I don't live near water, so is there any reason for me to purchase flood insurance?

Are there any insurance concerns I should consider when renting out my home?

If a tree in my neighbor's yard falls and damages my home and/or other property, Who is responsible for the damage?

Why should I schedule jewelry, cameras, art, etc. to my homeowner’s policy?

What is a Personal Umbrella Policy and why should I consider adding one to my personal insurance portfolio?

I don’t live near water, so is there any reason for me to purchase Flood Insurance?
It is good idea to consider purchasing flood insurance even though you may not be living in a high-risk flood area.  Disastrous situations can arise from heavy storms, poor drainage, melting snow and hurricanes, and flood may be one of them.  It is in your best interest to have flood coverage in place to protect you from such damage.  Unfortunately, homeowner’s insurance policies do not provide coverage for flood; a separate policy must be purchased.  Flood insurance policies include protection of your home and its contents, but they do not cover all flood-related basement damage.  In addition, flood contracts do not protect against damage resulting from sewer back-up, unless the back-up is directly related to a flood.
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Are there any Insurance concerns to be considered when renting out my home? 
Yes.  Standard homeowner’s policies do not provide adequate protection for owners of rental property.  A specific insurance policy has been designed to offer unique coverage’s needed by rental property owners, and such a policy can be obtained through an insurance agency dealing in commercial insurance.  This commercial policy should be underwritten to include coverage for the structure of home itself, other items located on the property such as garages, sheds, etc. and coverage for property left on the premises such as appliances and lawn equipment.  It is also important the contract offer coverage for loss rental income as well as liability coverage for injuries (including medical expenses) or property damage that occur on the insured premises. 
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If a tree in my neighbor's yard falls and damages my Home and/or other Property, who is responsible for the damage?
In most cases, the individual(s) whose property is damaged inherits the insurance responsibility.   For example, if a tree located in your neighbor’s yard falls on your home and causes destruction, it should be your insurance company that pays for the damage.  However, if the damage was a result of negligence (ie: the tree was dead before it fell and there is solid proof that your neighbor knew this), the liability should now transfer to your neighbor.  Regardless of where the tree fell from, it is suggested that you file a claim with your insurance agency and let one of their representatives, along with your insurance carrier, determine who is liable. 
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Why should I schedule jewelry, cameras, art, etc. to my Homeowners Policy?
Although homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for personal property (usually limited to 50 percent of the coverage amount on your home), this coverage is limited when it comes to valuable items such as jewelry, cameras, art, etc.   As a result, it is important that your insurance agent specifically schedule or list unique and/or valuable items on your insurance policy to ensure the broadest coverage possible.  For example, mysterious disappearance insurance does not apply to non-scheduled jewelry items. However, once the insurance carrier specifically describes certain jewelry pieces on the contract, coverage for mysterious disappearance will be granted.  The best means of covering valuable items is by purchasing an endorsement or floater to your homeowner’s policy.  To be able to buy this additional property protection, you will be required to verify the cost and condition of the items you wish to insure.  Photos or a video can be used to inventory your property; however, be sure to keep the inventory list away from your premises (i.e., in a safe deposit box) to ensure its protection in the event your dwelling is damaged or destroyed.  Also, professional appraisals are needed for certain items, such as jewelry, antiques, art and camera equipment (other than a basic camera). 
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1) It is an excess liability contract that affords higher insurance limits over your home, automobile, boat, motorcycle, etc. and 

Typically, limit options range between $1 million and $10 million, and such limits will only be issued when certain underlying coverage’s, as required by the insurance carrier, have already been purchased. 

It used to be that personal umbrella contracts were only purchased by wealthy individuals who had sizeable amounts of personal assets that may be at risk in the unfortunate event of a lawsuit.  In today’s world, however, we live in a very litigious society, and people have come to realize the importance of having additional liability insurance over what is provided within their basic homeowners and automobile contracts.  The personal umbrella policy is ideally suited to provide this extra protection.
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