How Much Homeowners Insurance is Prudent?
You need enough insurance to cover the cost of rebuilding your home at current construction costs. Don’t include the cost of the land. And don’t base your rebuilding costs on the price you paid for your home. The cost of rebuilding could be more or less than the price you paid or could sell it for today. Some banks require you to buy homeowners insurance to cover the amount of your mortgage. If the limit of your insurance policy is based on your mortgage, it may not be enough to rebuild your home. (If your mortgage is paid off, don’t cancel your homeowners’ policy. Homeowners insurance protects your investment in your home.) For a quick estimate of the amount of insurance you need, multiply the total square footage of your home by local building costs per square foot. To find out construction costs in your community, call your local real estate agent, builders association or insurance agent. If major improvements have been made to your home since your policy limits were set, for exampl
