Preparing Your Home For Vacation

Now that summer is in full swing, many people are leaving on vacation!  (Hopefully you’re one of them!)

So today I wanted to share a few ideas to help you protect your home and belongings, even while you’re out of town.

Preparation Time:

Book a pet sitter.  If you have pets, then you know that waiting until the last minute to book a sitter can ruin your travel plans.  This is especially true if you’re leaving during a holiday weekend or popular vacation time.  Get your travel dates booked early so you’re pets are well cared for.

Plan for your plants.  If you have beautiful landscaping (or even house plants), you’ll want to make a plan to keep your plants watered during your trip.  This could involve setting up a sprinkler on a timer, hiring someone to come and water your lawn, or just giving some extra water before you leave.  It really depends on the length of your trip and the weather!

Clean out the fridge.  Throw out any food that may spoil before you get home. Otherwise you might have a smelly surprise on your hands when you arrive back!  Try to use up any pantry staples (like bread) in the days leading up to your vacation so it doesn’t get stale.

Hold your mail.  USPS allows you to put your mail on hold at the post office for up to 30 days.  You can even make the request online!  Have your mail held securely and pick it up once you get back.  This also helps prevent your home looking empty from an overstuffed mailbox.

Alert a neighbor.  Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity around your property while you’ll be gone.  Remember to leave a contact number so they can reach you if needed!

Day Of Your Trip

Set the thermostat.  You don’t want your air running all day in July while you’re gone!  Turn it up before you leave to keep your utility bills low.  Just don’t make it too hot if you’ll have animals staying home alone.

Leave a light on.  You don’t want your house to look vacant.  Leave a porch light or other indoor light on during your vacation.  Also, consider putting these lights on timers so they appear more natural!

Don’t Forget!

Your home and renters insurance will keep your belongings protected, but your insurance info needs to be up to date to offer the best coverage.  If you have high end jewelry, collectibles, antiques, or guns that will be in your home, make sure to discuss the special coverage that might be needed with your agent.  Call us today and then go have a great vacation!

Thwart Dog Bites

Did you know that dog bites cause over 2,000 injuries that require immediate medical care in the United States each day? You can be held legally liable if your dog bites someone. Fortunately, this loss is usually covered by the homeowners policy, with some exceptions. In fact, around 33 percent of all liability insurance claims paid by homeowners policies are for dog bites! Even if your insurance covers the claim (and any ensuing lawsuit), however, imagine the personal grief you and your family would feel for the injured friend, not to mention the time and trouble you would incur in cooperating with your insurer in defending the claim following a tragic event involving your pet.

Therefore, thwarting such an ill-fated occurrence should be your primary objective, and there are steps you can take to reduce or prevent dog bites. Here are some suggestions from the professionals.

• Consider dog breeds carefully prior to selecting a pet. Some breeds are more aggressive than others, and a veterinarian can help you decide which breeds might best fit your lifestyle.
• Spay or neuter the animal, as this often decreases the aggressiveness of dogs.
• Seek a veterinarian's advice quickly if your dog becomes aggressive.
• Socialize your dog from an early age to encourage appropriate behavior.
• Never leave dogs alone with small children.
• Avoid aggressive games with puppies and dogs, such as tug-of-war.
• Do not place your dog in situations where he or she can be teased or feel threatened.
• Train your dog to obey commands.
• If your dog does bite someone, a board-certified plastic surgeon should treat this person to minimize scarring and potential disfigurement.

There is one other loss exposure concerning dogs you should consider. You may face liability claims if your dog gets out into the road and causes or contributes to an auto accident. You can be sued for violation of leash ordinances by allowing your dog to "run at large." Use a well- maintained and sturdy fence or other safeguards to reduce this exposure.

And if your dog does injure someone despite all your efforts to avoid it, report it to your insurance company immediately to assure your coverage is not jeopardized for late reporting.

Get more personal lines insurance and risk management tips and ideas from IRMI.

Copyright 2016
International Risk Management Institute, Inc.

"Two Dogs" Image courtesy of Bill Perry at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Boat Insurance Tips

Memorial Day and summer vacation are just around the corner.  That means it’s time to pull the boat out of storage and get ready to hit the water.  But don’t head out until you know that your boat is insured!  Here’s what you need to know about boat insurance.

Your auto policy won’t cover your boat (unless you’re driving with it on the trailer.) And just like when you drive a car, you can be held responsible for damage you cause while driving your boat!  That’s why it’s important to have liability coverage.  Imagine causing damage to another boat or a dock and not having any insurance!  It would be a very stressful situation.

Beyond liability and bodily injury coverage, boat policies have many great additional coverages that can be added to your policy.  Do you have a fish finder or other special gear?  Even your Yeti cooler and fishing equipment could be covered with the right policy.  Your boat insurance can even cover the cost of towing your boat if it breaks down while out on the water.  Just talk to us about how you use your boat and what you typically carry, and we can look for the right options.

You’ve invested a lot of money into your boat or jet ski and you don’t want to put them at risk by not keeping it covered.  Call us today to get a quote before boating season starts and get your family ready for summer.

 

Dawn Johnson and Jerilyn DiCanio are licensed agents at van den Heuvel & Fountain in Augusta, NJ.  Contact them today for a no obligation quote on your home insurance at 973-948-3200.

February Home Maintenance Tasks

Each month in 2016, we’ll be sharing a short list of tasks and ideas of things you can do to help take care of your home, vehicle, and family.  Consider them a helpful reminder of what needs to get accomplished throughout the month to keep your important items protected.

Here’s what’s on the list for February:

Add New Jewelry On Your Insurance Policy - If your Valentine surprised you with a new bracelet or ring, make sure it’s covered!  Bring in a copy of the appraisal or receipt and we’ll add it to your Home or Renters insurance policy.  (This also applies to artwork, guns, and other collectibles or antiques if you’re not a jewelry person.)

Purchase A Fire Extinguisher - If you don’t have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen, now is the time to get at least one.  Plan a family meeting and teach everyone in the household when and how to use it.  It’s an easy way to prevent a small kitchen fire from getting out of hand.

Getting Married? - February 14th is a popular date for weddings!  If you’re tying the knot this month, call us to discuss your insurance.  We’ll look at your individual policies and discuss how best to combine them for your new household.  (Plus you might qualify or more discounts!)

Show The Love! - There is no better way to show your family how much you love them, then with the proper amount of life insurance!  We can give you a quote on an affordable term policy and help you get this important coverage in place quickly.

We LOVE to help our clients!  Let us know if we can assist you in any way with your auto, home, business, or life insurance.

Dawn Johnson and Jerilyn DiCanio are licensed agents at van den Heuvel & Fountain in Augusta, NJ.  Contact them today for a no obligation quote on your home insurance at 973-948-3200.

Getting Financially Organized This January

Getting organized is one of the top New Year’s Resolutions each year.  And while you might not be ready to organize your entire house, here are a few things you can do to quickly organize your finances!

Review Your Statements - Look over your bank and credit card statements for the past year.  While it’s great to check for mistakes on a regular basis, this time you’re looking for things that you pay for each month.  Those recurring monthly charges or fees can cost a lot if you’re not actually using the service.  Look for anything that you can cancel in the new year and put that money in savings instead!

Check Your Credit - You should check your credit report at least once per year.  You’ll want to look for mistakes as well as see your credit score to determine how healthy your finances are.  Use a website like www.annualcreditreport.com to request a free copy of our credit report.  Sites like Credit Karma are also an easy way to estimate your credit score.  Your credit card company may also offer credit monitoring services.

Backup Your Computer - This might not be directly related to finances, but it’s a good reminder anyway!  Take a few minutes to back up your computer, phones, and photos. Use a tool like Dropbox or iCloud to securely backup your documents.

Getting organized doesn’t have to be difficult!  Take care of these quick tasks and be on the road to financial wellness in 2016.

Want to save money on insurance while you’re at it?  Give us a call to request a free quote. 

Dawn Johnson and Jerilyn DiCanio are licensed agents at van den Heuvel & Fountain in Augusta, NJ.  Contact them today for a no obligation quote on your home insurance at 973-948-3200.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

5 Biggest Mistakes When Buying Insurance

Insurance can be a tricky purchase.  Auto lienholder happy?  Check.  Mortgage lender happy?  Check.

But this simply isn't enough!  Some things on your insurance policy deserve a little more attention.  As an insurance agent, here are some of the BIGGEST coverage mistakes I’ve seen.

Mistake #1:  Buying Only The Required State Minimum Liability Insurance

Every state has a minimum amount of liability insurance that is required in order to drive.  But it’s typically no where near enough coverage!  Choosing only the minimum liability insurance could leave you open to a lawsuit, garnished wages, or potentially losing an asset, like your home.

Discuss different liability amounts with your agent to see what is necessary based on your income, net worth, and liabilities.  (Another bonus?  It won’t near as much as you might think!)

Mistake #2: Not Insuring Your Home For Replacement Cost

Many people think they only need enough coverage to insure their home for the amount they paid for it.  Not true!  You need to be insured for the amount of money it would cost to REPLACE your home.

If a fire or tornado destroyed the house, you would need insurance to replace it.  The total cost could be tens of thousands more than the house would have sold for on the market.  If you’re currently only insured for the cash value of your home, you could be at risk!

Mistake #3: Buying Life Insurance Through Work

Most people tell me that they have life insurance through work and aren’t interested in purchasing their own coverage.  This is also a mistake.

The problem?  The majority of us don’t stay at jobs for 30 years anymore.  And if you develop health issues and leave your current employer….you might not be able to get coverage again!

When you purchase your own life insurance (which is extremely affordable), you are covered no matter where you work or what health problems you might develop in the future.  It’s the smarter choice!

Mistake #4: Buying The Cheapest Policy

It’s tempting to shop for insurance and just pick whatever is the cheapest, but it’s usually not the best idea.

First you want to make sure that you’re buying from a reputable company.  You want a solid insurance carrier that you can trust to pay your claims.

And you want to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.  Does the cheaper policy only insure your home for cash value instead of replacement cost (like mistake #2)? Does one company exclude water leaks but another cover them?  Big details can be hidden in the small print!

Mistake #5: Not Using An Agent

Best way to avoid ALL of these mistakes?  Work with an insurance agent!

We know all about insurance and can find the right coverage for your specific situation. We’ll make sure your liability limits are high enough, that your home will be replaced after a loss, that you won’t lose your life insurance when you change jobs, and that you aren’t buying an inadequate policy that doesn’t protect you.

Call us today for a quote!

Dawn Johnson and Jerilyn DiCanio are licensed agents at van den Heuvel & Fountain in Augusta, NJ.  Contact them today for a no obligation quote on your home insurance at 973-948-3200.

 

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tips for Insuring Your High Value Jewelry

Christmas is a popular time for new jewelry purchases.  Between engagements, holidays, and all of those jewelry sales, it seems like everyone has a few new trinkets by the time January rolls around.

If you’re investing in a new ring or receiving any special jewelry, then there are a few things you need to know about jewelry insurance!  Let me help….

Jewelry is part of the Contents coverage on your Home or Renters policy.  It is covered on a basic level, but it’s usually not enough coverage if you have several nice pieces.  (This varies by policy so call us to find out exactly how much coverage you have.)

But there is a special coverage you can ADD to your policy to insure each piece of jewelry!  It’s called “scheduled personal property”.

You simply send us a copy of the appraisal (sometime’s a receipt will work too) and we can tell you exactly how much it will cost to insure it.  Many times it’s less than $20-30 per year!  (It really depends upon the value.)

We can also discuss how this coverage protects you if you lose the jewelry and if you’ll still owe a deductible.

Even if you don’t want to insure each piece of jewelry you own, you can still increase your overall jewelry coverage to make sure that there is enough to protect your collection.  You will still want to add photos, descriptions, and appraisals or receipts to your Home Inventory!

The holiday season is a magical time!  Make sure that your beautiful gifts are protected.  Call us today to get started! 

 

 Dawn Johnson and Jerilyn DiCanio are licensed agents at van den Heuvel & Fountain in Augusta, NJ.  Contact them today for a no obligation quote on your home insurance at 973-948-3200.

Image courtesy of Serge Bertasius Photography at FreeDigitalPhotos.net