Your home may be your castle, but it requires an insurance policy that covers the moat, too. You could purchase a standard HO policy, but you need to customize it to cover the things that make your home a castle. This requires add-ons and riders that your agent at Karla Salmon Insurance of Oviedo, FL can explain further.

The typical HO policy includes property damage coverage from falling objects, fire, hail, lightning, water damage from plumbing, smoke, windstorms, theft, vandalism, HVAC, and damage caused by the weight of snow, sleet, and ice. Personal property also receives protection. Many policies also cover debris removal, plus per diem when you must stay in a hotel or apartment while your home gets repaired. The policy provides liability coverage for lawsuits and financial claims brought by those who were injured accidentally on the property.

You might need to add-on to your policy. One common add-on, sump pump overflow, and water backup coverage that reimburses you for the cleanup and restoration if your sump pump fails and the sewer backs up or overflows into your basement.

You can add to roof coverage including hail and wind damage. Discuss with your agent whether you need it covered for replacement cost or actual cash value. The former pays for a new roof as it costs today, but the latter pays you what the roof on the house was worth when the storm hit. In other words, the depreciated value.

Matching siding coverage covers the cost of replacing all the siding on the house if the siding on the house no longer gets manufactured. The standard HO policy covers only the damaged bits. This add-on lets you put on all-over siding so it continues to match.

You need the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) coverage to protect your home from a flood. Even home not in a flood plain remain at risk for flooding. In an area prone to earthquakes, you need separate coverage for it. The add-on applies to the house, garage, personal property, other structures such as a workshop or shed plus driveways, fences, and sidewalks. 

Most standard policies provide about 10 percent of the value of the home as other structures coverage. You can add to this so your swimming pool or detached office building receives the coverage it needs.

Home renovation insurance covers when you remodel your home. It covers the ongoing work as well as the construction materials, damage, and potential for foundation collapse. Those who work from home may need home-based business coverage to insure their business property as well as cover perils causing a business-interruption and liability. One of the new types of coverage is identity theft coverage. You can bundle this into your home policy to protect your identity and the costs involved with reputation rebuilding.

Call or email Karla Salmon Insurance serving the Oviedo, FL area. We can help you obtain the home policy you need, customized to protect your home.

Purchasing home insurance is important for any homeowner, whether they are financing or own the home outright. The best way to protect that investment is to have the right level of home insurance coverage in place. The goal is to avoid gaps in coverage and to have a policy value that will reflect the appropriate replacement cost of the home.

Home Insurance Coverage Calculations

The best way to find the policy value a homeowner needs to be completely protected is to work with an insurance agent with plenty of experience assisting clients. They will need to know the value of the home in questions, including any additional structure on the property. Additionally, they will also need an accurate assessment of all of the contents and may advise the owner to save receipts and any appraisals that may be relevant in case there is a claim at a later date. Having all of the information handy will help expedite the claims process and prevent issues with the provider. Once a number is reached, the insurance agent will suggest a policy amount that will accurately reflect the value of the property as a whole. There are a couple of different types of home insurance to choose from, which they can help you understand more clearly during the shopping process. 

Let An Agent Assist You

One of the best ways to protect yourself when it comes to purchasing insurance is to be educated. An insurance agent can help you learn about the terms and conditions and provide you with relevant information and need to know fine print included in the policy language. Anyone who is living in the Oviedo, FL area can rely on the agents at Karla Salmon Insurance to guide them in the right direction and assist before, during, and after the policy purchase. 

Call or stop by Karla Salmon Insurance, serving the Oviedo, FL area today to schedule an appointment with an agent or to ask questions about policy options. 

Home insurance may sometimes feel like a universal thing. After all, why would someone own something as valuable as property and then choose not to protect it? But the reality may be more complicated than this, and it’s something that you should be aware of if you’re interested in protecting your resale value. If you live in Oviedo, FL, Karla Salmon Insurance is here to give you more information about whether it’s required or not. 

The Standard Laws 

If your home is financed through a lender, then you’re typically required to carry a certain amount of coverage. This is the lender’s why of ensuring that they don’t lose out on their investment. If you live in an HOA, there may also be rules about having coverage that all homeowners are required to follow. This is the development’s way of keeping everyone’s home values protected so the development can remain desirable. It can also help safeguard against community-wide incidents (e.g., a fire that spreads from home to home). 

Understanding Home Insurance 

Unlike a car in most states, there is no requirement for home insurance if the owner owns the property free and clear in Oviedo, FL. And this is something that all homeowners need to take into consideration. Because other people’s homes do affect the overall valuation of your block. And if people aren’t taking care of them, neglect can ultimately impact your home’s value. 

For the most part, you can rest assured that people have home insurance to protect their investment in your neighborhood. However, it helps to know about the potential outliers just in case. If you’re concerned about keeping up your coverage, give Karla Salmon Insurance a call today to learn more about how different kinds of policies work to protect you.  

Homeowners in the Oviedo, FL area are smart to protect their homes from burglary. Follow these helpful tips from the team at Karla Salmon Insurance and keep your family home safe! We are here to address any questions or concerns that you may have about home insurance and protecting your family! The right insurance policy is another way to protect your home and family. Contact us today to learn more about the available options.

Helpful Tips for Keeping Your Home Safe from Burglars

• Install motion detection lights — light is an effective tool for deterring unwanted visitors to your house.
• Trim all branches away from your windows — don’t give burglars a way inside!
• Keep all shrubbery neat and trimmed — thick shrubs can provide cover for a would-be burglar, make sure to keep your landscaping tidy and well-lit.
• Install a burglar alarm — when you have an alarm system that’s connected to your area’s first responders, you give your family another level of protection.
• Use light timers when you will be away from home for an extended period of time — a dark house is often an attractive target. By keeping your house lit when you aren’t home you can help to repel robbers.
• Review your homeowner’s policy — make sure that you have the protection you need before you need it! The right policy provides the peace of mind and protection that your family needs to stay safe. 

If you are in the greater Oviedo, FL area and have questions about your home insurance, contact the team at Karla Salmon Insurance today! We are here to help you protect your home, and will be at your side should your home fall victim to burglary. Let us help you ensure that you have the protection you need.

Before you can consider what home insurance endorsements that you need, you have to understand precisely what an endorsement is and which ones are offered. An insurance endorsement is an amendment that is added to a policy that changes specific coverage on the policy. They are sometimes called riders. In order to have a specific endorsement, you may need to change companies, which is why if you live in or near Oviedo, FL, talking to Karla Salmon Insurance is a good idea.  

Some common endorsements include 

• Animal liability
• Mold 
• Flood
• Hurricane
• Jewelry 
• Sinkholes

Some of these endorsements are for things that are very common in Florida. Some home policies cover hurricane damage. Others require an endorsement. It is up to you to read your policy carefully and to discuss specific coverage with your agent. Mold, flood, and sinkholes are all too common and need to be covered in order to have peace of mind. 

If you have more than a piece or two of jewelry, the jewelry endorsement is a must. Typically if you have an engagement ring, that is about the extent of the coverage your policy has. Be sure to get an appraisal for your jewelry and submit it with the endorsement. 

Pets are a significant liability, and some animals are not covered and can’t be covered by an endorsement. If you are a pet owner, you need to check with your insurance company to determine if your breed is among those that can be covered. 

You can only decide the endorsements you need for your Florida home, but if you live in or near Oviedo, FL, Karla Salmon Insurance can help you to make this critical decision. Give us a call or stop by our office and let us make sure that you have all the coverage you need.