Santa Clarita Insurance Greg Nutter

Saving Money On Your Santa Clarita Homeowner's Insurance Policy

You may pay less for insurance if you buy a house close to a fire hydrant or in a community that has a professional rather than a volunteer fire department. It may also be cheaper if your home’s electrical, heating and plumbing systems are less than 10 years old. If you live in the East, consider a brick home because it's more wind resistant. If you live in an earthquake-prone area, look for a wooden frame house because it is more likely to withstand this type of disaster. Choosing wisely could cut your premiums by 5 to 15 percent.

Check the CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) report of the home you are thinking of buying. These reports contain the insurance claim history of the property and can help you judge some of the problems the house may have.

Remember that flood insurance and earthquake damage are not covered by a standard homeowners policy. If you buy a house in a flood-prone area, you'll have to pay for a flood insurance policy that costs an average of $400 a year. The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides useful information on flood insurance on its Web site at FloodSmart.gov. A separate earthquake policy is available from most insurance companies. The cost of the coverage will depend on the likelihood of earthquakes in your area. In California the California Earthquake Authority (www.earthquakeauthority.com) provides this coverage.

If you have questions about insurance for any of your possessions, be sure to ask your agent or company representative when you're shopping around for a policy. For example, if you run a business out of your home, be sure to discuss coverage for that business. Most homeowners policies cover business equipment in the home, but only up to $2,500 and they offer no business liability insurance. Although you want to lower your homeowners insurance cost, you also want to make certain you have all the coverage you need.

Santa Clarita Homeowner's Insurance - Replacement Cost Coverage

Homeowner’s insurance protects you from a variety of types of loss, including theft, fire, or other damage. Events such as earthquakes and floods will typically not be covered by a standard homeowner’s policy. It is best to know what you are up against before the time comes to make a claim.

 

If you are renting a home or apartment you can purchase renter’s insurance. This protects you from water damage, fire damage, and theft. It is becoming more common for landlords to require tenants to carry renter’s insurance as a condition of their lease. It makes sense to do this so your personal property will be covered.

  

You will need to check with your insurance agent to discuss the types of coverage that are available. It depends on many things, including the type of home you have, your location in regards to natural disasters, and a host of other things. Everyone’s situation is unique, so be sure to ask your questions to find out what you will need.

 

Replacement cost coverage is important. This means that your possessions will be

Homeowner's Insurance In Santa Clarita - Rain And Flood Insurance Coverage

With all of the recent rain here in Santa Clarita and throughout the Los Angeles area, I have received many questions about insurance coverage in case of damage.  The simple definition of a flood is an excess of water on land that is normally dry. This includes unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source.

Typically, your homeowner's insurance policy does not cover flooding, but may cover loss resulting from wind, rain, hail, wind-driven rain, and lightning. Rain or wind-driven rain, and hail damage are not in the same category as floods. Wind-driven rain damage is generally a covered peril, regardless of the cause. This also applies to wind or lightning which causes an opening in which rain enters the premises and causes water damage to the structure or personal property inside of the structure. If your business or residence is located in a FEMA identified high risk flood zone, a separate flood insurance policy will most likely be required.

This may sound very confusing, so be sure to contact me or your insurance agent if you have further questions or have sustained damage during the recent rains.

Homeowner's Insurance In Santa Clarita - Get A CLUE

Periodically it is a good idea to get a copy of your homeowner's insurance loss history report. This is called a CLUE report, and it is available from ChoicePoint or ISO. A reord is kept for five years, so if you have not had a homeowner's insurance claim during the past five years, you will not have a loss history report.

A good claims record can be important if you are selling your home, and also for your current homeowner's insurance rates. Having a claim in the past does not have to pose a problem; any repairs on improvements made to your property can make your home even more attractive to potential buyers and insurers.

Contact your homeowner's insurance agent to be aware of your options.

Standard Homeowner's Insurance Policies Santa Clarita - Liability Coverage And Additional Living Expenses

Liability coverage in your homeowner's insurance policy covers you in case of a lawsuit against you or your family members for bodily injury or property damage. For example, if your pet destroys a neighbor's personal property you are most likely covered. Liability coverage also provides no-fault medical coverage if a guest in your home is injured.

If you are unable to live in your home due to an insured disaster, your additional living expenses coverage will cover meals and other living expenses incurred while your home is being repaired. Coverage for additional living expenses will differ from company to company.

Your insurance agent is the best person to contact to answer questions about this or anything else related to your homeowner's insurance, whether your home is in the Santa Clarita area or elsewhere.

Homeowner's Insurance in Santa Clarita - What Is Covered In A Standard Homeowner Insurance Policy

Your standard homeowner's insurance policy covers 4 essential types of coverage. These include:

~ coverage for the structure of your home

~ coverage of your personal belonging

~ liability protection

~ additional living expenses

If your home in Santa Clarita is damaged or destroyed due to fire, lightning, or other disaster listed in your policy, your structure coverage will pay to repair or rebuild your home. It will not pay for damage caused by flood, earthquake, or wear and tear over time. Make sure to purchase enough coverage to rebuild your home if it is destroyed completely.

Your furniture, clothes, and other personal belongings are covered by the next section of your policy. Be sure to call your insurance agent to see what percentage is covered if your loss is away from home. It will vary from company to company.

Santa Clarita Homeowner's Insurance - Is All Homeowner's Insurance Created Equal?

If you have ever had a claim with your homeowner's insurance company, you may have questioned how it was handled or what was covered. This all depends on the coverage you purchased when you last renewed your policy, but it also varies from company to company. Know what you want and expect from your insurance company before you take out a policy.

All homeowner's policies are not created equal. There is a wide disparity in what is covered by the insurance company that insures your home. After a catastrophe or loss you may find out that you were covered very differently from what you had thought. The best thing is to stay in touch with your agent, and ask him or her specific questions about what is covered under the terms of your policy. Insurance coverage is the last place you ever want to be surprised.

Santa Clarita Homeowner's Insurance - The Critter Clause

This week a story was released about a couple in Michigan who returned home to find that a squirrel had gone beserk in their house, causing quite a bit of damage. They were dismayed to find out that their homeowner's insurance policy contained a "critter clause", specificaly excluding damage done by squirrels. If the culprit had been a racoon, the claim would have been paid. The homeowner felt that the insurance company was 'splitting hairs' with this situation. Be sure to check your policy and call your insurance agent if you have any questions about what is and is not covered.

Santa Clarita Homeowner's Insurance - Is Santa Clarita at risk for a flood?

Santa Clarita is in a valley, so the risk of flood to homeowners living here is something we should all know something about. If you want to get more information on the risk of flooding at your location, be sure to visit the governments's flood information site. Just click on Your Flood Risk and it will give you more information. Flash flooding occurs in all 50 states, so it is best to stay current with your information. Also, make sure your gutters are cleaned out regularly and you have taken all possible safety precautions to protect yourself and your property.

Santa Clarita Insurance Agent Discusses Homeowner's Issues

If you have had a fire at your home, you will want to assess the damage after you have taken the necessary precautions of securing your home from further damage. Evaluating the extent of the damage caused to your home and personal belongings will help your insurance adjuster to efficiently process a claim.

You can start your inspection on the outside of your home. Evaluate the building and lot only if it is determined safe. You should keep a visual record of the damage by taking photos and using a video camera.
Look at the exterior roof, walls, and yard. Take note of any collapsed portions of the roof, missing or burnt shingles, damaged gutters, cracks or damaged chimney, and stained exterior surfaces.

For the interior of your home, start from the top and document the bedrooms and bathrooms. Check the stained ceiling, walls, floors, wood, windows and doors in all bedrooms. Note any damage to bathtubs, sinks, and toilets.

When you are finished with the structural evaluation, continue on to assess the damage done to your belongings. Create a list of the damaged or lost items for your adjuster and provide  any receipts for those items that may be available.

It is important to be as thorough as possible when creating the list. Do not switch appliances on if they have exposed to water. List every damaged piece of furniture, and be sure to inspect any wood furniture very closely. All cabinets and dressers should be opened and inspected inside. List all damage to carpets, rugs, fabric curtains, and upholstery. Include loose items such as books, important documents, photographs, CDs, DVDs, and hard drives.

Once you have finished your own damage assessment, provide a copy to your insurance agent and the adjuster so that your claim can be processed.

If you have any further questions about how this process takes place, contact your insurance agent.