Prepping your Home for Spring

Spring is coming in Cullman, AL and you are likely more than ready. However, there are many things you can do to prepare your home for the temperature change and season transition. You want your home to look its best. To accomplish this, be sure to use these tips from Insurance Solutions Inc.

De-Winterize

Not everyone takes the time to winterize their home, but if you did then you want to get it de-winterized as well. Now is the perfect time to do just that. Call a professional to assist you with this task to ensure it is done properly.

Decorate for Spring

There are a few fun holidays around the spring but even if you do not celebrate these holidays, then you can so some spring decorating. You can bring out bright colors to liven up your home and even consider getting some fresh flowers. There are many options and nothing says spring in your home more than having it look like spring inside.

Plant Outside

If you have some yard space, you can plant some spring flowers around your home now. It will look beautiful in just a few weeks and you will be happy you took care of it now. Thinks of getting some different colored flowers or maybe even some that will continue to bloom year after year. If you opt for this, it will be the gift that keeps on giving every year around the spring season.

If you want to be prepared for anything that can happen to your home, you need to have a great home insurance plan. Whether you are searching for a new policy or simply want to see if you can get a lower rate, be sure to contact Insurance Solutions Inc. serving Cullman, AL.

Installing security measures to lower your insurance in Alabama

Cullman, AL is one of the safer towns in the state. Across Alabama, we see about one hundred robberies and seven hundred burglaries per one hundred thousand people. In Cullman, these numbers are significantly lower, at only fifty robberies and under five hundred burglaries per hundred thousand people.

You want to protect your home no matter how low crime may be in your area. Even if your hometown sees zero robberies per hundred thousand people, who knows if leaving your door unlocked one day is what’s going to bump that number up to one in a hundred thousand? Be that as it may, Cullman, AL residents don’t exactly live in fear of crime like people might in certain cities.

But, that doesn’t mean you can’t get some great discounts through Insurance Solutions Inc. by installing certain security measures.

By installing a monitored system, burglar alarms and surveillance measures, you can earn discounts through your insurer which will bring your costs down. Insurance Solutions Inc. will connect you with some insurers and will help you to figure out how to get some of the most generous discounts based on your situation.

The cost of installing a couple of cameras, a burglar alarm or a monitored system may seem a little steep at first, but when you look at the money you save over the years on your insurance, it’s an easy choice to make. On another end, a 24/7 security service can considerably lower insurance rates, but this is only an option for a select few and those in gated communities. In any event: The safer your home, the cheaper it is to insure.

Tips for Preventing Home Breaks Ins During the Holiday Season

While Cullman, AL is a relatively quiet town, break-ins can occur anywhere, especially during the holiday season. Here are a few tips that can help you keep your home and belongings safe this holiday season.

Don’t Make it Obvious You Are Out of Town

One of the ways that you can make your home a target is by making it obvious that no one is home. Some people leave their garbage cans out for several days for trash pick-up day or leave their newspapers piled up by the door. Always avoid making it obvious you are away, or thieves may think your home is an easy target.

Hide All Expensive Boxes

Another way to bring attention to your home is to throw away boxes containing expensive items, like TVs and computers. If you must throw these away in your garbage bin, break the box down and cut it up into pieces. Don’t advertise to thieves what they may find in your home, or they may want to break in and take it.

Keep An Eye on Your Neighborhood

The last way you can help to prevent home break-ins is to simply keep an eye out in your neighborhood. Do you see suspicious people where they don’t belong? Report them. Many thieves will case the neighborhood, so staying vigilant can help you avoid this issue before a theft occurs.

Home break-ins can affect your homeowner’s insurance policy. If you want to find out if a break in is covered under your policy, or how a break in can affect your insurance price, contact Insurance Solutions, INC, serving the Cullman, AL area. Give us a call today and let us help you with all of your homeowner’s insurance questions and needs.

Preparing Your Home and Figuring Out Home Insurance for Autumn in Cullman, AL

If you live in the city of Cullman, AL, you know that the seasons change, and with them changes the weather, which can have ramifications for your home and its structure. This, in turn, can have an impact on your needs where home insurance is concerned. Though the weather changes are less extreme in Alabama than they are in some of the northern states, they are still there. With autumn and particularly the shortly following winter, there will be many weather hazards that can have an effect on your home and the belongings within.

One thing that you should keep in mind for the autumn is that leaves, as well as other dead vegetation, will accumulate around your property. In addition, it can get rainy, meaning that you should clear that debris out of your rain gutters to avoid water backup issues (which would not be covered by home insurance). If it instead gets hot and dry, the debris can be a fire hazard. Additionally, insects and animals can start seeking winter shelter in your home in the cooler months. The damage caused by pests, such as insects, rodents, and birds, is generally not covered in home insurance policies. Additionally, you should make sure that you and your home are prepared for the winter; you should make sure that your heating system is functional and that your pipes are not susceptible to freezing damage (also not covered).

If you have questions about how to prepare for autumn in terms of your home and home insurance, you can come to Insurance Solutions Inc. for all of the answers that you need. Insurance Solutions Inc. has many agents who can give you all the information that you need about home insurance in the autumn in Cullman, AL.

A Guide to Home Buying in Cullman

Buying a home is a huge undertaking for anyone. Although Cullman, AL, and the surrounding region is a peaceful and relatively inexpensive area to live, it’s still important to understand the region. This is especially the case since a home is more than just a place to live; it’s an investment.

1. Spending More on the Home

With low real estate and school taxes, the price to buy a home in Alabama is much lower than in other states. You’ll be able to spend more on purchasing a home or remodeling one that’s in need of a little tender loving care. Therefore, when you’re budgeting and determining what’s in your price range, make sure you consider that you have a bit more to spend than you think.

2. Examine All Areas

When you’re comparing homes, understand that each section of the city with a 15,000-person population is different, and the vibe isn’t static throughout the city. Don’t hesitate to look at homes in different areas and visit the areas before deciding.

3. Determine Your Needs

Before buying a home in Cullman, you should take into consideration all of your needs. The area doesn’t have any public transportation, so you’ll want to be closer to areas with amenities if you lack your vehicle. Research the public schools based on the age of your children. If you’re not satisfied with the performance of the school, find homes close to the private schools in the area because your address may determine your student’s eligibility for enrollment. If you have special medical needs, you won’t find a great deal of specialty medical centers in the area. You’ll want to find a home located closer to Cullman Regional Medical Center, which is the main medical facility in the city.

Once you purchase a home in the Cullman, Al area, contact Insurance Solutions Inc. at 256-739-2329 to open a home owner’s insurance policy.

 

3 Reasons to Get Home Insurance in Alabama

A matter that is imperative to homeowners of all kinds, finding good quality home insurance can be more difficult than it seems. Indeed, with an abundance of insurance companies presently on the market, it can be hard to find one that offers reasonable rates and excellent customer service, among other things. With that said, are you looking to purchase a home insurance policy in the Alabama area? The following is an overview of top 3 reasons to get home insurance in Alabama. 

Protect Against Disasters

Although there is no real way to prevent disasters from happening, there is a way to ensure that your belongings are covered in case they are damaged or destroyed. An area that has been a victim of every kind of disaster from earthquakes to hurricanes, it is never a good idea to be without home insurance in the state of Alabama. 

Protect Against Robbery and Theft

Another great reason to get home insurance is to protect against things such as robbery and theft. No matter how good your neighborhood may be, robbery and theft is always possible. Your house is literally filled with a lifetime worth of valuables, trinkets, possessions, and memories. Although some things can never be replaced, it is imperative to have something in place to protect the things you can. 

Protection from Lawsuits

Lastly, one of the top reasons to purchase a home insurance policy is to protect yourself and your estate from lawsuits. For instance, if someone is injured on your property, they can sue. However, if you have a home insurance policy, this individual will be awarded based on the limits of your policy. 

If you are looking for quality home insurance in Alabama, Insurance Solutions Inc. is glad to serve you! 

Closet Organization Tips

You spend a lot more time in your closet than you probably realize. If it is not organized, you are probably unhappy with the way it looks. That is because a closet can become a final destination for many items and it can easily get out of hand. To fix these issues in your closet, take advantage of our closet organization tips and contact us at Insurance Solutions Inc. for all of your insurance needs.

  • Take advantage of the space you have by creating shelves. If you have a closet that has a lot of extra room near the ceiling but there are no shelves, then you need to take advantage of that area and make it useful. The best way you can do this is by installing shelves in the closet. You can then use them for all sorts of things including storage, places to keep purses, and other things. 
  • Use an over the door shoe rack for all of your shoes. If you are like most people, then you have shoes all over your closet floor. They may be in one area or they may be all over the place. No matter the case, this is a terrible way to use that floor space and it can really make a closet look cluttered. Put all of your shoes on an over the door shoe rack to get them out of the way and free up a lot of floor space.
  • Use tiered hangers to get more clothes in your closet. You can only put so many hangers in a closet which means you can only put so many clothes in there. If you are using hangers that only hang one item of clothing, you are wasting space. Use tiered hangers to see how much mire room you actually have.

5 Spring Cleaning Tips for Cullman

Cullman values their homes, and understands just how much work needs to be done to maintain them. Spring cleaning is difficult to get started, but necessary for a healthy lifestyle (and even rewarding once you’re done.)

1. First Things First 

Don’t limit yourself right off the bat by not taking the time to set up everything you need. It’s not going to motivate you when you realize you can’t remember where you put the feather duster that cleans the ceiling fans. Put everything you need right in front of you before you start. 

2. Up, Down and Around  

Start at the top so anything that falls to the ground gets cleaned up last. When you’re going around a room, start with the cleanest parts of your home so you’re not pushing the bacteria around as you move. 

3. Learning to Purge 

It’s going to be rough, because everything you’ve kept, you’ve kept for a reason. However, you can still preserve your memories without letting your home become storage for everything you might have accumulated over time. Speaking of storage facilities, you can always invest in one if you can’t bring yourself to toss it. 

4. The Fabric Of Our Lives

Starting with your closet can actually be your best chance of finishing the rest of the project. These are often the messiest places in the house, so seeing it organized again can be enough of a boost to keep going. 

5. Entire Protection for Your Home

Insurance Solutions Inc. wants everyone in Cullman, AL to enjoy a dust and germ-free experience when they’re at home, but total safety calls for total coverage. Give us a call today when you need a quote or even if you need answers about your current policy and how you can improve it. 

 

How To Protect Your Home And Your Home Based Business

It is important to protect your home as well as your home-based business in Alabama. While you may think that you are doing everything the best that you can, it may not be that way. Homeowner’s insurance offers a variety of coverage options and you may not be able to go with the basics simply because you do have a home-based business inside.

Many homeowners and business owners make the assumption that homeowners insurance covers everything within the home. However, it doesn’t account for the fact that you are running a business or it this means you may need to add coverage and potentially even look at other types of insurance to provide full protection.

Business property coverage is one of the most important aspects. You may have computers, merchandise, and various other items that are dedicated to the business within your home. Having this coverage can provide protection against their loss.

General liability coverage is also important, particularly if someone ever filed a lawsuit against you as a result of injury or even negligence.

If you have any employees, employment practices liability coverage can be extremely important. Otherwise, you could be at a financial loss if you face allegations of wrongful pay, termination, or other aspects.

The type of business you have is going to be important. You may have clients visiting you on a regular basis or you may not. You may have a car for business and this could require business auto coverage as well. It is best to sit down with an independent insurance agent and discuss all of the nuances of your business in order to determine the best coverage.

At Insurance Solutions Inc. we are here to help you protect your home-based business. Call us today and one of our agents can walk you through the entire process.

 

 

Call an Independent Insurance Agent When Moving in with a New Roommate

Anytime you move, there are lots of tasks to be done. Packing, unpacking, switching your utilities and forwarding your mail are just a few of the things you must see to. One additional item that should be on your to-do list anytime you move, including when you move in with a new roommate, is to call an independent insurance agent who sells renters insurance.

Your Insurance Needs Might Change

Whenever you move, your insurance needs may change. For instance, selling old furniture and purchasing new furnishings could change the amount of personal property coverage you need. Additionally, you might want to buy more or less liability coverage, medical payments coverage or loss of use coverage.

You should always have a renters insurance policy that meets all of your needs, so it’s important to review your coverage each time you move. If your current policy isn’t adequate after your move, you’ll need to shop around for a new policy. Unfortunately, you can’t simply rely on your roommate’s insurance to provide you with the additional coverage you need, because their policy likely won’t cover you.

Independent Insurance Agents Can Help

Assessing your insurance needs, reviewing your policy and shopping for a new one can be challenging on your own. Independent insurance agents, however, are trained and licensed to help people with precisely these tasks. Calling them every time you move is an easy way to quickly review your policy and shop for a new one, if one is needed. It’s the simplest way to make sure you’re always properly protected.

If you’ve recently moved to a new apartment in Cullman, AL and haven’t talked with a renters insurance agent who is licensed in Alabama, contact us at Insurance Solutions Inc. We have independent insurance agents who can help you. To get in touch with them, reach us through our website.