Prepping for Spring: Your Home

Spring is almost here!  The outdoors is already calling us to come and have loads of fun.  It’s important to be ready.

We previously posted some tips about getting your vehicles ready for Spring:

Now that your vehicles are ready for the season you should turn your attention to your house. Your living spaces are primed for spring cleaning, so follow these tips and get your home looking its best so you can enjoy the better weather even more.

Clean Your Gutters

Over the fall and winter, leaves and other debris collected in your gutters, and they are ready to be emptied. If you live in an area that gets a lot of Spring showers, then it’s crucial that you keep your gutters clear so that they can work properly. Now that the sun is out, you can take care of it in a day and be ready for the next rainfall.

Change Your Filters

Chances are that you have several appliances that use filters. A range hood, a built-in water dispenser for your fridge – all of them need to be changed regularly. Don’t forget your HVAC system. Springtime should serve as a reminder to get you to inspect and replace any filters that are looking worse for wear. Having this be a seasonal thing will ensure that you don’t forget about them.

Wash the Windows

Now that the sun is coming out and the weather is nice, you will want to let in as much light as possible. If your windows are still covered in Winter gunk and dirt, now is the time to make them spotless. Just be on the lookout for birds who may not realize that there’s glass in the way.

Take Care of the Lawn

You’ve been able to use the weather as an excuse to avoid mowing and raking leaves, but now you can’t keep avoiding it. When Spring arrives, it’s time to pull the lawnmower out and start trimming your grass.

In addition to the lawn, you should be checking all of your shrubs and plants to see how they fared over the Winter months. If they need treatment or pruning, you should take care of that now so that they can bloom well in the Summer.

Check Your Home Exterior

Take a few minutes to walk around your home and check for any damage, wear or other damage.  Make a note of all items that need to be done and schedule a day that you will complete the tasks.  This will ensure your house stays in top shape.

Make Sure Your Homeowner’s Insurance is Adequate.

Keeping your property in pristine condition is the whole point of Spring cleaning, but you still want to keep them insured adequately just in case.  If you did your annual insurance review back in January, you already know for sure that your home is covered.  If not, contact Bob Johnson Insurance (865-922-3111 or 800-624-3339)to schedule your insurance review.  Our agents can help you understand your options and make sure that you have the coverage you need and want.

 

What Should You Expect From Your Insurance Company After a House Fire?

An Insurance Guide to House Fires

Series: An Insurance Guide to House Fires

On your end, you want to recover quickly and get back on your feet. If you want to ensure that your needs are met, here are some things to consider. 

Assess Cost of Living Expenses

Even if you wind up staying at a family member’s house, you can still get money for their trouble. Have your family member draft a list of living expenses that they are providing (i.e., room and board, meals, etc.) so that you can include it into your claim. These are called “loss of use” funds, and they will help you out immensely.

Beyond the price of a hotel room, most insurance companies will only consider expenses that are generated as a result of the fire. For example, if your grocery bill is only $400 a month and you’re still spending that living elsewhere, you won’t be able to claim any additional funds. 

Getting an Advance

Because filing and processing a claim takes time, you will likely have to secure an advance from the insurance company to handle any immediate expenses or bills. Remember, you have to pay things like mortgage and utilities even if your house is under repair, so you need money to stay solvent. 

Don’t Throw Anything Away

It’s natural to think that ruined items should go into the trash, but don’t do anything until it’s been logged into your case file. If you toss something and the insurance company doesn’t know about it, that’s a total loss, and you can’t reclaim it in your settlement. 

Don’t Agree to Close the Case Immediately

Don’t close your case too quickly. It can sometimes take several months to assess all of the damage to the property. If your case is closed, and you find additional damage to your property, you won’t be able to do anything because the case is closed. Thus, wait a while before you make things final so that you don’t run into that situation. 

Contact Us Today

Don’t wait until it’s too late to contact Bob Johnson Insurance. Your home is one of the most valuable items you own, so it’s crucial that you have a policy that will replace lost or damaged items.

If you live in Knoxville, TN, and the surrounding area, call us today at 865-922-311 or click here to contact us to find out how we can protect you and your family. As an independent agency, we are able to offer a choice of carriers and options, plus personalized advice to help make sense of it all. And, we make it easy by doing the research and the work for you.

What Do Insurance Companies Expect from You After a House Fire?

An Insurance Guide to House Fires

Series: An Insurance Guide to House Fires

For the most part, insurers are mostly interested in the following:

  • Assessing the amount of your claim
  • Getting a comprehensive list of damages and lost items
  • Closing your claim quickly

To ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible, you should try to provide the insurance company with as much documentation and information as possible including:

  • Date and time of the fire
  • Location of the fire
  • Injuries and personal damage
  • Previous and current condition of the home
  • Repair costs
  • Cost of living expenses 
  • A police report

You should keep copies of everything in a centralized binder so that you can manage all of these documents neatly. Overall, the more disorganized you are, the more you have to rely on your insurer to assess the damage for you. Having proof of the damage to the value of the lost or damaged items helps work toward a more accurate claim amount.


Next: What Should You Expect From Your Insurance Company After a House Fire?

What You Should Do After a House Fire

An Insurance Guide to House Fires

Series: An Insurance Guide to House Fires

In the immediate aftermath of the fire, you will likely be shocked and stunned. However, the faster that you can start on the path towards recovery, the better it will be for both you and your home. Here are the steps you should take to ensure an efficient restitution plan. 

Find a Place to Stay

Chances are that your home will not be available for you after the fire, meaning that you have to either reach out to friends or family to provide a place to sleep and live in the interim. Only if there is extremely minor damage will you be able to remain in the home, but you have to wait for approval from the fire department. 

Call Your Agent

You want to get your agent out to the property as soon as possible to assess the damage and start working on your claim. You want to get things back to normal quickly, so the sooner you do this, the better off you’ll be. Not only can you get a settlement to repair the damage, but you may also be entitled to “loss of use” funds that can help cover immediate expenses, such as living arrangements. 

Work on Your Financial Situation

Recovery is the primary goal, but the fact is that banks and lenders won’t put a hold on your mortgage payments just because you had a fire. This is another reason to contact your agent immediately so that you can be sure that you can continue to make payments on time and in full so that you don’t have any financial problems afterward. 

Another thing to consider is if any financial documents were lost in the fire. If you lost items like credit cards, bank statements, or tax information it could create problems down the line. Contact these companies to ensure that you can avoid such issues. 

Take Inventory of Damaged Items

While the insurance company will run a comprehensive assessment of what was lost or damaged in the fire, you should make sure that all items are accounted for as well. If you have not done a policy renewal in the last few years, you could be sitting on more value than the insurance company may realize. (See Doing an Insurance Review: Why You Need It and What to Do.)

It’s imperative that you work with your insurer to get the funds necessary to replace everything, including those items that were totally destroyed. Overall, this process may take the longest, unless you have an itemized list of purchases and appraisals already. (See Why You Need a Home Inventory List and How to Make One.) Otherwise, you will have to determine the value after the fact so that it can go towards your claim settlement. 

Being Safe After a House Fire

No matter what, you should never go back into the house unless the fire department says it’s okay. The structural integrity of the property may not be intact, meaning that you could run into falling debris, further causing injury to yourself and others. 

When going back into the house, be sure to avoid sections that are waterlogged. Mold and bacteria will breed in these parts, which could create a health hazard.

As we mentioned, smoke damage can also include dangerous chemicals, so avoid touching items that have soot on them, as well as breathing heavily in sections of the house that have significant smoke stains. If necessary, wear a breathing mask. 


Next: What Do Insurance Companies Expect After a House Fire?

What to Expect After a House Fire

An Insurance Guide to House Fires

Series: An Insurance Guide to House Fires

For many homeowners, one of the worst things that can happen is a fire in the home. Whether it’s a small flame or a destructive blaze, the damage can be both catastrophic and emotionally scarring. 

However, if you do experience a house fire, it’s imperative that you understand what options you have for recovery. Homeowner’s insurance is designed to protect you against this kind of damage, but it requires input from you to ensure that the process moves smoothly. 

If you live in the Knoxville, TN area, then contact Bob Johnson Insurance today to find out how we cover house fires. We provide excellent policies that will keep you and your family protected, no matter what happens. 

What to Expect After a House Fire

If your home goes up in flames, a lot of things are going to happen. The more you know what to expect, the better you can react to ensure that you are both safe and informed. Here’s an overview of what can happen after a house fire. 

Wait for the Fire to be Fully Extinguished

The fire department will be the ones handling the blaze, and it’s up to them to decide when the area is safe and the fire is out. Until they give the all clear, you should avoid getting close to the fire at all. 

Injury Assessment

Hopefully, no one will be hurt in the blaze, but that’s not always the case. If you or a family member are injured either by the fire itself or other circumstances (i.e., smoke inhalation), the paramedics will probably rush you to the emergency room to figure out the extent of the injury. 

Going Back Inside

Depending on how big and how destructive the fire was, you may be able to go back into your house or you may not. Again, it’s up to the fire department to determine how safe the property is, so don’t try going back in unless you have been instructed to do so. Otherwise, you could be putting yourself at unnecessary risk. 

Water and Smoke Damage

Just because part of your house was not engulfed in flames doesn’t mean that it wasn’t damaged. Water hoses and fire extinguishers are necessary for putting out the blaze which can leave lasting effects on parts of your property (as well as the stuff inside). In some case, you may have items that need replacing because they are waterlogged. 

Smoke can also require more extensive recovery. Because the ash can contain harmful chemicals, it will have to be cleaned to avoid inhalation. Again, even if the section was not touched by fire, you can still be facing a lot of damage from the smoke. 


Next: What You Should Do After a House Fire

An Insurance Guide to House Fires (series)

An Insurance Guide to House Fires

For many homeowners, one of the worst things that can happen is a fire in the home. Whether it’s a small flame or a destructive blaze, the damage can be both catastrophic and emotionally scarring. 

If you do experience a house fire, it’s imperative that you understand what options you have for recovery. Homeowner’s insurance is designed to protect you against this kind of damage, but it requires input from you to ensure that the process moves smoothly. 

Part 1: What to Expect After a House Fire

Part 2: What You Should Do After a House Fire

Part 3: What Do Insurance Companies Expect After a House Fire?

Part 4: What Should You Expect From Your Insurance Company After a House Fire?

Why You Need a Home Inventory List for Insurance, and How to Make One

Why You Need a Home Inventory List

When you purchase and furnish your home, you probably don’t think about what might happen to those items if disaster strikes. Like almost any homeowner, you pay your insurance premiums and just assume that in the event of theft, fire or other loss, you will be reimbursed the expense of those possessions. 

In reality, many homeowners are surprised and saddened when disaster does strike, and their insurance requests documentation of every item in their home. They find themselves trying to make a list of what was lost while attempting to remember how much it cost and where they purchased it. Inevitably, items are forgotten or insurance denies certain claims due to lack of documentation. 

Every homeowner can avoid this by keeping a home inventory list. Home inventory lists help owners easily find and document their items to insurance companies in the event of the need to make a claim. 

Creating and Inventory List

If the idea of creating a list of everything you own is daunting, the process is really straightforward. Read on to find out how you can easily make your own home inventory list:

  • It’s easiest to start when you first purchase your home. If this isn’t possible, pick a room that has the most valuable possessions and start there, working your way to the least valuable rooms. Don’t forget storage and closets.
  • Include basic information about every item. This includes where and when you purchased it, a make or model number, and the amount you paid. 
  • Sets purchased together do not need to be listed separately. For example, instead of listing “Bed (price) Dresser (price)”, you can simply write “Bedroom set: Bed, Dresser, Mirror (price)”
  • Clothing can be counted as a group. An example of this would be : “Jackets (brand and Price) 3”, and so on. Keep in mind this only applies to items of the same brand or approximate value.
  • When you make new purchases, try to scan the receipts as you enter the item to your inventory. If you don’t want to print a paper copy of your home inventory list, you can make the document shareable with a trusted friend, attorney or family member so that you may be able to retrieve it in the event that your computer is stolen or damaged.
  • When you’re done, make a cover sheet that lists the rooms and their page number for easy reference. 

If you would like an example of a home inventory sheet, you can see one here.

As a special note, most homeowners insurance has a limit on the amount of money that will be reimbursed. If you own expensive items such as jewelry, furs, designer purses, heirlooms, art or other luxury items, be sure to discuss the possibility of an additional rider to your policy to help insure these items.

Don’t be intimidated by the thought of creating your home inventory list. With a little time, you’ll have the extra reassurance you need to feel secure that your insurance coverage is adequate and your possessions are counted. 

Of course, we at Bob Johnson Insurance are here to help. If you have any questions, give us a call at 865-922-3111 or click here to contact us.

Seasonal Household Safety Tips

Seasonal Household Safety Tips

When the weather changes, so do our habits. Now, instead of spending time lounging in the sun and trying to stay cool from the Tennessee heat, we have to start bundling up and preparing for colder nights and brisk fall days. 

While the season brings plenty of fun activities (like football games), it can also bring some unexpected hazards. At Bob Johnson Insurance, we want to make sure that you’re prepared for anything this fall, which is why we’re offering some household safety tips this year. 

Check and Inspect Your Heating Sources

Since Knoxville isn’t known for being chilly during the spring and summer, your heater and fireplace are not going to get much use during the warmer months. However, being inactive for so long can cause problems if you’re not careful. 

So, with that in mind, you want to make sure that you inspect all of your heating sources before you use them. Fireplaces can collect flammable debris, and the chimney could become a massive fire hazard. 

Space heaters can pose a threat if they’re old and don’t have modern safety precautions. Your furnace can also be a hazard if it hasn’t been inspected in months. 

Keep Your Home Fire Resistant

Throwing some logs in the fireplace or lighting candles can make the chilly autumn nights more accommodating, but you want to be sure that you’re not putting yourself or your family at risk. 

When lighting any fires in your home, make sure to check the surrounding area for anything flammable. Keep candles away from the walls, and don’t let them burn all night while you sleep. Even a smoldering fire in the fireplace can emit sparks, so extinguish all flames before heading to bed. 

Pay Attention Outside

The fall season is time to bring out the holiday decorations, as well as prepare your plants for winter. Exercise caution when climbing up on the roof, cleaning your gutters, or pruning leaves. Falls and other accidents can happen fast, so you have to stay vigilant at all times. 

Also, keep in mind that the ground can get slippery as the weather changes. Rains and cold temperatures can create hazards, which is why you want to wear quality shoes with sufficient grip whenever you’re outdoors. 

Be Prepared in Case You Need to Use Your Insurance

Following these safety tips will ensure that your holiday season only creates fond memories for you and your family.   Our hope is that your holiday season is filled with family fun and making new memories. It’s good to be prepared just in case something happens that involves your insurance.  Give us a call at 800-624-3339 or click here to contact us. It only takes a few minutes to check your policies to ensure your coverage is adequate.

10 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Fall

10 Ways to Prepare your Home for Fall

Summer has turned to Autumn in Knoxville, and it is time to get ready for the colder winter months (if you haven’t already). While preparing for holiday parties and celebrations should undoubtedly be on the list, we also want to make sure that your home is ready as well. 

So, with that in mind, here are 10 tips to prep your home for the season. 

Check Your Roof

As leaves and other debris start to collect on your roof and in your gutters, you want to make sure that they won’t pose any threat. Also, as the temperatures drop, critters will use any holes in the roof to get into your home. 

Inspect Your Basement

Just like your attic, bugs and vermin love to hang out in basements and crawlspaces. If you’re worried about an infestation, now is the time to call pest control and ensure that no critters will set up shop during the winter. 

Look for Leaks

Whether it’s through window cracks, door jambs, or other seals around your home, heat will invariably escape. Unfortunately, that means that your utility bills will be higher during the colder months. Now is when you want to locate and fill any of these leaks. 

Check for Water

Metal pipes can degrade over time, especially when the temperature drops. Hoses, faucets, and any other water systems outdoors are particularly susceptible to leaks, so check them first. 

Clean Your Filters

Since you’ll be spending more time indoors during the fall and winter, you want to make sure you’re breathing clean air. If you haven’t checked your filters in a few months, now’s the time. 

Inspect Your Walkways

Driveways, sidewalks, and stone pathways can develop cracks, which will only worsen as the weather gets colder. Take care of them now before they become a problem. 

Call in the Pros

Your home’s heating system, furnace or otherwise, has been out of action for most of the year. Getting it inspected by a professional will ensure that you don’t experience problems when it’s time to get warm and toasty. 

Check Your Chimney

It’s probably been a while since you’ve had a fire in your fireplace. If your chimney is dirty or clogged, it can be a significant hazard. 

Inspect Your Extinguishers

If there is a fire in the home, you want to be sure you can put it out. Extinguishers go bad over time, so check them out before you need them. 

Test Your Alarms

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can also wear down over time. While they will alert you if you need to change the battery, it helps to inspect them further, just to be safe. 

Although these 10 tips are useful, don’t forget to go over your homeowner’s insurance policy as well. It only takes a few minutes on the phone to make sure that you have the coverage you need to be safe this season.  Give us a call at 800-624-3339 or click here to use our contact form.

Why You Need a Home Inventory

Why You Need a Home Inventory

As a homeowner, you make sure that you have insurance to cover your property from damage such as fire, environmental hazards, and flooding. However, while it’s relatively easy to determine the costs of repairing and rebuilding your home after such a devastating event, what happens when you have to replace all of your stuff inside?

According to a survey from the National Association of Insurance Commissions, only 41 percent of Americans have a detailed inventory of what’s inside their homes. This means that if the worst were to happen, you would likely get far less than what you need to reclaim your life pre-loss.

So, with that in mind, we want to go through the process of home inventory. It’s imperative that you have a detailed record of everything inside your property so that your claim will be sufficient enough to get it all back.

What is a Home Inventory?

Simply put, a home inventory is an itemized list of everything inside your house. Whether it’s furniture, clothing, jewelry, or electronics, all of it should be listed so that it can be included in your insurance claim.

When you consider the cost of replacing everything you own, it can be overwhelming to imagine that you might have to pay for most of it out of your own pocket. Having a detailed inventory list will ensure that you can get a reimbursement that will cover more than just the essentials.

Although a home inventory is ideal for any homeowner, you should pay careful attention to any big-ticket items that cost a lot. Jewelry, for example, should be insured separately. This is because most policies only cover about $500 to replace them, which can be substantially less than what you would pay.

Why is it Necessary?

There are two primary reasons that you want to get started on a home inventory as soon as possible.

First, you want to make sure that your policy reflects the actual value of everything inside your home. When determining a payout, it’s easy to estimate the cost of your property, as well as the expenses required to rebuild it. However, since your insurance agent doesn’t know what kind of stuff you have inside, they are going to draft a payout based on averages. In many cases, this number is far less than what you need.

Secondly, having a detailed inventory will make your claim much easier to file and process. So much time and effort is spent trying to figure out what has to be replaced, but if you have a list in place, you can streamline this process so that you can get paid faster.

Another benefit of doing a home inventory is that you can write off any losses that aren’t covered by insurance. For example, if you didn’t get your jewelry insured before it was lost, you can claim the difference on your taxes.

Unless you are independently wealthy, having a home inventory is going to make a substantial difference if and when you have to file a claim.

How to Do a Home Inventory

Fortunately, there are plenty of options available to you when you start your inventory. However, even just a pad of paper and a pen is preferable to having nothing written down. You can create your own list or use one of many different online tools to keep items organized.

To ensure that your inventory is always accessible, we highly recommend that you submit a copy to your insurance agent as soon as it’s finished (and every time it’s updated). It’s also a good idea to keep a copy on file in the cloud so that you can access it from any computer. This is helpful if you experience a total loss and any paperwork inside the home would be lost.

Home Inventory Tips

Taking inventory of your home is more than just listing everything on a sheet of paper (or an excel file). Since you could potentially list items that you don’t own, it’s imperative that you provide documented proof of ownership so that it can be counted in your claim.

Here are some things to remember when getting started.

Make a Video Recording

Pictures are also necessary, but they are easier to forge, which is why most insurance companies prefer a video recording instead. Make sure that there is a time stamp on the footage, and record yourself as well to prove that it was you making it. You don’t have to cover everything in a single shot, but try to get as much as you can in each take to make things easier for both you and the claims adjuster.

Group Items by Type

Although it can be helpful to list each product individually, it will take a lot more time to do. Also, most insurance policies will make an average number, so it’s not necessary to show every specific thing in your home.

For example, group clothing together by style and type. Shirts, pants, shoes, and accessories should all be clumped together. The only time you want to provide individual details is if the item in question is expensive or unique.

Update it Often

Every time you buy something from the store or receive a gift, you should take the time to update your inventory list. While you don’t have to resubmit it to your agent every time you do this, it’s helpful to provide him or her with an updated list every six months or every year.

Keep Receipts if Possible

While you probably don’t have receipts for a lot of the items you own right now, it can be helpful to keep them for future purchases. This is further documentation that can help you get a better settlement since you can put a dollar amount on each item.

Work With Your Agent

Once you have an inventory in place, then discuss what options you have with your agent. For example, if specific items (like jewelry or collectibles) have to be insured separately, you want to create a unique list for them and then develop a policy accordingly.

Bottom Line

Don’t wait until disaster strikes to take stock of your belongings. Having a home inventory in place will not only make things easier if and when something happens, but it will also provide you with peace of mind.

Even with a home inventory, it is important that you have the right coverage.  Doing an insurance review with your agent is an easy and great way to know your options and that your coverage fits what you need.  Tell us how we can help you…