>> Elizabethtown Insurance Company of Elizabethtown

Insuring the Commonwealth of PA since 1844 Through Independent Insurance Agents

How do I know how much homeowners insurance coverage I should buy for my home?
Your independent agent should help you determine this value. The insurance to value is based on calculating the replacement cost of the risk. The market value of your home has no bearing on the amount of coverage you should carry. The age and condition of the risk also often determine the type of coverage that can be written.

The bank says I am required to have enough insurance on the new house I am buying to cover the mortgage, but the mortgage is more than the insurance company's estimated replacement cost of the house. What do I do?
Explain to the bank that your insurance company will only insure the dwelling, not the land. You may wish to consider a separate mortgage policy.

Some items I use for my business were stolen from my home. Are they covered?
We offer limited coverage under our homeowners' policy. These are two separate limits of coverage: one for on premises, and one for off premises.

My agent says I have an all risk policy. Is everything covered?
No. All policies are subject to exclusions, limitations and conditions. Read your policy! Ask your agent to explain any items or terms you don't understand.

Both my roof and the inside of my house suffered water damage due to the melting of ice and snow that accumulated on my roof last winter. What is covered under my homeowners' policy?
That depends on the type of policy for which your home qualified. Some policies cover inside water damage without exterior damage to the roof; however, some policies cover inside damage only if there is exterior structure damage.

I have some antique items specifically scheduled on my homeowners' policy. If I have a total loss, will the insurance company pay me what they are worth? What can I do to make sure their full value is covered?
This type of item should have an appraised value, and photos should be submitted when the policy is written. This settles any question at the time of loss.

A heavy rainstorm has flooded and damaged my basement. Is this damage covered under my homeowners' policy?
No. Homeowners' Policies usually exclude ground water run off.

The food in my freezer went bad because the power was out in my home. Does my homeowners' policy provide coverage for this?
Not in all cases. There must be damage on premises caused by a covered peril. There is no coverage for general power outage in your area. You can, however, purchase specific food spoilage coverage.

A friend fell off our roof (he was helping me re-shingle it) and fractured his hip, resulting in being off work for 6 weeks. Am I liable? Will my homeowners' policy cover his medical expenses and loss of income?
You could be held liable if you were found to be negligent. Medical expenses to a specified dollar amount are provided regardless of fault. Lost wages and other general damages are only considered if you are found to be negligent and that negligence results in injury to the claimant.

Who determines when a damaged item is a total loss or whether it is to be repaired?
This is determined by obtaining itemized repair estimates on the damaged items. These repair costs will be compared to the replacement cost to determine if the items should be repaired or replaced.