Looking for a local insurance company? Contact Most Insurance for a Tampa Home Insurance Quote.

Check out few home insurance FAQs here:

1. Does Homeowners Insurance cover sinkholes?
2. Does Homeowners Insurance cover foundation settling?

The post 5 lighting safety tips appeared first on Most Insurance.

Here’s an important update on fraudulent claims activity happening in your area. We’ve noticed a growing trend of insurance claims for “hail damage”. Roofing companies are targeting neighborhoods with older roofs saying that a hail storm had come through, some referring to hail storms that happened years ago. They’re going door-to-door stating that residents have hail damage to their roof and that their roof needs to be replaced, and that they would handle everything for you, even deal with your insurance company.

New roof, minimal out-of-pocket costs, no dealing with insurance companies. Sounds too good to be true, right?

That’s because it is. In most cases like these, an “Assignment of Benefits” is involved.

What is Assignment of Benefits?

When you sign a contract that includes an Assignment of Benefits, you’re essentially transferring and assigning any and all insurance rights, benefits, and causes of action under your property insurance policy to the contractor. Assignment of Benefits is not exclusive to hail claims, but that’s what we’ve seen the most and we urge you to be informed. Always talk with your insurance agent or company before signing a contract that includes an “Assignment of Benefits”.

When filing a Hail Claim, the hail damage must result in 25% or more of the damage to your roof for the claim to even be a valid loss due to hail. Anything less will most likely result in a declination by your carrier, but even if it’s denied and your insurance company deems that your roof needs to be replaced due to age and you’ve signed an Assignment of Benefits, the roofing company calls all the shots and in the end gets the job replacing your roof, regardless of whether or not you want them working on your home or not.

If a roofing company knocks on your door and claims that you have hail damage and that your roof needs to be replaced, here are a few things to look for on your own before you take any further action:

• Cars: Are/were any cars damaged as a result of the hail storm?

• Gutters: Look for dents in the rain gutters around your home.

• Screened Patios: Look for holes in your screen and dents in the metal supports.

• Mailboxes: Look for dents on your mailbox; check your neighbor’s mailboxes too.

• AC Units: Check for multiple dents to your AC enclosure.

• Leaks: Are there any leaks in the ceiling throughout your home or in your garage?

Your protection is our priority. Want you to know what you’re signing before it’s too late. We’d love to talk with you before you sign any agreements, especially in regards to hail claims.

Contact your Tampa insurance company – Most Insurance for a free insurance quote!

The post What is Assignment of Benefits? appeared first on Most Insurance.

We are so excited to announce our new partnership with Auto-Owners Insurance! This partnership allows us the opportunity to offer a whole new level of service to our clients!

Auto-Owners Insurance Group is headquartered in Lansing, Michigan. Recognized for exceptional financial strength and stability, it is among the nation’s largest insurers, with premium writings of over $5.5 billion. The company is rated A++ (Superior) by the A.M. Best Company, a nationally recognized independent insurance rating authority. Auto-Owners is also a Fortune 500 company.

Auto-Owners backs up its products by providing its famous “No Problem” claims service. In recent surveys conducted by leading marketing research firms, Auto-Owners was rated highly for customer satisfaction in both auto and home claims.

As you know, we, at Most Insurance, are a locally owned and operated insurance agency that, like Auto-Owners, is greatly concerned with protecting its clients. As a result, this partnership will only increase the excellence of service we are able to provide, as a truly one-of-a-kind claims advocate.

As we continue to work hard to serve YOU, our clients, we are always excited to announce new opportunities for you to receive the best service possible! If you have any questions or need any additional information on this new partnership, feel free to contact us directly at (813) 347-5555 or follow these links for Florida Auto Insurance, Personal Inquiries or Commercial Inquiries to find out more about the policies we write.

The post New Partnership with Auto-Owners Insurance appeared first on Most Insurance.

Now what has to be present are four things for a catastrophic ground cover collapse to be applicable and to actually be able to be paid out on your insurance. All four elements have to be present. These elements are:

1. There has to be an abrupt collapse of the ground cover.

2. There has to be a depression in the ground cover that is clearly visible by the naked eye.

3. There must be structural damage to the building, including the foundation. So just because there is a hole in your lawn, that does not cover it. Because we are only insuring the home itself.

4. The insured structure has to be condemned by the appropriate authorities in that community.

If those four things happen, then you have a sinkhole, and your policy will cover you. Now, what’s most often misunderstood is that there is an endorsement that is possible for you and it is called Sinkhole Endorsement. That’s for if these things weren’t present but you might see the start of step cracking along your block or you have a crack inside your house on your dry wall. That would be covered under the sinkhole endorsement, but not many policies in Florida are offering that anymore.

So you’re going to have to be mindful. If you have the option to get the sinkhole coverage, you might want it. Often times the insurance companies will require you to have a sinkhole inspection done before they offer it to you. This might be something to consider getting.

We will have a link on our website for you and any questions you have feel free to contact us here at Most Insurance.

FAQ: Does homeowners insurance cover foundation settling?

The post Everything You Need to Know About Sinkhole Insurance! appeared first on Most Insurance.

Here is the deal. The roof is what really holds the whole house together. So how it connects to the walls matters greatly. Insurance companies give a lot of credits if you have a wind mitigation form and an inspection done. They will also give you a lot of credits if you have clips and wraps over just having toe nails.

That’s how the roof is literally attached to your walls. Also, if you have bolts that are securing your roof all the way down to the foundation, that is going to be the best support because when the wind blows (we get hurricanes here in Florida) those bolts are going to help hold the roof on.

As long as the roof is held on, then your house is going to be held together. Also, insurance companies don’t like to see patches in your roof, they don’t like to see different colors, or your shingles starting to peel up because all those things are signs of lack of structural integrity.

I was down in Port Charlotte right after a couple of hurricanes hit a couple years back and I could tell the difference between a home that had clips over a home that had just toe nails. I could see the new building codes that had been established because those homes were left standing and their roofs were intact.. Other houses were absolutely destroyed because they did not have the newer code, wraps, clips, or bolts that help hold their house together.

So, if you are having to get your roof redone or building a new home, really consider investing and getting those add ons done: clips or wraps. It’s going to go a long way to help reduce your homeowners insurance cost.

Have a good one out there and be prepared for when that wind blows!

Here are couple of more FAQs related to home insurance as a whole:

1. Does Homeowners Insurance cover sinkholes?

2. Does Homeowners Insurance cover foundation settling?

The post Why Your Roof is So Important to Insurance Companies? appeared first on Most Insurance.

No, it does not. You need to have a separate policy for any flooding that might happen. Flooding is defined by all rising water. Water that comes down from the sky…that is not flooding. But if it causes a big puddle and seeps into your house, it is flooding.

Do you need a flood insurance policy?

Yes! There are floods that happen all the time all over the country. Now you are told by your mortgage broker that you’re not in a flood zone and you do not have to have flood insurance. Everybody in the country is in a flood zone.

You just might be in a preferred risk flood zone which means the cost is going to be significantly less. You’re less likely to have a claim, but 38% of all flood claims happen nationwide in a preferred risk flood zone.

It’s going to happen. You need that flood insurance policy to protect you from any rising water.

So talk to an independent agent they will be happy to help you with a Tampa Flood Insurance Policy.

The post Does Homeowner’s Insurance Policy Cover Flood Damage? appeared first on Most Insurance.

Let’s back it up a little bit, because most people don’t really understand what an umbrella policy is to begin with. So let me explain that for you. An umbrella policy is kinda like what it sounds like. It is an umbrella that goes over all the rest of your policies that provides excess or extra liability insurance. That’s the main focus.

The neat thing about umbrella insurance is that you can also have it provide excess uninsured motorist on the auto side. On auto, and on boat insurance as well. Yes, I think you should have it. It is very important. In fact, I wouldn’t drive if I didn’t have an active umbrella policy. To me it’s that important.

It’s going to protect you if you have a home. Let’s say you have kids and you have their friends over and one of them might get injured. It happens all the time. This is going to provide excess liability insurance for you. I know you might say, well my kid’s friend’s parents, there not going to sue me. But the reality is, it happens. And for only a couple of dollars a day, in fact maybe even just a dollar a day, you can be protected from something like this happening.

Do you have a swimming pool in your backyard or a trampoline? Those are extra extra reasons why you might need an umbrella.

We in fact had a claim one time for one of our customers. A neighbor had jumped on their ATV, was riding it in their backyard, and almost cut off their head because they hit the clothes line. They then sued the owner of the ATV even though they were not given permission for using it.

The umbrella policy provided extra liability insurance for them. Here is the neat thing about an umbrella policy. It provides legal defense outside of the amount of insurance. Let’s say you have an umbrella at one million dollars. You’re going to have your defense cost for a lawyer outside of that being covered. So the umbrella is going to pay for your defense, on top of that limit. It is a very good thing to have.

On the auto side, an umbrella policy is important because you can have excess uninsured motorist coverage.

So if someone hits you who doesn’t have insurance or enough insurance, it’s going to provide that excess uninsured motorist coverage. Which is the protection for you medically, if your hurt, or you’re out of work because of an injury. You can actually make a claim against your own insurance for pain and suffering.

Say you were a triathlete, like I am, and you got in an accident. Unfortunately you could no longer do triathlons.  You literally could make a claim against your policy because of that pain and sufferings. So it is a very very important coverage to have.

And like I said, it is only a couple of dollars a day. Umbrellas come in one and two million dollars limits fairly easy. But they go up to five, ten, or even $100 million depending on what your need might be. I do heavily suggest it. Again, I wouldn’t even get in a car without having that coverage.

So I think you should talk to an independent agent like Most Insurance about getting an umbrella insurance policy. Have a wonderful day and be safe up there.

The post What Is An Umbrella Insurance Policy and Do I Need One? appeared first on Most Insurance.

Here is the deal, everybody in the entire country is in a flood zone. You might just be in a preferred risk flood zone. A preferred flood zone means that your cost is really really really reduced. So, do you need a flood policy even if you’re in a preferred risk flood zone? Absolutely. Nationally, 38% of all flood claims happen in preferred risk flood zones. In Florida, that number is significantly higher.

You should get flood insurance even if you live in a zone that you’re not required to have flood insurance by your mortgage lender. For a $250,000 policy for your dwelling, the exterior of the house, and with $100,000 worth of contents, the cost is less than $400 a year. So get that flood insurance policy. You will be surprised by the number of claims that are made and then are not covered because of flooding.

Flooding is defined as all rising water. So it’s not going to happen when the rain is coming down, your covered. But when that water floods, when it breaks the river, breaks the levee, and comes in…you’re not gonna have coverage if that water has raised up and has flooded your house.

So go out there, get a Florida Flood Insurance Policy.

Hope this helps. Have a good one!

The post I am not in a flood zone, so do I really need flood insurance? appeared first on Most Insurance.

So what do you have planned?  Are you ready if a big one does comes to the Tampa Bay area?  Think that it can’t happen, well it has before.  1921, we had a major Hurricane Pass through this area. The local EOC are planning for when not if a big storm comes through the area.

Please give me feedback about how you are getting ready.  I know that yesterday I got our generator fired back up, making sure that it works, and will be ready if we don’t have power.  My wife and I keep water on hand, batteries, candles, a gas powered stove to cook on.  I also just brought my 4 wheel drive jeep back to town, which allows me to drive pretty much anywhere.  A big storm coming, my wife and I are heading out of town, first we will go to Temple Terrace where my brother lives,  because we live very far south in South Tampa.

Please post up a comment about how you are prepared.

The Tampa Bay Catastrophic Plan website

The Most Insurance Agency has created a Disaster Preparedness Center to help clients handle any kind of disaster.  You can sign up to get updates emailed to you as things progress.

If you experience any loss, please contact our Claims Advocates, we are here for you.

Remember if you need to call us, our number is 813-347-5555. Know more about our Tampa Insurance policies.

– Eric Most

The post What would it look like if a Category 5 Hurricane Hits Tampa Bay? appeared first on Most Insurance.

A clever idea really because they do emit the most awful, high-pitched, ear-busting sound but that’s the whole idea – to alert you and get you to safety. Yet there are actually so many things you can do to prevent that ever happening, by avoiding as many fire hazards as possible from your home.

So I’ve put together a list of the 20 dos and don’ts’ for some of the most common fire risks in the home, which Fishing you can use as a checklist to add the security your fire/smoke alarm already provides (you do have one don’t you – and a fire extinguisher?). Here they are, in no particular order:

1.   Keep heat-generating items like computers, TVs and cable boxes well ventilated.
2.   Switch them off (and unplug if you can) when nobody is going to be around.
3.   Store flammable items securely (locked if possible) in a cool area, away from flames.
4.   Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children.
5.   Know which clothing and furnishing fabrics are flammable and keep them away from flames.
6.   Use fireguards to protect against accidental contact with flames.
7.   Avoid loose clothing, especially sleeves, when you’re using the stove.
8.   If you leave items cooking, set an audible timer to remind you to check back.

Candles are often the cause for house fires

9.   Have the gas company check your appliances regularly.
10. Regularly inspect appliance wiring and plugs for signs of damage or heat.
11. Don’t use extension cords with space heaters (actually, always avoid them where possible).
12. Don’t plug too many items into 1 outlet or too high wattage a light bulb into a restricted fitting.
13. Avoid storing stacks of combustible Safe material like paper that sometimes ignite by themselves.
14. Put a proper fitting over an exposed closet light bulb and don’t store items too close to it.
15. If there are smokers in the house: no smoking in bed or when they/you are sleepy.
16. Ensure all fire and dryer vents are clear and regularly cleaned.
17. Monitor all outside burning (yard fires, BBQs etc.) and extinguish them fully.
18. Position barbecues at least 10 feet from walls and fences when in use or cooling.
19. Don’t to set electric blankets too high when you’re not there, or allow pets to sleep on them,
20.  Workshop tools that throw out sparks should be used away from all combustible material.

Phew! I hope you’re still with me on this. You know, it’s a sad fact that well over three-quarters of fire deaths occur in the home, to say nothing of the injuries and losses of precious, sometimes irreplaceable, items.

So, please take a few moments to see how your fire safety at home stacks new up against my list. While doing so, check the expiration date on extinguishers and the batteries in your smoke alarm. You’ll want to hear it, even though you’d rather not!

Concerned your not getting the best price on your home insurance, or that you might not be getting all Clean the discounts that are due to you.  Most Insurance would be happy to quote your Home Insurance in Florida today.  Click here for a Quote from Most Insurance.

The post 20 Dos and Don’ts of Home Fire Hazards appeared first on Most Insurance.