Kathryn Smith

Almost 25 million U.S. families renting homes do not have adequate insurance coverage leaving them vulnerable to serious property and liability losses. Studies find that the majority of renters are not aware of or do not understand the property and liability risks they face without insurance. In fact, 67% of U.S. families that rent lack coverage. Among respondents who said they don’t have renters insurance, 26% feel that coverage is too expensive and another 17% say they didn’t know they needed it. Many renters mistakenly assume that they are covered under their landlord’s insurance policy following a claim or a loss.

If you are a renter, here are some questions to ask yourself when thinking about renters insurance.

Do you own valuable or high-tech possessions?

Most likely you do have things such as TV’s, DVD players, digital cameras and video recorders, computers video game players, etc. Not only do the majority of people own many different electronics, but they also own numerous exercise machines and sporting good equipment. Also, things like expensive jewelry may be a factor in your decision to buy renters insurance (although many pieces should be insured separately). The prices of these things add up quickly if you had a total loss.

Do you own a pet?

Renters who have pets are more likely to face a liability exposure, i.e. the dog biting a visitor. Renters with pets are actually more apt to not have renters insurance, but are among the top for potential risks.

Do you run a business out of a rented property?

If so, renters insurance isn’t the only protection you need, you may also need a separate business policy.

Do you have college students that rent?

Even if you personally have a homeowners policy, your children that are renting off-campus apartments at college may not be covered, as opposed to them living on-campus. Students who are renting should be encouraged to purchase renters insurance for their sake and for yours.

Do you live in a flood zone?

If so, you need to purchase a separate flood insurance policy for the contents of your home. There are policies available specifically for renters.

So for those of you that rent, or know anyone that rents, make sure you have some type of insurance to cover your belongings, and you personally.

Statistics from the Trusted-Choice sponsored study.

Floods are the #1 natural hazard in the U.S. occurring in all 50 states. Floods happen in high, medium and low risk flood zones. Nationwide, only 20% of American homes at risk for floods are covered by flood insurance. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) found that 33% of U.S. heads of household still hold the false belief that flood damage is covered by a standard homeowner’s policy.

To rely on Federal Disaster assistance is not the answer. To be eligible for this assistance, the flood must be declared a disaster by the president. Even if you did qualify for federal assistance after a flood, this assistance is often a loan that has to be repaid with interest.

It pays to protect your property with National Flood Insurance. The average premium for National Flood Insurance is $370 a year. Your specific premium will be determined by such factors as where you live, how much coverage you choose, the age, elevation and structure of your home, the building occupancy and the deductible.
To purchase a National Flood Insurance policy, contact NOEL Insurance today for a quote.

Your property insurance policy does not require that you have a home inventory, except in the event of a loss-at claim time.

After you have suffered a fire, tornado, or whatever the claim, it may be difficult to recall what was in your bottom dresser drawer, packed in the storage room, hanging on the wall or the back of your closet.

“Know Your Stuff” is a tool available via free download from the Insurance Information Institute. This program allows you to enter items by room, upload photos or scan receipts. Items can be sorted by price, date of purchase or type (Jewelry, appliances, etc.); you can even customize your own categories.

Once completed or updated, the “Know Your Stuff” report also can be printed, saved on a computer, emailed (to your insurance agent) or burned on a CD.

The website is www.knowyourstuff.org.

• Do not swerve out of your lane or lose control of the vehicle. It is generally safer to hit the deer than to risk hitting another motorist.
• Apply your brakes firmly, hold on to the steering wheel and bring your vehicle to a controlled stop.
• If you have injured a deer, do not remove it from the roadway unless you are convinced that it has died. An injured deer’s sharp hooves can easily hurt you.
• Report the crash to the nearest law enforcement agency as soon as possible. Also, be sure to report the accident to your insurance company.

1. Speak to people. There is nothing so nice as a cheerful word of greeting.
2. Smile at people. It takes 72 muscles to frown, only 14 to smile.
3. Call people by name. The sweetest music to anyone’s ears is the sound of his/her own name.
4. Be friendly and helpful. If you would have friends, be a friend.
5. Be cordial. Speak and act as if everything you do is genuine pleasure.
6. Be genuinely interested in people. You can like almost everybody if you try.
7. Be generous with praise – cautious with criticism.
8. Be considerate with the feelings of others. There are usually three sides to a controversy: Yours, the other fellows, and the right side.
9. Be alert to give service. What counts most in life is what we do for others.
10. Add to this a good sense of humor, a big dose of patience and a dash of humility, and you will be rewarded many-fold.

Proper attic insulation can help keep ice dams from causing roof leaks. An under-insulated attic allows heat to escape from the home’s interior to the attic, which then warms the roof and causes snowmelt to back up along the still-frozen gutters and eaves.