Why Every Homeowner Needs Home Insurance

Since home insurance isn’t mandatory in Connecticut, most homeowners might see it as an unnecessary expense. Unfortunately, homeowners without home insurance discover the importance of home insurance when it’s too late. Perhaps after a fire has consumed their dwelling or after thieves have struck and made away with their valuables. But should you learn the hard way to establish the criticality of home insurance? 

 If you have been thinking of overlooking home insurance, think again. Goodman Insurance Inc. of Shelton, CT shares reasons why every homeowner should invest in home insurance.

It may be required

If you are purchasing your home through a mortgage, your lender may insist you purchase home insurance. Why do they care? Home insurance cushions the lender’s investment (your home) from damage. And if you hesitate to buy home insurance, they may procure a forced coverage policy, which is usually expensive. 

Protects you from lawsuits

Since we live in a litigious society, you are better off with home insurance to save you when lawsuits come calling. If someone is injured in your premises, for instance, by your dog, home insurance can save the day by paying for the ensuing medical expenses and legal costs.

Similarly, if you or your family member causes property damage to your neighbor, home insurance covers the damage costs and the possible legal suits.

It protects your most expensive asset

Whether you have built or bought your home, you have put numerous resources into it. Unfortunately, it takes only a few minutes for your investment to go down the drain if some catastrophes were to strike. Fortunately, you can avoid going this route by investing in home insurance. 

For peace of mind

Who doesn’t like peace of mind? Home insurance provides precisely that. With home insurance, you don’t have to keep worrying about a tornado ripping your roof into shreds or a tree falling on your house. While these perils are unavoidable, home insurance covers you when they happen. 

Would you like to cover your Shelton, CT with home insurance? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Goodman Insurance Inc. for an affordable quote. 

Useful home insurance Tips for New Homeowners

Buying or owning a new home in Shelton, CT can be one of the most exciting times of your life. Regardless of whether you have built or bought a new home in Shelton, CT it’s imperative to purchase home insurance that will safeguard your precious asset and your possessions against theft and damage. The premiums you pay for your home insurance vary by hundreds of dollars depending on the insurer you purchase your policy from. If you are interested in acquiring more information about home insurance policy, connect with us at Goodman Insurance Inc.Additionally, if you are a new homeowner, our agents will educate you on the helpful home insurance tips, including:

Shopping around for the best value

 Shopping around Shelton, CT, is the best way to find affordable home insurance premiums. Contact at least three reputable insurance companies and compare various coverages. But keep in mind that the cheapest policy doesn’t always offer the best value.

Bundling your insurance policies

If you are looking towards saving money on your home insurance policy by getting affordable premiums, it’s prudent to consolidate various insurance policies. Inquire from your insurer how much you can save from buying more than one product, like home and auto insurance policies.

Raising your deductible

The lower the amount of deductible you pay, the higher your insurance premium. Higher deductibles payable to an insurance company are tried and tested to save money on all kinds of insurance policies, including home insurance.

Understanding what is covered 

Mother nature has demonstrated a tendency to wreak havoc on homes. This vulnerability to disasters makes insurance companies not cover many disasters under home insurance. Standard policies typically have exclusions for earthquakes, floods, landslides, and damage from tornadoes in high-risk areas that may not get covered.

Determining the right amount of policy for your home

It’s vital to insure your home at replacement value rather than market value. To get the right coverage, you must establish how much it would cost to repair the property or contact your insurer, who can accurately assess its coverage needs.

Undertaking early shopping and asking questions in Shelton, CT about home insurance is the ultimate way of getting the best deal. Contact us at Goodman Insurance Inc. for more information and queries.

Why do I need home insurance in Shelton?

The Shelton, CT area can be a great place to live and work. Along with this, Shelton continues to be a good place to purchase a home. If you choose to buy a property in the future, you will want to know that you get proper insurance for it. You will need to get a proper home insurance plan here for a few different reasons. 

Home Insurance is Required

A common reason for anyone to get a home insurance plan here is that it is often a requirement for property owners. If you decide to buy a home, you likely will need to finance it with a mortgage. If this occurs, you will have to comply with your lender’s insurance requirements. This usually entails that you escrow your payments each month and have an insurance plan that is acceptable to your lender.

Home Insurance Protects You

It is also a good idea to get home insurance because it can protect you. When buying a home you are going to be getting an asset that you will want to last you for a very long time. You are able to protect this asset if you invest in a full home insurance plan. With this coverage, you will get the protection needed to repair or replace this home. 

Anyone that would like to get a home insurance plan when you are in the Shelton, CT area should call the team with Goodman Insurance Inc. If you choose to call Goodman Insurance Inc. for your insurance needs, you will get the support and guidance that is needed to choose a home insurance plan that is right for you. This can help ensure that your home and valuable assets are properly covered and protected by insurance at all times. 

Does a Home Business Need Commercial Insurance?

Today, most entrepreneurs are operating their businesses at home. There are technological advancements to support home-based businesses, and there is no doubt that this is the future of entrepreneurship. It is a cheap way of dealing with your customers while at the same time staying close to your family. However, if you’re a Shelton, CT resident, you might be wondering whether your home-based business needs commercial insurance.

Every Business Needs Commercial Insurance

According to Goodman Insurance Inc., just because you are operating your business at home does not mean that you are not exposed to the different risks. Your business is still facing the same risks that other mainstream business organizations are facing, which means that you need the necessary commercial insurance policies for your organization. 

Property Insurance

Even when operating at home, you have several properties that you use to run your entrepreneurship. Equipment such as fax machines, printers, and computers are essential in your daily business transactions. You need property insurance to cover the damages or loss of these tools. 

Liability Insurance

You might have customers who have been visiting your home for business purposes. In this case, you need to have liability insurance to cover the damages to the properties or people visiting your home-based business. If you don’t have liability insurance, your organization will have to cover such liabilities. 

Other Coverage

There are other essential aspects of your home-based business that you would like to cover. For example, if you have employees, you need to have employee compensation insurance and other necessities to protect your organization. 

Getting commercial insurance policies for home-based businesses in Shelton, CT, might sometimes be challenging, especially from conservative insurance companies. However, Goodman Insurance Inc., a progressive insurance company, already understands that there are many home-based companies and is ready to provide various insurance types to such organizations.

Three types of coverage you need on your Connecticut home insurance policy

You need to find a home insurance policy in Shelton, CT that will give you peace of mind and financial security. We can help you meet your home insurance needs at Goodman Insurance Inc.

The following are three types of coverage you need on your Connecticut home insurance policy.

Liability coverage

If an accident occurs on your property in which another person is injured, you could be held liable for the resulting expenses. If you have a home insurance policy with liability coverage, your liability coverage will pay for the resulting expenses.

It’s important to have adequate liability coverage to protect yourself against the costs of lawsuits resulting from injuries on your property. 

Contents coverage

Home insurance policies can cover your possessions that you keep within your home. A home insurance policy should include contents coverage to cover your belongings.

When determining how much coverage you need, it’s important to consider the value of the possessions you have in your home. If you have highly valuable items in your home like expensive electronics or collector’s items, you might need to invest in added coverage. 

Water and sewer backup coverage

If the water or sewer lines in your home become backed up in your home, your property could become severely damaged. That’s why it’s a good idea to include water and sewer backup coverage on your policy. This type of coverage can pay the costs of restoring your water and sewer lines to working order. Water and sewer backup coverage can also pay the costs of water damage remediation if necessary. 

Let us answer your home insurance questions in Shelton, CT. Contact us at Goodman Insurance Inc. with your inquiries regarding home insurance coverage in Connecticut. 

What Types of Water Damage Are Covered Under My Home Insurance?

Water damage can have many causes. As a homeowner in the Shelton, CT area, it’s a good idea to know what is covered by your insurance and what is not. While any type of water damage must be repaired quickly to prevent the growth of mold and bacteria, having it covered by your insurance will make the process go must faster. The agents of Goodman Insurance Inc. can help you figure out what your insurance covers and how to file a claim.

Frozen/Burst Water Pipes

The damage caused by frozen or burst pipes is normally covered by homeowners’ insurance policies. This is usually not a preventable event. The extent of the damage will be determined by how quickly the burst pipe is found and the problem is taken care of.

Faulty Plumbing

Faulty plumbing can also lead to water damage. In many instances, a leak or other issue may not be noticed until extensive damage has occurred. Inspecting your plumbing regularly will give you an opportunity to discover problems with faulty plumbing early and prevent water damage.

What’s Not Covered

There are several types of water damage that are not covered by homeowners’ insurance. While water damage caused by strong storms is covered, flood and hurricane damage is not. Those require separate policies. Sewer back-ups are also not covered by many homeowners’ policies.

In Shelton, CT, the agents of Goodman Insurance Inc.can help homeowners go over their policies to determine what types of water damage are covered and which ones are their responsibility. Understanding what a policy includes is important when trying to protect your home. Contact an agent today for and schedule a policy review!

When Can My Home Insurance Provider Drop Me?

Generally speaking, if you’re a responsible Shelton, CT homeowner, if you pay your premiums on time, your home insurance company won’t have any reason to drop you. But it happens. Here are some common reasons why your policy might be canceled:

  • High-risk pets. Certain dog breeds and exotics, like snakes, can be a problem for insurance companies. If you’re considering adopting a new pet, you’ll want to talk to your insurer first and see what’s covered. Trying to keep a pet a secret from your insurer is not worth the headaches.
  • Old roofs. It varies from insurer to insurer, but most will ask that you replace your roof every 20 to 30 years. Decades worth of water damage can add up, and the damage will be felt from the top down.
  • Too many claims. You generally want to file once per term, if you can help it. Your insurer probably won’t immediately cancel your policy for filing twice in a year, but if you’re a habitual claim-filer, they’re going to eventually decide that they’re being taken advantage of.
  • Your insurer is no longer covering your city. This happens all the time, and there’s not much that can be done about it. On the upside, this isn’t going to reflect poorly on you when you go shopping for a new policy, but it will leave you without protection if you don’t plan ahead.

If you’re shopping for home insurance in Shelton, CT, or if you have any questions, get in touch with us at Goodman Insurance Inc. You can visit the Goodman Insurance Inc. website, stop by the offices, or call us, and we’ll get you connected with the protection you need.

Understanding Home Insurance

It is the goal of Goodman Insurance, Inc. to help you become well-versed in your home insurance coverage in Shelton, CT. One of your most valuable assets is your home so you naturally want to protect your home and its contents at all costs. If you have a mortgage on your home, your lender demands you have proof of home insurance. Your lender can enact forced home insurance if you do not have proof of insurance. Forced insurance is much more expensive and only pays for the home in the event it is destroyed. Forced insurance does not pay for any losses in contents. In the event the home is destroyed, your lender wants to be sure to get the money back they loaned to you. It is vital you have a clear understanding of what is and is not covered by your home insurance. Home insurance protects your home and its contents against such things as,

  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Wind Damage
  • Ice Damage
  • Slip and Fall accidents
  • Damages or injuries to other persons on your property
  • Protects your financial assets

Depending on your situation we may talk with you about the need for umbrella coverage especially if you have a home-based business. We can explain this to you when we talk. It is a challenge to navigate the insurance industry and we are here to help you with your home insurance. We may be able to get you discounts on your insurance and we take care that you are not over-insured. 

Risky Business, Living Without Home Insurance!

A catastrophic event can happen to anyone at any time. The key is having an excellent home insurance policy to recoup your damages. Goodman Insurance, Inc. is a seasoned, experienced, and trusted insurance company in Shelton, CT. Our agency additionally serves residents in Trumbull, Monroe, and North Haven, CT. We have a complete list of insurance services to offer you and we are experienced in all home insurance options. Give us a call today and speak with one of our licensed agents for a free no-obligation quote on home insurance. Access our website for more information and your nearest insurance agency location. 

Why You Need to Insure Your Home in Shelton, CT

Your home is your sanctuary. It’s where you can kick off your shoes and be 100 percent your authentic self. It provides shelter from New England winters, and it’s where you make memories. For all these reasons, and more, protect your Shelton, CT home with a proper home insurance policy. The team at Goodman Insurance Inc. has put together a shortlist of three reasons why you need a home insurance policy.

1. Required for a Loan

There is no bank that exists in Shelton, CT that will give you a mortgage without home insurance. Having a loan on the house means that this asset belongs to the bank until you pay it off. Your home must be protected in order for the bank to legally issue you a mortgage.

2. Liability/Fire/Theft

Unforeseen events happen all the time. Fire, theft, injuries — all of these can happen on your property. With the right home insurance policy, and even added protection with an umbrella policy, you can rest assured knowing that you’re covered in the event of any disaster that should befall — small or large.

3. Peace of Mind

Having peace of mind is the opposite of constant worry. A stressed-out mind is bad for health and prosperity. Therefore, even if you own your home outright, protecting it with a home insurance policy is a small investment for peace of mind.

To learn more about purchasing home insurance in Shelton, CT, contact Goodman Insurance Inc. today. Friendly, reputable agents are standing by to answer all your questions, help you find the right home insurance policy for your needs, and help you save money in the process. 

Protecting Your Home from Winter Weather

Winter weather in the greater Shelton, CT area can be pretty brutal, and now is the time to start preparing. When you have a comprehensive homeowner’s policy you can rest assured that your home is protected no matter how severe the winter is. The team at Goodman Insurance Inc. is here to ensure that you have adequate coverage for this winter season. This is also a great time to do a pre-winter inspection and make sure that your home is ready for the ice, cold, and snow!

Protect Your Home Now Before Winter Weather Starts

It’s difficult to tell exactly what winter is going to bring beforehand, and that’s why it’s always a great idea to make sure you’re ready! In addition to meeting with your local agent to review your policy for completeness, there are a few steps you can take around the house to get prepared.

  • Trim back any branches near to your home or garage – high winds, ice, and heavy snow increase the chance of branches breaking and causing damage. Make sure that your trees are all properly trimmed before the cold weather starts.
  • Have your roof and gutters inspected. Remove loose shingles, clear out any clogs, and make sure gutters are secured.
  • Give your furnace a once-over, clear chimney of any debris, and make sure ventilation systems are ready to go.
  • Drain sprinkler systems and shut them down for the season to prevent frozen pipes and damage to the overall sprinkler system.

Let’s make sure that your home insurance has the protection you need before the winter weather starts! If you are in the greater Shelton, CT area, call or stop by Goodman Insurance Inc. today and find out how a comprehensive homeowner’s policy can protect your family home.