Protect Your Investment One of your biggest investments is your home, both financially and emotionally. We’ve all seen pictures of people in the newspaper after a house fire or tornado, heard stories of those whose homes have been burglarized. Their pain and loss are evident and that much worse if they are uninsured. When crime or bad weather strikes, the last thing you need is financial distress; that’s when you need your money and energy to recover what home insurance can’t.
Nuts and Bolts of Homeowners Insurance
Home insurance policies issued by different companies are not the same, but all have a similar structure. Essentially a basic policy has two parts—property and liability.
The property portion concern loss to your property due to certain events (termed “perils” in insurance lingo) such as theft, severe weather, and fire.
- A punk sneaks into your garage and steals your new bikes.
- Squirrels get into your attic and gnaw some wires, causing an electrical fire.
- While you are off enjoying the Fishing Opener, a thief breaks in and ransacks your place.
- A beautiful summer afternoon turns dangerous, with thunderstorms and straight-line winds taking a toll on your house and landscaping.
The liability portion concerns expenses you are legally obligated to pay if you are sued for injuring another or damaging another’s property. It also addresses costs related to your legal defense.
- Your child makes a beautiful slap shot while playing hockey on your backyard rink, but the puck hits his friend.
- Your new puppy makes the neighbor’s new deck furniture a chew toy.
- Your neighbor is dashing to catch the bus and slips on the sidewalk you hadn’t gotten around to shoveling yet.
These examples aren’t unique or rare, rather they are a typical part of life and are often expensive. The costs of replacing possessions, rebuilding, repairing, medical care, and lawsuits can mount quickly.
Don’t just “hope for the best.” Hope for the best AND prepare for the worst by getting a home insurance quote and purchasing insurance. Then, when the inevitable happens, you can turn to your insurance company to help with the financial hit.
Get Good Advice
The cost of home insurance depends on several factors:
- the age and condition of your home
- the location of your home
- how much coverage you want
- what kinds of coverage you want
Insurance is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Andreotti Insurance understands how these factors impact cost and, when you ask for a quote, will advise you on any ways to reduce your costs by qualifying for discounts. For example, installing smoke detectors or window locks often reduces a homeowners insurance premium.
In addition Andreotti Insurance Agency can advise you on coverage questions.
- Should you get enough insurance to cover what it would cost to replace your home and personal property or just enough to cover the current depreciated value?
- Should you opt for a policy that covers all risks except for those specifically excluded in the written policy (“all risk”) or a policy that covers only those risks itemized in the policy (“named perils”)?
- Should you add dedicated coverage for specific items through an “endorsement” to the policy?
Rely on Your Andreotti Insurance to Help with Claims
Your agent will advise you on how to document your possessions now to make the claims process easier later. At the time of a claim, Andreotti Insurance Agency will act as your advocate and representative, making sure your claim is paid appropriately and promptly.
Contact Us for a Homeowners Insurance Quote
Andreotti Insurance is an independent agency, thus works with many insurance companies and many different policies. The agency was started by Frank Andreotti, an insurance professional with over eighteen years of experience. The agency is located at 6230 10th St N, Suite 430, Oakdale, MN 55128 and works with residents of the greater Twin Cities metro and eastern Wisconsin. Call us at 651-739-9302.
