A Cautionary Tale from the Thomases
When the laundry room light started flickering, Mrs. Thomas made a mental note to have someone look at it. But with three kids, two jobs, and a dog that hated the vacuum, that mental note was soon buried beneath her ever-growing to-do list.
One week later, while the Thomases were out at a soccer game, a short circuit sparked a small electrical fire. The fire was contained quickly, thanks to a neighbor who had called 9-1-1. But the smoke and water damage made the home completely unlivable. Their entire downstairs was soaked, and the air reeked of melted plastic and scorched drywall.
Still, the Thomases felt relatively calm. They had homeowners insurance. This is why you have it, right?
But when they sat down with their claims adjuster, they made a horrifying discovery:
Their policy didn’t include loss of use coverage.
No hotel reimbursement. No meal allowances. No transportation help. Just the home repairs — nothing more.
Where Do You Go When You Can’t Go Home?
With no coverage for temporary living expenses, the Thomases were left scrambling.
Mrs. Thomas and the kids stayed with her sister in a small two-bedroom apartment. Mr. Thomas took Moose, their anxious golden retriever, to a pet-friendly motel nearly 45 minutes from work. It wasn’t ideal. But it was all they could do.
What started as a minor inconvenience turned into a logistical and emotional mess. The kids missed school because of transportation issues. Mrs. Thomas had to take unpaid time off to juggle pickups and paperwork. Mr. Thomas was exhausted from the commute. And everyone missed their routines — their beds, their dog, their dinner table.
After just two weeks, the family had spent nearly $2,000 on food, gas, and makeshift housing. The worst part? None of it was reimbursable.
“We thought we were covered,” Mr. Thomas sighed. “But we didn’t know what we didn’t know.”
So, What Is Loss of Use Coverage?
The Thomases didn’t know either — until they needed it.
Loss of use coverage, sometimes called Additional Living Expenses (ALE), helps pay for your everyday costs if your home becomes temporarily unlivable after a covered event.
Things like:
- Hotel stays or short-term rentals
- Restaurant meals or groceries
- Laundry and clothing
- Pet boarding
- Mileage or transportation
- Even moving or storage fees
It’s not automatically included in every policy, and when it is, the limits might not be enough for a full family displacement. That’s why it’s so important to talk to a trusted agent about your actual coverage needs, not just your square footage.
Don’t Let This Be Your Story
The Thomases eventually moved back home. Their house looks great. But the stress, financial strain, and months of disjointed living left a real impact.
Don’t let this become your story, next. At Avalue Insurance, we’re not just here to protect your house; we’re here to help protect the life you’ve built inside it.
Let us review your policy, explain what’s covered (and what’s not), and help you fill in the gaps before life throws you a curveball. Because peace of mind shouldn’t be optional.
Request a quote online today or give us a call at 303-773-3332— we’re here to make insurance easier to understand, and easier to trust.
