House Foundations And Your Home Insurance

By Odessa Starnvern


Depending on what kind of foundation your home was built upon, your insurance company will have different options. Your premium will be determined, in part, by the type of foundation your home has. Different climates have their own issues with foundation, and because of this, the type that is most likely in your home is one of these 3 most typical kinds of foundation:

Slab foundations basically are just flat hardened concrete on top of the ground. These foundations are practical and are good for the budget. It takes very little site preparation, very little formwork for the concrete and very little labor to create. Having a slab foundation provides certain advantages, like there are typically no creaky floors in them, and the doors have less issues than with other types of foundations.

Typically, basements are about 6-8 feet underground, and a stable foundation is achieved in this way. Full basements provide space for the household utilities along with the head space that allows for building full rooms below grade.

Another type of foundation is a crawl space, which is raised just above ground, with just enough space to crawl underneath the home. This kind of foundation has the advantage of having plumbing, wiring, and heating ducts underneath the home, and pest control is also aided because the house is not directly on the ground.

A home insurance provider will use information about your home's foundation in order to determine if you are suitable for coverage. They will ask questions, so find out about your foundation so you can provide the needed details. Most insurers will ask if your house was built on a continuous concrete foundation. Another query will be if there are any cracks or any erosion on your foundation. Most insurers will only insure homes if they are built on a foundation. When there is no foundation for the home, a specialty insurance provider may be needed because of the risks that are involved in mobile and modular homes, or other older homes without a foundation.

For those with continuous concrete foundations, the insurance agent will do the necessary calculations that are the estimate to rebuild the home in case of some kind of disaster situation. There are some policy exclusions to be aware of when insuring your home and you need to be aware of them in the event of a loss. Not covered would typically be things like condensation damage, contamination, wear and tear, corrosion or defects, so take this into consideration. In some cases, buckling, sinking, settling, or cracks in the structure may not be covered. Loss or damage caused by freezing, thawing, pressure or weight of water or ice to the foundation is also excluded.

What is really the big issue is making sure that your house's foundation is in good shape, no matter if it's a basement, crawl space, or a slab type. In cases where the foundation is in bad condition, your home insurance may not cover damages that are a result of that.




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