Being Prepared for the “What If”

Who wants to think about the “what if” moments when it comes to your home?  What if my house burned down?  What if a tree fell on my home?  What if my documents were destroyed in a fire?  What if my home has water damage and I can no longer stay in it?  None of us want to think about these types of events happening to our homes, but it can happen.

One way to prepare for a “what if” is to prepare a home inventory.  What’s a home inventory?  It’s a list of all the items and belongings in your home.  For if that “what if” moment happened, you would have a list of everything that is damaged or destroyed, making that devastating, unexpected loss a little easier to handle.

Did you know you can even create a home inventory electronically?  Check out HomeZada’s free home inventory app.  Take unlimited photos of the rooms in your home and items in them, plus your garage and outdoor living space with the app.  If the “what if” happened, you can have all the information of your home inventory in the HomeZada app and be able to access it with an internet connection.  Get started on your home inventory today!

What to do After a Hailstorm

Unfortunately, hailstorms occur all over the country throughout most of the spring and summer seasons and can cause damage to your property.  After a hailstorm hits, MAX members typically ask if they need to file a claim and inquire about the necessary steps to file a claim.  Here are a few helpful steps if your home sustains damage after a hailstorm:

  1. Please be sure to make note of the day and time of the hailstorm to correctly report to us.
  2. After the storm has passed and there is no risk, you can inspect your dwelling for damage, including roof, gutters, air conditioning unit, window screens ,etc. We recommend that you do not climb on your roof if is steep and dangerous.   Also, check for any interior water leaking in any of your interior rooms.
  3. If you have any broken windows or interior water damage, contact a contractor to complete temporary repairs and keep the invoice to submit for our review.
  4. You may wish to have a local, licensed contractor inspect your property and give you an estimate to determine if the repairs will exceed your deductible. Many policies have a 1% wind/hail deductible.
  5. You can file a claim by calling your agent and he/she will submit the claim to us. If you don’t have a local agent or his/her office is closed, you can call us direct at  877-971-6300 and we will file your claim.
  6. Once your claim has been filed, one of our adjusters will contact you to discuss your claim and answer any questions.

If you have any questions, please contact your MAX agent or give us a call at 877-971-6300 and we are happy to help!

Photo by Care_SMC

Appliance Breakdown: Hot Water Heaters

Hot water heaters can crack and leak due to sediment buildup within the unit.

So, what does this mean? 
Just like any other appliance or area in your home, hot water heaters need to be cleaned. Over time particles and minerals within your water will settle and begin to buildup around the interior of the unit. This buildup can also coat the heating element, which can lead to corrosion. Drain your water heater once a year to clean the interior and remove particle buildup. This will decrease sediment buildup and prevent cracks and leaks. It can also improve the performance of your unit, saving you money to operate the unit.

What happens if your hot water heater has a breakdown? At MAX, homeowners and farmowners policies have Equipment Breakdown coverage available.  Talk to your MAX agent or contact us for more information to add this valuable coverage to your policy.

Source:  Mutual BoilerRe

Photo by Tom Feary

Appliance Breakdown: Clothing Dryer Units

Clothing dryer units frequently break down due to overheating. This is often caused by poor air supply and ventilation within the unit. As a result the motor needs to work harder to perform at an optimal level.

How can you prevent this from happening?
Cleaning your dryer vents to prevent clogging will not only improve the performance and life expectancy of your unit, but it can also help prevent a fire. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year with the leading cause of dryer fires is the failure to clean them.  You may view additional dryer safety tips on the USFA website.

What happens if your dryer has a breakdown? At MAX, homeowners and farmowners policies have Equipment Breakdown coverage available.  Talk to your MAX agent or contact us for more information to add this valuable coverage to your policy.

Source:  Mutual BoilerRe

Photo by HomeSpot HQ