by onlinefinancialnewsletters | Aug 20, 2018 | Personal Protection
It’s hard to know when to shop around for your home insurance, as there are no set guidelines in place unless you’re moving or getting married. Because of this mysteriousness surrounding home insurance, here we have ascertained some guidelines to help you decide that it’s time to look into your home insurance.
Buying a house
This is, of course, the most obvious one, as it’s critical to insure your new investment. You should take out a home insurance policy before you close on the home, although bear in mind that you may not know everything you need to know about the property if you don’t live there yet.
When your home’s value changes
The most obvious time that your home’s value changes is when you have extension work or restoration work done. Whether you’re building a large storage shed or you’re remodeling your bathroom, any major changes which affect your home’s value need to be accounted for in your home insurance policy or you’ll risk being underinsured.
After you buy expensive items
Your personal property is covered by your home insurance, so you should consider adjusting your policy or shopping around if you decide to bring home a 50-inch 4K TV or a priceless set of golf clubs one day. Sometimes your current insurer may raise your premiums substantially if you buy a bunch of high-value items and put them in your home, so it may be a good idea to shop around at this point if necessary.
When your premium goes up for no apparent reason
Home insurance premiums are inevitably affected by factors outside of your control such as burglaries and floods in your local area. Most homeowners will realize these changes when it comes time to renew their policies, and this may be a good time to shop around. It may turn out that your premium is low when compared to other insurers who have also adjusted their rates according to new data, or you may find that your insurer is taking advantage of you. Whatever happens, there’s no harm in heading to your laptop and finding out whether other insurers would also charge you similar premiums for forces out of your control.
When switching auto insurance
Many companies offer combined bundles for home and auto insurance, meaning that you could be entitled to generous discounts if switching your policies in one fell swoop. However, entangling your insurance policies in this way can make things complicated if you want to switch or amend things in the future. For example, if you get a new car or move, you might find that your rates are adversely affected.
When you’re not satisfied with your current insurer
We’ve all heard horror stories of insurers not paying out when the time comes, and this is an obvious alarm bell if you’ve had a bad customer experience with an insurance company. In an ideal world, your insurer should be customer-oriented, knowledgeable, and they should fill you with confidence. There are many polls and surveys available which detail the best companies for customer service and satisfaction – insurance providers are no exception and you should look to switch if you’re unhappy with how you’re being treated.
If you are dropped as a customer
Insurers are indeed able to drop you as a customer, although it obviously depends on the circumstances and their reasons for doing so. If your insurer does drop you, try to find out the exact reason(s) why and take note, as this information could help you to negotiate a deal which covers you when looking for alternative insurance providers down the line. Take note of the dates and amounts paid, as this information is important, and be sure to maintain a record of your claims and any relevant details. You could also order a CLUE report in order to help you with your insurance shopping process.
Home insurance ultimately protects what is usually your largest asset – your home. As a result, it is important to speak to a team which is knowledgeable and up-to-date on the latest developments in home insurance policies and premiums. If you need help, contact us today and see how we can assist you in your personal situation.
by onlinefinancialnewsletters | Aug 13, 2018 | Personal Protection
It’s easy to worry about your home when you’re away on a vacation or a business trip. Did you lock all the doors? Did you leave the stove on? Does it look obvious that the house is empty? These are all legitimate worries when you’re spending time away from your humble abode. Fret not, however, as here we have compiled some ways of securing and protecting your home while you are away on business or pleasure!
Basic measures
First things first, you should start with the basics. For example, put your interior lights on timers if you want your home to appear to be occupied while you are away. Next, you should ensure that your mail and newspaper deliveries are delayed so that mail isn’t piling up on your porch or in your letterbox. Also, make sure to set your thermostat appropriately and ensure that most of your appliances are unplugged or switched off entirely. Don’t forget to set your house alarm!
Water damage and appliance damage
If you want to save energy, turn down your water heater’s temperature and switch off your hot water recirculation pump. You can also suspend your internet with many ISPs, temporarily halting your internet service. It’s also a great idea to unplug appliances which aren’t necessary while you’re away (i.e. don’t unplug the fridge) or plug them into surge protectors and then turn them off.
If you have any leaky faucets or other similar problems, you aren’t going to be around to keep an eye on them. As a result, you should look to get these issues fixed before departure. Also, it may be a good idea to shut off your home’s main water supply while away. Shutting off individual appliance valves and clearing your gutters are also good measures to take.
Preventing burglaries
Although having the appropriate insurance will certainly help to ease your mind, there are ways to prevent burglaries from ever happening in the first place. First of all, secure your windows and doors, even if they are on the higher levels of your house. Burglars are not incapable of accessing your property via trees or ladders. Next, make sure that you use a reliable home alarm system which covers the appropriate areas of your home. Then, make sure that any high-value items such as jewelry or high-end appliances are secured, out of sight, and hidden. You should also consider installing motion-activated lights outside your home.
Never leave a spare key under a doormat or in a similar place – you’re just asking for trouble. If absolutely necessary, install a high-end key lockbox or give a spare key to a trusted friend/family member for emergencies.
Ask people to conduct minor maintenance
It’s worth asking a trusted friend or family member to keep an eye on your house while you’re away, perhaps even allowing them to stay there and housesit while you’re away. Making your home look occupied (or actually having it occupied) is one of the easiest ways to prevent a break-in. Just be sure to arm the helper with any information they may need for their stay in your home. For example, tell them where your shut-off valves and circuit breakers are located, and provide them with the codes to your alarm system too.
Think before you Tweet
Although we all like to make our friends jealous on Facebook and Twitter when we’re jetting off around the world and doing exciting things, it could also leave us vulnerable if done in real-time. During WWII, the British government used to put up posters reading “Careless talk costs lives”, meaning that you shouldn’t say confidential things in public, as you never know who’s listening. The same applies here with social media too! Even if you have your settings set to “private” and “share with friends only”, it only takes one suspicious Facebook friend or Twitter follower to spill the beans that you’re away from home to a potential burglar. Posting that you’re on vacation may seem harmless and fun, but you could essentially be nailing an “I’m not here!” sign to your front door.
Many people worry about keeping their home out of harm’s way when they’re on a trip, but we have information and resources to help calm your mind. Contact us to find out how we can help!
Recent Comments