Insurance: 10 things your homeowners insurance DOESN'T cover

Surprise: Here are 10 things a typical homeowners policy doesn't cover:

• Damage due to animals or rodents.
• Mold, mildew or dry rot.
• Earthquakes -- including earth movement, landslides, etc.
• Slow leaks.
• Flooding: You have to buy a separate flood insurance policy to be covered for floods, tidal surges and tsunamis.
• Intentional damage.
• Foundation settling and cracking.
• Volcanoes: Damage from tremors caused by the eruption generally isn't covered, but removal of ash deposits -- or damage from them -- often are covered.
• A home business: If you operate a home-based business, you might be uninsured and not even realize it. Your homeowners policy may provide a limited amount of coverage for business-related personal property in the home, but don't wait until you have a loss to find out if you're covered. Talk to your agent.
• A second residence on the property: Most homeowner policies don't cover a second residence.

Here, on the other hand, is a list of what is covered under a typical homeowners policy.