Why is this? The reasons to make sure your house insurance is current and stays that way are, in fact, quite many. They include:

* Mortgage agreement: Most mortgage companies will not finance a home loan unless there is insurance on the property. Going without home insurance can result in a default of the loan terms. This means the home owner can find themselves without a home. The expense might be an "extra" you don't want to pay for, but avoiding it just should not be considered an option.

* Property protection: A good policy covers your home in the event of some major emergencies. Consider the recent hurricanes in the Gulf Coast area and the importance of insurance should be more than evident. Covering such things as fire, storms, earthquakes and more, a good home owner insurance policy simply protects your investment in your home. In essence, this means it protects your life, too. Remember, most policies don't cover floods though, so if you need this type of home owner insurance, you'll need to check into a separate policy.

* Personal liability protection: A home owners insurance policy can also protect you if someone becomes injured while visiting your property. A slip and fall, a trip, a dog bite, a falling roof shingle and so on can all result in litigation. When an insurance policy is present, these things are covered. This takes the headache and nightmare off of you while the insurance company handles the issue.

* A place to stay: Most include clauses that give you a place to stay if major damage is being repaired on your home. In the event of a fire, tornado or so on, you might have to move out while repairs are made. Rather than having to pay a mortgage and rent, too, a home owners insurance policy frees up your bank account to simply handle the mortgage.

* Replacement of personal items: When major emergencies happen, oftentimes a lot of personal items are lost. Most home owner policies will pay for such things as furniture, electronics, clothing and so on. The replacement costs can be outrageous, but a good home owner insurance policy will handle them for you.

Going without home owner insurance is like getting a glass of water without the glass. It doesn't make sense. Even though the expense can be high, especially in risky coastal areas, the price of the policy will be worth every penny if something bad does happen.

Whether you own your home outright or a bank is involved, making sure home owner insurance is current is a very smart thing to do. You never know when tragedy will strike and having coverage is like having money in the bank.