Author: abraham

Will Homeowners’ Insurance Cover Floods? (Ann Arbor, MI)

Posted on by abraham

Floods are one of the most common natural disasters in the United States, and they can cause billions of dollars in damage. Homeowners’ insurance typically does not cover floods because floods are considered natural disasters. And most home policies exclude natural disasters from coverage.
However, there are some ways to protect yourself from financial ruin if a flood damages your home. One option is to purchase a separate flood insurance policy. And another option is to get a rider on your homeowners insurance policy that covers floods. Riders are typically available for an additional premium and can help cover some of the costs associated with flooded homes. Finally, you can try to negotiate with your mortgage lender to have them cover the cost of repairs if a flood damages your home,. Floods are unpredictable and can happen anywhere. So it’s essential to prepare financially in case your home becomes flooded. By understanding your options and being proactive., you can help to protect yourself from financial ruin in the event of a flood.

We’d be happy to review your insurance coverage options with you! Give us a call at (734) 213 – 6736 or visit https://www.heidikinsurance.com.

25 Years of Excellence!

Posted on by abraham

 

Despite the challenges of 2021, we happily celebrated our 25th Anniversary. A few years after graduating from college I moved to Ann Arbor to begin an amazing adventure. I married my husband and the next week opened a Nationwide Insurance Agency. We had zero clients initially. My immediate family grew side-by-side with my agency being my first “baby. I “raised” it along with my children, who came along a few years later. Since then, we’ve grown. Today we have 12 team members and 3 locations. Many of my original clients are still members of the agency today and I appreciate their trust, as well as all my new clients who have developed relationships with our team members over the years.

The BIG NEWS is that about 1 ½ years ago, I purchased my book of business from Nationwide Insurance and became an Independent Insurance Agency, which has some real benefits for YOU, our clients. Below are some new advantages of being a client of our agency.


Independent Agency:
In addition to offering you products from Nationwide Insurance, we now write and service policies for dozens of other national and regional insurance carriers. This change ensures that clients are getting a customized policy at the best value.


25th Anniversary:
Our growth and years of experience allow for a unique benefit to clients. We are large enough to have specialties to meet your needs and small enough to offer personal and family-like service.


Dedicated Receptionist:
No more automated receptionist. Your call will be answered by our dedicated receptionist, a real person, who will get you to the right person to handle your needs. We know your time is valuable and we want your experience to be as pleasant as possible.


Dedicated Account Manager:
Our expert team is well trained and focuses solely on helping you and your insurance needs. Your assigned Account Manager will help with policy changes, claims, and questions about insurance rates and options.


Give to the Community:
Each quarter the agency supports a non-for-profit. We do so with the help of our clients. Each time we receive a referral from you, we donate $10 to our sponsored non-profit.

This year we supported Food Gatherers, Habitat for Humanity, and Marine Corp’s Toys for Tots.We are partnering with Washtenaw County to provide N95 masks (10 in a package) to the community. Stop by for your FREE box! Lastly, during the last four summers, HKA has sponsored weekly Free Community Yoga at Buhr Park, please come join us next summer.


Many clients are enjoying the relationship with our agency. Check out the many awesome Google reviews we have received. Lastly, I’d like to thank you, our clients. The Pandemic has made us appreciate family, friends, co-workers, and clients. We all depend on each other to make our world kinder and happier.

I wish you much happiness this New Year and thank you so much for being an important client of Heidi Kussurelis Agency. Our whole team appreciates you and looks forward to continuing to service your insurance needs!


Sincerely,

 

 

What’s New in Home Insurance this Year?

Posted on by abraham

What’s New in Home Insurance this Year?

Yes, we know it’s still cold outside, CoV D-19 has limited our interactions, politics has become tense, and taxes are due soon. Okay forget all that and let’s focus on your HOME INSURANCE. If your agent hasn’t called you to do a careful review of your insurance, then it’s time for you to instigate a conversation.

TELL YOUR AGENT – ARE YOU … 

Completing or planning home improvements? 
Your dwelling limit coverage may need to be increased if you are contemplating major improvements made to your home. For example, many people have looked into finished basements. It may cost you $10,000 in renovations, increasing the tax value of your home by $20,000. But did you know that water backing up and damaging the new basement is not covered unless you have an addendum? A new TV, pool table, and furnishings need to be covered. The cleanup alone can cost at least $5,000!

Adding a new pet to the family? 
All pets should be discussed with your agent because certain dog breeds, exotic pets, and animals with a bite history may be excluded for liability coverage on many carrier’s homeowner policies. Ask before you adopt a pet!

Renting out your home (Airbnb)? 
Some homeowners’ policies may exclude coverage for home-sharing or short-term rentals. Some carriers will provide coverage just by adding an endorsement. Just as you may have changes in coverage, your insurance carrier’s offerings are changing, too. The “what’s new” aspect of homeowner insurance relates to several new features now offered by multiple carriers. You can add coverages that may not have been available when you originally purchased your policy.

SOME NEWER FEATURES MANY INCLUDE: 

Service Lines 
Provides expense for costly excavation and repair or replacement of damaged underground service lines on your property, such as underground wiring and piping. It may include coverage for loss of use and landscaping expenses. Service line repairs average roughly $3k to $4k but can go much higher.

Equipment Breakdown 
Provides additional protection for common home appliances in case of sudden electrical, mechanical, or pressure systems breakdown. It may also help cover extra charges to speed up repair or replacement of property damaged.

Better Roof Replacement 
This feature adds protection for covered roof damage by supplying above-average construction material and installation procedures. Materials must meet required UL (Underwriting Laboratories) certification. The contractor must document all specific steps and material. By adding this endorsement you can expect a much better outcome when your root gets damaged.

IN CONCLUSION 
We all want cost-effective solutions when we seek insurance products. These new features offset potential exposures to common home claim issues that were not offered or covered before. They also are reasonably priced to merit your consideration. Call your agent this week to discuss these options or contact the Heidi Kussurelis Agency at (734) 213-6736 or (810) 626-0245 to get the coverage you wished you had.

Raymond F. Jahn is an experienced Associate Agent at The Heidi Kussurelis Agency.