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Category: Home Insurance
Five Simple Ways To Decrease Your Insurance Premiums
Insurance premiums can be a major part of a person’s monthly expenses, but Canby, OR residents can decrease their premiums in a variety of ways. Oliver Insurance offers the five following tips as the most effective ways of decreasing your auto, home, and health insurance premiums.
Cleaning Out Your Garage
Carefully cleaning out your garage can offer you premium discounts for two types of insurance coverage: auto and home insurance. Parking your car in a garage will decrease your auto coverage while cleaning up dangerous items will decrease your home premiums.
Increase Your Deductible
While it might be frustrating to increase your deductible, doing so will lower your monthly premium costs. Yes, you’ll pay more when problems do occur, but saving $100-200 per month can save you as much as $1,200 per year on your insurance.
Improve Your Insured Item
Repairing your car or home will decrease your premiums by making it worth more money. For example, adding storm shutters and adding a new room will minimize fire and water damage threats. Adding a new motor to your car will make it run more smoothly, eliminating breakdown threats.
Tweak Co-Insurance Rate
With medical insurance, you’ll typically have a ratio of 80/20 or 90/10, meaning the insurance provider pays 80-90 percent of your coverage while you pay the rest. Increasing the amount you pay (such as 70/30) will decrease your premiums, but increase what you pay: this method is similar to increasing your deductible with other insurances.
Avoiding Double Insurance
People often get medical coverage with their auto insurance policy and their personal health insurance policy. This is unnecessary, particularly if you already have life and disability insurance. Coverage duplication is expensive, so eliminate the most costly of these expenses to decrease your premiums.
Oliver Insurance covers the Canby, OR and can help you not only find great insurance coverage, but teach you ways to save money. Let them help you get full coverage and live a happy and productive life.
Should You Tell Your Insurance Provider About Home Renovations?
A home renovation project is an excellent way to not only make your house more enjoyable but increase the property value as well. One of the most popular questions regarding such a project is whether or not you need or should tell your insurance company about such a home renovation. At Oliver Insurance, we want to make sure your entire house is protected, which is why we recommend informing your insurance company when making any sort of renovation in Canby, OR or the surrounding areas.
When Contacting Your Home Insurance Provider Isn’t Necessary
There are some home renovation projects you may not need to inform your insurance provider of. These are usually projects that don’t increase the value of the home but simply correct current issues. Correcting some plumbing issues or electrical problems likely do not need reporting to your home insurance provider as it won’t play a major role in the cost of your home. If you’re not sure about if the project has an effect on property value, contact us at Oliver Insurance and we can help you with this question.
When to Contact Your Insurance Provider
If you are performing any sort of upgrade, such as a new floor, renovating the kitchen or adding on a room to the house, you need to tell your insurance provider as it will have an effect on the overall value of the home.
A home renovation is an exceptional use of your money. Initially, you may not want to inform your insurance company about the project as it can increase your monthly premiums. However, in the long run this is almost always necessary as it protects your investment and ensures you receive payments for any damage your newly renovated home sustains. At Oliver Insurance, we are here for you, so if you have questions regarding your Canby, OR home, give us a call at your convenience.
Prevent Water Damage and Protect Your Home
Water damage could lead to a home insurance claim in Canby, OR. Beyond that, water damage can expose your home to mold, which can cause serious health problems. The best way to avoid water damage is to protect your home using the following methods.
Clean Your Gutters
Your gutters are an integral part of your roofing system. They protect the foundation of your home from water by guiding the water away from your home. However, if your gutters are clogged with debris, they can’t perform as they should. To avoid this problem and protect your entire home, have your gutters cleaned by a professional.
Have a Professional Unclog Drains
Another professional you should hire for clogs are plumbers. Toilets and sinks are known to clog when you least expect it. Although attempting to unclog your drains may make sense in some cases, you should leave it to a professional to ensure it’s done right, especially when the clog is significant. If you damage your plumbing while trying to unclog your drain, you face costly repairs. Avoid it at all cost by enlisting the help of a professional when necessary.
Make Sure Your Drains Are Working Properly
Even now in then, it makes sense to get your drains checked. If you don’t, you may experience a whole-house plumbing back up. Annual drain inspections in Canby, OR helps prevent this problem by ensuring that your drains are working properly. If they are not, a licensed plumber can make recommendations that will help you avoid a plumbing problem.
We are always here to help our clients when they experience a loss. Beyond taking measures to protect your home from water damage, we encourage you to contact us today to make sure you have enough home insurance.
What Canby, OR Drivers Need To Know About Auto Insurance
Driving in Canby, OR requires that you have auto insurance. There are specific things that you need to have in order to be compliant with state law. This includes maintaining certain levels of property damage and personal injury liability on your policy.
What You Need
You need to have auto insurance if you plan on driving throughout Canby, OR and beyond. The state will dictate certain levels of insurance, and you may need additional insurance if you have a car loan or lease.
In addition to what you “need” there may be also things that you want. More coverage is possible beyond what is required of you. This includes collision insurance, comprehensive coverage, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, rental car coverage, and so much more. It allows you to build a better policy so that you have more protection throughout the year.
You never know what’s going to happen. Even if you are the safest driver out there, you can’t be sure of what the weather or other drivers will bring. This means it is imperative that you have an auto insurance policy that you can count on.
Finding the Right Policy
At Oliver Insurance, we will be able to help you with finding the right auto insurance policy. This means such things as:
- Answering questions
- Recommending coverage
- Obtaining quotes
There is no reason for you to do all of the work on your own. We have the ability to save you time and money. All you have to do is decide to tap into the resources we have available. This will make it easier for you to have the financial protection on your vehicle so that if something happens, you have recourse to be able to file a claim.
Contact one of our independent insurance agents at Oliver Insurance in order to learn more about auto insurance.
Surviving Fall: Handy Tips Canby Residents Can Try
The transition into fall from summer can be a rocky one, especially if you live in a place like Canby, Oregon. The leaves begin to change, the weather starts to get cooler, and people start to turn off their air conditioning start to dress up for the incoming cold weather. What many homeowners both new and old may fail to realize is that the changing weather that is creeping up on them can do harm to their home and cost them an unfortunately high amount of money if they are not properly insured.
One issue is that as the weather gets colder, a lot of people do not check their doors and windows to make sure that your home is properly insulated to avoid damage from the cold weather. Another thing that homeowners should consider watching out for is that as the weather gets colder, so too does it get dryer, and dry weather can do some serious damage to your furniture. If you do not take the proper precautions to keep the cold weather out of your home, you may find your favorite sofa is put out of commission – and if you are uninsured, insult would be added to injury, as you would have to pay to have the furniture replaced out of pocket. Canby, Oregon residents should also make sure that their roofs are properly shingled and kept in good shape and that their gutters are in good shape as well; not only can a poorly maintained roof cause a house to have too cold of falls, it can make it more unsafe to clean our the gutters.
Insurance may assist you in avoiding serious consequences as a result of damage from the seasonal changes. Oliver Insurance can help you figure out exactly which insurance plan works best for your needs.
Benefits of Hiring an Independent Insurance Agent
An independent insurance agent isn’t affiliated with one specific company. It gives drivers in Canby, OR, and the surrounding area a unique experience when compared to going through an agency. In fact, hiring an independent insurance agent has a lot of benefits.
1. Can Save Money
Hiring an independent insurance agent rather than going through a specific insurance has the potential to save the driver money. The agent will offer the customer a wide variety of policies rather than focus on just the ones provided by the company the agent works for, meaning the agent won’t pressure the driver into purchasing the best policy. Moreover, most of the policies are less money than most of the ones from a specific company.
2. An Unbiased Opinion
Drivers want the agent’s opinion on the best policy for his or her needs. Unfortunately, an agent working for an agency works for a company is giving advice based on the fact that they must keep the company’s best interests at heart. They may even work on commission, so the car owner’s best interest doesn’t come first. Independent agents don’t work on commission and have no preference over one company or another, allowing the driver to reap the benefit of an honest unbiased opinion.
3. More Personalized Experience
Those working for large insurance companies tend to rush a customer into selecting a policy and might not always address issues thoroughly since they have to work under call-time restrictions. However, independent agents have the ability to give a person a more personalized experience. They’re not pressed for time and have fewer customers to deal with each day, giving each person more time with a professional.
To learn about the different auto policies available through Oliver Insurance, Serving Canby, OR, and the surrounding area, from a friendly independent agent, contact us today at 503-266-2715.
Fire Prevention Week Oct. 9th – Oct. 15th! 10 years is TOO LONG!
This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years,” represents the final year of our three-year effort to educate the public about basic but essential elements of smoke alarm safety.
Why focus on smoke alarms three years in a row? Because NFPA’s survey data shows that the public has many misconceptions about smoke alarms, which may put them at increased risk in the event of a home fire. For example, only a small percentage of people know how old their smoke alarms are, or how often they need to be replaced.
As a result of those and related findings, we’re addressing smoke alarm replacement this year with a focus on these key messages:
– Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years.
– Make sure you know how old all the smoke alarms are in your home.
– To find out how old a smoke alarm is, look at the date of manufacture on the back of the alarm; the alarm should be replaced 10 years from that date.
Get the answers to some frequently asked questions about replacing your smoke alarms.
http://www.nfpa.org/public-education/campaigns/fire-prevention-week/teaching-fpw/replacing-smoke-alarms
This article provided by the National Fire Prevention Association
Insuring Your Wedding? A Few Things to Think About When it Comes to the Big Day
Tying the Knot? Tie up Loose Ends With Wedding Insurance
Getting married is a big step that you’re no doubt commemorating with a big celebration. And, that often comes with a (fairly) big price tag. So, have you considered insuring the whole to-do?
As with other sizeable investments, you can insure big events, such as your wedding. But, that’s not the only way insurance can play a role in your big day and the events that follow. Here are four tips for insuring your wedding, rings and more:
1. Big day, big investment – protect it
Of course you want your big day to go off without a hitch. But, you also want to prepare for those pesky “what ifs.” What if the caterer backs out? What if the bride’s dress gets lost in her checked baggage? What if your venue goes out of business?
Event insurance typically covers unexpected issues with the site, weather, vendors and illness or injury, so you aren’t stuck with the tab. For example, if you need to find a new caterer the day before the wedding, your policy may help with the costs.
2. Say ‘I do’ to covering your rings.
Regardless of the monetary value of your engagement and wedding rings, it’s important to protect your investment — preferably right after you purchase them. We can help. Call us from the jewelry store if you like, and we’ll schedule your new bling on your renters insurance, condo insurance or homeowners insurance.
3. Cover your bases by covering your gifts.
While you’re dancing the night away, you don’t want someone walking away with your gifts. But, unfortunately, it happens. You may want to consider a policy to protect your gifts. And, of course, you’ll want to include them as part of your home inventory and personal property coverage. Some items, such as collectibles and china, may need scheduled coverage, just like your rings.
4. Start your honeymoon right.
If your honeymoon costs as much as a car, it may make sense to get travel insurance. Policies can include coverage for trip cancellation or delay, and even medical insurance. Frommers.com says it should cost no more than 8 percent of your trip price.
Whether your wedding is a small family affair or the biggest event of the year, you deserve to have a stress-free day. Let us help you select the insurance coverage you want for your wedding and everything that goes along with it. So, when the big day arrives, all you have to worry about is having a great time!
How to Determine How Much Commercial Insurance Your Business Needs
Trying to determine how much insurance your commercial business needs is challenging. You don’t want to be underinsured, or you won’t be fully covered in the event of a fire or break-in. You don’t want to be over insured, or you are paying for more insurance than you need. So how do you determine how much insurance your business needs? Here are a few factors to consider.
The Value of the Product or Merchandise You Have Stored in the Building
One of the first things to do is to determine what the value is of the product you normally store in the building. This is challenging as your inventory can go up and down, but get an average of how much you normally have on hand at any given time.
The Value of Your Business Property
Another factor to consider is how much your business property in the building amounts to. This includes computers, point of sale systems, fixtures, desks and other business property that makes your business function. In the event of an emergency, you will need to replace these items.
How Much Your Business Makes Each Day
The last factor to consider is how much money your business makes each day. If your normal day-to-day operations are interrupted or halted because of flood or fire, your commercial insurance will cover this daily loss if you are properly covered. Figuring out how much you average per day can help ensure you carry the right amount of insurance so you aren’t out any money if the unexpected happens.
If you are trying to figure out how much commercial insurance your business needs, or are looking for a new policy in the greater Canby, OR area, be sure to check out Oliver Insurance. We would love to help you determine how much insurance you need and draw up a new policy for that amount, ensuring your business is fully covered.
