How to buy home owners insurance

Buying homeowners insurance can be simple when you put a few fundamentals in place and it is always a good idea to seek professional help. Before we get into how to buy home insurance, if you need immediate assistance and would like to look into a new home insurance policy in California, please give us a call. We have professional home insurance agents standing by to help you get better home insurance rates! Call today 916 313 6100

Looking for a good home insurance company

The first step in buying home insurance should be locating a good and reputable company. A good indication of a solid company is found within how they handle insurance claims. Customer service, how long they’ve been around, company values and how their customers feel about them (online reviews) are a few things to look for. 

Typically homeowners change home insurance companies when they find a better price. Sometimes this may be a great idea and on the surface it always looks like the right move. The reality is it’s not always the best choice when the policy doesn’t meet your true needs. 

Another thing you may want to think about is the time involved in finding a good company. One of the easiest ways to find the company that’s right for you is to seek professional help. At Eugene C Yates Insurance Agency the agents are licensed professional and have access to some of the best home insurance companies in the industry. 

If you’re in California and would like to get professional help finding a good home insurance company, please give us a call. We would love to help you get better home insurance! 916 313 6100

Finding the right homeowners insurance coverage

Auto insurance usually comes with state mandated rules and regulations. Homeowners insurance is different. It’s not a state requirement in every state and usually only mandatory if you have a mortgage on the home. Being that coverage is a requirement due to the mortgage lender, the amount of coverage you carry would have to cover the debt if the worst were to happen. 

If you don’t do your due diligence there’s always the chance you can end up underinsured. In a situation like this you may be left with paying a considerable amount for your rebuild or repairs. 

On the flip side, being overinsured isn’t going to help you much either. No one wants to over pay for insurance. Making it even more important to make sure your estimates are correct. 

At Eugene C Yates Insurance Agency we help you get the information you need to make the right decision.You’re going to want to make sure you buy enough home insurance to cover the materials and supplies necessary to rebuild the home completely. Your home insurance agent can always help you to figure this amount out. Call us today 916 313 6100

Make sure you cover your assets in the home

Most standard home insurance policies come very basic in terms of coverage. There are additional add ons, options, and separate coverages that will add to the cost of your rate. Although, in the long run they may save you money. 

Some home insurance companies may have these options included and some may not. Insurance companies will carry from company to company. As well as state rules and regulations will Avery from state to state. It’s always best to check with your insurance agent so you know exactly what you’re covered for.

A few add-ons you may want to look into are;

Earthquake, hail and windstorm protection. Natural disasters like these aren’t typically included in your standard home insurance policy. Although, you can purchase them as add-ons to your policy. 

Sewer backup. This coverage will cover you if a municipal line failure created sewage to be backed up, into the insured home. On average this add-on will cost between $40 and $100 per year.

Extended replacement cost. This coverage typically pays between 10 and 50 percent above the coverage limit, if building costs increase after a serious disaster. There is coverage called “guaranteed replacement cost” that runs higher in premium costs but will replace the cost to rebuilt the home no matter the going rate. The benefits for these programs vary form comp[any to company and state to state, so please check with an agent to see what available to you. 

Contents replacement cost. Most standard home insurance policies may reimburse only the depreciated value, or the actual cash value, if something were to happen. If you’re looking to avoid having to pay the difference replacing any possessions, ask about replacement cost coverage. 

Additional valuables. Your standard homeowners insurance policy will put a dollar limit on what the home insurance company will pay to replace valuables like firearms, furs, jewelry, and home business property to name a few. For example if your jewelry were to be stolen, you may have a maximum limit of $2,500 that you will be paid out. You can use a floater to supplement this. It will raise the coverage on your more valuable items. 

Inflation protection. This coverage will automatically raise your coverage to match the annual increases in costs in homebuilding. Typically this is called inflation guard. 

If you have additional questions regarding home insurance, please reach out to one of our agents. They are experts when it comes to home insurance and would’ve to help you get a better rate today! Call us now, we’re nice people! 916 313 6100