| Greetings!
It's already September and summer seemed to fly by. Kids are back in school and the Puyallup Fair starts this weekend. Hope everyone had a chance to get some R&R time over the summer.
This month I am writing about house fires, how insurance companies handle those claims, and how to avoid a headache if it happen to you. It's worth taking a look at it.
Thanks and take care,
Steve Scott |
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Fun thing to do this month! |
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Don't forget, it's time to "Do the Puyallup" at the fair. Lots of fun stuff to see and do like concerts, rides, rodeo, fair food and more.
Discount tickets are available at Safeway, Fred Meyer and Walgreens stores.
Have fun and "Free Your Glee!" from Sept 10-26 |
| House Fire! Now what happens? |
 Most people think their home will never catch fire but an estimated 250,000 residential fires are reported annually. That's over $6 billion in property loss each year.
We have all heard the basics on what to do to try to prevent a major fire. Simple things like checking the fire alarm batteries, having an escape plan and keeping a fire extinguisher accessible if needed. But if you do have a major fire and lose everything, what happens next?
How will your insurance company handle the claim? Are you prepared if this happens to you?
The insurance company will pay for your temporary housing and give you an initial payment to get you back on your feet, but to really recoup the value of all your belongings that were lost, you have to be prepared. They don't just cut you a blank check for the personal property coverage amount on your policy.
The insurance company will ask you to list all your belongings so you can get reimbursed, but unless you have a photographic memory, it is humanly impossible to remember everything. That's why everyone should have a Home Inventory to help in this process should it happen to you.
There is free Home Inventory software available online that allows you to document your possessions, attach pictures and even input serial numbers of electronic items. Best of all, you can save your progress and complete it at your own pace. One such site is www.knowyourstuff.org
If you don't have the patience to complete a full inventory, you can simply take a quick video tour or take pictures of your rooms which you could use to help jog your memory and document what you had. Just make sure to keep them in a fire safe location off site, or upload them to free online picture storage websites like www.snapfish.com , www.shutterfly.com or www.photobucket.com A free precautionary measure can reap you thousands of additional $$$ should you have a fire at your home. |
Your Independent Insurance Broker
