Who Needs to Be Listed on Homeowners Insurance?

Major life changes often impact your need for insurance coverage. If you recently bought a house, you might be wondering who to list on the policy. Alternatively, recently getting married or having a roommate move in may leave you curious as to whether you need to update your policy by adding their names. Learning who should be listed on your home insurance policy gives you confidence you have proper coverage if you need to file a claim.

Understand the Benefits of Being on the Policy

Insurance companies allow policyholders to enjoy certain privileges. As with other types of accounts, being named on your home insurance allows you to authorize changes to the policy. When you determine who to include on the home insurance, you’ll want to consider everyone’s needs to establish a policy and make changes that could also include filing claims.

Include All Owners on the Insurance Policy

The names listed on the home insurance policy should match the ones on the deed to the home. This eliminates any confusion that could arise during the verification process or after you file a claim. If you have a nickname, you may need to use your formal name, which is on your official identification documents. This simply makes it easier to manage various aspects of holding a homeowners insurance policy. Since each homeowner also has an interest in any financial decisions made regarding the property, you’ll also need to include everyone’s names who are listed as owners.

Identify Parties with a Vested Interest

When you first purchase homeowners insurance, you might be curious about what it means for someone to be identified as an additional insured person versus someone with a vested interest. The additional insured names are people who are also protected by the policy. Meanwhile, a party with a vested interest may be an entity who doesn’t share your home, such as a co-signer or lender. If these individuals have a stake in the property, they’ll also be eligible to potentially receive benefits from a claim.

Check Your Policy for Automatic Inclusions

Many policies automatically include spouses as insured parties. The homeowner’s children may also be included as insured parties. However, it’s always best to check with your insurance company to identify automatic inclusions. Usually, you’ll need to provide each person’s name and information. Your insurance company may also need an update if you bring someone new into your home.

Know How to Address an Uninsured Person’s Needs

Sometimes, you could have people living with you who aren’t considered insured parties. For instance, a temporary roommate might receive some degree of coverage from the general aspects of your policy. For instance, a personal injury the roommate sustains might be covered, as it would be for a repair person working on your house. Since this individual isn’t an owner of your house, he or she may opt to purchase renters insurance to protect his or her interests.

Knowing who to list on your homeowners policy can ensure you have the right coverage for your needs. For reliable, affordable home insurance, San Diego homeowners know they can trust Altra Insurance Services. We also provide renters, commercial, motorcycle, and car insurance Chula Vista. Request a free quote by calling one of our friendly agents today.