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

Change of Plans - Tague Insurance Fan of the Week #23

Our boss told us to close the office early today, so we followed his instructions. Due to our early closing we had to change our plans for picking this week's winner. Watch the video below to see if you are the lucky Tague Insurance Fan of the Week.

Happy New Year's Eve and have a safe and fun time!

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!

Tague Insurance Holiday Hoodie & Toy Drive!

This holiday season, Tague Insurance is supporting North County Solutions for Change in Vista by collecting hoodies (hooded sweatshirts) and toys for children in our community!

North County Solutions for Change has a driving commitment to ensure that every child has a home. They help homeless families get back on their feet by providing support and permanent solutions to those that need help.

If you would like to support our Holiday cause this year, please bring a new, unwrapped hoodie sweatshirt (any size), or a new unwrapped toy for a child or teen to our office in Carlsbad (2801 Jefferson St). Your donation will help bring a smile to a child's face during this holiday season!

For more info on North County Solutions for Change, please visit their website at http://solutionsforchange.org/index.htm

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

Random - Tague Insurance Fan of the Week #16

Congrats to Kevin Bracker on being this week's winner!

Tague Insurance is having a great time with our fans and we are appreciative that you have chosen to be a Facebook Fan of our page. If you need a quote on insurance or have any general questions about insurance we would love to be a resource for your needs. Tague Insurance has been writing auto insurance and home insurance in Carlsbad, CA and San Diego County for over 40 years. During that time we have served thousands of clients and helped them save money on auto insurance and home insurance, as well as business insurance.

Enjoy the video from this week's drawing and enjoy your weekend:

Tague Insurance - Renter's Insurance Needs

If you are renting an apartment, condo, or home there are some very important things you should consider.

Did you know that you may be able to fully offset the cost of Renter's Insurance by combining your Auto Insurance and Renter's Insurance with the same company?

For example: one of our companies offers a basic Renter's Insurance policy for about $120 per year. The average savings on the combined auto policy usually runs about $90-$150 per year depending on the cost of the auto insurance. Tague Insurance can save you money today.

In addition to saving money you need to understand some of the important protection that a Renter's Insurance policy provides you. Take a look at the article below for some valuable information. Please feel free to contact Tague Insurance with any questions you have.

Renters’ Insurance Needs

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Persons who live in apartments or rent a residence are fortunate. Most insurance companies can protect their assets and belongings by using a policy that is designed especially for tenants. Typical policies cover your possessions for common causes of loss, additional living expenses related to making other living arrangements, medical expenses for treating people injured on your premises and, of course, lawsuits.

Property Coverage

Protection under a standard renters policy is on an actual cash value basis (item’s replacement cost less depreciation).

Example: Stewart’s kitchen catches fire and his five year old refrigerator is destroyed. A new model of the refrigerator costs $750. His insurance company pays him $162, explaining that it’s the effect of five years of deteriorating value. Most companies offer coverage on a replacement cost basis if you purchase a separate endorsement.

Theft Limitations

Certain types of property are quite vulnerable to being stolen, therefore very limited coverage is available for items such as jewelry, furs, gems, gold, silverware, pewterware, money, securities, guns and accessories. Protection can be increased by adding additional coverage to the tenant policy or by purchasing a personal article floater policy.

Additional Living Expenses

A typical tenant policy provides a limit equal to 20% of your contents insurance limit. If your contents limit is $15,000, then your additional living expenses limit will be $3,000.

Liability Coverage

Liability insurance covers you for injury you cause to others and for damage to property that belongs to others. The policy also provides for the cost of a lawyer (if necessary) and most court costs. Examples of liability claims include: slips and falls; beaning a neighbor’s child with a baseball; hitting a golfer with your errant hook shot; or a friend breaking her hip when she trips on a skateboard your child left on the stairs.

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