Planning a home reno? Well, you should speak to your insurance provider (or a prospective one) first!
If you were to guess, how much of a role would you say insurance plays in home renovation projects? Turns out, the answer is a pretty important one!
My husband and I recently learned this in the context of our own home renovation project.
We’ve been doing improvements to our home over the last year, including our rooftop patio and kitchen. We were surprised to learn just how big a factor insurance is, and quickly thought we better contact our provider to ensure we were doing everything on the up and up.
Did you know that you can get a quote from
There have been significant changes to the way insurance is being delivered in Canada. And in this digital era, we appreciate being able to find fast and effective solutions online.
Sonnet’s digital platform is so user-friendly. All I had to do was fill in a few pieces of information and I was given a comprehensive quote. It was such a seamless process, and it was pretty eye-opening to see what Sonnet Insurance’s rates are like.
With everyone’s focus inevitably shifted to the home during the pandemic, renos have been on the rise. So here are 5 reasons why you need to consider insurance when doing home renovations.
1. Changes to your home impact its resale value, which in turn, impacts your coverage
Whether your renovations are DIY or done by contractors, they will surely impact the value of your home. Replacement value— the estimated cost to replace your home— is an important factor in determining the amount of protection your homeowner’s insurance will provide.
2. You want to ensure all your personal contents are covered
Most homeowner’s insurance policies cover the replacement value of the physical structure of your home as well as coverage of your personal property or contents. For this reason, any significant additions to your personal property should be added to your insurance coverage.
Maybe it’s a new barbecue or patio furniture? Individually, you may think these are small expenses, but when you add them all up, they can be pretty significant. In the event of a fire, water damage, or theft, you’d want any payout from your insurance provider to cover the cost of replacing everything of value in your home. The last thing you’d want is to find out your improvements and new personal property aren’t covered if you have a claim!
3. Certain improvements may actually decrease your insurance
The amount of your homeowner’s insurance depends on things like the size and condition of your home. Since insurance is all about risk, it only makes sense that if you improve the condition or safety of your home (for example, by adding a home security system, or by fixing your roof), then it could decrease your insurance premiums. Win-win!
As was the case in our loft, a leaky faucet could lead to water damage. So, we were happy to learn that installing our brand-new faucet made a positive impact on our bottom line.
4. You might be on the hook when it comes to contractors
Home insurance generally includes liability for personal injury on your property if you’re found negligent. However, your existing policy limits may not be sufficient if a contractor or other third party is injured on the job . So before starting a renovation, check in with your insurance provider about liability limits. Otherwise, you could be on the hook!
5. You don’t know what you don’t know!
Especially if it’s your first time doing a home reno, there are so many things you wouldn’t know or even think to ask. For example, were you aware that you can and often should get insurance while your home is being renovated? You might want insurance to protect building materials while they’re at or on their way to your home, since materials often get damaged. On the other hand, did you know that vacating your home for a certain period of time could actually make your insurance policy null and void? Or more importantly, even the act of renovating your home may void your coverage, if you fail to inform your insurer!
To find out what your current policy does and doesn’t cover, or what you need or may not need, call your insurance provider to review your homeowner’s policy. You might also want to have a discussion with another provider, like Sonnet, for a second opinion. Sonnet’s process is so simple, you can do it from anywhere – even while lounging on your patio!
Getting an online quote and consultation from Sonnet Insurance was easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Krystle Ng-A-Mann (also known as
Dine & Fash ) is a full-time content creator, lifestyle blogger, and lawyer based in Toronto. She shares content that spans various topics, including food, travel, lifestyle, and legal considerations for content creators. She worked as a lawyer for nearly a decade before becoming a full-time content creator. She recently started her own legal practice to negotiate and advise on influencer contracts on behalf of creators and agencies.