home auto and life icons indicating insurance bundling
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What Is Insurance Bundling?

Getting a good deal on your homeowners and auto insurance premiums—while carefully ensuring the proper coverage for your most precious assets—is every consumer’s goal. These types of insurance policies protect some of the most important possessions in our lives, so deciding to be sufficiently covered and yet save money is a worthy task. One of the most common ways to reduce the costs of insurance is through bundling. While doing this, it is also a great time to review if changing your deductible will make sense for you as well to help reduce your premiums.

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Burst Copper Pipe from a Frozen Pipe
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Winter 2019 Insurance News

10 Ways to Prevent Frozen Pipes & Avoid Costly Insurance Claims

Frozen water pipes and the damage they cause are a reality for thousands of people each year. And unfortunately, a burst pipe can cause more than $5,000 in water damage, according to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. Luckily, there are steps you can take to prevent pipes from freezing.

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Double Rainbow in the Fall
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Happy Fall But Beware of these seasonal liabilities that homeowners face

Every season comes with an exceptional climate pattern, but most fascinatingly, some have effects that touch people’s property and, in most cases, the effects turn out negative for individuals who do not take precaution and prepare for seasonal liabilities. Fall presents its own liability risks; however, prevention of this risks goes a long way in minimizing damages and insurance claims that may follow. Let us take a glance at some of the risk’s homeowners face.

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Large Hurricane Storm System Photo from Space
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Understanding Hurricane Insurance (Wind & Flood Damage Coverage)

Hurricane season is upon us, and already we’ve seen massive storms cause damage along the coastlines. For homeowners, the joys of living near the beach or the convenience of a nearby ocean are suddenly overshadowed by the risk of major loss, and their attention is turned to their insurance, or lack of it, during these tragic times. Many homeowners don’t fully understand their coverage, and they face sudden stark truths when attempting to file a claim. Insurance to cover the damage inflicted by a hurricane is rather complicated, and it is actually a bundle of several components.

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Flooded park and business area
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12 Ways to Protect Your Home or Business from Flooding

Floodwaters are among the most damaging natural tragedies to come upon a property. They are relentless, unyielding and brutal. The only real defense against them is to be prepared so that you can hopefully avoid some of the damage they can bring. Here are 12 ways to protect your home or business against a flood.

  1. Downspouts. Be sure your structure has gutters and downspouts properly installed all the way around it. The downspouts should be routed far enough away from the building to give the water an external path for runoff.
  2. Gutters. Check your roof for any debris and make sure the gutters are clean so the rainwater can flow away freely.
  3. Runoff. Verify that any external drains or channels designed to route water away from the building are not blocked or impaired.
  4. Drains. Check any city storm drains near your location to verify they are not covered, and remove any blockage so the floodwaters can flow away.
  5. Foundation. Inspect your foundation for any cracks or shifts that might allow water to pass inside. Have any problems repaired, and consider adding extra levels of waterproofing to help repel floodwaters as they arrive.
  6. Landscaping. If flooding is an ongoing possibility for your location, you may want to consider adding some retaining walls or other landscaping designed to protect against rising waters.
  7. Sump Pump. Check your sump pump and drains to verify they are free and clear to remove water before it rises in the home.
  8. Backflow Valve. Have a backflow valve installed on your main sewer system. This keeps raw sewage from entering your home as floodwaters rise.
  9. Protect. Store your valuables safely above any flood lines for protection.
  10. Elevate. Elevate your expensive appliances and heating/cooling systems to keep them above the potential flood line. Also, consider having your electrical wiring and outlets raised to a safe level.
  11. Water Sensors. Electronic water sensors can alert you if there is a problem, allowing you to check your property and get valuables moved to safety.
  12. Plan Ahead. Have a plan in place for how to deal with an incident. Imagine floodwaters approaching your facility, and think of what you’d like to have ready at that time. Go through the motions of dealing with an issue, so you’ll be rehearsed and ready for a sudden surprise in the future.
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Firefighter suited up walking from a smoky building
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Family Fire Safety – Education and Planning

Children have a natural curiosity about fire and its ability to “come out of nowhere.” However, as an adult, you’re well aware of the dangers of fire and the value of fire safety education. Matches, lighters, and other heat sources are one of the leading causes of fire-related deaths for children under five.

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Home under the stars
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Popular Misconceptions about homeowners insurance

As a homeowner, are you familiar with all the details of your homeowner’s insurance, and how much coverage you have? According to recent studies, almost 60% of today’s homeowners don’t understand their policies and are not properly insured.

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Upscale home living room with many valuables

Home Inventory For Insurance

Most homeowners don’t realize how much they actually have until a disaster strikes – loss of valuables from a burglary or damage from a fire. Showing your homeowner’s insurance agent documentation of your belongings can speed up the claims process and ensure you’re fairly compensated. Technology has made this even easier- just a few minutes with your smartphone is all most people need for a home inventory. Read more

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Banas and Fickert Insurance Agency Office Building
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What Makes the Best Insurance Policy?

Hint: It’s not overall price.

Whether you’re looking to buy insurance for yourself or your business, or both, you shop around looking for the best deal. There are so many marketing campaigns out there to “help you” by saving money on important policies such as auto insurance, homeowner’s insurance, and various types of business insurance. But the lowest price does not equal the most valuable policy. Read more

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Banas & Fickert Insurance Office Building - Specializing in Contractor Bonds
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Why to Trust an Independent Insurance Agent Over Special Offers in the Mail

Have you or your business been receiving lots of correspondence from insurance carriers? Are these special offers they rave about actually good deals? Turn this annoyance into a learning opportunity and ask your agent about what a good deal on insurance actually is. Read more

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