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Thinking Of Buying An Old or Historic Home? Consider This Before.

Home Insurance for Historic Homes Gilbert, AZOlder homes exude character. Not only do their walls tell a history, but often the character, details and warmth inside of one of these homes is unmatched in today’s quickly built society. Instead of taking months to build a single home by hand, entire neighborhoods can now be constructed in less time.  If you’re considering purchasing an older home, there are many things to consider during the search as well as when you’re ready to buy.

Outdated Electrical

Updating a home’s electrical system to a more modern electrical panel, grounded switches and updated in-wall wiring can be very expensive. According to Angie’s List, expect to pay anywhere between $8,000-15,000 for an average sized home. Additionally, you may require an upgraded service to the home which can add additional cost. Because you need to get into the walls, this also means repairing all the walls in the home that had to be cut out so you could run the new wiring and disconnect the old.

Outdated Plumbing

Older homes typically will have some form of older plumbing still in place even if the majority of the system was replaced. The most common ones are the sewer line, water supply line and, depending on when the system was updated, could even be out of date again. For instance, if galvanized pipes were replaced by Polybutylene piping in the 70’s, this would also need to be replaced.

Foundation

Depending on the home, it is possible the home doesn’t even have a foundation. Some older homes were built on post and pier meaning they don’t have a concrete foundation they sit on. This can make insuring a home more difficult. The simplest way to check for any foundation problems is to just walk the home. Do the floors feel crooked? Are doors difficult to close? Are there cracks in the walls? These are all signs that the home may have foundation issues.

Dry Rot

Throughout the life of any home, a leak will develop. Whether around a window, the foundation or the roof leaks occur. If a length of time goes when that leak is not detected the water can get into walls and stay wet for years. This can cause dry rot. Detecting dry rot can be difficult. Your best indicator may be your nose. Does it smell musty?

Mold

Mold goes hand in hand with dry rot. If water enters the home and things remain wet, mold can form. Again, use your nose and see if you can detect any musty odors.

Asbestos

Asbestos was a commonly used product in building materials in from the 1930s-1950s. It was used on everything from siding to ceiling and wall plaster materials to duct tape. While buying a home that contains asbestos isn’t necessarily bad as long as the product is not disturbed, it can cause a huge challenge and added cost if you plan to remodel. Do your research.

Lead Paint

Older homes built prior to 1978 have a high likelihood of containing lead based paint. While most have likely been painted over by now, it is important to understand that these paints can be dangerous if you plan to remodel or disturb them.

Insurance Costs

Generally speaking, it is possible that it will cost more to insure an older home. The only way to determine pricing on an individual home would be to get a quote on the specific address. You may find that it is less than insuring a newer home, so do your homework and work with an independent agent who can find you a great rate on your home insurance.

While older homes come with their challenges, it is usually impossible to recreate the charm, character and history these homes have. While you enjoy being a caretaker of this property we can help you protect it with a great home insurance policy.

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What Holiday Gifts Should I Insure?

Insurance for holiday gifts Gilbert, AZThe season of giving (and receiving!) is such a joyous time. Not only do families typically make the most effort to get together, but it is a time to enjoy some holiday cheer with some gift exchanges and great food and drinks.

If you’re lucky enough to be the recipient of an expensive gift this holiday season, you may wonder if you need to insure that product. While your existing home or renters insurance policy already includes a certain amount of coverage for personal property, some items like jewelry and collectibles should have their own line of coverage called an endorsement or floater. Home insurance isn’t designed to cover special items, but is instead designed to provide coverage for day to day items that are easily replaced like clothes, appliances and furniture. If you have special jewelry or collectibles, consider a special policy or endorsement for these items.

Jewelry that you may want to have a floater or endorsement for can include:

  • Expensive watches, rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings
  • Rare or vintage pieces

Collectibles that you should consider insuring can include:

  • Comic books
  • Rare toys
  • Furs
  • Stamp collections
  • Firearms
  • Sports cards

Other things to consider when insuring your jewelry or collectibles:

Keep an up-to-date appraisal.

Collectibles and fine jewelry can increase or decrease in value dramatically. The last time the economy turned down, collectibles took a big hit because people didn’t have the money to buy them and the market was flushed with people trying to sell them to make some extra money. Like the collectible market, fine metals like Gold, Silver and Platinum fluctuate daily so if you’ve gone years without getting a jewelry appraisal, you may want to revisit that.

What does insurance pay on the items you have when it comes to a claim settlement?

If you purchase a collectibles or jewelry endorsement it would be good to understand the differences in policy coverages. For instance, by selecting something called agreed value, you can ensure you get that amount of coverage. If you insure your rare Spider Man comic book for $4,500, if something happens to it and it is stolen or destroyed, you’ll get that $4,500 not the current value should it depreciate.

Most of the companies we represent allow these items to be scheduled right on your home or renters insurance policy. Call an agent today to see if you should add an endorsement for your special item. Enjoy the holidays and if we can answer anything for you about your home or auto insurance during this holiday season, please give us a call.

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Everything You Should Know About Insurance For First Time Home Buyers

Home Insurance Gilbert, AZOwning your first home is one of the most exciting and biggest accomplishments in life. It is a memorable time and something to be proud of. With this excitement comes the responsibilities of maintaining and insuring the home. While we can’t help with the maintenance, we can help you understand and properly insure your new home.

What Does Home Insurance Cover: Homeowners insurance is a broad policy that covers the structure of your home against losses like fire, theft, vandalism and other weather related losses. You also have coverage for liability for injuries to others while visiting your property such as slip and fall claims or even dog bites. It is important to understand that losses from floods and earthquakes are typically excluded from the standard homeowner’s insurance policy. You can get a separate policy for these types of losses.

What Does Home Insurance Cost: The cost of a homeowner’s insurance policy varies on several factors including your credit history, your previous loss history (dog bites or liability, or property loss claims), the value of your home and any scheduled property like jewelry and art. Our agency can give you exact numbers and because we’re an independent insurance agency, we can compare several home insurance companies at once for you to find the right coverage at the right price.

Does Home Insurance Cover Detached Structures? If your home has a detached garage or other detached structure like a home office or art studio, your policy can include things like “Other Structures Coverage.” Talk to an agent to learn more about insuring your detached structures.

Are My Personal Items Covered?  Homeowners policies come with personal property coverage. This amount varies by company and can be increased with most companies. Be sure that the amount of coverage you select for personal property is sufficient for the items you own.

Are Dogs okay? Most dog breeds are okay to be covered under the liability portion of your home insurance policy. Some dog breeds such as Pit Bulls, Akitas and other dogs are classified as dangerous and may be excluded from coverage. Check with your insurance carrier for a list of breeds they will not insure.

Many options and additional coverages are available for home insurance that are not included in a standard home insurance policy. Check with a licensed agent in our office for additional coverages you may want to include with your new home. Again, congratulations on your new home purchase and if we can help you in anyway, please let us know. We appreciate the opportunity to be your homeowners insurance agent.

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