All posts by John McLain

Water Damage

Preventing Water Damage

Water damage can devastate a home. Even a small amount of water can cause issues. And with Spring Showers in full effect, preventing water damage is on the top of many minds. Water damage can occur in many ways. Let’s review the most common scenarios and tips for prevention.
  1. Pipe Burst – Typically this occurs during the winter when a pipe freezes, then bursts due to expanding ice in the pipe. Be sure to keep pipes insulated or wrapped with heating coils if exposed to cold air.
  2. Valve failure – Sometimes plumbing valves fail. And when they do, a lot of water can enter your home. While this isn’t something you can prevent, you can limit damage by knowing where the main water shut off is. If it isn’t easy to access, then see if a plumber can relocate it to an easy-to-access location for quick shut off.
  3. Water heater leaks – Water heaters will fail. The typical lifespan of a glass-lined water heater is 8-12 years. And if you have hard water, it may be even less. As a water heater ages, the glass liner will crack and develop a slow leak. The leak will intensify over time, eventually spilling all the water. If your water heater is over 8 years old, have it inspected annually and consider replacement.
  4. Sump pump failure – Life expectancy for a sump pump is about 10 years. If your pump is approaching 10 years of service or older, just replace it. It’s good insurance.
  5. Rain penetration – Leaking roof, windows or siding can allow rain into your home. Be sure to have the exterior of your home inspected every couple of years. If the roof is over 20 years, have it inspected and then determine how often to follow up based on the condition. Look for cracks and gaps and caulk and seal them if needed. Keep gutters clean and free of blockages.
  6. Leaking shower or tub – Inspect your tub and shower for missing grout or caulk. Any gaps could allow water to seep into the walls and cause damage. Older tiled showers need to be regrouted and sealed, so have yours inspected if the grout appears to be missing or cracking.
Insurance claims for water damage are among the most common home insurance issues. To prevent your insurance rates from climbing, take precautions with inexpensive maintenance and inspections to prevent water from causing problems in your home. To learn more about preventing water damage, contact your independent Provident Insurance agent. We serve Plainfield, Greenwood, Avon, Brownsburg, Indianapolis, Carmel, Zionsville and the entire central Indiana area. Stop in one of our convenient locations to discuss your insurance needs today.

4 Ways To Avoid Getting Your Car Stolen

Most of us don’t think about car theft prevention until it’s too late. But the fact is, learning how to prevent a car theft is knowledge you need. Consider this: a vehicle is stolen every 44 second in the United States according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). While 50 percent are recovered, that somewhat encouraging figure doesn’t tell the whole story. Also, most car thefts are not random. They are intentional and financially driven. Most cars are stolen to be sold for parts. They are stripped in a matter of minutes and left abonded, unmarked and unidentifiable. But car thieves are mostly opportunistic. They will not steal a car that takes much effort to steal. They want easy thefts, so let’s not make it easy on them, shall we?

1. Secure your vehicle

Whenever you park your car, even in your own driveway, close and lock the windows/doors to help prevent car theft. This seems like a basic security tactic, but we all know how easy it is to become complacent. Although it makes the first moments you enter your car a tad uncomfortable, resist the temptation to leave windows cracked during the summer. Just make it a habit to lock your doors all the time.

2. Park intelligently

Again, car thieves are opportunistic. They are hoping you make it easy on them. Parking in dark, private areas does just that. So don’t do it. Park in well-lit, public areas. The more people the better. And if there are security cameras around, park close. Thieves don’t like an audience, so the more people the better.

3. Valuables don’t belong in your vehicle

Valuables offer even more incentive for thieves. Not only will they take your car, but they’ll take your possessions too. So keep valuables out of sight if you must leave them in your car. Secure items in your trunk or cover them to keep them from plain view.

4. Use a physical anti-theft device

Roughly 40 percent of insurance companies offer a premium discount for vehicles that have an antitheft device. That’s because these devices go a long way toward car theft prevention. Thieves are looking for an easy target, one they can conquer quickly without drawing attention to themselves. Physical anti-theft devices include vehicle immobilizer systems that prevent thieves from hotwiring your car. California, Florida and Texas are the nation’s leading car theft states, according to NHTSA data. If you live in one of them, researching anti-theft devices could save you some money on car insurance and spare you the aggravation of a car theft. To learn more about protecting your car, contact your independent Provident Insurance agent. We serve Plainfield, Greenwood, Avon, Brownsburg, Indianapolis, Carmel, Zionsville and the entire central Indiana area. Stop in one of our convenient locations to discuss your insurance needs today.
Couple taking a Home Inventory

Time For A Home Inventory

There is never a great time for a home insurance claim – especially one with significant damage. A flood, tornado or fire can cause partial or total loss and that means filing a claim for every possession within your home. While some items are easy to remember, like a couch, bed or large screen TV, other items aren’t so easy to recall, especially if you are trying to remember everything you own. So that’s why it’s important to do periodic home inventories. Performed on an annual basis, these inventories can catalog all your (or a vast majority) of your possessions in the event of a total loss.

Home inventory the easy way

Inventorying all of your possession could seem like a daunting task, but there is a very easy way to do it. Simply video record your home. Do a walking tour of your home and video all your possessions, including furniture, electronics, clothing, etc. This provides an excellent source of information for you and your insurance company to use as a basis for your claim. The video should highlight expensive items or large quantities of items. For instance, if you happen to own a lot of shoes, take an extra minute in your closet and video your shoes for good record. If you are a collector of any sort, video your collections in detail to ensure accuracy. For valuables such as jewelry, it’s best to have appraisals on hand. You can video those as well. Simply lay them out on a table and capture the important information on the video file. Receipts are another good document to capture on the video, particularly for expensive items. Simply fan the receipts on the table and focus your video recorder to ensure you can see the printing.

Store the video someplace safe

Once you have a video inventory of your possessions, store a copy somewhere safe, ideally outside of your home. A safe deposit box works well. But another easy and simple place is a cloud-based server. Google Drive allows free storage up to a limited amount of data, but it’s usually enough space to store a few video files. Other cloud based data storage sites may charge a monthly fee, but offer the safety of remote storage. To learn more about inventorying your possessions, contact your independent Provident Insurance agent. We serve Plainfield, Greenwood, Avon, Brownsburg, Indianapolis, Carmel, Zionsville and the entire central Indiana area. Stop in one of our convenient locations to discuss your insurance needs today.
Driving Record Matter

Safe driving tips to reduce insurance costs.

It’s a known fact that safe drivers have fewer accidents. As a result their insurance rates stay low. So the way you operate your vehicle can directly affect how much you pay for insurance. Some insurance companies are even providing monitoring devices that track how a person drives, which can lead to further discounts. So, how can you do this on your own? Easy. Just follow these tips.
  1. Don’t speed. Seems simple right? But over half of the drivers surveyed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety admitted to speeding within the last 30 days. Pay particular attention near construction and school zones because speed limits drop and penalties go up. But more importantly, speeders are at higher risk for accidents and tickets. If you get a lot of tickets your rates will go up.
  2. Keep your distance. If you follow another vehicle too closely, you may put yourself in a position to rear-end that car.
  3. Fix those brakes. And anything thing else that needs to be repaired, including suspension, lighting and tires. A properly maintained vehicle is safer and easier to maneuver.
  4. Ask for discounts. Some insurance companies offer discounts for safety-related features. ABS breaks, air bags, lane departure warning, stability control are several features that make a vehicle more safe, so ask if they earn you a discount.
The bottom line is this. The single best way to get the cheapest rates possible is to be a safe driver with no accidents or speeding tickets. If it’s too late for that – meaning you have been in accident (or more) and you have had speeding tickets – then it may take time to get your driving record cleared out. And the only way to do that is drive safe! To learn more about safe driving discounts, contact your independent Provident Insurance agent. We serve Plainfield, Greenwood, Avon, Brownsburg, Indianapolis, Carmel, Zionsville and the entire central Indiana area. Stop in one of our convenient locations to discuss your insurance needs today.
Renter's Insurance

Securing you home while you travel can help reduce insurance costs.

Whether it’s for business or pleasure, many people have to leave their homes to travel from time to time. And while you’re gone, keeping your home secure is the key to preventing break-ins. According to government statistics, there are approximately 2.2 million home burglaries each year, which amounts to a break in every 15 seconds. And unoccupied homes are prime targets. So how can you prevent your home from being targeted?

  1. Lights, lights, lights. A well-lit property is no friend to a burglar. Install flood lights around your home to keep it illuminated. Timers and motion sensors, along with energy-efficient LED bulbs can reduce the costs lighting up your property.
  2. Replace or add locks. If your window latches are old and flimsy, consider upgrading to newer ones. Likewise, consider replacing door locks or adding a deadbolt.
  3. Hold the mail. If you’re going to be gone for more than a day or two, have the post office hold your mail. You can schedule the stop/start dates online at usps.com. The same goes for your newspaper. Simply call and have it held.
  4. Lights on timers. Put interior lights on timers and have them turn off and on at random times, through the night. This will create the illusion that your house is occupied.
  5. Get a house sitter. If you are really concerned, simply ask a friend to stay at your home while you are gone. At the very least, have them check on the place each day.
  6. Install cameras where they can be seen. Burglars hate cameras, so if they are prominently placed around the outside of your home, then they will be a good deterrent.

By following these tips you can help reduce the chance of a break in and by preventing break-ins in the first place, your insurance rates won’t change. That is to say, if you have a break in and it’s discovered that it was caused by an easy-to-fix situation (like a lack of lighting around your house), then your rates could possibly go up.

To learn more about securing your home, contact your independent Provident Insurance agent. We serve Plainfield, Greenwood, Avon, Brownsburg, Indianapolis, Carmel, Zionsville and the entire central Indiana area. Stop in one of our convenient locations to discuss your insurance needs today.

How to avoid unnecessary insurance claims

Unnecessary claims are those associated with acts that could have been avoided. For example, there is a large tree limb that hangs over the roof of your home. The limb appears to be dead. During a thunderstorm the limb falls and punctures your roof. Now while the thunderstorm was unavoidable, considered an act of God by most insurance companies, the fact that you knew about the dead limb was completely avoidable.
Here are some other areas to avoid unnecessary claims.

Keep gutters clean – Full gutters can redirect water into your home. Have your gutters inspected and cleaned at least twice a year if you live in an area with over-hanging trees.

Inspect sump pumps – For homeowners with a basement, a operational sump pump may be the only thing between you and a large insurance claim. Flooded basements are commonplace and most are caused by the lack of or a faulty sump pump. Plumbing experts suggest replacing your sump pump every 7-10 years. There are few warning signs for a failing pump. They typically work until they don’t, and that’s the problem. You won’t know it’s not working until it stops working and water starts to rise.

Install backup sump pump – A backup pump can help prevent major headaches. If the primary fails a backup can kick in and eject the water safely.

Keep overhanging trees pruned – Just as we mentioned in the first paragraph, trimming dead limbs over your home or where cars are parked can reduce the likelihood of a claim.

Remove dead trees – Large dead trees will fall. It’s just a matter of time. And the last thing you want is for a tree to fall on your home or car. Removing them safely before the cause a problem is best course of action.

Secure your home – a secure home is one that is less likely to be burglarized.

Inspect your chimney – chimney fires are common for older homes with a fireplace. If you haven’t had your chimney inspected, it’s time.

Generally, regular inspection and maintenance of your home is the best practice to reduce insurance claims. Homeowners that take an active role in the upkeep of their home typically find they have less claims. Yes, there will be unavoidable situations and that’s what insurance was designed for. But insurance wasn’t designed to make up for poor home maintenance practices.

To learn more about reducing claims, contact your independent Provident Insurance agent. We serve Plainfield, Greenwood, Avon, Brownsburg, Indianapolis, Carmel, Zionsville and the entire central Indiana area. Stop in one of our convenient locations to discuss your insurance needs today.

How keeping your home secure can reduce insurance costs

As we have discussed in other articles on this blog, insurance costs are calculated using probability. In other words, how likely something is to occur. So it goes without saying that homes in high-crime areas are more expensive to insure because the probability of a break-in is higher. Regardless where you live though, securing your home can help reduce your insurance costs. Here are some areas where you can help improve your safety and cut costs.

Install a burglar alarm – Many insurance companies give 10%-20% discounts for installing a burglar alarm. Statistics show that a burglar alarm can considerably reduce break-ins, thereby reducing claims from theft.

Add exterior lighting – Burglars love the dark. So, by adding motion-sensitive lighting to your property, you can prevent would-be thieves from making your home a target.

Update door locks – Adding locks or updating older locks can make doors more difficult to penetrate.

Hold mail while away – Don’t let mail stack up in your mailbox if you are away from your home for several days or more. Have the USPS hold your mail until your return. Stacks of mail, newspapers, or packages are a clear signal that you are not home.

Use light timers – Again, if away from the home overnight or longer, use timers to turn lights off and on to create the illusion of occupancy. If a burglar thinks someone is home, odds are they will avoid your house.

While many of these suggestions won’t proactively reduce your insurance costs, the best method to shrink your insurance bill is to reduce or eliminate claims. The more claims you have, the more your costs will increase. So, if you have experienced a home break in, you don’t want to repeat it. And while insurance is there to cover these unexpected costs, it isn’t good to repeat claims within a short time span.

To learn more about securing your home, contact your independent Provident Insurance agent. We serve Plainfield, Greenwood, Avon, Brownsburg, Indianapolis, Carmel, Zionsville and the entire central Indiana area. Stop in one of our convenient locations to discuss your insurance needs today.

Renter's Insurance

Does renter’s insurance cover injuries?

Renters insurance provides two main forms of coverage – liability and contents insurance – and they are offered together by most insurance companies. If you have a policy in place, your liability insurance coverage can protect you in case someone is injured within the property you are renting and could pay medical bills directly related to the accident or replacement of a third party’s property that was damaged in your home.

Depending on your policy, your family members may also be covered against personal injury. For example, if your son has a guest over and that guest suffers a slip-and-fall injury due to your son’s negligence, your renters insurance would cover the legal costs and medical expenses of the guest if your son were found legally liable. Keep in mind, all insurance policies vary, so be sure to talk details with your agent or when pricing different polices. Get a clear understanding of what you policy covers and doesn’t cover.

To learn more about renter’s insurance, contact your independent Provident Insurance agent. We serve Plainfield, Greenwood, Avon, Brownsburg, Indianapolis, Carmel, Zionsville and the entire central Indiana area. Stop in one of our convenient locations to discuss your insurance needs today.

Driving Record Matter

Do insurance companies check driving records?

While insurance companies don’t have access to complete driving records, they can access basic information such as traffic tickets and suspended license information. Here’s how they use that information.

How insurance companies use your driving record
When you apply for automobile insurance, the insurance company needs to assess your risk. They can measure your risk based on the information in your driving record. A lot of speeding tickets may mean higher insurance costs. Why? If you have had many accidents or traffic tickets, you are more likely than other drivers to get them again. Subsequently, you are more likely to have more claims than a driver with no (or fewer) infractions, so the insurance company may decide you are too risky to insure or simply charge you higher premiums.

What is included on your driving record?
In addition to any accidents or traffic violations that occurred within the past three years, your driving record also includes information about any criminal convictions associated with your driving record, such as DUIs, and any incidents in which you failed to appear at a scheduled court hearing related to a driving infraction.

Your driving record also supplies your insurance company with information about any license restrictions, such as not being allowed to drive at night due to poor eyesight. Any prior license suspensions or revocations within the look-back period are also included.

What if I have a bad driving record?
Luckily, even if your insurances rates go up due to poor driving record, it may not be permanent. Eventually your infractions will drop off the insurance summary and are no longer considered when determining your premium. If your insurance company has a review period of three years, for example, an accident you had in 2012 drops off your record in 2015 and, if you have no new collisions, your insurance rates decrease at your next policy renewal. If they don’t it’s worth asking about.

To learn more about how your driving record impacts your insurance costs, contact your independent Provident Insurance agent. We serve Plainfield, Greenwood, Avon, Brownsburg, Indianapolis, Carmel, Zionsville and the entire central Indiana area. Stop in one of our convenient locations to discuss your insurance needs today.