Don’t get burned: Wildfire Insurance and a comprehensive Homeowner’s Insurance policy

The heat of the summer is celebrated with sunglasses, board shorts and boating, and while it can be quite warm, the summer season is just downright pleasant in Klamath Falls, Oregon. But the summer heat does come at a cost. Summer is also fire season and each year millions of acres across the country are burned. It is not just forests or brush plains that are destroyed, homes and businesses that get in the fire’s path are consumed as well. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, wildfires burned more than 9.3 million acres around the country in 2012. The 2013 fire season has started off with destructive blazes in California, Colorado, Alaska and Arizona.

While many natural disasters like floods or earthquakes require a special insurance policy, Wildfire Insurance is generally covered under the comprehensive portion of a homeowner’s insurance policy. The price of the policy may be higher if you live in an area that is prone to yearly fires. Wildfires are both friend and foe, as they are needed to clear out overgrowth and dead trees. A charred forest allows for new growth trees and helps reduce the risk of another fire occurring in the exact same area during the summer months.

Oregon Wildfire facts:

  • The spark: Most wildfires start from lightning strikes. The dry foliage and hot winds provide the perfect setting for a fire to ignite. Wildfires can also start from simple mistakes like forgetting to completely douse a campfire or a spark from the backfire of a motorcycle or RV. Even if it is an accident, a person who is found negligent in starting a wildfire may be liable to pay restitution, which can be millions of dollars. Having a personal umbrella policy may help you pay some of those restitution costs.
  • Fighting fire with fire: Through a multi-tiered effort of local and federal agencies, firefighters try to starve a wildfire by creating a perimeter. Firefighters burn the wildfire’s food source, dry vegetation, it hopes that the wildfire will become more manageable, easier to put out with air drops of water. There is a risk however, burning a perimeter may result in another uncontrolled fire if the conditions are just right. But the same principle that firefighters use to try and control the growth of a wildfire could help prevent a significant wildfire insurance claim.
  • Prevention starts at home: Helping protect your home from wildfire damage starts in your yard. If you live in an area that is prone to wildfires, you will want to create a perimeter around your home that is free of debris and flammable materials. Keeping things like sheds and wood piles at least 30 feet away from your home helps reduce the chances of a fire jumping from one structure to the next. Remove a wildfires fuel source by pruning trees and removing dead or dying plants. There are also several websites that can show you how to fire proof your yard like Readyforwildfire.org and U.S. Fire Administration.

Take the time to learn about wildfire danger in your area and to prep your home against the threat of wildfires. Talk to your licensed insurance agent in Klamath Falls, OR to ensure that wildfire insurance is included in the comprehensive section for your homeowner’s insurance policy. Pacific Ridge Insurance in Klamath Falls, Oregon can guide you through your homeowner’s insurance policy and add additional coverages like flood insurance and earthquake insurance. 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 to learn more information.

 

Is your RV insurance in Klamath Falls, OR right for your travel style?

You are enjoying your family road trip or living full time in your RV. Seeing the country one highway at a time and making lasting family memories. The last thing you want is an accident or lawsuit that will take up valuable time and resources. Taking the proper precautions like making sure you have a first aid kit, fire extinguisher and have the appropriate RV insurance in Klamath Falls, OR can go a long way to keeping your family safe and giving you peace of mind while you are enjoying all your RV has to offer.

Primary RV insurance policies in Oregon:

Full Timers Coverage: Do reside primarily in your RV? Whether is it is permanently parked or you roam across the country, an RV insurance Full Timers Coverage policy helps protect your RV like homeowner’s insurance.

  • Liability coverage if you are responsible for an accident on your property
  • Medical payments for an accident for which you are responsible
  • Coverage if your property is damaged or stolen
  • Contents of a storage shed near your property

Vacation Liability: Your local, independent insurance agency in Klamath Falls, Oregon can assist you with an RV insurance vacation liability policy for your RV. When vacationing, there are certain situations that you may not have control over when your RV is parked:

  • Injury of a third-party by equipment owned by you or around your RV
  • Injuries to a third-party by an animal under your care
  • A fire caused by sparks from a campfire, vehicle back-fire, etc.

The most important think to know about a Vacation Liability policy is that it covers events while your RV is parked, not while it is moving.

There are many options out there when looking to cover your RV and your local independent agents at Pacific Ridge Insurance can help you navigate your options to find the best coverage for your needs. They can also assist with an ATV policy for your other summer toys. Whatever your insurance needs, talk to the experts at Pacific Ridge Insurance in Klamath Falls, Oregon.  Their years of insurance experience can save you a bundle!  You can also visit their insurance website 24/7 to learn more about the other valuable insurance products they offer.

Will your boater’s insurance in Klamath Falls keep you afloat?

The sun is shining, the water is warm and boating season is upon us. By now you’ve probably prepped the boat, made sure your boating license is valid and planned outings with family and friends, but have you looked at your boater’s insurance? There are many coverage options available in Klamath Falls, Oregon, and using a local, independent agent guarantees that you will have many coverage options, so you can pick a policy that suits your needs before heading out to the water.

The 411 on boater’s insurance in Oregon:

  • Bundling: It may not be possible to bundle your boater’s insurance with an existing policy, like homeowner’s insurance, as there may be restrictions on the type of boat you own. In order to fit under a homeowner’s insurance policy, boats may need to be under a certain length and under a certain price point.  There is a down side to having your boat covered under a homeowner’s insurance policy: specialized coverages may be limited or not available.
  • Specialized Coverages: These types of coverages can include On-Water Towing, helpful when your boat runs out of gas or has a mechanical issue mid-outing. Fuel Spill and Wreckage Removal may help keep you covered in the event your boat leaks fuel or if there is an accident; otherwise you may be on the hook for clean-up expenses. You may also want to consider Uninsured Boater coverage. Just like Uninsured Motorist coverage for your car or truck, this may help with expenses if your boat is hit or damaged by another boater without proper boater’s insurance coverage. Specialized Coverages may also include Personal Effects coverage.
  • Travel: Planning to sail your boat to the Bahamas? Can we go with you? Whether you are sailing your boat to a sunny tropical locale or sailing her on a tranquil lake in Canada, you need to make sure that your boater’s insurance covers travel outside your state and country. Some insurance plans may cover waterways in the continental U.S., but may not cover international waters or may only cover a boat in international water within a certain mile radius from the U.S. coast. Check with your agent to see if your plan coverages international travel.
  • Replacement: We hope that you never have to replace your boat due to an accident. In order to avoid costly out-of-pocket expenses to replace your boat, make sure that you have the appropriate replacement coverage in place long before you hit the water. There are two options for replacement coverage: Total Loss Replacement and Agreed Value coverage. Total Loss Replacement is just that, a replacement of your boat. However this type of coverage may not be offered by all insurance carriers, more likely than not the carrier will provide Agreed Value coverage. This is the value of your boat, agreed upon by you and your agent before you sign the policy.

There are many options out there when looking for boater’s insurance in Klamath Falls, OR and your local independent agents at Pacific Ridge Insurance can help you navigate your options to find the best coverage for your needs. They can also assist with a personal watercraft policy for your other water-traveling toys. Whatever your insurance needs, talk to the experts at Pacific Ridge Insurance in Klamath Falls, OR.  Their years of insurance experience can save you a bundle!  You can also visit their insurance website 24/7 to learn more about the other valuable insurance products they offer.