The day after Thanksgiving every year the shopping malls and retail stores flood with people trying to find the best deals on products ranging from coffee pots to barbie dolls.  Whether you are shopping for holiday gifts or for things for yourself, you might want to check out the deals online this week.  Most stores offer the same prices online as they do on the web and the best part- you can completely avoid the crowds!

Here are some sales on home-related products you might find useful this Friday:

Best Buy- deals on TVs, cameras, GPS devices, DVD’s laptops and Video Games

HomeInsurance.com- save up to 20% on your home policy by insuring your car with the same company

Kmart-sale items include men’s and women’s clothing, jackets, toys and games

Home Depot- Black Friday Savings Event includes deals on grills, Christmas trees and more- the first 50 people to spend $350 or more get $50 off!

Lowes Home improvement- sales on power tools, shop vacs, and appliances

Linens and Things-Going out of Business Sale on duvets, bed skirts, vacuums, towels, pillows, etc.

For more deals, visit blackfriday.info.  Happy Shopping!

Unlike auto insurance, homeowners insurance policies can be cancelled by the homeowner at any time without penalty if they choose to switch to a new company. Auto insurance is different where drivers in many states must pay fees in order to get out of their policy before the end date.

That means it’s always a good time to shop for homeowners insurance. Many companies (like HomeInsurance.com) will work with your old home insurance provider to get your old policy cancelled and your new policy setup making the process much easier for you.

Need tips on when to shop your home insurance policy?

Home insurance is always a good idea for homes that are under construction. Without it, you are exposing yourself to a great deal of risk.  If there was a fire, theft or other damaging event to your incomplete home- you would not be insured without homeowners insurance.

A standard home insurance policy for your home can be purchased without contents insurance.  This way, since you do not have personal belongings in the home yet, you aren’t paying for unnecessary coverage. A home insurance company will not insure your home’s contents at this point anyway- since they can not be locked securely inside. This type of policy would offer liability coverage however, which would be beneficial in case anyone was injured on the job site.

When the building is complete and secure (walls, doors, locks) you can add contents coverage to your policy.  Also be sure to re-evaluate your policy to make sure you have enough dwelling coverage to cover the home in it’s finished state.

D,

As usual you will have to check your policy for specific details, however, in most cases it will be your home insurance policy to cover the damages because the damage was done to your property. Your neighbor’s policy covers damages to his property- while your policy insures yours. 

In some cases this rule might not apply.  For example, Let’s say your neighbor’s tree was hanging over your property before the fall, and your submitted a request in writing asking him to remove it.  If he/she did not remove it, and then it crashed into your fence and shed, you might be able to get his insurance company to cover it. Really, it depends on the specific details of the situation- and your home insurance agent can best advise you on how to handle it.

HomeInsurance.com

Janet and Cade,

A common question and a very good one.  Yes, by all means you will need to change the homeowners policy once your property becomes a rental property. The policy will differ from your current policy in 3 major ways:

1-The new policy will not cover contents coverage unless you are planning on furnishing the unit for your tenants

2- Liability issues will be more of a concern to protect you from injuries/accidents that occur on your property

3- You will need to be protected from the loss of rental income in the event your tenants are forced to leave because the home is damaged due to a covered peril

Fortunately, there are rental policies that are designed for this very purpose. These policies can vary greatly from each other depending on the company that you are working with. Some thing to consider when shopping for a home insurance quote:

• Make sure that the policy has substantial coverage for Liability and Medical Payment to cover your responsibility for accidents and injuries that occur on your property.
• Look for a policy that covers loss of use which will reimburse you for loss of rental income in the event that the home must be evacuated due to a covered peril
• If you are leaving any appliances or other personal property on the premises be sure to carry enough contents insurance to cover the loss of these items.  However, you do not need to carry the standard amount of contents insurance which would cover furniture, furnishings, etc, if you are not furnishing your home.  Your renters should get renters insurance to cover their items.
• Do you have detached garages or sheds? be sure to discuss coverage of these items with your agent
• Make sure to have dwelling coverage which will cover the structure of your home in the event of a covered peril

Thanks,

Your Agent@HomeInsurance.com

HomeInsurance com has recently announced the kick-off of their Save to Win Contest. This contest  offers homeowners the chance to save on home insurance and win a $250 Lowe’s Home Improvement gift card.  Save to Win contestants work with HomeInsurance.com agents and compete to see who can save the most money on their home insurance policy- the biggest saver takes home the prize.

“With the current economic slump and foreclosure rates skyrocketing, we know that homeowners could use the savings now more than ever”, said Carlos Lagomarsino- CEO of HomeInsurance.com. “While we always save our customers the most amount of money possible on their homeowners insurance, the contest will encourage more homeowners to explore their savings opportunities and possibly even win a $250 gift card”.

The contest begins on October 6^th and runs through December 5^th. Contestants must purchase the new policy through HomeInsurance.com to qualify.  They must also submit proof of their savings from their old policy to their new policy.

“The process is very simple: Customers get a low quote, purchase a policy and then fax us proof of their savings”, said Bruce Berry, V.P. of Sales.  “The biggest saver wins.”

Saving on home insurance is nothing less than embraced by most homeowners who have felt the effects of the post-Katrina rate hikes and the looming mortgage crisis. Residents of Texas and Louisiana know this all too well as they pay the highest home insurance premiums in the country- an average of $1,258 per year (not including flood).

The Save to Win contest will run for 60 days and contestants must fax proof of their savings in by December 5^th, 2008 5 PM EST. Contest details can be found at: homeInsurance.com/savetowin

D,

While you should check the details of your specific policy, most standard home insurance policies will cover your firearms as they are considered your personal property.  Like other items of personal property, your home insurance policy should cover these items in the event that they were destroyed or stolen minus the appropriate deductible.

There are limits to the amount of coverage, however, that an insurance company will provide for any one particular item.  Typically, a standard home insurance policy will cover up to $2500 for firearms.  If you feel that you need additional coverage above and beyond what is included in your standard policy, you should look into purchasing additional insurance coverage from your insurance company.

Thanks,

Your Agent at HomeInsurance.com

Kay and Jim,

While Standard homeowners insurance policies do typically provide coverage for trees, shrubs, plants and other forms of landscaping coverage can vary quite significantly from one homeowners policy to the next. While I will outline some basic coverage amounts below- it’s always best to read through your specific policy or call your home insurance agent for more details.

Most policies have a limit on coverage they will provide for each item  and each occurrence. For example, a basic policy might provide anywhere from $250-$500 wiorth of coverage for a spcific tree or shrub.  The same policy might have a maximum coverage amount of $1,000-$5000 for each incident. Also, keep in mind the specific perils that are covered in your policy.  Most standard policies will provide coverage for damages caused by vandalism, fire, lightening, explosion, theft, etc.  However, when most homeowners inquire about landscaping coverage- they are looking for protection from flood damage. Flood coverage is not covered under a standard homeowner policy- so this type of damage wouldn’t be covered.

Some insurance companies offer a landscaping endorsement that can be added to your policy to offer specific coverage for your trees, shrubs, plants, etc.  I would recommend contacting a home insurance agent to find out more about this option.

Thanks,

Your Agent@HomeInsurance.com

Janet,

A home/auto discount allows homeowners to get a special reduced rate on their home policy. While you must insure both your home and your car with the same company in order to receive this discount, the policies will be written seperately.

Becasue of our partnership with Travelers Insurance Company, we are able to offer our customers a Home/Auto discount which typically will save you about 15% off of your homeowners insurance.

Have you heard about the other home insurance discounts out there today? Read about home insurance discounts and see if you qualify. Otherwise, start your home insurance quote here and make sure to let your agent know that you would like a home/auto discount.

Thanks for visiting,

Home Agent

Robert,

While many companies can offer competitive rates on standard home insurance, flood insurance rates are standard and set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These rates are calculated using criteria such as the type of flood zone (preferred or not preferred?) you live in and the structure of your home (stick built? Crawlspace or slab?). While you may purchase flood insurance from any home insurance company, all companies will utilize FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program to “underwrite” your policy. This is why the rates will always be the same from one company to the next. If this rate seems to be higher than what you expected or are able to pay, make sure to speak with your home insurance agent about saving more money on your standard home insurance policy to offset the cost.  See some of our home insurance savings tips.

Thanks,

Your Agent@HomeInsurance.com