Hurricane Status: Tropical Storm Danielle

Newly-formed Tropical Storm Danielle will likely reach hurricane status in the next 24 hours, according to an advisory from the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Hurricane Danielle is expected to move west-northwest toward Bermuda from its position in the Central Atlantic, Reuters reports. Experts have predicted that up to seven major Atlantic hurricanes could form this season. It is important to have proper insurance coverage to protect your house and any other valuable assets. For more information contact a Kimberley Vassal Insurance agent today and visit our website for a free insurance quote!

5 after the disaster do’s and don’ts

Here are a few things to remember after a severe storm. The best thing to do after the storm is to assess the damage and report it to your insurers as soon as possible. Below are a few more tips brought to you by msn.com

• Drive only if necessary. Debris and floodwaters may be covering roads, making them impassable.
• For insurane purposes, take pictures of all damage before starting cleanup or repairs.
• Use flashlights for light. Do not use matches, torches, candles or other open flames.
• Wear protective clothing while cleaning up debris. Wear rubber gloves while scrubbing flood-damaged interiors and furniture.
• Check gas, water and electrical lines for damage. Do not try to repair damaged gas or electrical lines yourself; call a professional. Check appliances as well.

For more information and a free insurance quote visit our website today at www.kimberleyvassal.com

Swimming Pool Safety Tips

In a recent article by About.com they explained some important pool safety tips that will keep your family safe. Below are a few tips to keep you safe to view the full article click here.

• Enclose your pool with high fences, which can be locked.
• Never allow your youngster to swim alone without any adult supervision.
• Spas and Hot Tubs must also be avoided, especially in the case of younger children who are susceptible to overheating.
• For good pool safety, you can make sure that there is always a life saving floation device handy near the pool.
• Never use a pool with its pool cover partially in place, since children may become entrapped under it. Remove the cover completely.
• The last, but not the least, to ensure swimming pool safety, be observant.

For more information and a free insurance quote visit our website at www.kimberleyvassal.com

How An Umbrella Policy Works

“Umbrella liability insurance is so named because it acts like an umbrella, sitting on top of your auto and homeowners liability policies to provide extra protection.” For a free insurance quote visit our website today at www.kimberleyvassal.com

Umbrella Liability Insurance

Umbrella liability is relatively affordable, can be easily coordinated with your existing insurance policies and by no means is it just for the well to do. Umbrella liability insurance acts like an “umbrella”, sitting on top of your auto and homeowners liability policies to provide extra protection. A few examples of when umbrella coverage often comes into play:

• An auto accident in which you’re sued under your auto insurance policy.
• Your neighbor slips and falls on your property, and youre sued under your homeowners insurance.

Although your auto and homeowners policies have at least some liability insurance that would be used to settle legal claims. But what if a settlement  is $800,000 and you only have $300,000 of liability insurance? The insurer would pay its $300,000, but where are you going to get the other $500,000? Virtually everything you own would be fair game to pay off the debt. This is when umbrella liability insurance comes into great use. For more information contact a Kimberley Vassal Insurance agent today at www.kimberleyvassal.com.

Floater Insurance

A floater is a type of insurance that people purchase to cover specific items that aren’t normally covered under their standard homeowner’s insurance or other type of insurance policy. By adding a floater to the policy specifying the individual item, a policyholder can get the coverage they desire for full replacement of the insured item in the case of theft, damage, or loss.

Insurance floaters typically cover one specific item. These items are usually easily moved from one location to another such as jewelry, electronics, and cameras. Policyholders who have multiple items will need to purchase floaters for each item that they want to insure. For more information on floater insurance contact a Kimberley Vassal Insurance agent today!

The Secrets of Home Insurance Claims

MSN.com recently posted a very good article concerning secrets of home insurance claims. Unless you’ve already run into the task of a major home insurance claim, you most likely don’t know what to expect. Here is a look at many of the things that can take people by surprise when they have a large home insurance claim according to MSN.com:

1. A claim for a total loss of a house can cost less than rebuilding a damaged house. Construction from scratch costs less per foot than construction for rebuilding. Often it’s “easier” to fix your problem if your house is simply gone, rather than to try to repair the damaged sections of what’s left.
2. If you have a mortgage, your insurance checks will be made out to both you and your mortgage bank. Your mortgage holder is likely listed as a “loss payee” on your home insurance policy, so payments for rebuilding are issued to both you and your lien holder.
3. Don’t cash any insurance checks marked “full and final settlement.” In some states, such as California, it’s illegal for an insurer to issue a check like this. You don’t want to cut yourself off from any funds you’d be entitled to if you later discover that not everything has been paid for.
4. Don’t sign a release on your home insurance claim. This takes the home insurer off the hook for any future payments on your claim.
5. People regularly settle for less than the total cost of their damages because they are exhausted.

For more information and a free insurance quote visit our website today at www.kimberleyvassal.com

Homeowner’s Insurance: Water Damage

Water damage can be very devastating, whether it be a leaking roof or a faulty washing machine, water damage can happen at anytime. According to the American Association of Insurance Services, water is the second leading cause of homeowners loss, the best defense is really prevention. Most water damage can be minimized or avoided by routine maintenance. Here are a few things to add to your spring clean up routine.

• Inspect your roof for normal wear and tear. Do so on the ground to be extra cautious.
• Clean out gutters and downspouts. They direct water away from your foundation and roof.
• Inspect water lines in your refrigerator and toilet. If any kinks and or cracks are found that might obstruct water flow replace the entire tube.
• Inspect washing machine hoses for damage. It is recommended you replace hoses every five years. For the best results choose a higher quality hose.

For more information about water damages and how insurance can help contact a Kimberley Vassal Insurance agent today at 800.511.9377.

Loss of Tree and Scrubs due to Ice and Snow

In light of the recent storms we have received many calls from insured inquiring about coverage for ornamental trees that have been damaged by the heavy weight of the snow on the branches, although most homeowners policies do provide coverage of $500 per tree or shrub with a maximum of $1,000 in most policies the coverage is limited to the following Perils:

Fire, lightning, explosion, riot, civil commotion, aircraft, vehicle damages (vehicles not owned by the insured and not driven by the residents of the household), vandalism, malicious mischief and theft.

Another area of concern is what if the weight of the ice and snow causes the tree to fall? Do I have coverage to remove the debris? The answer to this question is yes and no, If the tree falls in the middle of the yard and does not hit the Dwelling there would be no coverage for its removal. However if it does hit the Dwelling the policy would pay up to $500 for the removal of the tree as well as the damage done by the tree.

For more information and a free homeowners quote visit our website at www.kimberleyvassal.com

Do You Have Enough Insurance On Your Home?

Most likely when you first purchased your home you bought insurance to cover you against disasters such as fires and storms. But since then the value of your home has most likely increased. This increased home value may not be accounted for in your insurance policy and if something happened to your home, you may be underinsured. It is in your best interest after any major renovation or market upswing to contact your insurance company to get your policy updated to the current value. Insurance is bought to cover against catastrophic financial loss. Therefore it is best to be properly insured. For more information and a free Home Insurance quote visit our website at www.kimberleyvassal.com.