Here’s what you should know about bundling your Atlanta home and auto insurance

You could save money on your premium if you bundle your home and auto insurance.

You could save money on your premium if you bundle your home and auto insurance.

If you’ve got a home or a car, chances are you’ve heard about bundling your home insurance and auto insurance. Maybe you’ve even heard that bundling can help you save money on your insurance. But is that true? Should you bundle your home insurance and auto insurance? It almost sounds too good to be true. We’ll tell you what bundling is, the reasons for bundling, and some things you should check before you make your final decision.

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What Atlanta home insurance discounts am I eligible for?

Home insurance discounts are an easy way to save money on your premium.

There’s a lot of responsibility that comes along with owning a home. You have to maintain it. You have to cut the grass so that HOA won’t send snide letters. You have to manage the bills. And you have to get home insurance. But that sounds expensive…so you’re probably trying to find out how to save money on home insurance. Well, have we got some good news for you – discounts are an easy way to save on your premiums.

And it just so happens that we’ve got a list of 15 common home insurance discounts that you could qualify for.

15 common home insurance discounts

Before we start, we have an important note:

Each home insurance company offers different discounts and different levels of savings. In order to find out how discounts could help you save, you need to find out what discounts your particular company offers.

That being said, below are 15 common home insurance discounts that you could qualify for.

1. Bundling.

Bundling is when you get multiple policies from the same company. If you get your home insurance and your auto insurance from the same carrier, you may be able to get a discount. In many cases, bundling is less expensive than getting each policy separately.

Pro tip: Make sure you get the coverages and limits you need on both your home and auto insurance.

2. Home security system.

There are many reasons why a home security system can help you qualify for a discount. Many carriers offer a discount if you have a monitored burglar alarm because alarm systems serve as deterrents for burglary and help the police respond more quickly to a break-in.

3. Claims-free.

Some insurance companies will give you savings if you’ve gone a long time without a claim. Check and see if your carrier will lower your premiums for being claims-free and how many years you have to go without a claim.

4. Roof.

There are a few potential discounts that depend on your roof. You could get a discount if you have a new roof or if you have an impact-resistant roof. Be sure to let your agent know if you get a new roof or if your roof is impact resistant.

5. Loyalty.

Some insurance companies will offer a discount to customers that have insured their homes with them for many years.

6. New home.

If you purchase a home and thus become a new customer to the insurance company, you could qualify for a “new customer” discount. Normally you must have purchased the house within a certain number of months to be eligible.

Different home insurance companies offer different discounts.

7. Home improvements.

Home improvements that make your home stronger might help you get a discount. For example, new wiring, new plumbing, or a new roof could qualify you.

8. Home fire safety.

You could get a discount if you have home fire safety measures at your home, such as a monitored fire alarm system. The faster the fire department can respond to the fire, the less damage your home will sustain. And thus the discount.

9. Non-smoker.

Fire is definitely not something insurance companies like. Many house fires are started by smoking, so some insurance companies offer a non-smoker discount. (Just keep in mind that the percentage of savings will vary from company to company.)

10. Gated community.

If you’re in a gated community, there’s less risk of burglary. You’ve got some extra security. And since your home is more protected against theft, you might get a discount from your carrier.

11. Retired.

If you are retired, check and see if that could score you a discount. You never know – it could help you save money.

12. Selecting a higher deductible.

If you have a higher deductible, you may see lower premiums. But it’s important not to choose a deductible that’s so high that it would be a major problem if you ever had a claim and had to pay it.

13. Leak sensor.

Some homes are high-tech and have sensors that will alert you to a water leak – and the sooner you find out about a leak, the better.  Technology can be really cool.

14. Paying in full.

Some home insurance companies offer a discount if you pay for the policy in one go rather than paying your bill monthly. The insurance company will be happy to have all their money.

If paying in full won’t work for you, that’s okay. You could also get a discount for setting up automatic payments.

So, those are some common home insurance discounts that you could be eligible for just by being you. Be sure to talk to your agent and ask them if there are any discounts you could be eligible for. And keep them informed of any significant changes to your home – for instance, getting a new roof or a home security system. And let them know about life changes, like getting married. Remember, they can’t give you a discount if they don’t know you qualify for it!

Looking to save money on home insurance? We would be happy to help. We can shop for the best coverage at the best rate so you get some peace of mind. All you have to do to get in touch with our team of insurance professionals is fill out our online quote form or give us a call.

What you need to know about Atlanta condo insurance

If you're going to get a condo, it's important to consider condo insurance.

The COA's master policy does not cover the inside of your condo, which is why condo insurance is necessary.

Atlanta has been growing in a lot of ways. The film industry is booming. Business is flourishing. Amazon might consider us as a contender for their second headquarters. And something else that’s increasing in the city? Condo sales. According to a Curbed: Atlanta article, Midtown’s condo sales are up, with 1,450 resales in 2017 and a ratio of list-to-sale prices of 99%. Most units spend less than a month on the market (28 days, actually.) Now, that’s all fine and good, but if you own a condo or you’re one of the many thinking about getting one, you have to consider something other than location and number of rooms.

Yup. We’re talking about condo insurance. Now, condo insurance can get a little tricky, but we’ll explain what condo insurance is, what it covers, how much you need, and how much it costs.

What is condo insurance?

Insuring a condo is different than insuring a house, which is why they invented condo insurance. Specifically, the form is called an HO-6 policy. The issue is that as the owner of a condo unit, you basically, you own the inside of your unit. Yeah…we understand that it’s confusing.

Bear with us:

The reason this matters is that the condo association (we’ll call them the COA for simplicity’s sake) has their own master policy that covers the building itself and any common areas, like hallways, pools, and the lobby. That policy, however, does not extend to the inside of your condo unit.

Hence the invention of the HO-6, or condo insurance.

At any rate, it’s vital that you understand your association’s master policy so you can see what is and is not covered.

What does condo insurance cover?

As far as the unit itself, the condo insurance policy may cover a few different things:

1. Damage to the unit’s interior.

As we mentioned before, you own the inside of the unit. Condo insurance can help cover losses to the inside of your home. However, this is where you really have to review the COA’s master policy.

  • If the master policy is all-in, it can cover all original items built into your place (for example, cabinets, lighting, fixtures, plumbing, and wiring.) So, you wouldn’t need coverage for those things. But take heed: it won’t cover things that aren’t original to the unit. Any additions or alterations (like new floors) will need to be covered by your personal condo policy.
  • If the master policy is bare-walls, that means you have to insure everything besides the floor, walls, and ceiling. Nothing’s covered besides the bones of the unit.

2. Your belongings.

Your personal possessions won’t be covered by the COA’s master policy. That means that if you have a fire, your clothes, furniture, electronics and other treasures would not be covered. But your personal condo policy provides coverage for your belongings so that you won’t end up facing a major loss. Just take care to read the policy so you know what losses are and are not covered.

Pro tip: Insure your personal belongings for their replacement cost, not their Actual Cash Value (ACV.) Replacement cost (RC) can allow you to replace your belongings at today’s prices, unlike ACV, which reimburses you for the value that your belongings were worth at the time of the loss.

Your possessions will be covered under your condo insurance policy.

3. Your liability.

If a guest gets hurt in your unit, your condo insurance can help cover their medical expenses and the legal expenses if they choose to sue.

4. Additional expenses.

When a disaster strikes, you may not be able to live in your condo while the repairs are being done. If it’s a covered loss, your policy may cover you for “additional expenses” that you accrue because you had to live elsewhere (for example, hotel bills and restaurant bills.)

5. Loss assessment coverage.

Loss assessment coverage can help you if there is damage to the building in which the condo you own is located. If there are unforeseen costs that come up, this could help you out.

What does the COA’s master policy cover?

We touched on this briefly before, but let’s just recap quickly. The COA’s policy will typically cover…

  • The building’s exterior
  • The common areas (ex. The lobby, pool, gym, elevators)
  • Liability for common areas (ex. Someone falls in the lobby and is injured)

Again, it’s essential that you understand what your particular COA’s policy covers. Every policy is a little bit different, so don’t assume something’s covered by the master only to find that it’s not.

One way you can start figuring out what the COA’s policy covers is by carefully reviewing the COA’s by-laws. The by-laws are basically the rules and regulations of the COA, and they often list very useful information, such as the COA’s insurance deductible. It’s a good idea to review the COA’s by-laws (which you might find on the association’s website or simply by asking to see them) before you close on the condo to make sure you’re comfortable with all of the rules and expectations. And this is also a good chance to check out the insurance situation.

Actually, let’s dive a little deeper into the topic of the COA’s deductibles – more specifically, their water damage deductible…

Water damage, the COA policy, and your condo policy.

Be sure to find out how the COA’s policy treats water damage. Find out what’s covered and what’s not – since you’ve got neighbors all around you and water damage in one unit can often affect several, it’s important to know. What’s covered? What’s not covered? What would you be responsible for if, say, your washing machine spontaneously decided to flood your unit…and the units below and next to yours? As you can imagine, water damage often becomes a big mess in more ways than one. (Another important consideration is whether the COA’s policy has a “per-unit” deductible for water damage.)

So. We know this is a lot of information, but water damage is extremely important to consider when you’re getting your own personal condo insurance and figuring out what coverage you need and what’s already covered by the COA’s policy.

How much condo insurance do I need?

To figure out how much condo insurance you need, you have to factor in all of your belongings and the expenses of repairing or replacing the inside of the condo. Taking a home inventory is a helpful way to get to this estimate.

Pro tip: It’s important to get advice from a trusted insurance advisor. An experienced insurance agent can help you evaluate how much condo insurance you need to protect your home.

If you're going to get a condo, it's important to consider condo insurance.

Okay. That was a lot of information about condos and condo insurance. If you have any questions about what condo insurance will and will not cover, please feel free to reach out to our team. We would be happy to help you with your insurance needs. And if you’re looking to get a quote for condo insurance, we’re here to help you get the best coverage at the best rate. All you have to do to get started is fill out our online form or give us a call today.

Source:

https://www.thebalance.com/condominium-and-coop-essential-insurance-guide-4068492

https://atlanta.curbed.com/2018/4/4/17197728/atlanta-midtown-condo-sales-2017

8 things you need to know about tornado safety in Atlanta

It's important to be familiar with tornado safety.

It's important to be familiar with tornado safety.As April approaches, it’s a good time to go over severe weather safety – in particular, tornado safety. Chances are we’ll experience a good amount of severe weather alerts in the upcoming weeks. Tornadoes are terrifying vortexes of doom, it’s true, but we’ve got some tips that will help you stay safe and get ready for tornado season.

1. Take all weather warnings seriously.

Living in Georgia, we get our fair share of tornado watches and warnings. We may have grown a little desensitized to them, but it’s important to respect all weather warnings. Be smart and take measures to ensure your safety and that of your family.

Which actually brings us to our next tip…

2. Know the lingo.

When you get the alert from the National Weather Service that your area is under a weather advisory, you need to know what the various terms mean.

A tornado watch means that weather conditions are ideal for the formation of a tornado and that one could occur. Be prepared to take shelter and stay tuned to local news stations, radio, or emergency radio.

A tornado warning means that a tornado will either imminently occur or that one has touched down or been sighted. It’s time to get to your safe place as soon as possible.

Speaking of safe places…

3. Know where to go.

When a tornado is impending, there’s no time to deliberate. You need to know where to go. Take some time to figure out what your safe spots are at home, work, or school so that you’re ready to shelter if need be.

  • If you’re at home…
    • Go to the lowest level of your house and shelter in an interior room, such as a bathroom
    • Choose a room with no windows
    • Crawl under a strong table or desk if you can
  • If you’re at work or school…
    • Follow the institution’s emergency plan as instructed
    • Avoid open rooms with high, large roofs, such as cafeterias, auditoriums, and the like
    • Preferably move to the interior room on the lowest floor
    • Do not take an elevator – if the power goes out it could get stuck
  • If you’re outside…
    • Seek shelter in a sturdy building immediately
    • If you can’t get to a shelter on foot, drive there
      • Pull over if debris and strong wind become dangerous. You have to evaluate what the safest course of action will be for your circumstances. Depending on your situation, you can…
        • Stay in the car with your seatbelt on, keep the engine running, duck under the windows, and cover your neck and head with your hands.
        • Go to a place that’s lower than the roadway, such as a ditch, and lie down flat on the ground. Go far enough away from the car that it won’t get swept onto you.
      • Avoid bridges and overpasses, which are highly dangerous during tornadoes.

April is peak tornado month in Georgia.

4. Coach your family on what to do if there’s a tornado situation.

Make sure that everyone in your family knows the plan ahead of time and knows where to go, especially the kids. Tornado warnings can be scary for them, but if you talk about it and tell them how to stay safe ahead of time it can help.

5. Know how your community spreads the word about severe weather.

You need to be familiar with the way that your community will alert you to a tornado. Some cities have tornado sirens that will sound, others have text message alerts, some might use the radio. Know what to expect and stay tuned for news of the weather if the skies are looking dark.

6. Be aware of the danger signs.

Maybe you think that it would be kind of hard to miss the swirling vortex forming near you. But the thing is that tornadoes, which form when a rotating column of air reaches from a thundercloud to the ground, can be virtually invisible until they start picking up debris and dirt or a cloud forms in the funnel cloud.

So, you need to know the danger signs that mean you need to be on high alert for a tornado. Some things to watch for…

  • Dark clouds that are tinged green
  • Wall clouds
  • Debris or a cloud of dust
  • Hail
  • Loud, freight-train-like sounds
  • Funnel clouds

If you notice any of these things, you might need to take shelter. Nature – and tornadoes especially – are not to be trifled with. When in doubt, seek shelter and try to find out what the weather situation is for your area.

7. Before severe weather hits, prepare your home.

Since we’re heading into peak tornado time, it’s probably a good idea to take some time to get your home ready. To minimize damage to your house in high winds, you can…

  • Move outdoor furniture inside (chairs and tables can become projectiles in high winds)
  • Remove dead or diseased trees from your yard
  • Clean debris away
  • Strengthen your garage door (garage doors often take a beating during storms, and if your garage door gets damaged it can allow the winds into your home, causing the roof to tear off)

8. Make sure you have the home insurance you need.

Home insurance will usually cover damage from tornadoes, but it’s important to make sure that you have enough insurance to completely cover the cost of rebuilding your home and replace all of your belongings. Protect your house and your investment with the right insurance.

Tornadoes can often be unpredictable, but by being prepared you’ll know how to act quickly to keep you and your family safe. Have a tornado plan and go over it with your family. When it comes to natural disasters, preparation is key.

Want to save money on your home insurance? Our agents are here to help you get the best coverage at the best possible rate. We want to take the time to get to know you and your specific situation. To get your home insurance quotes, all you have to do is fill out our online form or give us a call today.

Sources:

https://www.ready.gov/tornadoes

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/tornado/index.shtml

The anatomy of an Atlanta homeowners insurance policy

It's important to read through your home insurance policy thoroughly.

It's important to read your home insurance policy carefully.

As a homeowner, you want to protect your investment, and home insurance was designed to do just that. Your coverage protects you against the risks you face every day.

There’s just one problem:

Your policy looks like it belongs on a shelf next to the dictionary. It’s long. It’s boring. It’s wordy.

Despite all of this, it’s extremely important that you understand your home insurance policy. And that means reading your policy carefully. Thing is, your policy is an important document that defines the agreement between the insurance company and you (the insured.) There are a ton of important details about your coverage, your obligations, and exclusions packed into that paperweight. And those details could mean the difference between something being covered…and something not being covered.

At any rate, to help you understand how your policy is broken down, we’ve laid it out section by section below.

1. First of all, we present your Declarations Page:

The declarations page (a.k.a. the dec page) is the first portion of your policy. Its job is to give you an overview of what the policy is and what it covers. The dec page tells you:

  • Who’s being insured
  • What the policy protects you from
  • The property that’s insured
  • The dates that the policy is effective

Pro tip: Your auto policy also has a dec page that functions in much the same way.

2. Continuing on, behold: your Insuring Agreement.

Now we get into the good stuff.

The insuring agreement explains what the insurance company will do if you have a loss and end up filing a home insurance claim. This section will also lay out what’s covered by your policy. When you paid for your insurance and finalized everything, the insurer agreed to specific things – for example, paying for covered losses or providing legal defense for liability lawsuits.

You can have one of two different types of insuring agreements: named-perils and all-risk.

Named-perils coverage will only protect you from losses that are specifically written out in the policy.

All-risk coverage will protect you from all losses except for those that are excluded by the policy. (Many life insurance policies are written out like this.)

3. Well, there had to be a catch somewhere – here comes the exclusions section.

This is a really important part of your policy. Exclusions are losses that just aren’t covered by your insurance. What that means is if you ever experience one of these losses, your insurance company will not take care of the expenses.

You can see why you need to really understand this section – you don’t want to have a loss only to find out that it’s excluded. (Flooding is a common insurance exclusion – but there are many home insurance exclusions you should know about.)

But don’t worry: we’ll explain how you can add coverages to your policy in a second.

4. So, moving onto the conditions section.

Okay. This is another section that you need to pay attention to. The conditions section lays out situations in which the insurance company may not have to pay out a claim when you file one. The conditions mostly have to do with things that you as the homeowner have to do. The insurance company may not have to pay out a claim if the conditions of the policy have not been met.

For example, you might be required to file proof of loss with the insurance company within a certain amount of time. If you fail to do that, the insurance company may not accept the claim. To make sure that you’re meeting all the requirements of your home insurance policy, take some time to read through the conditions section. Ask any questions you have about them so that you understand your responsibilities as the homeowner.

5. Definitions, definitions, definitions.

This section could be on its own, but it could also be hiding in another section. This section exists to help you understand all the fancy words in your policy – how helpful! Insurance vocabulary isn’t always the most intuitive or the clearest, which is why your policy may have this handy-dandy section.

6. And for the grand finale, we have the endorsements and riders section.

An endorsement is basically an addition to your policy. It can add coverage, take away coverage, or change coverage. This is how you can add various coverages that are otherwise excluded. For example, if sewer backup is excluded, you can add an endorsement to make sure it’s covered. You can also add coverage for jewelry or other valuables here.

Something to keep in mind:

Every year when the insurance company renews your insurance, the coverage or language might be slightly different. So, be sure to review this section carefully to make sure you have all of the coverages you need.

Okay, that was a lot of information! The above is just a general outline of the sections included in your policy. Yes, there are many, many words included in your policy, and it’s not the most riveting read. But it’s still an important thing to do.

If you have to save money on your home insurance, we would be happy to help you with that. Our agents can help you shop for your insurance so that you can make sure you’re getting the best coverage at the best possible rate. All you have to do to get home insurance quotes is fill out our online form or give us a call today.

10 pro tips for buying homeowners insurance in Atlanta, GA

We've got some tips for buying home insurance.

Home insurance may not be your favorite thing to think about. We get it – home insurance can get complicated. Maybe you had a stressful experience in the past, or maybe you’re getting coverage for your first home and you’re a little overwhelmed. Or maybe you’re shopping for rates.

But don’t worry: we’ve got eight pro tips for buying a home in Atlanta and insurance coming your way.

1. Bundle your home and auto insurance.

Bundling is when you get multiple types of coverage from the same company. Some companies offer discounts for bundling your home insurance and auto insurance, so this could be an easy way to get some savings. Of course, it’s still a good idea to get multiple quotes for home and auto insurance and shop around to make sure you’re getting the best coverage at the best price.

2. Don’t sacrifice coverage for price.

It might seem like a great idea to jump at the lowest price you can find. But before you do, you need to take a good look at the various coverages and limits offered by each policy. One policy may be more expensive, but it might include more extensive coverage and protect you from more losses than another, less expensive one. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples. And don’t sacrifice coverage for the sake of paying less – this is your home you’re insuring, remember.

3. Be aware of any exclusions.

Knowing exactly what your policy does and does not cover is important.

Here’s the thing:

Home insurance comes with certain exclusions (or losses that simply aren’t covered.) For example, flooding is a common home insurance exclusion. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with any exclusions and limits in your policy so you can add coverage as needed, such as extra coverage for jewelry or valuables. It’s always best to be prepared, right?

4. Insure your home for its replacement cost.

If your home was destroyed by a fire, you would want insurance to be able to rebuild it from the ground up, right? To make sure homeowners insurance will do that, you need to insure your house for its replacement cost, which takes the costs of building materials and the labor of the contractors into account.

When buying home insurance, it's important to make sure that you have enough coverage.

5. Insure your belongings for their replacement cost, not their actual cash value (ACV.)

Here’s the difference:

Replacement cost coverage allows you to replace your belongings at today’s prices.

Actual cash value only gives you the cost of your belongings at the time of the loss. Since depreciation is the fact of life, chances are that amount you get from insurance will be less than what you paid for your belongings…and probably not enough to replace them at today’s prices.

6. Don’t skip your home inventory.

A home inventory is basically a list of all your belongings and their value. Taking a home inventory helps you get an idea of how much coverage you need to for your personal property. It can also help you if you ever have to file a claim – you’d know exactly what you need to claim, and having an inventory (preferably with pictures) adds credibility.

7. Do some research on the company you’re considering.

This is the company you’re trusting to have your back if you have a claim. Be sure to check out their financial stability, customer service record, and claims-handling process and reputation. You want a company that’s going to be there for you, so do some research about Georgia home insurance companies.

8. Don’t forget to ask about discounts.

Discounts are a great way to save money. Basically, you get a reduced price for meeting certain qualifications. For instance, you could get a discount for having a monitored burglar alarm or for bundling your home and auto insurance. Now, different companies offer different discounts, so be sure to ask about potential savings when you’re shopping for insurance.

9. Ask family and friends.

Why not ask your family and friends for home insurance recommendations? It can be hard to know where to start with insuring your home, but you might get some leads by asking around. It never hurts to ask.

10. Shop around.

Shopping around for home insurance can help you save money on your rates and find out what options are out there. Every insurance carrier evaluates risk differently, so it can pay off to get multiple quotes. You don’t have to feel obligated to take the first option you find.

Our team would be happy to help you shop for your home insurance. Our goal is to make insurance easy and help homeowners save money. To get home insurance quotes, fill out our online form or give us a call today.

Sources:

https://www.thebalance.com/homeowner-insurance-shopping-tips-1798649

What you need to know about homeowners insurance if a tree falls

If a tree falls on your house, your home insurance will most likely cover you.

If a tree falls on your house, your home insurance will most likely cover you.

Atlanta is known for being a city with a lot of trees. The local flora is picturesque and pretty, but it does raise some questions about home insurance. First and foremost: does homeowners insurance cover fallen trees? Second: does homeowners insurance cover a tree falling on my neighbor’s house? Then that raises the question of what if a tree falls on my car, on my fence…You get the point. There are a lot of possibilities involving trees. Anyways, we’ll answer all of those tree-related questions. It’ll be tree-rific.

Does homeowners insurance cover fallen trees?

Most likely, yes. Indeed it does. If that oak tree in your yard blows over and crashes into your house, your home insurance would most likely cover the costs of repairs to your roof and house. As long as the cause of the falling tree is covered by the policy, you’re in good shape. Of course, it’s always a good idea to read over your policy so you understand exactly what circumstances are covered. But ideally, all it would take is submitting a home insurance claim and you can get the damage patched up.

Does homeowners insurance cover damage to my neighbor’s house?

You go to answer the door. It’s your neighbor and they do not look happy. It only takes a quick glance down the street to find out why. Your beautiful oak tree has smashed into their roof. Uh oh.

So, what happens in this scenario? Would your home insurance cover it? The answer is no. It would actually be the neighbor’s home insurance that would cover the claim, so they would have to go through their home insurance company to get the tree situation taken care of. They probably won’t be too happy about having to pay their deductible, but that’s the way it works.

On the flip side, if your neighbor’s tree falls on your home, it’s your home insurance company that will cover the claim … and you would be the one on the hook for your deductible. Basically, where trees are concerned, if it’s your house, it’s your insurance.

Now. There’s something else you need to know about trees. Let’s say that your neighbor informed you about a diseased tree that they fear will fall. They nag you about it multiple times because they want you to take it down. But you put it off and never got around to it. The diseased tree falls onto the neighbor’s house, damaging their roof. If they can prove that you were aware that the tree was dangerous and did nothing about it, their insurance company can come after you to reimburse the neighbor for their deductible. Just a tidbit to be aware of, the moral of which is to have any diseased or hollow trees removed safely. And to have your yard and property checked for problem trees about once a year so you can get them taken care of.

What if a tree falls on my car?

If a tree squashes your car, your home insurance would not cover it. However, your auto insurance could – if you purchased comprehensive coverage (if you didn’t, you’re out of luck.) Comprehensive coverage protects your vehicle against damage not caused by a car accident; it usually covers fire, theft, animal strikes, and yes – falling trees. You’d only have to pay for your deductible.

What if a tree falls through my fence?

A fence, while it might ward off trespassers and keep your dog in the yard, will not deter a falling tree. The good news is that you probably have “other structures” coverage in your home insurance, which covers things like detached garages, sheds, driveways, and, yes – fences. You’ll have to check your policy to make sure that it does indeed offer these coverages and to check what the limit is for other structures.

So, there you have it: homeowners insurance should indeed cover your home if a tree falls on it so long as it’s a covered cause of loss. Aren’t you re-leafed? (Sorry, we were on a roll with the puns.) Potential disputes with neighbors notwithstanding, you’re good to go where trees are concerned. However, it’s always a good idea to review your policy thoroughly so that you know exactly what is and isn’t covered.

Do you want to save money on your home insurance? We can help with that. If you’re looking for quotes for insurance, our team of home insurance professionals would be happy to shop your rates for you. All you have to do to get home insurance quotes is to fill out our quick form or give us a call today.

Why was my homeowners insurance claim denied?

There are a number of reasons that a home insurance claim could get denied.

There are a number of reasons that a home insurance claim could get denied.

Filing a home insurance claim can seem like a daunting, draining process. Maybe after you filed your claim you felt like you ran a marathon – exhausted but proud of yourself for a job well done. You dusted off your hands and went on with your life. But then you get the bad news – your home insurance claim has been denied. Now you feel like someone hit you with a very heavy object. The big question reverberating through your mind might be, why was my home insurance claim denied? There are a variety of reasons that an insurance company might deny a claim, and we’ll go over six of them below.

1. Not filing the claim quickly.

You can’t dilly-dally about filing your claim. Your policy most likely stipulates that you have to tell the insurance company about losses right away – there are deadlines for filing claims. Make sure you understand any relevant timeframes that apply to your policy and respect them. Ask questions of the person helping you with your claim so you understand what your next steps are and what you need to do.

Taking a home inventory can help you put together your claim. A home inventory is basically a list of all your belongings. If you have that list at the ready, you’ll know exactly what’s been lost and it will be easier to create a detailed, orderly claim.

2. The loss isn’t covered by your policy.

Home insurance comes with many exclusions or losses that simply aren’t covered by your insurance. For example, floods are common home insurance exclusions – you have to purchase flood insurance separately. If you don’t have flood insurance and you file a claim for flooding or surface water damage, your claim will be denied. Likewise with any other losses that are excluded. Anyways, the moral is familiarize yourself with your policy so that you understand all of the exclusions. You don’t want to accidentally file a claim for something you don’t have coverage for and then be disappointed. If you have any questions about your coverage and what is or isn’t covered, be sure to check with your agent.

3. You didn’t take steps to protect your property from additional damage.

As the homeowner, it’s down to you to reduce the chances of additional harm coming to your house following a loss. This is usually a policy requirement. Basically, you’re trying to make sure that the situation doesn’t get any worse. Find out what you need to do to protect the property.

4. Not paying your insurance bill.

If you don’t pay your home insurance premium promptly, that could be a problem. Paying your premiums on time is kind of a big deal because it’s generally a good idea to pay the insurance company.

5. The claim is less than your deductible.

Your deductible is the amount you agree to pay if you have a claim – you pay your bit and the insurance company pays theirs. (Maybe you have a deductible of $1,000.) If the claim is for less than that amount, you’re probably the one who’s going to have to cover the expense.

Having a home insurance claim be denied can be stressful. Make sure you read through your home insurance policy carefully so you know about any time restraints for filing claims and any exclusions in your coverage. Keep detailed records of the loss to your home to give the insurance company. Otherwise, if you file the claim promptly, the loss is covered, and you’ve paid the insurance company on time, you should be good to go.

Do you feel like you’re paying too much for home insurance? We can help you save money on your premium by shopping around for the best possible rate. All you have to do to get home insurance quotes is fill out our online form or give us a call today.

Source:

https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/12/can-insurance-company-refuse-coverage.asp

How is an Atlanta homeowners insurance premium calculated?

Your home insurance premium is determined by many factors.

Your home insurance premium is determined by many factors.

Along with being a homeowner comes the need to get home insurance. Whether you’re in the process of buying your first home or you’re just switching insurance companies, you might be wondering what affects home insurance rates. Maybe you have a general idea of the average cost of home insurance in Georgia, but how do insurance companies come up with your premium? They don’t just pull a number out of thin air (though it may feel that way sometimes.) We’ll explain how home insurance premiums are calculated by giving a run-down of the factors that affect your rates.

1. Your home’s replacement cost influences your premium.

If your home was completely destroyed by a fire, you would need enough insurance to be able to rebuild it. That means insuring your home for its replacement cost, which takes the expenses of the building materials and the contractors’ labor into account. The replacement cost is different than the market value of your home and the amount left on your mortgage.

2. Your claims history.

The more claims you’ve filed, the higher a risk you are to insure. Insurance companies tend to avoid risk where possible, so you’ll probably pay more in premium if you’ve had a few claims in the past few years.

3. Your credit score.

The main reason why your credit score impacts your home insurance premium is that it’s an indicator of risk. A high credit score shows that you’re a low risk while a poor credit score makes you a higher risk. Basically, that means the better your credit score, the better your home insurance premium could be.

4. The age of your home.

Newer, younger homes tend to have lower premiums. Older homes may have unsafe electrical wiring that could cause a fire, and they may be made out of materials that aren’t easy to upgrade or replace.

5. Whether you have a pool or trampoline.

Pools and trampolines are called attractive nuisances because they’re irresistible and dangerous. Someone could get hurt while swimming in your pool or bouncing on your trampoline, which opens you up to more risk. So that means you could end up having higher premiums.

6. How close you are to a fire department.

If you’re close to a reliable fire department, they’ll be able to respond fast to a fire at your home. You may end up facing less damage to your home, and that means that you could get lower home insurance premiums.

7. If you have jewelry that requires extra insurance.

If you own expensive jewelry, artwork, or collectibles, you may not have enough coverage included in your policy to fully cover them. So, you’ll need to figure out how best to insure your jewelry, and that could mean adding a rider or endorsement (basically extra coverage) to your policy.

8. If you have a dog.

Yes, it’s true – your dog can affect your home insurance rates in a pretty big way. Insurance companies usually have a “dangerous dog list” that consists of breeds that are known for their aggression. The list includes breeds like pit bulls, Dobermans, Rottweilers, and even huskies. Dog bites are a major cause of liability-related home insurance claims, so if your dog has bitten someone or you have a high-risk breed you may face significantly higher premiums.

Yes, we know Fluffy is completely harmless. It’s just that the insurance company isn’t convinced.

9. How long you’ve been with your current insurance company.

Insurance companies really value loyalty. You may receive some sort of discount if you’ve been with them for years and years.

10. Discounts.

If you qualify for discounts on your home insurance, you could be looking at getting some pretty nifty savings on your premiums. For example, having a home security system could qualify you for a homeowners insurance discount, as could bundling your home insurance and your auto insurance. And you could get a discount if you go for a certain amount of time without having a claim.

At any rate, check and see what discounts could be available to you. They play a significant role in how much home insurance costs.

These are some of the most common factors used to determine home insurance premiums. Risks are a major part of calculating home insurance premiums; the lower a risk you are, the better your insurance rates could be.

If you think you’re paying too much for home insurance, we can help. Our agents are professionals at saving people money on their insurance by helping them shop around for the best coverage at the best price. All you have to do to get started with your home insurance quotes is fill out our online form or give us a call today.

How to choose a homeowners insurance deductible in Atlanta

It can be hard to know how to choose a home insurance deductible.

It can be hard to know how to set your home insurance deductible.If you’re a homeowner, you know the drill with getting home insurance. You’ve done the whole “insurance shopping” thing and done your research about the best Georgia home insurance companies. You had to choose a deductible, and maybe you looked at all the different options, shrugged, and picked one. But maybe now you’re wondering how your deductible affects your home insurance rates, or maybe you’re considering raising it to save money on home insurance. At any rate, you’re wondering how to choose a home insurance deductible – and, perhaps, what a deductible is. Well, sit tight – we’ll answer both of those questions!

Your home insurance deductible explained.

To explain briefly, your deductible is the amount you agree to pay if you have a claim before the insurance company will step in to cover the claim. Basically, it’s your portion of the loss (you have your piece, the insurance company has the rest.)

For example, let’s say you have a house fire. You end up with $18,000 worth of damage to your home. If your deductible is $1,500, you’d pay $1,500 and your insurance company would pay the leftover $16,500. 

How does your deductible affect your home insurance rates?

That’s the question. See, the thing is that your deductible influences your home insurance premium (the amount you pay for insurance.) The higher you set your deductible, the lower your premium. That’s because you’re accepting more risk, and at the same time you’ll be less likely to file a small claim – it’s not worthwhile to file a $1,800 claim if your deductible is $1,500. You would only get $300 back, and filing too many minor claims can lead to your coverage being nonrenewed. If you have a lower deductible, you’ll most likely have higher premiums to compensate.

So. It’s more than just a number to pick out of thin air.

Pro tip: When you’re shopping, ask if you can compare deductibles to see how changing it would affect your premium. That will give you an idea of exactly how much you can save if you can comfortably afford a higher deductible.

How to choose a home insurance deductible

There are a few questions to ask yourself.

  • How much cash or savings do you have set aside for emergencies?
  • How financially secure are you?
  • Would you rather pay more if you have a claim and have a lower premium, or pay more in premium and have insurance cover more of a claim?

It’s kind of like giving yourself an insurance-related interview. You have to consider how much money you can comfortably afford to pay if you have a home insurance claim. Sure, you may want to save some money on your home insurance, but you don’t want to be staring forlornly at an empty piggy bank, turning out your pockets and scouring the couches for change if you have a claim. The idea is to not go broke if you have a claim.

Pro tip: Set aside an emergency fund that can cover your deductible in case you have a claim.

So, you have some choice when it comes to choosing your deductible. You get to set it, but take care not to select an amount that’s more than you can afford to pay if you have a claim. Yes, it’s highly tempting to shave some money off of your home insurance bill, but you need to find the balance that works for you.

If you’re looking to save money on your Atlanta home insurance, we can help you. We can get home insurance quotes from some of the top carriers in the nation, and we would love to team up with you to help you save money on your rates. All you have to do is fill out our online quote form or give us a call today.