There is nothing worse than sorting through the aftermath of a devastating severe weather event and learning that your power could be knocked out for days. Not only are power outages inconvenient, but they can also cause indirect losses related to non-functioning appliances like refrigerators.

Learn if your home insurance covers food spoilage from the experts at the Commerce Insurance Agency in Commerce, GA.

Does Your Georgia Home Insurance Policy Cover Food Spoilage?

The increasing threats of violent thunderstorms, tornados, and severe weather have local homeowners rethinking their home insurance policies. Whether your home insurance policy will cover claims for food spoilage depends on several factors, including what caused the spoilage.

For example, negligence on behalf of the homeowner that leads to food spoilage is not a covered incident. However, food spoilage caused by blackouts, natural disasters, and severe weather events may be covered up to the designated dollar amount written on your home insurance policy.

Learn More About Uncommon Coverages for Home Insurance Policies

Food spoilage is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to saving homeowners from having to shoulder the out-of-pocket expenses associated with power outages, blackouts, and natural disasters.

Most new homeowners carrying a mortgage are required to have comprehensive home insurance as a condition of their financing. Homeowners who own their dwelling outright may not understand the value of having complete home insurance until something like a natural disaster, theft, or burglary happens.

Please don’t wait until the inevitable happens and it is too late to apply for full coverage home insurance.

Reach out to the trusted and friendly professionals at Commerce Insurance Agency in Commerce, GA, to learn more about home insurance benefits and get a policy quote today!

A typical Commerce, GA home insurance policy only covers your house. It doesn’t cover outdoor structures such as an above-ground pool, guest house, pergola, shed, or detached garage. You’ll need other structure coverage to cover these and other structures on your property.

What’s Covered by Other Structure Coverage?

Other structure coverage covers all the structures listed on your home insurance policy, which means that you’ll need to update your policy if you build a new structure on your property at a later date. Such policies are typically "open perils" policies, which means that all forms of damage not specifically excluded in your contract will be covered by your insurance agency. Other structure coverage usually covers the same forms of damage covered on your home insurance policy, including fire, windstorms, hail, ice, snow, water damage, and theft.

What Isn’t Covered by Other Structure Coverage

Other structure coverage doesn’t usually cover flooding, earthquakes, wear and tear, and pest infestation. It never covers intentional damage by someone who lives in the home. What’s more, you may lose coverage if you leave your home vacant for extended periods. 

Get Help from Commerce Insurance Agency 

Commerce Insurance Agency in Commerce, GA, offers other structure coverage to meet the needs of homeowners of all ages and walks of life. We’re locally owned and operated, and we work with a host of insurance companies to ensure you get the best deal on the policy of your choice. We can help you schedule an appraisal of the exterior structures on your property, review insurance policy options to find the best deals, suggest a deductible that will work best for your budget, and more. Get in touch with us at your convenience to find out more about our services or to get a quote. 

Home insurance is easy to ignore, neglect, or even completely forget about. Many homeowners have had the same policy since they purchased their homes. They may pay premiums through escrow with house payments and taxes. If they haven’t had a claim, the policy may have stayed tucked away for years.

In the meantime, there may be gaps that develop in coverage or unsecured areas that need attention. Commerce Insurance Agency in Commerce, GA would like to remind you of potential gaps or neglected areas in your home insurance coverage.

Common Gaps in Homeowners Insurance

Dwelling Costs

Coverage can be lacking due to inflation, major home improvements, and rising values in your neighborhood. Check to make sure your coverage will cover the current replacement costs of your dwelling.

Flood Damage

Flood insurance is not generally included in most base homeowners’ insurance policies. Climate change, construction, and rising waters may make flood coverage prudent now.

Pets

Have you recently acquired a dog? Dogs can be a liability issue that may not be covered under the terms of your current policy.

Contents and Collectible Limits

The contents of your home are usually covered for a certain percentage of your dwelling value. Through the years, these contents or valuable collections may exceed those limits. It may be time for an insurance review.

Update Your Home’s Inventory

It may be time to video the contents of your home, including drawers, closets, and cabinets. Keeping an updated inventory is a good way to ensure there are no gaps in any filed claims for losses.

Get a Home Insurance Review

If you don’t recall the last time you reviewed your home insurance, it is time for a review. We can even provide a no-obligation price quote.

Contact Commerce Insurance Agency Today

Our team can not only review your present coverage but provide a price quote for updated coverage. Make sure the gaps are closed and neglected areas in your home insurance are addressed. Reach out to us at Commerce Insurance Agency in Commerce, GA. Get the coverage you deserve today.

Real estate has continued to be a great investment for people in and around the Commerce, GA area. If you are looking to buy a home, you do need to make sure you are securing and protecting this investment. A great way that this can be done is by getting insurance for your home. You will actually need to have this coverage for various reasons when here. 

Protect Your Dwelling and Assets

A reason why you need to have a home insurance policy when you are in this area is so you can protect your dwelling and assets. Home insurance is a great tool to use when it comes to securing your assets. Not only will home insurance offer support if your home is damaged, but it can also provide you with coverage for personal assets and other forms of support that can save you time and stress.

Insurance is Often Required

You also should consider home insurance a necessity as insurance is often required. If you are going to finance the purchase of a home with a loan, you will need home insurance to meet the requirements set by your mortgage lender. Further, many home associations will require that you have insurance. Ultimately, having coverage will keep you in good standing with such requirements. 

We Are Here To Help

If you happen to own a home in the Commerce, GA area, you definitely need to have a proper home insurance plan. If you are looking for a new policy when you are in this part of Georgia, you can call our team with the Commerce Insurance Agency. Our professionals at the Commerce Insurance Agency always know the value of this coverage and will give you the support you need to build a home that can protect your property. 

Owning a home is a dream come true for many, but without homeowner’s insurance, dreams can quickly turn into nightmares. Many different events, from electrical fires to hurricanes and earthquakes, can destroy homes and even entire communities. Contact the Commerce Insurance Agency, serving the Commerce, GA metroplex, to explore home insurance options.

Keep in mind that standard homeowner’s insurance may not cover every event. For example, you may need to take out flood damage to cover damage caused by flooding. It’s crucial to read the fine print of any homeowner’s insurance plan or to speak with knowledgeable insurance agents who can break down the details and gaps in home insurance coverage.

Major Events That Could Destroy Your Home

Home Fires

House fires cause roughly $7 billion in damage per year, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Issues with heating, cooking, and electrical systems are the leading cause of house fires and over 350,000 homes will be affected by a fire in any given year. This makes it crucial to take out a home insurance policy that provides protection from home fires.

Weather Disasters Cause Immense Damage

The Washington Post reported that roughly 1 in 10 homes were affected by a weather event in 2021. Hurricanes and tornadoes may be the most famous and intimidating events, but simple storms can cause a lot of damage. High winds, hail, and heavy rain, among other factors, can all damage buildings.

Don’t Forget Crime

Break-ins, vandalism, and other property crimes cause a lot of damage per year. Indeed, more than a million home burglaries occur per year. In many cases, homes aren’t destroyed outright, but the damage can be immense, as can the costs of replacing stolen property. Fortunately, the right homeowner’s insurance policies can provide protection from property crimes.

Reach out to the Commerce Insurance Agency in Commerce, GA to learn about home insurance options.

Owning a home means that you have a lot of different responsibilities. Many of these have to do with protecting your home. Getting home insurance is one of these responsibilities. Your lender and HOA will both require that you have this type of insurance. Even if you don’t have a lender or an HOA, you need this insurance to protect yourself and your home. When you need to get a home insurance policy, give us a call today at Commerce Insurance Agency in Commerce, GA to get started. 

Dwelling Protection

One of the types of coverage that is included in home insurance is dwelling protection. It protects the building from a host of risks that can cause it to be damaged. When you have home insurance, it protects against things like calamities, accidents, and specific disasters. These are risks that every home faces, and you need to be prepared for them by having home insurance.

When an event happens that damages your home, the home policy will pay for the necessary repairs. It can even pay for your home to be rebuilt if it’s destroyed.

Item Protection

When you have home insurance, it also protects the items that are inside it. You get coverage for all of your possessions in the home if they are ever damaged or destroyed by a covered event. This is a lot of coverage when you consider the cost of replacing everything. Without a home policy, you’d have to pay for everything that was ruined by yourself. Make sure that you have this coverage to protect your possessions as well as your home against expensive damage. 

Get Home Insurance 

To make sure that your home and everything in it is protected, call us at Commerce Insurance Agency in Commerce, GA to get started with a home policy. 

Once you’ve purchased home insurance, you shouldn’t assume that the policy you’ve purchased will be adequate for your property indefinitely. Eventually, you may need to make changes to your coverage.

At Commerce Insurance Agency, we recommend that you update coverage on your home in Commerce, GA in certain situations.

The following are three signs that you need to make some changes to your home insurance policy. 

You have just had a swimming pool added to your property.

A swimming pool on your property can change your coverage needs in numerous ways.

With a swimming pool, you’ll probably want to invest in more liability coverage because swimming pools come along with some injury risk. 

After you’ve added a swimming pool, you may also want to increase the dwelling coverage you have on your policy.

There is a new canine member in your household.

In some cases, a new family dog could change your home insurance needs.

If you have a dog, there is a risk of dog bite injuries that you should consider. Make sure that your insurance company knows about your new pet so that you’re covered for such injuries. 

You’ve had a new room added to your home.

Additions to your home increase your square footage. They also increase the value of your home. Putting an addition on your home changes the replacement cost, so you’ll definitely want to discuss your addition with your home insurance provider. 

Give Us A Call

When you choose a home insurance policy, you should get quotes from a few providers on coverage for your home. We can offer you a quote on a home insurance policy for your property in Commerce, GA. Call us today at Commerce Insurance Agency to get started!

Residents in the greater Commerce GA area can count on the team at Commerce Insurance Agency for help with all of their insurance needs. Come by our office, or give us a call today to find out more!

Is it time to give your homeowner’s policy a thorough review?

When it comes to protecting your home, few things are more important. A home purchase is commonly the largest investment that a person will make. It only makes sense to make sure that it’s protected!

Many people review their insurance options when first selecting a policy. After that, they simply renew their existing policy year after year without too much thought. Can you relate? If it’s been a while since you have taken a close look at your home insurance policy, now is a great time to do so.

At minimum, having a good review of all of your insurance policies once a year is a great idea. This is especially true with your homeowner’s policy. Home values can fluctuate, especially after a few years. Your belongings may also change. If you purchase high-worth items like art or jewelry, it may be time for a personal articles rider for your policy.

Even in situations where nothing has really changed, knowing what protections your current policy provides will allow you to make adjustments where appropriate. Today is the perfect day to review yours!

Let us give you a hand with all of your insurance needs!

The folks at the Commerce Insurance Agency are dedicated to providing the residents of Commerce GA with the information they need to make informed decisions when it comes to insurance. If you have questions about home insurance, we are here to help! Give us a call or schedule an appointment today!

The team at Commerce Insurance Agency wants to help you protect your home. If you are planning a major renovation or remodel of your house, give us a call today. We are proud to serve the insurance needs of the residents in Commerce, GA.

Planning an addition? Give us a call

Your house is most likely the largest investment that you will make in your lifetime and it makes sense to protect it. If you are planning an addition to your home or will be undertaking a major renovation project, you will likely need to make some adjustments to your insurance policy.

Additions and renovations can significantly increase the value of your home. You will want to make sure that your insurance policy keeps up with that increase. This is especially true if you are updating your kitchen or bathrooms, as those improvements can have a marked impact on the value of your home.

In fact, we advise all of our clients to review their insurance policies at least annually as home values can change. You may also want to have your agent review your liability coverage before beginning a large project at your house. You will want to protect yourself from all eventualities that could cause damage while the project is underway.

Let us help you keep your home protected. Homes are sanctuaries that have a huge impact on our quality of life. 

Count on us for all of your insurance needs!

Commerce Insurance Agency is here to help the residents in our greater Commerce, GA area. If you want to make sure that your homeowner’s policy is keeping pace with the value of your house, schedule a policy review today. We are here for you. Call or stop by today!