As an insurance agent who encourages his customers to cover their valuables in case of a flood or other disaster, Dave DeFelice practices what he preaches.

DeFelice and his wife, Catherine, have purchased additional, extensive coverage to insure items in their Hockessin, Del., home through DeFelice's firm, Affinity Group Insurance Services Inc.

This type of coverage, known as a "valuable articles floater," is just one way homeowners can protect themselves in the event of a disaster.

DeFelice's valuable belongings are "scheduled," or listed, under the DeFelices' home insurance policy. By scheduling these items, the DeFelices have coverage that goes beyond what their regular home insurance policy provides.

One floater covers Catherine DeFelice's engagement ring, wedding band and other miscellaneous jewelry. These floaters cost about $1.40 on average for every $100 worth of coverage. A standard homeowner's policy would only cover up to $25 if the jewelry was damaged or lost.

There are two main advantages to purchasing floaters to cover valuable items in a home. One is that, if the item was lost or damaged, the policyholder would not be subject to the standard homeowners policy deductible (the average deductible is $500). The coverage is also broader under a floater, covering items lost in a disaster.

The most expensive items to cover with a floater are collectible coins, which cost about $2.69 for every $100 worth of coverage.

If policyholders are concerned about a disaster, they should make sure they have more than enough money to rebuild a home, said Caroline Gorman, vice president of the Insurance Information Institute. If a home costs $100,000, for example, a policyholder should purchase at least that much in insurance to cover the rebuilding.

Most policies will build in extended replacement costs, which adds another 25 percent in coverage to account for spikes in the cost of lumber, labor and other rebuilding items, Gorman said.

Insurance experts also suggest looking into flood insurance, insurance for your mortgage loan and sewer and drain insurance.

Policyholders are more likely to purchase floaters for valuables under a homeowners policy than they are flood insurance, said Kim Broadbent, an associate agent with Lisa Broadbent Insurance Inc.

Through Affinity Group, customers have purchased coverage for various collections, including stamps, coins and baseball cards, DeFelice said.

For others, purchasing coverage on valuables isn't an issue because they don't really have any valuables to cover. Other than a diamond wedding ring, Charlotte and Bill Ennis of New Castle, Del., couldn't think of anything that they'd need to insure if a flood or tornado swallowed their home.

"I haven't used my homeowners policy since my children were little, and they're 45," Bill Ennis said.

But Ennis and others who let their policies fly on autopilot might want to think a little harder, DeFelice said.

In addition to potential damage from floods or hurricanes, personal computers can also be damaged or destroyed by an electrical surge. The average cost to cover home computers is about $2.15 per $100 worth of coverage, DeFelice said.

Anything operated by a microprocessor, including fax machines and photo copiers, can be scheduled by a personal equipment floater.

"People need to know that a lot of the valuables they have are insurable," DeFelice said. "Is it worth paying the extra $50 to cover all of that stuff? I personally think it's worth it."

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