Home maintenance is an essential process for every homeowner, without which your property would likely deteriorate. Like maintenance, reviewing your home insurance also comes with benefits, helping you get updated coverage to suit your changing needs. Below, Taake Insurance Agency explains reasons to consider reviewing your home coverage for your Columbia, IL property.

Changes in Your Property Value

Properties will often experience changes in value, with the majority appreciating them over the years. If disasters cause property damage to your home, your compensation will be inadequate to cover the increased worth, forcing you to pay the difference as an out-of-pocket cost. Reviewing your insurance allows you to reflect your home’s actual value, helping you get the proper coverage when faced with an emergency.

Increase in Personal Contents

The average homeowner adds various personal belongings to their home collection so often, meaning their contents are likely to increase as time goes by. Whether it is electronics, clothing, or furniture, you need coverage that caters to your new items. This is another reason to consider reviewing your home policy to ensure you account for additional items that may be excluded from your initial coverage.

Changes to Home Usage

Your home insurance will often be based on factors such as usage, with a change to this requiring you to get a policy review. If you currently rent out your house instead of using it as a primary home, your coverage will be different. Ensure that you have your insurance reviewed to cater to such changes to meet your new home usage needs.

To Check for Discounts

Home insurance policies will often come with discounts, with the common reasons for this being making improvements to your property or changes in your provider’s terms. If, for instance, you get updated security features, you may get discounts due to reduced risks. Upgrades to plumbing or conditioning systems could also help you qualify for discounts due to improved home value. To take advantage of this, make it a point to review your policy frequently.

If you need home insurance for your Columbia, IL property, call Taake Insurance Agency today for coverage suited to your needs.

Owning a property in the Columbia, IL area continues to be a great long-term investment. As you are shopping for a new property in Illinois, you should also make sure that you get the right insurance for it. There are several different reasons that you should get a new home insurance policy when you are in this area of the state. 

Insurance Protects Assets

A reason that you should get home insurance here is that it can protect your assets. Anyone that is going to buy a property needs to make sure that their valuable asset is properly covered with insurance protection. An insurance policy can give you the protection that you need to repair your home if it is damaged. You can also get additional coverage for your personal assets, which will allow you to replace them if they are stolen or damaged. 

Insurance is Required

You will also need to get home insurance because it will be required for you to have. Most people in Illinois will take out a mortgage to purchase their home. When this occurs, you will need to have proper insurance that complies with your mortgage requirements. Most lenders will have insurance policy requirements that will be discussed in your loan agreement. They may require that you escrow for payments each month as well. 

Columbia, IL residents are often much better off buying a home rather than renting. If you decide that buying is right for you and your situation, you should speak with Taake Insurance Agency to discuss your insurance needs. Picking the right home insurance plan for your situation is very important. When you call Taake Insurance Agency, you can get all of the guidance that is needed to fully understand your options and ensure that your home is properly covered. 

Will home insurance cover injuries on my pets?

Pets are part of our lives, and we want to protect them from any accident. But having a pet in our condo, rentals, or homes increases their risk of damage and accidents. Most insurance agencies give liability coverage if your pet gets injured.

As a homeowner, I’m interested to know what coverage is under my home insurance cover. I’m worried about having coverage for my pets if they get injured, damage my property, or injure my guests.

It’s with no doubt some incidents could be hazardous and expensive if a lawsuit is involved. Different insurance agencies have a unique policy, so pet owners should call their insurers in advance to see what sorts of pet coverage they will get.

Great news for residents of Columbia IL, Taake Insurance Agency, provide liability coverage for your pets. It’s important to understand that home insurance covers bodily injury liability and property damage liability for your pets.

• Property damage liability:

If your pet escapes and ends up stomping on or destroying another person’s property, your home insurance policy will cover you. Home insurance will cover the expenses to fix the property damaged and any lawful charges from an expected lawsuit claim.

• Injury liability:

Suppose your pet injures a visitor on your property, or your carry your pet with you to another person’s home, and your pet injures tenants there. In that case, your home insurance policy gives coverage to the injuries incurred. Your insurance policy will repay you for charges relating to clinical payments if the injury is awful enough to require a clinic visit and cover lawful expenses if a lawsuit is issued. Here legal charges will cover your lawyer, court expenses, and any settlements you’re requested to pay if the argument rules against you.

Start your journey towards a successful insurance plan for your home by giving us a call at Taake Insurance Agency in Columbia, IL.

Columbia, IL residents who own their homes often look for the best way to keep their property secure and protected from burglars. The agents of the Taake Insurance Agency understand how vital home security is. They have home insurance policies for almost every type of property. There are several ways to keep your property safe from vandals and break-ins.

Install a Security Light

Installing a home security light will keep your property well-lit. Place motion-activated lights over doors so that anyone who approaches will light them up. This eliminates dark areas where burglars try to hide before they attempt to make access to your home.

Start a Neighborhood Watch Program

If you live in a neighborhood where everyone knows one another, strangers are easy to spot. Start a neighborhood watch program where everyone watches out for one another’s’ property. It’s an excellent way for a community to come together and work as a group to keep all of the residents and their property safe and secure.

Install Surveillance Cameras

Install surveillance cameras. Many cameras have motion sensors installed that trigger them to turn on when something crosses in front of them. They can also be accessed through an app that is downloaded to your phone. This allows you to keep an eye on your home at any time.

The agents of Taake Insurance Agency are always ready with the answers their clients need. If you live in or near Columbia, IL, call and schedule a consultation. Call our agents or stop by the office so that you can have your existing policy updated. Talk to your agent often so that you always have the right coverage in place. Don’t wait! Find out what your options are now!

 

One of the most significant purchases most of us will ever make is the purchase of a home. Paying off a mortgage is an even more significant accomplishment because it says that we’ve paid off the biggest purchase of our lives. However, once we’ve paid off a home mortgage, is it still advantageous to keep homeowners’ insurance? Before you’ve paid off your home, its a requirement for most, if not all, mortgage companies. What are the advantages of maintaining homeowner’s insurance once you own your home?

Your Home Appreciates Over Time, So You Need to Protect It

Unlike a car, your home grows in value over time. This is why homeowner’s insurance is a great idea. If something happened to your home, this insurance would help you to restore it. Without it, most of us wouldn’t have the money out of pocket to rebuild a home or pay for several expensive repairs. This insurance protects your investment by providing funding to restore it if something should happen to it. Taake Insurance Agency of Columbia, IL understands the importance of protecting the investment you’ve made in your home by providing financial protection in the event of some unforeseen incident that affects your home.

Homeowners Insurance Has a Broad Reach

Homeowners insurance not only protects the structure of your home, but it also extends to protect items beyond the structure of your home. It can protect your belongings and other structures on your property. This form of insurance has long arms and is a safeguard for your home, the things within your home, and the surrounding structures on your property. 

Homeowners Insurance Provides Protection for You Too

Homeowners insurance can also cover medical bills, lawsuits, and even the cost to relocate in the event of some incident that makes your home unlivable or where you would be considered liable. This insurance steps in and can protect all these areas as well. 

Once you’ve paid off this considerable investment, homeowners insurance goes on protecting you, your investment, and your property and surrounding structures. This is one of the many reasons why it’s still a smart move to maintain your homeowner’s insurance even after you’ve paid off your mortgage. Taake Insurance Agency of Columbia, IL takes pride in helping families to continue to protect their largest investment. Give us a call.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life changes can affect your insurance coverage, as well. When your lifestyle fluctuates, it may be time to talk to your insurance agent. Here are life circumstances that should prompt a call to the Taake Insurance Agency in Columbia, IL for a review of your insurance safety net.

• Marriage or divorce – Combining households means sharing risks. In these situations, a professional review of your homeowner’s policy could mean lower premiums. Your new spouse may also have some concerns that aren’t adequately addressed in your existing plan that an agent can help resolve. Divorcing partners need to update beneficiary information and discuss credit changes related to marital dissolution that might affect their coverages.
• Significant renovations – Adding rooms, tearing down large structures, underground work, and other home renovations affect more than your property values. They could also affect your insurance-related risks. Take your floor plans to your insurance agent to discuss how changes may affect your insurance. Some types of renovations may violate your agreement or require contractual changes. Schedule your insurance review before the work starts to prevent costly problems.
• Birth, death, and adoption – Adding new family members via birth or adoption mean updating your beneficiary list. It may also require an adjustment in your homeowner’s insurance coverage. More people means more stuff, so talk to your agent about increasing your coverage amounts or adding an umbrella policy as a back-up. Losing a family member triggers similar changes. If the subscriber passes away, your insurance agent can help you decide how to use payouts to your family’s best advantage.

The experts at Taake Insurance Agency are always happy to help you review your existing coverage. Contact our Columbia, IL area offices for help with your personal and commercial insurance issues.

Dogs are considered to be more than just pets by many people, but they also include a level of risk when it comes to how they react to others. If you live in Columbia, IL, leash laws and another city, county, and state ordinances are in place that requires you to maintain control of your dog at all times, even if you are on your own property. The agents of Taake Insurance Agency can discuss liability policies that may protect you from financial loss if your dog gets loose.

Maintain Control of Your Dog

Maintaining control of your dog at all times is a requirement in almost every state. That can mean keeping them on a leash or muzzling them while you have them in public. If your property is not enclosed, you can let them outside on a tie-out leash that will allow them to roam on your property. You need to inspect the tie-out lead frequently to ensure that it is in good condition and can keep your dog secure. Constructing a fence is another way of keeping your dog contained on your own property.

You Are Liable

If your dog leaves your property for any reason (even if it’s an accident), you will be liable for any damage or injuries they may cause. If the dog shows repeated aggressive behaviors, it may need to be euthanized.

At Taake Insurance Agency, the agents serve residents who live in the Columbia, IL area. If you have a dog or are thinking about getting one, call and talk to one of their reputable agents. They will be able to inform you of local laws concerning dog ownership. Schedule an appointment today and speak to an agent so you are fully prepared to bring your new puppy home.

 

Buying a home comes with a long to-do list. Don’t let homeowner’s insurance slip to the bottom.

As you embark on your home buying journey, it’s easy to spend hours creating a wish list, checking school ratings, and crunching numbers to see what you can afford. But it is equally important to know what you’re looking for and how you’ll protect it. 

It’s a good idea to start researching early so that you understand the coverage suggested in the Columbia, IL area. Taake Insurance Agency can help you make sure you have a complete picture of the coverage you’ll need. They’ll also help you understand what you can expect to pay based on the type of home you’re looking to cover.

You’ll find, however, that you can’t get too far in the homeowner’s insurance process until you actually have a home. The type of home you buy, its location, and its value will all affect the coverage you need, so the details will need to be worked out once you’re under contract. As soon as you have a signed and accepted an offer, you can hit the ground running to line up your new policy.

Before you get caught up in paint samples and furniture shopping, make sure your insurance policy is in place to avoid hiccups getting to the closing table. In most cases, your mortgage lender will require you to have a homeowner’s insurance policy before you can close on the home, and without professional, efficient guidance, you could end up with a headache. Taake Insurance Agency is a local agency serving the Columbia, IL area; we’ll help you finalize your coverage in plenty of time.