Winter storms can inflict severe damage on your home. Damage can range from falling branches caused by ice buildup to wind damage that can uproot trees completely. It’s challenging to prevent this entirely. However, we at Linda Dugan Insurance, servicing Astoria, OR, are here to help. We offer home insurance to assist you during recovery from winter storms. Here’s what you need to be aware of.

Ensure Your Home Insurance Is Up-to-date

Before the winter storm season begins, contact your insurance agent to ensure your home insurance policy is up-to-date. Adequate insurance is crucial so you can make any necessary repairs or even replace your home should it be destroyed. If you’re uncertain about whether your coverage is sufficient, your insurance agent can provide guidance. Don’t hesitate to call and review your coverage amounts and decide if it’s adequate.

Know What to Do If You Have a Claim

If you need to make a claim on your home insurance, contact your insurance agent before starting any repair work. They can guide you through the claim process. Remember to save receipts and be prepared to complete a few forms. Act promptly!

Take Steps to Protect Your Home from Storms

One measure to protect your home from winter storms is storing away your garden furniture and doing a thorough check on trees within your property. Are there any damaged branches that might fall during a storm? Is any tree showing signs of disease? Should any trees be removed? Proper tree maintenance can considerably reduce the potential for property damage.

For any queries about how home insurance can assist you this winter, get in touch with your insurance agent at Linda Dugan Insurance, servicing Astoria, OR. Reach out today to learn more.

Owning a home can be a great option when you live in the Astoria, OR, area. When you are looking for a property, you will have many important decisions to make. One important choice will be to select a new home insurance plan. If you are not properly insured with home insurance, many negative consequences could arise.

No Support for Damage or Liability Claims

One of the main reasons that someone will want to have a home insurance plan in Oregon is so they can get the support they need for damage and liability claims. For those living in this part of Oregon, a home insurance plan will provide support if your home is damaged or you are a victim of theft. Further, you will receive liability claim support if you are deemed liable for an accident. Without home insurance, you will not have this coverage. 

Default of Agreements

It is also a good idea to have a home insurance plan, as it can ensure you do not default on various agreements. Those living in Oregon will likely have a mortgage and may live in a home association. In either situation, you will need to have home insurance to comply with agreements, and carrying coverage could lead to penalization. 

When you live in the Astoria, OR, area, you should always have a home insurance plan. Once you are ready to start looking for a plan, you can begin your process and get the help you need by calling our professionals at Linda Dugan Insurance. If you are looking for home insurance, we can answer any questions and offer the guidance necessary to get into an ideal plan. 

A standard home insurance policy covers repairs and replacement of goods if a residence is damaged during an unforeseen event. Review the variables to determine if you need to update your insurance policy.

Renovations

Your existing coverage relates to the size of your home, its structural details, and the amount of personal belongings stored inside. A renovation project changes the makeup of your home.

The increased value of your home would necessitate a modification in coverage. Keeping careful records of the home improvements will make it possible for a Linda Dugan Insurance agent to provide accurate advice about the coverage modifications you need.

Big Ticket Items

Purchasing an expensive item that will be used inside your residence may necessitate changes to your existing policy. New appliances, artwork, jewelry, and any other item of value you purchase should be reported to the insurance agent who serves you in Astoria, OR.

The agent will determine the value of the item. Then, they will adjust your coverage to ensure the new investment is included in your policy.

Security Systems

Security systems protect a home’s structural materials, as well as its contents, from theft and damage.

Inform your insurance agent if you purchase and professionally install any security equipment. They will adjust your coverage accordingly.

Final Words

Contact an agent at Linda Dugan Insurance to schedule an appointment to assess your existing home insurance policy. An agent who serves Astoria, OR will guarantee you are provided the coverage you need.

Home insurance is necessary to protect your property and yourself from financial losses related to covered risks. One particular risk that home insurance offers coverage against is sudden plumbing issues that cause damage to the home or its contacts. This is one of the many reasons individuals living in Astoria, OR should contact Linda Dugan insurance to help them get the coverage they need to have peace of mind.

Home Insurance Protection

Your home is one of the most significant investments you’ve ever made. It only makes sense to have coverage that adequately protects this investment and offers you the options to secure your property. When it comes to protecting your home against plumbing damage, your insurance company will cover the cost of the repairs if the plumbing problem is unexpected and unrelated to poor maintenance.

Individuals wanting the ideal level of coverage should consider totaling the cost of their home and its contents accurately to present to their insurance agent. The insurance agent can help assess the current situation and determine how much coverage is adequate to offer the highest level of protection. The agent can then begin recommending policies that match the client’s needs.

The insurance agent can help the customer match the ideal insurance policy, and assist with any changes during the policy’s effective date, or they can also help file claims if there’s a covered event.

Find Out More Today

Individuals living in Astoria, OR looking for reliable home insurance coverage should contact Linda Dugan insurance today and schedule a consultation with one of the insurance agents. Get the reliable insurance protection necessary to protect your home and your assets.

Buying a new home can be stressful. In addition to being a substantial financial commitment, owning a home is also a lot of work. Home insurance ensures your investment is protected and

Linda Dugan Insurance is ready to help. The agency can create a personalized home insurance policy that’s right for you. Located in Astoria, OR, our agency offers five reasons to carry home insurance.

Covers primary dwelling

Protect your home. This is the main role of insurance. If damage occurs, home insurance will reimburse for repair and replacement costs. Each policy will list what events are included. Review these with your agent.

Covers other structures

This protection reaches other parts of your property too. Garages, sheds, decks, fences, and other detached structures are also likely protected. Again, please consult your specific policy to understand its coverage limits better.

Protects belongings

What’s on the inside matters too. Your personal possessions are shielded from damage, destruction, or theft with home insurance. Appliances, electronics, furniture, and any other valuables are covered. Conduct a home inventory to assess the value of these items.

Provides liability protection

Liability is included in almost every insurance policy. This applies to any incident or accident on your property where you are found to be at fault or legally responsible. With this protection, legal fees and medical payments could be reimbursed.

Provides loss of use coverage

Prepare for the worst. This kicks in if a major accident or natural disaster forces you from your home. Loss of use casts a safety net over any costs associated with relocating temporarily. These added living costs include food, hotels, or even increased travel.

Contact Linda Dugan Insurance

Serving Astoria, OR, Linda Dugan Insurance can grant you security, safety, and peace of mind. Set up an appointment today.

When remodeling in Astoria, OR, there are little projects and there are big projects. You know that you should probably pick up the phone and call your provider when building a whole new bedroom or redoing the kitchen from the ground up. But do you need to call them every single time you install a new sink or window?

What Are You Willing To Risk?

Ultimately, the question of when to call your insurer comes down to how much value you’re willing to leave uninsured. For most minor home improvements, you’re not required to tell your insurer, but if you put five thousand dollars of new fixtures into your home, and then your home burns down, that’s five thousand dollars you’re not going to get from your insurance provider.

Our advice: Anything you can’t replace with the cash in your wallet, you should probably tell your insurance agent about it.

The value threshold may vary from homeowner to homeowner. You might not be worried about a five hundred dollar bathtub, where someone else will want to ensure that those fifty dollar drapes are covered.

So really it comes down to peace of mind. That’s what we’re really buying when we call Linda Dugan Insurance about a home insurance policy, and if you’re not reappraising your home whenever it improves in value, then you’re leaving a lot of peace of mind unclaimed.

In short, your insurer needs to know when you’re doing major renovations. But you need your insurer to know when you’re doing minor renovations.

If you’re looking to get covered in Astoria, OR or if you have any questions, call Linda Dugan Insurance and see what they can do for you.

Few people do as we counsel and consult with an insurance agent to create a custom homeowners’ insurance policy. That is why we at Linda Dugan Insurance wanted to offer this blog to explain the add-ons to a standard home insurance policy your Astoria, OR home might need. While a standard homeowners’ policy covers the major named perils and provides for an average person’s liability level that may not fit your life and your needs.

This blog explains the three most common options a homeowner has to increase coverage of a standard homeowners’ policy. You could add the following:

• other structures coverage,
• increasing liability coverage,
• adding liability coverage for a home-based business.

Other Structures Coverage

Your property consists of more than just your house. You also have a driveway, walkway, and perhaps a porch, patio, fence, retaining wall, shed, workshop, pool house, swimming pool, etc. Your home policy can cover these, too. Some standard policies include a tiny bit of other structures coverage – about 10 percent of the house’s total value. This may not cover your other structures completely though. If your home valuation put its value at $150,000 you would have about $15,000 of cover for other structures. If a derecho or tornado struck your property, tearing down your workshop, fence, and swimming pool, you would not have enough coverage to re-build all three and replace the equipment inside the workshop.

Increasing Personal Property Coverage

You might need to increase the level of personal property coverage for your home. You would need added coverage if you have an expensive hobby like photography or vast audio-visual equipment for a home theater. Storing family heirlooms or expensive jewelry on the property provides another reason to add to your property coverage. Doing so ensures that your insurance covers your loss in full if a named peril like a tornado occurs.

Adding to Your Liability Coverage

If you run a home-based business or regularly hold meetings at your home for your business, increase this coverage. Your standard home liability covers personal visits, but not conducting business from your home. Your insurance agent can tailor the coverage to include business coverage.

You can protect your Astoria, OR home and Linda Dugan Insurance can help. Contact us today for more information on customizing your home insurance.

Astoria is the oldest city in the state of Oregon and one of the most charming places to own a home. Owning a home is part of the American dream and when you purchase a home, home insurance will help to give you peace of mind knowing that you are protected against some of the unfortunate things that life can throw at you. Choosing your home insurance policy is one of the most important things that you can do to protect your investment and the team at Linda Dugan Insurance in Astoria, OR will be happy to help create the perfect policy for your needs and wallet. 

As a homeowner, you have many responsibilities, keeping your home in good repair, paying your taxes, and making a home inventory. Why should you make a home inventory and how can it help you?  If you have ever filed a claim with your insurer you know that they are going to want to know what was lost by the damage your home sustained. Most homeowners own a lot more personal property than they realize. Try to think of all the clothing that you own, that might be a little overwhelming. 

A home inventory is a record of what you have in every individual room of your home. It can be a written record, a video record, or a digital record. It should be accompanied by as many additional records as possible. Things like receipts, invoices, and appraisals can make it much easier to prove what needs to be replaced. Your inventory also needs to be stored in a safe place and in today’s world, online might be the way to go. 

At Linda Dugan Insurance in Astoria, OR the experienced staff is available to sit down and discuss your home insurance needs and give you a no-obligation quote. Give the office a call or stop by. 

Many homeowners may feel that their homes are adequately insured. However, there are a plethora of homeowners, or unfortunately former homeowners, who have endured great loss when a travesty occurred. These people found out the hard way that they’re homes weren’t adequately covered when a natural disaster hit, someone was injured on their property, etc. Having said this, the following includes some risks of having an underinsured home:    

1. A Possible Increase in Emergency Home Repairs’ Costs 

Homeowners sometimes must repair or replace different parts in the home to maintain current standards and codes after an emergency. So, comprehensive coverage is required.  

2. No Adequate Coverage of Flood Damage

It’s imperative to have proper coverage for floods especially if living in a flood zone area.  Additional coverage may still be needed even with the maximum protection of FEMA flood insurance. 

3. Not Enough Coverage for Expensive Items

Expensive items, such as jewelry, electronics, antiques, and classic cars, may not be covered in a standard policy.

4. Possible Cancellation of Your Policy

If you must file a claim and is underinsured, your insurer could totally cancel your insurance policy. 

5. Possibly Obtaining a High Deductible after An Accident

After being involved in an accident, you could have a deductible costing about $3,000 to $5,000 instead of a $500 deductible.  

6. Filing Claims Can be Horrific

If you are underinsured, the claims process can be terrible. 

Conclusion 

It is crucial to ensure your home is adequately covered. If you live in the Astoria, OR or surrounding areas, various incidents ranging from frozen, busted pipes in the winter to floods/tornadoes, don’t risk being underinsured. With Linda Dugan Insurance, they can guide you step-by-step to ensure complete coverage. With several years, these insurance experts know the ins-and-outs of the insurance industry. Located in Astoria, you should contact them today. 

 

Planning a large home renovation project such an addition or a totally new kitchen? Before you get started it is important to make sure that all of the necessary insurance coverage is in order. At Linda Dugan Insurance we serve the needs of our clients in the greater Astoria, OR area protect their homes from any damage, accidents, or mishaps that can occur when there is a big construction project underway at your house. You will need a thorough review of both your home insurance policy as well as that of your contractor.

Review Your Policy and Your Contractor’s Too

Most people will go through the motions and simply determine that their contractor’s insurance certificate is up to date and leave it at that. While this is a good first step, it is better to actually review their policy and make sure that the coverage levels that it provides are adequate. If you are having a major amount of work completed, or have a project that is going to take a long time, you can even have yourself added to their policy as a named insured. Being added to their general liability policy is a simple process that can make a significant difference in how an accident or other damage can affect you and your family.

Before your contractor gets started on that major home improvement project make sure you have the protection you need. The team at Linda Dugan Insurance is here to help you review your policy for completeness and help you determine if your current policy carried adequate coverage. If you are in the greater Astoria, OR area, call or stop by and we will make sure you are covered before you begin any major projects!