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7 Simple Home Improvements to Beat the Winter Blues
Winter can be a tough time of year for many of us, especially after the holiday excitement dwindles down. So if this time of the year is getting you down, try these simple home improvements to help you beat those winter blues.
The post 7 Simple Home Improvements to Beat the Winter Blues appeared first on Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling & More.
5 Tips Every Renter and Homeowner Should Know About Insurance
This week, I had to evacuate because of Hurricane Dorian. If you’ve ever experienced a natural disaster or had to evacuate your home, you know that insurance is a top concern. No matter where you live, there are common threats—such as California earthquakes, Oklahoma tornados, and Texas floods—that affect renters and homeowners.
Let's review five essential insurance tips that every renter and homeowner should know. You’ll learn the variety of protections you get from basic renters and home policies, mistakes to avoid when buying a policy, and ways to save money on premiums.
5 Tips Every Renter or Homeowner Should Know About Insurance
- Not every type of damage is covered
- Certain belongings have low coverage limits
- Know the difference between cash value and replacement cost
- There are special types of deductibles
- Don’t leave discounts on the table
Here’s more information about each insurance tip.
1. Not every kind of damage is covered
A basic homeowners policy pays for claims when a natural disaster—such as a fire, tornado, hail, or windstorm—damages your property. Personal belongings like your furniture, electronics, and clothing are generally covered up to specific limits for damage and theft.
Home insurance includes liability, which protects you from legal issues that could arise if someone is hurt on your property.
Homeowners coverage also pays "additional living expenses." That might include things like some amount of hotel and meal expenses if you can't stay in your home after a covered disaster.
If you’re a renter, you also need insurance, because your landlord is not required to cover you. Renters insurance gives the same protections as a homeowners policy. You get coverage for your personal belongings, liability, and additional living expenses. But it doesn’t cover damage to rental property because that’s your landlord’s responsibility.
Unfortunately, about half of renters don’t have renters insurance. Many mistakenly believe that their landlord would pay to repair or replace their damaged or stolen personal belongings. Or they mistakenly think a renters policy is too expensive. The good news is that a typical renters policy is quite affordable, costing just $185 per year on average across the U.S.
The good news is that a typical renters policy is quite affordable, costing just $185 per year on average across the US.
But what surprises many people is that a standard home or renters policy doesn't cover some natural disasters. These include earthquakes and flooding from groundwater.
If you live in an earthquake-prone area, you can typically add earthquake coverage to a home or renters policy. But flooding is a different category of insurance that must be purchased separately. Flooding is handled differently than other types of disasters because it’s the nation’s most common and expensive disaster. Floods can happen anywhere, and they don’t even have to be catastrophic to cause significant damage.
If your town or community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, you can buy a policy for your rental or your home. And if you buy a home in a designated flood zone, mortgage lenders typically require you to have flood insurance.
Most flood policies have a 30-day waiting period, so you can’t wait until a storm is bearing down on you to sign up. You'd be too late.
Even though the federal government backs flood insurance, it’s brokered by regular insurance companies or agents. You can learn more at floodsmart.gov.
Most flood policies have a 30-day waiting period, so you can’t wait until a storm is bearing down on you to sign up.
Remember that water damage from rain, high winds, or a tree that fell on your roof are covered by a standard home or renters insurance policy. But damages to your home or personal belongings that occur due to rising groundwater are never covered, except when you have flood insurance.
Also note that if you have a home-based business with inventory, specialized equipment, or customers who enter your property, you typically need a commercial policy. Likewise, if you turn your home into a rental, Airbnb, or a vacation property, you generally need additional coverage or a landlord insurance policy.
2. Certain belongings have low coverage limits
Just like not every disaster is covered, not every type of personal belonging is fully covered under a home or renters policy. Some belongings, such as cash, aren’t coved at all. Many others have coverage caps.
For instance, jewelry, watches, furs, silverware, electronics, and firearms are typically limited to one or two thousand dollars of coverage. If you have jewelry that’s worth $10,000 and it’s lost or stolen, you’d come up very short with just $2,000 of coverage.
If you have items worth more than the coverage caps, you can add an insurance rider for more coverage. This addition is known as “scheduling” your personal property. It costs more, but it gives your most expensive items separate coverage so they could be replaced.
Another often-overlooked protection you get with renters and home insurance is that your belongings are covered outside of your home.
Another often-overlooked protection you get with renters and home insurance is that your belongings are covered outside of your home. If your vacation luggage gets stolen, you lose valuable jewelry, or your laptop gets stolen from your car, your homeowners or renters policy covers it.
So, pay close attention to the insurance limits for possessions inside and outside of your home and consider adding a rider or property schedule to beef up coverage when needed for valuable items.
3. Know the difference between actual cash value and replacement cost.
It can be a little confusing to know exactly how much money you’d receive from a renters or home insurance claim. So be sure you understand the different types of policies you can buy.
Actual cash value coverage pays to repair or replace your property or possessions up to the policy limits, minus a deduction for depreciation. The calculation can vary from insurer to insurer. But what you need to know is that a cash value policy only pays a percentage of what it would cost you to go out and buy a new item.
Cash value coverage is the least expensive option. However, it means that if you experience a severe disaster, you probably won't receive enough to rebuild your home or fully replace personal belongings.
Replacement cost coverage pays to repair or replace your property and possessions up to the policy limits, without a deduction for depreciation. That means you would receive enough money to rebuild a home with materials of similar quality. Or buy new items to replace your damaged belongings.
Yes, replacement coverage costs more than cash value. But it would allow you to replace what you lost.
There are also guaranteed or extended replacement cost policies which give you even more protection. They pay to replace your home as it was before a disaster, even if costs more than your policy limit.
Remember that a home insurance policy is based on the cost to rebuild your home and any outbuildings, not the amount you paid for the property or its appraised value.
Remember that a home insurance policy is based on the cost to rebuild your home and any outbuildings, not the amount you paid for the property or its appraised value. You never include the value of your land in your home insurance. Depending on the age, location, and style of your home, the insured value could be much higher or lower than its market value.
4. There are special types of deductibles.
A deductible is an amount you’re responsible for paying for an insured loss. The higher your deductible, the more you can save on premiums. So be sure to get quotes for different deductible amounts when shopping for renters and home insurance.
As I previously mentioned, disasters such as windstorms, hailstorms, and hurricanes, are typically covered by standard renters and home insurance. However, in some high-risk areas, you may have separate deductibles for damage caused by these disasters.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, nineteen states and the District of Columbia have hurricane deductibles: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington D.C.
These special deductibles are additional and separate from the regular deductible for all other types of claims, such as fire or theft. A hurricane deductible applies only to damage from hurricanes, and windstorm or wind/hail deductibles would apply to any wind damage.
Hurricane and wind deductibles are typically given as a percentage that may vary from 1% to 5% of a home's insured value but can be even higher in some coastal areas. The amount you must pay depends on your insured value and the "trigger" event.
For instance, if you have a 3% hurricane deductible and your home is insured for $200,000, you’d be responsible for the first $6,000 ($200,000 x 3%) in repair costs. That’s much more expensive than paying a standard $500 or $1,000 home deductible.
In some states, the triggering event for hurricane deductibles to apply is when a Category 1 storm causes damage whether it made landfall or not. Other states allow Category 2 to be the threshold. In others, a hurricane deductible applies from the moment a hurricane watch or warning gets issued until 72 hours after it ends.
A hurricane deductible can only be applied once each hurricane season, from June to November.
5. Don’t leave discounts on the table.
When it comes to the price of renters and home insurance, there are some factors you can control and some you can’t. Here are some ways to save and typical discounts to ask for:
- Bundling insurance is when you purchase different types of policies, such as renters or home and auto, from the same insurance company. Buying two or more policies can help reduce your total cost. Just make sure that the combined price from one insurer is less than buying policies separately from different insurers.
- Shopping around may seem obvious, but many people don’t do it. Prices can vary considerably from insurer to insurer. Be sure to compare the same coverage and deductibles to get the best deal possible.
- Installing safety features in your home or rental, such as smoke detectors, alarm systems, deadbolts, storm shutters, shatterproof windows, or roofing, may allow you to qualify for discounts. Even being a non-smoker or being retired reduces the risk for insurers, so be sure to let them know any factors that could work in your favor.
- Raising your deductible is an easy way to cut the cost of premiums. Just make sure that you could afford to pay it in the event of a claim. Also, the savings vary depending on where you live and your insurer, so get quotes with multiple scenarios.
- Maintaining good credit is vital for many aspects of your financial life, including the rates you pay for home, renters, and auto insurance. Depending on where you live, having poor credit can cause you to pay double the premium compared to having excellent credit! The only states that currently prohibit home insurers from using credit when setting rates are California, Maryland, and Massachusetts
- Being a loyal customer can pay off with a discount. However, don’t let that keep you from periodically shopping around to make sure you’re still getting a good deal.
No one enjoys paying for home or renters policy, but when disaster strikes, you’re the victim of theft, or you get involved in a lawsuit, having insurance can be a financial lifesaver.
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A Mom’s Practical Guide to the Best Ideas for Your Family Christmas Bucket List
25 Christmas Family Traditions that won’t bust the bank The holiday season is a magical time for many families, the excitement, the treats, the cost! The cost?!? Ouch, yes it’s true, the holidays cost money. Sometimes a lot of money. But they don’t have to! You can absolutely get in all your Christmas family traditions […]
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The post A Mom’s Practical Guide to the Best Ideas for Your Family Christmas Bucket List appeared first on Money for the Mamas.
How to Open a Stuck Window or Sliding Door
How to Open a Stuck Window
Don’t pull a muscle trying to shove open a stuck heavy window! You may remember that opening a stuck window was one of our many uses for used candles. (You can also use a bar of soap). Get the candle or soap and rub up the metal tracks above the window. This should help lubricate it and make the window slide more easily. In fact, windows will open and close more easily in general if you occasionally rub a bar of soap across the track.
How to Close a Window that’s Stuck Open
If the window is stuck open instead of closed, it’s the same thing, but in reverse: just grease up the track below the window so you can get it shut.
Window Sealed Shut?
If heat or humidity has sealed your window shut, here’s how to get it open again: Hold a block of wood up against the frame, and tap it gently a few times with a hammer. Then move to a different place on the frame until you’ve tapped all the around the edges. You should now be able to easily pull it up.
Un-Stick a Sliding Door
If your sliding glass door is sticking, simply spray the tracks with furniture polish. It will remove dirt and give the tracks the lubrication they need to keep the door moving smoothly.
For home repair advice from all across the internet, check out our Home Repair Hints board on Pinterest. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
Image courtesy of Shutterstock.
Selling Your Home? Read this Listing Safety Checklist First!
When selling your home, it’s important to ensure the space is safe for you, your family, potential buyers, and your agent. Our safety checklist will help you create a safe environment before their home ever hits the market!
The post Selling Your Home? Read this Listing Safety Checklist First! appeared first on Homes.com.
Lessons in Fear and Wealth from the Coronavirus
As I write this, the biggest story in the entire world is a virus that is making its way around the planet, leaving a trail of sickness and death in its wake, while sending a much bigger shockwave of fear and uncertainty out front. Last week, the US stock market dropped 15% in just a […]
Say Farewell to Shag CarpetâFamily Tackles 1970s Time Capsule Makeover
After purchasing a home that went viral thanks to its well-preserved decor, a family moves back to Indiana and begins to tackle a huge renovation project.
The post Say Farewell to Shag CarpetâFamily Tackles 1970s Time Capsule Makeover appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.
Chipotle to Hold Nationwide Hiring Event to Fill 15K New Jobs
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
20 Money-Saving Auto Insurance Discounts
If you own a car or truck, you know it can be expensive. Your loan payment, ongoing maintenance, fuel, taxes, and auto insurance can take a big chunk of your budget. According to a 2019 AAA study, the average cost to own and operate a new vehicle was $9,282 per year.
When you consider just auto insurance, the most recent data from the Insurance Information Institute shows that the average cost is $936 per year nationwide. However, where you live significantly affects your rate. New Jersey drivers pay the most, $1,309, and Iowa drivers pay the least, $628 per year.
Many personal attributes get factored into your base car insurance rates that you can't change. They include where you live, if you’re a homeowner, your age, gender, marital status, and credit rating.
Insurance savings are available, but many policyholders don’t know what discounts exist or that they need to ask for them.
However, when it comes to getting auto insurance discounts, you have more control. Insurance savings are available, but many policyholders don’t know what discounts exist or that they need to ask for them.
In this post, we’ll review 20 auto insurance discounts that can easily save you money. What’s available depends on your insurer and the state where you live.
But even if you only qualify for a few insurance discounts, they can add up. Then you can put your savings toward something more rewarding, such as taking a vacation or boosting your emergency fund.
20 Money-Saving Auto Insurance Discounts
See how many of the following discounts you qualify for.
1. Safe Driver Discount
Your driving history plays a significant role in how much you pay for car insurance. It makes sense that auto insurers love safe drivers and are willing to reward them for being claim-free.
If you have a clean record with no moving violations or at-fault accidents over the past three to five years, most insurers typically give you a nice discount.
Potential savings: 10% to 20%.
2. Educated Driver Discount
But what if you don’t have a squeaky-clean driving record? You may be able to redeem yourself by passing an in person or online defensive driving course. Insurers know that boosting your education and skills can make you a better driver.
Potential savings: 5% to 15%.
3. Affiliation Discount
Did you know that belonging to a particular group can qualify you for a car insurance discount? Depending on your insurer, it’s likely that they have hundreds of different partner organizations that allow members to get a break on the cost of car insurance.
They may include alumni associations, education organizations, certain fraternities or sororities, honor organizations, and recreational groups.
Potential savings: 5% to 10%.
4. Occupation Discount
There are also auto insurance discounts if you work in specific industries or occupations, such as being in the military, a teacher, medical professional, or government employee. Also, members of professional associations, such as unions and state bar associations, often qualify for reduced rates.
Potential savings: 5% to 15%.
5. Good Student Discount
An often-overlooked car insurance discount is for students who make good grades. You typically qualify if you’re in high school, college, or graduate school (up to age 26) and have at least a “B” average.
Insurers consider good students less of a risk when they’re behind the wheel. So, parents shouldn’t miss the opportunity to make it more affordable to insure their young drivers.
Potential savings: 10% to 25%.
6. Distant Student Discount
Another way to cut the cost of insurance for students who live away from home, no matter their grades, is to request a distant student discount. It applies if a student lives at least 100 miles away from home and doesn’t have an insured vehicle with them on campus. They’ll be covered when they come home for breaks, but at a reduced rate.
Potential savings: 5% to 25%.
7. Low Mileage Discount
Maybe you’re driving less for a new job or keeping a car in the garage more often. If your driving patterns change, be sure to let your car insurance company know. Vehicles that are on the road less have fewer claims, and that earns you a substantial insurance discount.
Potential savings: 5% to 15%.
8. Usage-Based Discount
Many insurers offer usage-based insurance or UBI, which adjusts your rate based on how you drive. Data may be collected using a device that you keep in your vehicle or that gets reported from a smartphone app.
UBI programs evaluate different driving behaviors such as the time of day you drive, your average speed, how hard you brake and corner, and your mileage. If you’re considered a safe driver, your discount gets applied at renewal.
Potential savings: 5% to 40%.
9. Loyalty Discount
Every auto insurer wants to retain existing customers and give you every reason not to switch. Being loyal to one company for at least a few years often results in substantial savings.
Potential savings: 10% to 25%.
10. Multi-Car Discount
If you have more than one vehicle in your household, insuring all of them with the same company usually gives you a multi-car discount. Insurers offer incentives to make sure they get as much of your business as possible.
Potential savings: 10% to 25%.
11. Bundling Discount
In addition to insuring more than one vehicle, getting different types of coverage with the same insurer is known as bundling or a multi-line discount. Many insurers cover more than just cars. You could get auto and homeowner, renters, or life insurance with the same company and score savings.
Potential savings: 5% to 15%.
12. Paperless Discount
Some insurers offer a discount if they don’t have to mail paper documents, such as your policy description and bills. Merely electing to be a paperless customer can qualify you for a small discount. You can get your information by email or an online account.
Potential savings: 3% to 5%.
13. Full Payment Discount
Instead of making monthly or semi-annual auto insurance payments, paying your entire annual premium upfront may qualify for savings.
Potential savings: 5% to 10%.
14. Automatic Payment Discount
Also, signing up for automatic premium payments using automatic withdrawals from your bank account can help you save a small amount.
Potential savings: 3% to 5%.
15. Online Quote Discount
Some auto insurers offer a discount if you sign up for a policy after getting an online quote. You could shop directly on a carrier’s website or an aggregator site, such as Bankrate.com.
Potential savings: 5% to 10%.
16. Switching Discount
Just like your existing auto insurer wants to keep you, others want to entice you. A switch or transfer discount is a promotional offer that cuts your rate for a time after you sign up with a new carrier.
Potential savings: 5% to 15%.
17. New Car Discount
If you purchase a new vehicle or one that’s less than three years old, many auto insurers offer a discount. Newer cars typically have modern safety features that reduce the likelihood that you’ll make a claim.
Potential savings: 5% to 10%.
18. Anti-Theft Discount
Car insurance companies want to help you prevent car theft, so most offer discounts for having any device, feature, or system that helps keep criminals away from your car. They could be factory-installed or an after-market product that you install.
Examples of systems that may lower your insurance rate include a GPS-based location system, such as OnStar, or a theft recovery system, such as LoJack. VIN etching, which is a permanent engraving of your vehicle’s identification number on the windshield and windows, may also qualify you for a discount.
Potential savings: 5% to 20%.
19. Safety Features Discount
Cars with modern safety features, such as anti-lock brakes, airbags, and rear-view cameras, are less likely to get in an accident and cost an insurer. So be sure to let them know every on-board safety device in your vehicle.
Potential savings: 5% to 30%.
20. Mature Driver Discount
If you’re at least age 55 and pass an in-person or online defensive driving course, you can qualify for a discount. Insurers know that maintaining good driving skills reduces your risk and makes you less likely to file a claim. Most insurers offer a mature driver discount in many states.
Potential savings: 5% to 30%.
Understanding Auto Insurance Discounts
The savings you get from auto insurance discounts are typically capped. For example, an insurer may only allow a total discount of 40% off your base premium, even if you qualify for multiple discounts.
You don't have to wait until your auto insurance policy is up for renewal to compare quotes.
Also, it’s important to remember that not all discounts are applied to your rate automatically. You may have to ask for discounts that an insurer wouldn’t know you qualify for, such as getting a new job or having a driver in your family who qualifies for a good student discount. And not every insurer may offer all of the discounts we’ve covered.
Auto insurance prices vary from company to company, and they can even change from month to month. You don't have to wait until your auto insurance policy is up for renewal to compare quotes. So, if you haven’t reviewed your car insurance lately or it’s been a while since you’ve shopped policies, you may be leaving money on the table.