Monthly Archives: October 2014

Unusual Things Covered in Home Insurance Policies

Do you have home insurance? If you do, you’ve protect yourself against all kinds of dangers, even a house fire that could leave you homeless. If a tree falls into your home, you won’t have to pay out of pocket for repairs. If a burglar breaks in, you’ll have a financial safety net to replace what you’ve lost.

Not only does home insurance give homeowners peace of mind about their property and belongings, it ensures devastating damages won’t take a financial toll on individuals and families. Homeowners should understand exactly what their insurance policies covers-both the obvious and unique-to get compensation and keep their home in tip-top shape.

The Obvious

Basic home insurance coverage covers much more than damage to your house. Most policies base coverage off of a certain percentage of the entire coverage amount you pay-discuss coverage with your insurance broker before purchasing insurance. The most basic coverage generally includes:

  • Belongings – If someone burglarizes your home, your policy should replace most belongings.
  • Perils – If your home experiences extensive damage (fire, lightening, explosion, smoke, vandalism, falling objects), your policy should cover it completely.
  • Loss of use – If your home gets damaged and you can’t live in your house, most insurance companies cover living expenses (laundry costs, restaurant meals, hotel bills) for a time.

Depending on your insurance agency, you may have the opportunity to purchase more specialized coverage. In these cases, your home insurance policy might also cover:

  • Debris removal
  • Landscaping replacement
  • Power outages
  • Spoiled food storage
  • Glass structures (doors and windows)

Some home insurance policies require you to add on certain items, including:

  • Antiques
  • Jewelry
  • Electronic equipment

Most home insurance policy basics depend on your particular agency, but you can count on most agencies to provide you with enough coverage to suit your needs. The benefits of home insurance extend far beyond structural damages to your house.

If, for example, you run into a sticky situation with liability or fraud involving your home’s property, your home insurance might just cover those damages as well. Read on to learn about some of the more unique aspects of home insurance coverage.

The Unique

Most homeowners don’t know about these unique coverage benefits. When out-of-the-ordinary events happen, you can trust your policy to cover the emotional and financial costs of the following:

  • Liability and/or medical bills – If an injury takes place on your property, home insurance usually covers medical bills. Whether a dog bites a visitor or a neighbor slips and falls on your driveway, home insurance should cover all medical costs. Insurance companies sometimes pay for legal defense along with medical bills. If a neighbor sues you over a dog bite, call your insurance broker to discuss specifics.
  • Structures – If your fence, garden, or garage gets damaged, home insurance should cover repair and renovation. When a tree falls and destroys your fence or garden, get in contact with your home insurance specialist to discuss compensation and repair.
  • Fraud – If someone uses your personal checks or credit cards without your permission, home insurance might cover it. While this may seem like a random aspect of coverage, insurance agencies aim to keep you and your family secure against all sorts of fraudsters.
  • Grave markers – If someone vandalizes or steals your loved one’s grave marker, your insurance policy might cover most replacement costs.
  • Student property – If your child moves away to college and someone steals his or her belongings, contact an insurance agent to discuss coverage and replacement options. Keep in mind: most student property coverage is limited to 10 percent of the property limit.

Apart from liability, structural damage, and fraud coverage, some insurance agencies take coverage a step further. Whether a dog ate your necklace, or you lost our favorite candlestick, your home insurance might cover reimbursement costs. Read on to learn about certain cases of very unique home insurance coverage.

  • Eaten belongings – One family received insurance money after their dog ate an expensive piece of jewelry.
  • Interior design fees – A number of insurance agencies cover interior design fees for home repair and renovation (resulting from previous damage).
  • Spoiled food and wine – After a sewage pipe overflow, an insurance company reimbursed a family for the spoiled goods in the home’s basement.
  • Security – Because they don’t want further damage and/or vandalism to occur, some insurance companies pay for security at damaged homes during repair.
  • Pair and sets – When one family lost a candlestick in a set, the insurance company replaced the entire set.
  • Bug-repellent services -To ensure a home stays in pristine condition throughout the year, many insurance policies cover bug-repellent services.

Whether someone burglarizes your home, or a storm damages your house, you deserve a fair amount of reimbursement from your insurance company. You never know what’s covered until you ask-make sure to discuss all coverage options with your insurance agency.

Home Insurance Agency in Wheat Ridge, CO

Wheat Ridge, CO is one of the most beautiful Colorado locales to settle down and raise a family. It has everything, from proximity to the Denver metro area to easy access to the mountains (and ski slopes!) during the winter months.

Whether you're a first-time home buyer or just new to the Wheat Ridge area, you'll want to make sure to make a smart decision about your property insurance options. These steps will help simplify the process.

1. Get your home appraised.

If you're just in the process of buying your home, chances are this step has already been covered during the buy-sell process. Regardless, you'll want to have a good idea of your home's value; this enables you to purchase just the right amount of coverage without leaving gaps or paying for more than you need.

2. Talk to an independent agent.

Our Independent agents work with many different insurance companies, so they can get you several quotes in one stop. That's one of the best ways to save time (and money) when you're searching for the insurance agency and policy that fits your needs. Independent agents will also talk to you about each policy's specific coverage limits and your home's situation, so they can suggest the types of coverage most likely to be a smart investment for you.

3. Read potential policies thoroughly.

Once you think you've found just the right combination of coverage to protect your home, you'll want to read the fine print to make sure you know exactly what is and isn't covered. Take the time now to ask your agent about anything that doesn't make sense. Know your deductibles and any exclusions on your policy before you sign, and if those exclusions make you nervous, ask about purchasing extra coverage; flood and earthquake insurance, for example, are not usually included on standard policies.

How Important is Commercial Auto Insurance in Colorado?

Having commercial auto insurance is a must for any business owner that has one or more vehicles used in the day to day business of operating his or her company. For those looking at Colorado commercial insurance, realize that auto insurance is not something to over look even if you do not use your vehicle much. There are several key reasons not to forgo it.

Liability insurance for your vehicle is important. It can help to prevent losses suffered by your company should you or your other employee driver is hurt in an accident. With liability insurance in place, you may be able to reduce some of the risk associated with lawsuits placed on your business as the result of your accident. This could even include lawsuits from lost property, medical bills, or wrongful death. Without coverage, you could find your business is at risk of paying for these costs out of pocket.

Additionally, commercial auto insurance is also the ideal way to protect not just the vehicle itself, but the inventory or equipment you have in it. If you use your vehicle for deliveries and items are stolen or your vehicle with your business's equipment in it is damaged in a fire, you may have protecting with this type of property coverage.

Colorado commercial insurance is available at an affordable rate for your commercial vehicle. Unless your business is able to withstand these risks, it is often best to seek out a Colorado independent agency like ourselves to help you to find affordable rates on top-quality plans. This could help you to see significant improvement in your business's bottom line simply by helping you to reduce financial risks associated with operating a car. Our Colorado commercial insurance agents are happy to help you.