Columbia SC Insurance

Here are a few tips to keep your Columbia SC home safe from thieves while you’re away enjoying your summer vacation, so you’re not having to file a claim on your homeowner’s insurance when you get back.

Taking a few steps to prepare your Columbia SC home to look like you’re home, even when you aren’t, could mean the difference in you discovering someone came to visit while you were away, or finding your home just the way you left it.

Home and Commercial Inspections in the Columbia SC area is our specialty! Every year we help hundreds of clients save tens of thousands of dollars, by responsibly finding and exposing conditions that threaten property, value and safety. To learn how we may be able to serve you, please click and read, or call 803-261-5810.

A Columbia SC power outage is probably inevitable at some point. Are you prepared?

a power outage is probably inevitable at some pointOver 4 million Americans lost power when violent storms rolled across the mid-Atlantic region on June 29th, knocking down trees and power lines. Power officials worry that the increasingly violent storms may continue to knock down trees and power lines in the future.

Most of us have grown accustomed to occasional power outages, as they frequently occur in the U.S. for short periods during thunderstorms.

In the infamous blackout of August 2003, more than 50 million people in eight states and Canada lost power (completely) for an entire weekend. This massive power outage contributed to the deaths of at least 11 people and cost an estimated $6 billion.

Yet, the most shocking fact about that outage is that the entire grid failure started due to a softened power line that drooped down, brushed against an overgrown tree and shut down – tripping a cascade of failures throughout eight northeastern states and parts of southeast Canada.

Columbia SC Power Outage – What Are Your Options?

If you experience a Columbia SC power outage, there are some steps you should take to keep your family safe.

Make sure the power outage isn’t limited to just your home. If you determine that a fuse or circuit breaker needs replacing, turn off and unplug all large appliances before you replace them. Check with your neighbors to see if they’re without power. You’ll want to call your electrical company to report the power outage.

Sometimes, when electricity is restored, the varying levels of electricity (known as surges) can damage your appliances. The best way to avoid this is to unplug all computers and major appliances, except for your refrigerator and freezer. Wait at least 10 to 15 minutes once power is restored to plug your appliances back in.

It’s essential to keep your freezer and refrigerator doors closed tight to prevent cold air from escaping. As a general rule, you can expect that your food will stay good in a closed, fully-loaded refrigerator for about 6 hours. For a full freezer, your food will stay good for approximately 2 days, if you don’t open it.

Many Americans have purchased portable, standby and electric generators to combat power outages since the blackout of 2003. While these generators vary in size and price, they can provide you with immediate power when everyone else in your neighborhood is relying on power officials to locate and solve an electrical issue.

If you live in America and you don’t own a generator, there’s a a good chance you’ll experience an extended power outage at some point. While a Columbia SC power outage may be inevitable, proper preparation can mean the difference between pandemonium and peace.

Home and Commercial Inspections in the Columbia SC area is our specialty! Every year we help hundreds of clients save tens of thousands of dollars, by responsibly finding and exposing conditions that threaten property, value and safety. To learn how we may be able to serve you, please click and read, or call 803-261-5810.

Columbia SC homeowner’s insurance is a must if you own a home, but there are some things you can do to keep your premiums from draining your bank account.

If you have questions about your Columbia SC homeowner’s insurance, or you’re looking for even more ways to save on your premiums, check out the other articles here at our website under the Columbia SC Insurance category. We have lots of other insurance tips there, and would also welcome any questions you may have about specific Columbia SC homeowner’s insurance by commenting below.

Home and Commercial Inspections in the Columbia SC area is our specialty! Every year we help hundreds of clients save tens of thousands of dollars, by responsibly finding and exposing conditions that threaten property, value and safety. To learn how we may be able to serve you, please click and read, or call 803-261-5810.

Flood insurance in Columbia SC is something some people might say is a waste of money, but floods are obviously quite common in low lying areas that are surrounded by water. In these areas, especially around Columbia SC, not having flood insurance is like playing financial Russian Roulette in the event of a serious storm.

Flood Insurance If You’re Not Near Water?

Flood Insurance - Do You Need it if You're Not Near Water?What about homes that are not situated right in front of a water source? Do they still need to be insured against the potential for flooding?

Of course they do. As it turns out, there are many claims for flooding that come from some of the most unlikely areas. It’s not just a function of simple flooding that puts your Columbia SC home at risk.

First, think about what would happen to your home even if just two or three inches of water covered your floors. How much of your personal belongings touch the floor and how many electrical cords and extension cords do you have throughout your home just an inch or two off the floor, or worse, lying directly on the floor? How many of these things will put your entire home at risk if there was even just a small flood in your home?

Ground water can start to meet the rain water when the ground is saturated. It doesn’t take much to start noticing a significant rise in innocuous bodies of waters such as streams and ponds. It doesn’t take much for the overly saturated ground to start siphoning off rain water, which in turn creates flooding.

Floods can happen thanks to saturation of the ground just as easily as it can happen when ground water and rain water meet to cause excessive rain runoff which can lead to flooding. No matter where you live, you may very well find that you are suddenly noticing there is an increase in water saturation after heavy rain. Just ask anyone who was in a non-flood plain area in the path of Hurricane Floyd in 1999, or anyone in non-flood prone areas where Hurricane Katrina wrecked havoc.

Every region runs the risk of flood waters these days, even in the Columbia SC area. Flood insurance is not expensive and it is a simple way to protect your home in the event of a serious disaster. It takes very little water to do a tremendous amount of damage that can cost you thousands upon thousands of dollars right out of your pocket if you don’t have flood insurance. Flood waters can creep up on you quickly and be right at your front door before you know it. One simple flood insurance policy can mean the difference between being financially wiped out and being able to rebuild.

If you have questions about flood insurance, check out the information at the FEMA website about The National Flood Insurance Program.

Home and Commercial Inspections in the Columbia SC area is our specialty! Every year we help hundreds of clients save tens of thousands of dollars, by responsibly finding and exposing conditions that threaten property, value and safety. To learn how we may be able to serve you, please click and read, or call 803-261-5810.

Make Sure Your Home Is Insured AdequatelyKnowing if your Columbia SC home is adequately insured from peril or not is more difficult than it used to be.

According to a study released by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), insurance companies are cutting coverage and paying fewer benefits for damage due to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and other natural disasters.

The CFA report says that Columbia SC homes have seen an increase in premiums and a decrease in coverage. Homeowners are exposed to higher disaster payouts because they have less money available to help themselves.

Columbia SC Home Insurance Going Up?

As if rates weren’t already high enough, 11 states have recently received requests for homeowners’ insurance rate increases of 18 percent or more. It is expected that insurance commissioners will block many of these pending rate increases because of the financial burden it will place on homeowners. Many homeowners are already coping with severe financial difficulties in this bad economy.

The study concludes that the insurance industry has shifted from a calculated risk-taker to a risk-avoider. Not only have insurers insulated themselves from their historic share of hurricane risk, they have made no serious effort to cover risks associated with floods or terrorism, which are entirely backed by federal taxpayers.

Spring storms have already wrecked havoc on many areas not normally prone to major natural disasters. As if things weren’t bad enough, the Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1st. 2011 was one of the most expensive years in history for insurance claims, and this year is on track to match or exceed 2011.

Now would be a good time to check and see if your Columbia SC home is adequately covered in the event of natural disaster. Remember, homeowner insurance policies do not cover flood damage. You will need a separate flood insurance policy to cover damage from flooding. Talk to your insurance agent to see exactly what you are covered for, and what you may need to add to make sure your Columbia SC home is protected the way you think it should be.

Home and Commercial Inspections in the Columbia SC area is our specialty! Every year we help hundreds of clients save tens of thousands of dollars, by responsibly finding and exposing conditions that threaten property, value and safety. To learn how we may be able to serve you, please click and read, or call 803-261-5810.