The limit that was right in 2018
Construction costs have moved sharply and dwelling limits usually have not, beyond an automatic inflation bump that rarely keeps pace. A household that has not reviewed its limit since buying is the most common underinsured case we see, and it is invisible until a total loss.
Long tenure means aging systems
Roofs, water heaters and HVAC all reach end of life on a schedule the desert shortens. A policy that depreciates those at claim time hands you a check for a worn component precisely when it fails. Worth knowing which settlement basis you are on.
Accumulated equity is reachable
Years of ownership build equity, and equity is visible to a claimant. The liability limit set when the policy was written rarely moved with it. An umbrella is the cheapest way to close that gap.