5 Tips for Filing a Home Insurance Claim after Disaster Strikes
When a disaster strikes your home it can be devastating. Get yourself back on track quickly by knowing how to file a quick and comprehensive insurance claim.
1- Always call your insurance agent first.Then…
2- If you don’t already have a home inventory complete, start by making a list of all of your property that was damaged or lost. Having an updated home inventory prepared ahead of time may allow you to skip this step entirely making the claims process much quicker. (Remember: It’s always more difficult to remember what you owned after it has been lost.)
3- Take photos of the damage including structural damage and damage inflicted on your home’s contents.4- If your home is still relatively safe to inhabit, start any temporary repairs that will keep your home from experiencing further damage. For example, if there are holes in your roof, windows, walls or doors be sure to use plastic or some other water resistant material to cover the holes and prevent further water damage.
5- Get at least one estimate from a licensed, insured and reputable contractor for the repairs necessary to repair your home back to it’s previous condition.Call us at NOVA Insurance Group for all your home & property insurance needs. The Agency is located in Chantilly, VA and our tel no. is 703.263.7800. Serving VA, MD and DC for the last 15 years!
Labels: Chantilly Property Insurance, Fairfax Property Insurance, Home Insurance in South Riding / Chantilly, Loudoun Property Insurance
2011 Safest Cars!
The safest cars for 2011 have been chosen by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an independent nonprofit scientific organization dedicated to reducing the incidents on American highways.
18 of the 66 winners of the newest IIHS Top Safety Pick award come from Hyundai and Volkswagen; with nine winning models each, the two manufacturers topped the list.
IIHS instituted tougher standards for 2010; the institute added roof strength to its criteria, testing protection in rollover crashes. Only 27 2010 models were initially able to pass the new test, but by the end of the 2010 model
"In just a year, automakers have more than doubled the number of vehicles that meet the criteria for Top Safety Pick," Institute president Adrian Lund said in a press release.
Ten more models made the grade in 2011, while two were discontinued.
"That gives consumers shopping for a safer new car or SUV—from economy to luxury models—plenty of choices to consider in most dealer showrooms” Lund continued. “In fact, every major automaker has at least one winning model this year."
Rear crash protection, seat and head restraints, front and side evaluations were all added into consideration along with roof strength. Based on incident tests and ratings, IIHS´s list helps consumers to choose cars that offer the highest level of protection.
Here´s a full list of the 2011 Top Safety Picks:Large CarsBuick LaCrosse
Buick Regal
BMW 5 series (except 4-wheel drive and V8)
Cadillac CTS sedan
Ford Taurus
Hyundai Genesis
Infiniti M37/M56 (except M56x 4-wheel drive)
Lincoln MKS
Mercedes E class coupe
Mercedes E class sedan
Toyota Avalon
Volvo S80
Midsize CarsAudi A3
Audi A4 sedan
Chevrolet Malibu
Chrysler 200 4-door
Dodge Avenger
Ford Fusion
Hyundai Sonata
Kia Optima
Lincoln MKZ
Mercedes C class
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Volkswagen Jetta sedan
Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen
Volvo C30
Small CarsChevrolet Cruze
Honda Civic 4-door models (except Si) with optional electronic stability control
Kia Forte sedan
Kia Soul
Mitsubishi Lancer sedan (except 4-wheel drive)
Nissan Cube
Scion tC
Scion xB
Subaru Impreza sedan and hatchback (except WRX)
Toyota Corolla
Volkswagen Golf 4-door
Volkswagen GTI 4-door
MinicarFord Fiesta sedan and hatchback (built after July 2010)
Minivan
Toyota Sienna
Large SUV
Volkswagen Touareg
Midsize SUVsAudi Q5
Cadillac SRX
Chevrolet Equinox
Dodge Journey
Ford Explorer
Ford Flex
GMC Terrain
Hyundai Santa Fe
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Kia Sorento (built after March 2010)
Lexus RX
Lincoln MKT
Mercedes GLK
Subaru Tribeca
Toyota Highlander
Toyota Venza
Volvo XC60
Volvo XC90
Small SUVsHonda Element
Hyundai Tucson
Jeep Patriot (with optional side torso airbags)
Kia Sportage
Subaru Forester
Volkswagen Tiguan
Labels: 20152 Car Insurance, Allstate South Riding, Auto Insurance in Chantilly / South Riding, Chantilly Car Insurance
Most & Least Expensive Cars to Insure!
http://finance.yahoo.com/insurance/article/110503/most-and-least-expensive-cars-to-insure?mod=insurance-autos
Want low insurance rates? Stay away from luxury coupes and sedans.
Looking to buy a reasonable ride, something reliable and affordable over the long run? Consider a Mazda Tribute or Dodge Caravan--they have among the lowest average insurance rates in the country.
Most people don't think about how much they'll spend buying coverage when they're picking out a vehicle. But they should--on average, insurance accounts for roughly 11% of total ownership costs over a five-year period. And depending on the model you choose to drive, you could end up paying a lot more.
"The choice of car is a major cost-driver in terms of what you're going to pay" for insurance, says Jeanne Salvatore, a spokesperson for the Insurance Information Institute.
Behind the Numbers
To determine the cost of insuring different vehicles, we used data commissioned by Insure.com (NasdaqCM: NSUR - News) from Quadrant Information Services, a data provider based in Reno, Nev. Analysts at Quadrant calculated the average premiums using car insurance rates from six large carriers (State Farm, Allstate (NYSE: ALL - News), Progressive (NYSE: PGR - News), Geico, Farmers and Nationwide) in 10 ZIP codes per state.
Averages assume the driver is a single, 40-year-old male who commutes 12 miles to work, with policy limits of $100,000 in injury liability for one person, $300,000 for all injuries and $50,000 for property damage in an accident, plus a $500 deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage. He has a clean driving record and good credit. (The policy includes uninsured motorist coverage.)
The data do not include exotic cars like Lamborghinis or super-expensive cars like Bentleys--though those models certainly do carry high insurance bills.
You'll Pay for Luxury
In general the vehicles with the lowest rates are wagons, vans and low-priced sedans. Stay away from hotrods like the Dodge Viper SRT-10 coupe or luxury saloons like the Porsche Panamera Turbo; those tend to be more expensive.
Luxury cars in general command high insurance rates. The Porsche 911 Carrera coupe ($77,000 MSPR, plus almost $3,000 per year for insurance) and Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG sedan ($201,150 MSRP, plus $2,900 per year) are two of the most expensive vehicles to insure. In fact, every car on our most-expensive-to-insure list costs more than $77,000 (for the base model).
Size and Power Matter…
Cars often have higher auto insurance rates than larger vehicles, too, because they tend to have higher rates of injury and collision claims, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
But size is far from the only factor that determines insurance payouts. Raw power counts for something too. And according to Russ Rader, a spokesperson for the Highway Loss Data Institute, high-horsepower vehicles tend to get into proportionately more crashes than their low-powered counterparts. That's one reason why cars like the Viper and Carrera made the list.
"If [insurance companies] aren't charging more for high-powered vehicles, they should be," Rader says.
That's because high-horsepower vehicles are often second, third or fourth cars in a household, not the primary, essential daily driver. "If somebody wants a toy and buys a high-horsepower Corvette, that vehicle is probably garaged during the week and then taken out for weekend play," Rader says. That means it's subject to potentially different driving habits and conditions than the family van.
…And So Do Your Driving Habits
The location of the car, the driver's record, commuting distance, credit history, health and age (of both the driver and the car) can also affect insurance prices. Even the amount of harm a vehicle could potentially inflict on another driver (a big pickup truck, for example, will always crush a Ford Fiesta) affects payment rates.
Salvatore says the best policy for getting the lowest possible payment is to do it the long way--drive safely, obey traffic laws and maintain good credit. Admittedly it's easier said than done.
By the Numbers: Most and Least Expensive Cars to Insure
Most Expensive, No. 1: Porsche 911 Carrera
Trim: GT2 2 Door Coupe
Cylinders: 6
Average National Premium: $2,943.78
Most Expensive, No. 2: Mercedes S65 AMG
Trim: 4-Door Sedan
Cylinders: 12
Average National Premium: $2,863.03
Most Expensive, No. 3: Dodge Viper SRT-10
Trim: 2-Door Coupe
Cylinders: 10
Average National Premium: $2,851.89
Least Expensive, No. 1: Mazda Tribute
Trim: i 2WD 4 Door Utility
Cylinders: 4
Average National Premium: $1,070.25
Least Expensive, No. 2: Honda Odyssey
Trim: LX 5 Door 2WD SOHC Van
Cylinders: 6
Average National Premium: $1,095.26
Least Expensive, No. 3: Chrysler Town & Country
Trim: LX 2WD 4 Door 3.3L Wagon
Cylinders: 6
Average National Premium: $1,119.83
Before buying a new car, call us here at NOVA Insurance Group (Tel: 703.263.7800). Let us run some numbers for you; we can estimate premiums so you won't be shocked later!
Labels: Allstate South Riding, Auto Insurance in South Riding / Chantilly, Chantilly Car Insurance
Tow Truck Scams!
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=2201620
WASHINGTON -- Not all threats on the road come from other drivers, and one service to which most motorists usually look for assistance can actually be the source of a major scam.
Inflated fees for towing services increased 103 percent in 2010, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Their scams to draw more money out of drivers in need can take on many forms, so nation-wide insurer Allstate put together a list of tips to avoid getting burned on the pavement.
Be suspicious of tow trucks that weren't specifically requested by you or by police.
Only accept aid from tow trucks with consistent, clear signage, and from companies pre-approved by your motor club or insurance provider.
The tow truck does not need your insurance information, so don't give it.
It is easy to get burned making payments on tow truck company storage fees, so make sure your car is towed home or to a mechanic.
Know what you're signing. Approve the dollar amount quoted, and not the bottom of a document that tow truck drivers may alter after receiving your signature.
Always remove valuables from your car.
These scams, potentially costing insurance companies thousands of dollars, can have far-reaching effects.
"When Allstate pays claims for fraudulent charges, it can certainly impact the price of insurance for everyone," Christina Tyler Loznicka, a spokeswoman for the company, told a New York Times blog.
Labels: Auto Insurance claims, Auto Insurance in Chantilly / South Riding, Car Insurance claims, Chantilly Car Insurance
Heating your Home Safely this Season
http://homeinsurance.com/blog/2010/10/15/heating-your-home-safely-this-season/
As temperatures across the country are beginning to drop, homeowners may be turning on their heat for the first time this season. And while the occurrence of home heating fires has declined drastically over the past 20 years, heating fires are still the second leading cause of all residential building fires according to the US Fire Administration.
Keep your home and family safe this season by following these tips for safe home heating:
•If you must use space heaters make sure they are working properly and never leave them operating unattended. Always be sure that there are no flammable objects/materials near a space heater and unplug them when not in use.
•Have your heating unit cleaned and serviced by a professional once a year.
•Make sure smoke alarms are installed and working properly.
•Install carbon monoxide detectors in your home and make sure they are working properly. If you are unsure, have a professional inspection of your home to make sure it is safe.
•Clean air vents by removing the vent cover and vacuuming any dust/debris that may have collected in the vent opening over the summer.
•Finally, if you have a fireplace, be sure to have your chimney cleaned by a professional before lighting a fire for the first time this year.
Call us at NOVA Insurance Group (Tel: 703.263.7800), located in Chantilly / South Riding, VA, to discuss your home & auto insurance needs. We'd love to earn your business.
Labels: Home Insurance in South Riding / Chantilly, Loudoun Property Insurance
Insurance Scams
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/12/insurance-scams-involving-towing-broken-glass-rise/1
You wouldn't normally think of broken windshields and tow trucks as egregious examples of insurance fraud. Rather, you'd think it would staging fake accidents.
Not so fast, says the National Insurance Crime Bureau.The industry group's latest summary of fraud trends puts broken glass repairs and towing at the top of the fraud list.
Through the third quarter of 2010, NICB received five times more questionable claims over auto glass repair in the third quarter compared to the same period a year ago. Likewise, claims suggesting inflating towing charge claims doubled in the period compared to the same period in 2009.
"Auto glass fraud and towing-related scams are occurring across the nation, but criminals also look for the path of least resistance, so increasingly they are choosing states like Florida and New York where 'no-fault' insurance provides a fertile environment for auto-related personal injury protection scams," said NICB CEO Joe Wehrle.
USA Today Dec 09, 2010
Labels: Auto Insurance in Chantilly / South Riding, Car Insurance claims, Chantilly Car Insurance
Backup Cameras!
So folks, what do you think?
http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/03/autos/backup_cameras_nhtsa/index.htm
Labels: Auto Insurance in Chantilly / South Riding, Chantilly Property Insurance
Social Media Pains!
Interesting article...
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/10-cures-for-your-social-media-pains/
Labels: Auto Insurance in South Riding / Chantilly, Home Insurance in South Riding / Chantilly
Social Media Pains!
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/10-cures-for-your-social-media-pains/
Yahoo article about SUV fender benders!
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/SUV-fenderbenders-can-lead-to-apf-129390147.html?x=0&.v=4
Labels: Auto Insurance in South Riding / Chantilly, Chantilly Auto Insurance, Chantilly Car Insurance, South
