Search Results

Why Do I Need Renters Insurance? When renting a home or apartment renters insurance is extremely important in ensuring that your personal belongings are covered.  Your landlord will have an insurance policy that covers the replacement costs of the actual building, but most of the time your personal belongings will be entirely for you to insure.  Some landlords will require their tenants to have renters insurance while the rest strongly advise it.  Despite this, only around 40% of renters have renters insurance. So why is it that so few renters have insurance?  It’s possible that they do not realize that their landlord’s policy doesn’t cover their personal belongings, or they just don’t see the value and would rather take the risk.  Many renters may not realize just how expensive all their possessions are in comparison to how inexpensive renters insurance is.  Here’s a list of four reasons why every renter should invest in insurance: It protects against losses to your personal property: Renters insurance covers damage or loss of your personal property from perils such as fire, theft, falling objects, vandalism etc. and will save you from having to have to pay to replace your belongings on your own.  It’s important to keep in mind that renters insurance only covers damage or losses cause by factors out of your control.  If the damage is a result of your negligence or you damage your property intentionally it will not be covered. It provides you with liability coverage: You landlords policy provides him with liability coverage in the event that you are injured in his home you’re renting out as a result of his actions or negligence, but what if someone is injured in the home you’re renting as a result of your actions/negligence?  This is where renters insurance comes into play, most renters insurance policies provide at least $100,000 of financial protection. It covers additional living expenses: Say your home is damaged from a fire that wasn’t your fault and you are forced to stay elsewhere while it is being repaired, renters insurance can cover the expenses of having to live somewhere else, food, laundry and more. It’s ridiculously cheap. Many tenants won’t even consider renters insurance because they see it as a large expense, such as homeowners insurance.  What they don’t realize is the average cost of renters insurance is only $144 a year.   That’s $12 a month to insure all of your belongings and provide you with liability coverage and additional living expenses. #azinsuranceteam #rentersinsurance #tempehomeinsurance

Many factors can affect your yearly auto insurance premium and they’re all based on how likely you are to get into an accident.  Currently, the average annual cost of auto insurance in Arizona is $1,222, but this number can vary greatly depending on several factors.  Let’s get into detail about what determines how much you pay for you premium: Your Driving Record and Claim History: This is the most obvious as well as the most important factor.  Getting into several accidents gives your insurance company reason to believe there’s a greater chance that you will get into another one.  The cleaner your driving record, the less you pay. How much you drive: It’s a given that the more you drive your vehicle, the greater risk of an accident.  If you drive your car a long distance to work every day you will pay more than someone who drives around town once a week. Age: Young, inexperienced drivers are considered more likely to be involved in a car accident.  Drivers under the age of 25 typically pay more for their insurance than those over 25. Gender: Women generally pay less for their car insurance than men.  Statistics show that men are more like to exhibit risky driving behavior, (receiving more tickets, more accidents, more DUIs) and therefore are more likely to get an in accident. Marital status: Married people are considered to be less likely to get into an accident than single adults. Married people tend to pay less for their premium than single people. Where you live: Living and parking your car in an urban area where an accident or theft is more likely results in higher rates than someone who lives in a more rural area. Your Car: Driving a car with a high safety rating means that there is a smaller chance that you will be injured in the event of an accident and a smaller chance that your insurance will need to pay for your medical bills. Credit:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Many companies look at your credit score when determining how much you pay for your premium. Call us for a quote today! AZ Insurance Team (480) 535-5709 Azinsuranceteam.com #carinsurancecoverage #autoinsurancetempe #carinsurance #azinsuranceteam #priceofautoinsurance #carinsurancetempe

When to file a claim and when not to file a claim….that is the question Homeowners insurance is there to cover an owner when large loss occurs.  Insurance is not meant to cover an owner from small damage or normal wear and tear.  The real question is when should a homeowners claim be filed?  There are several factors that need to be looked at to see if filing a claim will harm or help the policy holder. The first thing that should be looked is the amount of loss vs. the deductible.  If the repair is cheaper than the deductible a claim should not be filed.  I always tell clients to have someone come out and look at it before a claim is filed.  Once you have a claim on your record the premium will increase by about 30% for 3 years.  Also the more claims that are filed the worse the premium will be and generally companies will only take homeowners with 2 or less claims in the past 3 years.  If you file more than a couple of claims within 3 years you could be looking at a premium in the thousands. The second thing to look at is the cause of loss.  Your homeowner’s policy has limits on what types of loss it will payout for. One thing that is never covered is flood.  Flood insurance is a program setup and ran by the FEMA When a house has been vacant for more than 60 days and is not on a vacant policy nothing will be covered Some policies do not cover sewer backup where as others do An agent who is proactive will ask the right questions to make sure the policy meets the needs of their clients.  However if the needs of the client does change they should have regular contact with their agent. Bottom line, when thinking about filing a claim you should contact your agent not the 1-800 number for customer service.  If you call customer service and say you want to file a claim there is no way to remove it even if they do not pay out and your rates will increase.   Your agent will help to consult you and make sure you made the right decision. If you have further questions or specific situation please call or email us! Charlotte Burr Co-Owner of Az Insurance Team 480 535 5709 charlotte@azinsuranceteam.com #filingaclaim #FEMA #homeinsurance #floodinsurance #homeownersinsurance #azinsuranceteam #homeownersinsurancetempe

Whether you’re a great driver or not, it’s no secret that every time you get on the road you’re putting yourself at risk of an accident.  It’s unavoidable and a risk that quite frankly you probably take every day on your commute to work or elsewhere.  If you ever do get in an accident, let’s hope that everyone involved is unharmed and for your sake, you’re not the at-fault driver.  But what happens if the at-fault driver doesn’t have enough insurance, any insurance at all, or worse:  takes off? Unfortunately for responsible drivers such as yourself, statistics show that 1 in 8 drivers in the U.S are uninsured.  Given the woeful event that you happen to get into an accident with one of these drivers, you can be responsible to pay for the damages caused by the at-fault driver if you do not have uninsured motorist coverage. Nearly half of the states in the U.S require some form of Uninsured Motorist (UM) or Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage.  There are 4 different types of protection: Uninsured Bodily Injury (UMBI) Uninsured Property Damage (UMPD) Underinsured Bodily Injury (UIMBI) Underinsurance Property Damage (UIMPD) These types of insurance cover property damage, loss of income, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and funeral costs. States are either “no-fault” or “tort” in terms of insurance.  If you live in a no-fault state, you go straight to your insurance company after an accident.  If you live in a no-fault state and get in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist, you can just file a claim with your insurance company and they will handle your needs.  However, your insurance will not cover loss of income or pain and suffering, so investing in UM/UIM provides you with extra protection. On the other hand, if you live in a tort state, you would need to go through the stressful litigation process to attempt to recover the damages.  Your own insurance will cover you but if the damages exceed your limits you will need to pay out of your pocket or sue for the damages.  Which, in this case, it’s a very good idea to have high limits. In a nutshell, having UM/UIM coverage protects you from unfortunate event where the driver that caused your accident is underinsured or uninsured.  Regardless of whether you live in a no-fault or tort state, having UM/UIM coverage gives you essential financial protection. The simple answer is yes, you should.  The average price increase to add uninsured motorist coverage is under 10%, meaning that there is no reason not to. AZ Insurance Team (480) 535-5709 azinsuranceteam.com #carinsurancecoverage #collisioninsurancetempe #uninsuredmotoristcoverage #autoinsurancetempe #carinsurance #underinsuredmotoristcoverage

There comes a time when even the most dedicated and hard-working people need a vacation.  Whether it’s a long weekend in Miami or a two week venture throughout Europe, it something that’s highly anticipated and the desire to make it perfect can be overwhelming.  We’re providing you with some essential tips to make your trip as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. Determine your goals: Prior to picking your destination you must consider  your goals.  Are you looking to have a relaxing weekend spent splitting time between the beach and your hotel room?  Or are you planning on being constantly on the move and experiencing as much as you can? Maybe you’re stuck in between.  Regardless, your goals are extremely important when picking your destination. Pick your destination: Maybe you’ve been dreaming about going on that trip through Eastern Europe for years and your plan is to see as many sights and visit as many museums as possible.  Is now the right time?  Here are some things to consider: Do you have enough time to do everything you want? If you do have enough time, will it be stressful to fit everything into that time period? Does this type of trip fit the goals of your vacation time? If you can’t answer with a firm “Yes!” to all of these questions, them maybe now is not the time for it.  You want your destination to be ideal for meeting your goals.  If you want to unwind, go somewhere that you can truly relax and don’t try to squeeze in that hectic trip across a continent. Research and plan: Once you’ve set your goals and destination, it’s wise to do some planning to ensure you’re trip is as pleasant and stress-free as possible.  Some things to research and plan out include: Hotels: This is going to serve as your home.  Find something in your price range and up to your standards Restaurants: You should enjoy local cuisine at least once during your trip.  Find which restaurant(s) receiving plenty of praise sound most appealing to you Activities: Whether your planning on being a busy tourist or just spending one afternoon snorkeling, it’s important to make an educated decision on what you’re putting your budget towards Cell phone service: Figure out whether or not your phone is going to be working well. This is especially important if you’ve told your boss or family that you will staying in contact while you’re gone Prepare and prevent issues: You don’t want something like losing a bag or having your wallet stolen ruin your vacation.  Be sure to protect yourself from these incidents by: Backing up your important documents: Be sure to have digital copies of your passport, driver’s license, visas, etc. in case of emergency. Let your bank know: Having transactions in Phoenix one day and Brazil the next is a reason for concern for you bank.  While it’s nice that your bank detects suspicious activity, you do not want your accounts to be frozen during the middle of your vacation. Keep extra cash: Anything can happen.  Maybe you’ve lost your wallet or maybe you’re realizing the budget you’ve set isn’t enough to fully enjoy yourself.  Bring extra money along to prevent tragedy and encourage excitement. Enjoy yourself: Seemingly the most obvious aspect of all vacations, yet forgotten by many.  Regardless of where you’re going or what your goals are, you want to have FUN. This main objective can be put in danger if you don’t follow these guidelines: Don’t stress the small things: Missing the bus isn’t the end of the world. You’re not going to be late for an important meeting and there’s another one coming in 15 minutes. Be open-minded and spontaneous: Some of the best vacation stories arise from something that wasn’t on your original agenda.  Don’t limit yourself to following your exact plan. Don’t stress about work: Sometimes you need to remain reachable and maybe even work a bit.  If this is the case, plan out some time to get your work done.  If not, try thinking about work as little as possible, your vacation is an escape from that part of your life. #azinsuranceteam #perfectvacation #tipsforvacation #vacationtips

Every resident in Arizona has experienced the intense summertime storms that come along with monsoon season.  You step outside and feel the fierce gusts of wind and see the clouds turn from gloomy to downright intimidating as storms approach from the distance.  Through the perspective of an Arizonian, a bit of rain can be refreshing and pleasant, but there’s no denying the extreme amounts of damage one of these storms can cause to your home. During this time of year floods are an increasingly probable hazard for the residents of Arizona.  Monsoon season begins on June 15th and ends September 30th, with storms peaking during July and August.  A couple inches of water entering your home can cause thousands of dollars in damages. So what can you do to help prevent your home from the perils of flash floods?  We’ve composed a list of 7 different steps you can take to be prepared for these storms: 1.  Clean out your gutters and drains: Gutters and drains are equipped to your home to transport water to an area where it will not cause damage to your home.  Spend some time yourself removing leaves and debris from your gutters or higher a professional to do so to ensure that water is transported away from your home properly. 2.  Protect your valued possessions: Whether it’s your electronics, carpeting, or photo albums, if you’re worried about potential flooding in your home in the nearby future, transport these items to an area that will not be reached by water in the event of a flood. 3. Install French Drains: A French drain is a trench filled with gravel or rock, containing a pipe that directs water away from your home.  If you’ve experienced problems with water entering your home,  a deep French drain running around the perimeter of your home can intercept water before it has a chance of entering your home. An example of a French drain 4.  Stop Sewer Backup: A backflow valve in your sewer system ensures that sewer water flows away from your home and prevents sewer water from flowing toward your home.  These valves should be installed and maintained on all pipes entering the house. 5.  Fix cracks and leaks immediately: If you notice leaks or cracks in your home that are allowing water to enter or seep in, fix them as soon as possible.  Water can weaken the structure of your home and encourages mold to form.  There are several inexpensive products available on the market that will allow you to seal cracks and leaks yourself. 6.  Be sure your sump pump is functioning properly: The purpose of a sump pump is to pump water away from your home.  A well functioning sump pump is vital to ensuring your home against flood damage.  It is also smart to invest in a battery-powered sump pump, due to a electrical-powered sump pump possibly being damaged and nonfunctional as a result of the storm. 7. Have an inspection done on your home: Knowing the most vulnerable areas of your house is extremely important in preparing it for flood damage.  Hiring a professional to identify how areas of your home will perform under flood conditions is crucial when preparing for a flood. We hope this helps!  Contact us at (480) 535-5709.  Our office is located at 600 E Baseline Rd Ste B-3, Tempe, AZ 85283 #flooddamage #homeinsurance #floodinsurancetempe #homeownersinsurance #azinsuranceteam #protectingyourhomefromflooddamage