When you leave home, your homeowners insurance typically follows you, protecting you and your family from loss or theft of personal possessions and from liability for accidental injuries or property damage.
"The standard homeowners policy is going to include 'off-premises' coverage, which means that your belongings are covered anywhere in the world unless you have decided against off-premises coverage," says Michael Barry, spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute, an industry trade group.
"The second you buy something, it's yours, and your possessions are covered," says Nick McCummings, manager of Harrington Insurance Agency in Brockton, Mass.
What's more, you don't have to own your home to protect your belongings, wherever they happen to be.
"A lot of people don't realize that renters insurance can cover possessions off-premises," says Allstate spokesman Justin Herndon. "If your golf clubs are stolen from the trunk of your car, that's covered under your renters insurance."
While such coverage may be comforting, knowing your off-premises limits and deductibles will help you determine whether it's cost-effective to file a claim -- or leave your claims history unsullied.
Here are five scenarios in which your homeowners or renters insurance can save you from loss away from home.