Protecting Your Home: What’s Your Backup Plan?

We’ve all seen them. Those insurance commercials with the crazy accidents, a nasty thunderstorm causing a tree to fall onto someone’s roof, homes being burglarized while the owner is out of town. All of them demonstrating how quickly and easily it can all go wrong; pleading with buyers to purchase optimum coverage and offering plenty of incentives to do so!

The truth is, disaster really can strike at any time and when it comes to protecting your investment, it’s never too late to upgrade your insurance policy, implement some of those tips and tricks you’ve heard about or formulate an emergency plan in the event of a natural disaster!

According to the US Department of Justice, American homeowners are the victims of home burglaries roughly every fifteen seconds. And most suffer a loss of over $2,000 in stolen goods or property damage.

There are plenty of easy ways to deter thieves. Adequate outdoor lighting, curtains or blinds to conceal desirable property, putting away items such as bicycles or power tools, and keeping your tall shrubs and trees manicured are just a few great ideas to protect your home. Know who your neighbors are and ask a trusted friend to pick up your mail or newspapers while you’re on vacation.

When it comes to natural disasters, we’re all at risk. Tornadoes, flooding, hurricanes, extreme heat and cold, or even high winds can be a potential threat to your home. The National Weather Service offers advice on how to prepare and protect your home in the event of bad weather. From hurricane preparedness to severe weather information, there are plenty of great tips to making sure your home and family are protected.

Unfortunately, not all insurance policies cover all types of damages, so it’s important to check with your agent to make sure you’re protected in the event of any kind of mishap.

Be sure you have replacement cost and try to stay away from “Depreciation” Policies, which could mean receiving less compensation for stolen or damaged items and leave you holding the bag for additional costs you believed would be covered!  And always remember, cheaper isn’t always better!

I hope you don’t need to use your insurance anytime soon. But if you do, I hope this has helped!