Homeowners Insurance

Get coverage that fits your home, your priorities, and your budget — from a local team that’s here when you need us.

Request your free quote now.

Online Quote Form

Insurance with a Human Touch

When you call us, you talk to a real person — no menus, no waiting games.

Want to meet face-to-face? Swing by our office in Mattapoisett! We’re here to help you feel confident in your coverage, not just check a box.

So, What is Homeowners Insurance?

Homeowners insurance helps protect your house, belongings, and finances if the unexpected happens — like a fire, storm, or accident on your property. It can even cover temporary living costs if your home becomes unlivable.

FAQs

Base Coverages

The MA homeowners insurance policy consists of 6 base coverages labeled A-F. These coverages consist of dwelling, other structures, personal property, loss of use, personal liability, and medical payments.

Mass.gov has some great resources with more information regarding coverages.

  • A homeowners insurance policy usually covers the dwelling on the residence premises¹ shown in the declarations², including structures attached to the dwelling; and materials and supplies located on or next to the residence premises used to construct, alter or repair the dwelling or other structures on the residence premises.

    You should consider a dwelling limit that is high enough to help you rebuild your home at today’s labor and material costs in the event of a total loss. This cost may be very different from the market value of your home, for example a home that may sell for $300,000 may actually cost $600,000 to replace.

    • ¹ The dwelling in which you reside and other structures and grounds at the listed location.

    • ² Declarations a summary of the information essential to your insurance coverage.

  • Covers other structures on the residence premises¹ set apart from the dwelling by clear space. This often includes structures connected to the dwelling by only a fence, utility line, or similar connection.

    Other structures rented or held for rental to any person not a tenant of the dwelling, from which any business² is conducted, and/or used to store "business" property are often not covered.

    • ¹ The dwelling in which you reside and other structures and grounds at the listed location.

    • ² A trade, profession or occupation engaged in on a full-time, part-time or occasional basis or any other activity engaged in for money or other compensation.

  • Covers personal property owned or used by an insured¹ while it is anywhere in the world. After a loss and at your request, we will cover personal property owned by:

    a. Others while the property is on the part of the residence premises² occupied by an insured; or

    b. A guest or a residence employee³ while the property is in any residence occupied by an "insured".

    • ¹ You and residents of your household who are your relatives or other persons under the age of 21 and in the care of any person named above.

    • ² The dwelling in which you reside and other structures and grounds at the listed location.

    • ³ An employee of an insured, or an employee leased to an insured by a labor leasing firm, under an agreement between an insured and the labor leasing firm, whose duties are related to the maintenance or use of the residence premises, including household or domestic services or one who performs similar duties elsewhere not related to the business of an insured.

  • If a covered loss makes the residence premises¹ where you reside not fit to live in, we cover any necessary increase in living expenses incurred by you so that your household can maintain its normal standard of living.

    Payment is usually for the shortest time required to repair or replace the damage or, if you permanently relocate, the shortest time required for your household to settle elsewhere.

    • ¹ The dwelling in which you reside and other structures and grounds at the listed location.

  • If a claim is made or a suit is brought against an insured¹ for damages because of bodily injury² or property damage³ caused by an occurrence⁴ to which this coverage applies, the insurance company may: 1) pay up to the limit of liability for the damages for which an insured is legally liable. Damages may include prejudgment interest awarded against an insured; and 2) may provide a defense at the insurance company’s expense by counsel of our choice, even if the suit is groundless, false or fraudulent. The insurance company may investigate and settle any claim or suit that we decide is appropriate. The insurance company’s duty to settle or defend usually ends when their limit of liability for the occurrence has been exhausted by payment of a judgment or settlement.

    • ¹ You and residents of your household who are your relatives or other persons under the age of 21 and in the care of any person named above.

    • ² Bodily harm, sickness or disease, including required care, loss of services and death that results.

    • ³ Physical injury to, destruction of, or loss of use of tangible property.

    • ⁴ An accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions, which results, during the policy period, in: a. "Bodily injury"; or b. "Property damage".

  • Policies usually pay the necessary medical expenses that are incurred or medically ascertained within three years from the date of an accident causing bodily injury¹. Medical expenses usually means reasonable charges for medical, surgical, x-ray, dental, ambulance, hospital, professional nursing, prosthetic devices and funeral services. This coverage does usually not apply to you or regular residents of your household. As to others, this coverage usually applies to other specified people.

    • ¹ Bodily harm, sickness or disease, including required care, loss of services and death that results.

Additional Coverages

Most MA home insurance policies offer options to increase and/or expand coverage. These changes, otherwise known as endorsements, are usually fairly inexpensive to add to policies. The following are a few common endorsements our insureds request.

  • Traditionally provides coverage for damage resulting from water which backs up through sewers or drains or which overflows from a sump pump, even if the sump pump fails. Coverage often includes damage to covered property but excludes coverage for the sump pump.

  • Extends your dwelling coverage by a percentage of the cost to rebuild your home.

    For example; you purchase Additional Increase in Coverage A (25%) and our home is insured for $500,000. This endorsement increases your total amount of insurance to $625,000, 25% ($125,000) above your $500,000 in coverage.

    In the event that the coverage amount you insured your home for is insufficient maybe because of increased cost of construction increases, this endorsement becomes very useful.

  • Traditionally covers things such as: Libel and/or slander, false arrest, detention or imprisonment, malicious prosecution, wrongful eviction or wrongful entry, and associated legal costs.

    With social media more prevalent than ever and communications able to be sent instantly around the world, with the click or tap of a button a slanderous statement can accidentally be made more easily than ever before.


Looking for more information?

Briggs is open Monday-Friday, 8-4:30 EST.

Email: contact@peterbriggsins.com

Phone: 508-758-6929