As soon as the leaves start falling and the air turns crisp, you might start thinking about warm holiday get-togethers and festive feasts. However, wintertime can also be hard on your home, which can lead to some pretty significant unplanned expenses. Fortunately, if you have homeowner's insurance, you won't have to lose sleep about that incoming storm. Here are two wintertime hazards your homeowner's insurance policy might cover:

1: Freezing Pipes and Subsequent Flooding

That frozen pipe might seem like a simple inconvenience, but if it bursts, you might have a whole new set of problems on your hands. Since water expands as much as 9% when it freezes, stagnant, frozen water can stretch pipes to their limits and cause serious cracks. Unfortunately, since you won't notice those fractures until your plumbing thaws out, cracks can cause devastating home floods when you least expect it. Undetected fractures can also cause slow leaks inside of your walls or underneath your flooring, prompting mold and mildew growth. 

While homeowner's insurance companies won't cover flooding due to heavy rainfall or an overflowing river nearby, they will cover damage that is caused by burst or broken pipes—even if the pipe was outside of your home. For example, if your sprinkler system burst open because of the stark temperature changes, your insurer would likely pay to repair your system, clean up your home, and replace any possessions that were damaged during the event.

If you have had issues with frozen pipes in the past, contact your insurance company before the dead of winter to check your coverage. Ask about limits and exclusions that could affect you during a disaster. For example, if a pipe bursts and floods your living room, your insurer might have a set amount of coverage for furniture and a set limit for home repairs. If you aren't happy with the coverage limits, talk with your insurer about adjusting your policy. 

2: Power Outages That Send You Packing

That power outage might seem like a great excuse to enjoy a candlelit evening with your hubby—until you realize that no power also means no hot water and no cell phone charging. Fortunately, if you prefer first-world amenities over indoor camping, your homeowner's insurance policy will likely cover your displacement.  

Depending on the nature of your power outage, it could take hours, days, or weeks until power is restored to your home. Because living without heat and properly cooked food can be a significant health hazard, most homeowner's insurance policies cover hotel stays while crews work to restore power to your area. Some insurance plans even cover transportation to and from hotels and meals—since you won't be able to cook at home.

Keep in mind that most of these expenses are paid by reimbursing homeowners, instead of cutting a single check for your unfortunate wintertime adventure. If you are ever displaced because of a winter storm, keep careful track of all of your expenses and never throw away your receipts. Don't forget to include other expenses tied to your displacement, such as time away from work or extra mileage on your car due to longer commutes from your hotel. To avoid footing the bill for expenses that might otherwise be covered, resist the urge to call your insurance company to report your totals early. Instead, simply report the displacement, make sure you have coverage, and then wait until you return home and resume your normal life to add up your expenses. That way, you can factor in any damaged appliances, extra trips, and other expenses tied to the inconvenience.

By understanding which wintertime hazards your homeowner's insurance policy covers, you might be able to relax and enjoy the cold season.  To look for a new homeowners insurance policy, go to sites like the one linked to here.