California Home Insurance

Protecting something more than just a house-your home.

Part of taking care of your home — and your family — is protecting them from the worst things in life. Fire, theft, and major accidents, all strike without warning. You can’t stop the bad from happening, but you can stop it from ruining your life. At IBW, we work hard to help you protect what matters most to you. With the right homeowners insurance policy, you can pick up the pieces and rebuild, no matter what life throws at you.

California Homeowner’s Insurance Coverage

The only way to know if you’ve got the right insurance policy is to understand how it works. At IBW, we’re here to help you know exactly what you’re paying for.

In California, homeowner’s insurance typically has two parts: liability and property damage.

Liability: When someone is injured or has property damage while somewhere on your property, liability coverage protects you by covering your legal costs and potential medical expense claims.

Property Damage: After damage to your home by covered events, your insurance policy will pay to have your property replaced, rebuilt, or repaired — basically making you whole again.

A standard California home insurance policy typically covers the following:

• The main dwelling
• Other structures not permanently attached, like tool sheds, garages, etc.
• Personal property
• Loss of use
• Personal liability
• Medical payments to others

Covered Events

Not everything that happens in or to your home will be covered by a standard home insurance policy in California.

The most common coverage includes:

• Fire or lightning
• Smoke damage
• Explosions
• Vandalism and theft
• Windstorm or hail
• Weight of ice, sleet, or snow on your home
• Sudden accidental water damage.

Certain incidents aren’t covered by a homeowner’s policy:

• Flood – available as a separate policy
• Earthquake and earth movement – available as a separate policy
• Termites and other infestations
• Neglect, wear and tear, or lack of maintenance
• Mold

Protecting your home requires more than the basic coverage.

• Your California homeowner’s insurance policy limits should be enough to pay to completely rebuild your home if it’s destroyed. Have this reassessed every few years to factor in value increases.
• Your liability coverage should be enough to handle a large lawsuit without forcing you to pay out of pocket.
• Know if your policy offers actual cash value (ACV) or replacement cost coverage (RCV).
  • RCV pays the full amount to replace, rebuild, or repair damage.
  • ACV pays you the market value or what you originally paid minus the depreciation for the years you’ve had the damaged or destroyed property.

Work with a professional independent insurance agent here at IBW, and let us make sure you have enough insurance to protect your home. You’ve worked too hard to own and maintain it to lose everything because someone sold you a bad policy. Contact us today!