windsor.

Home business coverage

Home business coverage is designed for policyholders who work from home regularly or who operate businesses out of their homes. As with personal car insurance plans, home insurance plans do not cover business use. Thus, if you want to be protected against business losses in your home, you must purchase a separate commercial insurance policy or at the very least, add a home business endorsement to your home insurance policy. This way, you will be protected if damage related to your home business occurs.

For example, if a customer or client who was visiting your home injured themselves and filed a liability claim, your home insurance’s personal liability coverage would only cover you if you had a home business rider.

Equipment breakdown coverage

Equipment breakdown coverage is another type of extra home insurance protection that many Windsor homeowners find helpful. It can help pay to repair or replace a piece of household equipment that suffers a mechanical or electrical failure and breaks down. A few of the most common pieces of equipment in a home that this type of insurance may cover include dishwashers, dryers, washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, furnaces, ovens, and more.

Please note that equipment breakdown coverage does not cover general wear and tear. It will only pay to replace the broken piece of equipment if the breakdown was due to an internal failure.

Sewer backup coverage

Sewer backups can cause severe water damage in a home. They occur when a pipe becomes blocked, preventing sewage and wastewater from flowing freely. The result is that it backs up into your home via the sinks, toilets, or other drains. Thus, a sewer backup is every Windsor homeowner’s worst nightmare. Thankfully, sewer backup coverage can pay for the cost of water damage if this happens to you. Further, if you want to prevent flooding and sewer backup while saving money on your home insurance plan, consider installing a sewer backup detection device. These types of devices will keep track of water levels to help you avoid flooding.

Overland water coverage

Finally, overland water coverage is a type of home insurance protection that protects you against floods. With overland water coverage, your insurer will pay to repair your home or replace damaged items inside your home if it floods due to a nearby lake/river, overflow, heavy rain, or rapid snow melt. Since Windsor is located on the Detroit River, adding overland water coverage to your policy might not be a bad idea.

How insurance companies calculate Windsor home insurance premiums

If you want to know how much your Windsor home insurance policy will cost, you can best request a free insurance quote from BrokerLink. However, before you do so, it’s essential to know what factors influence Windsor home insurance rates. The following is a list of factors that you should expect your home insurance company to consider when determining your premium:

• How valuable your home is
• How safe and desirable your neighbourhood is
• How close your home is located to emergency services
• The age and condition of the roof on your home
• The type, age, and condition of the heating system that your Windsor home uses (older systems like oil tanks or wood stoves may lead to higher premiums)
• The type, age, and condition of the electrical system in your Windsor home
• The type, age, and condition of the plumbing system in your Windsor home
• Whether your Windsor home is equipped with a security system, and if so, what type of system it has
• If there are any additional or detached structures on your property that need to be insured

Tips to save money on your Windsor home insurance policy

Many Windsor homeowners believe that home insurance is expensive, but it doesn’t have it. In fact, here at BrokerLink, we make it our mission to ensure that all of our customers get the most competitive rates for their policies. Find out more about how a BrokerLink insurance advisor can help you save money on your policy, and keep reading for a list of tips to find cheap coverage:

Modify your Windsor home insurance policy yearly

You might be surprised to learn that modifying your coverage can influence your rates. Adding or removing coverage can affect your premium, and so can changing coverage limits or deductibles. If you want to pay less for Windsor home insurance, consider making some changes the next time that your policy is up for renewal. You could increase your deductible, decrease your limits, or even remove coverage that you no longer need. A BrokerLink insurance advisor can help you with this, too.

Install a monitored alarm system in your Windsor home

Installing a monitored alarm system is a second way to save money on Windsor home insurance. These types of systems reduce the risk of your home being broken into or robbed, reducing the odds that you will need to file an insurance claim. As such, your home insurance company may reward you with a home insurance discount if you can provide proof that you installed a monitored alarm system in your home. Find out more about home security by reaching out to BrokerLink.

Bundle home and auto coverage in Windsor

Bundling home and auto policies is another way to lower your home insurance rates in Windsor. Many insurers offer bundles, which are packages that include two or more insurance products. So, if you also need to buy auto insurance, recreational vehicle insurance, or a second home insurance plan for a seasonal home, consider purchasing them together, and you could qualify for a significant discount.

Pick a high home insurance deductible

Picking a high home insurance deductible might result in a lower premium. This is because premiums and deductibles are directly related. By choosing a high deductible, you can lower your premium because you agree to take on additional risk as a policyholder. Conversely, if you were to choose a low deductible, your premium would be higher because you are taking on less risk, which means the insurance company has to fill that gap and take on more risk.

Install solar panels on your Windsor home

Installing solar panels on your home can help you reduce your carbon footprint, which can save you money on home insurance. Many insurance companies now offer solar panel discounts to incentivize Ontario homeowners to go green.

Add a sewer backup prevention device or sump pump to your Windsor home

If you want to avoid water damage to your home while simultaneously saving money on your Windsor homeowner’s insurance coverage, consider installing a sump pump or sewer backup prevention device somewhere on your property. Together, these devices can help detect and prevent a flood in your home. Thus, they are convenient and can result in major home insurance savings.

Make all home insurance payments on time

Lastly, if you want to avoid overspending on Windsor home insurance, take care to make all insurance payments on time. If you start making late payments or stop making payments altogether, your policy could be cancelled, leading to much higher rates in the future. If you have trouble keeping up with your payment schedule, contact your insurer to work out an alternate payment plan as soon as possible.

We’re in your community

BrokerLink strives to provide Windsor customers with high-quality insurance services at every turn. From home and car insurance to business and pet insurance, we will match you with personalized coverage, no matter what type of insurance you are looking for. Contact BrokerLink today to learn more about what we do for our customers and how we get involved with local communities.

Contact us

At Windsor BrokerLink, we’re here to help you with any insurance needs you may have. Whether it’s insuring your home, car, business, recreational items, or pets, let us help you find the best coverage possible.

You can reach us by phone, email, or in person at any Ontario location. No matter how you contact us, a BrokerLink insurance advisor will gladly assist you. We also encourage you to take advantage of our free online quote tool that can provide you with a competitive quote in minutes.

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Windsor property insurance FAQs

Is home insurance mandatory in Windsor, Ontario?

No. Home insurance is not government-mandated the way that car insurance is. That said, it is still very important, and in some situations, you might be contractually obligated to purchase it. For example, if you have a mortgage loan, your mortgage lender may stipulate that you must have valid home insurance coverage for the duration of your contract. Similarly, if you rent your home in Windsor, your landlord might require you to have a valid tenant and renters insurance policy for the duration of your lease.

How do I find cheap home insurance in Windsor?

If you want to avoid an insurance premium increase and qualify for a cheap policy, there are several steps you can take. For example, you can receive an insurance discount for a home alarm system, so if you install a security system in your home, you could qualify for a cheaper rate. Further, adding a sewer detection device or sump pump in your home could also result in a discount. In addition, picking high deductibles and paying for your policy yearly can also help you save money.

What can I do to avoid a fire in my Windsor home?

If you want to avoid a fire and all the damage that comes with it in your Windsor home, practicing fire safety is of the utmost importance. A few steps you can take to avoid a fire include having your furnace and chimney inspected annually, testing and replacing all smoke detectors as necessary, installing a fire extinguisher in your home, never leaving open flames unattended, and limiting the number of appliances plugged into any one outlet.

What does Windsor home insurance not cover?

Windsor home insurance aims to protect your home from risk, but it can’t protect your home from every risk out there. Generally speaking, home insurance does not cover damage due to wear and tear, i.e. old age, as well as due to neglect. It also will not cover you if your home is left empty or vacant for a period of 30 days or more. Further, if damage occurs due to a home business or home renovations but you do not have home business coverage or home renovations coverage, then you will not be covered for the damage.

Where can I obtain a free Windsor home insurance quote?

Windsor customers can get free home insurance quotes from insurance brokers and companies. All you have to do is ask. You can obtain a free quote online, over the phone, or in person by visiting an insurance branch near you. Be prepared to answer a few questions about your home insurance needs to receive an accurate quote.

If you have any questions, contact one of our local branches.