The more you know about insurance, the better you will be at choosing the insurance you need to protect your most valuable assets. Here are some tips to help you become a more knowledgeable insurance consumer. If you have questions about insurance issues, call us at 888-717-1776.

 Combining Coverage Could Save You Money
 Everyone Should Consider Flood Insurance
 Identity Theft Coverage Now Available
 A Vacant Home Needs Special Coverage
 Umbrella Policy: Another Layer of Protection
 Replacement Cost Vs Cash Value
 Summer Time and the Stealin” Is Easy
 Life Insurance Can Protect Your Home

Combining Coverage Could Save You Money
Insuring your home and automobile with the same company is one of the most effective ways to save on premiums for both. Many insurance companies offer an automatic discount — as much as 15% — for combining coverages. There’s another benefit, too: Putting your homeowners and auto policies together leads to greater satisfaction with your insurance carrier. J.D. Power and Associates, a market research firm, studied consumer attitudes toward insurance companies and found that satisfaction was highest among consumers with combined coverage. (Back to top)

Everyone Should Consider Flood Insurance
Homeowners who think they can get away without flood insurance should consider this: The National Flood Insurance Program says that 25 percent of flood claims come from low to moderate risk areas. A home has a 26 percent chance of being damaged by a flood but only a 9 percent chance of a fire! Even those who live on high ground may not be safe. Rapid runoff from a parking lot is a flood if it damages your home and at least one adjoining property! As little as an inch of water can be responsible for thousands of dollars in damage. (Back to top)

Umbrella Policy: Another Layer of Protection
A lawsuit can wipe out your family’s financial security. That’s why excess liability coverage — a so-called Umbrella Policy — should be in everyone’s insurance portfolio. Homeowners and automobile insurance policies provide liability coverage. But those policies have limits — usually no higher than $500,000. Anyone hurt in an auto accident involving your car or injured on your property has the right to sue you. A lawsuit judgment over the amount in your insurance policy is your responsibility. An Umbrella Policy adds additional coverage to home and auto policies to protect you. The more you earn and the more you own, the more you need an Umbrella Policy. (Back to top)

A Vacant Home Needs Special Coverage
An empty house is an inviting target for vandals, yet it might not be covered for the damage they do. While homeowner’s policies continue to cover fire and other hazards, vandalism is specifically excluded by most policies if the building has been vacant for more than 30 days. NRT Insurance Agency is now offering Vacant Property & Liability Insurance coverage for homes that are listed for sale. Vandalism isn’t the only thing excluded by most homeowners’ policies. Theft, damage caused by frozen pipes, and windows broken by any means are also denied coverage. Insurance companies feel that damage to a vacant property can grow worse due to inattention. (Back to top)

Identity Theft Coverage Now Available
Law enforcement officials agree: Identity theft is a crime that’s hard to prevent. Just ask the 400,000 Americans who were affected by it last year. And while victims are not responsible for bills run up by imposters, it can take months to straighten out the mess, and cost thousands of dollars in lost wages, notary fees, certified mail costs, and — in extreme cases — attorneys’ fees. Help with these costs is as close as your Homeowners Insurance. For as little as $25 a year, you may be able to add Identity Theft Coverage to your policy and get help with the out-of-pocket expenses associated with restoring a good credit rating. NRT Insurance Agency and its insurance partners are now offering this additional coverage to all homebuyers. (Back to top)

Replacement Cost Vs Cash Value
It happens all the time. A $400,000 home is destroyed by fire and the homeowners discover that their insurance company will only pay them $300,000 - not enough to rebuild. Unfortunately the owners had a “cash value” policy instead of the “replacement value” insurance. People who buy cash value policies save a little on premiums but a major loss can ruin them. At NRT Insurance Agency we only sell replacement value policies. It’s known as “insuring to value”. We use a computer program that calculates replacement costs where you live, not according to some national average. That’s because construction costs vary from one place to another. We can even pin down costs right to your zip code. Insurance based on replacement value also pays what it will cost to refurnish your home, replace your clothing, and buy new appliances at today’s prices, not what you paid for them a long time ago. (Back to top)

Summer Time and the Stealin” Is Easy
Summer: It’s vacation season for American families and easy pickings for American burglars. According to the Insurance Information Institute, more break-ins happen in July and August than in any other month. That’s because many homes are empty while the owners are away. Simple measures can keep your home safe. Deadbolts on doors (34 percent of burglars come through the front door, 22 percent use the back) and window locks make it hard for thieves to get in. Timers that turn lights on and off make a house appear occupied. Ask a neighbor to pick up your mail and newspapers. Pay someone you trust to mow the lawn. Alarm systems are effective and insurance companies offer a premium discount if you have one. Homeowners insurance with replacement cost coverage provides added peace of mind. That’s the kind of insurance NRT Insurance Agency recommends. It will repair the damage a burglar does to your home and replace what is lost at today’s prices, not what you paid years ago. (Back to top)

Life Insurance Can Protect Your Home
What happens to your family’s home if something happens to you? Too often the loss of a breadwinner also means the loss of the family’s most important asset — the place it calls home. Mortgage life insurance covering the amount you owe on your home might be the best investment you ever make in peace-of-mind and security. When your needs change, the policy can be changed with them, giving your family continuing security to pay for college, your children’s weddings, or a comfortable retirement for a spouse. As an independent agency, NRT Insurance works with America’s leading life insurance companies to provide a choice of plans including one that will meet your needs. Our life insurance representatives can help you determine the amount of life insurance you need, the type of policy that fits your situation, and a premium that you can afford. (Back to top)