Be Sure to Review Your Homeowners Insurance Policy Annually

Here is a great article on why it's important to review your homeowners insurance on an annual basis!!

Most Homeowners insurance companies will simply send out a reminder for a renewal of your home insurance policy when the end of the year is up for your insurance coverage. Many will also automatically renew your policy unless you call and let them know that you want to change or cancel that policy. This makes it easy for many homeowners to simply begin sending in the next set of payments for another year without reviewing the policy to make sure it adequately reflects their needs for the year.

Whether you have upgraded or remodeled the home, added a deck onto the back, turned the home into a rental property or realized that you may have problems with flooding in your area, there are several reasons to review your home insurance policy every year to assess whether the coverage still meets your needs.

Even if you have just begun a new home insurance coverage policy, it is important to review the policy as soon as you receive it to make sure the policy has the correct coverage amounts and coverage needs you have asked for. Remember that this policy will be in place for an entire year and will most likely cost between $300-$2000 so be sure that you are getting what you want.

If you asked for personal liability of others in the amount of $100,000 and the policy only shows $50,000 don’t be afraid to call the insurance agent back to have this problem corrected. The problem can simply be solved by issuing a new policy or a policy change.

Once the year time period has expired on your current policy and you are getting ready to renew again, it is always a safe bet to call the insurance agent and ask if the replacement cost value has gone up on your home or on anything in your home.

Remember that the financial market continues to increase and with this rates of building and replacement tools will go up, so there is no shame in calling to ask if the figures on your policy need to be changed.

If you have done any renovation of the home in the last year, such as replacing countertops or flooring, or even adding on a deck, it is important to inform the insurance company of these changes. This protects you from being underinsured in case of damage or loss.

If you have acquired any major purchases of personal property, it is also important to contact the insurance company about changing the coverage amount on your interior belongings. This could include major electronics equipment like an LCD television, a personal computer or laptop, an expensive piece of jewelry or fur coat, or even new furniture or a new piece of artwork.

It is also important to review your insurance coverage policy every year to determine if you have adequate peril coverage and liability insurance. Although some basic plans cover certain types of natural disaster and others cover personal liability, you may want to consider adding on specific insurance clauses for flooding, hurricanes, or tornados if you live in a high risk area.

If you started a plan out with little or no hurricane insurance but realized that the previous year brought major hurricanes to your area, then you may want to reconsider the amount of coverage. As well, some policies do not require homeowners to have personal liability insurance but this is a good idea if you are planning on having others in your home quite often.

This could include construction workers who are remodeling a kitchen or bathroom or even a babysitter or housekeeper. You will also want to change your policy if your children are starting to get older and invite over friends to play in the yard or to spend the night. Personal liability insurance will cover any accidents that happen while others are in your home.

One final reason to review your insurance policy each year is to assess discounts or possible price quote deductions that you may be able to receive. When you purchased the home it may not have had a security system installed, fire sprinklers or been equipped with up to date smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

But if you have installed this equipment over the past year, it is a good idea to call and inform the insurance company to see if you this makes you eligible for a discount. You may also be able to receive a discount if you started receiving car insurance from the same company, turned a certain age, or began a membership to a certain club or organization that the insurance company recognizes and gives discounts to on a regular basis. - http://wagnerstott.com/be-sure-to-review-your-homeowners-insurance-policy-annually/ (Posted by Wagner Stott)


If you don't own a home, now is a great time to get quotes on renters insurance to protect your personal property and liabilty exposures. To review your homeowners or auto insurance policies and to ask questions about your policies, contact Tague Insurance Agency at (760) 729-1143, or you can email us at info@tagueins.com

Great Christmas Tree Safety Tips!!

Happy Holidays everyone!! Before decking the halls and lighting that tree, be sure to check out this great article on Christmas tree safety tips, and call Tague Insurance Agency if you have any questions about coverage that your homeowners or renters insurance may provide for potential holiday claims.

CHRISTMAS TREE SAFETY TIPS
15 Must Know Christmas Tree Safety Tips

Let's face these days it seems like there danger in everything we do. But don't worry there are plenty of safety tips to ensure there are no mishaps this holiday season. Below is a list of things you can do to make you have a happy, accident free holiday season.

1. Make sure you buy the freshest tree possible (brittle leaves is an indicator that your tree is dry)

2. Cut off a half inch of the trunk of your tree, this will allow the tree to suck in more water

3. When choosing a spot for your tree, make sure there are no heating vents, radiators, fireplaces or used electrical outlets.

4. Make sure your tree is not blocking any exits

5. Make sure you keep candles and other sources of fire away from the tree at all times.

6. Make sure your Christmas tree lights are for indoor use and are the correct voltage. Also only buy UL lights because they are tested for safety.

7. Try to use miniature lights, they produce less heat and are more energy efficient.

8. Make sure your Christmas tree stand is secure and stable

9. Give you thirsty tree a lot of water and re-fill it everyday

10. Check all of your lights for shorts before you put them on your tree

11. Shake your tree free of dry bristles before you take it inside

12. Turn your Christmas trees off at night and when you're leaving the house

13. Keep flammable items like curtains, paper and combustibles away from your tree

14. Have a fire extinguisher nearby for those rare emergencies

15. Discard your tree right after Christmas to avoid having a dry, dead fire hazard in your house!

And remember, most of all, to have a safe, and happy holiday season!

Fan Pop - Tague Insurance Featured Fan Picks This Week's Winner

Tague Insurance thanks our Featured Fan, Chris Long, for coming to our insurance agency in Carlsbad, CA to help pick our winner. We had some fun and Chris got lunch and a crown from Burger King. Watch the video below to see the winner.

We mention in the video a charity that we are supporting this holiday called North County Solutions for Change. Our staff is collecting small unwrapped toys and sweatshirts for the children that this organization helps. If you are interested in donating you can drop your donations off at our office located at 2801 Jefferson Street in Carlsbad, CA. Or contact NCSC directly by going to their website at www.solutionsforchange.org to find out more information.

Please become a fan of our Facebook page so you can have a shot at being our Fan of the Week winner. Go to www.facebook.com/tagueinsurance

Ping Pong Picker - Fan of the Week #11

Week #11 Drawing....If you are the winner please email your mailing address to info@tagueins.com so we can send out your $25 Visa card. Please tell your FB Friends to "Like" our page so we can hit 500 Fans by the end of the year!!!!

Tague Insurance Celebrates 40 Years In Business

Steve Tague started the Tague Insurance Agency in Carlsbad, Ca forty years ago. Steve has been a fixture in the local Carlsbad community. Dedicating his time over the years to the Boys & Girls Club and other organizations.

The staff at Tague Insurance enjoy working with local residents as well as clients from all over Southern California. We are blessed to serve over 5000 clients with personal and business insurance.

Congratulations Steve on 40 years...we look forward to many more wonderful years ahead! Thank you to our clients who have made these past 40 years possible, without you Tague Insurance would not exist.

Fan Bounce - Facebook Fan of the Week #10

Tague Insurance brings you another Facebook Fan drawing. Tague Insurance loves rewarding our fans. Some of them are auto insurance or home insurance clients, some are fans that do not currently work with Tague Insurance. We look forward to these fun drawings each week and hope that our Facebook Fans find them funny and enjoyable.

Congrats to this week's winner, Christopher Rusk. You won a $25.00 Visa card!!!

Fan Crush - Tague Insurance Fan of the Week Drawing #9

Tague loves rewarding our Facebook Fans with our weekly Fan of the Week drawing. Congratulations to this week's winner. Please visit our Facebook Fan page and click the "Like" button. Being a Fan of Tague Insurance's Fan page does not allow people to access your private information. People only see what you post or make public. So you can become of Fan of Tague Insurance with comfort and confidence. Start enjoying the fun we have and maybe we will have a chance to quote your personal and business insurance. We have been saving our clients tons of money for years. In fact, Tague Insurance has been saving people money for exactly 40 years! Call us today to start saving on your auto, home, or business insurance.

Tague Insurance: Facebook Fan of the Week Drawing #8

We are pushing toward a goal of 500 Facebook Fans by 12-31-2010. Please become a Fan of Tague Insurance on Facebook. You could be one of our lucky weekly winners! Tague Insurance enjoys having fun with our clients and prospects, but at the same time is very serious about providing the best insurance coverage at the most affordable rates. We would love to provide you an estimate for your auto, home, life, or business insurance.

Remember to become a Facebook Fan today! Congrats to our Week #8 Fan of the Week....

Tague Insurance: Facebook Fan of the Week Drawing #7

Congratulations to our winner....you won a $25 Visa Card!!! Tague Insurance sincerely appreciates our Facebook Fans.

Spread the word to all your Facebook Friends to Like our page so they have a chance at winning.

*** Winners: please email your mailing address to info@tagueins.com so we can send out your gift card.

www.tagueins.com

Tague Insurance: Facebook Fan of the Week Drawing #6

This week Tague Insurance introduced the "Featured Fan" to help assist our staff in choosing the Fan of the Week winner. Thanks to our Featured Fan and congratulations to this week's winner!

Please tell all your FB Friends to come and Like our page. All Tague Insurance Fans have a shot at being the Featured Fan and or winning the Fan of the Week drawing!!! Spread the word.

Tague Insurance: Fan of the Week Drawing #4

Tague Insurance congratulates this week's winner. Remember to tell all your FB Friends about our Tague Insurance Facebook page and ask them to become a Fan.

Fan of the Week Winner Week#4...watch the video to see if you are a winner! If you did win please email your mailing address to info@tagueins.com so we can send out your $25 Visa card. Have a great weekend and please tell your FB Friends to Fan our page.






Become a Fan of Tague Insurance today and you could be a winner in our Fan of the Week drawing! Go to www.facebook.com/tagueinsurance

Tague Insurance Facebook Fan of the Week - Drawing #2

Tague Insurance congratulates our winners from the week two drawing! Please tell all your Facebook Friends to become a Fan of Tague Insurance on Facebook. We are trying to have a little fun with insurance. Check out the video below to see who won:



Check out Tague Insurance on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tagueinsurance

Tague Insurance launches Facebook Page With A Bang

Tague Insurance wanted to kick start our Facebook outreach to our clients and prospects by holding a 100 Fans in 10 Days incentive. We gave out $150 in prizes to five lucky winners. Go check out our Facebook page to see the video and details of this incentive.

Become a Fan of our Tague Insurance Facebook page for a chance to be one of the weekly winners!

Status Update:
The drawing is complete...the winners have been selected! Thank you to all our FB Fans. Watch the video below for the drawing and winners. If you are a winner please send an email to info@tagueins.com with your mailing address so we can send out your winnings. Reference: Facebook Winner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scHYzNv5lks



Check out Tague Insurance on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tagueinsurance

Tague Insurance - Insuring A Safe Summer

The article below has some great information on things you should consider as Summer approaches. Tague Insurance is here to help our clients obtain the insurance coverage they need to protect their families and businesses. San Diego County is a wonderful area with tons of fun Summer activities to do so make sure that you "insure" a safe Summer!



Are You Liable For Summer Fun?

Ready, Set, Summer!
Summer generally arrives with a huge surge in personal activities. School ends and parents start searching for leisure and recreational activities for themselves and their children. The activities range from elaborate vacations or summer-long camps to simply buying play and sports equipment (or getting it out of storage) and renewing park and pool passes.

Summer Fun's Dark Side
It is important to remember that good, clean fun can also have consequences when things go wrong. Using sports equipment such as tennis racquets, baseballs, baseball bats, Frisbees, lawn darts, or horseshoes has the potential to harm others. Danger accompanies the operation of skateboards, bikes, mopeds, go-karts, and radio-controlled cars, helicopters and planes. An even larger area of concern may involve inviting friends over to use your driveway, play equipment or swimming pool. The potential liability comes from either you having fun at the expense of other persons or their property, or failing to take precautions that persons you've invited to your residence (or other places) are safe to enjoy themselves.

How To Preserve Your Fun
The easiest way to prepare for your summer liability is to ask yourself some questions:
What can I do to keep other persons safe from my activities?
Am I prepared to be responsible for people I hurt or property I damage?
How do I make my home and yard safe for fun-seeking visitors?
Am I keeping my guests to various events safe?
While accidents happen, many can be prevented by making sure that you and your children enjoy your activities responsibly. Operating bikes safely and in low traffic areas reduces the chance that others will be hurt. The proper use of games and equipment also make the likelihood of having someone injured more remote. In other words, it's important that your family uses sports and game equipment safely and appropriately. Adult supervision is critical for potentially dangerous activities such as the use of motorized recreational equipment, trampolines, and swimming pools (including small wading pools). It's also important to make certain that guests you invite for camping or hiking trips are watched after carefully. In many instances, you are responsible for the safety of your guests when you invite them to enjoy outdoor activities, particularly boating or other activities involving water-related equipment.

Home Inspection
Another way to reduce the chance of others being hurt is to do an inspection of your home and yard. Do you have an adequate fence (with secure or self-locking gate) to protect young children from a pool when you're not around? Is your playground equipment well-maintained and strong enough to support the weight of the children using it? Is your yard and driveway free of tripping hazards? Are dangerous items such as tools, chemicals and lawn equipment kept out of reach of children? If you can answer "no" to any of these questions, you're inviting trouble.

Insurance Plays A Role
When accidents happen, they may be followed by medical expenses and, more seriously, lawsuits. You must be protected against such financial consequences. Don't assume you have coverage, especially when an activity involves motorized or powered equipment. You may have to add coverage to your homeowner policy or even buy special coverage for mini-bikes, mopeds, boats, all-terrain vehicles, etc.

So make safety a part of getting ready for summer fun. It's also smart to include a visit or call to your insurance professional to make sure you have the right coverage to support a fun summer.
COPYRIGHT: Insurance Publishing Plus, Inc. 2000, 2005


If you need to review your auto insurance, home insurance, or business insurance please contact Tague Insurance today. We are a local independent Carlsbad CA Insurance agent who has been writing insurance in Carlsbad and San Diego County for over 32 years! We love helping our clients get the protection they need by insuring the things that are most important to them.

Tague Insurance Agency
2801 Jefferson Street
PO Box 429
Carlsbad, CA 92018

Phone (760) 729-1143
Fax (760) 729-8617
info@tagueins.com
www.tagueins.com

Tague Insurance - Home Insurance and Auto Insurance Questions

AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE

1. Have you considered increasing your deductible to lower your premiums?

2. Are your liability limits adequate to protect your income and assets from a negligent lawsuit?

3. Do you presently insure all of the vehicles in your household?

4. Are all the licensed drivers in your household listed on your automobile policy?

5. If you own a pickup or a van, does it contain any customized equipment?

6. Do you own any camping or recreational vehicles (including electric or gasoline driven golf cart)?

7. Do you have a non-factory installed stereo system?

8. Do you have a vehicle, not your own, furnished for your use?

9. Do you have rental car coverage in the event your car is damaged in an accident?

10. Have you reviewed your auto insurance in the last two years?

11. Would you like to review the current limits and other coverage's on your vehicles to see if they are still suited to your needs?

HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE / RENTERS INSURANCE1

1. Do you own any antiques, fine art, or paintings?

2. Do you own any jewelry, furs, or silverware valued over $500?

3. Do you own any guns?

4. Do you have replacement cost contents coverage added to your policy?

5. Do you presently have either a burglar, fire or smoke alarm in your home?

6. Have you remodeled your home recently? Do you plan to in the near future?

7. Would you like an estimate of your home's replacement cost at today's prices?

8. Do you own a second home or any other real property such as a mountain cabin or farm property?

9. Do you conduct any business or give private lessons in your home?

10. Do you own any rental or investment property?

11. Do you have an Excess Liability (umbrella) policy which extends your automobile and homeowners liability coverage to $1,000,000 or more?

12. Would you like us to send a form to assist you in making an inventory of your personal property?

13. Have you reviewed your homeowners coverage in the last 2 years?

14. Do you currently have a photo inventory of your personal property?

15. Would you like a review of your current homeowners coverage?

Getting a CLUE from Tague Insurance Agency

Source: Safeco Insurance Company




Getting a CLUE

A little detective work can reveal a lot about a property's history, and could save you from unexpected surprises later. Before you buy your dream home, order a loss report. The five years of claims history the report offers can give you a better perspective on your biggest financial investment.

It's Called CLUE, But It's No Mystery
Most insurance companies, including Safeco, use the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) to see if a home has had significant losses in the past five years. The information helps consumers decide whether to insure a house, and if so, for how much. CLUE reports are available online. Buyers and sellers can request a copy as they begin the home-buying process.

The Internet Accelerates Information Sharing
Before CLUE, insurance companies would call the home's previous insurer, or insurers, to find out if damage was repaired. Internet technology made this information sharing much faster and more convenient for everyone. Now, a CLUE report is readily available to insurers and consumers, and accelerates the insurance application process.

The Earlier You Find Out About Risks, the Better
If you're buying a house, it's a good idea to request the CLUE report at the same time you make your initial offer. That way, if there has been serious damage or repair to the house, you can let your home inspector know what to look for. CLUE reports also help home sellers. Reviewing the report before listing a house allows a seller to be completely honest or make sure repairs have fixed the original problem.

Calls Are Tracked, But Not a Factor
In some states, CLUE reports may include calls homeowners have made about potential claims, even if no payment occurred. At Safeco, these "claims without payment" are not a factor in the acceptance or pricing of new policies.


We hope the information from Safeco Insurance regarding CLUE reports was helpful. If you would like to get more information about auto or home insurance please contact Tague Insurance Agency at 760-729-1143. Tague Insurance is located in Carlsbad, CA and proudly serves the insurance needs of San Diego County.

Tague Alliance is a sister company of Tague Insurance and Tague Alliance currently has 52 member agencies located throughout Southern California. No matter where you live or work in Southern California we have professional insurance agents who can help you save money on your car insurance, home insurance, and business insurance.