12 Jun
Posted by Nicholas Rogers as Home Insurance Topics
Many homeowners make the mistake of thinking that they will be covered for flood damage by their regular homeowners insurance coverage. This is not necessarily the case, even if insurance covers hurricanes and windstorms, as the majority of policies will not cover flood damage at all. Those that are required to have flood insurance and those that would like it may need to use the National Flood Insurance Program to buy a policy.
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was established by Congress in 1968. Its aim is to make flood insurance accessible to members of communities that participate in the program. The program is managed by FEMA and involves 90 insurance companies that can sell policies to home and business owners and to renters.
A property that is mortgaged by a federally regulated or insured lender and that is located in an area that is designated as high flood risk (1%+ chance of flooding in a year) must have flood insurance in place. Those in areas that are given a moderate to low risk are not required to have coverage but it may make sense to buy a policy anyway. According to floodsmart.gov (the website of the NFIP) a quarter of flood-based claims come from moderate to low risk areas.
How Much Does Flood Insurance Cost?
The insurance companies that sell flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program have to adhere to set rates. But, the premiums charged may differ according to the circumstances of the property.
Churchill has advice for football enthusiasts who are proposing to buy a new television set to watch the World Cup.
According to the insurer’s research, 18% of households are planning on upgrading their TV for the spectacle, with 5% having already done so.
However, indiscretion over the disposal of the packaging can provide potential burglars with a useful marker.
The firm’s head of home insurance, Martin Scott, explains: “Leaving packaging outside the house advertises the brand new TV to opportunist thieves.”
He adds: “Householders are, therefore, unwittingly making public their recent purchases and could increase the chance of a break-in.”
Churchill recommends that packaging for costly items such as a state of the art television should always be disposed of promptly away from the home, at local recycling points.
This week, the Esurance offices buzzed with excitement as we debuted our new ad campaign. In a significant departure from the animated adventures of Erin Esurance, our new live-action ads emphasize our “best of both worlds” approach to auto insurance — innovative technology and superior customer service.
People when you want them | Technology when you don’tTM
People have expressed curiosity about the real folks at Esurance and indicated they’d like to know more about what happens behind the scenes. As a result, the new campaign focuses the camera inside the Esurance offices for the very first time. The ads provide an inside glimpse at innovative products and services, including online repair monitoring and dedicated claims representatives.
The new ads also underscore our around-the-clock customer support, because, quite frankly, a lot of people didn’t know they could talk to a real-live Esurance person 24/7.
Additionally, we’ve updated our logo, and will be refreshing our entire website with a brand new look in the months to come. The new logo was designed to be modern and approachable (just like us, of course), and the color was customized specifically for us by the folks at our creative agency, Duncan/Channon. We’re calling it Esurance Indigo — which, while slightly reminiscent of an Indie-label singer-songwriter, rolls off the tongue rather smoothly.
Where’s Erin?
Simply put, Erin’s still our company mascot (on TV and in real life). With the new campaign, we’ve just changed our focus and turned the cameras around, so to speak. Be sure to keep an eye out for our pink-haired hero in our new commercials. If yo Read more…
09 Jun
Posted by Nicholas Rogers as Home Insurance Topics
People living in coastal states may have different needs from a homeowner’s insurance policy than those living elsewhere. The chances of suffering from hurricane, windstorm or flood damage may be much higher and it may be a good idea to check existing coverage to ensure that adequate protection will be given. In some cases, additional insurance policies may be needed. What do homeowners need to know about hurricane, windstorm and flood insurance?
It isn’t enough to assume that a homeowner’s insurance policy gives automatic coverage against hurricane, windstorm and flood damage. Most regular policies, for example, will exclude flood and storm surge damage completely and this may need to be purchased separately through the National Flood Insurance Program. Some policies may also exclude hurricane and wind damage.
Any coverage that is given for hurricane and wind damage also needs to be checked to make sure that properties and home contents are protected. Those with an older policy that have remodelled or added to their homes may need to make sure that they have enough coverage to meet any increased value. Keep in mind that it is not the value of the property that matters here but the rebuild cost.
Regular homeowner’s insurance policies come with deductibles. This is the money that the homeowner has to pay for a claim before the insurance company takes over. Regular deductibles are usually based on dollar amounts (i.e.