http://www.insurance-center.net/blog/View Insurancenter of Fort Myers's Website Blogen-uspostmaster@www.insurance-center.netInsurance Website Builder - www.insurancewebsitebuilder.comurn:uuid:71d1b86e-d7fb-46dc-80ed-e3e0118ae62furn:uuid:20b56430-da9f-44ea-a93a-54714b504bd1<img src='http://www.insurance-center.net/img/~www.insurance-center.net/headerBackImage.png' align='left' /> By:&nbsp; Angi Meloy - Agent Mr. and Mrs. Brown came into my office and wanted me to take a look at their policy that was written through another local agent.&nbsp; They were looking to lower costs and wanted my help.&nbsp; They owned a condo...Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:15:16 -0500<div class="post-outer" style="position: relative; margin: 0px; background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; top: 1px; left: 1px;border: medium none;" closure_uid_dt0em2="5"> <div class="post hentry"><a name="2682333467862244122"></a> <div class="post-header"> <div class="post-header-line-1"></div> </div> <div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2682333467862244122"> <div style="text-align: justify;">By:&nbsp; Angi Meloy - Agent <br /> <br /> Mr. and Mrs. Brown came into my office and wanted me to take a look at their policy that was written through another local agent.&nbsp; They were looking to lower costs and wanted my help.&nbsp; They owned a condominium and had a policy designed to insure the inside of the building only (HO-6) because the association insured the outside of the structure.&nbsp; In reviewing their policy I saw they had $25,000 coverage for the dwelling, which is all permanent fixtures in the unit from the drywall in.&nbsp; I advised them that they were extremely underinsured on their unit and recommended they increase their dwelling coverage to $75,000 to ensure they have Replacement Cost coverage on their unit.&nbsp; Well, since this was going to <i>increase </i>the cost of their insurance, they were less than thrilled with my recommendation&hellip; Until I told this story:</div> <div style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><br /> </div> <div style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 0.5in;">Mr. and Mrs. Smith had a kitchen fire in their condominium unit and sustained $20,000 in damages.&nbsp; Their unit was insured for $30,000 so they fully expected the insurance company to pay $20,000, minus their deductible, of course.&nbsp; When they received their claim check from the adjuster, they were surprised that the amount was only $9,500!&nbsp; They quickly called the adjuster to find out where the rest of their money was-clearly $9,500 was not going to be enough to repair all the damage the kitchen fire had done.&nbsp; The adjuster explained that in order for you to receive Replacement Cost Coverage; you need to be insured for the full Replacement Cost of your unit, which in this case was $60,000.&nbsp; Because you are only insured for half of what you should be, the insurer will only pay you half of what the damages are.</div> <div><br /> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;">Mrs. Brown looked at her husband and said, &ldquo;Honey, we just spent $15,000 redoing our kitchen!&rdquo;.&nbsp; &ldquo;Yes&rdquo;, I said, &ldquo;And imagine only getting half of that back in the event you had to replace it again&rdquo;.&nbsp; They took my advice and insured their unit for the true replacement/reconstruction cost and thanked me for the advice.&nbsp; They left my office knowing that if there ever came a time they needed to file a claim, they would not be left with thousands of dollars out of pocket.<br /> <br /> <br /> </div> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" width="482" height="65" style="width: 732px; height: 100px;" src="/img/~www.insurance-center.net/headerBackImage.png" /></p> <div><br /> </div> </div> </div> </div>urn:uuid:eccd631b-49ba-479d-8748-ac77c839b30d<img src='http://www.insurance-center.net/img/~www.insurance-center.net/headerBackImage.png' align='left' />Hurricane season is now in full swing, and this is a good time to discuss the benefits of Flood insurance protection for your home.&nbsp; Flood is defined as &ldquo;rising of inland bodies of water and/or tidal surge&rdquo;.&nbsp; In Florida, this is...Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:27:28 -0500<p style="text-justify: newspaper; text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%; margin-bottom: 0pt;">Hurricane season is now in full swing, and this is a good time to discuss the benefits of Flood insurance protection for your home.&nbsp; Flood is defined as &ldquo;rising of inland bodies of water and/or tidal surge&rdquo;.&nbsp; In Florida, this is a very real threat, as we are surrounded by ocean water, and have many rivers and canals which extend inland. Typical homeowners insurance policies specifically exclude damage caused by flood.&nbsp;&nbsp; This is important to distinguish, because even if flood damage is sustained in the midst of a hurricane, your homeowners policy will not respond to that portion of the damage to your home.&nbsp; This exclusion was upheld by Federal courts during the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005.</p> <p style="text-justify: newspaper; text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%; margin-bottom: 0pt;">The only way to protect your home from this type of damage is to purchase a Flood insurance policy, which is available through the Federal Government&rsquo;s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).&nbsp; If your home is located in a standard flood zone and you have a mortgage on your property, it is very likely that you already have a flood insurance policy in place.&nbsp; But for all other situations, flood insurance is optional (although strongly recommended).&nbsp; Fortunately, flood insurance is typically very inexpensive.&nbsp; Factors that contribute to the pricing of a flood insurance policy include: 1.) The location of the home 2.) The height that the home is elevated 3.) How much coverage you purchase.&nbsp; Last but not least, the Federal Government requires a mandatory 30-day waiting period before coverage can be bound, so don&rsquo;t wait until the flood waters are at your doorstep.&nbsp; Call us today for a FREE flood insurance quote!</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" width="564" height="50" style="width: 618px; height: 81px;" src="/img/~www.insurance-center.net/headerBackImage.png" /></p>urn:uuid:5a759445-91ec-43eb-9e10-9500b52fcc18<img src='http://www.insurance-center.net/img/~www.insurance-center.net/headerBackImage.png' align='left' />Isn&rsquo;t it hard to believe that the Holidays are upon us already? So what happens if you are out shopping and have almost filled your car with gifts for your family and friends, then during one quick stop someone breaks into your vehicle and stea...Mon, 15 Nov 2010 09:50:07 -0600<p style="text-align: justify;">Isn&rsquo;t it hard to believe that the Holidays are upon us already? So what happens if you are out shopping and have almost filled your car with gifts for your family and friends, then during one quick stop someone breaks into your vehicle and steals all of your gifts?&nbsp;&nbsp; Are they covered?&nbsp; Which insurance policy will pay, your automobile or your homeowner policy?</p> <p style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;">If there is damage to your vehicle from the theft, such as a broken window, your automobile policy will cover you if you have comprehensive coverage.&nbsp; There is no coverage for personal property on a standard automobile insurance policy.</p> <p style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;">The good news is that your homeowner insurance policy considers your new purchases part of your personal property and will give you protection up to the amount your insurance policy shows under &ldquo;Coverage C&rdquo;.&nbsp; (Some items like jewelry and silverware have special limits of coverage stated within your policy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Be sure to check your insurance policy for a full list of the items and limits, then contact your agent if you need more protection.)&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;">Your receipts or credit card bill can be used as a record of what was stolen from your vehicle.&nbsp; If you are not using a credit card to pay for your purchases, be sure to keep your receipts with you.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;">Remember to take all necessary safety precautions to help protect yourself from theft.&nbsp; Keep packages out of plain sight such as in your trunk or under some type of cover.&nbsp; Park in well lit areas of the parking lot and always lock your vehicle.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;">To minimize hassles or mix ups at claim time, use one agent to handle all of your personal insurance needs.&nbsp; Your independent agent brings you more options, greater value, customized protection, and most of all gives you a guiding hand during a difficult or confusing claim.&nbsp; </p> <p style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;">&nbsp;For more information contact us!&nbsp; <a href="http://www.insurance-center.net">www.insurance-center.net</a></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Be Safe!&nbsp; HAPPY HOLIDAYS!<br /> <br /> <img width="600" height="58" alt="" style="width: 474px; height: 72px;" src="/img/~www.insurance-center.net/headerBackImage.png" /></p>urn:uuid:36a2b1ee-4794-47c7-a915-e92cc6634b2f<img src='http://www.insurance-center.net/img/~www.insurance-center.net/headerBackImage.png' align='left' />Auto Insurance - What Does It All Mean? Insurance companies seem to love abbreviations and acronyms!&nbsp; Great for them but it kind of looks like alphabet soup to the rest of us!&nbsp; To help decipher some of their terms, here is a brief over...Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:51:05 -0500<h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://insurancenterfortmyers.blogspot.com/2010/09/auto-insurance-what-does-it-all-mean.html">Auto Insurance - What Does It All Mean?</a> </h3> <div class="post-header"> <div class="post-header-line-1"></div> </div> <div class="post-body entry-content"> <div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Insurance companies seem to love abbreviations and acronyms!&nbsp; Great for them but it kind of looks like alphabet soup to the rest of us!&nbsp; To help decipher some of their terms, here is a brief overview of the most common coverage options on an automobile insurance policy.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br /> </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><b>BI/PD = Bodily Injury &amp; Property Damage Liability</b> pays for claims or lawsuits that you are legally liable for as a result of an accident that involves injury to another person or damage to someone's property, up to the limit of liability you select.&nbsp; Example:&nbsp; Due to heavy rains you are unable to stop before hitting the car in front of you causing injuries of $25,000 and property damage of $15,000.&nbsp; If your limits are inadequate to pay for the damages, your assets would then be at risk.&nbsp; Discuss limits with your agent.&nbsp; Sometimes higher limits will qualify you for a program with a lower premium.</div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br /> </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><b>Med Pay = Medical Payments</b> cover reasonable medical and certain other injury related expenses to you, your family and your passengers injured in your auto.&nbsp; This coverage applies regardless of who is at fault. </div> <div><br /> </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><b>PIP = Personal Injury Protection</b> is often referred to as "no-fault".&nbsp; PIP helps to pay medical expenses, lost wages and loss of services while you're recovering. The State of Florida requires a minimum of $10,000 of coverage. <br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><b>UM = Uninsured Motorist&nbsp; </b>will cover injuries and injury related damages you incur that the at-fault party is legally liable for when they don&rsquo;t have insurance, such as medical treatment and lost wages up to the limits you select.&nbsp; </div> <div style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><b>Ded = Deductible&nbsp; </b>is the amount you must pay out-of-pocket before your insurance pays anything.&nbsp; <br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><b>Comp = Comprehensive Coverage</b> pays for damage to your auto caused by something other than a collision, such as theft, vandalism, fire, flood, hail and hurricane.&nbsp; This coverage usually has a deductible.<br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><b>Coll = Collision Coverage</b> pays for damage to your vehicle that results from colliding with another vehicle or object.&nbsp; This coverage usually has a deductible.<br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br /> <div style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><b>Rental Reimbursement </b>pays for rental of a vehicle when your vehicle is being repaired after being damaged from a loss covered by your policy. <br /> <br /> Contact The Insurancenter for a full auto insurance review.&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="http://www.insurance-center.net/">http://www.insurance-center.net/</a><br /> <br /> <br /> <img alt="" style="width: 718px; height: 90px; vertical-align: text-bottom;" src="/img/~www.insurance-center.net/headerBackImage.png" /></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>urn:uuid:e86ee3c2-6153-42a3-8001-542a5b6f08a3<img src='http://www.insurance-center.net/img/~www.insurance-center.net/headerBackImage.jpg' align='left' />It would seem logical that with property values, assessed values and market values on the decline that my insurance values could also be reduced, right?&nbsp;&nbsp; Not exactly.&nbsp; Here is how it works&hellip; &nbsp;When you take out an insurance ...Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:42:48 -0500<p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 16px;">It would seem logical that with property values, assessed values and market values on the decline that my insurance values could also be reduced, right?&nbsp;&nbsp; Not exactly.&nbsp; Here is how it works&hellip;</span></b></p> <p style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><b><span style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</span></b><span style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 10pt;">When you take out an insurance policy on your home, the contract is written to be unique to your property.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Many factors go in to determining the value at which the insurance company will agree to insure your property.&nbsp; The most common are the age, size, materials used to construct the property, and additional features such as pools, lanais, or any &ldquo;upgrades&rdquo; that you may have.&nbsp; Then your insurance company agrees to repair or replace your property as it was before you had a claim &mdash; the same home, with the same features, at the same location.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><span style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 10pt;">In today&rsquo;s market, you can probably go down the street and buy a house just about the same as the one you are living in - and for a lot less money than your property is insured for.&nbsp; However, the cost of building YOUR home has not changed much in the last several years.&nbsp; When you read your policy, you will see that as long as your property is insured to the proper value, your insurance company will pay to repair or replace your home when you have a claim.&nbsp; </span></p> <p style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><span style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 10pt;">During the real estate &ldquo;boom&rdquo; of 2005 and 2006 the opposite occurred.&nbsp; Because property values were so high many people wanted to increase the insured value of their property.&nbsp;&nbsp; Insurance companies were still obligated to only the reconstruction value of the property and did not insure to the market value of the property.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><span style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 6pt;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 10pt;">Insurance companies use building cost guides, properly valued appraisals, inspections, and trust that you will notify your agent when you make improvements to keep insurance values in line with current reconstruction values.&nbsp; If you feel that your property&rsquo;s insurance value is too high, or too low contact your agent for a coverage review.<br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.insurance-center.net"><img style="width: 700px; vertical-align: text-bottom;border-color: #ffffff;" alt="Home Insurance Fort Myers - Auto - Boat - RV - Cape Coral, Naples, Bonita Springs" src="/img/~www.insurance-center.net/headerBackImage.jpg" /></a></span></p>