Frozen pipes and other ice and snow damage

My pipes froze and burst, damaging my home. Do I have coverage? Most homeowners insurance policies, except for the very basic ones, cover damage to the home resulting from broken pipes. For example, your insurance company will pay to clean or replace the carpet and furniture that’s damaged minus your deductible. For those with renters insurance property loss would be covered. If the damage is so extensive that you can’t stay in the home your insurance company generally will pay for additional living expenses.

Some simple tips for maintaining your smoke detectors:

• Test them at least once a month using the alarm’s test button;
  
  
  
• Replace batteries at least twice a year and when the low battery alarm chirps;
  
  
  
• Install new detectors every 10 years; and
  
  
  
• Clean your smoke alarms in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
  
  
  

  Other safety tips

  • People with hearing impairments should install smoke alarms with louder alarms or strobe lights;
    
    
    
  • Make sure everyone can hear the smoke alarm and knows how to get out of the house immediately;
    
    
    
  • Brainstorm a fire escape plan and practice it at least twice a year with family members;
    
    
    
  • Choose a safe meeting place outside;
    
    
    
  • Get out and stay out;
    
    
    
  • Never go back inside a burning building for any reason; and
    
    
    
  • Burn candles with caution only when adults are present and remember to blow them out when leaving a room;
    
    
    
  • Be sure your homeowners or renters insurance will cover you in the event of a fire.

  Call your agency today. They will go over your coverages to determine if you have enough protection should a fire break out.

  

   

  How to insure collectibles

  Most people think stamps, coins or baseball cards when they think of collections. But the items people collect are as different as the people who collect them.Think salt and pepper shakers, snow globes and even refrigerator magnets. All of these things are valuable to someone and, if they have value, they are insurable.The question now is how to go about insuring them. Four things you’ll need in order to insure your collectibles:

  • Inventory list;
    
    
  • Current appraisal;
    
    
  • Sales receipts; and
    
    

  • Photos and descriptions.

   

  You shoud:

  • First, contact your agency to review your homeowners policy which may or may not provide full coverage for your collectibles. They will also make sure your policy includes protection in the event of theft, vandalism, accidental damage and natural disasters.
    
    
    
  • Second, have your collection appraised, review the value on a regular basis and work with us to adjust your coverage as needed.A check up every three to five years is a good rule of thumb.
    
    
    
  • Third, add an endorsement to your homeowners policy which will give you coverage on these items. Insurance companies will pay towards restoration if a covered item is damaged.
    
    
    
  • Fourth, list all items separately on the policy so that you get the full value for each one if only a few are damaged or stolen.
    
    
    
  • Finally, assign a number to each of your items when taking inventory so missing items can be identified readily. That way you can tell easily what is missing should someone break into your house. Put the assigned number on the sales receipt to make it easier to find when you need it.

  Give your agency a call. They should go over any questions you may have regarding insuring your collectibles.

  
  What’s involved in a home inventory?

  A few hours of your time and a working camera or video recorder:

  • First, list all of your major belongings and furnishings with a brief description, any serial numbers, and any receipts or appraisals.
    
    
    
  • Second, back up this list with photos or a video. Photograph every wall of every room, and inside closets and cabinets. With a video, make comments for a verbal record as well as a visual one.
    
    
    
  • Third, store everything in a safe place away from the home such as a safe-deposit box so they won’t be damaged by the same event that might cause you to need them. Update this inventory whenever needed.

  That’s all it takes for the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you are adequately covered.

   

  Are your holiday gifts covered?

  Not necessarily. There may be limitations on the amount of insurance provided by your homeowners policy, especially for expensive gifts such as personal computers, silverware,stamp or coin collections, fine art and jewelry. There also may be limitations on the types of loss or damage that are covered such as breakage or flood.

  You can get additional coverage for these gifts. Look into personal property endorsements and floaters. With an endorsement you can specify a higher amount than under the standard homeowners policy. With a personal articles floater items such as jewelry can be covered at full value with no deductible, based on current appraisal or the bill of sale. Floaters also can cover additional causes of loss such as dropping a new ring down the drain.

  NY Safe driving law took effect in November

  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 25 percent of all police reported crashes involve some form of driver inattention. Recently, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) proposed federal legislation in all states to ban texting while driving. New York is ahead of the curve, however, and already has enacted a ban that took effect on Nov. 1 New York’s texting ban is part of an overall package of new laws designed to enhance highway safety by strengthening the Vehicle and Traffic Law graduated licensing program provisions for safety of junior drivers and their passengers and by limiting driver distraction and inattention. Some of the provisions of the law are:

  • It reduces from two to one the number of nonfamily passengers under the age of twenty-one who may be a passenger in a motor vehicle operated by the holder of a DJ or MJ learner’s permit when not accompanied by a licensed parent or guardian.
    
    
    
  • It requires that a DJ or MJ permit be held for at least six months before a DJ/MJ license is issued.
    
    
    
  • It reduces from two to one the number of nonfamily passengers under the age of twenty-one who may be a passenger in a motor vehicle operated by the holder of a DJ or MJ license.
    
    
    
  • It increases the number of supervised driving hours that an applicant’s parent or guardian must certify (in writing) before the applicant may take a road test (from 20 to 50 hours) and also requires that at least 15 of those practice driving hours be after sunset.
    
    
    
  • It prohibits the use of portable electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle while in motion.A summons for operating a motor vehicle while using a portable electronic device, however, can only be issued when the person operating the motor vehicle has committed a separate violation of the law.

   

  

  
  Personal Umbrella

  For just a couple hundred dollars you can get a million dollars in coverage which makes umbrella coverage one of the better values in insurance. But, are all umbrella policies the same? No. Umbrella policies are not one-size-fits-all coverage. One of the best services provided by your independent agent is face-to-face umbrella needs analysis. They’ll sit down and create a spreadsheet that matches potential coverage scenarios with the carriers they represent. Here are some examples of what can be considered together:

  • Coverage for Mr. Smith, in his duties as Cub Scout leader;
    
    
    
  • Coverage for the Smith’s pet German Shepherd, Cuddles;
    
    
    
  • Coverage for the Smith’s above ground pool;
    
    
    
  • Coverage for the Smith’s Jet Ski kept at the lakefront camp all season;
    
    
    
  • Mr. Smith sits on board of directors of local charity;
    
    
    
  • Mrs. Smith is active in the PTA;
    
    
    
  • Divorced but living in the same house; and
    
    
    
  • Married but living separately.

   

  Even if you cannot think of many scenarios right now, don’t worry, your agent can come up with them when you meet. For each carrier represented they’ll check for coverage of these scenarios and note any gaps between where your existing coverages end and a new umbrella policy would begin.The best part of this is the understanding you gain about your umbrella policy and the clear picture you’ll have of what is and what is not covered. Your professional agent is here to help protect you, your family and your assets.You won’t get sit-down meetings like this from a Web site or “800” number.

  For more information, talk to your insurance professional or the author of this article.