10 Insurance Things Every Oklahoma City Homeowner Should Check This Fall

It feels a little ridiculous to talk about fall when it is a hundred and something degrees outside and the asphalt is basically melting, but believe it or not, it really is right around the corner.

​Fall in Oklahoma City is short. One week it is still ninety degrees, and the next week we are watching the first cold front roll through with a line of storms behind it. Before that happens, it is worth taking an hour to look over your home insurance and make sure it still matches your house.

I go through this same list every fall with my own clients, and most of it takes just a few minutes per item. None of it requires a policy change unless you find something that needs one.

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1. Check Your Dwelling Coverage Amount

Your dwelling coverage is supposed to reflect what it would actually cost to rebuild your home today, not what it is worth on the market.

​Building material and labor costs have moved a lot over the last few years, and a policy that was accurate three years ago might be light now. If your dwelling limit has not been reviewed since you bought the house, that is worth a phone call before storm season, not after a claim.

2. Know Your Wind and Hail Deductible

Most Oklahoma homeowners policies carry a separate deductible for wind and hail damage, often a percentage of your dwelling coverage rather than a flat dollar amount. That number catches people off guard when a claim actually happens.

​I have written more on how these deductibles work and what they mean for your out-of-pocket cost after a storm in our guide on what a wind and hail deductible actually is. It is worth five minutes before hail season peaks.

3. Get Your Roof Looked At and Photographed

A roof inspection before storm season does two things. It catches wear that could turn into a bigger problem, and it gives you dated photos showing the roof's condition before any damage happens. If you ever need to file a claim, those before photos make the adjuster's job easier and protect you from arguments about what damage is new versus old.

4. Clear Gutters and Check Trees Near the House

Dead limbs hanging over the roofline are one of the most preventable claims I see. Clean gutters so water actually drains away from the foundation, and walk the yard looking for any branches that look weak or diseased.

​I put together a full breakdown of how coverage works when a tree does come down in our post on falling tree damage and home insurance in Oklahoma City, including what steps to take right after it happens.

5. Have the Furnace Serviced

​A furnace that has not been checked since last winter is a fire and carbon monoxide risk, and both of those show up in claims every year. A basic HVAC inspection before you turn the heat back on catches most problems while they are still cheap to fix.

6. Build or Update Your Home Inventory

This is the one item on this list most people skip, and it is the one that matters most if you ever have to file a claim. A home inventory does not need to be complicated. Walk through each room with your phone, take video or photos of what you own, and note anything particularly valuable.

​Keep a copy somewhere other than your house, like cloud storage or email, so you can still get to it if your home is damaged. Fall is a good time to do this since the holidays are about to add more to the pile.

7. Confirm Coverage on Sheds, Garages, and Outbuildings

Detached structures like sheds, detached garages, and workshops are commonly underinsured compared to the main house. Standard policies usually include some coverage for these automatically, but the limit may not be enough if you have added a workshop, guesthouse, or storage building since your policy was written.

​I cover how this coverage works in more detail in our post on coverage for detached structures.

8. Ask About Discounts Before Renewal

Fall is a common renewal window for a lot of carriers. It is a good time to ask your agent whether you are getting credit for things like bundling your home and auto, a monitored security system, or a claims-free history. These discounts do not apply themselves, and a lot of homeowners are leaving savings on the table without realizing it.

9. Check Your Personal Property Limits

If you have picked up new electronics, tools, or other higher-value items this year, or you know some are coming for the holidays, check whether your personal property coverage and any item-specific sublimits still make sense.

​Jewelry, firearms, and certain collectibles often have limits far below their actual value unless they are scheduled separately.

I go into this along with other coverage add-ons worth considering in our post on home insurance add-ons every Oklahoma homeowner should consider.

10. Revisit Your Liability Coverage

Cooler weather means more time outside, more get-togethers, and more people on your property. That is exactly when liability coverage matters most. If it has been a while since you looked at your liability limits, our post on the basics of liability protection walks through what it covers and where the common gaps show up.

Not sure where your policy stands on any of these?

None of this requires guessing. If you want a second set of eyes on your coverage before winter weather rolls in, get a quote or request a policy review and we will walk through it together.
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We look forward to serving your insurance needs today and in the future.

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Scott Godwin
​Founder

Oklahoma Insurance Professionals LLC serves Oklahoma City and the surrounding Oklahoma communities by protecting the people we work with just like we protect our own family members. Home insurance, auto insurance, business insurance, and more. 

Whether in Moore, Edmond, Norman, Oklahoma City or surrounding areas, We can help you find the coverage you need.