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September 30, 2022 By Rick Rolfs

Tips to Save Money on Homeowners Insurance

Here are some basic questions and answers which you should consider when looking at the cost of homeowners insurance and your home or home improvements.

How can comparing quotes help homeowners save money on expensive endorsements or additional coverage like flood insurance?

Comparative shopping is always prudent. Certain carriers have appetite for risks that other carriers do not and the premiums are commensurate with that appetite. The current Florida insurance marketplace does not offer a wide variety of choice in that many carriers are not freely writing insurance, but for those that are, it is a good idea to see what they have to offer to optimize coverage for the best possible premium.

Is it possible and wise for a homeowner to compare insurance companies based on more than just cost, such as the percentage of claims that are denied?

It is always prudent to seek multiple offers of insurance. Comparing factors such as financial solvency, coverage terms, conditions, and limitations is smart but not always easy to do. A good agent with knowledge of these things can make this easier for a client to understand as the layman may find this very challenging without a deep knowledge of the issues. This information for comparison is not always readily available in the public forum.

What are your top tips for saving on the cost of homeowners insurance?

Cost savings are best achieved with full wind mitigation, water leak mitigation, theft deterrence such as a central station monitored alarm system, and the obtaining of multiple offers of insurance to the extent to which they are available. Today many people are doing without valuable endorsements, such as, replacement cost coverage on contents in order to save money as well as attempting to reduce the dwelling coverage by working the replacement cost estimate. While these moves can produce savings they also may leave the insured without proper coverage in the event of an occurrence. Premium savings must be carefully considered in terms of the risk/reward benefits.

How does the home’s construction type impact insurance or other costs?

Construction type as well as the year built of the dwelling are significant factors which impact the cost of insurance. Typically, masonry constructed homes are less expensive to insure than frame constructed homes while homes with steel reinforced concrete roof decks are less expensive to insure than homes with wood truss roofing systems. Homes that have opening protection that meet the Miami-Dade County code are less expensive to insure than those homes that do not have these features. When looking for a home with insurance premiums being an escalating ongoing cost, it is important to find a dwelling that has the best construction type and features to maintain the lowest possible insurance costs.

Call us at 954-251-3312 or contact us for more information or to have a more detailed discussion regarding your specific situation.

Filed Under: Home Insurance, Newsletter articles Tagged With: construction type, deterrence discount, endorsement, expensive, financial solvency, flood insurance, Florida, home, homeowner, homeowners insurance, Insurance, insurance cost, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, reinforced concrete, replacement value, save on insurance, shop insurance, shopping, theft, Tips, water leak detection, wind mitigation

June 5, 2021 By Rick Rolfs

Hurricane Preparation & Resolution | A Plan for Before & After the Storm

Hurricane preparation is frequently on the minds of Floridians as hurricanes are often racing towards our shoreline. When under a hurricane warning or hurricane/tropical storm watch, the forecast track may put us all in peril as the looming storms threaten property damage, mass power outages and communications breakdowns.

Hurricane preparation prior to a storm arriving.

Clear the immediate area of debris that could potentially become airborne. Install hurricane shutters, and take photographs to illustrate the quality of your property prior to damage caused by a storm. Safeguard and prepare beforehand when the threat of a disastrous storm is imminent.

In the wake of a storm’s passing, if property damage has occurred:

  1. Take immediate steps to keep additional loss from happening.
  2. Take photographs evidencing the property damage.
  3. Save all receipts and keep track of all expenses associated with securing the property from additional damage.
  4. Immediately report the loss to your agent, or if communications and electricity are unavailable, report directly to the insurer.

Additional tips & related safety information may be found at The United States Department of Homeland Security website https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

Listed below are the claims phone numbers for many of the insurers that we represent.

In the event that we are not contactable please call your insurer directly to report the loss as it is imperative that claims be reported immediately.

AIG1-888-760-9195
American Bankers Insurance Company1-800-654-4895
Anchor Insurance1-844-365-5588
Bankers Insurance Group1-800-765-9700
Burns & Wilcox813-558-9560
Chubb1-800-252-4670
Citizens1-866-411-2742
Edison Insurance Company888-683-7971
Elements Property Insurance Company1-866-709-8749
FedNat1-800-293-2532 & press 2, followed by 2
Florida Peninsula866-549-9672, option 3
Frontline1-800-675-0145
Geovera1-800-735-8086
Heritage Property & Casualty1-855-415-7120
Homeowners Choice1-866-324-3138
Intact Specialty1-877-248-3455
Ironshore1-800-466-9165
Lexington Insurance Company1-800-931-9546
Mercury1-800-503-3724
MetLife1-800-854-6011
National Specialty Insurance Company844-878-2567
Olympus Insurance Company1-866-281-2242
Onebeacon Entertainment1-877-248-3455
Progressive1-800-776-4737
ProSight Specialty Insurance Company1-800-774-2755
Pure1-888-813-7873
Safeco1-800-332-3226
Safehold Special Risk1-800-842-8917
Safepoint Insurance1-855-252-4615
Scottsdale Insurance Company1-800-423-7675
Southern Oak Insurance Company1-877-900-2280
Tower Hill1-800-342-3407
Travelers Insurance Company1-800-238-6225
United Property & Casualty Insurance Company1-888-256-3378
Universal Insurance Company of North America1-866-999-0898
Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company800-470-0599
Vault1-844-388-5677
Velocity Risk Underwriters844-878-2567
Weston Insurance1-877-505-3040
Wright Flood Insurance Group1-800-725-9472

Filed Under: Hurricane Season, Newsletter articles, Storm Preparation Tagged With: Auto Insurance, flood insurance, Florida, Hurricane, Hurricane Warning, Insurance, Insurance Claim, Insurance Claim Phone Number, Property, Property Insurance, Shutters, South Florida, Storm Forecast, Storm Preparation, Storm Season, Tropical Storm Watch

April 4, 2021 By Rick Rolfs

Heavy Rain? Be on the Lookout for Heavy Water Damage

Your home protects you from the elements, but heavy rains can weaken that protection. With a little maintenance and a lot of vigilance, it’s not hard to stay safe and dry.

Spring rainstorms are a fact of life in many areas of the country, and they help keep things green, even if they keep you inside. But when they get heavy, it’s time to start thinking about the potential impact all that water has on your home. The first step is finding and fixing any immediate problems as soon as it’s safe to do so. Then, you’ll want to take measures to prevent those problems from happening during the next downpour!

A homeowners insurance policy may provide coverage for water damage with or without limitations, but does not provide coverage for flooding. Obtain flood insurance coverage to insure your home for floods.

Where is all that rain going? Check the roof and gutters to avoid interior water damage.

Your roof and gutters form a key line of defense for your home – and in a storm, they’re vulnerable, because so many things can damage them. Trees, hail, and other objects can create weaknesses that might lead to leaks in your roof, so check for missing shingles and other issues. And keep your gutters clear so all that water drains properly.

Are you checking everywhere? wind driven rain can lead to water damage from the exterior walls and openings.

Water dripping from the ceiling is hard to miss. Water in your crawl space, however, can easily go undetected because hardly anyone ever checks there. Don’t forget to look down there after a storm (or have a professional do it) to make sure everything is nice and dry. If you do see moisture, you’ll want to get it out with a sump pump as soon as possible to avoid further water damage.

And don’t just look up – another place to check is your home’s exterior, whether it’s siding, brick, or another material. Weak spots can be hard to see, so look at various times of the day in different lighting conditions.

Of course, you’ll want to make sure your doors and windows are properly sealed to keep the elements out, too. Consider purchasing electronic water sensing devices to detect interior water intrusion. Should water make its way inside your home these water sensors can alert you to help immediately begin mitigating any water damage. The most basic water sensors can be purchased for as little as $10 a sensor.

What about around your property?

Storm water has to go somewhere, and if your property doesn’t drain well, or if runoff goes toward your foundation, you could have problems. So watch for patterns, and grade property so it drains away from your home if possible. Always be wary of hillsides and tilting trees after heavy storms, because the land might not be stable.

And don’t forget to keep storm drains clear of leaves and other debris. This can prevent flooding both on the streets and your own property.

What should you do during the storm?

During powerful storms, stay inside. This is not the time to check your roof, your exterior, or your property unless there’s an emergency and you know it’s safe to go out. Monitor your interior, making sure no water is getting in. If it is, do what you can to alleviate the situation in the moment, even if it means just placing something under a leak to collect the water to prevent further water damage. For more serious problems, though, remember that safety is the most important thing. If your basement is flooding, for example, don’t go down there – you could be trapped and even drown.

Thankfully, powerful storms only hit once in a while. Preparing for them, however, should be on your mind a lot more frequently, because the next one could be tomorrow.


Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

Top image by Flickr user Victor U used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

Filed Under: Flood Insurance, Newsletter articles, Water Damage, Weather Tagged With: Boca Raton, Broward, Deerfield, flood insurance, Florida, Fort Lauderdale, heavy rain, Hialeah, homeowners insurance, Lee County, Martin County, Miami, Miami-Dade, Miramar, Monroe, Palm Beach, Pembroke Pines, Port St. Lucie, protect your home from water, protect your property from heavy rain, rain, roof damage, roof leak, South Florida, spring storms, Storm Season, storms, wall damage, water damage, water damage insurance, water insurance, water mitigation, weather, Wilton Manors

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and the knowledge that you have proper financial protection in place — 954-251-3312

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