Posts Tagged ‘home owner insurance’

Top 5 Home Insurance Myths Debunked

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Myth #1: Standard home insurance covers flood damage.

Fact: Standard home insurance does NOT cover damage caused by a flood. If you feel that you need coverage for a flood you should purchase a separate flood insurance policy.

Myth #2: The Medical Payment portion of my homeowners insurance will cover injuries to me and my family.

Fact: MedPay, a common feature of standard home insurance policies, is there to protect you in the event that someone other than you or your family (a neighbor, friend, etc) gets hurt on your property and they do not want to sue you. MedPay will typically cover up to $1,000 for each covered claim to someone outside of your family. If you or your family, however, gets hurt on your property they are not covered by your home insurance policy.

Myth #3: If my home is ever lost, my insurance company will reimburse me for whatever I tell them I owned at the time of loss.

Fact: In the event of a covered loss your home insurance company will ask you to make a list of everything you own and include specific details such as purchase price, date of purchase, serial numbers, etc. (Imagine trying to do this from memory!) The best way to avoid this situation is to have a home inventory already put together. Use a checklist like this one: http://homeinsurance.com home insurance home inventory checklist. Make sure to include photos, receipts, serial numbers and anything else that will help you prove ownership. Don’t risk not having everything replaced in the event of a disaster. Make sure to keep your inventory in a fire proof safe or at a friend’s house so it is still around when you need it!

Myth #4: If I file a home insurance claim, my home insurance premium will definitely go up.

Fact: While many home insurance companies do look at your claims history, there are many other factors that determine how much you will pay for home insurance. Filing one claim over a period of a few years might not increase your home insurance premium. To be on the safe side, always think twice before filing a claim for minor damages to your home. Consider your deductible. If the total cost of repair is not too much more than your deductible you might want to consider paying for the repairs yourself. While this might cost you more upfront, it might save you from an increased premium. If, because of a stroke of bad luck, you have to file multiple claims over a period of a few years and your premium is steadily increasing, rest assured there are other ways to save on your home insurance. Ask your agent about home insurance discounts. Sometimes simply installing a smoke alarm, burglar alarm system or by adding your auto policy to your home policy, you can save a great deal of cash.

Myth # 5 All of my valuables- like jewelry -will be covered in the event of a burglary.

Fact: There are limits on the amount of coverage you can receive for valuable such as jewelry, furs, etc. For example, most companies put a cap of $1500 on total jewelry lost during a burglary of your home. If you find that your jewelry values over $1500 you should talk to a home insurance agent and schedule an endorsement on your policy giving you additional coverage.

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Home Insurance- A Higher Deductible Equals Higher Savings

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

As if there weren’t enough bills to pay, you also need to budget for your home insurance. Not being insured really is not an option. Should something happen, you are going to seriously struggle to meet the bills. This could mean something major, like your roof being ripped off in high winds, not a broken pane of glass in the front porch. However, home insurance can, like all insurances, be expensive, and it can be tempting to compromise the level of coverage in order to get a lower premium. But, there is another way.

All home insurance policies will have a deductible figure, and this is set at an affordable level. However, if you can afford to increase this figure then you can seriously reduce the amount you pay in monthly premiums. What you are then doing is accepting that minor damage to your home is not something you are going to involve you insurance company with. For example, if you can afford $500 then you would not bother to claim for any repairs that come in at that level, or even just over that level. You accept that you will have to claim should the damage exceed this figure but once you do claim, you are also going to be hit with a premium increase the following year so you want to really make sure that claiming is the best bet. Many people accept certain elements of annual damage. They know that the cost of correcting them is not beyond their means; they simply accept them as such. They are safeguarding their home insurance policies at the lowest possible premiums but with the highest level of coverage just in case something major happens and they really have no choice but to claim.

However, a word to the wise! Keep the deductible realistic. Setting it at more than you can ever really afford is not going to help you in the long run. You may feel that home insurance borders on a waste of money, and indeed many years can pass without a need for a claim. It is therefore understandable and tempting to set your deductible amount to the highest level possible and pay little attention to whether it is a realistic amount. You might feel happy that you have not cancelled the policy but you have certainly reduced the premium. However, as fate would have it, you can be almost certain that this is the year that something will go wrong and you will be forced to claim. You may then find yourself in somewhat of a financial mess.

Shop Around You can shop around for home insurance, and it could well be worth doing so. It is probable that you will be required to show evidence that you do have home insurance but most mortgage companies do not require you to take the policy through them. Some require you to have their policy for the first year but after this, you are free to shop around. Consider whether the company has a limited deductible amount and whether this is significantly less that you were prepared to pay. Other companies do not, and you could find a better deal by shopping around for someone that has a higher deducible, more in line with what you considered you could realistically afford.

You could find that your property is in a high-risk area, in which case sadly there is little you can do. Being in a high-risk area for flood, wildfires and the like can all push premiums up. You can bring them down slightly by making an increase in your deductible but you cannot move your property. You more than anyone will need the insurance if you are in a high-risk area. It is going to have to be a case of accepting it.

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Buying The Best House Owners Insurance Policy

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

Although you may spend more for other types of insurance such as automobile insurance or medical care insurance, house owners insurance can cost a pretty penny today. Getting the best deal starts with shopping around with different carriers or having a reputable insurance broker do the shopping for you.

Coverage are at least as important as premium. A cheap homeowners insurance policy that won’t cover you will is a bad decision at any cost.

Your home insurance coverage probably offers coverage that you have never thought of. It can pay you if your house is burned down or if your possessions are damaged. It can also pay a third party if you injure them due to a negligent act. This is true even if that act takes place far from your home. It can also reimburse you for living expenses when you are unable to live in your home due to a covered event.

The benefit that most people focus on is the part that will pay you if your house is in a fire or is damaged by some other covered peril. This is probably the most critical benefit. It is very important to get the right benefit limit for this aspect of your coverage.

Determining the right benefit limit is not as easy as finding out the current market value of your home. Your insurance company will not use the potential sales price when deciding what to pay you to rebuild your home.

There are two reasons why the market value is not important. This amount required to rebuild your home can be much higher or much lower than the cost to purchase a similar structure. The insurance company is not required to replace the land your house sits on.

The cost of the land and the location of your house are part of your potential sales price. They are not directly involved in the calculations required to determine replacement value.

Another crucial benefit of a standard homeowners insurance policy is the coverage for your house’s contents. Things like your couch, your stereo and other much of your other portable possessions are covered by the contents benefit limit.

Things that are permanently attached to your home are usually considered part of the house and add to the replacement cost for the house and are not considered contents. A wall to wall carpet will probably be considered a part of the house. A throw rug will probably be considered one of the house’s contents.

You may have some latitude in determining how your personal property is covered. You may be given the option of having your contents replaced using their depreciated value or the replacement cost.

Typically you will not be asked to determine an exact dollar figure for these benefits. You may be given the option to have your house’s contents covered. 50% or 70% of the replacement value of the house.

Certain personal property like jewelry and cash will have limited coverage in the standard policy. However, you should be able to request additional benefit limits for jewelry.

Most of the other benefits of your house owners plan are not changeable by the consumer. They are part of the standard plan.

Finding a good house owners insurance coverage is a part of intelligent financial planning. Make sure to shop around for both coverage and premium.

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Best Ways To Lower Your Homeowners Insurance Premiums

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

It’s totally important to have the proper amount of homeowners insurance. Your house is a totally significant savings and if it were to be seriously scratched or even destroyed in the festivity of a fire or various other natural disaster it would be financially devastating if you did not eat the fitting coverage in area. A lot of persons are paying quite a bit additional than they want to for their coverage so I’m going to share using you some simple ways to lower your homeowners insurance premiums.

Certain of the early stuff you’ll desire to do is make sure you consume the correctly amount of coverage. To figure out what the properly quantity is you’ll need to determine how a large amount it would fee to rebuild your house if it were completely destroyed. To empathize how a significant amount it will cost to rebuild you can exposure a real estate agent or a universal contractor and ask what the current price per square foot is to rebuild in your part. Take that image and multiply it by the square footage of your home and you’ll eat a ballpark quantity to work with. Various persons over insure their homes for the reason that they buy enough coverage to match the initial purchase price of the residence. The preliminary buy fee is generally a big amount more than the price to rebuild because the first purchase charge also includes the land that the dwelling sits on.

Bundling different types of insurance is another way to save funds. By obtaining multiple types of insurance from the identical company you may be eligible for discounts on each kind. For instance, if you use certain guests for your homeowners, auto, and health insurance you will likely be eligible for a discounted rate on each.

You need to take profit of any potential discounts that might be available to you. Various companies will offer a discounted rate to non-smokers. Various residence fires are caused by cigarettes and if you’re not a smoker there is less of a chance that you will consume a dwelling fire and this reduces the risk to the insurance company. Discounts are also vacant to people who install a residence security system. A dwelling security system reduces the likelihood of your residence being burglarized and therefore reduces the likelihood that your insurance company would eat to pay to repair ruin or replace stolen property. Anything you can do to reduce the risk to the insurance company could lead to discounted premiums. Call and ask your agent about any other discounts that you might be eligible for.

A rather easy way to save much of funds is to take profit of the competition in the market. There are many insurance companies competing for your business and for the reason that of this, prices can vary greatly from particular visitors to another. If you take a few minutes to get several quotes from lots of special insurance providers there is a high-quality chance that you would find an opportunity to save 15% to 20% or more off of your current premiums.

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Buying Home Insurance Plan

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

What is homeowners insurance and why is it important? The second half of that question is easy to answer – if you have a mortgage on your home, most likely the lender requires you to keep homeowners insurance on the house to at the very least cover the balance of the mortgage.

Even if you aren’t carrying a note on your home adequate home insurance helps protect your investment, your belongings and possible liability. All three aspects of protection lead back to the question, exactly what is home insurance. Simply put, home insurance gives you financial protection against damage to your home caused by disasters and beyond the structure insures the belongings inside your home. Home insurance also protects you for liability and legal responsibility for injuries your property, you, members of your family and even your pets cause others.

Typical standard homeowners insurance provides you four areas of coverage — the structure of your house, your belongings, liability and expenses in case you are temporarily forced from your home because of an insured disaster. Home insurance policies can vary greatly so it’s in your best interest to compare home insurance quotes before making a selection. Even if your mortgage lender requires home insurance you are allowed to choose your insurer.

What is covered in each of the four parts of a standard home insurance policy? Let’s take a closer look:

The structure of your home

This part of a home insurance policy is fairly self-explanatory in that it pays to repair, or rebuild if necessary, your home for insured disasters such as a fire, hurricane damage, lightning and any other disaster covered by your policy. Keep in mind flood and earthquake damage are not part of standard homeowners insurance and require separate policies. General wear and tear is not covered, but detached structures such as tool sheds and garages are covered with a standard home insurance policy.

Personal belongings

Also self-explanatory, this aspect of home insurance covers your stuff – furniture, clothes and other personal items in the event they are stolen or destroyed by a covered disaster. One interesting feature of personal belongings coverage is your belongings are also covered off-premises anywhere in the world.

Liability

Liability protects you against legal action for personal injury or property damage caused by your household. The liability aspect of home insurance also provides no-fault medical coverage in case someone is injured in your home.

Additional living expenses

What happens if your home if affected by a disaster such as a fire or a major storm? Where will you stay? This aspect of home insurance pays your expenses while living away from your home while it is being repaired. Covered expenses include hotels, meals and other living expenses.

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The Five Home Insurance Myths

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

Myth #1: My home insurance covers mold and/or other issues related to lack of maintenance.

Fact: Actually, a standard home insurance policy does not cover issues related to a lack of maintenance. For example if a plumbing leak that was left unfixed caused mold to grown in the interior walls of your home- mold removal and remediation would NOT be covered in your home insurance. Remember that your home insurance only protects you from damage caused by covered perils such as wind, hail, lightening, fire and theft. Keeping your home well maintained and safe for others is your responsibility and your home insurance company will decline coverage for maintenance related claims.

Myth #2: Flood Insurance is only for people who live in a flood zone.

Fact: Lending institutions, such as the bank that holds your mortgage, will require you to obtain flood insurance if you live in a major Flood Zone. However, keep in mind that all homes are at the risk for flood and standard home insurance policies do NOT cover flood related damage to your home. Due to the recent flooding in the Midwest the importance of this type of coverage for homeowners outside of a major flood zone has become even more apparent. If your home is flooded and you do not have flood insurance you will be on your own to replace your home and its contents. Flood insurance is a wise idea for every homeowner.

Myth #3: I will have to skimp on my coverage in order to save money on my home insurance.

Fact: Saving on your home insurance does not mean that you have to give up important parts of your coverage. It is very important to always be adequately insured in the event of a loss. However, there are lots of ways that you can save money on your home insurance that do not involve changing your coverage. Home Insurance discounts are available for homeowners who use burglar alarms, smoke alarms, deadbolts and other protective devices. Want more savings? Ask your agent about combining your home insurance and your auto insurance policies- you can usually save up to 15% this way.

Myth #4: When determining my coverage, I should use the purchase price for my house as my dwelling coverage amount.

Fact: A common mistake when homeowners are getting quotes for their home insurance is that they use the purchase price of their home to determine their dwelling coverage. Yet, the purchase price of your home includes the land under your home- which does not need to be replaced in the event of a fire or other peril to your home. For this reason, your dwelling coverage should always reflect the replacement cost of your home- or how much it would cost to rebuild your home in the event of a total loss. To determine this amount, multiple the sq. footage of your home by local construction costs. You can use a http://homeinsurance.com/calculators/ home insurance calculator to help you determine the amount if necessary.

Myth #5: You can not buy a home without purchasing homeowners insurance.

Fact: This is a tricky one. Because while you actually CAN buy a home without home insurance (a lender may not require it or you may, although rare, pay cash for the home) you should still always have home insurance on any property you own. Whether a lender requires it or not, the risk is always there. It would only take one fire or lightening storm to destroy your home and leave you uncovered.

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Home Insurance Equals Lifestyle Insurance

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

Your home says a lot about you – your family, your interests, your wealth, your values – all reflected in the place you choose to live. So, by buying Home Insurance, you’re buying lifestyle insurance, guaranteeing that even if the worst happens, you’ll be able to rebuild your home and your life.

Purchasing home insurance is probably one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. Hopefully, you’ll never need it, but making the right home insurance decision now can prevent an unfortunate incident like a fire, flood or other loss from becoming a disaster for you and your family.

A standard home insurance policy covers the structure of your home and your personal belongings, as well as providing liability protection and compensation for living expenses if you are temporarily unable to live in your home because of a fire or other covered claim.

When buying a Home Insurance Policy, don’t be afraid to ask your insurer questions about what the policy covers and what is excluded from coverage. Many a homeowner has filed a claim thinking a loss was covered, only to find out the fire, water damage or mold they reported was excluded by their home insurance policy.

The most common exclusion to home insurance policies are floods and earthquakes, so if you live in an area prone to these events, make sure you have coverage for them. Other common exclusions to home insurance policies are neglect, intentional loss, earth movement and general power failure. Lawsuits between home insurers and insured regarding exclusions related to mold have become common in recent years as research has revealed that a number of deadly illnesses can be caused by mold in the home.

Nail down exactly what the policy covers to make sure you’re getting what you think you’re paying for.

Also, before you purchase a home insurance policy, make sure you know how much your house is worth, and its replacement cost. You’ll need to purchase coverage that matches this amount.

Be sure to ask about home insurance discounts. Many insurers offer discounts to reward behavior that reduces risk. Homeowners pay an estimated extra $300 million per year for home insurance, just because they neglect to ask about discounts.

Remember to research your insurer before buying a home insurance policy. Does your insurer have a good service record? Does your insurer offer the lowest price for the best home insurance value? Asking this question now can save you money and aggravation.

Also, keep documentation of all the valuable personal possessions in your home. Most home insurance policies provide coverage for personal possessions, so keeping track of them will keep you from getting hosed in the event of a loss.

Your home is your greatest investment and something more – the most direct reflection of your life. Protect it by buying the correct Home Insurance Policy.

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Reasons For Home Insurance

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

Home insurance; do you know when you’ll need it? Probably not. Unless you plan on getting involved in an insurance scam (which is not recommended), chances are you won’t know exactly when you will need home insurance until after the event has occurred. That’s because home insurance protects you against unforeseen events. But what are these unforeseen events that cause us to need home insurance? The fact of the matter is there are a number of different insurable events that come into play with your home insurance.

Below are a few events where having home insurance is a very positive thing. They are events that you can’t always plan for and when they occur, can throw you and your home into disorder.

Fire Fire can destroy your home right before your eyes. All it takes is a spark from a faulty appliance or the lights on the Christmas tree to malfunction and before you know it, you’re home’s going up in flames, along with your personal belongings. Even if you’re very safe about ensuring the integrity of your electrical appliances and are diligent about turning off the oven, the bbq grill, and the coffee pot, fire can still strike. A stray firecracker or lit cigarette butt can land in your yard, ignite dry brush, and start a small fire that can quickly get out of control. In fact, many fires happen when residents aren’t even home; and when they come home, their home is destroyed.

If you have a homeowner’s insurance policy that covers fire damage, you’re protecting yourself when an unexpected fire breaks out.

Flood Even if you don’t live near a body of water or in a flood zone, flood damage can affect your home. If a water main busts or the dishwasher malfunctions, you could end up with a house full of water and serious flood damage. Home insurance protects you when water takes over of your home and runs amok on your carpets, walls, and ceilings. If a main water line breaks when you’re not home, and it’s left to flood the house for hours, the damage can be significant. And if you live in an attached condo complex, the damage can seep over into the neighbor’s home. Having a home insurance policy that covers flooding will protect you, and your attached neighbors, against unexpected flood damage as a result of a broken water line, a malfunctioning dishwasher, or even a popped waterbed.

Earthquake We all wish we could predict earthquakes. It would allow us time to secure items in our home that could be damaged when the shaking starts. But currently, earthquakes come unannounced. And when they do arrive, they often damage our homes and property. Even if the home is still standing after a significant quake, the structural damage to the home could be so great that it is red tagged and deemed uninhabitable. Having a home insurance policy that covers earthquake damage will save you the agony of being left with nothing after an earthquake.

Homeowners insurance is a must for all homeowners. Regardless of where you live and the types of natural disasters your area is prone to, you need to protect yourself from every angle and against any unforeseen events that could happen in the blink of an eye.

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Home Insurance Cover: Look Before Buying the Policy

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

People always try best on their part to save their home against any damage and destruction but even then some things are not in control of human beings. Hence it is better if you take proper security of your home in situations of any mishaps by taking required home insurance cover.

Coverage is the main concern which you should take into consideration before buying any policy of Home Insurance. Insurance companies provide home insurance cover against any damage to your home due to some disasters and mishaps. Home insurance cover includes coverage given in the events of damage to your home caused by any calamity like flood, fire and storms.

Home insurance cover can also help you in case of any damage done to your home due to riots and vandalism acts of people. Natural disasters are not man made and they can happen to anyone at any time, home insurance cover helps you in such circumstances to cope with the situation without any hassle.

Sometimes even the cover for home insurance also includes for emergency home repatriation. If due to any problem you have to leave your home then home insurance cover also provides for another home in case of emergency. Home insurance cover given by various insurance companies may be different for different home owners depending upon the safety measures installed in the home.

If you have installed very good safety measures in your home like burglar alarms, smoke alarms, bolt-locks, and adding a urbane fire alarms that rings at the police, fire or other monitoring stations will help you to get better home insurance cover.

If you wish to get the full cover with home insurance then it will be most appropriate for you to research on the internet about the quotes for home insurance cover because internet is the only place where you can search and collect as many quotes of home insurance as you want. On the internet you will get very wide range of quotes defining cover for home insurance and so you can compare and select the quote that satisfies your requirements and is also affordable to you. But before opting for any quote giving extensive range of cover it is better if you get confirmation about the reliability of company. You can do it by checking online status of insurance company and can also ask from your friends and relatives.

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Selecting The Right Home Insurance

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

Home insurance is the single most important investment most consumers make after the purchase of their home. A home insurance policy can protect their home, possessions, and liability. When entering the world of home insurance it can be difficult and overwhelming to shop around for the best deals available. There are different types of insurance, different types of coverage, and different considerations for every family. Therefore, it is critical to understand the inner workings of the home insurance industry.

Always Be On The Lookout

When selecting what travel insurance is best for your home, consider looking over these helpful tips when dealing with this confusing subject:

* Shop your insurance around – Ask friends, check online, or look into getting an insurance broker to find the best deals for you. Check consumer guides, companies and online insurance quote services. Check the financial stability of the company you are considering.
* Buy your home and auto insurance from the same insurer – if you buy insurance from the same company, they will often take up to 15% off your premium
* Raise your deductible – the higher your deductible, the more money you can save on your premiums. Depending on your geographical region, your insurer can assist you in this process.
* Prepare your home for disaster – Find out from your insurance provider what you can do to make your home more disaster proof. You may be able to decrease your insurance premiums by adding storm shutters or buying stronger roofing materials, for example.
* Find ways to improve your home security – you can decrease the amount of your home premiums by adding simple things to your home like a smoke detector, alarm, or locks. Make sure you ask your service provider how to cut costs by installing simple items
* Always maintain a good credit rating
* If at all possible, stay with the same insurer – if you’ve kept your coverage with the same provider for several years, you may quality for a special long-term policy holder qualification
* Always take the time to review your insurance policy to see if it is still the right provider of insurance

Home Insurance Coverage

There are three main types of home insurance that are designed to provide you with the best possible coverage for your home. The three main types of coverage are property damage, personal liability, and home business.

* Property damage coverage – property damage helps pay for damage to your home and personal property. Household furniture, clothing, and other personal belongings are also covered – however, be sure to review what items in your property are covered by your property coverage
* Personal liability coverage – personal homeowner policies provide personal liability that applies to non-auto accidents if the injury or damage is cause by you, or your family. Liability insurance does not have a deductible, and you can request higher limits that are available for an additional cost
* Home business – you shouldn’t assume that your home coverage covers your home business. Always check to see if you are being provided with the right insurance coverage for your business. Your homeowner coverage may provide coverage – be sure to check.

If you have questions about insurance for any of your possessions, be sure to ask your agent or company representative when you’re shopping around for a policy.

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