If you own a home and have a home insurance policy, many different types of coverage are wrapped up inside your policy. These include coverage for your home in case of a damaging event and coverage for your belongings in case of several risks. These types of coverage are what home insurance is best known for, but these aren’t the only essential types of coverage. There is also a layer of liability coverage in your home insurance policy, which is essential to have. If you need home insurance, you can contact us at Hinman & Associates Insurance in Reno, NV.

Why Liability Coverage?

Why do you need liability coverage at home? This coverage can cover you against a wide range of risks that can affect you financially in case of certain incidents. Among these is the danger that someone may come to your home and have any type of accire. When this happens, they can easily become injured, and you would be liable for those injuries. When this happens, the costs can be enormous. You may owe for the medical bills, ongoing therapies, things like legal costs, and any wages lost because of the accident. Your liability coverage can pay for all of these. 

Medical Costs

Medical costs are extremely high, and they’re only getting more expensive. Even an accident that isn’t so serious can end up costing a huge amount for treatments. It’s important to have your liability coverage so that you aren’t stuck paying those bills. 

Get Home Insurance in Nevada

If you’re buying a home and need home insurance or you want to change your current coverage, call Hinman & Associates Insurance in Reno, NV.

For homeowners in and around the Sparks and Reno, NV area, a house isn’t just a structure; it’s a place filled with memories, comfort, and personal belongings. Protecting your home and its contents is not just a matter of bricks and mortar; it’s about safeguarding your cherished possessions and financial well-being. 

Understanding Personal Belongings Coverage

Personal belongings coverage is a vital component of most home insurance policies. It protects your possessions, including furniture, electronics, clothing, jewelry, and other valuables, from various perils. Here’s an idea of how it works: 

Protection Against Common Risks: Home insurance protects against common perils like fire, theft, vandalism, and specific weather-related damage. If any of these events damage or destroy your personal property, your home insurance policy can help you recover the value of your losses.

Actual Cash Value (ACV) versus Replacement Cost: When insuring personal property, you often can choose between two types of coverage: actual cash value and replacement cost coverage. ACV coverage pays you back for the present-day value of your belongings and depreciation. Replacement cost coverage will take care of the cost of replacing your belongings with new items of similar kind and quality without considering depreciation. While ACV coverage is generally more affordable, replacement cost coverage offers more substantial financial protection in case of a loss. 

Off-Premises Coverage: Home insurance doesn’t restrict its protection to your home alone. It often extends coverage to your personal property, even when it’s located outside your home. This means that if any personal belongings are lost while you’re traveling, your home insurance can assist in covering these losses.

Hinman & Associates Insurance Can Help You

At Hinman & Associates Insurance, we can help answer questions concerning home insurance. We serve the Sparks and Reno, NV area. Contact us today. 

Hinman & Associates Insurance can help Reno, NV residents with their insurance needs. We are here to provide the information you need to select the right policy to protect your home and family. 

Protecting your family from liability with a comprehensive homeowners’ policy

Owning a home is likely the largest financial investment most people make in their lives. Whether you are a longtime homeowner or are preparing to purchase your first house, it’s crucial to have the right insurance. 

While a basic policy will provide a certain level of protection, many homeowners enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a more robust policy. With a comprehensive policy, it is possible to have a higher level of coverage that covers a broader range of events.

Everyone’s needs are different, and it is important to review several different options before deciding on the policy that’s a good fit for your needs. Having adequate and appropriate insurance in place is an effective way to enjoy home ownership. A more specialized policy could be more appropriate if you have several outbuildings that need protection or many upgrades to your home.

Choosing the policy that best meets your needs can feel like a stressful and time-consuming task, but when you work with a helpful local agent, the experience can be much more straightforward and successful.

Find out more about the benefits of a comprehensive homeowners’ policy today!

If you are a homeowner in the Reno, NV area or will be buying a house soon, you can count on the Hinman & Associates Insurance team for all your insurance needs. Give us a call or stop by our office today!

As a homeowner, you want to protect yourself as much as possible. Unfortunately, there are many situations in which you have little control over what happens. You cannot control the movements of your houseguests, for instance. You may have children who have friends over for sleepovers or guests who come to birthday parties in the backyard. When somebody gets hurt, things can become complicated.

Hinman & Associates Insurance, which serves Reno, NV, understands that you want to protect your home and your assets. This is where liability coverage comes in.

Liability Coverage Protects Your Financial Assets

Injuries happen daily, and sometimes homeowners are held responsible for the injuries that guests experience. If somebody is injured in your home, they could pursue a lawsuit against you. Liability coverage helps you avoid paying out of pocket for these expenses.

For example, some liability coverage may extend to medical bills. It can prevent you from being the target of a lawsuit for things like lost wages or pain and suffering.

Remember that not everything is covered. Every situation is different, which is why it is crucial for you to get professional advice from an insurance agent.

Liability Coverage Comes in Several Forms

The level of protection your coverage provides is based on how much liability coverage you add to your policy. The amount of liability insurance you need is based on the assets you hold. It is important that you make an informed decision.

You should ensure that you have liability coverage when you own a home. If you live in Reno, NV, Hinman & Associates Insurance can help you choose liability coverage to protect you and your home.

Do you have several valuable items in your home? If you worry about damage or theft of your belongings, you can get insurance coverage for them. Hinman & Associates Insurance of the greater Reno, NV area has agents that can assist you with such matters.

Coverage Limits Vary

It’s important to remember that your coverage limits for valuables are different based on the insuring company and the amount of your dwelling coverage.

Look for Named Perils and Exclusions

Many insurance companies will only provide coverage under specific circumstances. In this instance, any of the events/perils not mentioned in the documents will not be covered.

You also should be aware if there are any exclusions. For instance, some companies don’t offer coverage for rare coins or antiques. You’d have to ask for additional insurance if you have items that are excluded in your standard policy.

Blanket Coverage for Valuables

With blanket coverage, you’d be able to raise the coverage for a whole category of items you own such as fine art, instruments, and collectibles.

Riders or Floaters Can Help

If you want coverage for a certain item, you can have it explicitly put into your policy to raise your limits with a floater. This offers protection for the replacement value up to the amount of your policy limit.

Expert Insurance Assistance from a Reputable Agency

When it comes to getting the right coverage for your valuable items, look no further than Hinman & Associates Insurance of the Reno, NV area. You need to know that you won’t have a total loss when it comes to something happening to your belongings and can even potentially get as close as possible to its value depending on what’s in your policy.

It is usual for a house in Reno, NV to settle over time, and slight unevenness isn’t a cause to panic. However, there are several factors, such as weather, plumbing leaks, and tree roots, that can lead to foundation problems. Unfortunately, as these problems worsen, it can lead to extensive damages to the foundation, which may create more dangers, such as electrical, water, or gas line issues. Recognizing the early warning signs of foundation problems can help to eliminate more extensive and expensive problems for your home. Hinman & Associates Insurance has put together a few of the most common warning signs you should be aware of that may indicate a problem with your foundation.

Cracks in the Exterior Brick

One of the first warning signs of potential foundation problems is cracks in the exterior brick walls. As the soil under your house settles, the exterior walls also settle and rotate. As the exterior walls rotate, it puts stress on the joints and bricks, which causes small cracks in the bricks. Unfortunately, over time the cracks will continue to grow larger, leading to unstable walls, potential water damage, and an entrance for pests.

Bowing Walls in the Basement

As the moisture continues to build up in soil that is surrounding your house, it becomes heavier, which ultimately builds excessive pressure on the basement walls. Then, as the soil dries out, it begins to contract and pull away from the walls. This pushing and pulling from the earth on the basement walls causes them to bow and bend, eventually causing cracks in the walls of the basement.

Cracks in the Interior Walls

It’s common to find a few small interior wall cracks as the foundation begins to settle, and a well-constructed house can handle a fair amount of concrete shrinkage, soil expansion, and contraction and stress. However, if the soil around your home has excessive or inappropriate settling, it can have a significant effect on the foundation. This excessive settling often causes cracks in the interior walls, especially in the area where the ceiling and wall meet.

It’s important also to be aware of things such as windows and doors that are difficult to open and close uneven flooring, and a leaning chimney. These are signs that the foundation may have extensive issues, potential problems that you cannot visibly see, such as excess moisture inside the walls.

Residents of Reno, NV interested in learning more information about foundation issues or to review your current home insurance policy, contact Hinman & Associates Insurance.

Homeowners insurance covers the loss of personal property by other people while they are in your home. Anyone that visits you, therefore, gets basic coverage. If they lose their property or get injured, your home insurance can help compensate them to avoid lawsuits.

Should You Make A Claim?

It may not be in your best interest to make a claim for the lost laptop. It will affect your insurance record and is not worth it. You will be forced to make a deductible on the claim and the claim will be added to your report. Filling your report with unnecessary claims makes you appear as someone that is high-risk to the insurer. This may make your premium rates go higher. The deductible claim you pay could be almost as much as the cost of your friend’s laptop. File a claim for it only if your friend’s laptop is too expensive for you to replace. Consider the difference between your deductible and the cost of the laptop. If it is a lot, then it is okay to file a claim. If not, we advise that you protect your insurance record so it can be of use when you really need it.

At Hinman & Associates Insurance in Reno, NV, we write homeowners insurance quotes that are specific to the needs of individual clients. We understand that your home is a valuable investment and we are glad to help you protect it wherever you are in Reno or Spark and its surrounding areas. Our professionally trained agents will offer you the advice you need and answer any questions you may have. Hinman & Associates Insurance is committed to writing quotes that meet and exceed expectations.

Contact us now by phone or visit our office in Reno, NV to discuss a new quote.