Researching Neighborhoods

Research the Neighborhood 

Before You Buy That New Home.

  You have found your dream home. It has a wrap around porch, a lake view and a large open kitchen with windows spanning the entire back of the house. Ok- that is MY dream house. Yours may be different. But either way, you found it. Now comes the decisions. Will it fit your budget? How much will the insurance be? Is it close to family or your job?
But another consideration is the neighborhood the home is in.
Why does that matter? Many factors can cause you to love or hate your neighborhood.
Who lives there? Are there kids in the neighborhood? While this would be a positive factor for some, it would be negative for others. What is the commuting distance for you? Is there shopping, exercise and leisure amenities near? Are these even important to you?
The quality of the neighborhood is important because it will impact your home's appreciation or resale value. Is there a Diverse economy? Communities depending almost entirely on one industry or factory for jobs is a risky neighborhood, economically speaking.
Neighborhood statistics are a good resource. Take a look at Crime, school district ratings, employment data, median income and education levels.
There are many ways to research a neighborhood. The internet is the most convenient way. You can also check out the local library, chamber of commerce and the local newspaper. Visit the neighborhood. Talk to the residents. No one knows a neighborhood better than the people who live there. Ask them about the schools, amenities, crime and local government.
Buying that dream house is a big decision. Do the research. Make sure it is a decision you are happy to live with for years to come.

Questions about your Home or Auto Insurance?
Visit The Brockman Agency or call us toll free 877-987-8683

Home Renovation

Avoid the Risks of Do It Yourself Renovations.

    With today’s economy, many people are going the Do It Yourself route on home renovations.  These people, often trying to save money, are taking on projects and risks they are not able to handle competently. Risky projects involving electrical wiring or complicated plumbing, should definitely be handled by certified contractors. Yes, they will cost more money in the short term, but could literally save your family’s life in the long run.

   What about just sprucing up that paint or putting up new wallpaper? That can’t be too hard, right?     If you have a good eye and a steady hand, you can probably paint and wall paper easily enough.

But there can be issues with hazardous materials in the DIY project. Lead can be an issue with older homes. While it is no longer used, lead based paint was common as recently as 1978. Before we knew how harmful it could be, lead was used in paint, gas, water pipes and other products.  You can be exposed to harmful effects if lead based paint isn’t removed properly. Scraping, sanding or burning of lead based paint can harm you and your loved ones. Learn how to safely remove lead based paint.

     Approximately 25% of household fires occur during renovation and repair projects. Water damage can be caused by vibrations from construction work. Poor workmanship can cause water pipes to leak or burst, costing you even more.  If you insist on doing this project yourself, please follow these Safeguards from the EPA. If you are not doing it yourself, make sure you find a Certified Renovations/lead dust technician in your area.   

    Be careful when hiring a contractor. Home Improvement contractor fraud is the #1 complaint to the BBB, according to the National Federation of America’s 2011 Consumer Complaint Survey.  If a contractor/company seeks you out, research them before you let them pull a single nail. Ask to see their Certificate of Insurance. This give you proof of their limits of coverage. Make this a must, regardless of how great of a deal they are giving you. Just remember- if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

If your renovations increase the value of your home, make sure to call your insurance agent and have them increase your dwelling amount. Homeowners insurance is there to help you rebuild your home to the same level it was before a claim. If you have increased the value, your coverage should be increased to reflect the change in value.
   Renovating your home can be exciting.  But not if it is deadly or breaks your bank account!

Questions about your Home or Auto Insurance?
Contact us at  The Brockman Agency   or call toll free 877-987-8683

Texting while Driving

How Distracted Are We and Can We Stop It?

   Each day, more than 15 people are killed and 1,200 people are injured in crashes involving a distracted driver. I'd say we are highly distracted these days. Cell phones are the main culprit, but not the only one.
How many times have you tried to input information into your GPS while driving? How about setting up that DVD to entertain your kids?
There are three main types of distraction:
Visual - taking your eyes off of the road.
Manual - taking your hands off the steering wheel
Cognitive - taking your mind off what you are doing.
Texting is the most dangerous of distractions because it involves all three.
    Studies show 11% of drivers are talking on their phones at any given time, according to the New York Times. A Harvard study shows drivers using cell phones cause 2,600 traffic deaths and 570,000 accidents each year.  A CBS/NYT poll shows Americans believe texting while driving should be punished at least as harshly as driving while under the influence.
   Here in Texas we have laws in place to ban Cell phone use and texting by Bus drivers, novice drivers (under 18) and by anyone in a school zone. This is a National issue and not every state has these types of laws in place. Teen drivers are the largest groups of texters. It good to see young stars, like Gabby Douglas and Victoria Justice, promoting the prevention of Texting and Driving. While it is a huge risk for teen drivers, they are not the only ones to worry about. Your experience, or lack of it, will not matter if your eyes and mind are not on the road in front of you.
   There are apps to deter texting while driving. Textecution  is available on most carriers for iPhone and Android. This kills texting functions while driving. If the system recognizes the phone is traveling more than 10 mph, the texting function is disabled. It was designed with parents of teen drivers in mind.MobiLocPlus is a disabling app for Android phones. It works the same way as Textecution, and is free. But who will make the decision to use these apps? Most people think they are great drivers, who can handle the road. Many think they can text and keep control. Until the Unthinkable happens. What if it is you behind the wheel? or your Child?  How in control will you be then?
Don't text and drive. It truly is a matter of Life and Death.

Questions about your Auto or Home Insurance?
Call or click and let us take care of you!  The Brockman Agency
or call Toll free 1-877-987-8683

Fire Prevention

Fire Prevention Week is

October 7-13

Careful Planning can help you avoid loss and injury to your family. There are several precautionary measures you can take to get your family to safety in the case of a fire.
1. Establish and practice in escape plan with you entire family.
2. Every family member should know 2 ways out of every room.
3. Everyone should be able to unlock all doors and windows for quick escape.
4. Pick a meeting place outside your home.
5. Practice your escape plan during the day and at night.
6. Never open doors that are hot to the touch.
7. Once you are out of the house, stay out of the house.

Make sure you have smoke detectors on each floor of your home and outside each bedroom. If you can, install a professional system that wires all detectors to a central alarm that will signal throughout the house.
Keep Fire extinguishers accessible to the Kitchen, laundry room and garage.
If you have a fireplace, have your chimney professionally inspected and cleaned before each winter. This will clear out soot and creosote that cause "Puffbacks" and chimney fires. Use a screen to contain flying embers. Ashes should be removed immediately.
Conduct a Fire Safety walk-through of your home. Use this Fire Safety Checklist
Other resources:
Baby and Toddler escape planning
Fire Drill Challenge 

For more information go to: National Fire Protection Association

Home Burglary

Can You Prevent a Home Burglary?

There are ways to deter home burglary. 
First, keeping your home exterior well lit at night will help keep burglars away. Installing motion sensitive lights around your home can make it a hard target.  
Second, trim down shrubs and plants that hide windows and doors. Tall bushes provide concealment for burglars trying to get into your home. Keep drapes closed as well, no need to advertise to burglars who may be casing your neighborhood.
Third, add deadbolts to every exterior door. Make sure all exterior doors are solid core. Make sure windows are locked at all times.
Fourth, get a dog. Even a little dog will be a preventative. They will bark and draw attention to anyone entering the home. Dogs know when something isn't right, and they will warn their owners.
Fifth, join or start a Neighborhood Watch program. Having neighbors watch out for each other's homes can greatly deter potential burglars.
These are deterrents, but not guarantees your home won't be burglarized.

So what if you come home from dinner and find your home has been burglarized? What should you do? 
The first thing  you want to do is make sure it is safe to go inside. This is best determined by the Police, so make that call before you go inside.
The second thing to do is determine what has been stolen. If the police are involved, they will have you make a statement, including what was stolen. Make a list, get a copy of the Police report and call your Insurance Company. Do not hesitate to let them know you are traumatized. If you are still in shock over the situation, you may have trouble remembering passwords, PINs and account numbers. Insurance service employees are usually trained to handle this. Let them walk you through the process. They are there to take care of you.

Tips to make sure you are protected properly in the event of a burglary include:
1. Make sure you have enough Personal Property coverage on your insurance policy.
2. Make a Most- Valuable Item list. Do it now, before something like this happens.
3. Put together a folder of receipts, photos and instruction manuals. These will help you determine the proper amount of Personal Property coverage you need. They will also provide proof of purchase when you need to file the claim. The more proof you have, the easier it will be for your Insurance provider to validate the amount of your claim and take care of you quickly.  
Click here for a Home inventory template download
 
 
 

Flood Insurance

Do you need Flood Insurance?

What is a Flood? The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) defines a flood as "a general and temporary condition where two or more acres of normally dry land or two or more properties are inundated by water or mudflow. What can cause flooding? Hurricanes, bad drainage systems, rapid rainfall. There are many causes so beware! You don't have to live near a lake or ocean to be caught in a flood. Just a few inches of water can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your home. 

Home Insurance policies do not cover flooding as a general rule.  FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency, is an organization established for the purpose of handling of National Emergencies. You will not have to shop for the best price on your Flood policy. FEMA sponsors all Flood policies so the pricing is the same, regardless of the agent.Your local insurance agent will be able to put you in a Flood policy.

Pricing depends on what flood zone you are in, how much coverage you want and what contents you want covered. See what zone you fall into- check the Flood Zone Map

There is usually a 30 day waiting period, so call before closing on that house!