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Millions of homeowners may have done a little bit of homework when it comes to many of the things their insurance policies do and don't cover, but when extreme weather hits, taking an extra step might go a long way. This is particularly true in the Northeastern U.S., where huge snow storms and bitter cold temperatures have battered the region for a few months now, and show no signs of letting up in the near future. This may lead to more need for home insurance claims, and it might therefore be wise for agents to make sure their clients understand exactly what is and isn't covered during these long winter months.

The cold and snow over the last few months have led to many issues for those in New York, New Jersey, and New England in particular, causing significant damage in many cases, according to a report from CBS New York. However, despite issues like flooding, collapsing roofs, freezing pipes, leaks, and so on, a lot of the impacted homeowners are now finding out that the cost of repairs might not be covered by their home insurance policies as they're currently constituted.

What's at issue?
There are many reasons why such a claim would be denied, and experts say one of the most common is that homes are hit with damage that builds up over time and hasn't been addressed, the report said. If a roof suddenly collapses, that's one thing, but if it's caused by the weight of snow slowly building up, that could complicate matters. Likewise, people who may not have taken as much care as possible to make sure their homes are warm enough that pipes won't freeze might also be on the outs when it comes to getting their claims approved.

Insurance agents need to be cognizant of the fact that many owners might - wrongly - assume that some things they might deal with in the course of the winter will be covered by their standard policies. The more they can do to properly educate their clients about the ins and outs of their policies, the better off they're likely to be in terms of ensuring ongoing success. Consumers generally want to see more high-quality customer service than simply just being able to save a bit of money on their plans, so striking a balance between these two issues is of the utmost importance.

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