Would These Famous Horror Movie Houses Be Insurable?
Not all homes are the same, and consequently not all homeowners insurance coverage plans should be the same. Depending on the state of your home, what features it has, how old it is, and whether you’ve added any renovations, your homeowners insurance needs could drastically differ from the next homeowner. Ultimately, insurers consider how expensive it would be to repair your home and replace its contents in the event of a catastrophe, and certain things will add to (or potentially subtract from) the cost. Some of these are:
- Size – Larger homes will typically be more expensive, since there will be more to replace.
- Location – Specifically, homes in isolated locations that are far from nearby emergency services will also see higher rates.
- Past Claims – If you have a history of homeowners insurance claims, you will be likely to see higher premiums.
- Pets – Certain types of pets and breeds of dog can increase your costs.
- Remodeling – Extensive or expensive remodeling will increase homeowners insurance costs.
- Security Features – Unlike the other qualities listed above, having home security measures can lower your costs!
No matter who you are and where you live, it’s always important to have homeowners insurance coverage. In honor of today’s holiday, we wanted to take a look at some of the most iconic houses from horror movies and see which ones could be insurable, and which ones would be a nightmare!
The Overlook Hotel from The Shining
Yes, we know that this is a hotel. However, since Jack Torrance and his family live there, this could be considered a legal residence. Not only would there be plenty of insurance issues just from the fact that Jack Torrance and his family are using the Hotel as both a business and as a home (home-based businesses will require additional coverage to account for their additional liabilities), it is also tucked away in the mountains. Secluded locations are big red flags for insurers, especially hotels that are high up on mountains miles away from the nearest town.
Let’s also think about the possibility of claims:
- The hotel is extremely old. In addition to having more wear and tear, older properties often have a higher replacement cost due to the use of historic materials.
- It has a history. Many people have died there, and there’s a history of boilers exploding. We’d hate to see their claims history!
- The hedge maze. That is definitely a costly renovation, and we imagine that replacing that after a catastrophe could get very expensive.
- The layout is constantly changing. It would be very difficult for an insurer to come up with an accurate estimate for a building that’s constantly remodeling itself!
We think it’s safe to say that the Hotel would send homeowners insurers screaming for the hills!
The cabin from The Cabin in the Woods
Talk about isolation! This cabin is in the middle of nowhere, far away from any emergency services. It is also right next to a giant lake. Any body of water could mean flooding, and flood damage is not covered by standard homeowners insurance policies. Since the cabin was full of vintage collectibles as well, the premiums could be a bloody mess.
The Old Man’s House From Don’t Breathe
This dilapidated house is home to an extremely aggressive Rottweiler, and dogs can create complications. Some insurers even exclude “dangerous” breeds (which often includes Rottweilers). At the very least, the old man could expect some higher premiums.
There’s also the fact that he kept a very large cash settlement in his home, which could easily be destroyed (and require expensive replacement) in the event of a catastrophe. Depending on his coverage limits, he likely wouldn’t be able to have the entire amount replaced.
Without going too far into the specifics, this man also remodeled his home to include a certain area in his basement, one that clearly was not there when he moved in. This type of remodeling will definitely increase his premiums!
But not all is lost for him. He had the thought to install a number of different home security features. In addition to making it difficult for would-be burglars to quietly slip into his home, these would reduce his home insurance costs.
The Amityville Horror House
Where do we begin? This house is in pretty bad condition, even oozing green slime from time to time. This would be very alarming for any insurer!
In addition to that little problem, there are a few other things of note. This house has a swimming pool, and because home swimming pools are a frequent source of claims, insurers would need to account for it in their coverage. The small hidden room in the basement would definitely need to be taken into account and is likely to increase premiums and make things very confusing for their insurer. And that’s not even getting into the house’s grisly history…
The Lutzes definitely didn’t have a very good stay in the house. However, since they purchased it as a married couple, it’s very likely that their insurer gave them a reduction on their rates, since married couples statistically get into less accidents (though we don’t think that these stats apply to this couple).
These movies may be scary, but an unwanted homeowners insurance claim can be even more frightening! Make sure you talk to your Connecticut Homeowners Insurance agent to ensure that no matter what haunts your home, you’ll be covered.
About Byrnes Agency
At Byrnes Agency, we offer auto insurance solutions that can be tailored to meet your specific needs. Whether you have an old classic car or a brand-new model, we have the right coverage for you. To learn more about our products, contact us today at one of our two locations.
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Norwich, CT 06360
United States
info@byrnesagency.com
Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 9:00am-5:00pm
Tags: connecticut homeowners insurance, Halloween, Home Insurance, Homeowners, Homeowners Insurance