Your cottage is your home away from home! And just like your primary residence, it needs insurance to protect you in the event of an accident or if a catastrophe occurs. Unfortunately, not everyone thinks cottage insurance is important, while others avoid it altogether to save money. But if you don’t get the right protection for your cottage, you run the risk of having to pay out of pocket if something happens. So, before you decide to skip it, read up on these 5 ways that you can benefit from cottage insurance.
Covers You in The Event of An Accident
A majority of accidents that happen at a cottage are related to slips and falls. Faulty handrails, unkept stairs, uneven terrain, and scattered debris can all cause an accident. If you don’t have insurance, as the owner, you could be held liable if a guest injures themselves on your property. In this case, you’ll be responsible for their medical bills, lost wages, or more. Don’t make this mistake. Cottage insurance provides third-party liability coverage that protects you if someone gets hurt on your property.
Protects You When A Fire Breaks Out
Fire is a real threat to your cottage. The most common claims are, in fact, fire damage caused by wood stoves, electrical outlets, and poor maintenance. If you don’t have coverage on your cottage and a fire breaks out on your property or at your neighbours, you could lose everything and not have insurance to pay for losses. Cottage insurance can protect your building and the contents inside of a fire damages your property.
Protection for Your Boathouse
Intense weather and pesky raccoons can do a number on your boathouse. Fortunately, some seasonal home insurance policies also have coverage for those other buildings on your property. This includes limited coverage for boathouses, sheds, and garages.
Coverage for Your Recreational Vehicles
Do you have a canoe or ATV at the cottage? You can add extra insurance coverage also to cover these items that you have securely stored in your cottage. Just remember that theft is not often covered in cottage policies. You must prove that your cottage was forcibly broken into and that a burglary occurred. If you left your canoe tied to the dock or your ATV in the driveway, you might not be able to claim the cost. Talk to an insurance broker who can help you determine what you can get covered and what items should have a stand-alone recreational vehicle policy.
Combine Policies to Save
Did you know that some insurance companies will allow you to combine your policies together like your home, cottage, boat and auto insurance? Talk to an insurance broker today to find out how you can get a combined policy to save.
As you can see, protection for your cottage is essential, but so is finding out what exactly is covered. Things like burst pipes, critters, and sewage back up are not always included by insurers and need extra coverage. Every insurance company offers different types of policies. Talk to one of our insurance brokers at MLS Insurance to find a cottage insurance policy that will provide you with the best coverage for your needs.