Tips on Add Law Coverage

If your older house is destroyed by a fire or disaster, you can't just blow the dust off the original construction plans and build again. In most of the U.S., building codes have become much more stringent, requiring upgrades of everything from electrical systems to the thickness of walls when you rebuild.

To pay for these extra costs, public insurance adjuster Raymond Altieri Jr. of Altieri Transco American Claims advises all owners of older homes to get so-called ordinance and law coverage added to their homeowners policy. A typical policy boosts premiums 3 percent to 7 percent.