By Terry Schrimscher, sponsored content
It’s always a good idea to get routine checkups on your insurance. This spring, it may be more important than ever to do a review and make sure your most valuable assets are covered.
Insurance is an essential tool in financial planning, but many people may not truly understand the real worth of their assets. For most families, the home is the most valuable investment they will ever make and it can be hard to keep track of everything that should be covered.
Due to the pandemic, more people worked from home last year than ever and many employees and business owners see the home office as a trend that will continue long term.
“The pandemic did change how customers viewed coverage,” said Deerfoot Insurance owner, Bill Stuman.
The team at Deerfoot Insurance works to make sure each individual is covered correctly and given the best rate possible before a disaster strikes, so clients are not left scrambling in a stressful situation.
Working from home has its benefits such as more time with family and more flexible schedules. It can also require you to purchase expensive office equipment, supplies, or furniture. A home office might even require renovations or additions to create dedicated space. Make your insurance agent aware of these changes.
Another factor that makes an insurance review more important this year is real estate. While millions of Americans spent more time at home than in previous years, they also invested more in their homes with remodels, upgrades and additions. This has created a seller’s market and booming prices for homes. Each of these things increase the value of the home but also increase the replacement cost. Without a regular review, you could be underinsured on your most valuable asset.
The experts at Deerfoot Insurance, located in Trussville, offer some suggestions for homeowners looking to evaluate their policies this spring.
Property Insurance:
Do an inventory. This can be time-consuming but having an accurate list of your valuables will help your agent find the best policy for you and your family. Simply taking photos of each room and making a list of jewelry, electronics, and other items in the house is a great start to getting the best coverage.
Check your deductibles. Are you paying what you expected? Insurance agents around the nation are moving many customers to percentage-based deductibles which can help with your monthly premiums. Deerfoot Insurance can help you determine which plan is best for you.
Renters insurance is important for the renter and the property owner. Deerfoot Insurance offers plans designed to cover landlords, tenants, dwelling fires, vacant property and renovations. Getting the right coverage for your business is also important and Deerfoot Insurance can find you the best plan for commercial coverage ranging from general liability, professional liability, workers compensation, commercial auto and trucking for hire, or bonds covering your work done for clients.
Auto Insurance
Check your deductibles. Simply increasing your deductible can result in savings each month in premium payments. The experts at Deerfoot insurance can show you how a small change to your deductible—like increasing it from $500 to $1500—can add up to big savings throughout the year.
Check your liability limits. Basic liability coverage is a necessity when driving but are your limits high enough to cover you if you cause an accident. If you have held the same auto policy for several years, there is a good chance you are underinsured.
Check for collision and coverage limits. These plans cover damage to your own vehicle. In many cases, drivers find their existing coverage only pays off the current value of the vehicle. Deerfoot Insurance can work with you to determine the best coverage for your vehicle.
A part of the community
“I believe a local agent will always be important,” Stuman said. “We are always here to answer questions.”
Relationships and a sense of community are important to the staff at Deerfoot Insurance and Stuman feels that makes a difference to his customers.
“I have a very knowledgeable staff,” Stuman added. “We get calls all the time about customers wanting to come back to our agency that have experienced the on-line purchase.”
Deerfoot Insurance Agency is an independent agency, established in 1999, which allows it to work with some of the most respected insurance providers in the industry to craft a plan to fit your needs.
“We try to be insurance advisors instead of order takers,” Stuman said.
“As homeowner’s policies increase due to age, the best way to save on premium is to make sure you take advantage of all the discounts,” he added. Stuman says it is important to notify your agent of any updates such as alarm systems, new roofs, plumbing or HVAC systems. The periodic insurance review is a great way to stay informed when your insurance needs change.
“Customer service is the lifeline of our agency,” said Stuman. “We are committed to customer service and searching for the best policy to make sure that they’re always covered correctly.”
Deerfoot Insurance is located at 8170 Gadsden Highway in Trussville and is open on Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit their website at www.deerfootins.com.
