The many recent natural disasters are a grim reminder that you need to understand your homeowners insurance policy before you have to use it. Every policy will be a little different and you need to understand the details before you pay the premium for something you don’t need or for something that doesn’t have what you do need.

A recent review of a policy from a local company found that it spells out everything that the homeowners insurance policy DOES NOT cover. Everything from lava flows to river flows was listed. It limits the value of the policy but fortunately there are other homeowners insurance policies that can be purchased to supplement what is available.

The federal government supports a homeowners insurance policy specifically for homes threatened by floods. Homes along the coastal region (threatened by tidal surges) and in river basins are now being required to carry flood insurance if they are mortgage through most lenders. These policies will help rebuild lives that are torn apart by floods (one of the many things that almost all homeowners insurance policies exclude).

It is just as important to insure a home that is not mortgage. There is no way to know when a disaster may strike and having homeowners insurance may be the only saving grace to a horrible moment in your life.