Home Insurance

Insuring the business inside your home

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A lot of people are running commercial operations, or businesses out of their homes. Many business owners are renters of the places where there businesses are, but when you operate one out of your home, that changes the rules somewhat. Professional staff at Peter Laczko Insurance in Woodstock, GA can advise you of your insurance needs when you operate a business in your home.

To some extent, your homeowners insurance is all you need. If you are a freelance writer, for instance, and customers ever enter your business, there may not be any need for anything extra. However, if you are a massage therapist or hairdresser, and people come to your home for service, you will have much different needs.

Your exposure to liability is a major concern when it comes to operating a business, and this is an area where you need to make sure  you are covered. Agents at Peter Laczko Insurance in Woodstock, GA. can explain the intricacies of how this insurance works, and can help you make sure you have the coverage you need.

But even if your business does not involve having the public in your home, you should also be concerned about your equipment or tools, that can get very expensive. You may be able to include it under your homeowners policy, but in some cases you will need an additional policy or rider to get the coverage you need.

Even if you are buying and selling items over the Internet, you will still want to make sure the property you are selling is covered against things like theft, fire or various storm damage. If you are an existing customer, come visit us and let us update your policy to reflect your current situation. New customers are always welcome too, and we can help you find the best policy to fit your situation.

What Is The Difference Between Homeowners And Renters Insurance

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Renters insurance protects your personal property which is not protected by a condo association or your landlord, while renters and homeowners face similar risks.  Reports establish that only 37 percent of renters have renters insurance.  Renters insurance premiums are different depending on where you live.

Renters should be aware that that owner’s insurance policy is typically not written to cover any losses to the renter’s property if it is damaged or destroyed.  There are rental policies that required renters to insure their property.  

The landlord and the homeowner have similar risks. There is a definite advantage to the landowner if renters protect their property such as: 

*  To protect the landlord from renter’s  who sue the landlord for any property damage claiming the landlord has responsibility.
*  If the tenant claims it cannot afford insurance the landlord has the opportunity to not to rent to a tenant that presents a risk.
*   The Landlord shifts the risk to the tenant to reduce its responsibility.
*   Tenant damages to the apartment will cover the landlord’s deductible on its policy.
*   If the tenant is a business renter the tenant’s business is protected by its commercial business policy and not by the landlord’s policy.

The major difference between a landlord/homeowner and renters policy is cost.  Renter’s insurance cost less than homeowners unless the renter is a business covered by its commercial policy.

The landlord/homeowner’s policy covers structure while renter’s policy mainly covers personal property.  However, both policies are similar in determining loss either based upon actual cash value or replacement value.  There exclusions that may not cover unusual personal property or environmental threats.  It is clear that as a renter you lose autonomy.  Some insurers will exclude certain types of animals or breed of dogs.

A Home Inventory Can Expedite Your Insurance Claim

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A home inventory can come in handy when making an insurance claim. Making an inventory of your personal effects gives you an accurate picture of what you own and how much your goods are worth. In the event of theft, damage or loss of personal goods, you can present this inventory to your Peter Laczko Insurance Inc. adjuster in Woodstock. GA to help expedite your claim. Here are some of the advantages of going through the trouble of making a home inventory.

Proof of Ownership

A home inventory is a document that lists all of your personal effects to include clothing, furniture, electronics, sports gear, jewelry, etc. Your inventory should include a brief description of your goods, receipts of purchase, certification of the historical or cultural value of heirlooms or antiques and photos to verify the condition of valuable items. If you have to make a claim, this document provides proof of ownership for the item(s) that have been damaged or lost. Having this information on hand will help expedite the claims process.  

Proof of Value

In addition to proof of ownership, your home inventory can help substantiate the value of costly goods covered by your insurance policy. Depending on the type of coverage you have and its limits, you can claim the full cost of repairing or replacing items that were stolen, lost or damaged in an event covered by your policy. If, for example, you are covered for replacement costs of posh jewelry, heirlooms or art, having these items documented on a home inventory can help you recuperate your loss.

Having a home inventory can work in your favor to simplify an insurance claim. To learn more about home inventories and how they can facilitate insurance claims, contact your Peter Laczko Insurance Inc. representative in Woodstock. GA.  

Keeping Home Insurance Simple: Tips to Understand Your Policy

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Thinking about home insurance is not something you’ll find on most people’s to-do lists. It also only tends to come up in conversation when there’s a problem. While it doesn’t have to be the sole topic of conversation, ignoring it makes the topic that much more confusing. Peter Laczko Insurance Inc. wants the people of Woodstock, GA to know more about their policy before they make any further decisions about it.

The More You Buy, The More You Save 

The more coverage you buy, the more money you save over the time. That’s a simple enough concept to understand if you’re annoyed with all the jargon and clause numbers. By choosing the bare minimum of coverage, you’re probably getting a premium you can handle from month to month. But without the extra coverage, you’re going to need to put your savings into the repairs yourself if there’s an problem that doesn’t fall under your policy. You risk declaring bankruptcy over a house you can no longer afford to keep up (or live in.) Without these extra precautions, it will be difficult to effectively save for the future. Even if it takes a while, damage from storms, thieves or Father Time is inevitable, and you need to have a plan for when they do occur. 

Your Policy Is Special 

Each person’s policy is based on what they need. While certain things remain standard, there’s no reason why you can’t make special requests based on your possessions and personal wishes. Talking to an agent can put you in the driver’s seat when it comes to what you own. Peter Laczko Insurance Inc. is here to answer questions and make this easier for you. Call to find out more about how our policies are made to fit the needs of the people of Woodstock, GA.

In Woodstock, GA, Do Homeowners Need a Supplemental Homeowners Insurance Policy?

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Disaster can strike at any time, so it’s important to protect your home which is most likely your biggest asset.  Homeowners insurance protects you financially should there be a disastrous event such as a fire.  Most policies also cover the homeowner’s personal possessions such as clothing and furniture.  The policy will also cover storage buildings, fences and other small structures on the property.  Additionally, a homeowner’s insurance policy provides personal liability protection.  This coverage protects the owner should someone injure themselves on the property and decide to sue.  Many policies will also pay for their medical expenses related to the injury.  Also, if the home is destroyed or significantly damaged, your policy can provide funds to cover the additional expenses that you will incur from hotels, meals, etc.  This helps support you and your family until you can return to your home.  Adequate homeowner’s insurance can help you recover from an unexpected event quickly.

There are things that homeowner’s insurance does not cover though.  Owners in Woodstock, GA need to assess their risks and talk with their insurance agent to determine whether coverage is appropriate for their needs.  Agents at Peter Laczko Insurance Inc. can discuss your options.  Often homeowners with firearms, antiques or other valuable items will opt for supplemental policies to ensure that these items can be repaired or replaced if they are damaged or destroyed.  If the home is in a flood zone, flood insurance will be needed.  This will provide funds is the home suffers water damage.  In areas affected by earthquakes, an additional policy can provide supplemental protection for you and your family. 

The team at Peter Laczko Insurance, Inc. can review your situation and answer any questions you have. 

Protect Your Home Insurance and Avoid Liabilities During the Holidays

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It’s true. Your home insurance protects you from mishaps throughout the year. Damage stemming from natural disasters, fires, and incidental losses may all be covered by your policy. During the holidays, it’s easy for these mishaps to occur, but it’s even easier to prevent liabilities.

Fix Walkways

If you anticipate having guests at your home, then you have to prepare your home. One of the most common overlooked problems with a home is its walkway. Cracks and missing stones can trip guests and cause them to be injured. If this happens, you may be reliable. As such, take measures now to prevent potential liability issues with guests in Woodstock, GA.

Remove Ice from Your Walkway

Another common holiday problem facing homeowners in Woodstock, GA is ice. Winters in Georgia can lead to ice accumulating on your driveway and steps. If you don’t remove the ice, and someone slips and falls, you may be sued. The solution to the problem is as simple as removing the ice and salting your driveway and porch.

Don’t Let People Drive Intoxicated

Did you know you may be responsible for someone getting into an accident after they leave your home? If you serve spirits and a person gets into an accident leaving your holiday party, the victim may be able to sue you. You can avoid this problem by preventing people from driving after they’ve had adult drinks. To make it simple, become a designated driver at your holiday party. As the designated driver, you reduce your liability risks.

With the holidays around the corner, you don’t want to ruin your event by creating liability issues. Instead, take measures to protect your home to ensure everyone remains safe this year. Additionally, if you would like to know what is covered by your home insurance policy, we encourage you to give us a call. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to having enough home insurance coverage.

 

Home Insurance Gaps That You Need to Know About

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You buy home insurance to protect your home from problems that may crop up. After all, you don’t want a fire or other accident to leave you homeless or on the hook for costly repairs. However, the typical home insurance policy may not cover everything that you think it does. Here are some common home insurance gaps that you need to know about in Woodstock, GA.

Expensive Collectibles or Other Items

If you have a nice art collection, coin collection, or just some pricey jewelry, you definitely want to check with your agent to make sure that those items are covered on your policy. You may need to purchase an insurance rider to make sure that those costly losses are covered in case of fire or theft.

Pools and Trampolines

Some insurance policies will not cover accidents that occur on trampolines or in pools. You should check with your agent at Peter Laczko Insurance Inc. to make sure that there are no exceptions on your policy for these types of accidents. If so, you’ll want to purchase additional insurance to protect yourself from a lawsuit should there be an accident on your property on a trampoline or in the pool.

Inadequate Coverage

Think about what’s in your home and look over your policy. Could you replace all of your possessions for the maximum personal property loss listed on your policy? When you start considering electronics, firearms, jewelry, and the possessions of four or five individuals, you may realize that your coverage is not enough to replace all your stuff if your home was a total loss from a fire or natural disaster.

Home Business Expenses

If you run a business out of your home, you may need an additional policy for your business property because your homeowner’s policy is not set up to cover business items.

Flood and Earthquake

Many homeowners policies do not cover damage due to flood or earthquakes. You should talk to your agent about buying flood or insurance coverage to protect yourself if this were to happen to you.

If you live in the Woodstock, GA area, contact Peter Laczko Insurance Inc. to discuss common home insurance gaps.

Will DIY Fixes Affect Your Insurance?

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DIY fixes are just part of owning a house. Even if you have the cash to hire a pro every single time you need something done, if you know how to replace a window, why would you sit in the draft all weekend waiting for a repairman to come by? A worthwhile concern: What DIY fixes will and will not affect your insurance rates?

No matter what sort of policy you have, whether you buy from Peter Laczko Insurance Inc. or you throw a dart at the insurance section of the yellow pages, you’re looking at essentially the same deal: If you need a permit or a license, you’d better call your insurer about it, first.

This is, of course, only a general rule of thumb, and there are plenty of exceptions, but more often than not this guideline holds true. If a project is big enough or delicate enough that licensing and permits are in order, then you need to talk to your insurer to make sure that it’s covered. This means things like building additional rooms onto a home, taking whole walls out of the house to expand a room, installing all new wiring and so on.

The problem that many homeowners run into is when their home suffers damages because of their own repair work. When a home owner installs a new bathtub without telling their insurer, and they seal it improperly, causing the flooring underneath to rot, the insurer is typically not going to cover that, for obvious reasons. On the other hand, you’re unlikely to have your insurer deny your claim for a house fire because you installed a new set of cabinet doors.

In short: If there’s any paperwork involved, just make sure your provider gets a copy.
 

If A Tree Fell…Would Home Insurance Cover The Damage?

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The recent devastation of Hurricane Matthew has a lot of residents of Woodstock, GA contacting us at Peter Laczko Insurance Inc. and asking about falling tree damage to their home. It is an understandable concern and one that must be fully understood before making an insurance claim.

Most Policies Will Cover Falling Damage…Usually

While most home insurance policies will cover damage to your home caused by a falling tree, there are certain limitations which apply. For example, you must pay your deductible before insurance will cover anything. So if the damage repair cost is lower than the deductible, you will receive no coverage.

Coverage will also be denied if the tree fell due to neglect on your part, such as failure to maintain the tree’s health or removing it if it was dead. The tree must have fallen due to no-fault of yours, such as during the extreme weather conditions of a hurricane. Tree removal is also not covered if your home wasn’t damaged by the falling tree.

Coverage For A Neighbor’s Falling Tree Is More Complex

If your home is damaged by a neighbor’s falling tree, your home insurance policy is likely to cover the damage. The same is true if a tree from your property falls and damages their house. However, if neglect is proven in either case, home insurance will not cover the damage. These unfortunate situations often result in lawsuits, so it is best to work with your neighbor to keep your trees in great health.

Contact Us Today

If you live in Woodstock, GA and suffered from falling tree damage to your home after a severe storm, please contact us at Peter Laczko Insurance Inc. today. We can help you understand your rights and get you the insurance coverage that you deserve.

What Does Home Insurance Actually Do?

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Congratulations! You are about to buy your first home in the Woodstock, GA area. Buying home insurance is one of the items on that must-do list that’s a million things long. Besides being required to purchase it to appease your mortgage company, what does home insurance actually do for you? Peter Laczko Insurance Inc. is here to answer all of your questions and help you purchase the right policy that fits your life and your budget.

Protects Your Largest Investment

If your home is damaged by a storm, a fire or if a vandal destroys a part of the property, home insurance will help you pay to restore the structure and property. Maintaining the home helps to protect its resale value, which ensures that you will enjoy long term benefits of home ownership.

Can Help Replace Possessions

In case of total loss, it’s not just the walls and windows that will need replacing. Your home insurance will help you carry on with life by replacing clothes, furniture, kitchen goods, and electronics.  Talk to your agent about full replacement coverage for exceptional items such as collectibles, jewelry, and valuables.

Provides Shelter

If your home is not habitable after a catastrophic incident, your insurance can help pay for short-term shelter until you can reoccupy your property.

Provides Liability Insurance

Accidents do and will happen. Guests who injure themselves while on your property can have their medical bills and expenses covered, ensuring that your savings account remains intact for true personal emergencies.

If you’d like to learn more about home insurance in the Woodstock, GA area, give the friendly agents a call at Peter Laczko Insurance Inc. to set up an informative appointment. We look forward to helping you settle into your new house.