A landslide creates a large sinkhole in a Mount Soledad neighborhood damaging nearby homes.
Photo by Kent Horner/Getty Images

Policy Matters: Is Your Insurance Adequate?
Whenever disaster strikes, some homeowners find gaps in their insurance coverage — the hard way. If your home was damaged in the fires, Consumers Union has tips on handling insurance claims. If your home survived the fires, now is a good time to reassess your insurance needs.

"Know what kinds of losses are covered and which are excluded," advises Mark Savage, senior attorney at Consumers Union. (www.consumersunion.org)

Homeowners should seek enough insurance to cover both house and belongings. Actual damage means you’ll collect only depreciated value — which could be just pennies on the dollar for appliances and other big-ticket items. A better choice is full replacement value, which allows you to replace items at today’s cost.

"Take a personal inventory of possessions," suggests Tully Lehman, insurance industry spokesman with the Insurance Information Network of California (IINC). Update inventory each year and expand coverage as you acquire more treasures. IINC offers free home inventory software. The program walks you through each room, allows you to scan in photos plus receipts of belongings, and email records to your insurance agent. (www.iinc.org)

A common mistake is getting caught short after remodeling. If you make major improvements, update your policy. Be sure dollar amounts per square foot to replace your home reflect real-world construction costs — and adjust upwards for inflation regularly. "You’ve had a catastrophe in this area, so building materials will be at a premium and contractors are at a premium, too," Lehman notes. "Ask your agent, ‘Do I have a 10-15 percent bump above my policy limit to cover those added expenses?’ Also, compare multiple quotes and local building costs."

Standard homeowner policies cover fire, wind, theft, and other common perils. But some perils require special policies.

Assess your risks. A homeowner on the Rose Canyon fault may consider buying earthquake insurance, since quake damage is not covered by standard policies in California. Be aware, though, that earthquake policies have high deductibles — typically 10-15 percent of the total amount insured. So on a home insured for a half million dollars, you’d need damage above $50,000-$75,000 before your policy would kick in.

Standard policies won’t cover flooding caused by rains. Flood insurance may be purchased from the federal government by contacting your insurance agent. Find out your risk of flooding by entering your address at the Web site of the National Flood Insurance Program. (www.floodsmart.gov)

If a landslide destroys your home, tough luck. "There is no landslide coverage available," Lehman discloses. Mudslides are also excluded, but mudflows are covered by flood insurance. "A mudflow is mostly water," Lehman explains.

Renters often mistakenly think that their landlord’s insurance will cover their stereo, TV, or other belongings. It doesn’t. Fortunately, renter’s insurance is inexpensive. "Mine is just $7 a month, because I have auto and renter’s insurance all with the same company," says Lehman. "I have $30,000 for contents coverage." Besides covering perils, policies provide some liability protection. "If someone slips and tries to sue you, you’re covered," Lehman notes.

Most policies have caps on valuables such as jewelry, antiques, or art. Get appraisals and ask for a rider to cover expensive items. If you have a home office, ask if you need a business policy.

Check the California Department of Insurance Web site to be sure an insurer is licensed and to find complaints filed. (www.insurance.ca.gov)

Never put off paying premiums or updating policies. "If you don’t have insurance," Savage concludes, "you’ll be responsible for your own loss." — Miriam Raftery

Jeweled decanters from Le Dimora in Fairbanks Ranch, and jeweled Champagne flutes and wine glasses
from Bella Castilla in Del Mar

Clear Choices
This season, glassware gets a royal facelift with afixed metals, jewels, and even thematic adornments running the gamut from weddings to holidays. With New Year’s celebrations approaching, such luxury for your libations may be just the thing to ensure tinkling china is not the only thing resonating with your guests. — Alicia Garcia, photo by Vincent Knakal

Estate Envy
There’s no need to travel far for park-like beauty and tranquility. Estate owners along San Diego’s rolling hillsides are putting as much effort into their gardens and courtyards as their interior decor. Now they have a new source for upscale garden accessories: Treasures Furniture recently expanded its outdoor furnishings line to include structures and accents fit for a European manor. Whether you dream of a stately gazebo, shimmering fountain, or graceful marble statues, the Treasures showrooms now have it. Take your time finding just the right lamppost, iron gate, and garden bench, or outfit your outdoor seating area with new furnishings and weather-safe rugs. All items are sold for immediate delivery. (858/586-1900, www.treasuresfurniture.net) — Tanja Kern