Important Update for Personal Insurance Customers:
Homeowners Insurance
We are pleased to announce that we have implemented an enhanced customer service process that will allow our customers to receive faster response times and more efficient service. Our priority is to provide you with exceptional service. Read the full update.
Home Insurance
Do you know exactly what’s under your roof and how home insurance from HUB International can protect it all?
If you’re like most Americans, you have a good amount of very important belongings and several loved ones that live below the protection of those shingles, framing, insulation, and multiple other roofing layers. Whether your home has been in the family for generations or you’ve just recently moved into a house, we’re sure that belongings and memories are starting to accumulate in every nook and cranny.
Consider the basement where you probably store outgrown baby clothes, yesteryear’s photo albums, and the box that preserves your wedding dress. Think about all the things filling the corners of your garage like bicycles, golf clubs, the lawn mower, and gardening tools. And then there’s the closets full of clothes, shoes, and jackets as well as the cabinets of stemware, dishes, pots and pans, appliances, and so much more. It’s really an endless list of things that you keep under the protective roof of your home, isn’t it?
That’s why the insurance professionals at HUB International strongly recommend that you take the time today to complete a home inventory or update one you already have. Should you ever need to file a claim, having a complete inventory of your belongings will not only speed up the restoration time, but also help you maximize your claim as it literally provides you with a shopping list to help you rebuild your home.
ICNE, Insurance Center of New England, is here to help with capturing everything you have in your home that is of importance and ensuring that it is all protected by the optimal home insurance coverage at the best price for your specific household’s needs. Our team of professionals will also answer any of the common questions that may come up throughout the process, including:
What if I have more than just the standard household items?
If you’ve been settled in your home for a while, perhaps you now keep some items of substantial value tucked away there. Whether it’s an expensive watch, tenth anniversary diamond earrings, or a collection of antiques, sports memorabilia, or art, these are valuable possessions that might be difficult for you to replace should they be lost, damaged or stolen. Adding these items to your home inventory list is important, but not as critical as calling your HUB International agent to discuss special insurance coverage that can help you quickly repair or replace these valuable items. Our insurance professionals highly recommend scheduling each individual piece through a special insurance endorsement called Scheduled Personal Property. This endorsement will provide protection for losses that are excluded on a standard home insurance policy, including accidental ones – let’s say you accidentally lose a piece of jewelry while swimming in the ocean. In addition to customizing a policy for your high value items, HUB International would be glad to recommend a local appraisal firm.
Should I be listing out all home systems and equipment?
It is very important that you keep any documentation related to your critical home systems, equipment, and service lines. However, simply keeping manuals and purchase receipts in a file does not mean that you are covered should there be any sudden or accidental home system breakdown. That’s why HUB International is proud to now offer our personal insurance clients the option of Home Systems and Service Line Protection Coverage that can help homeowners like you avoid the inconvenience and the expense of unexpected repairs. This protection provides coverage, up to a limit, for repair or replacement of service lines, including water, steam, sewer, and drain piping as well as power line, electrical wiring, communication and data transmission wiring (e.g. telephone, cable, internet, and fiber optic). It also comes with coverage, up to a limit, for damage caused by a sudden and accidental mechanical or electrical breakdown of equipment like your water heater, central air, pool pumps, and solar energy panels. Whether it’s a mechanical issue, electrical problem or a bursting, cracking or splitting that results in direct physical damage to all or part of a home system or equipment, HUB International now offers this excellent option for homeowners to get repairs or a replacement done quickly and easily.
Does an investment property require the same process as my primary residence?
The simple answer is “Yes”. Everything that we have talked about above holds true for a property that is not your primary residence. However, as you probably already know as a landlord, a rental property comes with very unique requirements, including special insurance needs. If you are collecting rent seasonally or all year round for one or several multi-family properties, then you need to make sure you have the proper Dwelling Fire/Rental Homes 1-4 Family insurance policy in place. Contact your HUB International agent to discuss the various options available including coverage for personal liability, loss of rent, and replacement cost of dwelling. We will help you select the policy type that is best for you and your specific rental property so that you can have peace of mind that your investment is well protected.
What is covered under home insurance?
Standard home insurance typically covers the structure of your home including detached structures, like a garage, tool shed or gazebo, along with the personal belongings that live inside. This critical policy also provides personal liability protection and assistance with additional living expenses should you be displaced from your home due to a catastrophic event.
However, home insurance is not as simple as we are making it sound and policy details can vary greatly from one insurance carrier to the next. That’s why we are happy to share a more in-depth look at what home insurance covers along with tips on what questions to ask your agent so that you can stay informed and feel confident that one of your most important, and cherished, assets is properly protected.
What factors into the cost of my home insurance?
Figuring out what your home insurance is going to cost you isn’t as straightforward as you may think. The premium you will be charged depends on many variables, which is why HUB International thinks it’s important to share some general tips with you on the factors that can impact your homeowners insurance rate.
Special features like a pool, finished basement or crown molding can cause your insurance premium to go up, whereas living in a neighborhood with a low crime rate or in a house that is near a fire hydrant can lower your costs. But, because each and every home is so different, there really is no one-size-fits-all answer for what home insurance costs. However, when you partner with a HUB International insurance professional, our team will help you evaluate your current insurance costs, provide you with a competitive quote for a potential new residence and, potentially, save you money by finding you all available discounts.
HUB is much more than an insurance agency who finds you the lowest priced coverage. You can contact us anytime with your home insurance questions, to review a current policy, or for help making an informed decision about protecting your house and all its valuable belongings. As one of the area’s largest, privately owned, independent insurance agencies, HUB International can ensure you get the best home insurance at the most competitive rates for your specific needs.
If you are ready for a more personal relationship with a trusted insurance agent who can help you protect everything under your roof, call us today at 833-GoCallHUB or stop into either of our two convenient Massachusetts offices.
HUB has partnered with a wide variety of top quality insurance carriers to provide you with access to the optimal home insurance coverage options for your home and belongings, from the most common to the most commonly overlooked, including:
- High Value Home Insurance
- Boat/Watercraft Insurance
- Dwelling Fire/Rental Homes 1-4 Family
- Earthquake Coverage
- Flood Insurance
- Guaranteed Dwelling Replacement Cost
- Home Systems Protection Coverage
- Pet Insurance Coverage
- Identity Fraud Expense Coverage
- Ordinance or Law Coverage
- Personal Property Replacement Cost
- Personal Injury Protection
- Umbrella Insurance
- Service Line Protection Coverage
- Water and Sewer Backup
HUB offers exceptional insurance discounts to our homeowners who:
- Bundle Auto & Home Policies
- Install A Security System
- Use Smoke Detectors
- Use Deadbolt Locks
- Are Claims Free
Have Homeowners Insurance Questions?
At HUB International, we strive to make home insurance the easy part of home ownership. We genuinely understand that between your job, driving the kids around, and all the errands on your to-do list, the last thing you need or want to worry about is your home insurance. That’s why the HUB International team has taken this task off of your plate and put it on ours, and compiled some of the most frequently asked questions we get from homebuyers and homeowners like you about their home insurance.
For example, have you ever wondered:
- How can I lower my home insurance premium?
- Will home insurance cover the cost of replacing belongings that are stolen or lost?
- Does home insurance cover burst pipes and other water damage?
- What types of things are not covered by my home insurance and might require a separate insurance policy?
If so, then you’ll want to check out our Home Insurance FAQ page, where answers to these common questions, and many others, will always be at your fingertips.
Couldn’t find the information that you were looking for? Call us today at 833-GoCallHUB, and one of our personal insurance specialists will be happy to help.