Category: Home Insurance

When it comes to a home insurance policy, many consumers seek the benefit of having their homes repaired or rebuilt in case of a covered peril. They are also concerned with repairing their fences, sheds, walls, barns, and other structures on their land.

Moreover, homeowners are often overwhelmed by the thought of losing their personal property in a fire, storm, or other covered peril. You all have items that have great sentimental value, not to mention your furniture, TVs, appliances, clothes, and other personal items you may have. However, at Allen Insurance Agency in Ramseur, NC, we find that one of the most underrated coverages available on a home insurance policy is the additional living expense coverage.

What is Additional Living Expense Coverage?

Additional living expense coverage (ALE) on your home insurance policy is a benefit that reimburses you for extra money spent to find lodging while your home is being restored. This great coverage provides financial support and convenience, allowing you to focus on getting your life back to normal. You can get reimbursed for hotel stays, temporary apartment rentals, and other short-term lodging circumstances you must pay for while displaced from your home.

Additional living expense coverage also covers the cost of meals for you and your family if you are displaced from your home after a covered peril and cannot use a kitchen to prepare meals.

Moreover, ALE coverage will cover the cost of excess mileage you are required to drive to and from your place of employment while away from your home while it is repaired.

Lastly, ALE has limits that equal a percentage of your home insurance amount. For instance, if you have $300,000 worth of insurance on your home, and your ALE will pay up to 10% of the amount of insurance you have, it would pay up to $30,000 toward your additional living costs. Rates and percentages vary by company.

Questions? We are here to help.

If you have any questions about your home insurance policy or want more information about your additional living expense coverage, call Allen Insurance Agency in Ramseur, NC, at (336) 824-4130 today.

Buying a home insurance policy can be a complex process. It involves asking the right questions to ensure the policy you’re considering aligns with your needs.

At Allen Insurance Agency, servicing Ramseur, NC, we assist homeowners in seeking the most suitable home insurance policy. Below are four questions you should ask when shopping for home insurance.

1. How much coverage do I need?

It is vital to opt for a home insurance policy that offers just the right amount of coverage. Over-insuring your home means you’ll pay more for your premium. Under-insuring means you might face difficulties repairing or rebuilding your house after a covered event.

2. What is the cost?

Home insurance is usually paid in one lump sum per year. Knowing the cost of your insurance policy is a critical part of budgeting.

3. What’s covered under this policy?

While there are standard items across home insurance policies, there is variation from one insurance product to another. Knowing what’s covered by the policy you’re considering is essential to the process.

4. Should I get flood or umbrella insurance?

Standard home insurance policies do not cover floods. Accordingly, if you live in a high-risk area for floods, having this type of insurance can offer you financial protection. Umbrella insurance can extend your coverage beyond your home insurance policy. An umbrella policy can offer additional protection if your home insurance policy doesn’t offer sufficient coverage in a certain area.

Do you need home insurance? Contact Allen Insurance Agency, servicing Ramseur, NC. We’ll help answer your questions and guide you to the right insurance policy.

At Allen Insurance Agency, we help homeowners in Ramseur, NC, protect their homes against damage through homeowners’ insurance. Even all-perils home coverage doesn’t protect against some things that can happen to a home. The dreaded termite invasion falls into this category.

Spotting Termites Early

Most home policies do not cover termite damage because an annual inspection for termites is on the list of homeowner maintenance items. A homeowner should notice the mud tunnels indicating the arrival of termites and phone pest control to have the home treated. The horrific photos of termite damage shown on the Internet have happened over the years, so when damage occurs that erodes the home’s framing, it means the homeowner ignored essential maintenance.

A Free Inspection Can Spot the Problem

Many pest control services offer free termite inspections. Leverage this complimentary check on your home to keep it in top shape. Learn what termite damage looks like so no one can trick you into pesticide spraying that your home doesn’t need.

Termite tunnels may appear on the exterior or interior of a home. Typically gray, within these long corridors, they wander back and forth, gnawing on the wood of your home. Many varieties of termites exist, so you may not immediately recognize the bugs. Every variety builds this tunnel type and eats through the wood.

Contact Us Today

Do you have questions about what your home insurance does cover? Contact Allen Insurance Agency to check your policy’s coverage. If you don’t know the coverage level you bought on your Ramseur, NC, home, let us look it up. Whether you purchase HO-1, -2, -3, -5, or -8 coverage decides which perils the policy does cover. None cover termite damage, but there’s a lot they do cover.

If you own a home, you’ll want to make sure you take out home insurance. In fact, if you worked with a mortgage lender to buy your home, that lender may actually require that your property be insured. Even when home insurance isn’t required, it’s still crucial to take a policy out because it can reduce risks for your family. If you are looking for a home insurance provider that serves Ramseur, NC and other areas nearby, get in touch with the Allen Insurance Agency.

How Home Insurance Policies Provide Financial Protection

Your home may be your most valuable asset and investment. Certainly, it is a crucial component of your nest egg. Further, your home keeps a roof over your head and provides comfort. Unfortunately, however, homes can be destroyed by many different things, including fires and weather events. Further, even if a home isn’t outright destroyed, any damage incurred can cost a lot to address.

Additionally, homes could be targeted by criminals who break in to steal stuff or cause damage through vandalism and other criminal activities. If you don’t have the right insurance plan, you may have to pay for all of the above and more. What’s covered by insurance plans varies by policy, but the right plan can mitigate many of the above financial risks.

One thing some homeowners forget is that if someone is injured on their property, they may end up having to foot the bill. Some homeowner’s insurance policies will provide coverage for that.

We Are Here To Help

At the end of the day, the right home insurance policy could protect you and your family from financial ruin. Insurance also provides peace of mind for property owners. If you’re looking for an insurance agency serving Ramseur, NC and other areas nearby, contact the Allen Insurance Agency right away to discuss home insurance.

If you are a homeowner, it would be insane to not have insurance. This is especially true if you have a mortgage. According to the data firm CoreLogic, three out of five homes in the United States aren’t insured up to their total value. Many of them are underinsured by 20%. This would be a disastrous thing to find out if your Ramseur, NC home is damaged in a fire, flood, or some other disaster.

The following are three recommendations from us at Allen Insurance Agency to help you insure your home to its full value. 

Three Ways to Ensure Your Home is Insured Up to Its Value 

1. Review Your Policy Regularly

Don’t just set it and forget it when it comes to your home insurance policy. Review your homeowner’s policy regularly with your insurance representative. Things change all the time when it comes to laws and the value of your home. You should especially check if you have updated your home in any way or if your mortgage changed. 

2. Be Accurate

When you report the dimensions, layout, and different features in your home, be as clear and accurate as possible. You should also be accurate when reporting the valuables in your home as they are covered under most homeowner’s insurance policies. You may be tempted to underreport to keep your premiums low, but it will come back to haunt you in the long run. 

3. Include Any Renovations

Whenever you renovate or remodel a portion of your home, report it to your insurer. This always improves the value of your home and the changes may not be covered if you don’t include it specifically in your premium. Whenever you add a deck, alter your bathroom, or finish your basement, tell your insurance company. 

Schedule A Consultation Today

At Allen Insurance Agency, we are committed to providing complete homeowner’s insurance services to Ramseur, NC residents. Contact us today if you are concerned with your home’s level of coverage.  

Finding water damage in your home is super stressful. In the event that you’re dealing with a burst pipe, a broken water heater, or flood damage, it’s important to know whether you’re likely to be covered by your homeowner’s insurance. At Allen Insurance Agency in Ramseur, NC, we’re here to answer all of your questions when it comes to homeowner’s insurance. 

Homeowner’s Insurance and Water Damage

Your specific policy will determine the limits of your coverage, and it’s important to talk with your insurance agent about any specific questions you have about your policy. Typically, standard insurance policies cover water damage when it comes from inside your home. For example, if your floor is damaged due to a leaking washing machine, it’s likely that you’ll be covered. An important note: while the damage is likely to be covered, it’s unlikely that the faulty appliance will be replaced by your insurance company.

Water damage that comes from outside the home is a different story, however. If the water damage in your home is caused by a flood, you’ll need to file a claim with your flood insurance company. Water damage issues caused by a homeowner’s failure to complete normal maintenance (such as failing to repair a drain that hasn’t worked properly for a long period of time) typically are not covered.

Reach Out To Us

When it comes to choosing a home insurance company, it’s important to ask the questions that matter. At Allen Insurance Agency in Ramseur, NC, we’re here to help. Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help you rest assured that your home is protected. 

Most homeowners make the mistake of failing to evaluate their home insurance coverage on a regular basis and assuming that they are adequately insured in perpetuity. They are frequently surprised when a risk covered by their home insurance occurs, and they are not adequately paid. As a Ramseur, NC homeowner, you may avoid such surprises by examining your home insurance coverage on a regular basis.

Allen Insurance Agency recommends that you make it a habit to review your house insurance coverage during these times.

Before Renewing It

Most home insurance policies provide coverage for a year; but if you continue to pay your premiums, the insurance provider will automatically renew it. Before renewing your house insurance coverage, you should always take the time to review it. Check for any modifications to the terms of the house insurance that the insurer may have made, and increase the deductible to reflect your current financial situation.

When Property Prices in Your Area Rise or Fall

While many homeowners remember to reevaluate their home insurance policy when the value of their home increases, very few remember to do so when the value of their property decreases. When you review your house insurance policy when the value of your home rises, the insurer will compensate you appropriately. Failure to review your home coverage when the property value declines, on the other hand, means you will lose money by paying unreasonably high premiums. 

Every time you Remodel or Renovate

You should reevaluate your house policy whenever you alter or renovate your home. As a result, the improvements and remodeling you have done to your home will be covered by your insurance.

Reach Out To Us

As a homeowner in Ramseur, you should get home insurance because it is one of the top residential communities in North Carolina. Allen Insurance Agency in Ramseur, NC can help you with your home insurance requirements.

The short answer is, yes. Your home insurance claims are indeed a public record, not only in Ramseur, NC but nationwide. Our team of insurance experts at Allen Insurance Agency can help you get up to speed with policy transparency for your home.

Generally, only the involved parties may access the complete and updated policyholder’s insurance records. The insurance vendor and policyholder are the involved parties in this scenario. Both parties fall under the protection of the F.A.C.T Act for their right to pull information. When a concerned party wants to access the record, they may request a copy of the policy.

Insurance vendors have no right to disclose details to unrelated parties apart from as prescribed by regulatory bodies.

C.L.U.E.

C.L.U.E. refers to a database that contains past claims filed by policyholders. C.L.U.E. enables insurers to calculate the risk factor when considering customers. Over five years, C.L.U.E. stores details on the customer’s SSN, the address of the property, and additional information on the homeowner’s insurance claims.

As this database holds information that could potentially increase the customer’s premiums, under federal law, the policyholder is allowed to contest data stored there. Thus, the insured party should have access to the C.L.U.E. data storage where applicable. They may also dispute inaccurate or misleading details found in the database.

The policy becomes a public record because it is presentable upon request by prospective buyers. It is, however, important to note that only the policy holder and the insurance vendor can release the C.L.U.E. copy to the realtor or prospective buyer.

C.L.U.E. is mainly useful to:

• Insurance firms as it helps them identify threats when issuing policies
• Potential homebuyers as it reveals the extent of damage and level of care applied to the property by previous owners

Give Us A Call

To learn more about insurance transparency in Ramseur, NC, do not hesitate to contact Allen Insurance Agency Whether you are looking to buy or curious about your data, we have you covered.

One of the important elements of a home insurance policy is the personal liability insurance that the policy provides. At Allen Insurance Agency, serving the greater Ramseur, NC area, we have found that many homeowners have no idea what personal liability insurance is and how important it is in regard to their home insurance policy. Follow along as we provide more information about personal liability insurance. 

What Is Personal Liability Insurance In Regards to Home Insurance?

If someone is injured in your home or on your property, they may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against you. Personal liability insurance helps to cover the costs associated with defending that lawsuit or paying a settlement to the injured party. Essentially, personal liability insurance helps to cover the legal costs and settlement, within the coverage limit you select, ensuring the money does not come out of your pocket or your bank account. 

Why Is Personal Liability Insurance So Important? 

Personal liability insurance is so important as it helps to financially protect you. People file frivolous lawsuits all the time, and these lawsuits can cost a lot to defend against. Also, accidents happen, and if an accident happens on your property, personal liability insurance helps to cover the costs associated with the accident, so you are not financially liable for legal fees and damages that need to be paid due to these accidents. 

Contact Us Today

The right insurance products will cover you and the investment you have made in your home and property. The insurance agents at Allen Insurance Agency, serving the greater Ramseur, NC area, want to help you find the best insurance products for your needs. Give us the opportunity to help you by scheduling an appointment with us today. 

You should feel the safest in the place you call home. Many things go into home safety and most of them don’t really cost a lot to implement. At Allen Insurance Agency in Ramseur, NC we get to know our customers so that we can personalize your home insurance coverage. We want to make sure that your assets are safe and so is your major investment. 

Tips for making your home a safer place

Put strong passwords on your internet connection

Having your identity stolen is a major invasion of not only your privacy but of your finances. You don’t want anyone to be able to access your internet and steal your data. Having two-level security is recommended these days. 

Install a home security system

Home security systems are easy to install these days and are very affordable. You can use a doorbell camera with security cameras on the exterior of your home to monitor who is entering your space. 

Motion detector lights

Having strategically placed motion detector lights on the exterior of your home can be a deterrent to anyone who comes onto your property. 

Smart door locks

These days, you are able to lock your doors no matter where you are, by using your smartphone. It is simple and effective and does make your home safer. 

Lock your windows

While most people always lock their doors, windows are often overlooked. Make sure all of your windows are locked and a security bar is in place on a slider. 

Get rid of hiding places

Don’t have any places to hide anywhere near your house. Keep shrubs low and avoid large bushes. Make sure the garage and any sheds in your yard are always locked.

Get Insurance Coverage For Your Home Today

Contact our team of professionals at Allen Insurance Agency in Ramseur, NC to get your current home insurance reviewed or to discuss what type of home insurance is right for you.