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Play It Safe And Get Home Owner’s Insurance 3
Play It Safe And Get Home Owner’s Insurance
As we all know, a house is not just a roof over your head. It is where you raise a family and make memories with loved ones. Protect your house with the home owner’s insurance that it deserves. This article will give you some great advice when you are looking to purchase home owner’s insurance.
When signing up for home insurance, shop around. Insurance costs up to one-fifth of your income, so you shouldn’t take it lightly. Don’t go with the first company you contact – they’ll still have the same offer on the table if you go back to them tomorrow or the day after.
Before filing that homeowner’s insurance claim, really consider the cost of whatever theft or damage has occurred and how that claim will affect future premiums. Oftentimes the cost of repairing or replacing the damaged items is close to the cost of the deductible that would have to be paid to provide coverage. While you may feel you are getting your money’s worth out of your insurance coverage, you may very well find yourself paying higher premiums or without coverage by filing too many claims.
Before installing a pool or buying a trampoline, be sure to check with your insurance company to see what effect this will have on your premiums. Some companies will charge as much as 10% more to insure a house with a pool, trampoline or other potentially hazardous equipment on the property.
Before getting a renter’s insurance policy, take a look around your apartment and take photos of the things that you would like to have covered if there was a disaster. Calculate each item’s worth and find an insurance policy that will cover at least that amount in the case that you have to file a claim.
To ensure you’re getting the best possible rates on your home owner’s insurance policy, review and compare your policy regularly. You may find that something has changed that can lower your premium. You should also look for other insurance companies offering rates lower than your own. If you show these rates to your insurance company, they may offer you a competitive discount.
If you have roommates, double check your policy to see what is exactly is covered in the event of a disaster. Some polices cover everything in a premises and others only cover your possessions. Confirm what is covered or you may end up cutting your roommate a check after a disaster.
If you live in an earthquakes zone, a standard home insurance policy may not be suitable. Basic home insurance policies cover interior or exterior damage to your home as a result of fire, hurricane, lightening, or vandalism. Basic home insurance policies also normally cover your personal possessions in the event of theft. Damage to your home caused by an earthquake; however, is not usually covered and requires separate riders on your insurance policy.
Do not procrastinate when it comes to protecting your home. Since you never know what may happen in the future, it is important to assure that you will be protected financially if something happens to your house. Use the home owner’s insurance advice in this article to safeguard yourself and your family against the unexpected.
What Role Does Your California Health Insurance Agent Or Broker Play?
What Role Does Your California Health Insurance Agent Or Broker Play?
First, what is the difference between a broker and an agent?
These terms are often interchanged in conversation. Officially, an Agent is an individual or company that acts on behalf of the carriers to market, sell, and service insurance. The Agent has a contract with the carrier in order to transact this business. A broker is person who also contracts with carriers but officially acts on behalf of the client. In practical terms, they are not that different when dealing with California health insurance.
For example, Goodacre Insurance Services is a California agent but our goal is to find the right plan for a individual or company across the major carriers. If Blue Cross has the right option and better pricing for a given person or company, then that’s where we will go. We are independent agents which is important because we do not have interest in pushing one particular company or plan. We do have knowledge from dealing with the carriers every day in terms of which companies are easier to deal with, more stable, or better priced. There are dozens of plans on the market so this can really be important. Just looking a rate quote and benefit summary is only half of the story when choosing health insurance. Some plans exclude certain benefits or apply caps to other types of coverage. We know the lay of the land and I would personally not want to purchase health insurance just based on a rate quote.
Some companies (though not the majors) use “captured agents”. This is a person who sells only one carrier’s insurance plans. They are essentially employees for that company. I would avoid such companies as they may not have the best interest of the client at heart. If a company cannot quote multiple carriers, beware. The major carriers in California are Blue Cross of California, Blue Shield of California, Health Net, Pacificare, and Kaiser. Beyond these five, we do not feel very secure about the others.
How are agents or brokers paid? Agents are paid a commission by the carriers for policies issued and in force. The commission tends to be about the same from carrier to carrier. This commission does not affect the rate. The insurance rate you will get through an agent/broker is the same as you would get going directly through the carrier. The benefit of the agent relationship is that they navigate the carriers to expedite processing, help with service issues once enrolled, and act a third party. Again, a carrier’s main interest to keep you enrolled as policy subscriber but your interest may actually lie with another carrier or plan. An independent broker can help bridge the two at no additional cost to you. Also, the carriers are big companies. Some of the reps are very knowledgeable and others are…let’s face it…newer. By dealing with California health insurance daily, we are a wealth of information and guidance that you may not get by going directly.
What to expect from your broker/agent and especially Goodacre Insurance Services?
Goodacre Insurance Services provides service across three main areas.
California health plan selection.
This really is the most difficult part and it is the reason that people put off getting health insurance. There are many plans and the language is pretty technical. Most people glaze over when they see the brochures or instant quote results. Let’s face it….health insurance is not a common purchase. Typically, people have not needed to shop health insurance in years…if ever. Goodacre Insurance Services has been dealing solely with California health insurance for over a decade now. I can guarantee that with a few targeted questions, the plan selections can be narrowed down significantly. We want you to be informed. On a daily basis, we hear from our clients that they wish they would have called earlier rather than try to navigate the volumes of information provided the plans. Let us help. We do not sell. We listen, advise, and then it’s up to you what you wish to do.
California application and enrollment.
The health application is one more reason that people procrastinate. There are sections in there are mandated by law but which are thoroughly confusing such as the HIPAA qualification. Small Group can be equally difficult in terms of qualification for Small Group health coverage in California. We are happy to walk you through the application once a plan has been decided on. This is also the time to ask about the process, payment options, cancellation options, time table for enrolling in coverage. Based on your situation, we can give you a benchmark of what to expect for a normal processing.
Health Insurance Service and Membership.
Once the plan is in effect, we are your point of contact for membership issues, claims, and future changes. We go in at the end of each month and make sure that faxed changes, additions, and requests have been processed correctly. The carriers are pretty good but 1 out of 100 requests do not show in the system. You do not want to be that one with such a critical issues as health insurance. We can also advise for ways to reduce costs when the rate increase occur based on your changing health insurance needs.
Keep in mind that you can always contact the carrier directly if you choose but why would you? Let us do the work for you since there is no additional cost to you.
Agents and brokers are required to have a license and continuing education by the California Department of Insurance. You can always research an agent’s history, carrier contracts, and other information through them. There are different types of licenses. The two most common are Life/Health which is used to transact California health insurance and Property and Casualty is used to transact insurance such as auto or home insurance. Some agents do both health and P&C but it is increasingly difficult to this well and keep up with the ever-changing industries. This is why we choose to concentrate on health insurance solely. We know the carriers, the plans, and changes in the market. This makes us invaluable to you.
As we say on the phone here at Goodacre Insurance Services…”How can I help you out”.
Play It Safe And Get Home Owner’s Insurance 5
Play It Safe And Get Home Owner’s Insurance
Most of us never really think something like a burglary can happen to us, but over a million homes are burglarized every year. If your valuables are stolen or if your property is damaged, a solid home insurance policy can see that you are compensated. Make sure you read these tips to find out how you can get the best insurance.
Update your insurance policy if you make any structural changes or renovations to your home. If you have done any improvements that will increase the value of your home, you should let the insurance company know so they can update your policy to reflect the current value of your home.
Even if renter’s insurance isn’t mandated where you are living, it is highly recommended. You simply never know what is going to happen. Renter’s insurance covers all your valuables in the case of some disaster like a fire or a flood.
When you sign a new home insurance policy, be sure you get all the discounts available. Alarm systems that report to a central station can get you up to a 10% discount. Those over 50 can also be eligible for a discount. One of the most common discounts available is a multi-policy discount. This will help to lower the cost of both your auto and home insurance policies.
When buying a new home that needs extensive renovations, know that your home insurance premiums will reflect that work. The insurer will see the new work and factor in the cost of replacing the upgrades, which would be costly in the case of total destruction. This will increase your premiums to cover the cost of reconstruction.
Lower your annual home insurance premiums by raising your deductible. The higher the deductible, the less you pay. Even though you will be stuck with footing the bill for smaller problems you may encounter, it is worth it in the long run. Insurance companies tend to raise a homeowner’s premium after any claim they make, no matter how small.
Consider moving. The area in which your home is located has a great impact on the cost of your home insurance. If your house is located in a rough neighbourhood which has a high crime rate, your home insurance is likely to be very expensive. By moving to a safer neighbourhood, you could significantly reduce your annual home insurance premiums.
Know your insurance terminology. Replacement cost value is the maximum an insurance company will pay out for property that is damaged. This means they pay you the total amount, without deducting depreciation. Make sure your policy pays replacement cost instead of actual cash value, which reduces the payout by the amount of depreciation for each item.
Taking out the best possible home insurance policy is just smart on your part, whether you rent or own your home. No one can predict when something bad will happen. And although you can prepare for the worst, there is often no way to stop it from happening. It’s best if you’re protected, though, and the tips you just read, can help you find the right protection.