Christmas:
Fun, Family, Insurance, and Safety
When we think of Christmas, we usually tend to think about having fun, being with family, getting a break from work, and exchanging gifts and decorating our homes. We hope your Christmas has all the above and just want to add some insurance and safety tips so your Christmas is fun!
- Make sure all the new toys and gifts are properly covered on your homeowners or renters policy. Typically, items like tvs, clothing, kitchen and bathroom accessories would be covered on the Coverage C, Personal Property portion of your policy. Items such as Jewelry are typically only covered up to about $1000 so if you give someone a $10,000 ring, you need to schedule that item and pay additional premium to cover it. Some computers also may require adding additional coverage to your policy.
- Be sure to properly cover any new cars. When you drive your new car off the lot, it is considered to be depreciated or lose value immediately. If you financed your car especially, you can purchase GAP coverage to cover the difference between the value and the loan, or you can purchase “new car replacement” which means if your car is wrecked in the first year, you are reimbursed enough to buy that car new again. Moody, D’Avirro, and Associates has been getting excellent rates from Allstate recently so call them to go over your coverages and/or to shop your rates.
- Cover college kids laptops and contents. Christmas is a great time to reconnect with college kids. Most have some contents in form of clothing, cds, furniture, and laptops. While typically your kids contents are covered away from the parents home, there is a limit on the policy to maximum 10% of the overall Coverage C Personal Property Coverage. For example, if you have $50,000 contents on your homeowners policy, then your off premises coverage for your kids is limited to $5000 maximum.
- Turn off water if you leave for a long time. Especially if you live up north, burst or leaking water pipes can ruin your day when you get home. Don’t forget to turn off the water heater too so it doesn’t burn up from lack of water.
- Turn off Christmas lights and your tree not only when you’re away from the house but before you go to bed to avoid a heart attack when you get your electric bill.
- Keep your pets away from lights, trees, and decorations because not only do animals seem to find these things something to gnaw on, play with, or eat, but they can get sick from ingesting needles from both artificial or real trees, cause electrical fires (do you really want to test your homeowners policy?), or harm your pet in some way.
Wishing all our valued clients a fun and safe Christmas from Moody, D’Avirro, and Associates,
Scott Love and Michael D’Avirro
Your Trusted Choice Independent Agents
December 18, 2014
