Micah Bleecher No Comments

The Top Ten Things you need to know about Homeowners Insurance

Why should you wait until after a disaster to discover your homeowners insurance doesn’t really have you covered? Here are ten important things to do so you can have peace of mind — and full protection — right now:

1. Buy the right insurance for you. “You should know what you have, and you should know ahead of time that you are covered,” says Jeanne Salvatore, vice president for consumer affairs with the Insurance Information Institute, a nonprofit industry trade group. She recommends looking at your insurance coverage in four key areas: the structure of your house, your belongings, your liability to others and your living expenses if you’re forced out. “If there’s a disaster, you want to be able to rebuild your house and replace everything in it. And you need enough liability coverage to protect you in case you do get sued.” Living expenses would cover the cost of making the house livable or living elsewhere while your home is being repaired or rebuilt.

2. Get replacement value insurance. Face it, this is an insurance policy, not a garage sale. You don’t really care how much your possessions would fetch on the open market, the so-called “cash value” or “fair market value.” You want to be able to replace everything you lost with similar, new items. And make sure that your policy spells out that both your home and its contents are covered by replacement-value insurance.

When it comes to replacing the house itself, look for extended or guaranteed-replacement-value coverage. Guaranteed replacement, which covers rebuilding no matter what the cost, is not offered much any more, says Don Griffin, assistant vice president of commercial lines for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI). Many companies offer extended-replacement-value insurance, which will cover up to 100 percent of the value of the home, plus a certain percentage to cover rebuilding the home in today’s market.

3. Understand the claims process thoroughly. Two policies can promise the same amount of coverage, but they can be vastly different when it comes to covering you and your family after a loss. Have your insurance agent explain exactly how claims are handled, especially when it comes to writing you a check. Do you receive your entire claim upfront, or just a fraction? Does the company pay you for all the things you’ve lost, or only those things that you replace?

Some policies will give you the cash value of your possessions right after a loss, but wait to cover the replacement value until after you’ve replaced your items — and have the receipts to prove it. This could be a problem if you’re wiped out and have no cash reserves.

Equally important is the timetable on replacement. If you go from living in a five-bedroom home to sleeping in a motel room with four kids and a dog, you might not want to go on a shopping spree right away. How long do you have to replace your things?

4. Take a thorough and accurate inventory. Filing a claim involves two steps — proving you owned certain items and verifying their worth. This is a lot easier to do when you still have your things. Go through your entire home with a video camera (rent one if you don’t already have one.) Walk through each room, do a quick sweep and get everything you own on tape. Don’t forget the attic, basement, closets and offsite storage locker, if you have one. Or take the low-tech method: make a list and shoot a few rolls of film. Stash your video or photos in a safety deposit box with a copy of your policy. If you keep your inventory at home, make a second copy to give to a friend or keep at the office.

5. Buy floaters. Many times, home insurance and renter’s insurance policies limit the amount you can collect on some big-ticket items — usually things like computer equipment, jewelry, furs and fine collectibles — to a fraction of the replacement value. If this is the case, you need to pick up a special policy known as a “floater” or “endorsement” for each of those items. A floater will also reimburse you if you simply lose the article. In the case of something new, save the bill of sale with your inventory, and fax a copy to your insurance agent. If the item is older, have an appraisal done. Again, save one copy and send another to your agent. That way, you’ll never have to worry about proving you owned an item, and there will never be a dispute over what it’s really worth.

6. Keep pace with inflation. This is especially important with a homeowners insurance policy. It may have cost you $100,000 to build your home 10 years ago, but it might cost $120,000 to replace it today. “Many insurance companies have inflation guard, which covers the increasing cost of rebuilding,” Salvatore says. When your policy comes up for renewal, talk to your agent to verify that your coverage amounts are still realistic. And when you make an improvement, add it to the total.

7. If you own a condo or co-op, protect your property. Make sure that the condo board or association has a policy that covers the common areas, and get a copy. Also look at the association bylaws to find out what portions of the home you must cover. “It’s usually from the drywall in,” Griffin says.

Since condo owners need their contents policy to cover things like cabinets and fixtures, they need a bit more insurance than the typical renter. Sometimes you get a price break if you go with the same company that wrote the policy for the condo association.

“Plus they are familiar with what they cover, so they know what to sell you,” Griffin says.

You also may want to consider assessment coverage. If the condo association’s policy is not large enough to cover a loss, or if there is a hefty deductible, the association will split the additional costs among the members in the form of an assessment. With assessment coverage, your insurance company pays the tab.

8. Consider flood and earthquake insurance. Granted, this is not for everyone. But if you live in an area prone to floods or earthquakes, it pays to know that most property policies do not cover these disasters. Some independent carriers offer both. For flood insurance, you can also contact the National Flood Insurance Program. In California, you can get earthquake insurance through the California Earthquake Authority.

9. Think about buying an umbrella policy. Liability insurance, which picks up the tab if someone gets hurt on your property or through the actions of your family members, tops out at $300,000 on most homeowners insurance policies, according to Griffin. “But nobody sues for $300,000,” he says. “That usually starts at $1 million.” His recommendation: if you have assets, pick up an umbrella policy that would add extra liability coverage to your home and auto policy. “Umbrellas are cheap — usually starting at about $200 to $350 a year.”

10. After a life-changing event, call your agent. Getting married or divorced? Are the kids moving out — or back in? The amount of home insurance you need — and the items you want to cover — change over the years. Be sure you keep your policies and inventories up to date.

Ranjit No Comments

Insurance Discounts

Las Vegas Insurance Discounts – HUGE Savings

Many insurance companies offer a variety of discounts. Below is list of discounts commonly seen in insurance policies.

With M Hill Insurance Agency, you have one professional agent who can meet your auto, home, life and small business insurance needs — simplifying your life and enabling you to save on multi-line discounts. Along with a broad array of products for every stage of your life, we offer a long list of discounts.

Call Macquel at 702.477.7776 to discuss which Las Vegas insurance discounts you may be eligible for.

  • Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) – Receive a discount on your auto insurance premium when you sign up for automatic bill payment.
  • Power Deductibles – New auto insurance comprehensive and collision deductibles give you better coverage at lower premium rates.
  • Interior Inspection – Receive a discount on your homeowners insurance premium when you complete an inspection of your home’s interior.
  • Multiple Lines Discounts – If you have Auto, Home and Life* insurance with one carrier, you might save as much as 15% on your Auto insurance and 19% on your Home insurance!

Other Available Discounts:

Micah Bleecher No Comments

Home Insurance Tips

Getting quality insurance is a good first step towards protecting your home. But ultimately, the best protection is prevention. There are steps that you can take to help you avoid ever having to make a home insurance claim – the following home insurance tips can get you started.

 

1. Safeguard your home

Take action to make your home theft-resistant. “Case” your home as if you were a burglar.

Burglars look for easy targets – make sure your home isn’t one of them.

  • Install exterior lights that are out of reach and triggered by motion.
  • Trim trees and shrubs near doors and windows.
  • Don’t hide house keys outside – burglars know where to look.
  • Consider investing in a security system. Not only does this make your home safer, it can lower your home insurance premiums.

When you’re on vacation:

  • Have mail and newspapers picked up.
  • Leave blinds in normal positions.
  • Arrange to have your lawn mowed or your driveway shoveled.
  • Tell police and neighbors that you will be away and ask them to watch your home.

2. Be a responsible dog owner

The numbers speak for themselves: According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 40% of Americans homes have a dog. There are 4 million dog bites per year, and dog bites create 33% of all homeowners liability claims – resulting in more than $1 billion in claims per year. Consider these tips to avoid having a claim brought against you:

  • Pick a dog breed that’s covered by your home insurance. Ask your insurance agent for details.
  • Have your dog spayed or neutered.
  • Train your dog.
  • Keep your dog on a leash when walking.

3. Protect your home business

Home businesses are generally not covered under your home insurance policy. You may have only limited property coverage and no liability coverage for your business under your homeowners policy. Research the coverage that you have for property and equipment damage or theft, loss of income, and general liability for customer and supplier injuries.

4. Cover your domestic help

Check with your state Department of Insurance regarding whether you need a workers’ compensation policy for your housekeeper, gardener, nanny, cook, or other domestic employees. In addition, if someone else occasionally runs errands for you and drives your car, have that driver listed on your auto insurance. Confirm that you have adequate liability and medical coverage on your home insurance policy. Consider purchasing a personal umbrella policy.

5. Review your coverage annually

Your home insurance should reflect your home’s current value, condition and improvements. Check your policy each year and review your specific coverages so that you will be able to make the necessary adjustments to fully protect your home.

So why not get started today and call Micah and Maria at 702-477-7776 for excellent advice from Bleecher Insurance Advisors

Micah Bleecher No Comments

Tips for Buying a New Home

Buying a new home can be a daunting task, even for someone who has owned several homes. If you recently purchased your first home, you probably found that is hard to find good advice that is truly useful. You had to learn a lot on our own, but at least now you probably feel comfortable and knowledgeable about the whole process.

My wife and I recently purchased a new home in Las Vegas.  Here are some helpful hints we picked up along the way:

1. Use all of the online resources available.

Almost every state and local government has a website where you can research real estate information. The data on home sales, taxes, and neighborhoods is invaluable when you are shopping for a home. We were able to find out the most recent sale prices in the neighborhood we selected, and we didn’t have to rely on a real estate agent to get the data for us. Doing the research yourself will make you more knowledgeable about the market, which is key to making a good purchase.

2. Be realistic about how much you can spend.

Try to buy a home in a price range that allows you to put down 20%. If you put down less than this, you will have to pay PMI (private mortgage insurance) to protect the lender in case you default on the loan. I know that 20% is a lot, but it’s not unrealistic. You may not be able to do it on your first home, but hopefully you can on your second home. The profits from the sale of my condo enabled my husband and me to have more than enough for the 20% down payment on our home. But we didn’t put it all down on the home – we saved some of the profits for the unexpected expenses that come with buying a home. We suggest that you do the same.

3. Shop for a home in the winter, preferably around the holidays.

Since most people just aren’t interested in buying a home when they are trying to deal with the holidays, you can pretty much be one of the few buyers out there. We bought our home right before Christmas, and it was definitely a buyers market. We had our pick of homes and were able to underbid on the asking price, even though we live in one of the hottest real estate markets in the country.

4. Use a smaller mortgage company that can offer personal service.

People tend to go with large, well-known mortgage companies, since that’s all they know. But the smaller, regional companies provide excellent customer service, and can often give you better rates than the big companies. Since they don’t advertise and instead rely on word-of-mouth, they have to be good in order to get your service. We started off with a big-name company, but in the end, we went with a regional company because they had better rates and better customer service.

5. Always have a home inspection.

I think most people know this fact already, but it is really important in areas with a hot real estate market. It can be easy to get caught up in bidding wars, and to want to get a house at all costs. Some friends of ours wanted a house so badly that not only did they overbid, but they also waived the home inspection. They got the house – and right along with it they got several thousand dollars worth of damage that would have been found in an inspection.

As a final note, try to remember that buying a home doesn’t have to be scary. It’s very exciting to own your own home, so think of all the good things that will come once you have made it through the home-buying process. If you follow the advice above, then you should be well-equipped to make it through unscathed.

6. Save money and shop for your home insurance the easy way! Call Maria at 702.477.7776

So why not get started today and call Micah and Maria at 702-477-7776 for excellent advice from Bleecher Insurance Advisors

Micah Bleecher No Comments

Shop Around and Save on Home Insurance

What do you like the most about your home – the bright, sun-filled kitchen, the shiny wood floors or the comfortable bedrooms?

Or is it the fact that your home probably makes up maybe the biggest part – of your total net worth?

Either way, you have to protect what you have, using homeowner’s insurance.

Although there were reports a few years ago of higher prices and limited availability for homeowners insurance, the market has opened up again, according to J. Robert Hunter, insurance director for the Consumer Federation of America. Premiums are expected to rise by no more than the inflation rate this year, he said.

“The market remains a competitive one where homeowners’ insurance shoppers can be selective,” said Marshall McKnight, a spokesman for the state Department of Banking and Insurance.

Here are several ways to save on home insurance:

  • Shop around. While many homeowners believe that all insurance companies charge the same, that’s an expensive mistake. Use a service such as ours to compare rate quotes from different companies if YOUR area. To get started, just use the form on the right.”You can go from one company to another and pay twice as much,” said Hunter.And don’t just call an agent and expect him to do the shopping for you, Hunter advised, because agents don’t represent all companies and might not get you the best deal.
  • Insure for “replacement cost” rather than “actual cash value.” After all, if your belongings are destroyed, do you want the insurance company to send you enough to buy a new couch – or do you want a $50 check for the actual value of your 11-year-old couch?
  • Make sure you are covered for at least 80 percent of the cost of replacing your home. If you’re not, it could hurt you even if your home does not need to be completely replaced.Let’s say your home would cost $200,000 to replace and you’re insured for only $100,000, half of the replacement cost. If you have a $10,000 loss, you would get only half of that amount, or $5,000.Of course, knowing how much it would cost to replace your home is not always easy. For example, I know how much I paid for my home, and how much I could probably sell it for, but I don’t have a clue how much it would cost to rebuild if it burned down.The state Department of Banking and Insurance and the Insurance Council of New Jersey recommend that homeowners in this situation should consult their insurer, who will be able to estimate the cost of rebuilding based on the size and location of the home.
  • Think twice before calling your insurance company with small claims for minor home damage. There have been reports of homeowners facing much higher premiums after putting in only two claims. So if it’s a loss you can handle, take care of it yourself.
  • And, in that vein, consider a higher deductible.”If you’re not going to file a small claim, it’s no use paying a premium to be covered for an amount you wouldn’t file for,” Hunter said.”Every dollar you give to an insurance company, on average you only get back 60 cents,” Hunter said. The rest goes to the insurance company’s profit and overhead. So if you can self-insure for smaller losses, you should.About 20 years ago, Hunter raised |the deductibles on both his car and |home policies, and banked the money he saved on premiums in a special account. Over the years, he used that account to pay for about $2,000 to $3,000 in losses, mostly auto-related. He still has $4,000 – money that the insurance company |could have had.”Nowadays, most insurance companies recommend a deductible of at least $500. If you can afford to raise your deductible to $1,000, you may save as much as 25 percent,” according to the Insurance Information Institute, an industry group.
  • Make sure your home insurance policy includes enough liability insurance, in case someone is injured on your property.
  • Consider buying your auto and Home insurance policies from the same insurer. Some companies will take 5 to 15 percent off your premium if you buy two or more policies from them.
  • You can get discounts if you install smoke detectors, deadbolt locks or burglar alarms.
  • Keep your credit history clean. Insurance companies are increasingly checking credit reports to set their rates.

So why not get started today and call Micah and Maria at 702-477-7776 for excellent advice from Bleecher Insurance Advisors

Micah Bleecher No Comments

Home Insurance Price Factors

Here are some factors to consider when purchasing home insurance.  All of these factors can and will have an influence on the price you pay for home insurance.

The Condition of the Home

Insurers factor in general wear and tear on your home when setting a premium. They will inspect such things as the condition of the roof, porches, decks, and the integrity of the home’s wiring system. Because new homes tend to be in better condition than older homes, some insurers will offer up to a 15 percent discount if your home is new.

The Construction of the Home

Certain types of homes are less expensive to insure because they are more resistant to damage. For example, a brick home is preferable because of its resistance to wind damage.

Safety Factors

Many insurers also offer discounts of approximately 5 percent for safety features such as burglar alarm systems, deadbolts, window locks, smoke detectors, and sprinkler systems. You may also receive a discount if your home is in close proximity to a fire department.

If There is a Smoker in the Home

Because smoking in the home greatly increases the risk of fire, some insurers will offer a discount of about 2-5 percent if no one in the home smoke.

Is the Home in a High Risk Area

Flood and earthquake damage is not covered by standard home insurance policies. Special supplemental catastrophic policies that cover these conditions are available, but can be quite costly. If you are currently covered against these catastrophes through a government plan, however, research coverage through a private insurer. It may actually be lower.

Type and Amount of Home Insurance Coverage Needed

Homeowner’s insurance typically covers damage or loss to your home and its contents, but some packages also provide other benefits such as personal liability coverage if someone is injured on your property or theft insurance. Read the fine print. Prices and coverage can vary significantly between packages that appear similar. Make sure you get what you need and use what you get.

Your Desired Deductible

The deductible is the amount that you the policyholder must pay before your insurance company starts paying benefits. The higher your deductible, the lower your home insurance premiums. By raising the deductible, you can save up to 50 percent of the cost of your homeowner’s insurance.

Loyalty to Your Company

Insurers will often reduce their rates if you buy more than one type of coverage such as auto and homeowner’s from them or if you stay with them over a period of time.

Is There a Retiree Living in the Home?

If you are over the age of 55 and retired, check with your insurer to see if you qualify for a discount. Most insurance companies offer these discounts because retired people are home more and can spot fires sooner than working people and have more time for maintaining their homes. Some insurance companies will offer discounts of up to 10 percent to seniors who qualify.

Group Discounts

As with other types of insurance coverage, you can often obtain better home insurance rates if you get coverage through a group plan. Check with your employer, alumni association, or other affiliations to find out if they offer group coverage.

So why not get started today and call Micah and Maria at 702-477-7776 for excellent advice from Bleecher Insurance Advisors

 

Micah Bleecher No Comments

What is Home Owners Insurance?

Home Owners Insurance

Home owners insurance policies are designed to protect your house and personal property against losses from the perils listed in your policy.

Home owners insurance rates vary widely based on your geographic location. Areas prone to hurricanes, floods, hail, earthquakes, fires and other natural disasters will generally have higher rates. Even the distance to the nearest fire department or fire hydrant can have an impact on your home owners insurance rates.

Knowing Your Policy Is VERY Important

  • Coverage for Property and Possessions

  • Liability Coverage

  • Theft Off Premises

  • Additional Living Expenses

  • What Can a Homeowner Do To Be Prepared?

  • What Can a Homeowner Do To Save Money?

Coverage for Property and Possessions

Damage to the dwelling and the contents could be the biggest unexpected disaster awaiting a homeowner who has less coverage than needed. Most policies provide a stated maximum amount of coverage for the dwelling and another amount for contents.

Generally, dwelling coverage is based on replacement cost, which means that in the event of a total loss, the policy will provide reimbursement, up to the policy limit, to replace the structure. Ideally, a homeowner should buy enough home insurance to completely rebuild, known as replacement value. This figure may not be the home’s actual market value or what the owner originally paid for the home. This is especially true in a depressed or an inflated market or if the home is simply not replaceable to its condition prior to the loss. Replacement cost policies, which may pay over the policy limit to rebuild the home, may be available from your insurer.

To determine how much home insurance to purchase, an accurate appraisal of the home for replacement cost should be made. Working with your insurance company is important in this process. Most insurers recommend or require that a homeowner insure the dwelling for 100 percent of its full replacement value. Some homes, very unique ones such as national register-types or very elaborate ones, cannot be insured for exact replacement since some features are not replaceable in either workmanship, materials or practical costs. The insurer and/or the agent is the best source for these issues.

Coverage for personal property is different. Most policies provide actual cash value coverage for contents which includes depreciation, or full value contents without depreciation. Actual cash value means that if a power surge blows out a 10-year-old television set, the homeowner should know what to expect. Unlike full value contents coverage, which would essentially provide a new television set, actual cash value coverage allows the insurance company to calculate the useful life of the item and then depreciate the item to present value. A depreciated 10-year-old television set would be insured for only a fraction of its original cost. A homeowner may want to consider replacement cost coverage to be sure that the contents are adequately insured.

In addition to making sure that contents are covered for replacement cost rather than actual cash value, homeowners should purchase additional coverage for items that would ordinarily be subject to loss limitations. Virtually all policies cover contents loss up to the policy limit for items that include furniture, clothing, toys, accessories such as lamps and other items which are used for decor. Explicit limitations are set in the policy for high-cost items such as jewelry, fine art, furs, electronics, collectibles, oriental rugs and antiques. If a thief comes in and steals a two-carat engagement ring, it will not be covered well enough without what is commonly known as a personal property rider to cover specific, costly items. For more information on home owners insurance please call Maria at 702.477.7776.

Home Owners Liability Coverage

Liability insurance is very important to a homeowner’s coverage because it helps protect the owner and the family from financial disaster if someone files a claim against the homeowner’s policy, sues the homeowner or if the courts hold the homeowner legally responsible for someone else’s injury or property damage. The standard liability limit for most policies is $100,000, but many people believe that additional protection is needed , especially if the homeowner has sizable assets.

For a small increase in premium, an additional $300,000 to $500,000 may be obtained. Liability coverage protects in three ways: Personal liability, damage to the property of others, and medical expenses for injury to others.

Another way to protect one’s assets is to consider an Umbrella Policy which usually adds $1 million (or possibly more) in excess liability coverage to the homeowner’s property and automobile insurance policies. It also covers claims excluded from most basic policies such as libel, slander, defamation and mental anguish.

For example, most policies provide liability coverage that covers not only accidents that occur on the insured property but accidents that occur elsewhere. If the family dog bites a neighbor in front of another neighbor’s house, for example, the dog owner’s homeowner’s policy will usually compensate the neighbor for injuries and necessary medical expenses. For more information on home owners insurance visit our specialist site below.

Theft Off Premises

Most policies automatically insure against the loss of personal property even if that property is not on the insured premises when it is lost. If one goes to the airport with several suitcases and they are stolen, this is probably covered. Talk with your agent and/or your insurance company for details.

Additional Living Expenses

Another automatic benefit of which many homeowners are unaware is coverage for living expenses if the covered premises is damaged to the point of being uninhabitable. Not only should the policy pay for the cost to repair the damage to the dwelling, but it should also reimburse the homeowner for the additional expenses of living elsewhere while the repairs are being made. For more information and rates on home owners insurance visit our specialist site below.

What Can A Homeowner Do To Be Prepared?

How does someone find out what is and what is not covered? Read the policy carefully. It’s not likely to be fun reading, but the good news is that if one reads and understands his or her policy before it is needed, this knowledge may save unexpected financial losses should a problem occur. It is always best to talk with one’s insurance agent or the company that issued the policy for details.

Understanding your home owners insurance policy is best handled before a claim is made. In the case of the contents, an inventory of items room by room is important to have with information such as the date purchased, serial number, the original cost of each item and a brief description. Video tape or still photos is very helpful along with the inventory. These items should be stored in a safe place such as a safety deposit box in a bank or savings and loan institution and not in the home because if the home is destroyed, the chances are the inventory and related photos or tape may also be destroyed.

Save Money On Your Home owners Insurance

Insurance is a highly competitive business and the price paid by the consumer for home owners insurance may vary by hundreds of dollars, depending on the insurance company with which the consumer intends to do business.

Companies offer several types of discounts, but they may not always offer the same discount or the same amount of discount. That is why the consumer should ask his or her insurance agent or company representative about any discounts that are available.

What should a prospective homeowners policy holder think about when assessing which policy to obtain? Here are several ideas for potentially lowering costs.

 

  • Shop Around
    Prices vary so it pays to shop around. Ask friends, check the Yellow Pages, refer to consumer guides, insurance agents, the consumer phone line of the state’s insurance commissioner’s office and the companies for price information.

  • Raise the deductible
    Deductibles are the amount of money the homeowner pays toward a loss before the insurance company starts to pay according to the terms of the policy. Deductibles on homeowners policies typically start at $250. By increasing the deductible to $500, $1,000, $2,500, or $5,000, discounts may be obtained, depending on the insurance company.

  • Buy home and auto policies from the same insurer
    Some companies that sell homeowners and auto coverage may reduce their premium if two or more policies are purchased from them. When buying a home, consider how much insuring it will cost. A new home’s electrical, heating and plumbing systems and overall structure are likely to be in better shape than those of an older house. Insurers may offer a discount if the house is new. Choice of construction materials and design could reduce the premium. Brick, because of its resistance to wind damage, is better in Georgia. Proximity to fire station, firefighters and fire hydrants also affects premiums.

  • Insure the house, not the land
    The land under the house isn’t at risk from theft, windstorm, fire and other perils covered in a homeowners policy. Therefore, the value of the land should not be included in deciding how much homeowners insurance to buy.

  • Beef up home security
    Some insurance companies offer discounts for smoke detectors, burglar and fire alarm systems, or dead-bolt locks. Others offer discounts for homes equipped with a sprinkler system and fire detection and burglar alarms that ring at the police station or at a monitoring facility. Before buying such a system, consumers should check with their insurers to validate that such as system will be eligible for a discount and how much the device or system would cost. Most importantly, the consumer should know how much may be saved on premiums.

  • Stop smoking
    Smoking accounts for more than 23,000 residential fires in a year nationwide. That’s why some insurers offer to reduce premiums if all the residents in a house do not smoke.

  • Seek out discounts for seniors
    Retired people stay at home more and spot fires sooner than working people. Retirees also have more time to maintain their homes. If a homeowner is at least 55 years old and retired, he or she may qualify for a discount at some companies.

 

Compare the limits in the policy with the value of the possessions in the home at least once a year.

Policies should cover any major purchases or additions to the contents of the home. Remember that additions to the physical structure of the home should be reported to your agent or insurance company for a reevaluation of the limits of your policy. In addition, review your contents which may require a special scheduling on your policy. Such items include jewelry, watches, furs and computers to name a few. If you have sold or given away special schedule items, they should removed from your policy.

Are You Adequately Protected?

Because there are so many options and variables associated with home owners insurance we recommend that you find a company in your area that specializes in home owner insurance. It is very possible to save hundreds of dollars a year by simply shopping rates and coverage.

So why not get started today and call Micah and Maria at 702-477-7776 for excellent advice from Bleecher Insurance Advisors

 

Micah Bleecher No Comments

More Home Insurance Tips for Savings

Increase Your Deductible

Just like auto insurance, policies have deductibles, and the same rule of thumb applies–carry the highest deductible you can afford.  The higher your deductible, the more premium credit you can expect to receive from your insurance company.  Your savings could reach 25% by increasing the deductible from $100 to $1000.

Improve Your Home Security

Most insurance companies offer discounts for smoke detectors, burglar alarms, dead bolts, fire extinguishers, and Neighborhood Watch Areas. Homes with a fire and burglar alarm system hooked up to a third-party monitoring company receive higher discounts than homes with local bell alarms.

Consolidate Policies

Insuring two or more vehicles with the same insurance company can save you 10 – 15% on your premiums. If you cover your home insurance and auto insurance together, you can reduce your premiums by another 10 – 15%.

Construction Type

Before buying a home, consider its construction type, such as frame or concrete block and steel (CBS).  A wood frame house typically costs more to insure than one built mostly of concrete.

Verify Distance To Fire Stations And Windstorm Areas

If you live in the country, you’ll probably pay higher rates for your home insurance than if you lived in town. Why? It’s because of the longer distance to your local fire station. If you live more than 5 miles from the nearest fire station, and more than 1,000 feet from a fire hydrant, you will most likely pay a higher premium.

Before purchasing your home, you may want to get a quote for both and flood insurance. Insurance companies may not offer you windstorm or flood coverage, depending upon the area in which you live. If your home is in a hurricane prone area and your insurance company offers windstorm coverage, then installing approved hurricane shutters should result in a premium discount.

Claims Free Record And Renewal Discounts

If you have not had a claim under your policy during the past 3 – 5 consecutive years, you could receive up to a 15% discount, depending on the insurance company. Plus, most companies will discount your premium if your policy has been in force for 3 straight years.

Mortgage Free Discounts

Some insurance companies target who have paid off their mortgage and offer them premium discounts of up to 5%.

New And Renovated Home Discounts

A majority of insurance companies offer a discount for new homes, and you may qualify if your home was built in the last 10 – 15 years. Also, a recently renovated home costs less to insure, so find out when the last major electrical, heating and plumbing update was completed on the home.

Non-Smokers And Early Retiree Discounts

Some companies offer a non-smokers discount of up to 15% to qualified . To qualify, you must be a non-smoker and you cannot permit smoking in your home by anyone. Retirees or senior citizens are usually offered discounts because insurance companies believe they are home more often and are therefore better able to protect their home against fire and burglary.

Live-In House Keeper

Some insurers offer up to a 2% premium credit if you have a live-in employee as they feel it could reduce the likelihood of burglary.

Conclusion

After reviewing the foregoing savings tips, you may think that if you added up all your credits you could receive a 70 – 90% reduction in your premiums. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Certain safety or other measures you take may qualify you for being placed with the “preferred” company of a particular insurance group. This “preferred” company will be able to give you more premium credits than a standard company is able to.

So why not get started today and call Micah and Maria at 702-477-7776 for excellent advice from Bleecher Insurance Advisors

Micah Bleecher No Comments

Tips to Reduce Your Home Insurance Costs

8 ways to keep your Home Insurance Costs low

All homeowners are looking for ways to reduce our home insurance costs.  Costs continue to rise and budgets get tighter and tighter with each passing year.  Here are 8 tips to reduce your home insurance costs.

1. Increased Home Security

Most homes are fitted with some sort of security device. To make the most of your Home Security Discount make sure that you home is fitted with: dead bolt locks, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and a burglar and fire alarm that are monitored. You do not have to have all of these to receive a discount on your home insurance so even if you only have one or two make sure that you ask for the savings.

2. Keep your credit score as high as possible.

While it would seem that a good credit score would have nothing to do with insurance rates, it is a fact that they do. Home Insurance companies are using your credit score as an indicator of responsibility. The theory is the more responsible the individual the less claims they will have. So, insurance companies are giving lower rates to those individuals with a better credit score.

3. Consolidate your policies.

Most, if not all companies that sell home insurance, offer discounts for insuring your autos with them. These discounts can sometimes save you up to 30% off of your total insurance bill. Plus, you get the added convenience of having one agent for both your home and auto insurances.

4. Protect your home with updates.

Discuss with your agent about the possibilities of receiving home insurance discounts for keeping your home in good repair. Some home insurance companies will offer savings for a anew roof, electrical, HVAC, plumbing updates. The discounts are generally not enough to warrant the replacement but if you needed it anyway, be sure to get the discounts if applicable.

5. Make sure you are not over insured.

Your home insurance coverage should not necessarily be what you paid for them home. Land values are calculated into the final sales price and should be considered when insuring the structure. In others words you cannot hurt the dirt. A good idea is to call local builders and ask them what new home construction cost per square foot is going for. Take that number, multiply that times your square footage and that is the amount that your home should be insured for. Companies will not pay more than what it is going to cost to rebuild the home anyway, so make sure you are insured correctly.

6. Stay away from low deductibles.

The deductible is your portion of the claim that must be paid before the insurance company pays for the claim. The lower your deductible, the higher your premium will be. Deductibles can range anywhere from $100-$5000 or more. The majority of homeowners will carry a $500 deductible, but the savings one can receive by raising your deductible to $1000 can be significant, up to 20%. It doesn’t take too many claim free years to make up the difference between the two deductibles, but remember you should never raise your deductible to a level that you could not afford to pay.

7. Ask your Home Insurance Agent

Most of the time, an agent will make sure that you are receiving 100% of the home insurance discounts that you qualify for, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Some insurance companies have discounts that others do not. Some offer discounts that most would never dream as being a discount such as 55 and retired, non smoking, military service, law enforcement, single parent discounts, etc.

8. Contact Your Agent – You would be amazed at the discounts when you combine multiple policies with the same insurance company.

So why not get started today and call Micah and Maria at 702-477-7776 for excellent advice from Bleecher Insurance Advisors

Micah Bleecher No Comments

Homeowners Insurance: Lessons from Katrina and other gulf storms

Is Homeowners Insurance Enough in the Toughest of Times?

Homeowners Insurance is supposed to protect us in case of disasters. That is what we have come to expect from our home insurance over the years. But what if the disaster is the costliest in U.S. History? What if your insurance agent’s home and office were destroyed in the disaster also?

That is what happened to many customers and homeowners insurance agents and companies after Katrina hit the Gulf coast. Many agents’ homes, offices and insurance Companies’ claims centers were in the same situation as their clients due to the storms. So what did they do? They set up “office” in tents and mobile trailers. Then Hurricane Rita blew away these temporary offices and the agents and companies set them up again. These temporary shelters acted as a communications center for all people in the surrounding areas. Local people would come by to ask questions, meet with their claims adjusters and just catch up on the news with their neighbors. Extreme circumstances dictated unconventional responses: some agents even filed claims for their clients without even talking to the clients just so they could get the claim “in the queue.” Allstate allowed customers to submit claims through any agent in the country and set up a priority line to assist. They sent email to agents in the areas surrounding the disaster areas to act as messengers by “word of mouth” to their fellow agents in the effected areas. The larger companies such as State Farm & Allstate that service claims for the national flood Insurance Program even used satellite imagery to determine damage in some neighborhoods that were entirely flooded.

Lessons Learned: Those of us not effected by these disasters can learn a few lessons about coping with future disasters from the thousands of policyholders that are still waiting to get their claims paid. As soon as possible, take steps to prevent further damage to your home if possible: such as covering the roof with a tarp if possible. You can hire a contractor if you can find one, as that would be safer for most of us than climbing on our roofs. Hold off making any repairs until you see or talk to an adjuster first. Plus, keep your receipts, as you’ll need them to prove expenses that can be re-imbursed later.

What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?

You can generally expect your home insurance to help pay for additional living expenses for up to 12-24 months while your home is being repaired. But, homeowners insurance usually pays only after they verify you have a legitimate claim. After Katrina, many insurers made an exception, automatically distributing enough to cover two weeks’ worth of additional living expense to anyone in an area subject to mandatory evacuation. Some companies even gave small advances on contents under the personal property part of their homeowners insurance policies.

If you have to wait to get your check, it helps to have cash that is easily accessible in a bank account or money market fund. Stashing cash at home isn’t a great idea because if your home burns down and you weren’t able to get to your cash, most homeowners insurance policies only cover $100-$200 in cash whether it is stolen or burned up in a fire. Your goal should be to have an emergency fund available to take care of your family for 2-4 weeks (minimum)if possible. In a disaster it might be hard to even find a local bank to get cash. Debit/credit cards with a statewide or national bank would perhaps be better.

Your biggest problem in getting your claim handled may be in either not having the proper homeowners insurance coverage or not having enough coverage. Most good homeowners insurance policies today cover up to 120% of your dwelling coverage limit. It is important that you review the dwelling limit with your agent every couple of year’s at a minimum. Homeowners insurance policies do not cover Flooding, but you should again see your agent for this coverage.

If your homeowners insurance falls short, you may qualify for money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or a disaster-assistance loan from the Small Business Administration (SBA). Homeowners can borrow up to $200,000 for rebuilding and $40,000 to replace personal property at very low interest rates for up to 30 years.

So why not get started today and call Micah and Maria at 702-477-7776 for excellent advice from Bleecher Insurance Advisors