Candle safety can prevent home insurance claims

Candles can be a great way to add ambiance to a dinner party or special event. They can also be a great gift or decorating piece for your home.

But candles have a darker side. From 2003 to 2007 firefighters responded to an average 15,260 home fires per year that were started by candles, » read on…

Insurance protection for your valuables

If you’ve inherited or were given a valuable piece of jewelry or art, you need to do more than find a special spot for safe keeping. You need to make sure you have enough insurance to protect it.

Standard home insurance policies provide coverage for household belongings, but they have limits for precious items, such as jewelry, fine art and furs. » read on…

Help, a tree fell on my house!

Falling trees are among the common hazards you could face as a homeowner during snow and ice storms, but the ins and outs of insurance coverage depend on the situation.

Generally, standard home insurance doesn’t pay for damage to trees, shrubs and other plants from a storm, according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI). But it does cover damage a falling tree causes to structures that are covered under the insurance policy. » read on…

Spending spree: 8 hard-to-insure luxury items

Luxury items motivate some of us to work hard, in the hope that we’ll be able to purchase the expensive merchandise one day, and they could be the reason some lottery winners end up broke a few years after buying their winning tickets.

If you find yourself in a position to own one or all of these luxury items, just keep in mind that costs of these goods continue even after the initial purchase. No matter how you end up with the wealth to buy any one of these products, you’ll want to protect your high-end merchandise with insurance. Whether you’re the agent or the policyholder, hard-to-insure luxury goods presents a number of insurance challenges. » read on…

Know your insurance coverage before deciding on an extended warranty

You’ve been eying that expensive flat-screen TV for months, and it finally went on a sale for an unbelievable price. As you rolled up to the cashier with a television the size of a bed sheet, you may have been faced with a question you weren’t prepared for: do you want to buy the extended warranty? » read on…

Butterball of fire: Play it safe when deep frying a turkey

The hot trend of deep frying turkeys has spread like wildfire in the last few years — literally.

Deep fryer fires on average kill five people, injure 60 and cause more than $15 million in property damage every year, according to the National Fire Protection Association. State Farm warns that more cooking fires flare up on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. According to its claims data from 2005 to 2009, grease and cooking-related claims more than double on Thanksgiving compared to an average day in November. » read on…

Check your liability insurance before you host a holiday party

With the weather growing colder and the days getting shorter, the holiday party planning season is upon us. But before you get knee-deep in details about how to keep your guests’ happy at the party, plan how you’ll keep them safe once they leave. » read on…

7 little-known facts everyone should learn before buying car insurance

When it comes to purchasing car insurance, it’s important to get the best deal you can. There’s also a great deal of fine print involved, so you need to understand just what you’re getting with your policy. Here are 8 little-known facts that could save you money: » read on…

10 home repairs you shouldn’t ignore

If you’re like most people, your home is the largest purchase – and most significant investment – you’ll ever make. So you’ll want to maintain it, and a large part of proper upkeep means staying on the lookout for potential problems. In fact, if you allow your home’s condition to deteriorate, your home insurance company may refuse to pay for the damages. Don’t wait until a minor annoyance becomes a big problem. Here are 10 home repairs you shouldn’t ignore: » read on…

Does your home insurance policy cover that?

If your home has just suffered a major catastrophe, the only thing worse than the damage is finding out that your homeowners policy doesn’t cover it. You may be surprised at some of the perils excluded from a standard policy. But coverage varies by insurer and the state where you live, so pay attention when choosing your insurance policy. » read on…