Insurance Services of Norwalk

Protecting More Then Just Your Home, Protecting You.

Insurance Services of Norwalk offers more then home coverage, we pride ourselves on taking the time with each policy and going over the coverage and what it is. Every situation is different, we compare prices from all of the insurance companies we represent to find the best value for your insurance coverage. We also pride ourselves in the timeliness of getting these quotes back to the people we serve.

Understanding Your HomeOwners Insurance

Homeowners insurance covers your home and personal property (contents) and also provides liability protection for you and your family. Click here for a consumer's guide to homeowners insurance.

10 Things You Should Know About Purchasing Home Insurance

You Need Home Insurance
Homeowners need to purchase home insurance to protect their homes and personal property. Tenants need insurance to protect their furniture and other personal property. Everyone needs protection against liability for accidents that injure other people or damage their property.
Decide How Much Coverage You Need
The better your coverage, the less you will have to pay out of your own pocket if disaster strikes. In some cases, your lender decides how much coverage you need and may require you to buy a policy that covers at least the amount of the mortgage. It is important to note that the amount of coverage you buy for your house, contents and personal property will affect the price you pay.
Compare Deductibles
The deductible is the amount you have to pay out of pocket on each claim and applies only to coverage on your house and personal property. Make sure when choosing a policy that you are comfortable paying the deductible if you make a claim. Remember, a policy with a $100 deductible will cost more than one with a $250 deductible. Higher deductibles may be available at a reduced price.
Replacement Cost or Actual Cash Value?
You have the option to choose to insure your home and belongings for either replacement cost or actual cash value. Replacement cost is the amount it would take to replace or rebuild your home or repair damages with materials of similar kind and quality, without deducting for depreciation. It is important to insure your home for at least 80 percent of its replacement value. Actual cash value is the amount it would take to repair or replace damage to your home after depreciation.
Shop Around Before You Buy
You are not required to purchase insurance from the company your lender recommends. There are a number of unbiased sources available to find out what different insurers charge for identical products and services, including your state insurance department, consumer publications and your public library.
Ask Your Agent About Discounts
In some states, insurers offer lower prices for such things as insuring your home and car with the same company, installing deadbolt locks or alarm systems or replacing the roof.
Basic Coverages Available
Whether you own or rent, there are different packages of home insurance offered to protect your home and belongings. Each package protects against a specified number of events that cause damage to property. Three examples are fire, windstorm and theft. In addition, each package policy usually contains four additional types of coverage: property damage, additional living expenses, personal liability and medical payments.
Where to Shop
Check the newspaper and yellow pages of the telephone directory for companies and agents in your area. In addition, ask your neighbors, relatives and friends for recommendations on insurance companies and agents. Remember to shop around to get the best price and service.
Read Your Policy Carefully
You should be aware that a home insurance policy is a legal contract. It is written so that your rights and responsibilities as well as those of the insurance company are clearly stated. When you purchase home insurance, you will receive a policy. You should read that policy and make certain you understand its contents. Keep your policy in a safe place and know the name of your insurer.
Review Your Home Insurance Needs Every Year
Check with your insurance agent at least once a year to make sure your policy provides adequate coverage. The addition of a room, new insulation or remodeling add value to your home, therefore may increase replacement cost.

What does my credit have to do with my insurance?
Many insurance companies include credit-based insurance scoring as one of the factors they evaluate (along with other factors like claims history and driving record) to predict the level of insurance risk you represent. Evaluating these factors together helps insurers determine if you qualify for coverage, and at what rate. Click here to learn more about insurance score and how it affects you.

Filing Your Claim
Here's what to do when you have a home insurance claim:

Report any burglary or theft to police.

Phone your agent or company immediately. Insurance policies place a time limit on filing claims. Ask questions. Am I covered? Does my claim exceed my deductible? (Your deductible is the amount of loss you agree to pay yourself when you buy a policy.) How long will it take to process my claim? Will I need to obtain estimates for repairs to structural damage?

Follow up your call with an explanation of what happened in writing, at the request of your agent or company.

Make temporary repairs and take other steps to protect your property from further damage. Save receipts for what you spend and submit them to your insurance company for reimbursement.

Prepare a list of lost or damaged articles. Save receipts from any additional living expenses you incur if your home is so severely damaged that you have to find other accommodations while repairs are being made.

Provide needed information to the insurance representative assigned to handle your claim.

Talk things over with your agent and adjuster if you are dissatisfied with the settlement offer. Check your policy to see what settlement steps it outlines.

Flooding is the Nation's #1 Natural Disaster
And the best, most cost-effective way to financially protect your property from a flood is to purchase flood insurance.
With flood insurance protection, you will be reimbursed for covered costs if you experience a flood. In the meantime, you gain peace of mind, knowing you have one less thing to worry about.
Still not convinced you need flood insurance? Assess your flood risk and see for yourself! Click here to be directed to FloodSmart.Gov

Tips for a Safe and Happy Holiday

Many fires are caused annually by improper caring of Christmas trees. Trees should be bought fresh and kept watered in a stand that won't tip over. Use only indoor lights on the tree and keep the tree away from all heat sources and exits. Discard when needles start to fall off.
Holiday plants are beautiful to look at, but can be lethal if ingested. Keep plants such as poinsettias, mistletoe, Japanese yew and holly away from pets and children.
Man-made trees should be made from nonflammable materials. Never use electric lights on a metal tree. A faulty socket could turn the entire tree into an electrical hazard. Indoor colored spotlights aimed at the tree are a safe alternative.
Keep candles away from flammable materials. Avoid placing them in windows, drafty areas or in reach of children or pets. Remember to extinguish all flames and turn off the potpourri simmering on the stove before leaving home or going to bed.
Use only safety-lab approved (UL listings) indoor or outdoor lights. Check lights for wear, loose connections and burned out bulbs before using them each year. Frayed, cracked or damaged cords should not be used.
Never use indoor lights outside; take precautions not to overload electrical outlets and avoid using extension cords if possible. Make sure bulbs are screwed in securely before using the lights each year.

Winter Weather Woes

Severe winter weather can inflict considerable damage on your home. Here are some steps you can take to help protect your home:

Keep sidewalks and entrances free from snow and ice.
Watch for ice dams near gutter downspouts. Ice dams can cause water to build up and seep into your house.
Keep the house heated to a minimum of 65 degrees. The temperature inside the walls where the pipes are located is colder than the walls themselves. A temperature lower than 65 degrees will not keep the inside walls from freezing.
Identify the location for the main water shutoff. Find out how it works in case you have to use it.
Open hot and cold faucets enough to let them drip slowly. Keeping water moving within pipes prevents freezing.
If your garage is attached to your house, keep the garage door closed. The door leading to the house is probably not well insulated.
If ice forms on tree limbs, watch for dead, damaged, or dangerous branches that could break and fall because of ice, snow, or wind. They could damage your house or car, or injure someone walking by.
If you use fireplaces, wood stoves, and electric heaters, watch them closely and make sure they are working properly.
Remember to close the flue in your fireplace when you're not using it.
If you have to leave your home on a trip, ask a neighbor to check the house regularly. If there is a problem with frozen pipes or water leakage, attending to it quickly could mean far less damage.
If you plan to be away for a long period of time, have the water system drained by a professional to keep pipes from freezing or bursting.

A Worst-case Scenario

If you discover that pipes are frozen, take measures to thaw them immediately, or call a plumber for assistance.
If your pipes burst, first turn off the water and then mop up spills. You don't want the water to do more damage than it already has.

Source: Adapted from the Insurance Information Institute.