Protecting your assets with home & auto insurance is vital. Your home is one of the biggest investments you'll make in a lifetime, and your car is likely to be used nearly every day.

While insurance policy for both home and auto may cover some common obvious dangers, with other events like flooding and earthquakes requiring optional coverage, there may be some more unexpected and surprising events written into your coverage. Here are a few you might not have expected your home and auto policy to cover, starting with homeowners insurance:

Moving vehicles

Your home is protected from damage caused by collisions with moving vehicles. While a car losing control and colliding with your home is the most likely and common event, many policies cover damage caused by planes and trains crashing into your home as well.

Explosions or riots

In the unlikely event that a riot breaks out near your home, insurance may cover the damaged caused a mob, including explosions and intentionally caused fires. Acts of war by a nation at war with the country you live in are another story. Most policies do not cover its acts of war. 

Acts of terrorism is a gray area that often requires some government intervention. Depending on the nature of the attack, many insurers may consider this to be an act of war, meaning not covered.

Meteors

Non-manmade falling objects coming from the sky are typically covered up to the limits of dwelling coverage. This includes meteors and may even extend to being reimbursed for lodging and food while your home is being repaired. 

Auto coverage can have some unexpected events written into it as well, including:

Flooding and earthquakes

Considered an optional extra coverage that you must opt into for your home, auto insurance may cover both flood and earthquake damage as part of standard coverage. Often as part of "comprehensive" coverage, you may be covered by some natural disasters harming your car, in addition to the usual protection against theft or being vandalized, catching fire or other damage. Just be aware that even if covered by insurance, you will have to pay a deductible in the event you want to use it.

Projectile explosives

Another incredibly unlikely scenario, but damage caused by missiles or other kinds of launched explosives are often included under comprehensive coverage. This differs slightly from the hard and fast rules relating to home insurance about acts of war.

Injuries to pets

As part of your comprehensive coverage, if your pet is the car when you get into an accident, vet costs related to injuries sustained in the crash may be covered. This is not included in all comprehensive policies, so be sure to ask your agent if this is part of your coverage. Even if a pet is covered, there may be limitations to the coverage such as how the pet can be transported and where they are treated.

A borrowed vehicle

If you have lent your car out to a friend or family member and they get in an accident, your insurance policy will be the one to cover damage to your car (or possibly the other vehicle). Insurance is attached to the car rather than the operator, which is why a teenage operator with a provisionary license can also be covered when they operate an insured vehicle. 

Animal damage

Your car may be protected from damaged caused by colliding with an animal if you have signed up for comprehensive coverage, minus the deductible. 

To find out what your home & auto insurance does and does not cover, contact Fundy Mutual today.