When was the last time you took a look at your home’s foundation?
Maintaining a solid foundation is crucial to ensure the safety and stability of your property — and making prompt repairs will protect you from larger, more expensive problems down the road. Regardless of the age of your house, inspecting the foundation should be part of your annual to-do list. Here are five things you can do to avoid damage and maintain a solid foundation. Check for signs of foundation damage. Inspect the exterior of your house for large cracks in the foundation. Inside, look for crumbling, bowing or sagging walls. Diagonal cracks on interior walls and cracks in the floor or ceiling can also indicate foundation problems. If you spot issues, it’s best to call an experienced professional for repairs. Keep water from pooling around the foundation. Too much water can cause foundation upheaval. Make sure you have proper drainage in the form of gutters, downspouts, downspout extensions and soil sloping to carry excess water away from the foundation. Keep the soil moist. While you don’t want to drown your foundation in water, you also don’t want clay-rich soil to get too dry, potentially causing cracks in your foundation. If you live in a dry climate or have dry seasons, you want to keep the soil moist enough to prevent contraction. Control vegetation near the foundation. Attractive landscaping adds to your home’s curb appeal, but stick to smaller plants for gardens that border your home’s foundation. Tree roots can cause problems with your foundation, so it’s best to plant trees in other areas of your yard. Repair any damage promptly. When it comes to home maintenance, whether with your foundation or something else, catching and repairing problems as soon as possible can save you money and headaches in the future. Do you have questions about maintaining your home or your insurance coverage? Reach out today.
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Are you missing out on savings? If you have insurance policies with more than one company, the answer is most likely yes.
The commercials are true: Bundling insurance policies is often cheaper and more convenient when done with a single insurer. But why? While bundling may not be right for everyone, here is the how – and the why – on insurance bundling. Then you can make your own decision. What does it mean to bundle my home and auto insurance? Bundling your home (or renter’s) and auto insurance means getting both policies from the same insurer. You can ask for a quote to see your potential savings before you make a switch. 1. Save money when you bundle policies. You probably have to have home and auto insurance anyway, so you want to get the best possible deal on your coverage. You may be eligible for a multipolicy discount when you get more than one insurance policy from the same company. This is in addition to any other discounts you receive, such as for a good driving record. 2. Simplify payments and organization. Bundling your insurance coverage can help you simplify with one monthly payment instead of several. It’s also easier to keep up with your policies when you can view all your insurance documents in one place. Check your coverage, ask a question, and file a claim — all from the same online portal or mobile app. If your insurance needs to change in the future, you just have one phone call to make. 3. Increase your convenience as a customer. If you file claims often, it's better to have a company that knows and values you as a customer. And even if you don’t file many claims, holding multiple policies with a single insurer gives more business to a company that has given you superior customer service in the past. If you have any questions, reach out for help. This just in... there is a new Home Insurance Program available to Massachusetts residents that was just approved by the Massachusetts Commissioner of Insurance. This is an A Rated Company by AM Best and specializing in Home Insurance near the ocean. They have chosen the Arthur D. Calfee Insurance Agency, with their corporate office located in Falmouth, on Cape Cod, in Massachusetts, to be their Home Insurance Representative Agent. Find out if you qualify for this new Home Insurance Program by calling 508-444-0509 or get a Quick Online Home Insurance Quote at www.CalfeeInsurance.com Actual cash value or replacement cost?
When it comes to insuring your most valuable possessions, you have important choices to make. In the event of a loss involving your home or car, do you know how you'd like to be reimbursed? Does your current policy reflect these preferences? Carefully evaluate these two types of coverage to ensure you're well-informed. Actual Cash Value If you elect for an actual cash value insurance policy, you'll likely be compensated for the fair market value of the item at the time it was lost or damaged. Pro: These policies often have less expensive monthly premiums, so you could insure expensive items for less. Con: The payout is not based on what you paid for the item. This means you could be out the difference if something has depreciated in value since you purchased it. For example, if you had a wreck and wanted to replace the car you bought five years ago, you'll probably be accepting payment for what a vehicle of that make and model would fetch now, minus your deductible and wear and tear. Replacement Cost Many agents recommend replacement cost insurance, especially for homeowners. This sets you up to be reimbursed for the full amount it would take to rebuild your home and replace everything in it. Pro: You can replace older items for what they would cost to purchase new. Con: This option tends to be more expensive. Also, you must replace all items claimed to recoup the payout and you can't use the money for other things. Keep in mind that multiple factorscome into play when determining how an insurance claim will be paid out, but by learning about your options you can set yourself up for success. Please reach out with any questions you have. Living on Cape Cod can be limiting in the choices regarding home insurance carriers. Most Cape Codders are familiar with the Massachusetts Property Insurance Underwriters Association or the "not so Fair Plan". A great alternative now available on Cape Cod is Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company which can be accessed through your local agent. UPCIC is proven to have comparative deductibles and premiums. Contact a local Cape Cod agent to provide you with a free quote to see if UPCIC can save you money on premium and/or provide better coverage for your home. UPCIC Financial Strength Has aligned itself with some of the best and most respected service providers in the industry. This functional structure affords UPCIC the opportunity to take advantage of a unique combination of financial strength, underwriting skills, analytical expertise and administrative capability. Mission The mission of Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company and the Red Elephant is to deliver exceptional service and value to you, our customer. We offer smart solutions, financial security and peace of mind. The wisdom of the Red Elephant guarantees that we never forget our most important job,serving our customers. The Red Elephant and Universal Property & Casualty are always ready to stand by your side. Claims Underwriters are always available. Universal Property & Casualty is committed to processing all claims quickly and efficiently with every effort made to furnish the client with immediate service. Customer Service Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company is dedicated to providing unsurpassed service to its agents and our customers. When you call Universal Property & Casualty, you will not talk to a voice mail system. A well-trained representative is ready to help. We pride ourselves on personal attention, servicing each customer's claim as if s(he) were a member of our own family. Our goal is to give our customers the quickest turnaround time possible on all claims. https://universalproperty.com/ |
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Arthur D. Calfee Insurance Agency, Inc. is proudly serving primary home, vacation home, auto, collector car, business, general liability, property, professional liability, contractor's liability, worker's comp, key man, whole life, term life, group or personal disability, & long-term care insurance policies to patrons in the following Cape Cod, Massachusetts towns, communities and villages: Barnstable, Bourne, Brewster, Buzzards Bay, Centerville, Chatham, Cotuit, Craigville, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Hatchville, Harwich, Hyannis, Hyannisport, Marstons Mills, Mashpee, Orleans, Osterville, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro, Wellfleet, Woods Hole, Yarmouth, and Yarmouthport.
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