There are many things to consider when shopping for home insurance. In some instances, you may make a purchase initially that you feel fits your current needs, only to have a change of mind during the effective term of the policy. 

Home Insurance Changes

If you have home insurance currently in place and change your mind about your provider mid-term, you have options. First, find the type of coverage that fits your needs and make sure that it is in place before canceling your other policy. Once the new coverage is in effect, cancel the policy and work with an agent to make the process smoother and to have someone to answer your questions along the way.

Ideal Home Coverage

In order to protect your investment, you need ideal home insurance in place to prevent gaps and losses if there is a covered event. Never leave your home without insurance coverage, even if it’s just for a few days. You should also seek the assistance of a knowledgeable insurance agency like Stonewall Grace Insurance, serving the residents of Buena Vista, VA. They have the insight and experience to help homeowners navigate the sometimes complex world of home insurance coverage. They are ready to help before, during, and after the purchase to provide comprehensive protection and peace of mind for their customers. 

Anyone who is currently shopping for new, better home insurance coverage are encouraged to call or stop by Stonewall Grace Insurance, serving the residents of Buena Vista, VA and speak with one of their friendly agents. They can offer solutions to current home insurance issues and help sort through policy options to get the protection that works best for your situation. 

Purchasing a home in the Buena Vista, VA area can be a great long term financial decision. When you do purchase a home, it is important that you have it properly covered by insurance at all times. The main reason why you need insurance is that it can help to protect you and your property in many different ways. 

Protect Against Casualty

One way that you can protect your home in the Buena Vista VA area with home insurance is by protecting against casualties. No matter where you live, there is always a risk that bad weather, fire or other natural disasters could damage your property. If this occurs, you will be protected if you have a home insurance policy as it will provide you with protection to rebuild, repair or even replace your property. 

Protect Against Bad Acts

While some issues that can damage a property are created by natural disasters, there is also the risk that you could suffer a loss due to the bad behavior of some other party. Being victimized by theft or vandalism can be a scary and frustrating situation. At the same time, it can also lead to a financial loss to make repairs or any replacements. With your home insurance policy, you can receive protection against theft and vandalism for both the property and your personal belongings.

Ultimately, having home insurance on your property is a necessity. When you are shopping for a new home in Virginia, you should contact the team at Stonewall Grace Insurance. When you speak with the team at Stonewall Grace Insurance, you will learn more about how home insurance can protect you and your property. The team can then get you into a policy that provides you with the right protection. 

If you wonder if your home might be underinsured, it probably is. Estimates are that up to two-thirds of American homes are either not insured or underinsured. Many homeowners are completely unaware of the risk and do not know how easy it is to do something about this problem.

To find out if you are underinsured you can simply call an agent at Stonewall Grace Insurance serving Buena Vista, VA, and the nearby communities. Have your agent conduct an insurance review. Help by collecting the data needed about the contents of your home and its measurements so that an accurate calculation can be made to determine the total replacement cost.

Why is replacement-cost insurance a good idea?

There are a few ways to value a home based on different accounting techniques.

There is the book value of the home, which is the purchase price less the depreciation that has been taken since buying it. Deducting depreciation makes the value of the home go down over time (for tax purposes) when the real value actually is probably going up.

There is the actual value that the home could sell for on the open market. Then, there is the replacement value. Replacement value, if calculated correctly at current prices, is always the higher valuation of these three methods.

Insuring a home for replacement value allows a person who lost their entire house to more easily get back to the same lifestyle and quality level of what was lost.

Adjusting for Inflation

To have adequate home insurance, it is important to adjust for inflation. This calculation takes into consideration the average percentage cost that prices go up.

Loss of Use

Loss of use is when your home is damaged so badly that it is not possible to live in it during the time when it is being repaired or rebuilt. This insurance is in addition to the amount needed to rebuild the home. It covers the expenses you have living somewhere else while the reconstruction is underway.

Summary

Work with your agent at Stonewall Grace Insurance in Buena Vista, VA. Call (866) 446-5056 to get a home insurance quote. Get home insurance for replacement value that is adjustable each year for inflation and has coverage for loss of use. When you do this, you will be in the group of one-third of all American homeowners that have their home adequately insured.

Homeowners insurance is designed to cover a variety of mishaps that can happen to a home such as wind or hail damage and lightning strikes to name a few. But does it cover electrical fires? In some cases, yes, it will while it won’t in others. Electrical fires have multiple causes and they have to be investigated to find out the cause and if it’s covered by the policy. If the cause is something that isn’t covered by the policy, a homeowner winds up paying out of their own pocket to repair the damage, if possible.

The methods used for wiring homes has changed greatly over the decades along with materials. Not every home has been upgraded properly through the years, resulting in a home that has wiring that’s out of code. One type of wiring setup known as knob and tube may or may not be covered by a policy. The risks of an electrical fire from this type of setup are well-known and the wiring should have been replaced at some point. However, because this kind of wiring was in common use up until the 1950’s, many homes still have it in their walls simply because there was never a need to replace it. 

Aluminum wiring rose in popularity as the drawbacks to the knob and tube wiring became apparent. It weighs less than copper while transmitting the same amount of electricity, making it an attractive alternative. However, connections in older aluminum wiring systems are known to corrode and cause a fire if not caught in time. A homeowners policy may exclude this type of wiring from coverage as well.

Contact Stonewall Grace Insurance to find out about getting a policy that covers electrical fires and other unusual situations. The agency serves the Buena Vista, VA, area and can help homeowners who have older wiring systems find a policy to suit their needs. 

Home insurance claim process can be one cumbersome process especially if you do not have the knowledge about it. Understanding the established procedures that insurance companies follow during the claim process gives you a better chance to recover your money in a practical time frame.

A typical home insurance claims process includes:

Report of claim
After assessing the cost of damage to your home and property and getting an estimate of the cost of repairs and replacements, then it’s time to submit your claim either online or directly to your agent to claim for the services.

Assignment
On receipt of your claim, the insurance company assigns a claims professional to your claim. The assigned agent will be responsible for navigating the required processes.

Initial contact
Tasked with the responsibility of assisting you with the claim process, the claims professional will get in touch with you to get to know about your loss and discuss your insurance coverage. He’ll then outline how the company plans to handle your claim. At this point, it is important to take note of the advice that the agent will offer you on ways to prevent more damage.

Evaluation
After getting to know your loss and discussing your insurance coverage, the claims professional will investigate your claim, assembling facts, reviewing and estimating the damage. If need be, he/she can also consult witnesses.

Resolution
When the claims officer is done with the evaluation, the insurance company will make a verdict concerning your claim. For simpler claims, you can get paid the estimated amount of repairs after the first inspection but in more complicated claims the payment process may take longer.

Closing the claim
This is the last process of a typical claim process after the claim is resolved by the insurance company.
At Stonewall Grace Insurance in Buena Vista, VA, our professional claims officers will endeavor to expedite any insurance claims filed by our clients. Feel free to contact us for a smooth process.

Almost everyone knows that homeowner’s need homeowners’ insurance. But how much do you know about what it covers and if it covers additional structures on the property?

Additional Structures

If you have a shed or addition to your property it is important to let your insurance agent know that you would like to carry coverage on those structures. If you do not specify, you may be left unprotected. This is especially important for additions that are connected to the main home. Regular homeowners’ insurance will protect the main structure, but you can add additional coverage, or a rider, to most policies. Ask your agent what the best method to cover those additional structures will be, ad they can help guide you and get you the coverage you need.

Contents

If you have value in the additional buildings, you may not be able to cover the contents. The ability to cover contents is based on the insurance company and the limitation of the policy. If you need additional coverage, ask your agent if there are ways to cover the contents if your insurance doesn’t already cover them. For instance, if you have lawn equipment or tools in your shed, you will probably want to have some form of coverage to replace them if necessary. Many people forget to cover their valuable belongings in additional structures, which could prove to be costly. For more information about covering additional structures on your insurance policy, call or stop by Buena Vista, VA, Stonewall Grace Insurance.

Let the experienced insurance agents at Buena Vista, VA, Stonewall Grace Insurance get you the comprehensive coverage you need so you are not left vulnerable during a covered event.

 

 

Winter has officially arrived. Is your home ready?  Buena Vista, VA can experience winter storms that can be dangerous to you and your family if you are not well prepared.  At Stonewall Grace Insurance, we want all of our clients to be safe and warm this winter.  Use these tips to help ready your home for the next big winter blast.

Preparing the Exterior of Your Home for Winter

Since we often get snow in the winter in Buena Vista, VA, it is a good idea to hire a contractor to check your roof structure.  Make sure that it has the ability to sustain a heavy amount of snow or ice.  It is also important to repair any roof leaks and clear gutters of debris.  Make sure tree branches are trimmed so that they do not fall on your roof or any other nearby structures during a strong storm.  Also, have the chimney inspected, cleaned and cleared of debris or bird’s nests before using it.

Tips to Prepare the Inside of Your Home for Winter

Winterize your windows and exterior doors by replacing caulking and weather-stripping to prevent cold air from seeping inside your home. Check the insulation in the attic and replace or add to it if need be. Install carbon-monoxide detectors that are either battery operated or have a battery backup to detect any accumulation of this potentially deadly gas. Also, check your smoke alarms and replace batteries if need be. And make sure that everyone in the family knows how to use the fire extinguishers. Finally, if you know that a freeze is coming, wrap your water pipes and allow the faucets to drip. At Stonewall Grace Insurance, we hope everyone has a safe and warm winter.