Home Insurance

Factors That Affect Your Home Insurance Premium

Posted on by TheSph3r3
Factors That Affect Your Home Insurance Premium

Home insurance is crucial to protect your property. But what affects the cost of this insurance?

Homeowners insurance may seem like a huge expense every month, but it’s something that no homeowner should go without! Certain factors can impact the cost of your homeowners insurance, meaning that there are some factors that you do have control over.

Here’s a look at some of the factors that figure into your premium.

The construction of your home. Homes made with more durable materials are less susceptible to damage and therefore generally cost less to insure.

The age of your home. If you bought an older house because of its vintage appeal, you may discover that enjoying its old-world charm on a daily basis comes with a hefty price. The main reason for this is that older homes are fitted with older, therefore generally less safe, electrical, plumbing, and cooling systems.

Your claims history. Just like with car insurance, the more claims you file, the higher your premiums soar. Be smart and you can potentially save a lot of money on premium rates while reserving your insurance claims for a time when you really need it.

Smokers as inhabitants. Smoking in the home raises the risk of a fire, which increases the cost of your insurance. Just one more reason to kick the habit!

Location: If your home is located in a zone where floods, earthquakes or other damage may occur, your premiums may be higher. If your home is near a fire station or hydrant, your home may be eligible for lower premiums.

Luckily, finding the right home insurance premium and coverage isn’t impossible. Contact the professionals at All Nevada Insurance, serving Las Vegas and neighboring cities in Nevada with quality homeowners insurance.

How to Insure Your Home Business

Posted on by TheSph3r3
Insure Your Home Business

Running a home-based business isn’t easy, here’s how you can insure it to protect your business equipment.

If you run a business from the comfort of your own home, you may not have enough insurance to protect your business equipment. A standard homeowners insurance policy provides only $2,500 coverage for business equipment, which is likely not enough to cover all of your property associated with your business. As a business, you will likely need coverage for liability and lost income. You put blood, sweat, and tears into your business so insuring it is important for its livelihood.

Regardless of what insurance policy you choose, you need professional liability insurance. Here are the three basic kinds of liability insurance you should consider — depending on the nature of your business.

  1. Homeowners Policy Endorsement

You may not need to take out an entirely different policy. A homeowners policy endorsement just adds protection to your already existing homeowners policy to double your standard coverage for business equipment like computers and printers.

  1. In-Home Business Policy

An in-home business policy provides more comprehensive coverage than the homeowners policy endorsement. In addition to the protection for your business, this policy could reimburse you for the loss of important papers and records. It may even pay for the income you lose if your home is so badly damaged from a covered peril that it forces you to pause your business temporarily.

  1. Business Owners Policy (BOP)

If your business is on the bigger side of things, as far as home businesses are concerned, then homeowners insurance policy and any add-ons won’t exactly cut it. It covers business property and equipment, loss of income, extra expenses, and liability—like the other policies, only on a much grander scale.

Whichever you choose is best for your business, it’s important to realize that not even your business is immune to dangers. Contact All Nevada Insurance, your independent insurance agency, to learn how you can safeguard your hard work with business insurance for your small business.

How to Reduce Your Energy Bill This Summer

Posted on by TheSph3r3
Reduce Your Energy Bill This Summer

Keep your home running efficiently without breaking the bank.

Electricity prices are rising, and utility bills are getting ugly. This simple service is one that we take for granted daily. As the summer season is here, you can enjoy saving money on heating costs. However, with the warmer weather, the AC is a must. Instead of breaking the bank to keep your home cool, use these ways to lower your energy costs and balance your expenses.

  • Unplug!
    Even if your electronics are turned off, they’re still using energy – these are known as ‘energy vampires.’ Spooky, right? The real fright is seeing how much energy they ‘suck’ up, simply by being plugged in. To beat this cost, unplug your devices and appliances when not in use.
  • Splurge for solar panels
    One of the best ways to save electricity is to produce your own. With grants and payment plans available, you can put the sun’s energy to use!
  • Service your air conditioner
    Roughly half of an average home’s annual energy bill (gas and electricity) is spent on heating and cooling. Spend a bit of time annually to perform some basic air conditioner maintenance, such as cleaning and straightening the fins, changing the filter, and lubricating the motor.
  • Use your ceiling fans year round
    When the air blows down, it helps to cool the room and keep it comfortable, keeping your A.C. at a minimum. Turn the fan the other way in winter so that it pulls the cold air up to help keep you warm!
  • Use compact fluorescent light bulbs
    Make the switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL bulbs) that use up to 75 percent less energy. To keep your home cooler in the summer, turn off lights when they are not needed to reduce the heat given off.
  • Buy Energy Star appliances
    When you shop for appliances, look for the Energy Star label. It means that the appliance meets certain energy-efficiency guidelines – saving your energy and pocket! Not sure what to do with your old appliance? Recycle it.

From the insurance professionals at All Nevada Insurance, we hope that you enjoy cutting down your energy usage and your monthly bill! For more tips on how to save money and fully ensure your home’s protection, contact us to secure the right homeowners insurance for your needs in Las Vegas, Nevada.

How to Conduct a Home Inventory

Posted on by TheSph3r3
Conduct a Home Inventory

Simplified steps for creating your home inventory!

You may think that you know exactly what is in your home. However, when it comes to the aftermath of a disaster, and you have to list which items you’ve lost, valuing your personal property from memory is harder than you think.

For this reason, home insurers ask homeowners to complete a thorough home inventory of all possessions. By having a physical list and photographic evidence of home contents, insurers can accurately match coverage to the value of items. In addition, filing a claim is made that much simpler! Here’s how to get started.

Put It On Paper
Write down a list of all of your belongings. The written description should include the date of purchase, original cost, and any improvements. Write down serial numbers for TVs, computers, and electronics, as well as keeping receipts along with the paperwork. As you sell or buy new belongings, ensure to add or remove the items from this list.

Shoot It
If you have a video camera, use it to establish additional documentation of your home and belongings for insurance purposes. Recording valuable items may be used as evidence in the case of theft, fire, or damage. As a rule of thumb, scan all rooms, shoot close-ups of all valuable items, and provide auto-commentary of details that may not be visually apparent. Store this tape in a locked file cabinet and upload it so that you have a digital copy.

Store It
Once you’ve captured all of your belongings on video and paper, you’ll want to store these files safely. If your home burns down, a home inventory will be of little use if it burns down with it. First, make a digital copy of both and email them to yourself. Secondly, keep the papers and video film in a fireproof box safely in the home or outside of the property.

Update It
Once you have established a complete inventory of your property, it should be easy to update it periodically.

Now that your home inventory is complete, contact All Nevada Insurance to secure the right homeowners insurance for your needs in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Top Dangers to Your Home (and How to Avoid Them!)

Posted on by TheSph3r3
Dangers to Your Home

Are you inviting dangers into your home?

Homeowners, are you aware of the top threats that linger in your home? You may not realize it, but there are more common hazards that lurk around homes. While you have a fine security system in check to deter thieves, you may be missing out on some of the key practices to protect your home from loss and damage.

Check out some of the top dangers to homes and how to prevent them!

Falls

Injuries from falls are the most common household hazard. In fact, one out of five older adults who falls suffers from a broken bone or head injury. Bad lighting, pet and child toys, and slippery surfaces all create the potential for falls. Make sure that you stay on top household cleaning and tidying so that your family and visitors stay safe.

  • Clear outdoor steps, ensuring they are free from debris, ice, and snow.
  • Use rugs and non-slip stickers in the bathroom and doorway entrances.
  • Add hand railings on stairs and in the bathroom.
  • Stow away the toys when they are not in use.

Fires

Hundreds of thousands of fires occur in U.S. homes every year, causing everything from mild smoke damage to complete devastation, including deaths. Luckily, there are ways to prevent a fire from getting out of hand.

  • Install fire alarms, changing their batteries often.
  • Never leave pets or children alone in a room with candles or a fireplace.
  • Unplug appliances when not in use.
  • Purchase a fire extinguisher and keep it near the kitchen.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Low exposure to carbon monoxide can cause headaches and dizziness, while high levels cause vomiting, distorted vision, and even death. Control your risk of CO poisoning:

  • Install a CO detector and test the batteries often.
  • Keep up home maintenance by inspecting for CO leaks from your HVAC system, water heater, and other appliances that use oil, gas, or coal.

Now that your home is clear of clutter and potential threats, contact All Nevada Insurance to secure the right homeowners insurance for your needs in Las Vegas, Nevada.

What You Need to Know About Flood Insurance for Your Home

Posted on by TheSph3r3
Flood Insurance for Your Home

Understanding why your home needs flood insurance.

As a homeowner, it’s important to insure your home and its contents. Depending on your property’s location, your home is considered at high risk or at moderate to low risk of suffering from a flood. Even so, it’s essential to note that no home is completely safe from floods. Even if your home is situated far from a water source in the sun, floods can occur anywhere and at any time.

Many catastrophic events are not part of a standard homeowners insurance policy, but they are still insurable. In the case of floods, additional flood insurance must be purchased in order to receive coverage. If your home is located in a known flood zone, you might want to consider the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which writes most flood insurance policies. Premiums vary widely, especially dependent upon the history of flooding in your area.

Flood insurance premiums also factor in:

  • Year of building construction
  • Building occupancy
  • Number of floors
  • Location of contents
  • Flood risk (e.g. flood zone)
  • Deductible and amount of building and contents coverage

Flood insurance isn’t federally required in moderate-to-low-risk areas, but it’s still a good idea! Believe it or not, but people in these areas file more than 20 percent of all NFIP flood insurance claims. Many homeowners in these areas can enjoy a policy at a reduced rate while maintaining reliable coverage.

If you reside in a high-risk area, your mortgage may insist that you purchase flood insurance through a federally regulated or insured lender. A standard-rated policy offers separate building and contents coverage so that you can have the peace of mind that you’re protected.

Should storms paralyze countless communities, you’ll be thankful that you have the right insurance in place. Don’t wait until it’s too late – many flood insurance policies take up to 30 days to kick into effect. The team at All Nevada Insurance is here to help you secure the right homeowners insurance for your new home! Visit us in Las Vegas, Nevada to get started today.

Home Insurance Checklist for New Homeowners

Posted on by TheSph3r3
Home Insurance Checklist for New Homeowners

The homeowners insurance checklist that new homeowners need.

Are you in the process of purchasing a home? Perhaps you’re still browsing through potential homes or considering whether to take the plunge. Whatever the case, there are many considerations when looking at real estate. An important and often overlooked factor is homeowners insurance. You’ll need to pay for homeowners insurance for as long as you own it, so why not do some researching before purchasing a policy?

Use these important tips to help make selecting the right one for you easy!

Perfect your credit score. Insurers will look at your credit score when deciding whether to sell you insurance and at what rate. Check your report to see if there are any mistakes or anomalies that you need to correct.

Know what coverage you need. Aim to buy enough coverage to replace your home if it’s destroyed. Talk to your insurance agent to determine how much coverage you need.

Gather information. You’ll need to know specific features about the house: the square footage, number of bathrooms, materials used for the roof and exterior walls, age and condition of the house, and condition of the decks and garages. This will help to determine how much you’ll need to pay for coverage.

Take a detailed inventory. Record and note your belongings around your home so that you have an inventory handy, should you need to file a claim in the event of a loss. Expensive items such as jewelry, art, and musical instruments may require additional coverage.

Get the house inspected. You’ll need to have the house properly inspected in order to get your mortgage approved. The inspector will check everything from the general condition of the home to potential problems to the pumping and electrical systems.

Consider additional risks. Homeowners policies typically cover the outbuildings, personal property, liability protection, and additional living expenses. Frequently, flood, hurricane, and earthquake protection must be purchased separately. Assess your risk for these disasters and buy additional protection as needed.

Call our insurance professionals. The team at All Nevada Insurance is here to help you secure the right homeowners insurance for your new home! Visit us in Las Vegas, Nevada to get started today.

New Year, New Smarter Insurance Resolutions

Posted on by TheSph3r3
Insurance Resolutions

Next year, make your insurance plans work for you!

The impending New Year is a time when many people pledge to lose weight, save more money, and be more organized. However, mid-year (or mid-January, depending on how strong-minded you are), exercise equipment gathers dust and bank savings are depleted. These are familiar signs of the way New Year’s resolutions are quickly abandoned.

There are a few resolutions that you’ll not only want to make but be prudent about, all revolving around insurance! Maintaining insurance policies suited for you allow you to save money, be protected, and have peace of mind.

To make 2017 your best year yet, here are some New Year’s resolutions to help you fine-tune your insurance policies:

See if you’re eligible for discounts
Premiums are calculated on the level of risk an insurance company must take to provide you with coverage, but there are steps you may be able to take to reduce those risks. For example, even the simple task of installing burglar alarms in your home means that your house is better equipped for breaking and entering, thus lowering your homeowners insurance premium. Also, if you have teenage drivers who are in school, they may qualify for a Good Student Discount on their car insurance.

Update your home inventory list
A comprehensive home inventory catalog allows your home and belongings to be recovered, rebuilt, and replaced after a loss. Therefore, a full home inventory can help you replace your belongings after a loss, and accurate records make it less likely that there will be a dispute between you and your homeowners insurance company during the claims process.

Repair gaps in coverage
One of the quickest ways to make your heart sink is to file a claim after a loss, then find out that you don’t have the right coverage. Certain high-value items exceed homeowners insurance coverage. This means that if damage or loss occurs, you would be left footing the bill. To cover your items, you should ensure that their value doesn’t exceed the monetary limit on your homeowners insurance policy or add additional insurance.

A New Year is a new start and a time to start over. Committing yourself to these resolutions can help provide you with peace of mind, protection, and save you money! To get started in securing the right insurance policies for your New Year ahead, visit the Las Vegas professionals, All Nevada Insurance today.

Everything You Need to Know About Smoke Alarms

Posted on by TheSph3r3
Smoke Alarms Home Insurance

Stumped about smoke alarms? Here’s what you need to know.

There are many things that homeowners do to protect the house. In addition to locking the doors every night to cleaning out the gutters every fall, installing and maintaining smoke alarms plays a significant role in home safety.

There are many different features of a fire alarm that can make it tricky to choose the right one. Here’s what you need to know!

Power

Smoke alarms can be battery operated, electrically powered, or both. You can install an alarm that runs on electricity, but you should have a battery backup just in case of power outages.

Location

You should install smoke alarms on every floor of your home, especially outside of sleeping areas. Smoke rises, so it’s best to install them on the ceilings, otherwise, as high up on the wall as possible. Avoid putting alarms too close to bathrooms and kitchen appliances that produce steam and small amounts of smoke.

Testing

You need to check smoke detectors monthly by pressing the ‘test’ button to make sure they still work. If they don’t, change the battery and test it again. If it’s still not working, it may be time to replace your alarm.

Batteries

Change batteries at least once a year, or whenever the low-battery warning goes off. Don’t take the batteries out of your detector to use elsewhere. If a fire occurs, without that alarm, you and your family may not have enough time to escape!

To best protect your home from financial ruin and damage, secure the right homeowners insurance policy today! Visit All Nevada Insurance, serving Las Vegas, Nevada with quality insurance coverage today.

Ready Your Business for Winter Weather

Posted on by TheSph3r3
Winter Business Insurance Las Vegas NV

Take precautions to protect your business from winter weather.

Winter-related damages can affect any business, regardless of the type or size of the commercial property. While Las Vegas, Nevada isn’t known for its ice and snow during winter, the weather can take a turn for the worse. Some of the most common types of problems occur from colder temperatures, rain, wind, and ice. As a business owner, you’ll want to protect your property before the winter hits and the risk of damage increases.

Prepare now to avoid damage later:

When a business can’t function properly, profits are affected. When cold weather damages occur, business owners and managers are left dealing with repairs and downtime, rather than running their business. Taking preventative steps while the weather is warm is ideal!

  • Before the cold weather sets in, drain water from all systems and equipment not needed in winter months. This should include air conditioning units and landscape sprinklers.
  • Inspect the exterior of the building for gaps and seal appropriately to prevent rain and debris from getting inside.
  • Check for repair damages to the roof. Make sure gutters are free from debris and in good condition, and that downspouts are intact and draining in areas away from foot traffic.
  • Trim tree branches and landscape that might come in contact with the building in the event of strong winds.
  • Make sure the heating system has enough fuel for expected conditions and a backup in case of an emergency.
  • Ensure that your heating system is in good working condition for the cooler months!
  • When it rains, be sure that the building’s floors are wiped and kept dry. You could be held liable for damages if an employee or guest slips and falls on the wet floor.
  • Calculate the cost of business interruptions for one week, one month, and six months so you know how to prepare.
  • Review your business insurance policy!

Your business insurance is there to protect your company throughout the entire year, whatever the weather. From liability coverage to business interruption protection, discuss your needs and wants with your insurance agent. The professionals at All Nevada Insurance, serving Las Vegas and neighboring cities, are here to secure the right protection for your business for winter and beyond!