Our agents at the Bingham Insurance Group, serving the Decatur and Braselton, GA area, love to tout the importance of home insurance. Many people think you only need home insurance until a mortgage is paid off, since most lenders require it, but that is not the case. You never know when a disaster will strike, and your house will be in its path.

Why is Home Insurance Important?

Home insurance is important to have in place because you never know what can happen. You have worked hard to purchase your home, which means you will want to have an adequate amount of home insurance to cover it.

What Does Home Insurance Cover?

Most home insurance policies will cover the structure of your house and other structures on your property, such as decks and garages. You can also create a policy that includes your personal belongings, such as clothing and personal items, as well as household items, furniture, appliances, electronics, and more. These things will be covered if damage occurs from a natural disaster, like a tornado, a fire, vandalism, or theft.

Your home insurance policy may also cover your living expenses above your average cost of living if you are forced to move to another location temporarily. In contrast, your home is repaired or rebuilt.

Call Bingham Insurance Group Today

Call upon our agents at the Bingham Insurance Group serving the Decatur and Braselton, GA area to get your policy started. They have the knowledge and experience necessary to create the best home insurance policy for you and your situation. Call today to get your policy started!

Bingham Insurance Group, serving Braselton, GA, wants you to get the most out of your home insurance. We want to explain how you can add to your home policy, regardless of its type, to cover items that fall outside the purview of a home policy.

This blog explains how to add special coverage to your home policy to cover your jewelry, hobby equipment, a home-based business, etc. Your home policy, whether homeowners,’ renters,’ or condos, protects the items inside your home up to a percentage of the home’s value or a stated value.

High-Value Jewelry

Your high-value items often don’t receive coverage because their value exceeds the property allowance in the policy. To insure these items, you need a rider, also called a floater, to your insurance.

The typical home policy covers up to about $1,500 for jewelry. You can add a rider to cover your engagement or anniversary ring fully. If you own other high-value jewelry, you can cover it in the same rider.

Hobby Equipment

Home policies also do not cover hobby equipment. Your photography, videography, or recording equipment requires a rider, too.

Home-based Businesses

Any home-based business needs its own coverage. The insurance industry doffersan add-on to home insurance that provides business equipment and inventory coverage. It also covers business-related liability. Your home insurance only covers personal liability, so if a vendor, client, or contractor has an accident in your home while visiting for business purposes, your home policy does not cover it without the rider.

Contact Us

Contact Bingham Insurance Group, serving Braselton, GA, for more information on how to add coverage to your home insurance policy.

Before buying your home insurance cover in Braselton, GA, Bingham Insurance Group advises you to have a clear understanding of the following basics about home insurance.

Understand what your home insurance covers

You need to understand the areas covered by your home insurance policy. This understanding helps get the most of your insurance coverage. It also aids during the claim process. Typical home insurance protects your home and its contents, additional living expenses and provides liability protection. 

Home insurance exclusions

It’s critical to understand the common risks not covered by your home insurance policy. Your home insurance will not help in the following cases:

• Floods damage
• Earthquake damages
• Damages due to infestations by fungus, termites, or molds
• Regular wear and tear
• Damages due to civil war
• Nuclear hazard damage
• Intentional damage
• Home-based business risks

Please check your home insurance policy document to understand what isn’t covered.

Review your policy regularly

If you haven’t reviewed or updated your home insurance policy for more than a year, it’s time to do so! Here are some benefits:

• It smoothens the claim process
• You may save money on premiums if the policy is up-to-date
• It can help to cover new items you bought recently
• The cost of renewing your current policy could be cheaper than buying a whole new one
• If you are unsure when to update your policy, please talk to your insurance agent for guidance

Difference between replacement value and market value

Replacement cost is the amount it would take to replace your house today. On the other hand, market value refers to the value your house would fetch if it were sold today. That said, it’s wise to insure your home against the replacement value to avoid financial losses when catastrophes strike.  

Home insurance in Braselton. GA

Do you need more information on home insurance? Would you please reach out to Bingham Insurance Group for more insights? You can also come to our offices to talk to our team.

For starters, home insurance in Braselton, GA is mandatory to secure a home mortgage. A bank will not give out a mortgage if the property is not insured. This is their collateral in case you stop paying your mortgage. There are many reasons why you need home insurance. At Bingham Insurance Group, we’ve outlined three of them here. Read on to learn more.

1. Liability Insurance

Think only businesses get sued when someone is injured on their property? The truth is that homeowners can also face liability. If someone is injured on your property and you don’t have home insurance, you will face hefty lawyer fees and court fees, all paid out-of-pocket. 

2. Fire Insurance

The last thing you want is to see your home or vacation home go up in smoke. But fires do, unfortunately, happen. Fire insurance is part of your standard homeowner’s policy and will help to recover the loss you ensue from a fire. Many policies will also put you up in a hotel while your home is being rebuilt.

3.Theft Insurance

To prevent theft it’s important to have a security alarm and outdoor lighting. Thieves tend to bypass houses with good security. However, even with the best of security, thieves still find a way to break in and steal what they want. If this were to happen to you, you can file an insurance claim to help recover your losses after you settle your deductible. 

To learn more about obtaining a home insurance policy for your home in Braselton, GA, contact the friendly and reputable team at Bingham Insurance Group, serving this area. Agents are standing by to take your call. 

Most burglaries occur at night because it is much easier for a burglar to move around without being seen. Installing security lights or motion-activated floodlights can deter a burglar from making your home their next target. The agents of Bingham Insurance Group offer residents of Braselton, GA ideas on how they can protect their homes and families. Strategically placing security lights and motion-activated floodlights are the best way to keep burglars away from your property.

Fewer Places to Hide

When security lights are on, there are few places for a burglar to hide. Lights should always be placed near doorways or access points that lead to your home. Security lights don’t have to be bright to do their job but they do have to be in the right place. If you want to know more about where to place your security lights, talk to a local home security company and find out what they recommend.

Motion-Activated Lighting

Motion-activated lighting will turn on when something moves across the field of view of the sensor. In most cases, motion-activated lights are extremely bright. Part of the reason for this is they are only on for a short period of time. If a burglar is sneaking up to your home and the light kicks on, the brightness is often enough to chase them away.

At Bingham Insurance Group, the agents are dedicated to helping Braselton, GA residents keep their home and property as secure as possible. Knowing where to place your security lights is a step in the right direction. If you have questions about your home insurance or would like to know how security lighting helps keep your home safe, call and talk to an agent today!

When it’s time to buy homeowners insurance, there are quite a few things that can affect the price and even your ability to get coverage. Some things are beyond your control, but others are controllable. By understanding what these factors are you can take the necessary steps to be sure that you get the coverage needed at an affordable price. Before you go into the office or call Bingham Insurance Group in Braselton, GA, it is a good idea to make sure you have addressed all the issues that could be bad for your rate.  

Factors that affect insurance

One thing that many people don’t take into account is their credit rating. It changes the rate that you pay for coverage. Take a good look at your credit report and fix any errors that may be on it. You will be glad you did.

Some of the things that make your home desirable are things that can make it expensive to buy homeowners insurance. Having a pool or spa is a liability. You can correct this by making sure that your yard or pool area is fenced making it less accessible to uninvited guests.

Making sure that your home is in good repair can save you money and keep your insurance from dropping you. Some insurance companies do unscheduled drive-by inspections, and things like missing roof shingles or tiles, loose masonry, or overhanging branches are considered hazards.

The amount of crime in your neighborhood and the location of the nearest fire hydrant are factors that underwriters take into account. You can’t do much about them, but you can offset them by choosing a higher deductible.

When you are ready to get your new homeowner’s policy, Bingham Insurance Group in Braselton, GA will be there to help you find the best coverage for your needs.