Home Insurance Burlington

Homeowners Insurance Burlington 

Burlington is a great place to call home. With a beautiful view of Lake Ontario, a thriving arts and culture scene, and the largest rib fest in all of Canada, there’s a lot for Burlington residents to enjoy. However, if you want to live here, you’ll need a place to stay, and Burlington housing is quite expensive, meaning a Burlington home could be the most significant investment you’ll make in your entire life. 

Given the hundreds of thousands of dollars you’ll spend buying, renovating, and maintaining your home, it only makes sense to protect your investment, especially since a single stroke of bad luck can leave a homeowner with plenty of property damage and an expensive bill to pay out of pocket. But with the right Burlington home insurance policy, you can have peace of mind knowing you are protected in the event of a loss. Burlington homeowners can count on the team of expert Burlington insurance brokers at Morison Insurance to help get insurance for their Burlington home, as well as any other insurance needs they may have. 

Is Home Insurance in Burlington Necessary? 

Burlington homeowners may be surprised to hear that they are not legally required to have home insurance. Burlington, Ontario, nor the Canadian government legally required you to have home insurance. However, it is still highly recommended to have the right homeowners insurance, as it helps provide financial protection for one of the biggest investments you can make in the face of an accident or an unforeseen event. 

Additionally, if you have a mortgage, your mortgage lender will likely require that you have insurance in place. Burlington residents can discuss the coverage options with our experienced brokers at Morison Insurance, who will be happy to answer any questions about getting the right Burlington home insurance. 

What Does Home Insurance in Burlington Cover? 

Burlington home insurance policies cover a wide range of possible forms of damage that your home could face, including fire, theft, wind, and water damage. Please keep in mind that your policy will often cover several attached and detached structures, such as a garage or shed, as well as items kept inside these structures. Depending on your coverage, additional items such as a pool, can be added to your Burlington home insurance policy. Because there is no one-size-fits-all approach to home insurance in Burlington, you must carefully read over your policy and communicate your needs and any additional coverage with an insurance broker. 

If you would like any further clarification as to what is and isn’t covered by your policy for house insurance, Burlington insurance brokers at Morison Insurance will be happy to answer any questions you may have and provide the right coverage for you. 

Fire 

Every building is susceptible to fire. Although we trust that you’re doing everything possible to minimize the odds of a fire using kitchen safety tips, as well as taking steps to minimize the chances of an electrical fire, there’s no way to lower the chances to zero. Even if it was possible to be 100% sure a fire never starts in your home, you can’t ensure that a fire doesn’t spread to your home from a neighbour’s house. Even a small fire on your property, or one that’s put out quickly by sprinklers, can do a lot of damage even to parts of the home it didn’t reach. In addition to burning almost anything it touches, an open flame can lead to secondary impacts such as smoke damage. While it is always important to try to prevent fires from occurring in the first place because they can occur so easily at no fault of your own, they are included in most Burlington home insurance policies.  

Water Damage 

Water damage is also a constant threat to any home, as just like fire, you can’t control all the factors, and the danger often comes from external sources outside your control. Even if you don’t live by the lakeside, a heavy rainstorm clogs the sewers can cause water to enter your basement, causing severe damage. Simply having something like Lake Ontario so close to the city increases the chances of significant rainstorms such as this, putting everyone in Burlington at risk and making water damage insurance a highly recommended aspect of home insurance in Burlington. 

Let’s say that despite doing everything you can to protect your waterfront property from damage, an unexpected flood after a thunderstorm causes lots of water damage to your home and flooding in your basement. If your home isn’t adequately insured, even in a good scenario, you’ll likely be on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars, or even worse, without adequate protection in your Burlington home insurance. Burlington residents who have this protection in their insurance policy will have peace of mind knowing that their most valuable asset is financially backed by an insurance provider and their comprehensive policy for house insurance. Burlington homeowners can also purchase additional coverage for water damage for events like overland water flooding, or if the apartment above yours leaks into your home. 

Contents Coverage 

Contents insurance protects many of your other possessions, making it a crucial component of a Burlington home insurance policy. If you create a home inventory list to keep track of your most valuable and important possessions, having contents insurance can provide coverage for these items. Make sure that you keep careful track of your items and include any identifying information such as item descriptions and serial numbers, so in the event they are damaged or stolen, you have an accurate description of what they were when you make a claim. 

Burlington residents should also ensure they understand the difference between contents coverage and home equipment breakdown coverage. Contents insurance will also often cover items in your home along with attached and detached structures such as a shed, if said structures are also covered by your home insurance policy. 

Home equipment breakdown insurance is an endorsement that can be added to your Burlington house insurance policy. Burlington homeowners with this type of insurance coverage receive insurance compensation to cover the costs of repairs or replacement for a piece of home equipment that has suffered a breakdown due to motor failure, inadequate installation, an electrical power surge, mechanical failure, pressure system breakdowns, or operator error. You should be aware that it only applies to major appliances or systems, such as HVAC systems, electrical panels, water treatment systems, laundry or kitchen appliances, and computer hardware. 

Personal Liability 

Personal liability coverage financially protects you when you cause harm to others while on your property. One of the most common types of insurance claims that this can protect you against is if someone else suffers a physical injury while on your property. This would include situations such as a courier professional suffering a slip and fall on your driveway, one of your kids’ friends suffering an injury while playing a game of football in your backyard, or your dog attacking someone on your property. If you are found legally responsible in any of these scenarios you would be financially covered for any legal expenses offered by the protection of your Burlington home insurance. 

Personal liability coverage can also cover you for any damage to a neighbour’s personal property that they are held responsible for, such as if a tree on their property falls into their neighbour’s yard and damages some of their possessions. 

While ultimately, it’s up to the individual on what is or isn’t covered on their Burlington home insurance, homeowners with the this of protection can be assured they are covered financially in a wide variety of situations. Our Morison insurance brokers will be happy to discuss any additional coverage with you when you contact us with your insurance inquiries. 

What Does Home Insurance in Burlington Not Cover? 

Burlington home insurance can cover you in many situations, but it does not cover every case in which you can find yourself. Problems such as frozen pipes, damages caused by poor maintenance or as a deliberate action on the part of the insured, damage caused by the insured party committing an illegal act, damage as a result of natural wear and tear over time, and damage to others caused by malice or neglect on your part are not covered with Burlington home insurance. 

Floaters and/or other add-ons may cover certain situations in a Burlington home insurance policy. Burlington homes may be within areas prone to flooding, for example, and you can purchase additional insurance for your home to account for the increased flood risk. Similarly, if you have significant investments or high-value items in your home, such as fine art, you can get add-ons to your Burlington home insurance. A Morison Insurance broker can assist with adding any additional coverage added to your Burlington home insurance plan. 

How Much Coverage Do I Need For Home Insurance in Burlington? 

Burlington homeowners—or homeowners in general—often ask us this question, especially if they are first-time homeowners. But this question will have a very different answer for every person, as the level of insurance coverage desired by each policyholder’s needs will differ. Burlington insurance pros will tell you that the risks faced by each individual will also be different, based on a variety of factors, such as location, type of home, and the age of the home. 

To determine your needs for Burlington house insurance, speak with a Morison Insurance broker to develop a plan that makes sense for any unique factors about your information and living situation. Once our experienced team has a better understanding of your needs, they can make recommendations to you and provide you with a custom insurance quote for your needs. 

How Much Does It Cost To Get Home Insurance in Burlington? 

Burlington policy seekers are often concerned about insurance costs, as they will want to find affordable rates for their insurance needs, wishing to factor that in before buying a home. However, determining cost is more complex than it may seem. Burlington home insurance policies do not have a set cost. This is due to the vast array of possible factors impacting the level of risk. 

It is also important to remember that two companies will often charge the same client two different prices, as there is no ‘standard’ price based on risk. For all these reasons, even determining an average rate is tricky. Some of the factors that can impact the cost of home insurance in Burlington, insurance providers need to consider include the following: 

• The replacement cost of the home 
• The claims history of the insured 
• The area of the home and risks inherent within that neighbourhood, such as crime rates 
• The level of protection desired by the insured and any additional type of insurance desired 
• Age of the home 
• Square footage of the home 
• Style of home 
• Any renovations made by the policyholder as well as previous owners 
• Any additional coverages added to the policy 

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of factors that can impact the cost of house insurance. To know more about the factors that impact the cost of Burlington home insurance, contact a Morison Insurance broker. 

Why Is Home Insurance In Burlington So Expensive? 

We understand that the cost of home insurance in Burlington can seem expensive. This is due to a handful of factors, including location and fraud. Burlington’s location means that the cost of home insurance will likely be expensive. Due to Burlington’s proximity to Toronto, the high cost of homes in the area will invariably drive up the cost of home insurance. Burlington homeowners may be surprised to hear that another factor is the high degree of insurance fraud in the area. Fraudulent claims of anyone in the area increase the risk faced by insurance companies, raising their rates for those seeking insurance. 

Are There Any Discounts On The Price Of Home Insurance in Burlington? 

Burlington residents who are interested in saving money on their home insurance in Burlington will find that there are plenty of home insurance discounts that you can take advantage of as long as you qualify for them. Some popular discounts include: 

• Bundled home and auto insurance discount 
• Home alarm insurance discount 
• Having paid off your mortgage 
• A retiree discount 
• Loyalty discount 
• Newly built home discount 
• Non-smoker home discount 

Please note that this does not list every discount available.  If you would like to know about any other discounts you can get, or to know if you are eligible, please get in touch with a Morison Insurance broker for more information.  

Are There Other Ways I Can Lower The Price Of My Burlington Home Insurance? 

In addition to applying discounts, there are other ways you can lower your Burlington home insurance rate. Some popular ways include: 

• Increase your insurance deductible 
• Take steps to reduce the chances of needing to make future claims 
• Not make claims on smaller losses 

Please note that your Morison Insurance broker will likely know more ways you can lower your Burlington home insurance rate.  

How Do I Compare Burlington Home Insurance Quotes? 

It is recommended that you work with an insurance broker, such as Morison Insurance, and have them compare Burlington home insurance quotes and find the best fit for your needs.  insurance broker will be able to help you navigate the tricky waters of many legal situations and answer any insurance questions you may have. It is their job to both save you time when comparing quotes, find the insurance coverage that’s best for you, and help you get your financial compensation in the event of a claim. 

Burlington homeowners do have the option to compare insurance quotes themselves, but it is not recommended that they do this. This is partially due to the vast amount of time needed for you to shop around at different insurance companies. Another reason is insurance has plenty of very complicated terminology that someone without the proper training would struggle with. This makes the finer points of a homeowners’ insurance policy difficult to understand for most people, meaning that when they have to make an insurance claim, they will often have to fight an uphill battle in getting their financial compensation. 

Where Can I Get A Quote For Home Insurance in Burlington? 

You can get a Burlington home insurance quote by contacting us at Morison Insurance. Morison Insurance is a family-owned business that treats its clients as an extension of that family. We have been assisting our clients with their insurance needs for over 100 years. Our friendly, knowledgeable brokers are ready to assist you with finding the best insurance solutions, whether you need auto insurance or home insurance. Get started today by calling 1-800-463-8074 or by filling out the form on this page. We look forward to assisting you!