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What You Need to Know about Windshield Repair

You’re driving down the road and a rock comes flying out of nowhere and hits your windshield. At that rate of speed, it’s likely to cause it to chip or even worse, crack. Many times, the crack will grow worse over time and begin to look like a road map with twists and turns all over the glass.

Perhaps you don’t have a garage where you live (or you use your garage for storage instead of storing your vehicle). A storm blows through, causing limbs to fall and hit the side or rear window of your vehicle. It leaves a big crack or even causes it to shatter. Before you call your Oconomowoc auto insurance agent, you need to understand some important information about windshield damage and repair.

The Choice of Repair or Replacement

The good news for car owners is that sometimes chips and cracks to your windshield can be repaired which is less costly than replacement. Experts recommend repair for cracks that are smaller than a dollar bill. This option could end up saving you a lot of money.

In certain cases, either the crack can’t be repaired or it isn’t safe to repair. In those situations, the glass must be replaced. Some instances of when you need to replace your windshield include the following:

More than three cracks or chipped areas on the glass

Chips that affect the driver’s line of sight

Cracks or chips along the edge of the windshield

Old windshields with divots

Remember that small chips or cracks can spread so get it taken care of right away. It’s also often illegal to drive with a cracked windshield because it can impair the driver’s ability to see and it may influence the structure of the windshield.

The Cost of Windshield Repair or Replacement

Your first thought may be to turn the incident into your auto insurance provider and file a claim. However, this may not be the best option. Many times, the cost of repair or even replacement of your windshield is below the cost of your deductible. Since you will have to pay out of pocket anyway, it doesn’t make sense to add a claim to your record.

You can contact a windshield repair company for an estimate to determine if you need to file a claim or if it makes more sense to pay on your own. Many companies will even offer a lower cash price. Many of them come to your location so you don’t have to drive the vehicle if it’s dangerous.

For shattered windows, such as in the rear, you can get it crash-wrapped until you can get the glass repaired. It makes the vehicle safer to drive and protects it from the elements.

Damage to windshields and other windows on your car can happen when you least expect it. However, repair or replacement is usually affordable and fast so you can get back on the road in a vehicle that is safe to drive again.

McKinney Financial & Insurance Services provides excellent coverage for car, home, commercial, life insurance and more in the Ixonia, WI area. Excellent rates and great customer service for all your insurance needs.

Basic Tips for a Home Renovation

Whether you’re working on one room or doing an entire house, a renovation is a major challenge. It can be a stressful time for you and your family if you aren’t prepared. Here are some basic tips to think about and help you plan even before you get started.

Hire a Good General Contractor

A general contractor or GC will have a major impact on how the renovation flows and how quickly it finishes. This is one of the most important decisions you’ll make, even more important than what your renovation will look like. Take the time to do research, ask friends, check the Better Business Bureau and look up references.

Build a Failproof Budget

Things go wrong even in the best of situations. In worse scenarios, your renovation could become a nightmare. All those problems cost money, so be prepared by not going to the top of your budget with the remodel. Save room for unexpected expenses and you’ll breathe a lot easier.

Make Sure You Have the Right Insurance

You may think if you have home insurance, it will cover everything. However, this is definitely not the case in a home renovation. First, the contractors need to carry their own liability insurance. This protects them and you if they make a mistake. You may also need to contact your property insurance provider to let them know you’re doing a renovation. A special house insurance policy may be necessary to cover the repair work being done. You’ll need to let your home insurance provider know about the changes because it may impact your coverage, especially if you’re adding extra square footage of finished space.

Work the Plan

One of the common mistakes homeowners make when they do a renovation is changing their minds midway through the project – or even multiple times during it. Each change costs money and causes delays. Take the time to think about everything you want in the renovation and stick to it. Sometimes change is unavoidable, such as when you find you can’t take out a wall like you had planned. However, those instances should be limited.

Know Whether You Can Live through the Renovation

No, this doesn’t mean that the project will kill you. It means that you must decide if you will stay in the house and work around the closed-off rooms and construction clutter. If it will be more than you can handle, you need to plan on temporary living space with family and friends or renting a place. Not everyone can function without a kitchen or only one bath, so know what you can and can’t handle.

A renovation can be exciting as you watch your dream home take shape. However, it can also bring a lot of chaos and stress into your life. Be prepared by hiring professionals to do the major tasks. Have the right home insurance coverage and know whether you want to live among the construction or have a place to get away until the job is done.

McKinney Financial & Insurance Services provides excellent coverage for car, home, commercial, life insurance and more in the Watertown, WI area. Excellent rates and great customer service for all your insurance needs.

What You Should Do If You Let Your Car Insurance Lapse

Maybe you overlooked the renewal notice in the mail or you didn’t have the money at the time so you let your auto insurance policy lapse. You may have had an unexpected financial situation come up that meant you couldn’t pay your car insurance premiums. You decided to take the bus or subway to work until you could afford to get coverage again.

You Need Car Insurance

Car insurance in Wisconsin is required by law if you own or drive a vehicle. Even if you borrow someone else’s vehicle, you must carry insurance unless they name you on their policy. If you drive without insurance, you’re breaking the law and you could get in big trouble.

Don’t assume that you’re covered if you drive another person’s car. Their policy may allow an occasional driver to get behind the wheel, but it’s assumed that person has their own coverage. If you don’t have auto insurance of your own currently in place, you’ll need to be included on their policy before you can legally drive.

Get Insured

It can be difficult to get insured again once you’ve let your car insurance lapse. Some providers require the policyholder to have insurance at least six months before accepting them. Others will charge a higher rate because you’ve been uninsured.

Shop around and get car insurance quotes to find out the best rate for your situation. Look for providers that offer discounts, which can help offset the higher cost.

How to Afford Car Insurance

Letting your policy lapse because you can’t afford it isn’t a good idea. You’ll probably end up paying more for insurance later on because you were uncovered. Instead, you need to find a way to get affordable car insurance in Ixonia and throughout Wisconsin.

You may need to raise your deductible, which will lower your premiums. Another option is get liability only if your car is paid off. If you have a loan for your vehicle, the finance company may require comprehensive/collision insurance.

Talk to an auto insurance agent about your situation instead of relying on online car insurance quotes. Tell the agent how much you can afford and let them help you find a policy that works for you. They can work with many different budgets to find a policy that is affordable.

It’s a good idea to review your policy every time it renews to ensure you have the right amount of coverage. If you’ve let your insurance lapse, it’s essential that you review after your first term. Your rates will likely drop because you’ve been covered for the previous six months.

You also want to think about increasing coverage or lowering your deductible once you’re in a better financial situation to pay for the higher rates. Making these changes will give you peace of mind to know you’re covered if an accident should happen.

Don’t let your car insurance lapse because it could result in a lot more problems than you realize. If your policy has lapsed, don’t drive until you’re insured again and find affordable coverage for the future.

Understand the Exclusions and Extra Coverage in Your Home Insurance

It’s common for people to just look at the bottom line when shopping for Oconomowoc home insurance. They focus on the cost of premiums and ensure they have basic coverage. When a disaster strikes and you must file a claim, that is the time when people find out what kind of coverage they have. However, it’s too late if you don’t have the coverage you need.

What Exclusions Can You Expect?

If you have a basic home insurance policy, certain disaster situations won’t be covered. Many times, these instances won’t be listed out in a basic policy. Instead, it will probably include a list of what is covered. If it’s not mentioned, you can assume it isn’t covered.

With a more comprehensive policy, you will still have some exclusions. Most policies won’t cover your home for earthquakes or other damage that results from the movement of the earth. Flooding often isn’t included in a home policy. Actions taken by the government which result in damage to the property are often excluded as well.

Damage from loss of power or neglect by the homeowner won’t usually be covered by a policy. Faulty repair work is another exclusion.

You can get an add-on to your policy for flooding or other events if you live in an area where this event would be likely. This is the reason it’s important to talk to a home insurance agent to determine what kind of coverage you need before signing up for a policy.

What You Get with the Basics

If you are looking to pay the lowest price for insurance, you probably have what is known as an HO-2 policy. This type of policy covers you only for specific events. They are as follows:

Damage caused by lightning or fire

Damage from wind or hail

Damage from an airplane or other aircraft

Damage from vehicles

Damage caused by a riot

Explosion

Theft

Smoke damage

Damage from vandalism

Falling objects

Volcanoes

Damage caused by snow or ice

Damage from water coming from an automatic fire sprinkler system or from heating or air conditioning units

Damage from frozen pipes

Damage caused by a surge in electricity

To qualify for coverage in a claim, it must be labeled to meet one or more of these characteristics.

What Happens in an Unusual Situation?

In some cases, such as when a vehicle drives into a building, the cause of the damage is obvious. However, other situations aren’t so well-defined. If your home is damaged by water during a storm, it would need to be determined if the damage was from flooding or from a leak in the roof.

It can take an adjust or some time to look at your property and determine the actual cause of the damage before completing the claim. If your claim is denied, you’ll want to look at the reason why. You may not know what is covered and what is excluded, but you can ask your home insurance agent if you suffer damage to your property. They can help you understand your policy and explain any exclusions that might prevent you from receiving compensation. It’s also a good idea to review the policy before disaster strikes and determine if you need additional coverage.

Do You Need Home Insurance If You’re a Renter?

You just graduated from college, and you’re searching for your first Watertown apartment to go with your first job in the “real world.” You find the perfect place and move in. Now you feel like an adult. But, did you think about all that goes with having your own place?

One of the most important things to think about when you get your first place is getting home insurance in Waukesha. For renters, it’s called renter’s insurance instead of home insurance when you don’t own your place. You may not think much about getting insurance for a place that isn’t really yours, but you do need it for your personal belongings.

How Renter’s Insurance Differs from Home Insurance

Home insurance in Watertown or Ixonia is designed to pay for repairs or replacement to the building while renter’s insurance doesn’t cover it. The landlord will need to carry insurance to pay for damage to a building whether it’s a single-family home or an apartment complex.

With home insurance, you have coverage for the building and all the contents inside if you choose. As a renter, your insurance policy only covers your personal belongings. For this reason, it’s a lot cheaper than homeowner’s insurance.

How Renter’s Insurance is Similar to Home Insurance

While the two types of policies are very different, they do have some of the same features. One kind of coverage you will have on both is liability. If someone is hurt in your home, the insurance policy may pay for their medical costs if you’re at fault.

Now, this doesn’t mean you have to pay any time someone is injured while they’re at your home. Only when the accident happens because of your neglect that you may be held responsible. As a renter, neglect may not necessarily be your fault. It could be your landlord’s responsibility to maintain the area where someone is injured. For this reason, sometimes claims involving liability can be more complicated for renters.

Your policy will also pay for damage to your belongings if there’s a fire, flooding or other disasters as long as it’s covered by the terms listed. Your landlord isn’t responsible for your personal items unless the damage happened due to their neglect.

Choosing a Policy

You may assume all renter’s policies are the same, and most of them have similar features. However, you should always review your policy to check for any exclusions or limitations. You need to know how much coverage you have. For liability coverage, you’re responsible for any expenses beyond what the policy covers if you’re deemed liable for someone’s injury.

You must also determine how much value your personal items have so you know how much insurance you need to replace them if they’re damaged. You want to make sure you can replace them if you experience a complete or partial loss.

As one of your first steps in the adult world after college, you’ll get your own place to live. You want to protect the things you buy by getting the right renter’s insurance.

How Can You Get Affordable Car Insurance If You’ve Had Multiple Accidents?

You open up the envelope on your car insurance renewal, and you’re shocked at the increase in rates. You knew you’d had that little fender bender last month, but you didn’t realize it would have such an impact on your premium. You certainly didn’t have the amount budgeted in your monthly income and you wonder if you can find anything cheaper.

Take a Safe Driver Course

Before you look at car insurance in Watertown or Oconomowoc, you need to prove you’re a safe driver. Many insurance companies offer discounts for people who complete safe driving courses. Find out if your agency accepts them. You’ll want to make sure to choose one which is approved by the provider. They may have a list of classes that will count.

Look for Providers that Specialize

Some insurance providers specialize in high-risk drivers. While they can’t give you the same rates as those without any claims or accidents on their records, they can often offer lower rates than other agencies. You can search online for cheaper car insurance for anyone who has had a ticket or accident.

Ask About Other Discounts

Even though most insurance agents are good about giving you all the discounts you qualify for, you should ask about any you might not have been considered for. Besides the traditional discounts you typically receive, you might qualify for some based on where you went to college or where you work. Sometimes, you can even get discounts as a member of other organizations.

Bundle Your Insurance

If you have a home or your spouse has a vehicle, you can bundle your insurance with one company and save money. You might be surprised at how much savings you can enjoy with a multi-policy discount. It might be worth switching your home insurance provider or renter’s insurance to reduce your costs.

Talk to an Agent

A lot of people go online and request multiple quotes for car insurance in Waukesha or Ixonia. However, you might not get the best deals if you’re doing a general comparison. Instead, it’s a good idea to call an agent and talk to them about your situation. If they know you have had accidents in the past, they may be able to find a product that will work for your budget.

An agent will also work to make the policy affordable. They may be able to tell you how to lower your coverage for now to fit your budget. In six months when it’s time for a renewal, they can do another quote and show you how your rates have improved as long as you stay accident-free.

Having multiple accidents on your record will most likely cause an increase in premiums. However, you can still find affordable car insurance to help you get the coverage you need until you can get a lower rate in the future. Just make it your goal to be a safe driver and you’ll see your premiums go back down.

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