Dealing with property damage can be confusing. Hopefully this will help you understand how the insurance companies calculate your initial property claim payment. If there is coverage for your claim, the first payment you receive will be the Actual Cash Value (Replacement Cost Value minus Depreciation) minus your Deductible. Example 1 Five years ago, you […]

Sometimes there is a disagreement over the insurance company’s valuation of an insurance claim. Policyholders often think the only way to settle the dispute is to hire a lawyer. Fortunately, this is not the case. Appraisal is an alternative method. California Insurance Code requires the appraisal procedure to be contained in every policy containing fire […]

Water damage is a prevalent cause of disaster and frustration for homeowners. The majority of all US basements experience water damage during their lifetimes. Before we dive into insurance coverage, let’s first discuss what a slab is. The foundation, or the “slab”, holds much of the guts for your home. Piping set in the foundation […]

Water damage is one of the most common causes of home insurance claims. Claims due to water damage impacts 1 in 50 homeowners each year. Due to the high frequency of water damage claims, many are left to wonder what is covered and what isn’t? Water damage done to your home is covered by a […]

If disaster strikes, you’ll want enough homeowner’s insurance to rebuild the structure of your home, replace your personal belongings, pay for unforeseeable costs if you’re unable to live in your home and protect your financial assets in the event of liability to others. While your insurer will provide recommended coverage limits for the structure of […]

Most home insurance policies have a deductible, meaning the homeowner pays a certain amount before the insurance company pays any part of the claim. So, if you have a $500 deductible, you’d pay $500 and the insurance company would pay the rest of the claim amount. There are two ways deductibles are quoted on home […]

A house fire is a disaster that no one is ever prepared to experience. After the firetrucks leave, your home likely suffers from fire and smoke damage and potentially extensive water damage from firefighting efforts. A lifetime of memories can be destroyed by widespread fire damage, water damage, smoke damage, and loss of furnishings, appliances, […]

Mold spores exist all throughout our environment. However, they will only grow in areas which have a lot of water and organic matter. The interior of our homes is filled with organic matter such as flooring, furniture, walls, rugs, and carpets. Once any of these materials become wet, that is when mold will start to […]

You might be aware of the most common ways your homeowner’s insurance protects you. Fire damage, burglary, windstorm, hail and liability are just a few common scenarios where your policy helps cover resulting damages. But do you know that vandalism is also covered by your policy? From broken lights to a smashed-in mailbox, let’s take […]

If you are like most people, you probably haven’t memorized the details of your home insurance policy. But these details are important in case your property ever suffers major damage as a result of a fire, flood or other disaster. You probably don’t need to hire a public adjuster if your home suffers a small […]