There are a lot of different parts to a homeowners insurance policy. There is the dwelling amount, personal items coverage amount, endorsements and even personal item floaters that can be on the policy. To help you know what your policy will pay out for a loss it is important that you know what is covered and what needs to be added. Here are some things that you will need to know about when it comes to your insurance policy in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and objects needing to be insured.

What Your Policy Will Cover When it Comes to a Total Loss Claim

• If you have antique items in your home, then you may want to have them endorsed to value on your homeowners insurance. High dollar items need to have an appraisal and be endorsed on a rider to be fully covered.
• If you do not have a a rider on the policy, then any losses will be paid out to a specified limit or just replaced with a newer version of what was lost.
• The total loss claim has to be from certain perils in order to be covered by the policy. Anything that is not listed as a covered peril will not be paid replaced or fixed.
• Make sure to have a qualified appraisal from an expert. Without an appraisal there is no way to determine the value of certain items.

Your personal items mean a great deal to you. The older the item is found to be can mean the different between a cheap knock off or high value. If you have questions about how to list your antique items on your policy, Then you will need to contact your independent agent today. As your agent we can help protect your high dollar items with the right kind of home endorsement.

As a renter you will want to have a renters insurance policy to cover all of your risk exposure as a tenant. Renters insurance is a policy that can be bought to help cover the cost of replacing your personal property. If your landlord has accused you of damaging the premises, then your policy may not cover the repairs. Here are some things that you will need to know about your renters insurance policy in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

What you Can Expect Your Renters Insurance to Cover Your Apartment Losses

• Your renters insurance is only designed to pay for the things that are directly related to your things. If the building that you are living in is damaged, then your landlord will need to have their own homeowners insurance policy to file a claim.
• Your security deposit is for any damages that you may incur while living on the premise. If you damage the property, then your landlord will withhold the money in order to fix the damages.
• Your renters insurance will only cover your personal belongings. If there is a fire and all of your items are lost, then your policy will pay to fix what you have lost.

Items that are not covered on a home insurance policy will not be replaced if there is ever a need to file a claim. To help you determine what your policy can do for you contact your independent agent today. As your agent we can help you understand what your policy will cover and what needs to be done to strengthen your policy. A disaster can happen at anytime and you will need to have the policy in order to protect your personal belongings.

If your Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, home has been severely damaged or destroyed, you may want to rebuild. However, if rebuilding your home costs more than your homeowner’s insurance provides — you may have some difficult decisions to make. You may have to figure out how to make up the difference in costs from your own pocket or build a home that you consider a downgrade from your previous home. Neither of these options is ideal because you must part with some cash or settle for less.

If you are concerned that your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover the cost to rebuild your home, the best time to act is before you experience a loss. An independent agent can help you determine if you are truly covered in case of a loss and advise you about coverage that will provide for an adequate replacement.

Your Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, insurance agent can help you assess the amount of coverage you need for rebuilding. You won’t need to worry about buying land, but constructing a new home that has the same features as your old home could cost more due to higher construction costs or higher standards that must be met according to today’s residential building codes. Many homeowners are tempted to purchase coverage based on the amount that their home would likely sell for, or what it is currently valued at, but they should also keep in mind that age brings the value of a home down. All-new construction could cost more than the current value of their existing home, meaning that they need to purchase more coverage than initially anticipated.

When you buy a homeowners policy in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania there are certain things that you have to do just to get the policy started. You will need to give your agent all of the home information, liability limits that you want to have on the policy and the kind of endorsements that you want to have. If you live in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and are wondering what you can change on the policy, then here are some things that you can change.

What You can Change on Your Homeowners Insurance Policy

• When a person gets married there is a need to have a change name on the policy. All you have to do to notify your agent and request the change. You might have to provide proof of the change in order to get it done.
• You can also change the liability limits on your policy. There are certain limits that you can choose from that you can protect your family with.
• Make sure you are covered with all the right endorsements. If you need to have certain endorsements on the policy. then you can add and remove certain ones when you need too.
• Not just any person can change a policy. It has to be the individual that is listed on the policy to request a change. So they would have to be the one to change your deductible if you need it lowered or higher.

To find out more about your homeowners insurance call your independent agent today. As your agent, we can make the changes that you need to your policy. All you have to do is call and we can give you the information that you need to make your policy right for your needs.

When it comes to insurance there are a lot of things that are covered when your home is damaged. The damage to your home can happen from a lot of different sources. To help protect your home from storms that can come up suddenly you will need the coverage of a home insurance policy in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Here are some scenarios where your home policy will need to be in place before you can get the coverage you need.

Scenarios Where Your Homeowner Insurance Policy will Protect Your Home

• If a storm moves through the area and your neighbors tree falls on your fence and it is destroyed, then your home policy will have to be the source to file a claim.
• Flood waters can damage a lot of your property. If a flood happens and your neighbors car is smashed into your home, then you will need to have a flood insurance policy to pay for the damages.
• If lightening strikes your neighbors home and a part of it damages your home, then you agent will look at the source of the damage to determine what or who is at-fault.

Your home is your major investment and will need the best kind of protection against all of the perils that can affect your home. To help you get the best kind of protection you will need to call your independent agent for help. As your agent we can help evaluate your policy and make it fit your protection needs. Give us a call today and let us work for you to protect your home.

When you have a dog in the family, you may worry about the possibility of facing problems in courts as a result of a bite or other action by the pet. Although a home policy may provide coverage for a dog bite in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, companies have different regulations that may prevent a dog from being covered under the current plan.

Typical Coverage

Many insurance plans in Northampton County will provide some protection for homeowners when a dog bites visitors to the home for any reason. The basic liability plan may cover hospital expenses and a potential court case that results from the actions of a pet.

While the general plan will cover the situation, certain pets might be excluded from protection due to the higher risk of bites than other dogs.

Exclusions

Although different insurers will have various plans available, some insurance companies will exclude certain breeds as a result of the higher risk of bites. Dogs that may be excluded from a plan include wolf hybrids, Pitt Bulls, Boxers, Great Danes and German Shepherds.

Before assuming that the company will provide liability protection if your dog bites another individual, look through your policy and find out if the breed is excluded from coverage. The company might exclude certain breeds or it might not, depending on the plan and the insurer.

Bites from a pet are often included as part of a liability protection plan in your home coverage, but the exact coverage that you have will impact the possible options. Since certain dogs might be excluded from liability protection, read through your policy and call the company to ask questions before you assume that you are protected. To learn more about liability protection for pets, contact us to talk to an independent agent.

When ice has accumulated in your pool, you may worry about the removal cost. Although your pool may be covered under a home insurance policy in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, it may not always pay for the removal of ice that accumulates during the winter months.

Maintenance Exclusion

During the winter months, it is your responsibility as a homeowner to winterize your pool and prepare it for the upcoming changes in the weather. If you do not take proper measures to protect your pool from ice and frost damage, then it may not be covered under your policy.

In many cases, an insurance policy has exclusions related to the cost of regular maintenance. If the damage to your pool is the result of your negligence in Northampton County, then you may be responsible to pay for any repairs or expenses.

Differences in Policies

While many companies will exclude maintenance costs, situations arise that do not allow you to take proper measures to protect your property. In that situation, you may be covered for the expense as long as your insurer allows you to make a claim.

The ability to make a claim will vary based on the situation and the policy that you purchased. Read through the documentation that was provided when you obtained coverage to determine if you are eligible to make a claim as a result of the current situation.

Insurers have different guidelines and policies that determine whether you qualify to make a claim in certain situations. Although many insurers will not remove ice accumulation from your pool, you may be covered if it is not related to regular maintenance. To learn more about protecting your home, contact us to talk to an independent agent.

If you are looking for a great deal on insurance for your home in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, look no further than your independent insurance agent. An independent agent carries policies from multiple insurance companies who serve Northampton County and can help you find the best policy that suites your needs. While your independent insurance agent is in the business of selling insurance to you, you don’t have to worry about being charged for the convenient service that they offer.

How an Independent Agent Gets Paid

You may be wondering how an independent agent makes money if they aren’t charging you to connect them with different insurance companies? The answer is actually quite simple. Independent agents receive a commission from the insurance companies from which the carry insurance policies. So when an independent agent sells you a policy, you don’t have to worry about paying the agent for his or her time. An agent’s paycheck comes from the insurance companies that they represent.

What it means For You

Because independent agents carry multiple lines of insurance for you to choose from, they tend to be more honest in the commissions game. An agent who carries insurance from a single company really has to get you sold on that company, whether they have the best policies or not. Because it can be hit or miss with customers who may not care for the particular company they represent, these insurance agents may feel more pressure to sale you expensive policies to make up for lost commissions.

Since independent agents can carry several policies, they are less worried about a potential customer walking out the door without seeing something they like. Thus an independent agent can focus less on hooking you on a single company and focus more on helping you determine which carrier is truly the best fit for you.

To protect your home with a policy suited to your needs, contact us today to speak with an independent agent.

When a child’s bike is stolen from the yard of your home in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, it is usually covered by a home insurance plan. Most insurance companies will cover the theft of a kid’s property that was inside the home or yard in Northampton County.

Protecting Personal Property

Although each insurer will have a different plan and policy for your house, most companies will provide basic coverage to protect the personal belongings of every family member. Even the belongings of children who live in the house are covered, regardless of the particular item.

As a result, the bike that was parked inside the premises of the house is protected under most policies because it is a personal belonging that a child in the house owned.

Providing Proof

While the company should provide some basic coverage to pay for the theft of property, you may need to provide proof of the property before the company will pay for the replacement cost. Proof can come in the form of a receipt, pictures of the bi-cycle or any other document that shows that the bike was owned by the family.

Send the proof of ownership to the insurer when you make a theft claim. You may also be required to make a formal police report since it is a case of theft.

Protecting personal property from theft is part of the average homeowner’s insurance plan, so you should be covered if a child’s bike is stolen from the yard, your garage or inside the house. If you are not sure about the coverage you have on your house, call the insurer to determine if the property is protected. To learn more about protecting your home, contact us to talk to an independent agent.

When you are planning to renovate your home, it may be necessary to call your insurance provider in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to ensure that the renovations will not prevent you from having coverage during the time that changes are being made. Northampton County insurers may decide that renovations nullify certain coverage, so it is important to check with your insurer before you make any changes to your house.

Possible Exclusions

Your policy may have exclusions related to renovations due to the possible risk of liability and injuries that occurs when you are making changes to a house. Depending on the project and the situation, you may not be covered for liability or injuries while the house is being changed.

Although exclusions may exist, in some cases the changes will affect the entire policy. If you make additions to your house or any other major changes, it might be necessary to obtain a greater amount of coverage.

Adding to the Policy

After the renovations are complete, it might be necessary to add to your current policy because the insurance provider may determine that the house is worth more due to the changes or that a greater amount of liability protection is necessary.

In many cases, minor changes like updating your kitchen counters will not cause your policy to change. Large changes to the house, such as adding a room or putting in a pool, will usually require a greater amount of coverage and will affect your policy.

The impact of renovations on your home insurance policy will vary based on the situation and project. If you are not sure about the impact, then contact your insurer to learn about the possible changes that may occur. To learn more, contact us to talk to an independent agent.