Home insurance policies protect the most important things in your life. Some subscribers, however, are confused by what exactly is covered by their policies. CO Insurance Specialist want to ensure that all homeowners in the Wheat Ridge, CO area understand their risks. What is covered by a typical homeowner’s insurance policy? What isn’t?

• Your home’s structure is protected by your policy from various threats. This includes repairing or replacing the walls, floors, roof, and other necessary components of the dwelling. By default, most policies cover damage from natural disasters like fire, hurricane, and lightning. Damage from floods, earthquakes, and normal wear-and-tear are generally not included. You may be able to obtain coverage, however, with a customized policy. Your insurance agent can give you more details.
• Personal belongings like clothing, artwork, and electronics are also covered by your primary homeowner’s policy. Keep in mind, these policies have a payout limit. If something happens and you lose everything, your insurance may not give you enough to replace everything. Those with expensive collections should purchase additional coverage to ensure they will be reimbursed for the loss of their property.
• If someone hurts themselves while on your property or has their belongings damaged, your liability coverage will pay medical bills, court fees, and any other costs associated with the case. It does not cover damage to your own property or injury to members of your household. Additional policies can cover these gaps.

Each insurance is different. Agents customize coverages to suit each individual case. Do you have enough homeowner’s insurance for your home in the Wheat Ridge, CO area? Contact the experts at CO Insurance Specialist for a customized analysis of your insurance needs.

 

Natural disasters are devastating and often unexpected. It’s a horrible feeling to find out that your home insurance policy won’t help you rebuild after a disaster, which is why it’s a good idea to know what your policy covers in advance. Insurance policies can vary greatly in what they cover, so if you already have home insurance, it’s a good idea to contact your insurance company. If you don’t have a policy yet, get in contact with CO Insurance Specialist, which serves Wheat Ridge, CO, to find out what most policies cover and to learn if you can get special coverage for specific circumstances.

Is Fire Covered?

Most policies will pay out to repair or replace anything that’s been damaged inside your residence by smoke, flames, ash, soot, and water, according to the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. Your insurance company will likely ask for an inventory of items, as they’re only required to pay for personal property that you can prove you owned at the time of the disaster. This is why it’s a good idea to make an inventory of your belongings, and this advice applies to any type of natural disaster preparation.

Are Floods Covered?

If there’s water damage from a broken pipe, your policy will likely pay for the damages. However, homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover flood losses. For protection against flood damage, you need to get flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program.

Are Natural Disasters Such as Tornados, Earthquakes, and Hail Covered?

Earthquake damage is usually not covered under a standard policy; you’ll have to add on earthquake coverage separately. Tornado damage is usually covered by a standard home insurance policy. Damage from hail storms and windstorms are usually also covered under a standard policy, so you probably don’t have to purchase additional coverage.

There are many other scenarios that could occur, such as landslides, nuclear accidents, war, sinkholes, and drone crashes. If you have specific concerns you want to address, call CO Insurance Specialist, which serves Wheat Ridge, CO, for more information.

Lying just five miles outside Denver, it’s hard to imagine Wheat Ridge, CO use to be a popular area for Gold Rush travelers to stop and rest. Today, it is primarily a residential city where families love to spend lots of time outdoors. If you live in Wheat Ridge, CO and are about to buy a new home, here are three reasons to get home insurance, even if you don’t have a bank loan.

1.  You Have To

If you have a mortgage, you have to have home insurance. The bank wants to protect the asset it is making money from and will require you to purchase home insurance prior to closing on your new house. But don’t worry, home insurance isn’t as expensive as you might think.  

2.  It Protects Your Home

If something were to happen to your home, such as a devastating fire, an out-of-nowhere tornado, or some other disaster that befalls your property and you didn’t have insurance, the truth is you could find yourself homeless and/or financially devastated.  Considering that home insurance is a yearly fee that you can afford, isn’t it worth protecting the roof over your head and having peace of mind?

3.  Provides Temporary Housing – Just in Case

If your home is destroyed, temporarily unlivable due to a disaster, or every single piece of furniture is stolen while you’re away on vacation, home insurance will typically set you up with a temporary place to live and hook you up with living expenses during this trying time. Staying in a hotel, helping with food, laundry expenses, storage expenses, and internet expenses are something most insurance companies will help cover.  

To learn more about the benefits of having home owner’s insurance, contact CO Insurance Specialist. We have all the answers to your questions and we understand that many new home owners have lots of questions. To speak with a friendly agent at CO Insurance Specialist call us today at 720-638-0850.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have to prepare your home for every season. During the fall season, you have to conduct a thorough inspection. The leaves that fall and the fact that winter is just around the corner, means you have plenty to do to your home during fall to keep it safe. 

1. Gutters

Your gutters are bound to fill up with leaves. This prevents them from draining water like they’re supposed to, which could lead to roof or foundation damage. Additionally, if the gutters become too heavy, you could find them falling, potentially becoming hazardous to anyone standing under them. And if you’re gutter should happen to fall, it could do extensive damage to your home. 

2. Roof

Get on top of your roof and inspect it for missing or damaged shingles. Check for corroded flashing or leaky vents. Damage to your roof could cause water to leak into your home and cause an extensive amount of damage. 

3. Furnace 

Inspect your furnace. Make sure you change the filter on the furnace before you start using it again. You’ll prevent it from catching flame, and it’ll make it more energy efficient. You should have a professional come and inspect your furnace before you start using it again for the winter.

4. Steps and Driveway

You never want to have steps or a driveway that is dangerous, especially considering you’re held accountable if someone should happen to get hurt on your property. That’s why CO Insurance Specialist, serving Wheat Ridge, CO and the surrounding area, advises homeowners to always keep their steps and driveway maintained. However, it’s especially important during winter. Any problems will worsen when snow and ice pile up.

To get a quote for homeowner’s insurance or to learn more ways to get ready for fall, contact CO Insurance Specialist, serving Wheat Ridge, CO and the surrounding area, by calling 720-638-0850.

As a Wheat Ridge, CO homeowner, you probably have multiple questions and concerns when it comes to finding the perfect home insurance plan. Well, you’re not alone. Many homeowners are frustrated by a lack of home insurance understanding.

Fortunately, it’s not as complicated as you may think. To get you oriented, here are 4 important figures that you should always know when choosing a home insurance plan.

Your homeowners premium

After discounts are applied, your homeowners premium is the complete total that you’ll be expected to pay each month for your home insurance plan.

Home insurance deductible

Your home insurance deductible is the cost that you’ll need to pay out-of-pocket for help from your insurance plan will become active.

The value of your personal items

If an unexpected accident or natural disaster occurs, you’ll need to have a record of the costs of your personal items in order to get reimbursed and buy replacement items. The individual values of your belongings should be recorded by you and kept somewhere safe.

Supplemental policy costs

In some cases, homeowners opt to purchase supplemental insurance plans to protect addition items and aspects of their home life.

CO Insurance Specialist Can Help

If you are interested in home insurance for your dwelling in Colorado, look no further than CO Insurance Specialist. We serve the residents of Wheat Ridge, CO and the surrounding areas, and we’d be glad to help you find an insurance plan that will work for you.

To start a dialogue with one of our experienced and knowledgeable insurance agents, contact us at your earliest convenience. You can get in touch with us by phone, visit our website, or visit our nearest location in Colorado. We look forward to working with you and finding you a great coverage plan for your home. 

Home renovations can not only make your home a more useful and pleasant environment but can add value to your Wheat Ridge, CO property. Adding a backyard patio or enlarging a bedroom will increase living space, making your home a more comfortable environment. Renovating a bathroom or kitchen can greatly enhance your home’s appearance and function.

Before beginning any renovation projects, however, talk to your CO Insurance Specialist agent to see how they will affect your insurance coverage. You may need to update your policy to protect these projects against damage or loss. Here are a few reasons why you may need to alter your coverage when making major improvements to your home.

Insurance Limits

The limits on your current insurance policy may be insufficient to cover the repair or replacement costs of major renovations in the event of fire, flood or storm damage. By extending your current limits or obtaining additional insurance coverage, you can ensure these investments are protected against any eventuality.

If you’ve purchased new furniture or equipment to go with your renovations, such as new kitchen appliances or patio furniture, you may need to raise your property damage limits to protect these items from unforeseen damage or loss.

Increase in Property Value

Major home renovations such as kitchen or bathroom remodeling could increase the value of your property, making your current policy insufficient to cover the replacement cost of your home. You may need to update your policy to offset this increase in value. As one of your most valuable investments, your home deserves to be well protected against any eventuality.   

By discussing your insurance options with a CO Insurance Specialist agent in Wheat Ridge, CO, you can get a better idea of the coverage you need to fully protect your home and personal assets.  

While there is no question that a homeowner’s health insurance policy and life insurance coverage for a family should be updated immediately with the birth of a new child, the same can’t quite be said for a Wheat Ridge, CO homeowner’s insurance policy. The general position on the matter tends to be that a homeowner’s policy is focused on the home and its structure as well as associated property risks, not necessarily the addition of a new house-member. The above said, a growing family can impact the amount of personal property covered by a home policy as well as trigger renovations and changes to make accommodations for children or moving in relatives.

When any kind of a construction-type change is being made to a home, even for a family addition, the homeowner’s policy should be updated. Additionally, the expansion of family is going to increase the amount of personal property that needs to be protected, according to the experts at the CO Insurance Specialist. While clothing may not necessarily be a big issue to cover, furniture, electronics and additional appliances definitely should be addressed. Homeowners need to think in terms of what the additional material means to the total dollar figure needed for a disaster recovery, and then they should compare that with the figure that covers personal property loss in the current policy. More than likely, the figure will need to be increased as some point to fully address a larger family’s needs. And remember, flood insurance is separate from home insurance, but it’s the same situation in terms of adjustments.

To find out more about how a growing family indirectly affects a homeowner’s policy in the Wheat Ridge, CO area, the CO Insurance Specialist team is available both by email and phone or even in person to answer questions.

You’ve purchased a new home and want to protect it.  Colorado Insurance Commissioner Marguerite Salazar says, “Don’t make any assumptions.  Take the time now to learn about your homeowner’s insurance.  Don’t wait for disaster to strike.”  That’s good advice that every Wheat Ridge, CO homeowner should follow.  While you may not be legally mandated to carry homeowner’s insurance, many lenders will require you to purchase insurance to protect their interests in the property.  The lender will specify the coverage amounts that they deem appropriate and how they prefer for proof of coverage to be submitted to them. 

Another recommendation is to make a list of the contents of your home.  According to a survey by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, more than half of American homeowners do not have an inventory of the home’s contents.  Without this inventory, homeowners cannot be sure that they have the best coverage for their home and its contents.

Homeowners insurance is designed to protect the owner from damaging events.  It can also protect the homeowner from liability if someone is hurt while on the property.  It’s important for homeowners to fully review their policy so that they understand what it covers and what it doesn’t.  If there are any questions, it’s important to discuss them with the agent.   If gaps are discovered, additional coverage may be needed.  This is particularly important for items such as jewelry or antiques.  The agent will be able to discuss what is most appropriate for your situation. 

Today is the perfect day to come by and visit with your local CO Insurance Specialist.  To get started, you can visit our website and use our online quoting tools.  Then call a CO Insurance Specialist to get covered.

Plumbing leaks and related disasters typically don’t happen out of the blue. A typical home plumbing system in Wheat Ridge, CO is under pressure with forced water fed by a city or county water municipal system. As a result, when a leak occurs, the pressure continues to work at it constantly, making what would normally be the passing of a few drops far more within a bit of time. Eventually, the pressure overcomes the joint or leak break, and bursts through as the leak becomes weaker than the rest of the pipe line.

Fortunately, plumbing systems are considered internal to a home and part of its inherent structure. So an original plumbing system for a home that has a bad leak burst flooding a room would likely be covered or addressed under most homeowner’s insurance plans and their language.

However, a home with a modified plumbing system, such as a water treatment or filtration system connected would change the nature of the home’s original plumbing. And changing the nature of the water mineral content can have significant effect on the lines. Unless the policy provider was updated with the change, a claim denial could occur when it’s found that a modified system had a disastrous leak. So any major plumbing changes need to be noticed and updated after installation, not after the line break and repair.

For those in the Wheat Ridge, CO region who have questions about bad water leaks, internal flooding, and plumbing, expert answers can be obtained from the CO Insurance Specialist. Their team of agents and staff have experience with a variety of plumbing issues as well as how different homeowner’s insurance package work and what they cover. Don’t wait for a plumbing accident to be your learning experience about home leaks and coverage. Find out by calling the CO Insurance Specialist today.

Many insurance companies offer discounts to homeowners who take proactive measures to improve their home security. By upgrading your home security, you can discourage thieves and burglars from targeting your property in the first place, much less gain entry into your abode.

Before instituting security measures on your property, talk to a CO Insurance Specialist in Wheat Ridge, CO, to determine what measures qualify you for discounted insurance prices. Here are just a few ideas to help you get started:

Security System

A home security system comprised of sensors on windows and doors, security cameras, and a high pitched alarm can be a great deterrent against thieves. Many homeowners utilize a system that connects sensors around windows and doors with an alarm that is triggered when someone tries unlawfully to enter the home. Surveillance cameras in the entryway as well as in the front and back of your property will make thieves think twice before targeting your home.

Motion Sensor Lights

A dark house at night gives the impression that no one is home, making it an easy target for thieves and vandals. By installing motion sensor lights around your property, you can be alerted when people are approaching at night so as not to be caught off guard. Once lights come on, would be thieves are more likely to leave than risk being caught on camera or detected by you or neighbors. 

Security System Advertising

Placing a sign on a window or in your yard advertising that your home is protected by a security system is yet another deterrent that can discourage thieves from targeting your home.

To learn more about home security upgrades that can make you eligible for a discount on your home insurance, contact one of our agents at CO Insurance Specialist in Wheat Ridge, CO.