Had a similar wake-up call myself. A client of mine was renovating an older home—beautiful place, but tricky wiring. One afternoon, contractor accidentally clipped something he shouldn't have (you can guess where this is going...). Sparks flew, literally, and homeowner's insurance immediately pointed to some obscure clause about "ongoing construction." Builder's insurance stepped in thankfully, but it made me wonder how many homeowners even realize these gaps exist until it's too late.
"homeowner's insurance immediately pointed to some obscure clause about 'ongoing construction.'"
Yeah, those clauses can be sneaky, but honestly, isn't it partly on the homeowner to double-check coverage before diving into renovations? I mean, sure, insurance companies love their fine print, but shouldn't homeowners also be asking more questions upfront? I've seen clients assume they're covered for everything...until they're not. Maybe it's less about hidden clauses and more about people not knowing what to ask or look for?
"Maybe it's less about hidden clauses and more about people not knowing what to ask or look for?"
Fair point, but honestly, even when you do ask upfront, insurers aren't always clear. I've had situations where I specifically checked coverage beforehand, and still got blindsided by some vague wording later on...
Yeah, that's frustratingly common. One thing I've found helpful is to request specific examples or scenarios from the insurer when discussing coverage. Instead of just asking "Am I covered for water damage?", I'll say something like "If a pipe bursts during construction and damages flooring, drywall, and electrical wiring, how exactly is that handled?" Getting them to walk through a detailed scenario can sometimes reveal those vague clauses before they become a problem...
"Getting them to walk through a detailed scenario can sometimes reveal those vague clauses before they become a problem..."
That's a smart approach—I've done something similar myself. But have you ever noticed how insurers sometimes give you different answers depending on who you talk to? I've started asking for their responses in writing or email afterward. It might seem overly cautious, but having that written clarification saved me once when they tried to backtrack on coverage after a minor electrical fire during our remodel... Has anyone else had luck getting insurers to commit clearly in writing?
