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.

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.

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.

Neighbors tree falls on your house.

So let’s say there is a bad thunderstorm and the strong winds take a large branch from your neighbor’s tree and it falls on your house, damaging the shingles and the gutter. Who is responsible? First a couple questions need to be answered. How did the branch fall? In this case it was a storm. Second question. Did the branch fall due to neglect? In other words, was the branch dead and did your neighbors know about it. Let’s assume the tree was healthy. Therefore there is no “blame” so your homeowner’s policy would cover the repairs to your house (minus the deductible).

If however, your insurance company saw that the tree was dead or dying and could prove your neighbors neglected the tree or refused to have it pruned, then your neighbors insurance policy would cover your damage.

Driver crashes into my house.

Let’s start with the number one rule concerning vehicle accidents: The party at fault is liable for any damages caused by that accident. So, if a vehicle crashes into your home, and the crash was the driver’s fault, then he or she is on the hook for the damages caused to your home (or any other property, for that matter). So unlike the tree branch that falls from your neighbor’s tree, an auto accident on your property is someone else’s fault.

This is where the property damage clause of an auto policy comes in to play. And it makes sense, doesn’t it? Damage to your home is damage to your property, right? So, the property damage coverage in a driver’s auto policy will pay for any repairs that need to be done on your house.

Kids damage a parked car.

Let’s say your car is parked in the driveway or even on the street and some kids are playing nearby. They accidently throw a baseball at your car and it smashes a window? Who covers the damage? It is damage to your car, so is it auto insurance? But you didn’t do anything, and the kids don’t have auto insurance. This likely falls to the parents of the children and their homeowner’s policy. Typically, most homeowner policies provide coverage for miscellaneous accidents that occur near the home.

To learn if you have the appropriate 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.