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For example, if you failed to remove a tree known to be diseased, and it fell on your neighbor’s car, you may be held liable for the damage due to negligence. Note that liability insurance will not cover acts of violence or intentional damage. Your liability insurance would also typically provide coverage if:

• Your child throws a baseball through the neighbor’s window
• Your dog bites a visitor to your home
• A visitor is injured on your backyard swing set or trampoline, or by falling on your icy sidewalk
• A dinner guest gets food poisoning and is hospitalized

If a liability claim is filed against you, it may result in your insurance paying for property repairs, medical or funeral costs or even a lawsuit if the injured party chooses to launch a legal process. When evaluating the amount of liability coverage that makes the most sense for you, be sure to fully discuss your limits and deductibles with your agent. Take time to understand your risks, and determine whether you will be well covered in various circumstances. In the event of a disaster, the costs of recovering can devastate household finances. Quality home insurance can make a difficult situation bearable and help you get your life back on track. HOME AND PROPERTY DAMAGE FACTS: In an average year, 374,000 residences catch fire, resulting in $7.32 billion in loss In 2010, 2,158,878 houses were burglarized, resulting in an estimated $4.6 billion loss 1,691 tornadoes occurred in the U.S. in 2011, at a cost of $28 billion Getting coverage for the risks of owning a home is simply a wise investment. Be sure to talk with a qualified agent who understands your geographic area and can help you make sense of the many options available to you. BE SURE YOUR HOME INSURANCE PROVIDES ADEQUATE COVERAGE A recent study concluded that 69 percent of home owners are under-insured. Unfortunately, many home owners think they are fully protected and are stunned to find out at the time of loss that their coverage is inadequate. Getting the right homeowners insurance coverage for your home and belongings depends on many things, from crime rates, tornado risk and wildfire hazards in your area to the specific personal property coverage and deductibles that make the most sense for your household.

Here are a few key strategies you may want to consider to make sure you have adequate home insurance:

Increase your liability insurance with an umbrella liability policy, which will provide liability coverage up to $1 million or more. Get replacement cost home insurance to cover what it would cost to replace your home and personal property, instead of “actual cash value” coverage, which will only cover the current depreciated value. Be sure to read over the policy’s exclusions carefully and ask your agent if any of these items are a risk, and if you can purchase additional insurance to cover them. Add coverage for specific items of value, such as jewelry, art and collectibles, through “endorsements” or “riders” on the policy. While you may be able to buy online homeowners insurance, consider working directly through an agent who can provide in-depth explanations of each aspect of your policy. When you buy home insurance, you are protecting your financial future. Take time to seek good advice from a knowledgeable independent agent. MAKING SURE YOUR PERSONAL BELONGINGS ARE COVERED When choosing the amount of personal property coverage you want for your belongings, consider what it would cost to replace all of your personal items after a total loss from a fire. Many home owners assume that all of their belongings are fully covered until they experience a loss. Depending upon the type and amount of coverage in the policy, personal items may not be covered, or may only be covered up to a depreciated value. In most cases, this amount is far less than what it would cost to replace them. The following steps can help you determine the value of your items and be prepared in the event that you need to file a claim: Compile an inventory of what you own, room by room. Take pictures of your belongings, particularly anything of high value. Keep receipts for all valuable items you purchase, including appliances. Record a replacement value for each item on your inventory. Go over this list with your insurance agent and determine whether you need to purchase additional coverage to be protected in the event of a loss. Place your inventory list, images and receipts in a secure place such as a fire safe. These records will help you to complete the claims process more efficiently and accurately if you suffer a loss. WHY WORK WITH AN INDEPENDENT AGENT? Now that you know the many ins and outs of homeowners insurance, you can see why it is so important to work with an insurance agent who can answer all of your questions. A local independent agent in the Trusted Choice network can compare policies and options for you from multiple insurance companies, and provide all of the information you need to make an informed decision. Additionally, your local agent can look for all available discounts that can help to lower your home insurance costs. When it comes time to file a claim after a loss, your agent will assist you with the claims process so you can recover as quickly as possible. Your home and valuables are important to you and we pride ourselves on helping you protect them at Crown Insurance . PERSONAL PROPERTY AND CONTENTS INSURANCE Since moving into your house, you’ve probably acquired more than a few valuable items. At the very least, your house probably isn’t empty. Thankfully, your homeowners insurance covers some portion of your possessions after a loss, such as a fire or burglary. But how much does it cover, and is it enough to replace your most treasured assets? How much have you thought about your insurance protection? If you have purchased or inherited valuables over the years, or even if you have not taken a recent inventory and assessed the replacement value of your daily use items, maybe it’s time for a review. Contact an agent at Crown Insurance who will take the time to evaluate your current situation determine whether you need additional contents insurance. QUESTIONS FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND RENTERS As you’re determining whether your current coverage is adequate, ask yourself a few questions: How do I determine whether or not I have enough coverage? In terms of personal property, what is covered? What isn’t? What should I do if I have to file a claim? Having answers to these key questions will give you peace of mind if the unthinkable should happen to your home. Understand how your insurance policy covers you by checking in with a knowledgeable Trusted Choice member agent today. DOES YOUR HOMEOWNERS POLICY INCLUDE CONTENTS INSURANCE? Your homeowners insurance policy comes with contents coverage based on the overall value of your personal property and up to approximately 50 to 60 percent of the amount of coverage on your home’s structure. For example, if you have coverage on a $200,000 house, your policy may include approximately $100,000 in personal property coverage. However, if you have lived in the house for a few years and are a collector or have acquired valuables (such as diamond jewelry or a work of art), your basic homeowners insurance policy will not cover the replacement value of these items if they are destroyed or stolen. In this case, you may need to purchase a rider on your homeowners policy to cover these special items. Be sure to discuss coverage for all possessions of value, such as your new iPhone, furs, golf clubs and carts, computers, fine art, china, musical instruments or expensive sporting equipment. TAKING INVENTORY OF YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY FOR INSURANCE This is a key component of the personal property insurance process. Your inventory should be extensively documented, noting any valuable item that is irreplaceable (such as heirlooms). Document your possessions by taking pictures of your home’s contents, including your antique armoire, diamond collection or firearms. It is a good practice to provide detailed descriptions with each photograph, such as serial numbers or brand names when appropriate. Alternatively, you can scan each room of your home with a video camera and narrate each item included in your home’s inventory of contents. Be sure to keep your inventory as current as possible, and store it in a secure place, such as a fire safe. If you need to file a claim, a current inventory will help streamline the process. Not only will you not have to sit and think about everything you lost, but you’ll be relying on records, not memory. It is important to understand these terms and how they apply to your policy, especially when it comes to contents insurance. In the event that you have to file a claim due to fire or burglary, your independent agent can help you determine the most optimal fit to suit your needs. ACTUAL CASH VALUE VERSUS REPLACEMENT COST “Actual cash value” accounts for an item’s original cost minus depreciation. This type of coverage is standard. “Replacement cost” refers to the actual cost of replacing a lost item. For example, your purchase price of a diamond ring may have been $5,000, but the current cost of replacing your ring may be $8,000. Thus you can potentially receive the amount of compensation need to buy a replacement item at its current cost if you have this kind of home and contents insurance. Note that getting appraisals for very expensive items is an important step in making sure they will be covered in a loss. Be sure to discuss these two options with your agent and decide which type of coverage is best for your needs. Replacement cost coverage will most likely cost about 10 percent more, but it may be well worth it, given how quickly some items depreciate in value. Your independent member agent can help you compare contents insurance and choose the best fit for you. FILING A CONTENTS CLAIM The claims process is much easier if you have a complete and accurate inventory of your personal property. First, with your detailed inventory on hand, note the claim date, reason for the loss – such as burglary or fire – and provide detailed item descriptions. Provide this information and an item photo, if possible to your agent, who can work with you to quickly complete the claim process. Your home – and its contents – give comfort to your family and make your house more than just a roof over your head. Your belongings and treasures transform your house into your home and provide the quality of life you are accustomed to. Many of us don’t stop to assess the value and importance of our belongings until something happens to them.

Contact a Crown agent today!

ARE YOUR GEMS GUARDED FROM LOSS WITH JEWELRY INSURANCE Perhaps you just go engaged and you’re wearing a brand new, expensive engagement ring. Maybe your husband bought you a gorgeous pearl necklace for your wedding anniversary, or you have an heirloom jewelry collection that belonged to your grandmother. Your jewelry may be the most expensive personal property you own. If these special and costly items are lost, destroyed or stolen, you will want to be able to replace them, or retrieve their value somehow. Does your homeowners or renters insurance policy cover them? These policies do have some coverage for loss of personal property, but typically not enough to cover very expensive jewelry items. It’s so important to work with an agent that isn’t just looking to get you the cheapest policy out there but to ensure your valuables are protected! SOME JEWELRY FACTS

• 17% of all personal property claims, jewelry surpassed electronics as the top property insurance claim of 2011
• Rings, watches, and necklaces are the most frequently claimed jewelry items
• From 2005-2010, national jewelry and precious-metal theft rose 51%, to $1.56 billion
• The price of gold has increased dramatically in recent years, making gold jewelry a target of theft

IS YOUR JEWELRY COVERED BY YOUR HOMEOWNERS OR RENTERS POLICY? It may surprise you to learn that your jewelry may not be covered by your existing policy. Virtually all homeowners or renters insurance policies provide coverage for personal property in case of theft, loss or damage. However, the loss limit is often only about $1,000 for a single piece, and $2,500 for an entire jewelry collection. If you have an antique piece, or an item that is much more expensive than that, it is a good idea to get a rider added to your policy to cover that specific item. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INSURING YOUR JEWELRY There are several important steps involved in getting the right jewelry insurance, whether you add this coverage to an existing policy or purchase coverage separately. To properly insure expensive jewelry, the first step is to know what you have. Many people put jewelry away in a box and rarely consider its value or how they would file a claim in the event of a house fire or burglary. The first step is to take an inventory of your jewelry items, along with the other personal possessions and valuables in your home. Next, get your jewelry appraised by a professional. An appraiser can determine the current value of your pieces, and can help you document their features for insurance purposes. If you have a receipt of purchase for your jewelry items, keep those receipts with your appraisal documents. Both pieces of information – what you paid for each piece and its appraised value – can be very helpful in the event of a loss. Finally, work with an insurance agent to assess the amount of insurance you need for your special piece of jewelry or collection. To add these items to your home owners policy, you will typically need to add a rider for each piece; if you have a valuable engagement ring, and your husband has an expensive watch, for example, you will need to list each piece separately. Note also that diamond and gold prices fluctuate regularly, which means it’s a good idea to get your valuable pieces appraised every few years and review your insurance riders to make sure you are properly covered. DOES JEWELRY INSURANCE COVER LOSS, THEFT AND DAMAGE? If you are looking for engagement ring insurance, or jewelry insurance for an entire collection, note that coverage varies from company to company. Always check the limitations when you are reviewing potential coverage. Most policies or riders cover jewelry in case it is stolen, but some policies have different rules for loss and damage. Insuring engagement rings, wedding rings and other pieces that you wear regularly is extremely important. You want to make sure you are covered against a variety of possible mishaps, such as: Losing your ring down the garbage disposal Having it fall off while you are swimming in a pool, lake, river or ocean Finding that one of the prongs broke, and a stone is missing Losing one earring in a crowded area Having your jewelry stolen while you are traveling Burglary of your home or car Your jewelry coverage should protect against each of these scenarios, as well as any others that you could face. For example, if you are a hairdresser and you come into contact with potentially damaging substances, you may want to find out if your jewelry is covered against chemical damage. HOW TO FIND AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE When you are looking for the best homeowners insurance policy, price is an important consideration. Monthly home costs can be tough to manage when you have heat, air conditioning, electricity, and garbage collection on top of your mortgage payment. The good news is that there are a number of things you can do to get reduced prices and discounts on your home policy costs. Home insurance deals and discounts are not hard to come by as long as you know what to look for, and you have an agent working for you who knows how to find the best deals. At Crown Insurance we specialize In working with the best A rated insurance carriers who offer many discounts to homeowners. HOW TO GET HOME INSURANCE DISCOUNTS There are several different ways to get lower rates on your home. Not all discount opportunities are available with all insurance providers, so it is important to ask questions when you are getting quotes. While some discounts will be factored in automatically based on the information you provide when you apply for the policy, others may require you to take action in order to benefit from the reduction in rates. HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON WAYS TO SAVE ON HOME INSURANCE: Combine multiple policies.  Combining multiple insurance policies with a single insurance provider is a great way to reduce costs. You can typically save by combining your home and auto insurance as well as coverage for your boat, RV and other vehicles. By finding a single carrier to handle all your insurance needs, you can reduce the cost of your premiums on each policy. You can also benefit from the convenience of paying for all your policies with one combined monthly payment, rather than making different payments for each policy. Many people also appreciate having a single point of contact for all their insurance-related questions or when filing claims.

If you choose to take advantage of combined-policy discounts, keep in mind that you will be depending on a single insurance company for all your coverage needs. You will therefore want to make certain the company you choose offers the best coverage options and rates to meet your needs. Working with a local agent in the Trusted Choice network can be a great way to save time when you want to compare quotes. Your agent can research insurance companies and home insurance discounts for you and provide all the information you need to make an informed decision. Raise your deductible.  As with any insurance policy, the higher your deductible, the lower your premium will be. Your deductible is the amount that you are responsible for paying out-of-pocket before your insurance coverage kicks in. This means that for smaller claims, such as the need to replace a damaged rain gutter, filing a claim probably won’t be worthwhile, but for larger claims, such as a total loss due to a house fire, your portion of financial loss will be minimal. As an example, if your deductible had been $1000, but you can financially handle a $2000 expense in the event of a claim, raising your deductible to that amount can save you money on your homeowners policy. Keep in mind that depending on where you live, your insurance company may have separate deductibles for certain kinds of disasters. Be sure to ask about this when shopping around for the most affordable home insurance. Reduce your risk of theft.  Some areas are more prone to theft, and the location of your home will be a factor in determining your insurance rates. However, even those living in high-crime areas can qualify for better home insurance deals by taking simple crime-prevention steps. In the majority of home break-ins, intruders gain access to the residence by forcing their way through a door. Using dead-bolts can significantly deter these kinds of break-ins as dead-bolt locks are a sturdier deterrent. For this reason, many insurance companies offer discounts to customers who have deadbolts on all exterior doors. Additional discounts may also be available if your home is equipped with other anti-theft devices such as a burglar alarm, motion detector lights or barred windows. Be sure to inquire about available anti-theft discounts when getting a quote. You may even find that a few inexpensive security measures can save you a significant amount over the long run. Reduce your risk of fire damage.  It probably goes without saying, but house fires can result in extremely expensive property damage. For this reason, most insurance companies offer savings to customers who reduce their risk of damage and loss due to a fire. Unattended or carelessly handled cigarettes are one of the leading causes of fires in the home, so some insurance companies reduce the cost of premiums for homes with no smokers. You can also typically qualify for a discount if your home is equipped with fire extinguishers, a fire sprinkler system and smoke alarms, and particularly if you have a fire alarm that can directly contact authorities. Get discounts when you renew your policy.  You may find that you receive an incentive from your insurance company at renewal time, in the form of a reduced renewal rate, if you have a claim free record. Taking precautions to safeguard your property can help you get more affordable home insurance over time. Pay your home insurance bill electronically.  If you set up your home insurance payment by automatic EFT, or electronic funds transfer, you may be able to save money on your premiums. Your monthly payment will be automatically deducted from your bank account on your premium due date, which reduces the amount of administrative overhead involved, and that savings can be passed on to you. Opting for automatic payments will save you the hassle of remembering to make your premium payment and can avoid the risk of late payments and late-fees, with the side benefit that you can usually get a discount on your home insurance.

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