Homeowners insurance: Frequently asked questions

Home insurance coverage offers protections for you, your home, and the things you own from loss or damage when the unexpected happens. Your homeowners policy helps you pay for repairs and replacements up to the limits on your policy. Without it, you could be paying for everything out of pocket.

Completing a home inventory makes it much easier to document any losses and file a claim. Understanding the value of belongings also gives you a better sense of how much Personal Property coverage you need.

Everyone is different, and the amount of insurance you need is based on your personal situation. You’ll want to consider how much it would cost to rebuild your home and replace all of your belongings, in the event the unexpected happens. Things like special materials or unique features of your home should be considered in that cost, and all personal belongings—from electronics and jewelry to bedsheets and kitchen appliances. You should also consider how much Loss of Use coverage you would want to help pay for temporary living expenses should you not be able to stay in your home.

You are responsible for any costs above and beyond the limits you choose for your policy, so you will want to take into account your ability to pay for those costs out of pocket as well.

Yes, you can adjust your levels of coverage at any time. Any changes to your coverage may also result in a price change for your policy.

Your Dwelling coverage limit is the most amount of money your homeowners insurance will cover to repair or replace your home due to damage or loss from a covered incident. It is based on the cost of rebuilding your home.

A basic homeowners policy will cover damage to your home from things like storms or fire, but it will not cover damage to your home from every situation. However, additional coverages called endorsements are available for you to add on, such as Earthquake Protection. You can review your policy documents to get a better understanding for what is covered and what is not covered on your current policy, and then adjust your policy to best suit your needs.

Yes, your homeowners insurance covers up to $1,500 per item for jewelry that is stolen.

If a guest is injured in your home through no fault of their own, your homeowners insurance will pay for medical expenses and damages up to the limits stated in your policy documents.

Yes, your homeowners insurance covers your personal belongings whether they are stolen from your home or outside of your home, such as from your car or a hotel room while on vacation.

Root car insurance customers can purchase a homeowners policy right in the Root app. Just open the app and tap on the card that says “Bundle and save on home.” All car insurance customers get a discount on their homeowners insurance policies.

Not a Root customer yet? Download the Root app to save up to $900 a year on car insurance. Once you have a Root car insurance policy, you can add a homeowners policy simply and conveniently in the Root app. Bundling gets you a discount on your homeowners insurance.

In select states, you may purchase a Root Home policy without bundling.

You can view the specific factors that are used to calculate your rate in the app, but a few are: 

• Age of your home and roof

• Square footage of your home

• Number of rooms and floors

• Having a security system

• The material of interior walls

And more.

When you receive a quote, you can tap “How did we get your quote?” for the details related to your home.

Right in the app. We accept credit cards and Apple Pay, and you can choose to pay monthly or every 6 months. If you want to change your payment frequency, learn how here. 

Please note that when you purchase your policy, payment will be processed immediately, even if you choose to start your policy at a later date. This is true whether you pay monthly or for a full 6-month term.

To cancel a policy, call Root Home at 1-844-208-0665, or open the Root app and tap "Manage policy."

You have 2 convenient options for filing a claim 24/7.

Phone: To file a claim by phone, call Root Home at 844-208-0665 and follow the menu prompts for Claims. Once you have reported a claim, a representative will contact you and provide additional information about your claim and the claims process.

Online: You can also file a claim online through the Root Home policy management portal. The policy management portal can be accessed using the Root app.

A lot of factors go into how quickly a claim will be paid, such as what was damaged or the extent of the damage. Your claims expert can provide the best information for how long it will take to complete your claim and provide payment.

Dwelling coverage includes your home and all of your home's attached structures, such as its garage or a porch.

Hazard insurance typically covers damage to the structure of your home caused by a natural disaster. Homeowners insurance covers that and much more, including if your personal property is damaged or stolen and any medical payments if someone is injured in your home. 

A mortgage is a loan used to pay for real estate, and mortgage lenders often require you to have homeowners insurance. If you use your escrow to pay for your mortgage, you can also use it to pay for your homeowners insurance. Root Home can work with your mortgage company to set that up for you when you purchase your Root Home policy.

A person who owns the residential premise in which tenants live.

Unlike homeowners, condo dwellers don’t own the entire building they live in or the land it sits on. Your condo or homeowners association (HOA) will carry a master policy to insure the building and pay for accidents that occur on outside property or in common areas. A condo insurance policy will adjust for this fact. 

Condo and homeowners insurance are different types of insurance. Homeowners insurance covers the home and things on the property (garage, fence, etc), while condo insurance is limited to what’s within the walls of the customer's condo. Root Home only provides homeowners insurance at this time. 

For homeowners insurance, property does not refer to land. It refers to “personal property,” as in electronics, furniture, jewelry, etc. A Root Home policy does not cover land, including the land a home resides on.