Insure Your Overseas Home
You've finally reached your goal of having a travel haven that's accessible to you any time of the year; your overseas home. But just like with your primary home, getting insurance for your overseas home is necessary to ensure that you're completely protected.

But where should you start? Not only are you attempting to get affordable homeowners insurance, but you have to try and accomplish this with the contracts, laws and languages of another country. Add to that the potential for natural and political events, and you could have a complex task on your hands.

The first thing to be aware of is that a vacation home in those markets with a long history of insuring properties, such as England or Singapore will be covered much differently than a second home in an exotic locale. But that doesn't mean that you have to abandon your dream of overseas vacation living.

Finding The Right Company Is Key
An international insurance company can definitely benefit you long-term. There aren't many insurance companies in the United States who will insure homes located overseas, choosing instead to stick with American or Canadian properties.

In addition to locating a company, doing your homework about the costs to rebuild your overseas home, boning up on local insurance laws and going over your contract with a fine-toothed comb can all help you get through the process much more smoothly.

Rebuilding Costs
Because you're the homeowner, the job of getting an accurate quote to rebuild your property falls on you. This can be especially difficult if your second property falls under the historic category. But instead of making a big potential mistake by insuring your second home at market value, ask your broker for insight, or enlist the help of an appraisal service.

Be Aware Of Local Laws
Some overseas insurance companies aren't in the business of complying with local laws when issuing their policies, which can definitely affect whether or not you get paid should disaster strike your second home. So avoiding these companies is best. In countries which demand domestic insurance carriers, you may be able to obtain specialty or short-term contracts.

Understand Your Policy
Unlike U.S. insurance policies, those obtained abroad are very unlikely to be standardized, and you may encounter a wide variety of prices. Even more vigilance is necessary with insurance contracts for exotic locales, as the chance for exposure to natural disasters may be much greater. Ensure that the following are all clearly outlined in your policy:

- What amount of liability for injured guests is included
- How your claim will be settled
- What conditions may void coverage, such as leaving the home unoccupied for a length of time
- How your insurer will pay claims, i.e. cash value or replacement value

Maintaining Your Home For Insurance Safety
When it's time to say farewell to your vacation home for a time, it's important to ensure that you have a checklist of things to be done before you leave, and stick to it. Remember that you will be gone from your property for a significant amount of time, and so anything you do before departure will help to lessen the possible damage to your home in the event that severe weather or another peril hits. Your checklist should include items like the following:

- Checking all locks on windows and doors to ensure proper function and security, including screens
- Electrical outlets should be checked for loose plugs and fraying
- Furnace filters should be cleaned or replaced
- Check all pipe connections to your toilet, as well as floater valves for signs of erosion
- Have your roof inspected for weak spots that can result in water leakage and damage
- Check outdoor structures like stairs and decks for deterioration and safety hazards like loose boards.

If your vacation home is located in an area that is prone to tropical storms or other natural weather perils, taking action to protect it, such as the addition of storm shutters or sand bags before you go is a good idea that can end up saving you thousands on the cost of your overseas homeowners insurance.
Getting Homeowners Insurance For Your Overseas Home




Welcome To The Overseas Insurance Blog!
This is where you can get more information about insurance for your overseas home.