Burglary and Your Homeowners Insurance

After leaving your home, do you worry that you forgot to lock the door or if you left a light on to make your home appear occupied? Gone are the days when your parents trusted the world with an unlocked front door, as evidenced by the fact that burglaries affected 1out of every 39 homes last year. It's an unfortunate event that ravishes a family's sense of security and frequently frustrates victims as they fight to replace the possessions that were stolen or damaged. Most burglary victims will testify that making a claim on your homeowners insurance policy after a burglary is a process that is very similar to shopping for a new quote. You need to determine what you once had and accurately assign it a value. Unfortunately, when most people shop for homeowners insurance, they erroneously guess a value for all their possessions and focus solely on controlling the cost of what seems like just another bill. Can you accurately list from memory everything in your house? How many necklaces and rings do you have; DVDs in your movie library; and exactly what type of digital camera is it? Most people struggle to answer such questions, let alone in a situation of post-traumatic burglary anguish.

Creating an inventory of your personal property is a habit that should coincide with your annual review of your homeowners policy. Before you even compare new homeowners rates, simply go room to room and document every item. Try to get serial numbers when possible and gather as much detail as you can: when, where, and for what price you purchased each item. Previous victims will tell you that pictures and videos of the larger ticket items and any supporting receipts are invaluable in the process of making a theft claim on your policy.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, standard homeowners insurance policies generally value personal property at 50% to 70% of the coverage on the structure of the home. Of course, as we mentioned above, a home inventory will make determining the value much easier and absolute. The more valuable possessions like jewelry, collectables, and antiques are protected by a standard policy, but there are usually limits to what a company will pay for these. To insure these items to their full replacement value, consider adding a personal property rider to your policy. Although this will add to the cost of your premium, the extra coverage will be much broader for these items. For example, a diamond engagement ring would be covered in the event of a burglary or even if you lost it during a vacation. Riders can be added during the quoting process, or at any time thereafter, but they generally require an appraisal to underwrite.
As you review your homeowners insurance policy this year, spend some time on your personal possessions with the same attention to detail that you might if your home was burglarized. You are certain to uncover areas where you are under covered and will most likely discover opportunities for potential savings.
Contact me for a review of your current coverages and homeowners policy needs.
robmtchl@bellsouth.net

Life Lessons Scholarship Essay Contest Winner: Jermaine Suggs

See the Video:http://www.life-line.org/video/suggs/suggs.html

Imagine being in college and approaching midterms and a call comes to the payphone in the lobby of the dorm. The voice on the other end is telling you that your grandmother has died. Then, after all the crying and the casket is lowered on Sunday, you return back to school and try to concentrate when your heart is throbbing and aching. On Tuesday, two days after burying a grandmother the pay phone rings again, this time the voice is reluctant to say what is wrong it just says come home immediately. Upon reaching home the house is like it was last week crying, and sobbing everywhere and then you are approached by your mother and she barely says over the sniffing and weeping, "Jermaine, your father died today."
It seemed like the sky was falling and the sun was surrounding me, my legs were heavier than they had ever been in my life, my head seemed as if it was filled with water, and instead of me crying, I just turned and ran, I ran until my legs hurt, and I kept running until my chest told me I could no further. I fell right there in the grass maybe two feet from the highway. I quit school; I even gave up on life.
The death of my father caused us to lose everything, his business, my ambition, and my siblings' closeness because of our new financial strain. My father was in the Army National Guard for over fifteen years, but in last two years he had let his life insurance drop and the amount of money owed to the Internal Revenue Service for taxes accrued from his business. If it was not for the life insurance of my grandmother we would not have been able to bury my father.
I live in the black belt in Alabama, a place known for its rich soil, and unfortunately, its degree of poverty throughout a four to five county area. If my father had life insurance it would have softened the blow tremendously, since his debt in turn became ours. I knew that college of course was out of the question my mom still had a younger sibling to look after as well as my niece who my mom had taken in. So, I got a job and that's what I have been doing for the last three years working with hopes of attending college.
A common saying among Christians is "A person can take nothing with them into the after-life." I would like to amend that saying by adding that even though nothing can be taken into the after-life something can be left behind; call it an after-death blessing and its name is LIFE INSURANCE

If you are unsure about your families protection, contact me and I will help. robmtchl@msn.com

What To Do When You Suffer Water Damage

According to Jeff Stockton of PuroClean Insurance Services these are some steps you can take to help reduce your loss should you suffer water damage to your property.

* Stop the water: Turn the water off. Call a plumbler.

*Throughout the House: Remove as much excess water as is possible by mopping up and blotting. Open doors and windows in cool weather to speed drying. In hot weather, switch the air conditioning on high if it is safe to do so. Call a professional water removal expert.

*Upholstry: Remove all loose cushions and prop up on a clean sheet for more even drying. Check for possible "color transfer".

*Carpets: Remove area rugs from wet, wall to wall carpets. Pick up any books, magazines,or other items that may be sitting on the carpet.

*Furniture: Place aluminum foil, wood blocks, or plastic under furniture legs to prevent wet carpet from "wicking" moisture up into the furniture. Open , but do not force, drawers and cabinet doors to dry out interiors.

*Ceilings: Punch small holes in sagging ceilings to relieve trapped water. Place a drip pan underneath; move any nearby furniture or items to a safe distance.

*Artwork: Remove paintings and other artwork to a safe and dry place.

*Clothing: Dry all garments as soon as possible. Hang fur and leather goods to dry at room temperature.

Insurance policies can be used to return your property to the same condition prior to suffering a loss and will only pay in the event of a "covered peril". An old roof that wears out and begins to leak is not a peril that is covered by an insurance policy. Misunderstandings arise when property owners attempt to use insurance for maintenance purposes. Before you contact your agent and report a claim you may first want to contact a remeadation specialist. They can help you determine if you have a claim or not as they work with insurance adjusters daily.

If you have any questions you may contact me at robmtchl@msn.com or Jeff Stockton at PuroClean at jstockton@puromail.com

Get Free Long- Term Care Insurance Information

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging

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Own Your Future is a valuable resource that will help you prepare for the long-term care needs you may have in the coming years. Planning for long-term care is smart, so ORDER or DOWNLOAD your free Kit and START PLANNING NOW!

You may also wish to consult with an insurance professional regarding long-term care insurance. I will be happy to help you design a plan thats right for you. Contact me at:
robmtchl@msn.com

The Own Your Future Campaign is sponsored by 3 agencies within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) and the Administration on Aging (AoA). The National Governors Association (GSA) has been a key partner in promoting the Campaign with the nation's Governors and state governments.

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Real Life Story: Auto Dealership Business Continuation

Brian HouseBrian House knew that one day he would run the family's Chevrolet dealership, but he never imagined that it would be at age 29, after his father suffered two massive heart attacks. Life insurance proceeds ensured that Brian's mother would be financially protected and provided the business with the cash needed to ensure a smooth transition. Today, Brian is vice president and dealer-operator at the family-run dealership, one of the most successful in upstate New York.

View the Real Life story here: http://www.life-line.org/rls/house.html