What You Need to Know About Homeowners Insurance Cancellation

If you own a home in Bloomfield, NJ, you know that having the proper homeowners insurance is essential. But what happens if your coverage is canceled? Is it possible for your policy to be canceled without warning? E.S.T.I.R. Inc. explains homeowners insurance cancellation and your options if it happens. 

When Can Homeowners Insurance Be Canceled? 

Homeowners’ insurance can be canceled for various reasons. Some of the most common are non-payment of premiums, filing too many claims within a short time, and making changes to the property that could increase the risk of damage or loss (such as installing a pool). Some insurance companies may cancel your policy for adopting certain breeds of pets. Another possibility is that the insurance company is going out of business. Sometimes, your insurer may cancel your policy for no specific reason—although this is rare. 

What Happens When Your Insurance Is Canceled? 

If your insurer decides to cancel your policy, they must provide you with written notice at least 30 days before the effective date of cancellation. The notice must include an explanation as to why the policy has been canceled. Depending on why your policy was canceled, you may have options such as switching insurers or negotiating a payment plan with your current company.  

Where Can I Get More Information About Homeowners Insurance Cancellation?   

E.S.T.I.R. Inc. provides comprehensive homeowners insurance coverageexplicitly tailoredy for Bloomfield, NJ residents. We can answer any questions about homeowners insurance cancellations and provide additional information about how best to protect yourself from unexpected cancellations or lapses in coverage. Contact us today for more information and details! 

 

When Should You Update Your Home Insurance?

It’s important to update your home insurance policy due to certain events. This ensures that you have the proper coverage. At E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in Bloomfield, NJ, we offer home insurance and other types of coverage. 

Renovations 

If you’ve just performed renovations or significant improvements on your home, you’ll need to update your homeowner’s policy. If your home is damaged or destroyed, the compensation you receive will be based on the value of your home. 

Renovations and other improvements increase the value of your home. Notifying your insurance company means you are covered for the current full value of your home.

Major Purchases 

Your homeowner’s policy also covers your possessions. However, some high-end items require a rider to provide adequate coverage. You should notify your insurance company if you just purchased a home theater system or expensive jewelry. 

Attractive Nuisances

A swimming pool is an excellent example of an attractive nuisance, but it’s not the only one. Other items, including playground equipment, treehouses, and trampolines, also fall into this category. 

 They can increase the value of your home. However, they can also affect your liability. Your premium may increase, and you may need to increase your liability coverage to protect your assets. 

Security System

You installed a security system because you want to keep your family safe. However, it’s also beneficial to your insurance company. It reduces the risk of property damage, fire, and other incidents that could trigger an insurance claim. For this reason, many insurance companies offer a discount on security features. 

Home Insurance with E.S.T.I.R. Inc.

If you need home insurance in Bloomfield, NJ, contact us at E.S.T.I.R. Inc. Our knowledgeable agents will discuss your coverage needs and help you select the best policy. 

Tips to Help Prevent Your Pipes From Freezing in the Winter Months

One of the most common reasons homeowners file home insurance claims in the winter months is because winter weather has caused a pipe to burst, and now they are left with a broken pipe and possible water damage. Here at E.S.T.I.R. Inc., serving the greater Bloomfield, NJ area, we want to help you avoid this issue. Here are a few ways to decrease the chances of your pipes freezing and bursting in cold winter weather. 

Insulate Your Pipes

One of the ways that you can decrease the chances of your pipes freezing and bursting is to insulate your pipes. Insulating pipes is fast and inexpensive, and it helps your pipes to stay a bit warmer. This can be the difference between your pipes freezing or not freezing. 

Leave Water Running On Cold Nights

Another tip that can help to minimize the chances of your pipes freezing and bursting on cold nights is to leave water slowly dripping in your faucets. This keeps water moving through the pipes instead of just sitting there, which can prevent water in the pipes from freezing. 

Winterize Your Pipes When You Go Away

Lastly, if you are going away for three or more nights and temperatures will be at or below freezing, call a professional to winterize your pipes or remove the water from them. This ensures your pipes do not freeze and burst while you are away and not using water. 

While there are steps you can take to decrease the chances of your pipes freezing during winter weather, you cannot prevent the problem entirely. This is why having the right home insurance policy is so vital. At E.S.T.I.R. Inc., serving the greater Bloomfield, NJ area, we can help you with your home insurance needs. Call or email us to get started.

Four Most-forgotten Basics About Home Insurance

If you have home insurance in Bloomfield, NJ, you must know it inside and out to get the most out of it. Regrettably, your home insurance may be put on the back burner with your hands full of personal, job, and work responsibilities. E.S.T.I.R. Inc. gives a rundown of home insurance basics you should keep at the back of your mind to harness the power of this coverage.

Don’t forget to update your policy.

Renewing your policy is good to ensure it covers your current insurance needs. We advise homeowners to review their insurance policy at least once a year. However, if you bring in a dangerous pet, do significant renovations, and buy more assets, don’t fail to notify your insurer.

Reviewing your insurance ensures you pay the correct premiums and ease the claim filing process.

Failing to understand what the policy covers

Most homeowners purchase home insurance but don’t know what it covers. How can you get the most out of your policy if you don’t know what it covers? Understand what your home insurance covers to fill gaps and simplify your claiming process.

Forgetting about home insurance exclusions

You are probably aware of what your home insurance covers. But do you know what’s not covered by your policy? Knowing home insurance exclusions helps you buy add-ons to boost your policy. It also reduces heartache when filing claims.

Typical home insurance doesn’t cover floods, earthquakes, sewer backups, and intentional damage. If you want to understand the details of exclusions, read the fine print in your policy or consult your insurance agent.

Getting it wrong with an insurance agent

Your insurance agent is like your financial advisor. If you don’t bump into the right one, they won’t give you essential advice to make informed decisions. Always opt for a knowledgeable, experienced, and independent insurance agent.

Want to learn more about home insurance in Bloomfield, NJ? Please email or call E.S.T.I.R. Inc. for more insights.

How Home Insurance Protects You

Owning a home means that you have a lot of responsibilities. One of the most important ones is to have home insurance at all times. This insurance offers several different kinds of protection to you and your home. If you don’t have the home insurance you need on your home, call us today at E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in Bloomfield, NJ.

Protection for Your House

The house needs to be protected with home insurance. Some of the coverage from these policies is coverage for the house itself. This means that if a covered event happened to your house and caused it to be damaged, the policy would pay for the damages less your deductible. When a covered event does happen, and you are left with hefty repair bills, it’s great to have this coverage. Without it, you might be able to afford the necessary repairs to keep your home intact. 

Item Protection

Your items that are inside your house are also in need of protection, and home insurance provides it. Its coverage protects everything inside your home in case of a damaging event. If your items are destroyed or damaged, the policy can pay for you to repair or replace them. With this coverage, a severe incident that destroys what you own won’t end up leaving you with anything. 

Protection Against Liability

As a homeowner, you have liability for what happens there. If someone came over and were injured in your home, you would owe them for their medical bills, other expenses, and even lost wages. Your home insurance policy covers these expenses, so you don’t have to. 

Protect Yourself and Your Home

When you have a house that isn’t being protected by home insurance, it’s time to call us. Contact us today at E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in Bloomfield, NJ.

Tips for making your home safer while you’re away on vacation

Americans have never needed to go on vacation more than they do now. It may have been a while since you jumped into the car for a road trip or to the airport to get to your destination. At  E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in Bloomfield, NJ, we are independent insurance agents, and we want to help you make sure that your home is protected from all the bad things that can happen while on vacation. 

You need to make sure you are not leaving your home vulnerable to issues while you are away. There are a few things you can do before you leave for vacation to help.

Get a house sitter

Ideally, getting a housesitter will not leave your home unoccupied while you are away. This needs to be someone you know you can trust not to make the issues worse. If you have pets, this is a great way to protect your home and make sure your pets are cared for without having to board them. 

Stop your mail

Stopping your mail means that you won’t have a pile of mail in your mailbox. You can stop it easily by going online to the USPS website and requesting the stop. Always stop it at least a day in advance so you can check to make sure it is stopped.

Arm your alarm

This sounds self-evident, but in the rush and excitement to leave, it is not unknown for this to have been forgotten. 

Have lights on a timer

Have several lights in your home on a timer to come on at different times. You want it to look like someone is at home. 

Don’t announce your plans on social media.

Never tell everyone on social media that you will be away. Wait until you get back to share your photos and plans. 

Contact  E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in  Bloomfield, NJ with all your home insurance needs.

What you need to know before starting a major project on your home

Making your Bloomfield, NJ area house feel like a home can feel like a significant undertaking. This is especially true if you are about to start a major project in your home. Before you get started, let’s make sure that your home policy provides the enhanced coverage you may need for a renovation. Come by the E.S.T.I.R. Inc. office today and find out more!

Double-check your home insurance BEFORE starting a big project

If you are planning on starting a major improvement or renovation project in your home, double-check your home policy first! When you have contractors working at your home, you may need to increase your liability coverage before they get started. Yes, contractors and construction workers must carry their own insurance policies, but they don’t always provide the protection you need. Their insurance is there to protect themselves, first and foremost. 

When you have the increased liability protection you need, you can rest easy knowing that you’ll be covered. Having this coverage in place can help you avoid personal financial responsibility if someone is injured while working on your home improvement project. It’s also important to make any post-project changes to your home policy to reflect any value increases. 

We are here to help you with all of your insurance needs!

Bloomfield, NJ residents can rely on the team at E.S.T.I.R. Inc. for all of their insurance needs. We are here to help you protect your home and yourself. Let’s ensure that you have the liability protection you need before you start a major renovation. If you’d like to find out more, give us a call or stop by our office today!

Why You Need Homeowner’s Insurance in New Jersey

Homeowners in Bloomfield, NJ should be well aware of the necessity of having homeowner’s insurance to protect their most valuable investment (their home). E.S.T.I.R. Inc. encourages anyone in the New Jersey area to look into homeowner’s insurance and find a plan and an agent that will assist you with the entire process. 

Homeownership comes with a plethora of responsibilities, and insurance acts as additional protection and support when you need it most. In New Jersey, the weather can get a bit unpredictable and your home may become damaged in a severe storm. Insurance protects your home from any weather-related damage. 

If your home is destroyed in a natural disaster or weather-related incident, a quality insurance policy can cover the costs of repairing or rebuilding it. 

Imagine your home getting destroyed and you are not only left to pick up the pieces, but you also have to take on the financial burden of repairing or rebuilding and finding somewhere to stay in the meantime. It’s too much stress to even fathom; another great reason to simply invest in homeowner’s insurance and not even give it a second thought.

Another reason is your personal property within the home – this can all be covered by an insurance policy. 

Think of all your clothing, electronics, furniture, and everything that means something to you in your home. If your home gets broken into or your personal property is somehow damaged or ruined, your insurance can often cover the costs here as well. 

Home insurance protects you in an endless number of "What If" situations. They may never happen, but if they do, you’ll be so glad you invested in a quality insurance plan. 

Contact the team at E.S.T.I.R. Inc. for full-coverage insurance plans in Bloomfield, NJ.

How Home Insurance Protects You

It’s great to own a home, but it does come with a number of important responsibilities. One of these is to have a home insurance policy covering your home from the day you buy it onward. Don’t go without this vital insurance coverage for even a single day. If you need home coverage, call us today at E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in Bloomfield, NJ.

Coverage for Your Home

One of the most important ways that home insurance covers you is to protect your house itself. If a covered disaster, accident or other incident were to cause damage to your home, your home policy would pay for the damages to it or pay to rebuild it if it’s destroyed. There are many accidents and calamities that can happen to homes and trying to pay for the damages yourself may be simply too much to afford. With this policy, you won’t have to worry about coming up with the money yourself to fix the problem. 

Coverage for Your Belongings

Another important way that this insurance keeps you protected is by covering everything that you keep inside your home. All of your belongings are protected against covered incidents, and this can help you to replace items that are ruined and to fix items that are damaged. This is valuable coverage because our possessions are often our biggest outlay of money next to our homes. 

Protecting Your Lifestyle

If your home were to be made uninhabitable after an accident, disaster, etc, your home policy would pay for you to live somewhere else while it gets fixed. This protects your lifestyle and standard of living. 

Call Us Now

If you need home coverage, don’t wait to call us. Contact us right away at E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in Bloomfield, NJ to find out more about these essential insurance policies.  

Why do people in New Jersey need home insurance?

Those that are in the Bloomfield, NJ area will have many housing options to consider. As you are looking for a new place to live, investing in your future and buying a home can be a great option. As you are looking for a home to buy, you also need to shop for a home insurance plan. A new home insurance policy in New Jersey could be needed for a few reasons. 

Coverage Provides Valued Protection

A reason that you will need to have home insurance here is because of the valued protection it provides. Your home is a major asset that will require you to make a big investment to purchase it. The best way that you can ensure this asset and investment will pay off is by getting the right insurance for it. Your home insurance plan will give the protection needed to cover your home. 

Coverage is Required

You should also get a home insurance plan in this area because it is likely going to be a requirement to carry coverage. A full home insurance plan is typically required by any mortgage provider. To ensure you do not have a coverage lapse, they may also require you to escrow your payments in an account each month. 

Homeownership continues to be a great housing option and goal for people in the Bloomfield, NJ area. As you are assessing your purchase options, you should also call E.S.T.I.R. Inc. to discuss your insurance needs. There are a lot of choices that come with picking a home insurance plan and E.S.T.I.R. Inc. can make the process easier for you. The team here can give you insight into your insurance options, which can help you build a plan that is ideal for your situation.