Summer Heat and Your Homeowners Insurance

Summer is in full force here in Florida and with the heat comes thunderstorms, hurricane season, flooding, and lightning.  It is the time of year to look over your homeowners insurance and make sure you have the correct coverage.  Here are some things to ask yourself when examining your policy:

• Have you reviewed your home since its last appraisal?  Have you made additions?  You will want to add those to your policy so you are correctly covered.
• Have you made an inventory of your homes contents?  It is recommended you make an inventory and make sure your personal property coverage is adequate.
• Have you looked at the liability coverage?  We recommend you discuss this with your agent to make sure it is adequate.
• Do you have additional coverage on things like jewelry, furs, guns, etc?  If not you may want to add it.
• Do you have flood insurance?  You live in Florida so it is recommended you have a flood policy.
• Have you met with your insurance agent this year?  It is recommended you meet with your agent at least once a year to discuss your policy.

Enjoy the summer and with a little investigating you can make sure you are covered when the summer storms occur.

Varsity Insurance Inc.
12412 San Jose Blvd Unit 201
Jacksonville, FL 32223
904-268-6365
http://www.varsityinsuranceagency.com/
photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/leszekleszczynski/

Grilling Safety Tips

It is summer and that means it is the season for grilling!!!  House fires are started every year due to unsafe grilling practices and can be avoided by following some simple tips.

• Never leave your grill unattended.
• Keep children and pets away from the grill.
• Keep your grill clean.  Remove the grease and buildup.
• Place your grill at least 10 feet away from your home.
• Keep grill away from deck railings, overhanging branches, and out from under eaves.
• Use your grill outdoors.  Not inside your garage.
• With charcoal grills the best way to get it started is with a charcoal chimney starter with newspaper
• Never add charcoal fluid to any other flammable fluid.
• Keep charcoal fluid out of reach.
• When you are done grilling.  Let the charcoal cool before putting it in a metal container.
• With propane grills check the hoses before use.
• Test hoses by applying soapy water.  If the hose has a leak you will see bubbles.  If there is a leak turn off the propane immediately.  If the leak stops get the grill serviced.  If it doesn't call the fire department and do not move the grill.

Are Your Valuables Protected?

Your Homeowners insurance provides limited coverage on valuable items such as jewelry, art work, antiques, guns, fur coats, memorabilia, etc.  It is recommended that you schedule your expensive items so you have guaranteed coverage.  Scheduling means you specifically list its value so that the item can be covered.  To schedule property, you must provide an appraisal and add it to your Homeowners policy for an additional premium.  The cost is relatively low and you will be happy you have done it if something were to happen. 

Give us a call at Varsity Insurance (904) 268-6365 and we can further assist you in making sure your are protecting your assets.

Varsity Insurance Inc

12412 San Jose Blvd. Suite 201

Jacksonville, FL 32223

www.varsityinsuranceagency.com

photo by:  jurvetson

Summer is here: Time to break out the toys!!

Are you getting ready to take the boat out to the lake, go on a long motorcycle ride, or get the jet skis on the water.  Then its that time of year to make sure you are properly insured. 

Don't wait until its too late to give your boat, jet ski, or motorcycle policy a check up.  Unfortunately, many people make that mistake and it can be costly.  Some questions to ask yourself are:

• Did you add new equipment?
• Did you keep the receipts of the equipment you added? (GPS, custom parts, etc)
• Are you carrying enough liability coverage?
• Did you make sure all your marine and motorcycle accessories are covered?
• Did you do an annual check up with your agent?
• Annual check ups are recommended.  If you are under insured you can be putting yourself at serious financial risk.  On the other hand, if you are over insured then you can be paying too much, so discussing your policy is important.

Contact us at Varisity Insurance to discuss your policy or to receive a quote.

Varsity Insurance Inc

12412 San Jose Blvd. Suite 201

Jacksonville, FL 32223

904-268-6365

www.varsityinsuranceagency.com

photo by: vinisocram

Equipment Breakdown Coverage

Homeowners depend on several major equipment systems to keep their home comfortable.  The standard policy covers the home and the things you keep in it.  However, most policies do not cover a loss sustained by equipment breakdown. Equipment breakdown coverage picks up where standard homeowner policies leave off.  The coverage extends your homeowners policy to include losses including:

• Power Surges
• Electrical Arching
• Short Circuits
• Power Interruptions
• Mechanical Breakdown
• Overload

Some examples of equipment that is covered are:

• Air Conditioner Units
• Computers
• Generators
• Hot Water Heaters
• Washer and Dryer
• Dishwasher
• Refrigerator
• Security Systems
• Swimming Pool Equipment
• Home Theatre Systems

As homes today become more equipped with expensive electrical and mechanical systems to make life more enjoyable the homeowner must be aware that these systems are not covered if a power surge of breakdown occurs.  To repair or replace such items can be expensive and Equipment Breakdown Coverage is there to extend your policy to include these types of losses.  Please give us a call at Varsity Insurance (904) 268-6365 to discuss your policy.

Varsity Insurance Inc

12412 San Jose Blvd Suite 201

Jacksonville, FL 32223

www.varsityinsuranceagency.com

Protect your A/C Unit

Over the last year, theft of outside air conditioner units has increased dramatically.   The copper that the A/C units contain are also being stolen leaving your unit destroyed.  While air conditioner units are covered property on most insurance policies, property owners are having to absorb high deductibles and endure the frustration of restoring thier property.

Here are some suggestions on ways to protect your A/C unit from theft:

     -  Fencing and caging- More and more people are protecting their units with chain link fencing or steel cage enclosures.  These enclosures completely surround the equipment on all sides.  This type of protection makes your property less appealing to potential thieves.

     -  Remote Alarm - Add a remote sensing device to the outside of your A/C unit.  If the unit is disturbed, the alarm will trigger and the police will be called. 

     -  Good lighting and manicured shrubs also make your premises less attractive to thieves.

If your premesis is vacant please know that most policies suspend certain coverage, such as theft, vandalism, water damage, and glass breakage.  If you have any questions about your coverage please give us a call at Varisty Insurance (904) 268-6365

Varsity Insurance Agency

12412 San Jose Blvd. Suite 201

Jacksonville, FL 32223

http://www.varsityinsuranceagency.com/

Florida: Severe Weather Warning

With hurricane season starting on June 1st its that time of year to make sure you have flood insurance.  Everyone who lives in Florida is in a flood zone and a flood can happen any season.  All it takes is a heavy rain to make rivers where there wasn't even a trickle before. The best way to cover yourself and recover from flooding is to have a flood policy.  Below is some statistics from the NFIP (national flood insurance program) regarding floods.

NFIP Statistics

• Floods are the #1 most common natural disaster in the United States.
• Over the past 10 years (2001-2010) the average flood insurance claim paid in the US was nearly $48,000 per year.
• Over the past 10 years (2001-2010), flood insurance claims averaged just over $2.6 billion.
• The average flood insurance policy is about $600 per year.
• People outside of high-risk areas file over 20% of NFIP claims and receive one-third of disaster assistance for flooding.
• The NFIP paid $709 million in flood insurance claims to homeowners, business owners, and renters in 2010.

Contact Varsity Insurance at 904-268-6365 to discuss a flood policy and be prepared when disaster strikes.