Homeowner’s insurance is something that no one wants to pay for but can help when it comes time for a claim. The best way to keep your insurance costs down is by avoiding unnecessary claims. The best way to prevent this is by maintaining your home and preventing common types of damage that can be easily avoided. A few of the most common home insurance claims are:
- Water Damage
- Fires
- Wind & Hail Damage
- Burglary & Theft
Homeowners insurance is beneficial for large, unexpected events such as those mentioned above. As it’s important to have the proper insurance to protect you from these unexpected events, it’s also essential for you to take proactive steps to keep your home safe. Take a look at these steps that can help you maintain your home and make the damages less likely, and cost less at the time of a significant event.
How to help avoid Water Damage?
- Gutters – make sure your gutters are cleaned, have gutter “covers,” and properly attached to the house.
- Check for cracked caulking, tiles, or material in or around showers, tubs, and sinks and reseal as necessary.
- Keep the heat in your home above 55 degrees in the winter to help avoid freezing pipes.
- Repair any cracked pipes. And check for any leaks or watermarks on the ceilings.
How to help avoid a Fire?
- Install smoke detectors on each floor of the house and outside of each bedroom. Replace batteries at least every year
- Never leave the dryer, stove, oven, or space heaters on while not in the house
- Remove lint from dryers before and after doing your laundry
How to help prevent damage with Heavy Wind and Hail?
- Maintain trees, bushes, and shrubs around your property, to help avoid weak limbs or branches from breaking off during heavy storms
- Maintenance of your roof, make sure that you or a professional check for any loose shingles regularly. Suggested to replace your roof every 25-30 years
- Move sizeable outdoor furniture, umbrellas, or other large outdoor items inside during storms to avoid them from blowing around
How to help avoid Burglary & Theft?
- Make sure your house has deadbolts to all outside doors
- When you leave your home, make sure all your windows and doors are locked
- Think about purchasing preventative devices such as video doorbells, video cameras, or an in-house alarm system
- Install motion-sensing lights outside and make sure they’re functioning at nighttime
- Use “smart-plugs” while away to help turn on lights inside to help the appearance of being home
The purpose of your homeowner’s insurance is to protect your residence and personal assets at the time of a loss. Our job as an insurance company is to help financially protect you from large losses. Taking these preventative measures can help you avoid serious damage to your home and hopefully help you reduce claims and costly repairs.