Are You Covered if Your Dog Bites Someone?

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pixabay

Being a dog owner myself, I’m always ready to field questions about whether a dog bite is a covered claim on homeowner’s insurance.  Face it, any dog can bite, whether it’s a pit bull or a chihuahua.  If a dog feels its territory has been violated or if it senses fear or aggression on the part of a stranger, there’s always the potential for a bite to occur.  Depending on the severity of the attack and the breed of dog involved, a dog bite can come back to bite the owner if the victim decides to take the matter to court.  While it’s true that the personal liability and medical coverage contained in your homeowner’s policy can potentially pay for medical and legal expenses were your dog to bite someone, the fact is not all dog bites are a covered claim. The only way to know whether you’re covered is to either read your homeowner’s policy carefully or talk to your agent to find out for sure.  The four factors to be most concerned with are coverage, limits, location, and exclusions.

10 Most Common Homeowner’s Insurance Claims

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pixabay

If you own a home, you probably have homeowner’s insurance.  That’s because you need to protect one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make.  While owning a home has its benefits, if storm, fire, or flood happens to hit your home, you could suddenly find yourself in dire straits.  That’s where homeowner’s insurance comes in handy to help you weather the storm and make your property whole again.  If you were wondering which homeowner’s insurance claims are the most common, here are the top-10.

How Does FEMA Help When Disaster Strikes?

 By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pixabay

If you’ve been reading the newsfeeds for the past few days, you’ve probably been following the trail of destruction that Hurricane IDA and the western wildfires have caused.  Being that all of us who live in Florida have had to deal with both these scenarios in the past couple decades, you might wonder if your home takes a direct hit, how much help can you expect from the federal government.  Below are some of the things I discovered about the Federal Emergency Management Agency, better known as FEMA.

How Much Personal Property Coverage Do You Need?

 By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pixabay

I just finished reading a newsfeed about a man in Tennessee who returned from work only to find that his home had washed away when 17-inches of rain fell in 24-hours.  The only good thing was that he wasn’t inside his home when the flood destroyed it.  I can only hope he had sufficient insurance to cover the loss of his property and belongings.  With that in mind, I thought I’d dedicate this week’s blog to helping everyone determine how much personal property coverage they need. 

What’s the Point of a 4-Point Inspection?

 By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pixabay

If you’ve ever purchased a home, you’re no doubt familiar with what’s deemed a home inspection.  That’s because before you can close the deal, your bank will require an in-depth inspection before you qualify for a mortgage.  A typical buyer’s inspection can take between two to three hours to complete.  It’s designed to home in on any structural, plumbing and/or electrical deficiencies in a home.  Once passed, you’re on your way to securing the financing needed to own a home.  A 4-point inspection, on the other hand, takes less than an hour to complete.  It can be required to insure older homes, particularly if they’re located in coastal areas that experience a lot of storms.  That means if you own or are looking to purchase a home that is more than three decades old, you could wind up being told by your insurance company that this kind of home inspection is going to be necessary to acquire or renew your homeowner’s policy.  Here’s what you need to know about 4-point home inspections.

10 Ways to Keep Your Insurance Rates from Rising

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pixabay

Nobody likes to pay more for something this year than they did last year.  Whether that something is rent, utility bills, cable rates, gym membership dues, condo fees, or insurance rates, most folks gnash their teeth when they get a bill that’s significantly higher than it was the previous year.  That’s the bad news.  The good news is while I can’t help you reduce the amount you pay to the landlord, health club, condo association, electric or cable company, I might be able to help you keep your insurance rates down a bit.  That’s because unlike many other expenses, insurance rates aren’t flat fees that are levied by a conglomerate.  What you pay to insure your car, your home, and even your RV or boat is determined in part by your lifestyle and your actions.  Below are ten ways to help you reduce what you pay for insurance.

So, You Want to be a Landlord

 By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pixabay

If you’re thinking of renting out your Florida home, condo, mobile home or even a room in your home, there are a few things you need to know.  That’s because as a landlord in Florida, you have to live up to the obligations imposed by the state.  Meet the demands detailed in the Florida Residential Landlord Tenant Act and you’ll be able to extract an income from your property.  Fail to live up to the letter of the law and you could find yourself fined by the state or taken to court by your tenant.  For the uninitiated, being a first-time landlord can be a bit daunting.  To help make the Florida landlord-tenant laws a bit easier to digest, here are some things you need to know before you put up a For Rent sign: