Collapsed building is a common phenomenon in different parts of the country and many people have embraced it as part of the environmental hazards we have to live with. In fact, Lagos ranks as the state with highest number of collapsed buildings in Nigeria. Unfortunately, over 90% of these collapsed buildings were neither insured nor were the properties covered by any form of insurance policy.
Property insurance provides financial reimbursement to the owner of a structure and its contents in case there is damage or theft and also to a person other than the owner if that person is injured on the property. Property insurance may include these policies, such as homeowners insurance, renters insurance, flood insurance, amongst others.
The insurance company offers you a contract known as an insurance policy. The insurance policy is a document that contains all the terms and conditions agreed upon in the insurance contract. While insurance premium is a monthly payment is made by an individual or business to service this contract.
Types of Property Insurance Coverage
Replacement Cost covers the cost of repairing or replacing property at the same or equal value. The coverage is based on replacement cost values rather than the cash value of items.
Actual Cash Value Coverage pays the owner the replacement cost minus depreciation. If the destroyed item is 10 years old, you get the value of a 10-year-old item, not a new one.
Extended Replacement Costs will pay more than the coverage limit if the costs for construction have gone up; however, this often won’t exceed 25% of the limit.
Benefits of Property Insurance
Sense of Security – Having a property insurance protection against the uncertain risks of loss such as fire, natural disaster, theft, gives you a peace of mind and confidence as the owner of the assets. And if these risks occur and you suffer loss, the insurance company will surely give the appropriate compensation.
Compensation for Damage or Loss of Property – Property insurance offers compensation for any damage or loss of your property. The term for compensation is that the loss is not caused by your own negligence.
When choosing an insurance policy, there are different factors to bear in mind, such as the amount of insurance coverage that you are getting from a particular policy on your property. Secondly, the amount of yearly premium that the insurance requires you to pay. Also the time taken and the ease with which you can claim the homeowner insurance and settle the procedure. Lastly and most importantly, you have to go through the list of events that the insurance will cover.