This Simple Home Improvement Can Save You Money On Your Homeowners Insurance

by | Jun 17, 2019 | Homeowners Insurance, Uncategorized

Everyone loves upgrading their home. As our families grow and change, we ask our homes to grow with us. Choosing where to upgrade your home can be fun, but also expensive. The good news is there are a few upgrades that can save you money on your Homeowners Insurance every year, this can add up to huge savings and help offset the cost of your home improvements.

One of the best upgrades is installing a home security system.

For most people, our home is the largest asset we own. They provide us with a comfortable and safe place to raise our families and protect our cherished memories and belongings from theft. Here are a few ways you can increase the value of your home, protect your largest financial asset, and save money on your homeowners insurance by installing a home security system.

Install a Home Security System

Many Home Insurance companies offer discounts on your premiums if you install a burglar alarm or sophisticated systems like those sold by Brinks. These systems have become very complex and modern over the last 10 years. They have gone beyond the traditional anti-theft solutions to provide comfort and energy savings to millions of consumers. These systems can oftentimes be financed and come with add-ons that can make your home energy efficient (saving you even more MONEY). The monthly savings in energy usage and homeowners insurance premiums could offset a large portion of the cost to install your home security system. Home Security Systems normally have free financing over a set amount of years. After this initial finance period, you’re now getting 100% of the savings from your security system.

Upgrade Your Electrical

Electrical fires are one of the most common preventable accidents in the American home. According to data collected by the United States Fire Administration, more than 28,000 electrical fires occur annually. These small fires cause $38,000 in damages on average Electrical fires occur due to old and faulty wiring in homes and represent a significant risk for home insurance companies. This risk is passed on to you in the form of higher premiums. If you’re installing a home security system, you could take the opportunity to upgrade your electrical wiring. Many homes built 40-50 years ago aren’t prepared for modern electronics like tablets and large appliances.
Upgrading your home’s electrical wiring helps protect these valuable electronics by ensuring you have a steady supply of power without changes in voltage. Here a few circumstances that may warrant an inspection from a certified professional or an upgrade to your home’s wiring.
  • Home is older than 40 years
  • Relying on extension cords for power
  • Made major home improvements or added major new appliances
  • Home has ungrounded, two-prong outlets
  • Home has aluminum instead of copper wiring
Protect against an electrical fire by keeping an eye out for signs of hazardous wiring and having your electrical system inspected by an expert can protect irreplaceable items like family heirlooms and non-digitized photos.

It’s also important to note that some homeowners insurance policies don’t cover repair costs related to faulty wiring. Always hire a professional to work on complex systems like electrical on your home.

Safety isn’t the only reason to upgrade your wiring.

A recent survey by Coldwell Banker Real Estate showed homebuyers are more interested in homes with smart features and technology than they were just two to five years ago. This could make your home easier to sell in the future.

Some of the most common smart home features are:

  • Dimmers
  • Voice-controlled systems
  • Smart Thermostats
  • Mobile Apps
  • and other convenient upgrades

It’s also a great time to consider future electrical needs and move outlets to accommodate your lifestyle. Wall mounted televisions look clean and seamless when the power outlet is located directly behind the television.

Add Sensors and Detectors

One of the most important factors in preventing significant damage to your home in case of a fire or flood is emergency response time.

Many home security installation companies offer sensors to detect gas leaks, extreme temperature changes, and smoke.

Many home insurance companies recognize the value these automated systems have on protecting your home by utilizing early detection.

For example, a freeze alarm can detect when your pipes are susceptible to freezing or bursting. If you have a Nest Thermostat or another smart thermostat, it can turn on automatically and increase the temperature in your home to prevent flooding or severe damage.

Home Security systems don’t just keep bad guys out, they let the good guys in.

Top home security companies offer 24/7 monitoring from dedicated home security advisors. These advisors will be notified as soon as an alarm goes off and will attempt to reach you immediately. If they don’t receive a response, they will send emergency response teams to your home and can even allow them to enter the home in case you are incapicitated or unable to open the door. If you’re left at home or are caring for an elderly person, these systems can be life saving.

How much can you save on your annual premiums?

Every insurance carrier is different, but on average, you can expect to save 3-5% on your homeowners insurance every year. To find out how much you could save, contact All Nation Insurance to get a homeowners insurance quote or review your existing policy.

Business Insurance FAQs

by | Dec 21, 2018 | Uncategorized

What is Business Insurance?
Sometimes referred to as commercial insurance, this is a policy that covers a business against risks or losses that might occur during the course of doing business. It encompasses various policies that offer coverage for property damage, employee-related risks, and legal liability.
What does it do?
The purpose of this insurance policy is to keep you in business in the event of an unforeseen situation that might inhibit your ability to do your operations.
How Does It Work?
Business policies are contractual agreements between a commercial entity and an insurance provider. The agreements’ stipulations state that the insurance carrier shall share part of the risk with the entity. In exchange, the business agrees to make premium payments to the insurance company after a set duration. If a covered loss materializes, the business will file a claim and pay a deductible, and then the insurer will pay for the loss incurred. Nevertheless, the insurance company does not pay right away, they first conduct an investigation to check the extent of the damage so they can process the claim. This is what allows them to know how much they should pay as compensation for the loss.
Business Insurance Cost
Business insurance cost varies due to factors such as the type of the business, as well as the type of coverages needed for their operations. For example, a home-based business can be insured for as low as $500 per year while a large organization with many employees and resources could pay as much as $500,000 per year. Nevertheless, one can lower these costs through proactive risk management practices while comparing quotes between different insurance firms.
Is it Tax Deductible?
Business policies are usually tax deductible. This holds true as long as the coverages provided are for commercial purposes only.
Is It Required by Law?

Business policies are required by the law in certain situations. These situations include:

  • Workers Compensation Insurance
    If you have employees, the law demands that you have a workers compensation insurance policy. This policy can either be from the state’s workers compensation program or self-insured.
  • Unemployment Insurance
    There are specific conditions where a business that has people under its payroll is required to pay unemployment insurance taxes. Check whether those conditions apply to your business then register it at the workforce agency.
  • Professional Liability Insurance
    Certain states require that some professionals have insurance against professional liability.
Do I Need Business Insurance?

Yes, any commercial operation needs to be covered. However, the type of coverage you need is dependent upon your situation. Nevertheless, the majority of small businesses need commercial property insurance, commercial general liability insurance, and business interruption insurance. When combined, these three policies form the most popular type of small business commercial insurance known as the business owner’s policy (BOP).Let us look at them in a bit more detail:

  • Commercial Property Insurance
    This policy provides coverage for all assets owned by the business such as buildings, equipment, vehicles, and inventory. The type of perils covered by this policy includes theft, fire, vandalism, and specified natural disasters.
  • Commercial General Liability
    This policy protects the business against third-party claims for bodily injury, medical payments, property damage, and defamation. This is the most common policy among small businesses.
  • Business Interruption Insurance
    This policy is applicable to businesses that need a physical location for their operations. It compensates the business for loss of income that follows an event that hinders the business from carrying out its normal operations. This includes situations such as power outages.
Does it Cover Embezzlement?
As mentioned previously, commercial property insurance provides you with theft/crime coverage. As such, it will also cover embezzlement or fraud by employees. However, there are more specific types of employee dishonesty coverages. For instance, you can purchase fidelity bonds that protect the business against dishonest practices by certain employee or all employees.
Does a Business Policy Cover Flood or Water Damage?


For your business policy to offer you coverage against flood damage, you will need a separate coverage that insures against flood. A standard commercial property insurance policy provides you with coverage against specific water damage situations with the exception of flooding. Moreover, water damage coverages vary between insurance carriers, as such, you need to compare different companies to get the one that suits your needs best.

Does a Business Policy Cover Lawsuits?
As mentioned in the commercial general liability section, this policy covers the business against lawsuits from third parties. However, the extent of the coverage depends on your specific policy. If you are looking for a liability policy that gives you coverage against extreme circumstances, you should consider going for the commercial umbrella liability policy. It will cover you against extreme lawsuits such as those exceeding $1,000,000. However, the carrier will always carry out investigations to ensure that the injury you are being sued against was not a result of your negligence or the suing party’s intentional act.
Is Business Liability Insurance the Same as Workers Compensation Insurance?
Your general liability insurance policy does the following: Protects third parties that come into come into contact with the business such as customers and vendors. If they get injured in the business’s premise, it will pay for their medical costs. Protects the business against lawsuits from third parties. Workers compensation does the following: Protects you and your employees. Thus, will pay for any medical costs, lost wages, and death benefits if any member of the organization gets injured while on the job. Handles lawsuits made against the business by its employees due to injury, illness, or death. Business liability insurance deals with third parties that come into contact with the business and its employees while workers compensation protects you and your employees against injuries that may occur while on the job.
What is a Certificate of Insurance?
This is a document handed to the business by its insurance provider as proof of an existing insurance policy. The certificate of insurance also contains the key aspects and conditions of the policy.
Errors and Omissions Insurance
Commonly referred to as ‘E and O’, it is a policy that covers a business against services rendered by the business that did not yield the desired outcome or resulted in injury for the individual receiving the services. The policy also covers cases where the company or employee did not render those services at all.
I drive for Uber/Lyft, do I need a Business Policy?

While Uber and Lyft require that their drivers have personal car insurance that exceeds state minimums, they do not require that their drivers have commercial insurance.

The personal car insurance policy covers the driver but not their passengers. This is because auto insurance companies refuse to let the driver’s coverage to extend to their passengers if they were driving for hire.

To circumvent this obstacle, Uber and Lyft have designed special insurance policies which provide coverage for the passengers or pedestrians if the driver is at fault. This coverage is only effective if the driver is logged into the app. If they are not, then their car insurance policy will have to pay for the damages.

Moreover, if they are logged in, any accident that is the driver’s fault will only pay for the passengers and pedestrians involved but does not cover the Uber or Lyft driver.

Common Home Insurance Mistakes

by | Jul 5, 2018 | Florida Insurance, Miami Insurance, Uncategorized

Purchasing a house is typically one of the biggest purchases you’ll make in life. Homes are for the most part thought to be valuable assets or investments that require protection. This protection typically comes in the form of home owner’s insurance, but there are many aspects that go into purchasing the right insurance. Here are some mistakes that homeowners may make.

Not Having Insurance At All

One of the worst mistakes that someone owning a home can make is to not invest in any type of insurance. You not only have your home to protect, but also all the investments inside, so if any kind of accident happens, not having insurance will leave you in a tough spot.

Underinsured

You should always get enough home insurance so that it will cover the amount needed to build your home. Know how much that figure is, and if you are underinsured, be sure to add more coverage. You can find out how much it would cost to rebuild your house by using a professional cost estimator. It will probably be more accurate than going through a realtor to get the price.

Choosing the Cheapest Option

Even if you want to save money, going with the cheapest policy is probably not the best option. You need to look at more than just the price when you’re shopping around for an insurance policy because not all policies are created equal.

Not Understanding Your Policy

Insurance can be confusing, especially when it comes to home insurance. Be sure that you completely understand what your policy covers and look into the fine print when you are choosing a home insurance policy.

Ignoring Flood Coverage

You should always get a flood policy, even if you don’t live in an area that floors often. However, it’s important to have it just in case, and the good news is that if you don’t live in a high-risk area getting a flood policy should be inexpensive.

Could your home or workspace be exposed to asbestos?

by | Jul 5, 2018 | Florida Insurance, Miami Insurance, Uncategorized

Could your home or workspace be exposed to a cancer causing material?

Asbestos is a dangerous mineral that occurs naturally and was used frequently in building materials from 1930 to 1980. It was discovered that asbestos is dangerous to human health and can put people at risk for developing a cancer, mesothelioma.

You could potentially be at risk for asbestos exposure if you are living in a building that was developed between the 50-year span of 1930 to 1980. Asbestos can resist fire, heat, and similar extreme conditions, which is why it was used in many building materials such as insulation, cement, wallpaper, tiles, piping, and more. You might be wondering how dangerous it is if you are living or working in a building that has asbestos-containing materials, and fortunately there is little risk present as long as the materials remain undisturbed. However, if the material is disturbed it can cause dust to enter the airflow which can then get lodged in your lungs, putting you at risk for developing mesothelioma.

There is only one cause known for mesothelioma, and that is asbestos exposure. It can take over 20 years for symptoms of the illness to show and the illness can manifest itself in the lungs, the heart, or the abdominal cavity. There have been many lawsuits tied to asbestos exposure, but due to the complicated nature of asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, the coverage available is largely dependent on the individual case.

There are certain steps that you can take to protect yourself and your workers from asbestos exposure. You can have the building tested if it was constructed between 1930 and 1980. Upon finding out that you do have asbestos containing materials, you can use a trained and licensed professional to approach the situation. If the materials are in “good condition” and remaining in place then they pose little harm to human health, but it is still important to have the building tested every now and then.

Remember, there is no safe amount of asbestos to be exposed to. Everyone is responsible for their workspace safety, so if you feel that your building is at risk of having asbestos containing materials, reach out to someone and be sure to get the building tested.

Why do you need insurance for your vehicle?

by | May 1, 2018 | Uncategorized

We all think we’re the best driver on the road from time to time, and it can seem like no one else knows what they’re doing. Even if you are a wonderful driver, you still need to get vehicle insurance. Road crashes cost the United States billions of dollars every year, and if you don’t have proper vehicle insurance they can cause you a lot of money as well. Most states require you to have some kind of vehicle insurance that covers the other driver in case you are to cause an accident, but it’s recommended that you have full coverage that will also cover you in that scenario. You will want some kind of vehicle insurance to assure that you are covered in the case of a crash. However, aside from the obvious reasons to get your vehicle insured, there are many other reasons that you might not think of listed below: Vandalization Your car or vehicle could get vandalized with spray paint or other materials if you leave it parked somewhere that isn’t secure. Some types of insurance will cover this and help you pay for the repairs to your vehicle. Natural Disaster If your vehicle is caught in a natural disaster such as a flood, hurricane, mudslide, or fire, then the damage can cause thousands of dollars in repairs. Many vehicle insurances will cover you if your vehicle gets damaged during a natural disaster. Theft We never want to think about someone stealing our vehicle, but it happens more often than you think. Some types of insurance for your vehicle will cover the case of theft, if your vehicle is stolen. Supplement Your Health Insurance If you get injured in an accident, your vehicle insurance often helps to pay for your health care. If you have to pay for everything out of pocket, or directly through your health insurance, it can get very expensive.

The Cost of Car Insurance

by | May 1, 2018 | Uncategorized

When you’re shopping around for car insurance it’s smart to check different insurance companies and get car insurance quotes. There are many different factors that go into how much your car insurance will cost such as age, gender, and driving history. All of these factors can change how high or how low your insurance rate will be. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the average person spent $815 on car insurance in 2012. However, that number can be vastly different than the quotes you will receive depending on what type of insurance you want and who you are. The cost of car insurance will typically be the highest for young males. There are many statistics that can determine the cost of health insurance. For example, it has been shown that young males are more at risk to cause an accident. This makes their insurance premiums higher. So, if you are a young male you’re more likely to receive car insurance quotes that are higher. However, some insurance companies have programs that will lower the cost of your car insurance based on if you have a safe driving history, or if you get good grades in high school or college. It’s important to ask about these things when shopping around for car insurance quotes. It will also be important to decide what type of car insurance you’re looking for when asking for car insurance quotes. If you only want liability insurance, it will be cheaper since this type of insurance only insures the other person if you are to cause an accident. However, if you cause an accident you will not be covered at all with liability insurance. The best thing you can do when getting different quotes for car insurance is to gather many different quotes, ask a lot of questions, make sure you understand everything, and then compare quotes. It’s important to understand what each quote encompasses before just picking the cheapest one. Shop smart!