A burst pipe, a kitchen fire or a flooded basement can turn your life upside down overnight. One day you are home, and the next you are on the phone with your insurance company asking where your family is supposed to sleep while the repairs happen.

If that is where you are right now in Everett or anywhere in Snohomish County, this guide is for you. It covers the basics of insurance temporary housing and why a furnished home can feel a lot better than weeks in a hotel room.

What is ALE (Additional Living Expenses)?

Many homeowners and renters policies include something called Additional Living Expenses, or ALE. It is sometimes called “loss of use” coverage. If a covered loss makes your home unlivable, ALE can help pay for temporary housing, like a hotel or a furnished rental, while your home is repaired or rebuilt.

A few things worth knowing, based on guidance from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners:

• It covers the extra cost. ALE generally pays the increase over your normal living costs. Regular bills like your mortgage are still yours.
• There can be limits. Some policies cap the dollar amount, some cap the length of time, and some do both. Ask your adjuster what applies to you.
• Keep every receipt. Your insurer will need them to reimburse you.
• Ask for help if you need it. In Washington, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner can answer questions about claims and coverage.

Why a furnished home beats a hotel

Hotels are fine for a night or two. For a family, they get hard fast. There is nowhere to cook, nowhere to do laundry, and nowhere for the kids to spread out. If you have a dog, it gets even harder.

A furnished home lets you keep your routines: dinner at the table, homework at a desk, laundry on a Sunday. That matters when everything else feels out of your control.

Silver Lake House: room for the whole family in south Everett

Silver Lake House is a 1950s mid-century cabin right on Silver Lake in south Everett. It has 3 bedrooms and 1.5 baths and sleeps up to 7, so a whole household can stay together under one roof.

• Full kitchen so you can cook your own meals.
• Washer and dryer in the home.
• Workspace and fast Wi-Fi for working from home or school assignments.
• Pet-friendly (a pet fee applies), so your dog can stay with the family.
• A game room with air hockey and its own outside entrance, which gives kids a place to burn off energy.
• A stone fireplace, sunken living room and lake views that make it feel like a home, not a holding pattern.

Close to work, school and daily errands

Being displaced is stressful enough without a long commute. Silver Lake House sits near I-5 with easy access to Mill Creek, Boeing and Paine Field, Mukilteo and the rest of Everett. Seattle is reachable by I-5 too. An Everett Transit bus stop is just 1 to 2 blocks away.

When you need a break, the 2.2-mile loop around Silver Lake passes two public parks and a disc golf course. A walk around the lake is a good way to clear your head after a long day of phone calls with contractors.

Monthly and insurance stays are welcome

We welcome monthly stays and insurance placements, and we are happy to work with you, your adjuster or your housing coordinator. A few house rules to know: quiet hours are 9 PM to 8 AM, no parties, no outdoor fires, and there is no fence between the lawn and the water, so keep an eye on little ones near the lake.

Learn more on our insurance and temporary housing page for Everett, or call or text 360-913-5965 and we will help you figure out next steps.