Home Insurance

Homeowners Insurance and Wind Damage

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If you have lived in the Oklahoma City, OK, area for any period, you’ve likely experienced our intense spring and summer storms. Accompanied by lightning, heavy rain, and high winds, these storms are a common occurrence.

At Freelander Insurance, we assist our clients in managing the risks of these storms, including any losses that may occur during a tornado.

Which specific events does the wind portion of your homeowner’s policy cover?

When considering the consequences of high wind damage, most people first think of roof damage. However, high winds can also damage other aspects of a home, such as siding (wood, vinyl, and aluminum), doors, windows, and more.

High winds can also cause trees to fall, potentially causing damage, knocking down fences, damaging outbuildings, or causing damage from flying debris. If unsecured flying debris leads to an injury to someone, the liability portion of your homeowner’s insurance policy can be invaluable. For more information, please check your policy. 

Excluding your homeowner’s insurance deductible, each situation is likely covered under your primary homeowners’ insurance policy.

A note on flood insurance.

While your home insurance policy likely covers wind damage, you must be aware that it probably does not include associated flood damage. Flood insurance, a separate coverage, is managed through the Federal Government’s Flood Insurance Program. As more homes become susceptible to flooding, it’s an option that deserves consideration.

Contact us for a quote today.

For those living in the Oklahoma City, OK, area, we at Freeland Insurance encourage you to contact us. We can review your policy and ascertain your coverage and limits. If you wish, we can also provide a quote for new coverage.

Why do Oklahoma residents and property owners need home insurance?

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All people in the Oklahoma City area should consider purchasing their own home. If you buy a property in this region, you will want to know that you also have the proper insurance for it. There are multiple reasons why a typical property owner in this area must have a home insurance plan at all times for their property. 

Protect Dwelling 

An important reason to have a home insurance plan is to protect your dwelling. If you are going to buy a home, you will want to know that it is covered in the event of a fire, bad storm, or other covered claim. With home insurance, you will have support in these situations. The insurance plan will also support your personal items within your policy limits. 

Comply with Requirements

Getting home insurance would also be a good idea as it will ensure you can comply with your requirements. Many people that own a home in Oklahoma City will take out a mortgage, and others will live in a home association. In either situation, you will be required to carry insurance for your home. If you carry a full insurance plan, it will ensure you are in good standing with such obligations. 

If you decide to buy a home when you are in the Oklahoma City, OK area, you will want to know that you have the right home insurance in place. As you are evaluating your options, calling our office would be a great idea. Our insurance team at Freeland Insurance can offer any support you need to build a proper plan and stay covered at all times. 

What new homeowners need to know about home insurance coverage

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Buying your first home can be terrifying. It is a significant investment, and you may have no idea of all the things homeownership entails. Including, of course, how to choose the right home insurance and what you are paying for. In Oklahoma City, OK, Freeland Insurance is here to help you every step, from picking your first policy to filing your first claim. 

Dogs are a liability.

You love your dog, but dogs are a liability. Depending on the breed, they may even be excluded from your coverage. Be sure to mention any dog you may have when getting your home insurance. 

Home insurance has exclusions.

Home insurance covers many things and offers lots of protection, but there are exclusions which are things your policy won’t cover. Some of the things that are excluded include:

  • Owner neglect
  • Earth movement
  • Floods
  • Sewer backup
  • Nuclear accident
  • War
  • Mold
  • Dangerous dogs
  • Termites

You can choose how to cover your contents

When it comes to covering your content, you have options. You can choose to cover your personal property for its value today, which allows for depreciation, or you can cover the cost of replacing it today. It is less expensive to go with today’s value. 

Some types of content coverage have limits.

When looking at your policy, you may notice that things like jewelry, art, and antiques have limits. They are usually relatively low, so if you want them to be protected, you should have an appraisal and get a rider to increase the limit on that category. If you have expensive items, you need additional coverage. 

Contact Freeland Insurance in Oklahoma City, OK to get the choices only an independent insurance agency can offer. We offer free no-obligation quotes. 

Why is location an essential consideration when buying a home?

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Any realtor will tell you that location is the single most critical factor to consider when buying a new home in Oklahoma City, OK. You might find a beautiful house that has all the features and amenities you’re looking for but located in an undesirable neighborhood. Before getting attached to the dwelling, consider your location-related needs, such as nearness to schools and medical care services. You also don’t want to juggle your life in an unsafe location. At Freeland Insurance, we also check the location of your home to determine your rates. 

Appreciation value

The appreciation and depreciation value heavily depends on the location of the home. Some places undergo extreme development in terms of infrastructure, facilities, and connectivity that makes the land around valuable. If you are buying a home to sell in the future, you may want to check how location impacts Return on investment (ROI), so it’s easier to sell at a profit.

Security

Safety is a top priority and a common reason to assess the location before striking any deals. No one wants to live in an area they feel unsafe or unprotected. You can check various reports about crime in the area you’re interested in online. Remember, your insurance premiums will likely go up if your home is located in a high crime rate area.

Connectivity

A beautiful neighborhood should be supplied with well-maintained roads and easy access to public transport. That way, you don’t have to worry about catching a bus to work when your car has a mechanical problem.  The house should not be far from the city’s landmarks such as parks, highways, and business centers.

Facilities

Whether you have children or not, proximity to restaurants, parks, grocery stores, and schools is a must. Properties near useful facilities are considered safer, convenient, and full of life than properties where you have to travel miles in Oklahoma City, OK, to find a shopping center.

Don’t forget to buy adequate insurance to protect your new investment. For more information, feel free to contact Freeland insurance today.

Factors to Consider When Shopping For Home Insurance

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Your home is one of the most valuable assets you own that’s an investment and also a shelter for you and your family. While there’s little you can do to prevent certain disasters, especially natural disasters, from destroying/damaging your home, you can have home insurance with Freeland Insurance to help you recover fast in case of a disaster. However, simply choosing a policy doesn’t mean your home is completely secured. It important to consider if the policy you are buying will completely secure your Oklahoma City, OK home, otherwise, you may lose when certain unknown risks crop up. Some of the factors to keep in mind when shopping for home insurance include:

Contents of Your Home

Do an inventory and correctly estimate the value of your home contents to help you determine how much coverage you want for them. Ensure that you have full coverage for high-value items such as high-end electronics, fine art, special pieces of jewelry, sports equipment, etc.

Additional Endorsements

Find out what additional coverage options your insurance provider offers to fill in all the gaps in coverage and dive into maximum protection. For instance, personal property replacement cost, jewelry, earthquake, flood endorsements, and much more.

Terms and Conditions

Go through the policy document, especially the terms and conditions you’ve agreed to and ensure any existing errors, including spelling mistakes, are rectified as soon as possible. Never assume that it only contains the inclusions and exclusions communicated to you by the agent

Compare Insurance before Purchasing

Home insurance isn’t a one-size-fits-all policy. Different insurance providers offer different coverage options as well as different terms and conditions. Therefore, consider shopping around and comparing insurance policies before settling for one.

At Freeland Insurance, we provide affordable and reliable home insurance policies to the residents of Oklahoma City, OK and its environs. Our agents will help you determine what coverage options you need to secure your home completely. For more information, contact us today.

Home insurance surprises

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Freeland Insurance serving Oklahoma City, OK  works hard to make sure that you have all your insurance needs.  But you need to make sure with your insurance agent that everything you need is covered.

Things your homeowner’s insurance might not cover

It’s always best to ask your insurance agent what you might need.

Sewer backup: If a sewer backs up into a home, it can do some serious damage to floors, walls, furniture and electrical systems — and it’s typically not covered by a standard policy.

Floods: Frankly, flood insurance is a different insurance.   Make sure, if this is an issue, that you include it in your policy.

Sinkholes: Most home insurance policies will not cover damage associated with ‘earth movement,’ such as an earthquake or sinkhole.

Mold: Depending on your insurance this may or may not be covered.  Sometimes, it’s pricey, but depending on where you live this is something you might want to add. With a leak or flooding, get rid of the water asap, so mold doesn’t grow.

Construction work damage: If you are renovating your home it probably isn’t covered by your policy, a rider might be added.   If you have a contractor, it would fall under their liability insurance.   Make sure they are covered.

Jewelry, antiques, and fine art: Most standard policies have limits for other expensive collectibles. The best way to protect these items is to get a separate insurance rider that specifies exactly what these items are.

Earthquakes: Earthquake damage is not included in standard policies.

Stolen/destroyed cash: It’s difficult to convince the insurance company that you had thousands of dollars stashed away in your home when it was destroyed. So keep it in a safe place or keep minimal cash on hand.

 

Hosting Guests for the Summer? Make Sure You Have Adequate Insurance Coverage

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As a homeowner, you’re responsible for the health and welfare of visitors on your property. For this reason, it’s wise to review your home insurance coverage before hosting guests for the summer. With adequate liability insurance coverage from Freeland Insurance, Oklahoma City, OK, you can protect yourself against any eventuality that may arise. Here are a few ways liability insurance can protect your interests.

Accidents

Liability insurance covers medical expenses for accidents your guests may have while on your property. Poor lighting, an uneven walkway or clutter on your stairs could cause a guest to trip and fall, making you liable for injuries that may result. Liability coverage protects you from having to pay medical bills out of pocket.

Food

When guests visit your home, you are responsible for health issues that may arise due to meals served on your property. Keeping menus simple and using fresh and healthy ingredients could help prevent health problems. You should also be aware of any food allergies your guests may have to avoid unnecessary trips to the hospital. Although you’re protected by liability coverage, you should do what you can to avoid a food-related liability claim.  

Alcohol

If you’re hosting a party, encourage guests to drink responsibly as you could be liable for their actions if they overdrink at your event. Serving alcohol to minors (those under 21 years of age) could result in legal action against you. If you’re not sure if your insurance covers liability for serving alcohol, talk to your Freeland Insurance agent. Your policy may have an alcohol exclusion you’re unaware of.

Home insurance protection from Freeland Insurance, Oklahoma City, OK, takes the worry out of hosting summer events so you can enjoy the company of family and friends to the full. 

What Home Insurance Companies Don’t Tell You

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Home insurance companies don’t always tell you everything you need to know. If this means that as you look for home insurance in Oklahoma City, OK, you need to do your due diligence. It will allow you to get the insurance policy that will give you peace of mind throughout the year.

Basic Policies Don’t Include Everything

Every home insurance policy will cover protection to the home, your belongings, and liability. However, a basic policy may not cover the full extent of your belongings, such as if you have expensive artwork or art collector of something. At FM Insurance, our insurance agents will take the time to learn more about you and your home in order to build a more customized policy so that it does include everything needed to provide financial protection.

Not All Claims are Accepted

When you file a claim with the insurance company, is not automatically accepted. Often, research will be done in order to determine whether everything happened the way you said it happen or it additionally, if you don’t have the coverage within your policy, you would be financially responsible for everything.

Deductibles Vary

Just as with every other type of insurance, you will have to pay a deductible before the insurance company pays anything. Deductibles can vary from policy to policy. This is why it’s important to know what yours is so that if you need to file a claim, you know how much you will have to pay out-of-pocket.

There are plenty of things you should ask when you are seeking home insurance in Oklahoma City, OK. The more you know, the easier it will be to develop a better home insurance policy. If insurance companies aren’t disclosing everything, it is within your right to ask questions and learn more about what is being offered to you. Contact FM Insurance today to learn more about home insurance policies.

 

 

Home Renovations and Insurance Coverage

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Planning for an Oklahoma City, OK home renovation comes with a number of permit applications, tasks, reminders, and resources to arrange to make sure everything falls into place per plan. However, one that many people tend to forget is the simple task of checking the coverage on their homeowner’s insurance before making any big renovations. And when something goes wrong, the lack of coverage becomes apparent after the fact.

Homeowner’s insurance in Oklahoma City, OK doesn’t automatically adjust just because a change is made to a home. It is not designed to be an automatic, umbrella-type insurance protection. Instead, homes are evaluated and insured based on their current condition. However, because many homes fall into similar categories of use and risk, the initial evaluation process often seems to come across as automatic to the homeowner.

Big changes that need to be checked ahead of time include the installation of a backyard pool, replacing the house roofing system, changing a room to be a business office with significant structural changes like a business entrance door, or building out a room by removing walls or putting in an expansion. The other big component player involves kitchen and bathroom system replacements as they frequently involve putting in gas and power appliances and changing the plumbing which can all be source of damage when not installed properly.

It’s also important to notify one’s policy provider because doing so can trigger big savings, according to FM Insurance. For instance, a new roof can produce a 10 to 20 percent reduction in insurance costs because the external protection has been upgraded with a new, long life barrier.

When notifying, it’s not enough to just call up and say a renovation is occurring. Photos and documentation are frequently necessary to update a policy correctly. To go over the process and know exactly what is needed for a home upgrade, contact FM Insurance for more information.

What Home Insurance Covers

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Homeowner’s insurance, like all other kinds of insurance including FM insurance, is part of a heavily regulated industry with many rules to follow and standards to uphold. Because of this, sometimes it is difficult to figure out exactly what is covered by your home insurance policy. Home insurance covers damage due to certain events, typically including fire, theft, burglary, and vandalism.

Additionally, this insurance covers both your home itself and the belongings inside it. In some rarer cases, specific outlying structures are also covered by the homeowner’s insurance policy. However, as this is the exception and not the rule, it is not necessary to discuss those insurance policies that protect outlying structures in greater detail.

So, what happens in the event of a covered disaster? In this case, the insurance company will take care of paying for the repairs of your home and the replacement of your belongings up to a certain amount. Your deductible is subtracted from this amount. If the disaster or event is uncovered, then the homeowner is fully responsible for the financial burden. In Oklahoma, most homeowners cannot afford to pay to repair their home and replace their belongings themselves. Therefore, FM  Insurance offers affordable policies and quotes for a wide variety of insurance companies in the state of Oklahoma.

With this in mind, you might be wondering whether or not you can afford a homeowner’s insurance policy to protect your home and belongings. FM Insurance has an excellent variety of homeowner’s insurance policies, differing in the level of coverage, cost, and the required deductibles. They have agents serving Oklahoma City OK that can assist you in finding the correct policy for your home.

Whether your home is cheaper and you want a less expensive policy or if your home is more expensive and you need a more substantial policy, they will help you find it. Their agents serving Oklahoma City are capable and eager to work with you so that your home and belongings are protected by an appropriate and affordable policy.