Sunday, December 2, 2007

Best Home Owner Insurance Quote

Making a purchase as big and important as a home owner insurance policy should be taken seriously. Undoubtedly, you want to purchase your policy from the best company, as well as get the best home owner insurance quote.How can you do that?When it comes to home owner insurance quotes, what sets the insurance companies apart?Home owner insurance companies are set apart in many ways. Look at the rating of the home owner insurance companies in question, as well as whether or not they are licensed to do business in your state. Home owner insurance companies also differ in the level of coverage they offer and the kinds of coverage you can add on to your home owner insurance policy.While you’re shopping for the best home owner insurance quote, find the company’s rating. This will let you know how financially stable the insurance company is. Talk to family members, friends, and neighbors about the home owner insurance companies with which they do business. Unless they are employees of the company, they’ll be more than willing to dish the dirt – both good and bad.What really makes the best home owner insurance quote?The best home owner insurance quote varies from person to person. You want to get a quote for a home owner insurance policy that offers the exact coverage you want at a rate that will not completely drain your bank account. Therefore, you need to check out several different home owner insurance companies. Ask about coverage, price, additional coverage, and discounts.Where can I find everything I need to know about home owner insurance in my state?Your state’s department of insurance has all the information you need to know about home owner insurance coverage in your state. The insurance department will also be able to provide you with a list of home owner insurance companies and agents licensed to do business in your state

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Six Surefire Ways Of Saving On Home Insurance

Home insurance has become a necessity in today's society especially for homeowners. In fact, most mortgage lenders make it a condition of lending you money to purchase real estate. There are many home insurance companies offering competitive rates for all types of homes regardless of where you live. Getting homeowners insurance need not be a painful and expensive process. There are many things you can do to reduce on your insurance costs. Here are seven tips you can apply in order to secure the cheapest rates available.#1. Shop around - Initially most people use their mortgage provider for home insurance. Although, home insurance may be a requirement set out by your lender, there is nothing preventing you from getting a better quote elsewhere. Shop around and compare both premium and level cover to find the most suitable. It is important to read the small print as the cheapest option may not necessarily be the best. There is nothing worse than a policy that does not deliver when you need it. Shopping around and comparing prices can potentially save you a lot.#2. Multiple policies - We have different insurance needs including coverage for our cars, motorcycles, life, health and many more. There are many homeowners insurance companies who offer other insurance coverage as well. For instance, a company such as Geico USAA offers auto insurance and business insurance as well. It more than likely that you will get a discount on your home insurance if you take out all these other policies with them as well. These discounts can be obtained if you negotiate and put your case across. Most reasonable insurance companies would not like to loose a customer to the competition.#3. Home Security - The more secure your home is, the less insurance you pay. So it is wise to have approved alarms, extra secure locks on doors and windows installed. Extra security measures that can be added include security cameras and joining neighbourhood watch schemes can significantly lower your premiums. It is important to point out these changes to your insurers so they are taken into consideration.#4. Review Your Home Contents - Periodic re-evaluation helps especially if you purchase valuable goods from time to time. Regularly reviewing your possesions against your policy helps to determine if you are still covered in case of emergency. In addition, you do not want to pay for cover you do not need. If you do not have the possessions you were initially covered for, then contact your insurance for a review and a discount.#5. Voluntary Increase Your Deductibles - Increasing the level of excess on your insurance policy may reduce your premiums. Most, if not all insurance policies come with a level of excess that everyone pays if a claim is made. Some insurers will reduce the amount you pay if you voluntarily increase this level.#6. Understand Your Policy - Obtaining an insurance coverage is a legally-binding contract. Unfortunately most of these "contracts" come with a lot of legal-speak. It is important to understand exactly what your policy covers before you sign on the dotted line. Understanding your policy will ensure that any future claims you make will be backed by well-educated knowledge of what your policy covers or not and you can argue your case if the insurance company is dragging their feet.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

South Florida Home Owner Insurance Quote

Hurricanes in south Florida can end lives, and survivors usually find their homes severely damaged, if not destroyed. It is crucial to have home owner insurance in south Florida.Since south Florida is such a high-risk part of the state to insure, you should take certain steps to help protect your home against hurricanes before you start shopping for your home owner insurance quote. Pay close attention to these five areas of your home.Your GarageAccording to the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, 80 percent of damage done to your home by hurricanes starts with your garage. Garage doors are normally lightweight, which makes it easy for high hurricane winds to whip right through them. You can economically reinforce your garage door with steel, or opt to purchase a heavier, sturdier garage door.Your RoofAs with garages, you can cheaply reinforce your roof my adding extra glue to the shingles – think high-quality flooring bonding agent – and you can also spend a bit more money by replacing your current roof with a newer, more wind-resistant one.Your WindowsWhen it comes to your windows, you’re either going to want to replace them with windows made to withhold the beating flying debris will give them, or you may want to install a thick set of storm shutters. The latter costs less, but the path you choose should depend on how at risk your area is for hurricanes.Your LandscapeDon’t keep trees close to your windows and doors. Uproot them and find them a new home across the yard if you have to. If you insist on leaving them be, make sure they are healthy – strong trunks and limbs – so they won’t break as easily in hurricane winds.Your PossessionsYour outdoor possessions, that is. Patio furniture, children’s playhouses, your Saint Bernard’s gigantic food bowl – bring these things inside to prevent them from flying into your, or someone else’s, windows.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Instant Texas Home Owner Insurance Quote

Scenario: You’re in the market for a new home in Texas. You’ve visited the new home countless times. You even have the color for the new carpet picked out and ordered! The only thing you haven’t done yet is sign your name on the dotted like finalizing the deal.Actually, there’s one more thing you haven’t done – gotten your instant Texas home owner insurance quote.Getting a home owner insurance quote for your new Texas home before the home is actually yours is wise during the process of buying a new home. Firstly, you want to know what kind of premiums you are looking at by insuring your new home – especially if you have used a lender to purchase the home. Secondly, having your home professionally inspected to help determine how high or low your Texas home owner insurance quote will be also helps you figure out what kinds of repairs and replacements need to be made to the home.You can conduct a simple home inspection yourself, too.•Make sure there is no dangerous debris on the property you’re purchasing.•Make sure your refrigerator, stove, and built-in microwave work (if they were included with the home), as well as the exhaust and garbage disposal.•Make sure all water facets work properly, that there are no leaks under the sinks, and that all toilets flush properly.•Make sure all light fixtures, and switches, work properly.•Open and close each window and door.•Check for cracks or weak areas in the floors, walls, and ceiling.•Check the cooling and heating systems separately.Your home inspector will undoubtedly perform these same checks, so if you find something suspicious, let him know. He will also inspect your attic, basement, and garage, as well your home’s exterior.These factors and more will affect your instant Texas home owner insurance quote, so make repairs as soon as possible.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Louisiana Home Owner Insurance Quote

Given the still recent attack of Hurricane Katrina and the devastation it caused for so many Louisiana home owners, you need to get a Louisiana home owner insurance quote now if you have not already gotten one.Flood insurance must be purchased from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). With that in mind, it is important to realize that there are safety precautions you can take to better protect your home against the storms, high winds, and flooding associated with hurricanes as well as general “bad weather” that often hits southern states like Louisiana.Consider the following repairs and upgrades before you head out to get your Louisiana home owner insurance quote:• Replace or repair your roof with sturdy materials. High winds will rip a poorly installed roof, or a roof made of weak material, right off your home.• Install windows made of durable materials. Not only does this help keep your windows from being blown into your home, but it also helps keep other debris from being blown into the open space your windows leave behind. Some Louisiana home owner insurance companies recommend installing storm shutters – ask your insurance company about these.• All doors made of glass, such as patio doors or deck doors, should meet the safety standards set forth by the home owner insurance company.• There should never be any debris lying around in the yard. This debris could be swept up and blown into your home or your neighbor’s home.• Remove any trees and bushes that are too close to your home for your comfort.Your insurance agent will have more suggestions for safeguarding your home against the dangerous weather sometimes experienced by Louisiana residents. A home owner insurance policy in Louisiana does not have to be expensive; ask about these safeguarding tips when you shop for your Louisiana home owner insurance quote.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Pet Insurance For Pampered Pets

Most pet owners like to spoil their animals a little, whether by giving them tasty treats to eat in addition to the food they need to keep them in good health, or by providing them with expensive toys to keep boredom at bay. The amount of money spent on our pets collectively is incredible, even when you exclude essential costs such as veterinary fees and the like.However much we might pamper our pets, most of us won't go so far as many animal lovers in Japan, where aging pets can have personal fitness trainers, sessions at a spa, massage, aromatherapy and acupuncture, providing a regimen for healthy life that not many of us humans even benefit from!Although pampering your pet is normally harmless, there are a couple of problems to look out for. The first is that recent studies show that the more pampered a pet is, the less intelligent it's likely to be. Doted-on pets tend to lose their natural problem solving abilities and can't cope with difficulties - in short, they become a bit spoilt. This is rarely a real problem except in the most advanced cases, where a pet can all but take over it's owner's life!A much more serious concern is that pampered pets will tend to be overweight, which can risk serious or even life-threatening illnesses and conditions. Help is at hand here too for the elite of pampered pets - there are an increasing number of specialist animal slimming clinics where pet owners can get both dietary advice and exercise plans tailored to their own animal to keep them in top condition.Whether or not weight is an issue, veterinary fees can mount up for even the most pampered pet, especially in later life. As our pets are better and better cared for, their life expectancy levels are increasing. Unfortunately, this can also expose them to a greater risk of conditions and illnesses that only tend to appear in later years.Many pet lovers choose to guard against this by taking out a pet insurance policy early on in their pet's life. While this may seem like an unneccessary expense while your pet is young, healthy, and full of vigor, you might find it a small price to pay as your beloved pet gets a little more elderly.The reason you should consider taking out a policy while your pet is still young is that almost all policies will exclude pre-existing conditions from claims. By taking out a policy on a healthy pet you're ensuring that you'll be able to make a claim for any illness that might develop in the future.Many people don't give any thought to insuring their pet, but with veterinary fees rising rapidly, it can now cost thousands of dollars to treat a moderate or serious condition. If you're pampering your pet in all other areas of it's life, it makes sense to think about how you'll be able to afford the best treatment possible when your faithful companion really needs it!

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Nevada Home Owner Insurance Quote

Auto, health, life, long term, and supplemental insurance policies – now you are telling me I need home owner insurance, too?Well, yes, we are. Purchasing a home owner insurance policy is an important and responsible move. A Nevada home owner insurance policy will protect your home and its contents, as well as provide liability coverage in the event someone becomes injured on your property.Plus, if you have, or are considering, purchasing a new Nevada home with the financial help of a lender, your lender will undoubtedly require you to purchase a home owner insurance policy until you have paid off your lender loan.The first step to getting an insurance policy is shopping around for a Nevada home owner insurance quote – but what can you expect when it comes to your policy quote?• The construction of your home. Brick homes are usually cheaper to cover with home owner insurance.• The age of your home. It is more difficult for you to insure a very old home than it is for you to insure a relatively new home. Sometimes home owner insurance companies will offer limited insurance coverage to old homes. This is an incentive for you to update important elements of your home. Forget the new carpet – concentrate on your plumbing, electrical, windows, roof, and safety devices.• Your home’s location in relation to fire departments and police departments.• The amount of coverage you want, and the amount of the deductible you are willing to pay. The higher your deductible, the lower your premiums may be.• Any discounts you may be eligible for, such as multi-line policy discounts and discounts for improving the safety of your home.Be prepared to address these factors when you set out for your Nevada home owner insurance quote. Each one may make you or break you as far as the price of your home owner insurance policy is concerned.