Definition of "Hazard insurance"

There’s a lot of confusion regarding the hazard insurance definition. Many people think it’s a synonym for homeowners insurance but they’re wrong. Hazard insurance is actually part of the homeowner’s insurance policy.

Hazard insurance refers to one of the coverages within homeowner’s insurance; the protection against perils like fire, severe storms, wind hails and other natural events to the dwelling. Whatever happens to the structure is considered hazard insurance. That is; the other parts covered by the policy – like liability insurance and personal property insurance – are not considered hazard insurance.

But it is more than that. Flood insurance and Earthquake insurance, for instance, are not typically included in a homeowner’s insurance policy and are considered hazard insurance. So it’s fair to say that hazard insurance is a definition of a type of peril to your home that can be insured, and that peril is natural hazards from the outside world to the structure of your property.

While it is in the owner’s best interest to preserve his interest in the house with this type of insurance, it’s the mortgage companies who require this policy most of the times. Here’s why: an accident inside the house, for instance, will hurt the homeowner financially and, in the long run, that’s bad for the lender, but not immediately. However, a hazard to the structure is immediately bad because it devalues the home. If the owner doesn’t fix it and later on defaults and the house goes on to foreclosure, the lender will now potentially have a house that’s worth less than what he borrowed –making the lender unable to recuperate the investment.

Real Estate Advice:

We understand there are a lot of insurances out there and it feels like it’s draining your money away. But there’s nothing more dangerous than living without coverage and 10 out of 10 real estate agents will tell you this one is the most important one. After all, if you don’t protect your asset, in the case of an accident it will literally make you lose a lot of money.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

The definition of emblements in real estate is very simple: emblements are the crops grown on a piece of property leased to a tenant. Legally, the crops are the property of the person who ...

Process of simultaneously appraising several pieces of property. Normally, occurs when a local government conducts a reassessment. ...

Real rate of interest on a loan. It is the coupon rate divided by the net proceeds of the loan. Assume Sharon took out a $1,000,000, on year, 10% discounted loan to buy real estate. The ...

A capital asset. An expenditure to buy property and other capital assets that generate revenue. Securities of real estate companies. ...

All expenses related to maintaining and operating a household. These expenses include the cost of rent or mortgage payments, taxes, utilities, maintenance and structural improvements. The ...

Gradual deterioration of land due to nature such as because of floods, hurricanes and storms. Gradual decline in the value of real estate because of poor market and economic conditions. ...

Premiums in insurance and real estate define as a bonus or surplus money. A dividend means a periodic fee you have to pay for your insurance protection. While in real estate, a premium ...

The definition of plottage in real estate is simple. When you combine multiple pieces of land into one large parcel, the plot appreciates in value. This is not to be confused with the ...

Within Real Estate, “nuisance” is a term used to describe any disturbance that might affect neighboring houses. Nuisance abatement is the enforcing of policies and codes that ...

Popular Real Estate Questions