I was recently injured on my neighbor’s property at a backyard barbecue. Will their homeowners policy pay for my injuries?

Yes, coverage for necessary and reasonable medical expenses is available under the medical coverage portion of their policy. If your injuries are due to your neighbor’s negligence, additional coverage should be available for pain and suffering, and lost income under the liability portion of their policy.

My wife and I just got back from a cruise, only to find that our water pipes had burst in our absence, leaving a huge mess. Will my homeowners policy cover the damages?

Your homeowners policy generally will cover damages from burst water pipes. However, if your house was unoccupied for more than 30 days and unheated in your absence, your claim could be denied. See our section on maintaining your home’s plumbing systems for preventative measures you can take before heading out on your next vacation.

I’m renting a townhouse, and we do run the risk of flooding from hurricanes during the late summer and fall. Do I need to purchase flood insurance, or will my tenant policy cover me?

A tenant policy, just like a homeowners policy, does not provide flood insurance coverage. Flood insurance is available from the federal government. Your landlord should have purchased flood insurance for the building structure. The landlord’s insurance will not cover your personal property—you should purchase a flood policy that will cover just your contents.

My house had extensive water damage after ice clogged the gutters and damaged the roof. Will my homeowners policy cover me?

Damage to your home due to the weight of ice or snow is generally covered by your homeowners policy. This damage is often preventable if you take steps to maintain your roof throughout the year.

Our home was burglarized recently, and while only a few things were gone, the thieves did take an antique emerald necklace given to my wife by her grandmother. Was this covered?

The standard homeowners policy only provides $1,000 of coverage for theft of jewelry. Check with your agent to see what limits you were carrying on your policy—perhaps you increased the limits when you bought the policy. The best way to protect specific valuable assets, such as jewelry, is to purchase a floater for your policy. A floater is an addendum that provides higher coverage limits and will provide specific protection for your precious possessions.

My husband and I are trying to figure out how much homeowners insurance we should purchase for our home. I say we should use the price of our home as a basis. My husband says we should purchase enough insurance to rebuild our home. Who’s right?

Your husband wins on this one. The price of your home—its market value—includes the cost of the land on which your home is situated. In case of a disaster that destroys your home, chances are that the land will still be there. Take a moment to read our section on How do I determine how much homeowners insurance I need?. That should provide some guidance for you. Your Penn National Insurance agent is also available to help with calculations.

Lightning struck an old oak tree in our backyard recently, causing part of the tree to crash through the back door. Are we covered?

Yes, you are covered for this damage. Check with your Penn National Insurance agent—you may also be covered for tree removal. To protect your home and family and prevent this from occurring again, prune the branches of any tree that is near your home, and cut down any dead or dying trees in the area.

I am going to surprise my husband with a golf trip to Scotland to celebrate his recent retirement. He just got a new set of golf clubs and will be worried about them when we travel. Are we covered if they are stolen during our trip?

Because the golf clubs are your personal property, they are covered under your homeowners policy wherever you travel. This is called “off-premise protection.” Check with your agent to see if your property is covered at actual cash value or replacement cost. You may want to increase your coverage to replacement cost, since reimbursement of actual cash value may not be enough to purchase a new set of clubs. To help prevent loss when traveling, stay with your luggage at all times and lock your valuables in the resort’s safe upon arrival. Bon voyage!

We’ve started preparations for my daughter to go to college next semester. The dorm she’s living in appears to have adequate security, but would our homeowners policy cover her if something were stolen?

As long as your daughter is under the age of 26 and lives in your home when she’s not away at school, she is considered a resident and her property is covered while she is away at school, living in a dorm. You may want to check with the school to see what protection they offer to students for their property. If your daughter rents an apartment while she is at school, she will probably need to purchase tenant insurance to protect her property. Check with your agent about the specifics of your situation.

Our family just purchased our first computer. Is it covered under our homeowners insurance or do I need a policy addendum?

Your computer is covered under your homeowners policy, against incidents covered in the policy—such as destruction by fire or theft. Your policy does not cover your computer if your hard drive crashes and repairs are needed. Check your policy—there are usually specific limits for electronic equipment. Additional coverage is available by paying a higher premium for increased limits. Because computers depreciate quickly, be sure you have replacement cost coverage, not actual cash value coverage; otherwise you may come up short if your computer is destroyed and you need to purchase a new one. If you purchase a laptop and take it with you when you travel, you may wish to purchase a floater policy that specifically insures the laptop against damage and theft. Be sure to keep your receipts of computers and other valuable objects in a safe place.