Home insurance is not only designed to cover the physical home. It can also cover various circumstances of liability and personal belongings in case of loss or damage due to fire, wind, hail, lightning, smoke, theft, vandalism and more.

As a rule, everyone in your household should be covered under your home insurance policy so long as the insurer knows who is living with you. This includes family members such as spouses and children. Their coverage under home insurance includes general liability in case they accidentally harm someone else or damage property as well as personal belongings coverage.

Does Home Insurance Cover Roommates?

Home insurance generally does not cover roommates’ personal belongings. Instead, insurers recommend that roommates carry their own renters insurance policy to cover their items in case of an accident or disaster.

Exclusions for Home Insurance Coverage

There are other exclusions as to who and what is covered under home insurance that you should be aware of, as well.

Home insurance will not cover you or someone in your household for circumstances including:

• Criminal acts committed by you or someone in your household
• Intentional damage or injury
• If someone moves out (home insurance does not transfer from the policyholder)
• Damage caused by certain pets

The one exclusion to intent is when dealing with children below a certain age, as children are not considered cognitive enough to understand the repercussions of their actions, intentional or not.

How Does Home Insurance Cover Pets?

Pets are covered under home insurance, but not in the way you might expect. Pets are not considered personal belongings. This means that if your pet passes away due to an incident, you are unlikely to receive compensation.

However, pets are covered under your home insurance policy’s general liability insurance. If your pet injures someone or causes property damage, home insurance can step in to help pay for the expenses, including legal expenses that come with a lawsuit.

There are exclusions when it comes to the pets that are covered, however. Exotic animals such as birds and reptiles are generally excluded from home insurance, as are certain breeds of dogs. Dog breeds commonly excluded under home insurance include huskies, Doberman pinschers, German shepherds, Rottweilers, Alaskan Malamutes and pit bulls.

If you are not sure whether a pet or individual is covered under your home insurance policy, be sure to speak with an insurance agent.

Also Read: Will Home Insurance Cover a Washer Overflow?

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