You count on your home insurance to protect you when you need it most — and when you’re dealing with an emergency, the last thing you want to worry about is whether or not all of your belongings will be covered. The good news is, the majority of your stuff is probably covered by your standard home, tenant, or condo insurance policy. But there are some items that your policy may specifically exclude and others that might come with special limits. If you take the time to familiarize yourself with the types of items that typically aren’t covered by home insurance, you can talk to your broker and make sure you get the protection you need before you need it. 

Items that aren’t typically covered by home insurance

These items aren’t usually covered in basic insurance policies:

• Glassware
• Chinaware
• Collectibles
• Antiques
• Fine arts

If you want to insure items that fall into these categories, you’ll need to ask your broker about scheduling of scheduling them in your policy. This may require you to have your items appraised by a professional.

Items with special limits

Most home insurance policies have special limits of coverage for these items:

• Bicycles
• Golf carts
• Watercraft
• Jewelry and watches
• Fur items
• Silverware
• Wine collection
• Computer software
• Plants on your property
• Spare car parts

If your belongings in any given coverage category exceed the limits listed in your policy, you should talk to your broker about adding extra coverage to make sure your stuff will be fully protected in the event of a claim.

Every insurance policy will have unique coverage, exclusions, and limits, so it’s important to review your policy so you understand what will (and what won’t) be covered in the event of an emergency. Your licensed insurance broker can go over the details of your policy with you to make sure you aren’t missing out on any essential coverage. A good way to make sure you don’t miss anything important is to regularly update your home inventory and review the exclusions and special limits in your policy. If you find that you have something new that might be excluded from your coverage (or might exceed the limit in your policy), talk to your broker to find out your options.