Tree Trimming

Are Your Trees Overgrown?

   Trees can add amazing visual appeal to a home. They can also help cool a home in summer, therefore saving on energy costs. They can soak up water from storms so the ground doesn't become saturated.
   Trees are definitely a benefit, as long as you take proper care of them. If you don't take care of them, they can become a hazard to your home.
   Tree branches hanging over your roof can cause premature wear and tear on your roof, shortening its life span. This is why many carriers will request insureds trim branches back away from the roof. Tree branches rubbing on the roof can leave behind leaves which can turn to mold on the roof if not cleaned off. They can also get into gutters and clog them, causing drainage issues.
    If your trees are too close to the house when a storm hits, the branches are more likely to hit your roof or windows if they snap during the storm. This can cause thousands of dollars of damage. Your insurance may cover the damage, but you will still have to pay the deductible. 
   If your trees are too close to the house, the roots can cause foundation problems. The roots will drink whatever water is close by. It the tree needs more, the roots grow in the direction of water. Drying out around your foundation will cause shifts in the foundation. Your home insurance will not cover that issue. The roots themselves can grow into the foundation. Your home insurance will not cover that issue. 
   So keep your trees trimmed annually and water them well. If you plant, know how far from the home you should plant the trees. If you know a storm is coming, walk your yard and decide if you need to do a quick trim. It can save you thousands on repairs later on.

If you have questions about your home, auto and commercial insurance, please call Brockman Premier Insurance at 877-987-8683 or email us at brian@brockmanpremier.com.
Please visit our website for more insurance tips and information.

Vacation Home Insurance

Do you need to insure your vaction home?

   After all, you aren't there all the time. You don't have nearly as much personal property there. Do you really need to insure it? Yes. Yes you do.

 You're right, you aren't there all the time. If no one is there, how will anyone notice a leak? Or catch a fire before it blazes out of control? What if you get burglarized? Chances are no one will be there to prevent or at least handle these situations on a timely basis. This means the damage could be much worse than it would have been if someone lived there full time. These are high risks you don't want to pay for on your own. 

   Many vacation homes are in rural or beach areas. Let's say you are there when one of those situations occurs, but the fire /police departments are miles away and they take 30 minutes to get there. A fire can destroy an entire home in that amount of time. A leak can destroy your entire flooring. A burglar can empty your home. These are a high risks you don't want to pay for on your own. 

   What if you rent it out or let friends/family stay there when you are not there?  Somone trips over a rug and breaks their leg. Or someone starts a fire in the kitchen and can't get it out. You can be liable for injuries and or damages, even if you are not there. These are high risks you don't want to pay for on your own.

   You have worked hard to buy that secondary home for your family to enjoy. If something happens, then yes, you want to make sure you have adequate coverage for that vacation home, just like you do for your primary home. 

Just like your primary home insurance, there are many optional coverages and many carriers to choose from. Talk to your agent and work through what you want and need in coverage. Most primary home policies will not extend much coverage to a secondary property. So you will need a seperate policy for your vacation home.

There are few options I urge you to consider.

Personal Umbrella Policy (PUP): This is an extra Liability policy that will pick up where your home/auto policies stop. So if you have a liability claim of $500,000 and you only have $300,000 in Liability coverage on your secondary home policy, your PUP will kick in and cover the rest. The more properties, cars and toys (boats, motorcycles...) you have, the higher the premium will be for the PUP. But the added coverage can be a financial life saver.

Fair Rental Income: If you are renting out your secondary home, I highly recommend this coverage. If the home becomes uninhabitable (therefore un-rentable) due to a covered loss, you can be paid the rents you would lose during the time it takes to repair the damage. 

Coverge Amount: As I explained up above, you are more likely to have extensive damage from a fire, leak or burglary because you are not there full time. Make sure you have enough dwelling coverage to cover a total loss. Don't go cheap because you don't use the home as often. You need complete coverage because of the lack of time you spend there. 

Every carrier is a different in what they will/will not cover, what type of policies they will/will not write. So, I wouldn't get your heart set on "bundling" by trying to make sure your secondary home policy is with the same carrier as your primary home policy. That is not always an option (your primary home carrier may not even write secondary homes). Sometimes they won't have the best rate. So be open to the quotes your agent offers you. Of course, if you are with a captive carrier, you won't have many options. Again- I urge you to find an independent agent and see what they have to offer. 

 If you are looking for a Texas agent or just have questions about your insurance, please give Brockman Premier Insurance a call at 877-987-8683 or email brian@brockmanpremier.com.

Or visit our website at www.brockmanpremierins.com

   

Flood Insurance

Could you be Under Water?

   Did you know that your home can flood in as little as 1 inch of water? Or that your car can be carried away by as little as 2 feet of flood water? Since you live where it rains, you are subject to the possibility of flooding. And your Home insurance policy will not cover it! I am serious. Even if you have all the bells and whistles of additional coverage on your policy, you do not have flood coverage on your home insurance policy. You only have flood coverage if you have bought a Flood Insurance Policy.

    Fast melting snow, severe storms and heavy rainfall can cause flooding far inland, as those of us in Texas are experiencing right now! People living outside of the high risk flood areas file more than 20% of the claims in the National Flood Insurance program. Those same claims receive 1/3 of the disaster assistance for flooding. So it is not just the high risk areas filing the flood claims. The average residential flood claim is around $30,000. But this doesn't include the claims from Catastrophes such as the flooding we are seeing in Texas.  

   You can obtain a policy through the federal government under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program or you can go through private insurers. Private insurance may offer different limits of coverage and premiums based on the coverage and deductibles.  There are various levels of coverage and deductibles to choose from. You will have a separate deductible for both the building and the contents.  

   A flood policy will cover the building and the contents. Personal property coverage is optional, so be sure to discuss what you want with your agent. Flood policies will pay out as long as two or more properties are flooded. Premiums usually start at $300 annually and go up from there, depending on the amount of coverage and the risk factors of the area. If you are in a high risk zone, your mortgage company will require a flood policy. If you are in a moderate-low risk area, a flood policy is optional. Of course, high risk areas will have higher premiums than the moderate-low risk areas.

   Talk with your insurance agent to decide if this coverage would be a good fit for you. There is often a 30 day wait period for any flood policy to take effect, so you can't just buy a flood policy that will go into effect today. But if you are closing on a home and you have a mortgage, then the 30 day wait period will be waived.

Questions about insurance or need a quote? 

Visit Brockman Premier Insurance

Or email your questions to us!

Jewelry Insurance

Protect those special items!

   Mother’s Day is coming up and you decide it is time to buy your wife something to show her how much you appreciate her. Something green, like her eyes. You work with a jeweler and create the perfect necklace.

   A few years down the road, you take the family out to the 4^th of July picnic at your church. You come home to find you have been burglarized. The TV, stereo, game console; and yes, that perfect necklace are all gone. The police give you a copy of the police report and tell you your insurance company will want that for the claim. Insurance! Of course! You have a solid homeowner's policy. Your stolen items can be replaced. Life is grand!

   You call your insurance agent. You explain about the break in. He asks you for an itemized list of what was stolen. You fill out the home inventory list he sends you. He calls back to let you know everything is covered, except the Mother’s Day necklace. Your policy only covers up to $2500 for jewelry. The necklace was custom made. That $2500 won't even come close! 

   What can you do to avoid that last part of the story? 

   You can call your agent today and tell him you want to add scheduled personal property protection for your special pieces of jewelry! This coverage will replace the items listed on your policy in any case of loss, including mysterious loss. And there is no deductible with this coverage. SPP can cover necklaces, wedding rings, pendants, bracelets. You can also add SPP for pieces of art, coins, furs, books or guns.  This coverage will insure each piece down to the penny, so you will need to provide appraisals for each piece. You should have your item(s) appraised every 3 years to keep up with the changing costs of metals and precious gems.  Certified appraisals should include a picture, serial numbers, descriptions and replacement value. 
This coverage will add to your premium, but if the unthinkable happens, 
it will be worth it! 


Visit Brockman Premier Insurance at www.wekeepuinsured.com for tips on your 
home, auto, commercial and life insurance. 

Insurance Claims

To Claim or Not to Claim- That is the Question

Why do you have insurance? Insurance is designed to make you whole again in the case of a loss. That is the exact reason why you have insurance. But just because you file a claim, does that mean you will automatically be "made whole"? Quite often the answer is No. And on top of that, your rates will most likely go up because you filed that claim; even if the claim doesn't pay out. This can be so frustrating to an insured!

   There are several pieces to the claim puzzle that must come together before a carrier will pay out a claim. It is in your best interest to know those pieces before you make the decision to file a claim. If you don't have all of the claim puzzle pieces, your claim will not pay out. Now, you can complain and switch carriers, but chances are, it won't be any different with the next carrier. Here is what you need to know before you file a claim:

1. Is it a covered loss? Different policies cover different perils.

   Basic form policies cover fire/lightning, windstorm/hail, explosion, riots, aircraft, vehicles, smoke, vandalism and theft. 
   Broad form policies cover all of the basic perils, plus falling objects, weight of ice/snow, accidental discharge of water, cracking/burning, collapse, freezing and sudden electric current.
   Special form policies cover every peril except what is specifically excluded. 
What type of policy do you have?

2. What type of deductibles do you have? There are many options! 

     Your  home policy is most likely has a deductible that is a percentage of your dwelling value like 1%, 2% or higher. Your home policy can have a flat rate deductible instead, but this will cost more. There is a different deductible for your wind/hail claims and everything else (all other peril). If your dwelling value is $250,000 and you have a 1% deductible, you will pay the first $2,500 of any claim. 

3. Is it worth it to file that claim?

   So if you have a tree hit your house and it just damages a piece of your roof, chances are it will not cost $2,500 to repair a section of the roof. In this case, it makes no sense to file a claim. You will not receive any benefit from the carrier and your rates will go up at your next renewal because you filed a claim. On the other hand, if you have a fire and your entire kitchen has to be rebuilt, it will most likely cost more than $2,500. In this case, filing that claim would be to your benefit.  You will pay only $2,500 for repairs that could cost $10,000.

   There is quite a bit more that goes into if or how a claim is paid out. There are too many scenarios of what is and is not covered for me to try to explain the particulars here. Each claim, with each policy, with each carrier will be handled separately (and differently). When you make the decision whether or not to file a claim, examine these 3 things before you even consider making a phone call to the carrier. (Be aware- most carriers will file a claim after talking to you; even if you just called with an inquiry and never said the words, "I need to file a claim.") But if you have done your homework and you are going in with your eyes open at least your chances for a beneficial outcome increase! 

If you have any questions about your home, auto or business insurance, 
email Brockman Premier Insurance or call 877-987-8683 
Be sure to visit our website!

Loan/Lease Gap Insurance

How Can You Cover the Gap?

   You just bought your dream car 6 months ago. You have been very careful. No one is allowed to eat or drink in your car. You stop fully at every stop sign. You stay a full car length behind every car you drive behind. But it doesn't matter because one day someone else doesn't stop at the stop sign. 
   Your dream car is totaled. And then you find out that not only is your car gone, but the insurance isn't going to cover the total amount you owe on your loan. Now what? 

Want a better scenario?
   When you buy a new car, many carriers (and dealerships!) offer an optional coverage;  
Loan or Lease Gap coverage. With this coverage, if you have a total loss, you would be covered for the difference in the your now totaled cars value and what you owe. So one way you can decide if it is worth the premium, is to ask yourself if you can pay that difference out of pocket?

Where can you get Loan Gap coverage?
   When you buy a brand new car, the dealership will usually offer you this coverage. Before you take it, call your insurance agent. (You need to call them anyway to add your new car!) They should offer the Gap coverage to you, but if they don't, ask about it. It is usually inexpensive to add this optional coverage. I just added the coverage to a policy yesterday and it only added $17 annually. That is a great price to save you possibly thousands down the road. Most carriers I know offer this coverage on cars less than 2 years old. 

What about Lease Gap coverage?
   If you are leasing a car, ask if your contract includes this coverage. Many do, which would be very convenient! If not, most carriers offer the coverage on lease cars also. Keep in mind, this coverage only applies in the case of a total loss.  As always, it is up to you whether or not you add optional coverage. Take a look at the premium vs. the gap and decide which one you can live with.

If you have any questions about your home, auto or business insurance, 
email Brockman Premier Insurance or call 877-987-8683 
Be sure to visit our website!

   

Insurance Renewals

Why Did My Rates Go Up?

   This is the most frequent question agents hear at renewal time. Sometimes rates go down, but most often, they go up, especially if we are talking about homeowners premiums. I know what you're thinking, "I didn't file a claim, so why did the rates go up?"
   So many factors affect home insurance rates. Claims are a big factor, but it isn't just claims. You may not have filed a claim, but others in your area did which impacts your rates. It doesn't seem fair, but you should think about the carrier paying out those claims. Let's say the carrier budgets $1 million for claims this year. But they had to actually pay out $1.5 million. That extra $500,000 has to come from somewhere, so they raise rates the next year to help make up the difference.
   Keep in mind, carriers cannot just decide to raise rates. Insurance is a highly regulated industry. Each state has its own insurance regulatory agency. Carriers have to file rate changes with the state agency and wait for approval. Usually the clients most affected would be those with lower credit scores (sorry!), those in areas of extensive claims and those who have filed claims.
   There are a few things you can do when you have a rate increase. The first thing you can do is shop for better rates. If you have an independent agent, ask them to shop for you. (Do not assume they will re-quote without you asking them to.) You should also ask your agent to review your coverage. You may be paying for coverage you don't need. Or you may need coverage you don't have (this, of course, will raise your rates).
    Watch for your renewal. You should get your renewal within 45 days of the renewal date. Your agent should be on the look out for it, but the responsibility is yours. You should know your coverage, your policy dates and how the payment will be made. Home carriers will mail (yes, snail mail!) your renewal to your mortgage company requesting payment. If you have changed mortgages during the policy period, you need to tell your insurance agent. Otherwise, they will send it to the wrong mortgage company and it won't be paid. You should also let your agent know if there have been any changes to your contact information. You would be surprised how many times I have not been able to get a hold of someone because I don't have their new phone number or email address.

If you have any questions about your home, auto or business insurance, 
email Brockman Premier Insurance or call 877-987-8683 
Be sure to visit our website!

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