Homeowners insurance and severe weather

Understanding Homeowners Insurance in Savannah, GA amid Severe Weather Conditions

In the United States, particularly in Savannah, GA, extreme weather conditions often cause a significant surge in homeowners insurance claims. Homeowners devoid of adequate coverage are left vulnerable to skyrocketing repair costs after a storm. Conversely, those homeowners who have invested in insurance have a higher chance of attaining financial support from their insurer. TruePoint Insurance offers suitable coverage to safeguard a homeowner’s most valuable investment.

The Impact of Adverse Weather on Homeowners in Savannah, GA

A wide variety of natural phenomena, including wind, rain, lightning, hail, snowfall, ice storms, and hurricanes, can ravage homes in severe weather conditions. The aftermath of a severe weather event can range from minimal damage to extensive destruction. With the appropriate insurance policy in effect, homeowners can rest assured that they are covered.

Frequency of Extreme Weather Inflictions

While it is challenging to foresee the likelihood of severe weather far into the future, homeowners in coastal locales, such as Savannah, GA, should acknowledge that weather-related damage is a distinct possibility. This scenario is particularly relevant for major weather events like hurricanes that typically wreak the most havoc in cities and towns in proximity to the coastline.

Is Flood Damage Included in Homeowners Insurance?

It is crucial to remember that standard homeowners insurance policies do not account for flood damage. Homeowners residing in flood-prone areas should investigate whether they require additional flood coverage.

Contact TruePoint Insurance for More Information

We encourage you to contact our agents at TruePoint Insurance for further information or queries on the topics discussed. We are eager to assist you in establishing a homeowners insurance policy and managing other related insurance matters.

Why You Need Condo Insurance

Like any other home, condos need insurance coverage to protect your costly investment. If you’ve recently purchased a condo in Savannah, GA, talk to your TruePoint Insurance agent about condo insurance. Your condo association’s master insurance policy only covers so much, mainly the exterior of your building and common grounds. That leaves you responsible for your unit’s interior and personal goods. That’s where an individual condo policy comes in.   

Why You Need Condo Insurance

If your condo were to catch fire tomorrow and most of your goods were destroyed, would you have the financial resources to recover your losses on your own? If your answer is no, you need condo insurance. No one is immune to accidents or disasters. Insurance helps you prepare for the unexpected to avoid financial ruin.

Condo insurance picks up where your condo association’s master policy leaves off. It covers risks like theft, vandalism, fire, flooding caused by faulty plumbing, and liability incidents that stem from accidents on your property.

Coverage Options

Condo insurance has multiple coverage options to protect you and your property.

Property insurance protects your belongings by covering their repair or replacement cost if they’re stolen or damaged in a covered peril like fire. This includes your wardrobe, furniture, electronics, pots, pans, sports gear, musical instruments, jewelry, and anything else you own in the condo.

Liability coverage protects you against accidental injuries to others on your property, such as a head injury from a slip and fall. If the injury requires medical care, your liability insurance protects your assets by covering doctor or hospital costs.  

Loss of use coverage helps pay for your living expenses elsewhere if your condo is temporarily unlivable due to disaster damage.

To learn more about condo insurance policies and costs, contact TruePoint Insurance in Savannah, GA.

Frequently asked questions about home insurance

When you buy a home, it is crucial to keep it protected. One way you can protect your home is by purchasing insurance for it. When searching for home insurance, it is normal to have questions. Here are some common questions and answers to those questions regarding home insurance.

Is home insurance required in Georgia?

Technically, home insurance is not required in the state of Georgia. While the state doesn’t mandate home insurance, most lenders require home insurance to get a mortgage. Even if no one requires home insurance, it is still a good idea to get it.

What is the replacement cost vs. the actual cash value?

The replacement cost is the amount it would cost to rebuild your home completely. The actual cash value is the amount your home is worth when you file a claim.

What types of home insurance coverage are available?

Several types of home insurance coverage are available. You have to check in with your insurance company to ensure you have the proper protection for your needs. Below, we will talk about some of the common types of coverage.

Dwelling coverage

Dwelling coverage protects the inner and outer structure of the house.

Other structures

Other structures coverage refers to other buildings and structures on your property, such as fences, barns, sheds, and detached garages.

Personal belongings

Depending on your coverage, with personal belongings coverage, your insurance will pay to replace your belongings if they get stolen or damaged from a natural disaster or fire.

Loss of use

If your house becomes unlivable, your insurance will pay for your living expenses, such as hotel rooms, food, etc., up to a certain amount or until your house is livable again.

Liability

If someone gets injured or something damages their property, liability insurance takes care of those costs and any legal costs that might occur.

Contact TruePoint Insurance

Here at TruePoint Insurance, we can care for your insurance needs in Savannah, GA. Contact us for a quote.

Four Benefits of Condo Insurance

Investing in a condo can be exciting. However, as you immerse yourself in the glory of buying a condominium, don’t forget to purchase condo insurance. While you probably contribute to the condo owners association (COA) policy, this only covers damage and liabilities in shared areas. If you want to protect your assets, yourself, and loved ones, please invest in condo insurance.

So, you have purchased condo insurance from TruePoint Insurance. What are the benefits? Here is why condo insurance is worth every penny.

It gives you liability coverage.

Have you or your loved one been accused of inflicting bodily injury? Have you damaged your neighbor’s property? Whatever the case, you don’t have to cover the liability claims from your pocket — condo insurance can come to your rescue.

It covers your personal assets.

If you want to know how valuable your assets are, take a home inventory. You will realize your personal assets carry value, and thus it will be catastrophic to lose them to fire, theft, and other perils. So, invest in condo insurance if you want to protect your personal assets.

It can be customized.

Like home or auto insurance, your condo insurance can be personalized. You don’t have to purchase all the condo insurance policies. You just buy the ones that suit your current needs.

It gives you peace of mind.

Peace of mind is underrated. When you have fewer worries, this manifests in your health and other facets of your life. Condo insurance provides comfort, knowing that what you value most is protected. You don’t have to live on the edge thinking about fires, theft, and other threats.

Do the above benefits appeal to you? If you are in Savannah, GA, please contact TruePoint Insurance for an affordable quote.

Is a comprehensive home policy the right choice for your family?

Savannah, GA area residents can rely on the team at TruePoint Insurance for all of their home insurance needs. When it comes to helping our friends and neighbors with their policies, we are proud to serve our community. Learn more about what we offer by contacting our office.

Benefits of comprehensive homeowner’s policies

Owning a home and creating a sanctuary for you and your family is the bedrock of the American dream. Your dream needs to be protected, and having a comprehensive home insurance policy can do just that.

 When you select your home policy or consider an upgrade, it is worth the time to sit down with a local agent to review the available options. This can help you determine your insurance needs better and learn which policies can best meet them. There are a lot of policies that are available at many different limits and coverage amounts.

Choosing a comprehensive policy can benefit you by covering events that can often lead to financial responsibility otherwise. When you have a comprehensive policy with the proper coverage amount, you can rest assured that you will be prepared. None of us can predict the future, but we can plan to be ready. Having the right policy in place is a large part of this preparation. Find out more today!

We look forward to protecting you and your family!

TruePoint Insurance is here to serve all of the insurance needs of the greater Savannah, GA community. If you have questions about your homeowner’s policy or are in the process of buying a new home, we are here to help. Give us a call or stop by our local office today.

Protect your Georgia home with the right insurance policy

Are you a homeowner in the beautiful Savannah, GA area? If so, it’s time to get to know your neighbors at TruePoint Insurance. We are proud to help area residents with all of their insurance needs. Give us a call, or stop by our office today to find out how we can help you protect your home. 

Do you have the right insurance policy protecting your home?

Protecting your home with the right insurance policy is a large part of responsible homeownership. You may not overthink your various insurance policies, but you’ll be happy to have them if you experience a significant loss! Because of this, it’s vital that you have the right policy in place with the appropriate level of protection.

If it’s been a while since you’ve thought about your policy or given it a careful review, there’s no time like the present! Putting forth the effort to ensure that you have the right policy in place can save you a lot of headaches down the road. Home insurance serves many purposes, and giving it a regular review isn’t a bad idea at all.

Your home insurance policy is the first step in ensuring that your family home is protected now and well into the future. Making sure that you have the right policy for your needs is something your local agent can help you with.

Let us help you with all of your insurance needs!

Savannah, GA area residents can rely on TruePoint Insurance for help with their home insurance needs. Now’s a great time to find out if you have the right insurance policy for your home. If you want to find out more, give us a call or stop by today!

How Does a Home Insurance Deductible Work?

Most homeowners in Georgia have a basic understanding of their home insurance deductible. We all know that when we file a claim, we’ll be expected to put up a bit of money ourselves, typically a flat cash amount, in order to claim our check.

This roughly defines a deductible, but leaves us with a few unanswered questions.

For instance: Why?

Don’t we already pay a monthly premium? So what’s the deductible for?

Put simply, insurance companies will have policyholders pay a deductible when making a claim to ensure that the policyholder has some “skin in the game,” so to speak. The deductible helps to ensure that people can’t make frivolous claims. If home insurance covered every single loss with no deductible, there would be people filing a claim for missing TV remotes and lost socks. The deductible helps to discourage that kind of frivolous use of an insurance policy.

Also worth knowing: If you only plan to make an insurance claim in the event of your home burning down or something like that, you can pay lower premiums by setting a higher deductible. You generally don’t want to have a deductible higher than you could comfortably pay at a moment’s notice, but if you only plan to file a claim in extreme circumstances, it may be better to save money month to month with a higher deductible.

If you have any more questions about your home insurance deductible in Savannah, or if you’re looking to get covered, get in touch with TruePoint Insurance. TruePoint Insurance can help you to get a good deal on a great policy.

Making Mobilehomes Safer

Can you make your mobile home safer?
Making Mobilehomes Safer

Mobilehomes are vulnerable to serious damage from winds and storms since they are smaller and much lighter than stick-built or factory built homes. It is important to use reinforcements to make them more stable; such as tiedowns.

Tiedowns come in two basic types; over-the-top tiedowns and frame anchors. Over-the-top tiedowns are straps that resist lifting forces and minimize tipovers. They are usually used with single-wide mobilehomes. Strapping is placed with over the top of the roof or over the structure鈥檚 sides. Frame anchors are reinforcements that resist lateral forces, making a structure less vulnerable to sliding off supports

In order to stabilize a structure, the tiedowns must be properly anchored to a foundation, slab or the ground. Anchor types include the following:

路         Hard Rock Anchor

路         Concrete Slab Anchor

路         Cross Drive Rock Anchor

路         Drive or Barb Anchor

路         Auger Anchor

路         Disc Anchors

Straps and anchors have to be used properly and they have to meet various standards such as placement of anchors, anchor fittings, method of installation and ground/site conditions. When anchored to the ground, it may be necessary to make test its suitability as an anchor. If piers and footings are used they must be able to meet various requirements regarding weight support, dimensions, material quality, pier placement and other areas. Straps and anchors also have to meet requirements in order to be depended on to withstand the stresses winds and other forces.

Use of tiedowns varies by state, state regulations and soil type. Local building inspectors and mobile and manufactured home builder associations are excellent sources for anchoring and tiedown requirement information. Use of that valuable information, along with insurance, is great methods for fully protecting a mobilehome.


COPYRIGHT: Insurance Publishing Plus, Inc. 2017

All rights reserved. Production or distribution, whether in whole or in part, in any form of media or language; and no matter what country, state or territory, is expressly forbidden without written consent of Insurance Publishing Plus, Inc.

“Do I need Flood Insurance?” South Carolina and Georgia residents should start here.

 

How much do you know about Flood Insurance?  Learn more here.
Learn about flood insurance before the waters start to rise.

Who needs flood insurance? Many residents of Georgia and South Carolina are exposed to flood risk. Those living in coastal areas are like to be more at risk. Consider the following:

  • River Road – It seems wise that anyone living on River Road should check in to flood insurance.
  • Coastal Highway – Another great clue that suggests there is a heightened risk for flooding.
  • Lowcountry Since floods occur in low lying area, it’s probably wise to consider flood insurance if you live in a region known as the Lowcountry.

Anyone with Lender Requirement

Understanding mortgage requirements for flood insurance Flood Zone, Flood Zone C, Flood Zone A, Flood Zone X, Flood Insurance. Georgia Flood insurance, South Carolina Flood insurance
Does your home mortgage require flood insurance?

Your homeowner’s policy does not protect against flooding. For anyone needing protection from rising waters, a separate Flood Insurance policy is required. This policy will provide specific coverage if your home is damaged by a local flood.

Residents in Coastal Georgia and South Carolina may find that they are required to purchase flood insurance. This requirement is most likely come for a lender. Mortgage lenders know the potential impact of floods as well as which homes are at greatest risk. Due to this risk, borrowers with homes located in a FEMA identified flood zone will likely be required to maintain flood insurance.

Needs to Cover Against Risk

Where can i buy flood insurance, ky flood insurance, commercial flood insurance in Georgia or South Carolina or business flood insurance
Flood Loss versus Cost. You do the math!

FEMA flood zones are divided into one of many categories. These categories or buckets identified the flood risk as very risky or a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Somewhat lower-risk areas are considered Moderate Flood Hazards. There are two moderate flood hazard groups; Zone B and Zone X (Shaded). Finally, the areas that are exposed to potential flooding yet have the least risk are identified as minimal flood hazards. This grouping also has twp categories; Zone C and Zone X (Unshaded)

Even if the risk is small, you should still consider getting flood insurance. Everyone should consider buying flood insurance. This includes those without a mortgage, and those not required to have flood insurance.

When you are looking to learn more about flood insurance in Georgia or South Carolina, you should speak with the team at TruePoint Insurance. They will make work hard to make sure that your decision is as simple as possible.

Insuring A Mobile or Manufactured Home

Insuring a mobile or manufactured home requires an increased level of understanding.
Understanding Mobile and Manufactured Home Insurance

Insurers commonly provide coverage for mobile/manufactured homes by modifying a conventional homeowner policy with provisions called endorsements. The endorsements change key definitions and other elements of a conventional policy to fit a mobile or manufactured home situation. The result is a modified homeowner package that protects the home, outbuildings (unattached garages, sheds, etc.) and personal property. They also provide insurance for personal liability. Regardless of the type of home you own or live in, it is important that you learn about the coverage options that are available. You may find that different policies vary considerably in coverage and price.

Coverage for mobile/manufactured homes is generally offered using two approaches. Some policies include a laundry list of items (or perils) that may cause a loss. Other policies protect your home against everything EXCEPT for a host of specified perils. Either approach includes liability coverage that protects you for injuries or losses to others which you accidentally cause.

Property Insurance Needs

Mobile home, manufactured home, or modular home.  You need to know!
Mobile, Modular, or Manufactured? Insurance need to Know.

Any coverage option you choose is likely to reflect the fact that mobile homes are, well, mobile. Therefore coverage is affected by the fact that mobile homes:

  • are able to move under their own power (or are capable of being easily transported);
  • are more susceptible to wind damage,
  • tend to lose value with age.

The mobility of such homes creates a special need to protect the financial interest of the business that lent the money to purchase the home. For example, a mobile home owner who lives in Ohio decides to drive his home to Arkansas. The soon-to-be Arkansas resident “forgets” to mention his plan (and his new address) to his Ohio Mortgage Company. The Ohio lender would be out of luck if the policy didn’t include protection for this whimsical act. Another way in which a mobile or manufactured homeowner policy differs from conventional homeowner coverage involves coverage for unattached buildings. This coverage is usually minimal for, say, $2,000. Such a provision helps keep the premiums for policies lower by avoiding paying claims on very low value structures. The coverage is likely to be offered on an actual cash value basis. Unfortunately, mobile and manufactured homes tend to lose value over time.

The policy is likely to include a provision that requires you to get permission to move your home. Once granted, you’re likely to get thirty days of special transportation protection for collision; sinking, upset or stranding (a special, higher deductible may apply during the move). Another common coverage feature is coverage for your attempt to move the home in order to prevent damage from an insured cause of loss. For example, you move your mobile home fifty feet to get away from a neighboring trailer that is on fire. IMPORTANT: coverage for moving endangered property usually has a modest limit (several hundred dollars is typical) because of owners who may be too heroic or clumsy for anyone’s good.

Liability Insurance Needs

The liability protection connected with mobile or manufactured homes is, for all practical purposes, identical to the liability provided to conventional home owners. Why? The likelihood of guests to be hurt at your home, or your probability of being sued, tends to be the same. The important thing to remember is that your agent is a tremendous source for getting the information you need to be sure that your home and property are adequately protected at a reasonable price.


COPYRIGHT: Insurance Publishing Plus, Inc. 2016

All rights reserved. Production or distribution, whether in whole or in part, in any form of media or language; and no matter what country, state or territory, is expressly forbidden without written consent of Insurance Publishing Plus, Inc.