Freezing Pipes

Well, we are having our first real cold spell this week.  The night time temperature has dropped below the freezing mark.  With the freezing weather comes frozen pipes.  Here are some tipes to keep you pipes from freezing and causing damage to your home or building.

For normal precautions:

• Insulate exposed pipes with heat tape,

newspapers or rags.

• Place a 60-watt light bulb close to the

water meter to keep it from freezing.

• If pipes are close to an exposed outside

wall, open the cabinet door to let room

heat in.

• Use a hair dryer or turn up the heat in your

home to 75 degrees to thaw a pipe; do not

use a torch.

• If a pipe bursts, shut off the main valve,

usually located near the meter.

• Be aware that leaks sometimes don’t show

up until a pipe thaws, when they can

cause extensive damage to plaster walls.

If you’ll be away for the winter:

• Drain pipes completely.

• Pour a cup of antifreeze into the draintraps,

toilet bowls and tanks.

• Make sure the main shut-off valve is

turned off.

• Open all faucets.

• Drain the hot water tank.

Insuring homes to Replacement Cost

I wanted to pass this on.  We have sent out letters to our customers who own dwellings discussing the importance of insuring your home for the amount it would take to build it back.  Thanks for reading!

Replacement Cost Limitations
Jim Gavin, Education
The recent wildfires, which have destroyed more than 1,600 homes in Texas, serve as a reminder of the importance of providing replacement cost coverage for both the dwelling and personal property.
The ISO HO-03 requires that the amount of insurance on the dwelling be at least 80 percent of the full replacement cost prior to the loss. If the proper amount of insurance is carried there will be no deduction for depreciation; however, the 80 percent amount still leaves a significant gap in coverage. Underinsurance is not uncommon. National estimates indicate that as many as 65 percent of homes may be underinsured by an average of about 19 percent.
In Texas, a total loss by fire to real property is considered to be a liquidated demand against the company for the full amount of insurance, but this provision does not apply to personal property. For any loss to real property other than a total loss by fire, only the Actual Cash Value will be paid until the replacement is complete.
The Personal Property Replacement Cost Loss Settlement HO 23 04 also only pays ACV for items over $500 until the items are replaced. And replacement cost does not apply to articles that are not maintained in good or workable condition or that are outdated or obsolete and are stored or not being used. It also does not apply to antiques or paintings or other fine arts that can not be replaced.

As 2010 comes to a close, it's a good time to make sure all of your records, such as a home inventory, are up to date. It’s important for home owners, and even renters, to keep a home inventory — especially these days, with the popularity of flat-screen televisions, iPhones, video games and other expensive electronics.

But the process can be time-consuming and difficult. The Insurance Information Institute’s Know Your Stuff tool can make doing a home inventory a breeze.

Know Your Stuff helps you enter items by room and upload photos or scanned receipts. Once the information is in the system, items can be sorted by price, date of purchase or type (silverware, major appliances, etc.). You can even customize your own categories.

Once completed or updated, the Know Your Stuff report also can be printed, saved on a computer, e-mailed or burned on a CD.

The site has an informative video about the Know Your Stuff tool, giving you a quick look at the process and the importance of doing a home inventory!

Take stock with free home inventory tool

Using this tool is as easy as following this link:

www.knowyourstuff.org

After taking inventory, if you need to insure what you have, contact Goen & Goen Inc insurance agency to find the best policy to fit your needs.

Information from Safeco Insurance Company

Insurance Cards

Have you ever been pulled over for a speeding ticket and panic?  That sinking feeling you get is because you are not sure you have your auto insurance card to prove you have insurance.  One more hassle to deal with along with the speeding ticket!

The paper ID cards that were once the only way to prove insurance coverage is now obsolete. With a click of a button, any Texas law enforcement officer can pull the information on your vehicle and know if you have insurance thanks to TexasSure.


TexasSure is the financial responsibility verification program and its goal is to reduce the number of uninsured Texas drivers.

Of course, it is easier if you can prove you have insurance by giving the officer your insurance card. But TexasSure can take one more worry out of the situation if the officer will look up your information.

Additional information can be found at http://www.texassure.com/