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Insurance Appraisals Help You Select Coverage for Your Valued Belongings  

Your Great Aunt Marge has always known how much you admire her antique Turkish rug, so, during an extensive remodel of her home, she gifts it to you. Now you couldn’t imagine your living room without it. So, you pick up the phone and call your independent insurance agent to ask if it’s covered under Personal Property on your homeowners, condo or renters policy.

While your policy notes that you have $40,000 worth of Personal Property coverage, it also states that only $1,000 of that can go toward rugs at any one time. You’re not even sure how much the rug is worth, but you think it’s more than that.

When you bring the question to your insurance agent, her reply is: Get it appraised. With an appraisal, she can designate or “schedule” specific coverage for it on your policy – regardless of any coverage limits your policy imposes.

It seems perfectly logical, until you realize you’re not quite sure how to go about getting a personal property appraisal for insurance. These three tips will help:

1. Collect all the information you can about the item. How much did Great Aunt Marge pay for the rug? When? Was it new or used at the time? What are its dimensions? What kind of condition is it in? Who is the manufacturer? All of these details and more could aid a professional appraiser in creating an insurance appraisal report on the item or collection of items.  
2. Choose your appraiser carefully. You can get an appraisal online just by submitting photos, or you may want someone who will examine your item personally. Either way, you’ll need to pay a fee for the service. Before moving forward with an individual appraiser or an appraisal service, check for reviews online or ask for references. Ask other questions, too: What are your qualifications, specialties, rates, etc.? Be sure to let the person know you’re looking for an insurance appraisal so he/she can calculate the cost of replacing the item. Also ask your insurance agent whether your carrier has any specific guidelines on what type of appraisal it will or will not accept.  
3. Get a copy of your insurance appraisal report. Your completed appraisal report should include a detailed description of the item, its value, how the value was determined and the appraiser’s name. Share the report with your insurance agent. Your carrier may require a copy of it, too. And, of course, keep your own copy in a safe place, such as your home safe, for your records.

Now that you’ve gone through the process of getting a personal property appraisal, keep in mind that the value of your item may change in the coming years. You will likely want to get it appraised again, possibly as soon as 2 to 5 years after the initial appraisal. Ask your appraiser for his/her recommendation on how often to get it appraised.

As its value changes, be sure the amount you have it insured for does, too. That way, if it’s stolen or destroyed in a covered incident, you may have a higher likelihood of being able to purchase a suitable replacement.

It’s oh-so nice to fill your home with the things you love. It’s also nice to protect them with your homeowners, condo or renters policy. To check on or update your Personal Property coverage, contact your independent agent today.

To learn more about appraisals and appraisers, visit the American Society of Appraisers.

Resolve to Practice Better Privacy Habits Online  

Looking for New Year’s resolutions with more staying power than most? This year, how about resolving to be privacy-aware?

The Internet and social media in particular have made it easy to share more of our personal lives with our friends. But, it’s also become easier to share with people we don’t even know.

Online privacy isn’t just about protecting your personal information — name, address and birthdate — to help prevent identity theft. It’s also about protecting you and your family from public embarrassment, from private conversations going public, and from stalking and bullying.

If you’re unsure whether you and your family are exposed or protected online, take a look at these four social media resolutions and adopt the ones that make sense for you. And, make this year more secure than last.

1. I will review the privacy and security settings on my social media accounts. Take an hour or so to evaluate and update the privacy settings on all the social sites you use. Facebook will probably require the most attention, because there are so many ways to share personal information (maybe more than you’re aware of) and so many options for limiting access to your info. You can control who sees your posts, who posts to your timeline, who contacts you, who looks you up and whether search engines can link to your timeline.
   Review the privacy settings on your other social media accounts, too, from LinkedIn down to Twitter, Snapchat and Pinterest.
   If you only use a site to connect with a small circle of friends, then you can probably select the most restrictive privacy settings for the greatest protection. For help, try these social media privacy setting tips from the Center for Identity at the University of Texas at Austin.  
2. I resolve to think twice about what I share online. Sharing information about yourself is the whole point of social media. But, once you’ve shared online, it’s very hard to un-share. Certain information may always be available to someone who knows where to look. And, even if your accounts are private, someone in your network may share what you’ve posted with their own network. You can truly never know how far your posts may travel, so think twice before posting:
   • Your full birthdate. Share the month and day, if you like, but leave out the year you were born.
   • Photos with geotag information that may allow strangers to identify where they were taken and thus where you live or where your kids go to school. Check your smartphone camera settings to turn off geotagging – ask Google for instructions, if needed.
   • The address or other identifying factors of your home, office or child’s school. Even a photo showing the license plate number of your new car could reveal too much.
   • Photos of other children unless you have their parents’ permission.
   • Your travel plans. Posting about your trip before you leave or while you’re gone lets others know your home is unoccupied.
   • Anything you wouldn’t want someone outside your network to read, such as a rant about your job or sensitive information about your work. Such posts have led to people getting fired.
3. I will not allow strangers or untrustworthy people into my social networks. You may be flattered by a pretty stranger’s interest, or blinded by your pursuit to reach 1,000 friends. But, it’s simply not safe until you know who they are and why they want to get closer to you.
   In a similar category are the casual acquaintances you just made at all those holiday parties. Let the relationships ripen before you give them access to your personal information. And, be careful about your real-life friends who connect with anyone and everyone via social media; your secrets may be available to strangers through them.  
4. I resolve to monitor my youngest children’s social media use and to make the risks clear to my older children. Children of all ages can be naïve – or just careless – about the impacts of online sharing. It’s hard for them to grasp that something they share online today could impact their college or job opportunities long after the post was made. Plus, they could be putting their personal safety at risk by sharing too much with the wrong person.
   Even once you allow them freer access online, it’s wise to monitor them until you feel confident in their decision making. Discuss frankly the risks that come from sharing too much, and the practices that reduce those risks. By staying involved, you can have an impact on how your teens use social media even when you’re not looking over their shoulder.

The Internet is a big place, and, while our own social networks may feel familiar and secure, they sometimes aren’t. So, connect and post with care, and adjust your privacy settings before sending that next Tweet.

5 Reasons Why Your Auto Insurance Rates May Seem High

I hear it from drivers from all walks of life: “I’m paying too much for car insurance.” Seems we all know someone who’s paying way less, and we want to cut our own rates, too.

As independent insurance agents, we can check with multiple carriers on your behalf to find out if you may indeed be paying more than you need to. If so, we can switch you to another carrier, even in the middle of a policy term.

However, due to certain circumstances, it’s not always possible to pay less for car insurance. Here are five of them:

1. You drive a high-performance or specialty vehicle. You have absolutely no interest in driving a standard sedan – boring! You want something sleek, with performance and speed, and it won’t just cost you at the dealership. It will cost you in terms of auto insurance, too. You can expect your car insurance rates to reflect the increased repair costs of a high-performance vehicle, or the rarity of a limited-production vehicle. There are ways to help bring down your insurance costs, however. One may be storing your vehicle in a secure garage when it’s not in use.  
2. You chose a low deductible. A low deductible seems like an attractive choice. That way, if you get into a car accident, you’re only responsible for a small amount of the repair costs. However, this can cost you more upfront. Generally speaking, deductibles and premiums have an inverse relationship. You’ll likely pay more in premium the lower your deductible is. So, you may want to choose a deductible you’ll be comfortable paying in the event of an accident rather than the lowest deductible possible.  
3. You are younger than 25. Sorry to be a buzzkill but that youthful optimism you feel about blazing your own trail through life doesn’t quite extend to your auto insurance premium. Drivers between the ages of 18-25 oftentimes pay more for car insurance. Why? You’ve yet to establish your own insurance history, and you don’t yet have a very robust driving record either. But, don’t fret. Stay insured, maintain a clean driving history and avoid claims, and you may see your premium start to drop over time.  
4. You have one or more violations on your driving record. Traffic was flowing so freely you didn’t even realize you were driving 11 miles over the speed limit. Then you saw the flashing lights in your rearview mirror. Busted. Unfortunately, you won’t just be on the hook to pay your speeding ticket. You may be on the hook to pay higher insurance premiums for a set number of years following the ticket, as well. Because drivers who collect citations like they’re going out of style can be seen as reckless and more likely to file claims.  
5. You require an SR-22. If those violations keep adding up or you have a more serious infraction, a judge may order you to carry an SR-22. It’s a certificate verifying your have insurance coverage that your carrier files with the court. You’ll likely incur a cost to have the SR-22 filed on your behalf, and your car insurance premium may increase as a result of all those violations. You’ll simply have to wait it out, typically for three years, until you’re able to remove the SR-22 from your policy.

If you find yourself in one of these situations, it’s true: You may be paying more for your car insurance than your friends and neighbors pay for theirs. If you’re unhappy with your auto insurance rates, reach out to an independent agent. We have a plethora of resources to help you research other carriers or possibly even discover ways to save with your current one.

Drive and Decorate Carefully to Help Avoid an Insurance Claim This Holiday Season  

The holidays are a special time of the year with friends, family, loved ones and … your insurance company? Yes, your insurance company may play a role in your holiday season for a variety of reasons, and not just for winter storm claims or winter auto accident claims, either.

Here’s a look at three potential holiday claims scenarios and how your insurance may help:

1. Dazzled by the Lights Distracted driving is always dangerous, and slick winter roads especially deserve your full attention. So, if you’re in the driver’s seat while your family oohs and ahhs over the local light displays, be sure your attention is on the road. If you see a particularly spectacular display, pull over to have a better look. And, watch out for other distracted drivers. If you do cause a fender bender, it’s helpful to have collision coverage and rental car coverage on your auto policy. The former helps with repairs to your own vehicle. The latter helps cover the cost of a vehicle to drive while yours is in the shop.  
2. Smoldering Stockings You’ve hung the stockings and garland on the mantle with care. And, now with a fire blazing in the fireplace, you risk setting it all aflame. Be sure to err on the safe side with your décor and keep all flammable objects safely away from the fire. That means you may have to make a choice: Dismantle your perfect mantle display before lighting the fire or don’t light it at all.
   Should you experience smoke or fire damage due a fire in your fireplace, you will most likely receive coverage under your homeowners or condo policy to help with the recovery. For homeowners, it’s smart to have enough coverage to fully rebuild your home in case an out-of-control fire consumes it. To check whether you have the coverage you want, ask an independent agent about cost to rebuild.  
3. Blackout on Your Block You lost control of your vehicle on that patch of black ice and went right into an electric pole. The ensuing blackout enrages one neighbor in particular, and she later sues you for ruining her annual holiday soiree. She wants damages for her pain and suffering, as well as to recoup the costs of the carolers and caterers she had hired. As a homeowner or renter, you likely have liability coverage on your home or renters policy. This coverage may come to your defense during a lawsuit to help you cover legal fees, settlements and more.

Given the frightful weather and the fact that everyone’s rushing about trying to make the most of the holidays, incidents – and claims – are bound to occur. Be sure you have insurance in place before they do.

Of course, whether or not any claim is covered will depend on what happened and what type of coverage your policy provides. So, know your policy just as well as you know your favorite holiday tunes. You may need to rely on that policy to help you get through a holiday hurdle, but we certainly hope that’s not the case.

Enjoy the season – safely!