Category: Home Insurance

At D & E Insurance Agency in Muskogee, OK, we understand that one of a homeowner’s worst nightmares is returning home after a vacation, trip, or even a long day at work to discover a break-in and their valuable items stolen. Before you experience such a distressing event, ensuring the right home insurance policy covers your home is crucial. While losing your most prized possessions due to theft is devastating, the good news is that your home insurance policy may help cover some of the costs associated with replacing those items. As you read this article, remember that this is general insurance information. For more detailed information specific to your situation, you should call our office or visit us in person.

Does Home Insurance Cover Replacing Stolen Valuables?

While every insurance policy differs, some home insurance policies might cover expenses associated with replacing stolen valuables. Of course, you’ll need to review your specific policy to know whether this is true for you. If this is a feature of a home insurance policy that matters to you, we are always happy to discuss whether your current policy offers protection on this matter and help you figure out if there’s a way to find a policy that would meet this need. A home insurance policy has limits, so depending on how much you’ve used your policy and how much the policy covers for stolen valuables, you may only be able to recover some of the costs of stolen goods.

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For home insurance quotes, call us at D & E Insurance Agency in Muskogee, OK today!

Transitioning from a bustling household full of children to an empty nest can be an emotional journey. At such times, you can rely on our D & E Insurance Agency team in Muskogee, OK, to provide guidance and support. If you’re looking at downsizing and feel overwhelmed, it’s okay! We have some practical advice to assist you in effectively navigating this new phase of life.

Decluttering Is Key

With your children moving out, you will have a whole lot of extra space and time at your disposal. Utilize this opportunity to declutter your home. This could involve sorting out and discarding unwanted items that have accumulated over the years. Alternatively, you might want to go through your children’s rooms, in collaboration with them, to remove things they do not wish to carry along in their next phase of life. Getting the services of a professional organizer could also be a viable option to simplify this task.

Prioritizing Your Needs

Downsizing often aligns with a shift in personal priorities. If you plan on buying an RV for traveling, consider purchasing RV insurance. On the other hand, moving to a smaller house would require a modified homeowner’s insurance policy. Therefore, before embarking on your new journey, it’s crucial to contact us and discuss how we can cater to your insurance requirements.

Don’t Hesitate to Seek Help

Don’t feel hesitant to reach out for help. Understand that downsizing can be a taxing process, but you don’t have to do it alone. Your friends, family, and professional helpers can be of immense support during this period.

Please contact us at D & E Insurance Agency in Muskogee, OK for more information.

Do you have enough home insurance coverage to pay for property damage, damage caused to others, and possible displacement expenses? Owners often ask this question, so we’ll cover the basics here.

Personal Property Coverage

There’s no need to have a valuable collection or wine cellar to need personal property coverage. There are likely costly items that would require replacement should there be an incident. Electronics and jewelry are common goods in this example. Typical places cover property values between 50 to 70% of home value.

Liability Coverage

Should you, a household member, or a pet be found liable for harming another person in your home or damaging their property, you’ll need personal liability coverage. Most insurance companies advise having coverage that’s equivalent to your net worth.

Additional Living Expenses

Should a disaster strike and leave your home uninhabitable, you will have expenses such as rent, meals, laundry, and storage costs. Also known as loss of use coverage, your home policy typically covers additional living expenses by 30%.

Additional Coverage Options

A few supplemental policy add-ons that you should consider adding include the following.

• Other Structures: Coverage for fences, storage buildings, etc.
• Inflation Guard Clause: Increases coverage amounts due to inflation
• Extended Replacement Cost: Boosts coverage between 10 and 50% as needed
• Equipment Breakdown Coverage: Covers the costs of repair or replacement for electronics and appliances
• Service Line Coverage: Repairs lines damaged due to inclement weather, malfunctions, and tree invasions

Wondering Whether You Have Enough Home Insurance?

Find out more about your coverage and whether you need supplemental policies to have ample insurance in place. Contact us at D & E Insurance Agency in Muskogee, OK, to get all the answers you need.

As a homeowner, you know how important it is to have home insurance, whether or not your home has a mortgage on it. At D & E Insurance Agency serving Muskogee, OK and surrounding areas, we take pride in educating all of our home insurance policyholders, so they can get the coverage they need.

Risk Assessment

When you buy home insurance, the insurance company takes into consideration a range of factors, including where your home is located, what it’s constructed of, and other things. Adding things to your home, such as a new addition or home office, changes how much coverage you may need. Adding certain other features to your home can change your coverage needs as well. This includes things like swimming pools and trampolines.

Features That Add Value

Certain features add value to your home in the eyes of homebuyers. Depending on the homebuyers’ perspective, a swimming pool may be a desired feature, or it could detract from the value. Much depends on the area and the perceived value. If your home is valued higher by your local tax assessor because of the pool, you may need more home insurance coverage.

Either way, though, a trampoline and a swimming pool increase risk, too. Any feature that could potentially be a hazard might be considered a risk. You’ll want to protect yourself from these risks, in the event that anyone is hurt while using these features. And it makes good sense to notify your insurance company ahead of time if you’ve added features of any kind to your home.

Call Today To Discuss Your Options

Since this can be a complex situation, you should consult with your insurance representative at D & E Insurance Agency serving Muskogee, OK. We can help you to determine if your home insurance coverage meets all your needs.

Home insurance is intended to protect your home from unforeseeable calamities, but it can be difficult to completely understand your coverage. D & E Insurance Agency, serving the greater Muskogee, OK community, is here to answer frequently asked questions about home insurance to help with your most pressing questions and give you confidence in your policy.

Home Insurance: FAQs

What Does Home Insurance Typically Cover?

Homeowners insurance provides protection against a range of risks that can befall homeowners and can be prohibitively expensive to cover out of pocket. These include property damage, personal property loss, personal liability, and added living costs. 

When Should You Get Home Insurance?

Before closing on your property, your mortgage lender will most likely require that you buy homeowners insurance. It is crucial to compare different options to choose the best policy based on your requirements. 

Does Home Insurance Cover a Home-Based Business?

If you frequently work from home or own a home-based business, you could need more coverage. Although they may only cover a modest amount of business-related materials or equipment, homeowners insurance policies occasionally exclude liability related to your home business. 

Does Home Insurance Cover Valuable Collections?

It is possible that your coverage will not always fully cover pricey or precious collections. Ask an insurance agent about your assets, so you can understand what is protected and, if necessary, add any further coverage.

We Are Here To Help

If you live in Muskogee, OK or any other nearby area, and you are currently shopping for home insurance, feel free to reach out to D & E Insurance Agency. Our qualified and knowledgeable insurance agents will answer all your questions and help you find an insurance plan based on your needs and budget. 

Here at D & E Insurance Agency, serving the greater Muskogee, OK area, one of the insurance products we offer is home insurance. When it comes to home insurance, we are asked a variety of questions, but one of the questions that people often ask us is whether they purchase home insurance prior to closing on a new home they are purchasing or immediately after closing on their new home. 

Do I Buy Home Insurance Prior to Closing or After Closing?

If you are purchasing a home, you must have home insurance on the home prior to closing. You will not be able to close on the home without proof of insurance. This includes either a certificate of insurance that is issued by the insurer you are buying home insurance from or a copy of the insurance declaration’s page.

It is also important to note that your mortgage lender typically needs a copy of this statement a few days to a week prior to closing. This ensures that they list the right insurance company in the closing documents. As such, it is recommended that you purchase home insurance about one to two weeks prior to closing on your new home. 

Reach Out To Us!

Congratulations on buying a home! Buying a home is a huge investment, and as such, you want to ensure that you protect that investment by purchasing a home insurance policy that not only covers the full replacement value of your home but the items that are stored inside of your home as well. Here at D & E Insurance Agency, serving the greater Muskogee, OK area, we can help you obtain home insurance for your new home. Call us today to get started. 

At D & E Insurance Agency, we want the home insurance you purchase from us to provide the ideal protection for your Muskogee, OK home. That’s why we recommend at least an annual home insurance review.

Home Improvements Signal a Need for Insurance Updates

A lot can change about your home during the course of one year. You might not even think about the things that you update or change. In the past year, did you replace any of the following:

• Roof,
• Windows and/or doors,
• Flooring,
• Kitchen appliances,
• Utility room appliances?

If you answered yes, you made a change that increased the value of your home! Good job!

Of course, since you increased the value of your home, you need to increase the amount of coverage for your home. We can help with that.

Other changes in your home also signal a need for added coverage. If you convert your garage into a bedroom or office, or you build an addition, you need to add coverage to your home insurance.

When Your Home Value Increases, so Should Your Insurance Coverage

When you initially purchase your home insurance, your agent asks for the value of your home. Since you probably purchased it as a part of your home purchase, you know it, and your policy accurately covers your home. As time passes, the home you buy for $150,000 undergoes changes that improve it.

The new roof adds about $10,000 to your home’s value. The kitchen and utility updates typically add between $5,000 to $7,000 in value. Depending on how many windows you replaced, that adds thousands of dollars to your home’s value, too. It all adds up, and if you underwent a home appraisal, you’d probably find that your home after updates holds a value of $175,000 or more.

Updating your home insurance coverage ensures that your insurance would cover the cost of replacing your home as it was when something happened to damage or destroy it. Hazards such as fire or tornado can cause massive damage. Undergoing an annual policy review can help you keep your coverage up to date, so your insurance fully covers your home.

Contact Us Today

Contact D & E Insurance Agency,  serving the greater Muskogee, OK community, for a home insurance policy review. Let us help you fully cover your home.

When you are the owner of your own home, it’s important for you to take steps to protect it in every way that you can. One way to do this is to get home insurance to protect your home against a wide range of risks. Home insurance is an important part of the way that you protect your finances as well. When you need home insurance, we are here to help. Call us today at D & E Insurance Agency in Muskogee, OK.

Why You Need Home Insurance

Home Protection

One of the types of coverage that you get in a home policy is protection for the house. This gives you protection against a broad range of accidents, disasters, and other events that can cause damage to your house. When something does happen to it that causes its damage, your policy can pay for the repair bills that become necessary, less your deductible. When this happens, your policy can save you many thousands on these repairs to protect you financially. 

Protection for Your Belongings

Another important type of coverage in these policies is item protection. When you own a home, everything in it is also covered by your home insurance. This coverage is important with the amount of value that all of your items are worth when put together. If those items should be damaged or ruined by a covered event, your home insurance policy can pay for you to replace the ruined items and repair the damaged ones. This is another way that your home insurance saves you a large amount of money after a damaging event happens to your home and/or belongings. 

Get Your Home Coverage

If you own your own home and don’t have home insurance, don’t wait to get it. Call us right away at D & E Insurance Agency in Muskogee, OK.