If You “Put a Ring on It”, Insure It

by California Casualty | Feb 6, 2020 | Homeowners Insurance Info | 0 comments

February is the month of love. If you choose to show your love with an expensive piece of jewelry, you’ll want to protect that enduring representation of your love.

One of the best ways is to purchase scheduled personal property (SPP) insurance, sometimes called a floater.

Here’s why: While your renters or homeowners insurance policy covers jewelry for theft or being destroyed in a fire, that coverage is limited. The average Valentine’s Day ring or necklace purchase is about $1,500, the average spend for an engagement ring is $6,000.

Scheduled personal property insurance provides higher coverage for your precious items, like high priced jewelry with coverage above and beyond what home insurance provides.

And, here’s the best part, SPP pays even if that prized piece was accidentally lost or damaged – such as losing a diamond down the sink or toilet. There is no deducible and SPP provides a replacement at the full insured amount. SPP usually costs about one to two percent of the item’s value.

Scheduled personal property isn’t just for jewelry; you might need the endorsement if you have:

• Fine art
• Furs
• Rare coins or money collections
• Expensive cameras
• Firearms
• Fine silverware
• Stamp collections

And even if you already have gold and jewelry or a rare watch covered with scheduled personal property coverage, you may need a review. Gold and diamond prices have climbed the past few years and you may not have enough protection for their new value.

Don’t wait until your precious items are lost, stolen or damaged to find out if you have enough coverage to replace them; contact a representative today.

This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.

Freezing Out Broken Pipes

by California Casualty | Jan 24, 2020 | Homeowners Insurance Info | 0 comments

The plumbing in your home could be in danger when temperatures dip below zero, and the last thing you want to deal with when it thaws is a burst pipe, which can lead to substantial damage in your home.

All that water can eat through drywall, destroy carpets and fry electronics. The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimates that just two inches of water can cause more than $10,000 in repairs and replacement of flooded items. Six inches of water can add up to more than $30,000!

Before the thermometer plunges, here are things you can do to prevent pipes from freezing:

• Disconnect outside hoses from faucets
• Insulate water pipes, especially along exterior walls and unheated areas
• Add insulation to walls and attics where pipes may run
• Know where the shutoff valve is to your home

Once the sub-zero weather hits you should:

• Let faucets drip to prevent freezing
• Keep the thermostat above 55 degrees
• Make sure garage doors are closed
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow warm air to circulate around the plumbing

So you’ve prepared and kept as much heat as possible going to cold areas, but the cold air still froze a pipe; what now? Stay calm but act as quickly as possible to:

• Locate where the pipe is frozen
• Open the nearest faucet to relieve pressure when the ice thaws
• Slowly warm the pipe with a heating pad, hairdryer, space heater or wrapping it with hot towels – never use a blow torch or open flame

If the pipe has cracked or broken, immediately turn off water at the main water valve and call a plumber. Shutting off the water will prevent further damage.

And if you have damage from a broken water pipe:

• Try to prevent further damage
• Contact your insurance company as soon as possible
• Take photos or video of the damage
• Don’t make permanent repairs until the insurance company adjuster inspects the damage
• Keep all of your receipts for emergency repair work or temporary housing if you are forced out of your home or apartment

Once a pipe freezes, odds are it will happen again. Here are some tips to prevent it in the future:

• Hire a plumber to relocate to a warmer area
• Add more insulation in walls, attics and crawl spaces
• Wrap the pipe with electric heat tape, when temperatures drop, plug it in

Remember, if a burst pipe sends water into your home, contact a California Casualty Claims advisor as soon as possible; we can help get you started on the clean-up.

For more information visit:

https://bit.ly/30Q8dvP

https://bit.ly/36nEewu

https://rdcrss.org/2vmD9bp

https://bit.ly/3aG6xJW

https://bit.ly/2vnJ9Rj

This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.

End of the Year Home Inventory

by California Casualty | Dec 30, 2019 | Homeowners Insurance Info | 0 comments