homeowner's insurance klamath falls, or

Homeowner’s Insurance – Don’t let thieves steal your holiday

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As the countdown to the holidays and NYE approaches, undoubtedly you’ve got some new gadgets, toys or jewelry around the house. Thieves know this. While you are off enjoying a holiday gathering, vacation or party, thieves could be helping themselves to your things. Taking a few extra precautions may help save you and your family the stress and anxiety of having to sort through your home for missing items and filing a homeowner’s insurance claim in Klamath Falls, OR.

  • Be alarmed: An alarm system is a great way to deter criminals (as long as you remember to arm it) and to potentially get a discount on your homeowner’s insurance. If you do not want the added expense of installing and maintaining an alarm system, get “Protected by XYZ Alarm Company” sign for your front  yard. A little deceptive advertising could go a long way to keeping thieves away from your home.
  • Meet the neighbors: Get to know the people on your block; be friendly. Neighbors can see things that you might miss such as an open gate or garage door. Friendly neighbors can also look out for one another on nights out or when you’re out of town.
  • Keep it clear and lit: Keeping landscaping and shrubbery trimmed and low around potential points of entry like windows or side doors could help reduce the likelihood of an intruder trying to enter your home. Installing motion lights and leaving a television or radio on when you are away from home gives the illusion that someone is in the house can be a deterrent for thieves.
  • Stash the valuables: Just not in the bedroom! The bedroom is one of the first places that thieves will look for jewelry and other valuables. Having a built-in safe or a false tile in the bathroom floor to store your valuables may make it harder for thieves to make off with your goods.
  • Know your stuff: Keeping an inventory log of items that have a potentially high risk of being stolen can help you later in the claims process. Having readily available photos, serial numbers and receipts or appraisals can help your insurance agent determine a payout should these items go missing. Having a written record can also help the police search for your missing items at pawn shops or on Craigslist.
  • Specialty Insurance: While your homeowner’s insurance may cover a portion of the cost to replace stolen items, it will not cover everything. Adding a separate valuables policy may help you recoup more of your dollar loss. Valuables such as jewelry, art and electronics can be added to a separate valuables policy.

We know that keeping your home safe from thieves is a top priority for you, just like making sure your home is properly insured is a top priority for your local independent insurance agent. Pacific Ridge Insurance in Klamath Falls, Oregon can guide you through your homeowner’s insurance policy and add additional coverages like a separate valuables policy or personal umbrella policy. Their years of insurance experience can save you a bundle, and they live right in your area, so know first-hand what your insurance needs might be.  You can also visit their insurance website 24/7.

insurance claim klamath falls, or

Five steps for filing an insurance claim

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In the moments after an auto accident there are a million things that will run through your head. Checking yourself and other passengers for injuries is probably the first thing you do followed by visually assessing the damage to your vehicle. Your next steps may make the insurance claims process a bit easier, so learning these steps prior to an accident may trigger your memory should you find yourself involved in an auto accident in Klamath Falls, Oregon.

5 tips for filing an insurance claim in Oregon:

  • Call 911: Always alert law enforcement to an auto accident whether it is single or multiple vehicles, on private property, etc. The 911-dispatcher will ask a series of questions to determine if an officer is needed, usually if there is significant vehicle or property damage, there is an injury or if impairment is suspected. If an officer is not needed at the scene, make sure to file a police report at your local precinct as your insurance company may need a police report in order to process certain claims. This process also works for claims such as theft, vandalism or hit-and-run damage to your vehicle.
  • Gather information: You will need to collect information from any parties involved in the auto accident or information from someone whose property may have been damage by your vehicle (and vice versa). Make sure to get a phone number, address, auto insurance company and policy number, a description of the vehicle (make, model, and year) and a description of the damage done to the vehicle. If you have a smartphone or camera handy take photos of all vehicles, buildings and surrounding areas. Make sure to photograph vehicle positions, street signs and anything else that may be useful in the claims process.
  • Talk to your agent: Alert your agent to the fact that you have been in an auto accident and let them know the details. If it is a smaller, solo accident without significant damage to your vehicle, it may be cheaper in the long run to avoid an insurance claim and pay for the damage out of pocket. Your agent can guide you through your options and help you make the best decision for your situation. Your agent may also be an advocate for you when dealing with the insurance company of any party that was involved in an accident with you.
  • File a claim: If you and your agent have determined that filing a claim is the best option for you, then your agent can assist you in that process. Provide your agent with the information of anyone else involved in the auto accident, any photos or videos that were taken at the scene and if there is one, the police report. Your agent will start the claims process and send out a claims adjuster to assess the damage to your vehicle and let you know how much the damage will cost to repair. This does not necessarily reflect the amount you will pay, that depends on who is found “at-fault” for the accident.
  • The waiting game: The claims process can take a bit of time, especially if there are multiple parties and multiple insurance companies involved. Check in with your agent and feel free to ask any questions you may have about the process.

We always hope that none of our clients will experience the stress of an auto accident, but we know that it happens (that’s why we’re here!) The local, independent agents at Pacific Ridge Insurance in Klamath Falls, OR can assist you in filing a claim and finding a reputable repair shop. They are right in your backyard, so they know the most trusted repair shops in Klamath Falls, Oregon area. Their years of insurance experience can save you a bundle. You can also visit their insurance website 24/7 to learn more about auto insurance or the other insurance products they offer like Classic Car or RV insurance.

 

Earthquake Insurance in Klamath Falls, OR

Earthquake Insurance in Klamath Falls, OR – A Solid Foundation

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Unlike some natural disasters, earthquakes are extremely difficult to predict. There are several regions in the U.S. that are at higher risk than others for having the “big one” and we just happen to live in one of them. Depending on the depth, intensity and duration, an earthquake can do significant damage to a home or condo.

This type of damage is not typically covered on a basic homeowner’s or condo insurance policy and only about 10 percent of homeowners purchase earthquake coverage. In this instance an earthquake insurance policy in Klamath Falls, OR may be a smart move.

Earthquakes and Oregon:

  • Quaking ground: Earthquakes can be brought on by many factors. The movement of a tectonic plate in a subduction zone, the slipping of rock on a strike-slip fault line, a volcanic eruption or it can be triggered by an external factor, like drilling or mining. Generally the deeper the location of the earth’s movement, the stronger the earthquake, however, the shallower it is makes it more destructive. Earthquakes that occur along coast lines can be even more destructive as an earthquake can trigger a tsunami. Here in Klamath Falls, Oregon, we are close to the Cascadia Subduction Zone. The CSZ is lengthy fault that runs from Vancouver Island in Canada all the way into Northern California, separating the Juan de Fuca plate from the North American plate. This particular fault has produced some damaging earthquakes, most recently in February 2001 when the Nisqually earthquake shook the Puget Sound region, had a recorded magnitude of 6.8 and caused about $2 billion in damages.
  • Dwelling damage: Damage from an earthquake can range from a few easily repairable cracks in the drywall of a home, to a complete failure of the structural integrity of a home. A homeowner may need to higher inspectors, structural engineers, a contractor and the list goes on. Not to mention that a family whose home was damaged in an earthquake will need a safe place to stay until the home is repaired. If the family does not have an earthquake insurance policy, they may be responsible for paying all repair costs out of pocket. These costs can often be thousands of dollars.
  • Earthquake Insurance: An earthquake insurance policy helps cover damages and additional living expenses up to a certain dollar amount. The policy cost and the amount of the deductible may vary depending on a number of factors including, but not limited to: Age of the home, distance from a fault line, location of the home (hillside, soil type, etc.) and the type of policy either Standard or Comprehensive. The monthly cost for an earthquake insurance policy can range from a few hundred dollars a year to a few thousand dollars a year depending on your location. If you or the previous owners retrofitted the home for an earthquake by securing the home to the foundation with seismic bolts or reinforcing walls or chimneys, you may be entitled to a lower earthquake insurance policy cost.

Before purchasing a home or condo, it’s important to remember to talk to your licensed insurance agent in Klamath Falls, OR to see if you might need an earthquake insurance policy. The experts Pacific Ridge Insurance in Klamath Falls, Oregon have years of insurance experience that can save you a bundle. Plus they live right in your area, so know first-hand if you may need additional insurance such as flood insurance.  You can also visit their insurance website 24/7 to learn more about the other insurance products Pacific Ridge Insurance offer.