Dear Liz: My home insurer has outdated specifications for my home that seem to come from public records (the house has more bedrooms and is larger now). So the estimated replacement cost can’t be anywhere near accurate. What’s the best way to provide them with authoritative information that would leave no doubt what we need to rebuild if that becomes necessary? An appraisal?
Answer: An appraisal may be overkill, but you’re long overdue for a conversation with your insurance agent.
Ask the agent to calculate the cost to rebuild your home given the actual square footage and other features. Insurers use proprietary systems to calculate these costs, so you may also want to check with two or three other companies. Also consider talking to a local contractor or two to find out the average cost to rebuild in your area.
Going forward, you should be checking to make sure your coverage is adequate every two or three years and after any major improvements.
Your premiums are likely to rise, perhaps substantially, once your insurer has the correct information. But your policy will do what it was designed to do, which is to protect you from a catastrophic loss. Otherwise, you could be left without enough money to rebuild.