Why do I need Renters Insurance?

Deer season! How do we avoid a collision when a Deer runs out in front of you?

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:59:17 -0600

SHARPEN YOUR AWARENESS OF DEER ON THE ROAD AND AVOID POTENTIAL COLLISIONS

Now that we're in the thick of deer season (October though December) more deer-vehicle collisions happen during these months than at any other time of the year. With sizeable movements in the deer population this season, many of these beautiful animals unfortunately wind up on roadways big and small-posing sudden hazards to unsuspecting drivers.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, more than 1.5 million deer-vehicle collisions happen each year, resulting in 150 deaths, tens of thousands of injuries and than $1 billion in damage to vehicles. "Not only are more deer on the move, more of their habitats are becoming smaller," said Allstate agent Philip Rutledge. "Drivers need to be extra careful this time of year to avoid hitting a deer, especially when driving near wooded areas."

Allstate Insurance and the Insurance Information Institute offer the following tips for avoiding deer-vehicle collisions:

Be especially attentive from sunset to midnight and during the hours shortly before and after sunrise. These are the highest risk times for deer-vehicle collisions.
When driving at night, use high beam headlights when there is no oncoming traffic. The high beams will better illuminate the eyes of deer on or near the roadway.
If a deer "freezes" in your headlights, turn your lights off and then back on.
Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near your path, but stay in your lane. Many serious crashes occur when drivers swerve to avoid a deer and hit another vehicle or lose control of their cars.
Be especially cautious when driving on two-lane and rural roads.
If you see one deer cross, slow down and watch for others to follow.
Glance continuously from the road to roadside, looking for movement where roads are bordered by fields or natural habitat.
Heed deer crossing signs and reduce speed in deer "hot spots".

Many deer collisions happen on busy highways near cities, so it's important to stay alert in urban as well as rural areas when behind the wheel.

For more information on this and other safety topics, contact Allstate Agent Phil Rutledge at 847-382-7580

Common Myths about Life Insurance

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:34:24 -0500

A recent survey by LIMRA International shows that one third of adults in the U.S. have no life insurance. Those with coverage, the study also showed, have far less than most experts recommend for a secure financial future for their families. For most consumers, buying life insurance can be a tough decision, and myths about life insurance can confuse and delay consumers from purchasing a policy, potentially forcing their families to make financial sacrifices.

One of the many benefits of life insurance is to help protect loved ones who depend on you financially. To determine how much life insurance you need, assess your current and future financial obligations and the income that your loved ones count on to meet those needs.

Life Insurance provides more than a tax-free cash payout upon death; it also helps provide peace of mind that your loved ones will be covered.

Common myths about life insurance.

Myth: I am single. Most single people don't have a pressing need for life insurance because no one depends on them financially. However, there are exceptions -- for instance, if you're providing financial support for aging parents or siblings.

Myth: I don't work. Stay-at-home parents often make significant financial contributions to a family's budget by providing such things as childcare, transportation and housekeeping services that could add up to tens of thousands of dollars a year. Could a single surviving spouse afford to pay for these servies on his or her own?

Myth: Group life provides all the coverage I need. Group life insurance is a great component of a life insurance program. However, the coverage offered is not always enough to take care of your beneficiaries and usually offers limited coverage options. Group policies are generally non-transferable once you leave your current job.

Myth: A permanent policy is better than a term policy. The kind of coverage that's right for you depends on yourunique circumstances and financial goals.
The term policy generally offers the greatest coverage for the lowest initial premium. A permanent policy may work best ifyou anticipate a need for long-term protection.

As always, my staff and I are always available to handle question regarding any of your insurance needs

Homeowners Insurance and the use of deductibles

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 09:36:24 -0500

As the landscape of insurance has been changing over the years, my clients have been understanding the advantage of using higher deductibles on their Homeowners Insurance. In the last several years the midwest has sustained hail storms and flooding that we had not seen in many years. As a result, Homeowners Insurance premiums have increased significantly. My clients have found a great advantage in raising the deductible to $1,000 or even higher. In this way, the small claims do not get filed, which also ultimately can result in claim surcharges and the loss of claim free discounts. The savings on the Homeowners Insurance can also be a few hundred dollars a year by raising the deductible by $500, from $500 to $1,000. It only makes sense, as in a few years you save the difference even if you do have a claim. Many of my clients have been insured with me for 25 and 30 years and never had a claim on their Homeowners Insurance. As always, call your agent on advice, and how your particular situation could be improved with the use of higher deductibles.

Small cars and auto insurance

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:56:44 -0500

Recently one of my clients traded in a Honda Accord for a Honda Civic thinking they would save money. When I changed cars on the policy we realized the 6 month premium would go up $100 rather than go down. Some smaller cars are less expensive to purchase, but more expensive to insure because of average repair cost as well as the high percentage of claims we have that are attributed to that type of car. We are more likely to have more claims on a Honda Civic if the type of person that buys that type of car has a greater likliehood of having an accident....for example teen drivers. Hybrid cars are especially more expensive to insure because of repair costs involved on that type of vehicle. As always, check with your insurance agent for a price quote before purchasing a car.

Long Term Care Insurance and an emotional purchase

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 20:32:04 -0500

Long Term care insurance is something people generally know about, and talk about.....but seem to not want to act on purchasing. Why is this? I imagine it makes someone think of their own mortality, and quite frankly that is not a pleasant topic for us. As an Insurance Agent, I have witnessed many cases time after time where the need for Life Insurance or Long Term care arises, and the family is without it. This is truly heartbreaking.

I truly believe my clients want to be told about products that will help eliminate the tragedy and grief that arises without them, but first and foremost, I believe people have to know and understand exactly what the tragedy and grief involves, so they can be motivated to become educated on the subject, and understand the need.

Everyone knows about skyrocketing Healthcare costs, and the fact that people are living longer. Baby Boomers are starting to age into their 60's and diseases such as Alzheimer's disease are on the rise. For every 1,000 americans over 65, 700 will need some form of Long Term Care. The average LTC stay is 835 days at an average cost of $212 a day.

Medicare pays only a small portion for the first 100 days. LTC is also not only for the elderly, as 40% of claims are made by people between the ages of 18 and 64.

Medicaid will only pay for LTC costs if you have no assets, but it is not the type of care you would want for yourself or your family. You have no control over the facility you go to, or the quality of care you receive.

By 2010, it is projected that 13% of people over 65 will have some form of Alzheimer's. Without the financial resources or LTC insurance, the role of caregiving falls back on the family, often requiring people to take a leave of absence or quit their jobs in order to care for a family member. Alzheimer's patients require 24 hour care and supervision. This combined with sometimes violent and erratic behavior can make the role of being a caregiver emotionally, physically, and financially exhausting. If you know someone who has experienced this, you know what I am talking about.

The solution to eliminate these potential financial and emotional burdens is through Long Term Care Insurance. There are many reasons to buy it now, and not wait. The younger you are, the more affordable it is. If you buy it at a younger age, you also dodge the risk of a future condition that might make you uninsurable. You eliminate the risk of having to pay for care, and have peace of mind in knowing that you are not going to be a burden to your family.

I myself purchased my Long Term Care insurance when I was 44, and got a rate I could not get today....not even close. Today, 10 years later I am next month making my last payment as I purchased a 10 pay policy that is paid in full in 10 years.

As an Insurance Agent for 31 years, I encourage you to act now, and not wait, as we never know what the future has in store. Please call me at 847-382-7580 or email me at PRutledge@Allstate.com and I will gladly send you information pertaining to this very important and often overlooked type of Insurance coverage.

FHA Financing and Condo Insurance

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:38:12 -0500

It appears there is a new law with FHA financing that requires personal Condominium Insurance with Interior building property limits at a minimum of 20% of the purchase price of the Condo unit. This is of course also true with Townhomes that have a master policy and act under Condo Association guidelines. Now, while it only makes sense to have personal Condo Insurance of your own, the fact is that many people close and never buy it. That is because they are under the false premise that the Master Policy of the Association will cover everything they need. If you feel that way, next time you have a lightning strike blow out your Plasma TV, try putting in a claim on the master policy and see what they say. Also, many master policies only cover up to the Drywall, and leave you responsible for kitchen cabinets, flooring, all upgrades, and of course decorating and window treatments. The reason I know about the FHA rule is many Mortgage companies have been calling with refinancing or new purchases and requiring it as part of a certificate of insurance for the closing.

Personal Condo Insurance can be as inexpensive as $150 a year, and often times you get a discount on your auto insurance as well. My Agency can provide quotes to anyone living in Illinois or Wisconsin. Just email me or call me at 847-382-7580. www.RutledgeGroupIl.com

Vacant homes and homeowners insurance.

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:15:34 -0500

We all have seen the glut of vacant homes on the market, as this is just part of today's economy and the situation within the Real Estate industry. As a general rule, your homeowners insurance will continue to cover your home with the exception of vandalism coverage if the home is vacant and not occupied for 30 days or more. Also, frozen pipes are not covered if you try and save money by turning off the heat in the winter.

Many clients find a relative to live in the home while it is on the market and vacant. Even if you let them live there for free...at least you know the vandalism coverage still applies, and you have someone there making sure nothing goes wrong. This especially is true if you have moved out of state, and do not have someone regularly checking on the property.

As always, check with your own company and ask them how a home vacancy pertains to your homeowners insurance, as contracts do vary between insurance companies, and you should call your own insurance agent to make sure.

Am I liable for guests that consume too much alcohol?

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 09:16:19 -0500

Well...it is very possible that you are! As I write this early in the morning on the 4th of July, I reflect on the many Holiday celebrations that will be taking place this weekend. Of course in today's society, everyone wants to sue everyone else whenever they can, and for whatever they can. The bottom line is that liability is based on negligence, and that is some action you take or fail to take as a reasonably prudent individual that can cause harm to another person. For example, if you have a picnic, and watch a guest have 8 or 9 cocktails within a few hours, and then let them drive off without even mentioning that maybe they should take a cab, and they are involved in a fatal accident down the street.......then you probably have some responsibility for not acting in a reasonable and prudent manner.

The good news is your property insurance coverage should carry liability coverage that would protect you from a possible lawsuit for this. Also carrying an Umbrella Liability policy is a prudent thing to do if you are concerned about protecting your assets from a possible lawsuit. These normally run just a few hundred dollars a year for 1 million dollars of liability protection. As always, you should check with your own insurance company to verify the exact extent of your coverage. Please keep in mind that also business activities where you charge a fee for admission to a party is an entirely different situation, and not covered on a Homeowners policy.

Have a safe and Happy 4th of July 2009!

Who is covered driving my car?

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Sun, 24 May 2009 09:44:58 -0500

Most of the major well known Insurance Companies allow for permissive use of your automobile. That simply means that anyone is covered driving your car as long as they have permission to use the car. This question often comes up because most insurance companies will print a line on the policy declarations stating the rating characteristics of the policy. It will say something like married male ages 25-49 or something similar, however this is just a statement of how the policy is rated, not a finite statement of who is covered driving the car. There are some companies that do exclude drivers, but these are typically the companies that are considered non -standard carriers. As always, you should always check with your insurance company and agent to find out exactly what your policy says, as there are companies that make exceptions to what normally applies.

Life Insurance in today's economy Is my employer sponsored insurance enough?

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Wed, 13 May 2009 07:22:48 -0500

Many of my clients when asked tell me they feel they have adequate Life Insurance through their employer. In reality Life Insurance as a replacement of income should be several times your annual income, and most employer sponsored policies provide a flat amount of coverage...usually 1 or 2 times the annual pay amount. Often times it is just a flat amount of $25,000 and that is it! In todays economy, it becomes even more important to make sure both Husband and Wife in a young family have their own coverage. By that I mean a policy they own outside of employment. If your job ends, so does your Group sponsored Life Insurance. If the unfortunate happens and a death occurs, whether by accident or disease, for as little as $40 or $50 a month, depending on your age and medical history, you can provide your family with an instant estate of $250,000 or more to provide for your family in your absence. Things happen! Many clients tell me that in today's economy they cannot afford $40 a month. But can you really afford not to???? You probably find 1 thing that could be cut in the budget for $40 am month, but if the breadwinners paycheck went away one day next month...or next year....then what bills could your family pay without it? Please do some soul searching for the benefit of your family.

Why do I need Renters Insurance?

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:50:32 -0500

As a tenant renting a home or apartment, Renters Insurance can become an extremely valuable form of protection. Most policies average $150 a year or less, depending the combination of coverage you desire. The most common misconception is that the Landlord will cover my possessions in the event of a fire, burglary....or whatever. Unfortunately many people find out too late that is not true, and stand to lose tens of thousands of dollars in possessions due to the lack of an insurance policy costing about $12.00 a month. Liability is also a key coverage included in these policies. You could trip someone with a shopping cart while out at the grocery store, and your renters liability insurance would cover you for injuries to others due to your negiigence. Also, if a claim occurs making your residence uninhabitable, renters insurance will cover your extra living expenses to live somewhere else temporarily while your place is being repaired.

As always, call your insurance agent for an exact quote and recommendations on the coverage you need. My company also offers big discounts for tying in your auto insurance with your property insurance....so give us a try!

Water in the basement and Clue reports as it pertains to home buyers and home inspections

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 17:30:32 -0500

In recent Blogs I have talked about water back up, and flooding as well. As mentioned, damage from water in the basement is covered in different ways, depending on where the water comes from. I read a recent article that indicated that on average having 1 inch of water in the basement will cost approximately $7,800 for clean up and repair. With a foot of water, now the price tag goes up to closer to $20,000.

It is unfortunate that many people have water damage in the lower level, and do not have insurance to pay for it as they have not elected to take out additional coverage for these perils. It is also unfortunate that due to a lack of insurance coverage the homeowner may not do the proper job of repair and mold remediation where water may collect and lay stagnant behind the walls.

As indicated in a previous blog, when you are purchasing a home, make sure a CLUE report gets run on the home you are interested in buying to see if a claim has ever been reported for water in the basement. Most often a claim will be set up with the insurance company even if no coverage was provided. This will also assist your home inspector in looking for water damage in the basement area of a home. When getting a homeowners insurance quote on the new home, your insurance agent can order a clue report, and try to see what claims may have been reported on the home your are considering buying.

Homeowners and Flood Insurance Coverage

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:38:15 -0500

Lately here in Illinois we seem to be having 100 year floods on an annual basis. Every year I get calls from clients who have a flooded basement and have not purchased coverage for this risk. Where water back up insurance covers water backing up through drains, sewers and sump pumps, Flood insurance is designed to cover water coming over the top of the foundation. This means that generally the house is surrounded by water and the water has nowhere else to go, but enter the home over the top of the foundation. Over the course of a 30 year mortgage, the chance of having Flood damage is 26% where it is 9% for fire damage.

In 1968 Congress issued the National Flood Insurance act and created the National Flood Insurance program. Since then many insurance companies including Allstate have worked in conjunction with the Federal program, and take care of the underwriting as well as claims. Anyone can purchase flood insurance, however if you live in a risky flood zone and have a mortgage, it will be required by the mortgage company to protect the collateral on the loan. Flood zones range from A,B,C for flood zones, and X if you are not in a zone. Anyone can purchase flood insurance regardless if there are in a flood zone or not. If you are not in a high risk zone. you can purchase a preferred risk policy for as little as $119 a year.

As always call your agent and get the rates based on your situation. A qualified insurance agent can help you look up your zone and help assess the need for coverage based on your individual basis. I am a licensed Allstate Agent for both Illinois and Wisconsin and can help any individual seeking coverage, even if they have no other insurance with Allstate.

Water in my basement and how is is covered on my Homeowners Insurance?

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:14:18 -0500

Spring is the time of year that we start to get quite a few calls related to water in the basement. Every year I send at least 1 communication to my clients to make sure they are fully aware of what is not covered on the basic Homeowners Insurance policy, without purchasing additional coverage.

Even though most Homeowners policies cover water related to broken pipes, and plumbing systems, groundwater is a whole different story. Basically, once the water hits the ground and enters the home over the foundation, through the foundation, or backing up through sewers, drains,window wells, or sump pump pits, water damage to the home and contents is not covered without purchasing additional coverage.

Water backup insurance can be purchased on most Homeowners Insurance policies, and can cost anywhere from $40 to $300 a year extra based on where you live, and how much coverage you buy. This will address all the issues with water backing up through sewers, drains or sump pump pits. In this way, when you have water related to these issues, and damage occurs, coverage will be afforded in accordance with the amount of coverage you have purchased after your deductible has been satisfied.

When your Home is involved in a flooding situation, where water surrounds the home, Flood insurance applies. This is a Federally sponsored program, but is generally underwritten by your Homeowners Insurance Agent.

More next time on Flood Insurance.........

Allstate Homeowners Insurance and the use of deductibles

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 08:40:48 -0600

The Landscape of Insurance has certainly changed since I became an Allstate Agent in 1978, 31 years ago. Back in the day it was fairly common to see a Homeowners policy with a $50 deductible, and $100 was fairly standard. With rates on Homeowners insurance increasing throughout the industry, going with a high deductible is commonplace. My Agency normally recommends a $1,000 deductible or higher, and the savings is normally hundreds of dollars a year. It makes a lot of sense to only insure for those things that you truly cannot afford, and optimistically save money in hopes of never using your insurance. The other hidden benefit is putting in small claims takes away claim free discounts, and ultimately will cause rates to go up even more. So by having a high deductible, the Homeowner is deterred from putting in the small claims, and the cost of their Homeowners insurance is kept down as a result. As always, do the comparison, and see what best fits your needs.

More about Condominium Insurance...what happens when a loss originates in my unit that damages the common property?

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 08:59:14 -0600

Most Condominium owners are not aware of the consequences of a claim that originates in their unit, but damages common property covered by the association policy. A good example of this would be a resident that is not attentive in the kitchen and causes a grease fire. The fire most likely would damage kitchen cabinets, drywall, and other common building property. Most condo associations do have the master policy that would cover this damage, however most have a high deductible, for example $5,000. The association typically has a provision in the bylaws that assesses the deductible to the unit owner that caused the damage, rather than spreading the cost to everyone in the association. Allstate has an optional coverage called EP or Extended Protection that will pay the associations deductible if it is assessed to you. This is a coverage that is not available at most insurance companies, and Allstate developed it a few years ago as an inexpensive way to cover that risk. Feel free to call myself or your Allstate Agent to get the specific rates based on your situation.

Condominium Insurance....Why do I need it?

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:05:10 -0600

All too often we find a situation where a Condo unit owner lacks coverage on their unit....because no one forced them to buy it. Unlike a home, where the mortgage company mandates insurance to protect their interests, that does not happen on a condo. The master policy of the association provides coverage for the building, which is the collateral on the loan. Of course, coverage is necessary to protect the contents, as well as the building property not covered by the master policy. This would include upgrades or improvements. For example, if the kitchen has been remodeled, it is your responsibility to insure the upgrades. Also Liability is a key feature to protect medical expenses that may be incurred to guests of your home. A condominium policy can be a very inexpensive way to provide peace of mind in protecting your Condominium home investment.

Home Vacancies and your Homeowners Insurance

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 08:37:55 -0600

Every day you hear from clients who are put in a position of owning a home that is on the market for sale, and have already moved into the new residence. Obviously the financial and emotional distress from this takes a toll, but of course overseeing the property and checking in on it every few days is also very worrisome. I had a situation just a few years ago on my own home where I was out of town on a trip, and during this time a pipe froze and broke, spewing water into the basement for a a few days until an alert neighbor noticed my sump pump was running quite a bit more than everyone else's, and found the problem. Most home insurance policies do cover a home while it is vacant and on the market for sale, but usually an exclusion applies to vandalism if it has been vacant for 30 days or more. Also, if you do not keep the home maintained with heat and the pipes freeze and break, this is also excluded. Basically what this means is if you turn the heat off to save on the gas bill, and the pipes freeze, it is your problem. If something beyond your control occurs, like a power outage, or the furnace malfunctions, than the normal coverage applies, and coverage is not excluded for the water damage that occurs. Of course, your best bet for peace of mind is to look in on your home every few days, or a have a neighbor stop by and make sure everything is up and running the way it should be. This of course would be especially important during periods of extreme cold when a break is more likely to take place.

Long Term Care Insurance and the growing need for it in our society

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:48:51 -0600

Just a few years ago, the tax reform act of 2005 was passed. It basically said that in order for benefits to be available for Long Term care expenses, that the applicant could have very little in the way of assets, as it would be required to spend down assets before Medicaid would pay any benefits. So, if you own a home and have savings, do not expect Medicaid to be available for Long Term care costs. You should consider Long term Care if you would like to protect your assets...if you want to avoid burdening your family with extensive caregiving responsibilities.....if you want to be able to choose where you receive care, as well as the quality of the care you receive. The average cost for Long term Care in the Chicago area in 2008 was just over $5,000.00 a month. Most Long Term Care policies also cover Home Health care, paying trained Care givers to come to your home to care for you if that is your desire.

We at Allstate are contracted with Bisys-Crumm to provide Long Term Care from many of the large providers at the most competitive premiums. Give us a call and we can arrange a quote for you based on your specific needs.

Life insurance and Long Term care Coverage

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:45:20 -0600

It is interesting that during tough economic times, that my clients are even more in tune with the need and desire to protect their loved ones. Life insurance is one of the basics for the foundation of good planning for the family. Many times I have had clients tell me they have life insurance at work, and think that is enough, but in further probing we find the amount of coverage would cover family expenses of running a household for at best 6 months. For most often times what would be the eqiuvalent of only 1 weekly paycheck a young family can purchase enough life insurance to pay the family bills for several years, and assure them they will be able to stay in their home if the breadwinner dies. Feel free to contact us to get more information on rates in your particular situation.

Long Term Care......Many people falsely believe the government will somehow subsidize their cost of being in an extended care facility, or Home Health Care. Long Term care insurance is a great product designed to take care of this exposure, so as to not totally deplete your assetts. More on the details of this in my next Blog..........

Frozen pipes....what exactly does my Home insurance cover?

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:02:36 -0600

When a pipe freezes and cracks, very often the homeowner suffers water damage from the sudden and accidental discharge of water from the plumbing system. Most Homeowners Insurance policies cover this water damage to your home and its contents, subject to your deductible. Also, most Homeowners policies will cover the cost to get to the pipe. For example often the drywall has to be removed, and then also replaced after the pipe repair is taken care of. What is not covered is the actual repair of the pipe itself. This part of the plumbing repair is excluded and not a covered part of the loss.

The other common exclusion is for vacancy of the home if the homeowner leaves the home for an extended period of time, and does not take the necessary precautions to keep the home heated. If you turn off the heat and leave town for a few months there is no insurance coverage if a pipe freezes and cracks. As always check with your insurance company for the specific details on your policy in case it differs.

Protecting your Home from Winter's wrath and freezing pipes

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:20:54 -0600

When the temperature falls below 20 degrees and strong Winter winds blow, potential for freezing pipes increases dramatically. Taking the appropriate precautions will go a long way in protecting your Home and the contents.

Here are some basic things all Homeowners should do......

Detach all Garden hoses and if possible, shut off the water supplying the outside faucets. Keeping the hose on will trap water in the pipe, and this water will freeze and crack the pipe.

Wrap pipes with insulation or heating tape

Caulk or weather seal windows to cut down on wind drafts

Tag the location of your water main shut off so it can be easily found in an emergency

If you plan to travel and be away from home have a neighbor check your pipes and the temperature in your Home

Avoid turning the thermostat down too low when you are away

Keep your cabinet doors open to circulate air around the pipes going to your kitchen sink, especially when it is on an outside wall

Check the water flow of faucets, as a reduced flow can be a sign of freezing

Consider allowing your faucets to drip lukewarm water on the coldest of days to reduce the chance of a pipe freezing

Remember a pipe does not necessarily burst in the first freeze. It may take a few freeze-thaw cycles to cause the burst to occur. Also, the water leaks after the thaw begins and penetrates the crack in the pipe.

As always, contact your Insurance Agent should a leak occur. We can give the appropriate advice on how to handle the situation and how your Home Insurance applies in your situation.

Next.......what exactly is covered if I have a frozen pipe?

Philip H. Rutledge, LUTCF
Allstate Insurance
302 Fox Glen Ct.
Barrington, IL 60010

Phone: (847) 382- 7580
Cell: (847) 542-5876
Fax: (847) 382-7592

prutledge@allstate.com
www.BarringtonInsurance.net

Barrington insurance Deer Park Real Estate and Clue reports Why you need a C.L.U.E report

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:55:05 -0600

Many years ago, when the computer data base age came into being, Insurance companies developed a tracking system called CLUE. The Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange database tracks Homeowners Insurance claims, and it can provide valuable information for Buyers, Sellers, and Insurance Companies. For example I knew of a buyer that we gave a quote to for a new homeowners insurance policy, and in doing the quote I noticed there had been a large hail claim for the previous owner which paid for a new roof. In this case the seller had taken the $35,000 for the roof and decided to postpone the replacement. Now even though a Home Inspection would hopefully find this, that is not always the case. Sometimes the insurance Company will pay a claim even though the small dents from hail are barely noticeable and hard to find. It is rare that a hail storm would cause immediate leaks in the roof, unless it broke skylights. Usually it just takes a few years off the life expectancy. Also the roof is hard to do a thorough inspection on, unless weather conditions are good.

Needless to say, in my clients case he and his Real estate Agent went back to the seller and were able to renegotiate the deal based on this new information. So, when buying Real Estate make sure your Insurance Agent does a Clue Report (ALSO USING THE NEW HOME ADDRESS) as this will also show the claim history on the new home they are about to purchase.

You can also order a CLUE on your own for about $20 The Clue system is operated by Georgia based Choicepoint Asset Co. You can visit their website at choicetrust.com or by writing to C.L.U.E. at Consumer disclosure center P.O. Box 105295 Atlanta Ga. 30348-5295.

Please feel free to visit my website at Barringtoninsurance.net for more information about Homeowners Insurance.

Potholes and your car

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 09:24:22 -0600

Well it is that time of year where we are receiving many calls from clients where they have suffered damaged tires, wheels or suspension from hitting an unavoidable pothole in the roadway. Unfortunately all insurance companies view this is as an at fault incident....no differently than if you were to run into a fence, parked car, etc. Of course many times while driving at night, the pothole creeps up at the last second, and there is no alternative but to hit it. Swerving to avoid it in most cases can create even worse consequences. Call your insurance agent if this happens, and discuss the alternatives. Many times the dollar amount of the claim is below the threshold of where a clients rates will go up due to a payout for an at fault accident. Also we at Allstate insurance provide accident forgiveness on many of the policies we sell. Talking to your agent about your options is always the best course of action any time you want to file a claim with your insurance company.

Also, we recently discovered that some local governments may take responsibility for the damage. This is the case if the pothole has been left an inordinate amount of time without being repaired. Here in Illinois, the 5 counties of Cook, Lake, Mchenry, Dupage and Will are handled by the district 1 office at 847-705-4401.

Ice damming and water damage in your home

Philip Rutledge (Allstate) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:26:24 -0600

This is the time of year here in the Midwest, where our extreme weather creates havoc on our homes. As I write this today we have below 0 temperatures and periodically I here popping sounds coming from within the stucture of my home due to the extreme cold. As we begin to have warmer days and the snow melts, a condition called ice damming can easily occur in your gutters. Water then can be forced up under the shingles and into the attic causing damage to insulation and drywall. Most homeowners policies do cover this damage, subject to your deductible. If you are having a new roof installed, there is a new moisure barrier that is now available that is installed in the area closest to the edge of the roof that helps eliminate the water leakage into the home. Some homeowners also put a special warming wire in the gutter that is primarily used in problem areas, and stops the ice from forming. As always saftey is the first concern when doing any preventitve maintenance work around the home.

At Rutledge Insurance and Financial Services we can answer all of your questions pertaining to ways to prevent damage in your home, and what to look for in your Homeowners Insurance.