Owning your own home, be that condo, town home, or house, is a wonderful thing. There are, however differences in the way you should manage your insurance coverage for these different types of units. Homeowners get insurance that covers everything on the property and protects against any liability.

Condos are a bit different in this respect. If you are looking into purchasing a condo, there are several questions you need to ask so that you can make sure you are getting the best type of insurance for your needs.

Car Insurance What is the most cost-effective car insurance option for a college student? Because Ashley will not be driving a car while she is away at school, getting her own car insurance is an unnecessary expense. If she wants to drive when she comes home on school breaks though, she should first make sure she is still covered by her parents‘ policy. And because she will be driving so infrequently, her parents may be able to save money on her car insurance premiums without reducing coverage amounts. But can Mark stay on his parents‘ car insurance policy, or will he need his own? That varies widely among insurance companies, so his parents should contact their agent for more information.

Getting the Right Policy As you are likely responsible for replacing the contents and interior structures in your condo, now the question is, how much coverage should I get? You want to make sure that your policy will enable you to make the necessary repairs and replace lost or damaged items in the event of flood, fire, and other natural and man-made disasters. There are two basic ways to assess the value of your property in the policy. Cash value assesses the current value of the belongings in your home. This value does depreciate over time. Replacement cost value pays for the cost of replacing any damaged items at the current market price. Depreciation of items does not factor into this at all. You may also want to consider looking into getting coverage that will pay whatever portion of your condo associations deductible that you may be responsible for. Some insurance providers will pay your portion of the deductible as part of your insurance claim payout.

Extra Things to Look At Anytime you choose to make improvements to your unit, these may not be covered with a basic condo insurance policy. Coverage can be added so that adjustments can be made to include the cost and value of any improvements or upgrades to your home. If you store any major equipment or toys on your property, you may want to see about including them in your coverage. You don’t want to lose your jet skis in a fire only to find out that that type of damage and loss is not covered by your basic insurance.

The right auto insurance coverage can help get you back on the road quickly if your car is damaged with their San Jose based Umbrella Insurance. Campus Insurance, a San Jose insurance company, is in the business of keeping you protected.