That’s super helpful—especially the bit about walking the site with the builder. I hadn’t even thought about how “properly secured” could mean different things to different people. Like, is a padlock enough, or do they expect full fencing? And I totally agree with this:
sometimes “being difficult” is just being thorough, but there’s a line between protecting yourself and paying for coverage you might not need.
I’m still trying to figure out if my homeowner’s insurance will even touch anything during construction. Did you find they were willing to add a rider, or was it a hard no? The paperwork is a pain, but I’d rather deal with it now than get burned later.
Title: Builder Insurance—Ever Wondered Who Covers the Mishaps?
I tried to get my homeowner’s policy to cover the build, but they shut that down pretty quick. They said “construction zone” equals “not our problem.” I ended up with a separate builder’s risk policy, which wasn’t cheap, but at least it was clear what was covered. Honestly, I wouldn’t trust a rider unless you get it in writing—insurance folks love to wiggle out of gray areas. And yeah, “properly secured” is a moving target... one guy told me a padlock was fine, another wanted a six-foot fence. Go figure.
Yeah, the “properly secured” thing drives me nuts. I had a site where the inspector said my lockbox was fine, then two weeks later, new guy wanted a full perimeter fence. Insurance wouldn’t budge until I did it. It’s always a moving target... and the premiums aren’t getting any cheaper either.
It’s wild how subjective “properly secured” can be. I’ve had inspectors contradict each other on the same site within days. Do you think insurers are just covering themselves, or is it really about risk? Sometimes feels like they’re inventing hoops to jump through...
Sometimes feels like they’re inventing hoops to jump through...
Had a guy tell me my temporary fence was “over-secured” and the next week, someone else flagged it as “not secure enough.” I swear, it’s like they’re making it up as they go. I get that risk is real, but sometimes it’s just CYA on their end.
