What You Need to Know About Opening Your Pool

As you know, acquiring a tailored and quality home insurance policy is an important part of your general responsibilities 

as a home owner or landlord. When you own an in-ground swimming pool, that plan should include all the added liability 

risk exposure you get with the summer activity.

For those homeowners that want to save money on the annual pool opening, those in the know (and many of them happen to be 

in the house and auto insurance industry) recommend certain proactive methods.

Follow the pool opening guide below and summer swimming fun is yours to enjoy!

1. Remember to speak to your independent insurance agent about reviewing your homeowners' policy. Make sure all the 

necessary provisions in regard to swimming pool coverage are in proper place.

2. Prior to removing your pool cover, clear off fallen leaves and dirt. Next, spill off any excess water.

3. Remove the cover together with someone else. Clear of all dirt once again, then dry it and fold it up. Put it away in 

the garage or shed until the end of the summer season.

4. Disconnect any plugs used for winterizing your pool. Follow up by connecting any of the return valve fittings, drain 

plugs, pool filters and the pump. In addition, restore any more equipment needed for summer pool use.

5. Use your garden hose to add enough water to fill your pool to an adequate swimming depth level.

6. Turn on systems: prime your pump; activate circulation and every related filter.

7. Clean the area of any leafage or remaining dirt and debris. Brush pool sides and pool floor well so that pool filters 

can eliminate any loosened dirt or muck.

8. Bring a small sample of the pool water to your local pool supply shop for pH and alkaline level evaluation.

9. Ensure your pool water is safely and correctly balanced. This involves a proper pH and alkaline balance, as well as a 

hard calcium water balance. Test for accuracy.

10. Before you, your family or guests begin to enjoy the pool swimming fun, allow the system's filter to run throughout a 

full twenty-four hour filtering cycle.

11. Following the filter run, use your pool vacuum to suck up any remaining leaves and dirt.

12. Finalize the preparedness rituals by shocking your pool water. Experts recommend doing this twice for optimum results.

13. Post clear safety rules in pool vicinity and have a working phone available in the event emergency personnel need to 

be summoned.

Home-Sharing Nightmares: Are Airbnb and Other Hosts Protected by Homeowners' Insurance?

You probably never stopped to consider whether your homeowners' insurance would cover property damage or liability claims caused by someone who is renting your house. Why would you? After all, the last thing on most people's mind is how an insurance policy will respond to some, unknown future loss.

Home-sharing services like Airbnb and HomeAway have turned a lot of ordinary homeowners into part-time innkeepers. The Pew Research Center found that 11% of American adults have used home-sharing services. Airbnb alone boasts of having over 3 million listings worldwide.

This means that a growing number of you actually need to stop and consider whether claims involving renters are covered by your homeowners' insurance. Unfortunately, the excitement and opportunity created by new business models make it too easy to overlook the downside.

That being said, there's always a downside. For example, host homeowners face an increased exposure to:

Personal and structural property damage or loss.

Criminal activity, theft and vandalism.

Liability to guests for property damage or bodily injury that occurs on the premises.

Liability to third-parties for property damage or bodily injury caused by guests.

This brings us back to our original question. Does a standard homeowners' insurance policy cover damage and liability claims involving renters?

You shouldn't be surprised to learn that standard homeowners' policies don't directly address home-sharing. After all, today's sharing economy didn't exist when most of these policies were written. Nevertheless, there are some traditional provisions in standard policies that could limit or exclude coverage for the host homeowner.

Eligibility. Standard policies are typically restricted to dwellings that are used exclusively for private residential purposes.

Property Damage. A homeowner's personal property that is stolen from areas that are rented to guests is generally not covered under a standard policy. Neither is the theft of a guest's personal property. Standard policies can also limit coverage for some big-ticket items located in areas that are rented to others, like appliances, carpeting and household furnishings.

Liability Coverage. Host homeowners may not think of home-sharing as a business, but insurance companies may disagree. This can be a problem because standard policies typically don't provide liability coverage for business conducted from the home.

Despite not being expressly mentioned or excluded, losses suffered by host homeowners may end up not being covered by their standard insurance. Coverage gaps are common whenever old-school insurance is confronted with new-school behavior. These gaps can also be financially devastating.

Until the insurance industry can catch up with the Über's and Airbnb's of the world, potentially significant coverage gaps are likely to remain for home-sharing hosts. In the meantime, if you are or plan to become a host homeowner, you should carefully review current policies to identify any potential coverage gaps. If you're not sure, you should ask an experienced insurance agent.

How Insurance Customers Can Save on Home, Car and Boat Coverage

Do you know anyone that enjoys dealing with the stream of daily bills? I don't.

For the average person, home and car expenses are enough of a headache. When insurance policy premiums join the list of associated costs, the payout hassles become even more of a colossal hassle.

You may think there is no alternative. But I'll let you into a little secret. Think you have no choice in the matter? You bet you do. And it comes in the form of bundled insurance!

Bundled insurance? You ask. What's that?

Although doing your part in investigating the varying forms of coverage and the attached price tags that come along with them can get you a policy that may be cheaper than others, there is another way to find even more significant discounts. According to most insurance companies, you can save big bucks by combining two different forms of coverage under one plan. If you 'bundle' your home insurance, for instance, together with your auto plan, you can take advantage of this phenomenal option.

Why do the insurance providers offer such motivation?

The insurance industry is like others. Competition breeds ideas to get clients to stay with them. By presenting a plan that covers your home and car - as well as your boat if you happen to own one - at a great price, the particular company will be buying your loyalty. To them, the offered savings are worth the price of customer fidelity. Naturally then, everyone becomes a winner. The company by securing your as their customer, and you by locking in a great quote.

But there's more to the deal that meets the average eye. By signing the dotted line of a bundled home and auto policy, you glean additional bonuses. Not only do you win by saving a bundle of money, but you get the comprehensive coverage needed and the multitude of bills that generally were part of your daily mail is reduced to one simple bill that incorporates the cost of home and auto insurance. Of course, keeping track of renewal dates also is simplified this way. Because you will have combined what technically can be classified as two different forms of protective coverage into one all-inclusive plan, you will have condensed two dates into one renewal date: home and auto are renewed together!

Need further evidence that this is the money-saving way to go?

Home-Auto Insurance with a Bundle of Cost-Cutting Savings

Examples:

A home and vehicle owner decided to go with a bundled plan. He was overjoyed to discover this saved him $1,200 for the year!

A condo owner went for a combined condo-auto insurance policy, giving him savings of $500 for the year!

Another homeowner listened to his independent insurance agent and opted for a bundled home-auto plan. He raked in a year's savings of $900.

Incidentally, you can get a bundled policy for your home and car, as well as your truck, motorcycle, boat or any other vehicle or watercraft, as well as a life or financial plan.

Learn more about bundled insurance from your independent insurance agency.

Why Trampoline Fun May Not Be Insured by Your Homeowner's Policy

Ah, the joys of summer. As healthy as summertime and after-school activity is for your kids, there is a definite downside to some forms.

A downside?

What could ever be wrong with some good old fashioned fun? The question apparently has been turned around by every angle by the insurance industry. When it comes to fun with a potential for danger, the experts say, the risks may be too great for a related company's likings.

So, trampolines - that device that allows your kids to jump until their energy is spent and then go for some more - may actually not be in the terms and conditions of your home coverage policy.

Now, do not simply take this article's say as proof. Go ahead check out the facts yourself. But please do your research before you actually purchase one or use it because if you find that it's excluded, you will not be protected in the event of a liability for injury!

Read your policy carefully.

Is your trampoline covered? If you do not see any stipulated exclusion about trampolines, you have the green light go-ahead to its use. Should an associated accident actually occur, you will have the insurance clout protection that generally will pay for damages you are responsible for in the event of a law suit's determination.

But what if your trampoline is covered conditionally? If you are confused about the question, allow us to explain.

Some insurance companies will include trampoline coverage under the terms and conditions of a home owner's policy only if specific safety concerns are addressed. This means that your coverage is dependent on the installation of a net fence or the installation of similar precautionary equipment.

Then, we come to a situation when an insurance plan does not cover trampoline at all. Read through the policy conditions with a fine tooth comb to see if such an item is excluded from coverage. If you are still intent on having a trampoline, do not buy or use one until you have procured the appropriate policy that indeed covers it. Bear in mind though that a homeowner's plan that includes a trampoline may likely have higher premiums than one that does not.

Certainly, discussing your particular case with a knowledgeable independent agent is the correct manner in approaching the matter. In fact, conferring with an insurance agent who has your best interest in mind will empower you in your choice of policy - something that will give you the right protection when you need it most.

What Type of Insurance for Mudslides?

For the uninformed, mudslides are mud piles that slide down a mountain or hillside or any vertical slope. Composed of mud, stones and rocks as well as general debris, it can cause much damage to homes and property. With the force garnered by gravity, a mudslide can rip out trees, power lines and anything in its path.

While most feel smug about mudslide safety, a mudslide can occur suddenly - particularly in localities where there is a great deal of rain, fast melting snow and resulting flash flooding. Areas where wildfire has eliminated trees, brush and vegetation are most prone to a mudslide disaster when excessive rain or snow melts occur.

Property and homes in the path of a mudslide can be devastating. Recent polls in fact indicate that there is anywhere between two to four million dollars of property damage per year in the United States as a result of mudslide occurrence.

It is important for the home, business or property owner to realize that standard homeowners, renters or commercial property insurance will not cover the damages related to a mudslide. The insurance industry views a mudslide as a repercussion of the earth's movement, much like an earthquake that is also not covered by a standard plan. Incidentally, related disasters such as landslides and sinkholes are also not covered under standard insurance.

You may wonder, if a mudslide is the result of the earth's movement, would an earthquake policy cover the damages? The answer is no - unless of course, the mudslide occurred because of the earthquake.

In addition, unlike a mudflow that is defined as a river of mud streaming down the incline and may be covered under your flood insurance policy, a mudslide is a thick substance and is not covered under a flood plan.

For those living in mudslide risk exposed sites there is indemnity in the form of a Difference in Conditions policy. This type of insurance is written as a rider to your existing homeowners or business policy and can also cover damage from landslides, earthquakes and flooding.

As for vehicle damage from a mudslide, the answer is simple - a comprehensive auto insurance policy should protect you from the four natural calamities: mudslides, landslides, earthquakes and floods.

For a deeper understanding of this and other forms of insurance as it pertains to your individual situation, speak to an experienced independent agent who views an educated consumer as an asset.

Frequently Asked Questions About Roof Replacement Insurance Claims

When it comes to replacing your roof, you must decide whether to pay for it out-of-pocket, or to go through your home owners' insurance carrier. Since roof replacement is a major part of why many people have homeowners' insurance policies, filing a claim is the most common route. However, if you do choose to file a homeowners' insurance claim for roof replacement, be aware that there are several factors involved in the claim process. For this reason, it is important to do your research in order to understand what to expect when preparing for a roof replacement insurance claim. Continue reading to review some of the most frequently asked questions regarding roof replacement and insurance claims.

My Check is Less Than The Cost to Replace My Roof. Why?

An insurance adjuster reveals his estimate for the cost of your roof, but then makes two major deductions: your deductible and depreciation/betterment. Continue below to learn the meanings behind them.

What Do All These Insurance Terms Mean? Betterment, Depreciation, RCV, ACV?

Depreciation is the loss of value in an asset, as a result of age, wear, and tear. In contrast, betterment is a term that refers to an improvement that adds to the value of a property or facility. The current retail cost to replace the total amount of damaged or defective roofing materials is called the replacement cost value, or RCV. The actual cost value is abbreviated as ACV, and represents the actual cash value of a roofing system. The ACV takes into account general depreciation. For instance, if a roof that is meant to last 50 years becomes totaled from hail after only 25, if the RVC is $30,000, the ACV is only $15,000. This depreciation is usually paid once a final invoice is submitted.

The Adjuster's Estimate Does Not Seem Accurate. Is it a Final Estimate or Can I Dispute it?

A final estimate from an adjuster is not necessarily set in stone. If an estimate from your roofing company is different from your adjusters, there is no need to worry. It is important that your roofing contractor and your insurance adjuster communicate on several areas of concern, in order to reconcile some of the discrepancies in the final estimate. If you are compelled to dispute certain depreciations, you would need to file a claim within the company, work your way up through the chain of command, and present your evidence as to why the depreciation estimates are inaccurate or unreasonable. It helps to have your roofing contractor assist you with these types of claims because they can provide professional documentation of what they think is a fair resolution.

In Total, How Much Will it Cost Me to Replace My Roof?

With homeowners' insurance, you will only be paying the deductible and any upgrades you choose. You might have to pay for the entire roof replacement upfront, and then get reimbursed for it through a check sent by your insurance carrier. Some insurance companies operate this way to avoid fraud.

I Found a Roofing Company That Says They Will "Cover My Deductible." Is This Legitimate?

No one should pay your deductible except for you. If a roofing company advertises that they will "cover your deductible", it is an unethical and improper way of doing business. A reputable roofing company will never advertise this. Furthermore, a sign allowance can be a disguise for a "cover your deductible" scam. If they offer a referral fee, in order for it to be legitimate and ethical, the fee must be the same whether a roof is purchased or not. Also, it must be reported as taxable income.

Preparing for Tropical Storms and Hurricanes: Are You Ready for The Season Within The Season?

If you live or work in the Atlantic hurricane region, you should already know that hurricane season officially starts June

1st. You should also know that Fourth of July fireworks do more than mark the passing of another Independence Day. They

also signal the rapidly approaching peak of hurricane season.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, tropical activity spikes from mid-August through mid-

October. This period is often referred to as "the season within the season." This doesn't mean it's time to panic.

Instead, it's time to make sure your plans and protective measures will be ready to go on a moment's notice if a storm is

coming your way.

For the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season, NOAA predicts a:

45% chance of an above-normal season
35% chance of a near-normal season
20% chance of a below-normal season
NOAA forecasters also predict a 70% likelihood of:
11 - 17 Named Storms (winds of 39 mph or higher)
5 - 9 Hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher)
2 - 4 Major Hurricanes (winds of 111 mph or higher)
Though these predictions do not include Tropical Storm Cindy, which made landfall in the Gulf of Mexico on June 22nd, they

do include pre-season Tropical Storm Arlene, which formed over the eastern Atlantic in April. An average season produces

12 named storms, six of which become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.
A strong El Nino and wind shear typically suppress the development of Atlantic hurricanes. Warmer sea surface temperatures

tend to fuel hurricanes. However, NOAA is expecting "a weak or non-existent El Nino, near- or above-average sea-surface

temperatures... and average or weaker-than-average vertical wind shear."

Regardless of predictions, it's better to be safe than sorry, so here are a few tips that can help protect you, your home

and your business during and after a storm.

Before the Storm

Monitor the news to allow time to prepare.
Identify tools and equipment that will be needed to secure property before and recover after the storm (flashlights,

batteries, caulking, tarpaulins, sandbags, cutting and fastening equipment, etc.).
Clear drains and down spouts to minimize the risk of flooding.
Unplug electrical equipment and move items inside and away from windows
Check and secure all documents and records.
Take or update photographs of real and personal property.
Gather insurance policies and agent/insurer contact information.
After the Storm
Only after it has been declared safe to do so, take reasonably necessary steps to protect against any further property

damage.
Report fallen power lines to the power company immediately. Stay away from them!
Check exterior walls and roof for damage.
Check interior perimeter walls, floors and roof for leaks and water damage.
Document all damage with photographs and video.
Prepare detailed damage reports.
Call your insurance company or agent as soon as possible to report damage.
Protective measures taken before a storm are important, but they may not always be enough. It's important to also have

adequate insurance to cover loss or damage to homes, cars, business and personal property. But, don't delay. By the time

it looks like a storm is coming your way, it may already be too late.
Remember, it only takes one tropical storm or hurricane heading your way to make it an active season for you. If you have

any doubts about this, just ask those who were already hit by Tropical Storm Cindy.