Home Insurance

Confused About Your Home Insurance Policy in Columbia? Get Answers Here!

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If you’re feeling confused about your home insurance policy, you’re not alone. Many Columbia, IL homeowners have questions about what their home insurance policies cover, the types of coverage available, and how increasing local weather risks can impact their policies or premiums.

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about home insurance, provided by the experts at Taake Insurance Agency.

Q1. What Do Illinois Home Insurance Policies Typically Cover?

Standard home insurance policies generally provide financial protection for the interior and exterior of your home, as well as your personal belongings. While coverage specifics, premium amounts, and additional options vary between policyholders and insurance agencies, most Illinois home insurance policies include the following:

  • Dwelling Coverage
  • Detached Structures Coverage
  • Personal Property Coverage
  • Liability Protection
  • Loss of Use Coverage

To ensure your policy meets your needs, consult a trusted local insurance agent who can review your current coverage and help you create a customized home insurance plan.

Q2. Does My Home Insurance Policy Cover Flooding in Columbia?

In most cases, standard home insurance policies do not cover flood-related damages or claims. Homeowners typically need to purchase a separate flood insurance policy to ensure adequate coverage. Review your active home insurance policies or seek assistance from a licensed local insurance agent to learn more about flood coverage options.

Q3. Are Detached Structures Covered by a Comprehensive Home Insurance Policy in Illinois?

Yes, most home insurance policies typically include coverage for detached structures, such as sheds, garages, workshops, gazebos, and other similar structures. However, it’s important to review the terms of your policy to confirm coverage for items like outdoor mailboxes, playhouses, swing sets, and detached outdoor kitchens.

Choosing the right home insurance policy is easier with the support and advice of knowledgeable insurance professionals. Contact the local experts at Taake Insurance Agency to request a policy review or get a home insurance quote today!

You Inherited a House! Does Insurance Come With It?

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Unfortunately, your beloved Uncle Jack has passed away. On a brighter note, he left a will stating that you are the beneficiary of his house. However, Uncle Jack’s insurance policy doesn’t automatically transfer to you. You could qualify for a traditional policy if you plan to move in. You have 30 days to decide whether you want to move in, sell, or rent the property. After this period, you will need to secure your own insurance policy.

Four Options to Consider

You have several options. Firstly, you could move in and make it your primary residence. In this case, you will need home insurance. If the house remains unoccupied for 30 days, it becomes an unoccupied property. These properties are at a higher risk of damage and theft, making their insurance quite expensive. Therefore, securing a six-month policy and expediting the property’s sale is advisable. Secondly, if you find a tenant, consider getting landlord insurance, also known as a rental property policy. This could potentially be covered under an umbrella policy. Lastly, if Uncle Jack’s house is ideal, but you don’t wish to live there, you could turn it into a vacation home. However, remember that unoccupied houses carry risks, making their insurance costly.

Taake Insurance Agency: Serving Columbia, IL

If you live in the Columbia, IL, area and need home insurance, please get in touch with Taake Insurance Agency. Our friendly and professional agents will discuss your options and help you find the right policy for your needs.

Do Homeowner’s Insurance Have Room for Two Homes on One Policy?

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The phrase "second home" often conjures images of affluent individuals owning a vacation home. However, the average person can also buy a vacation home, not just for leisure, but as a rental property or a residence for relatives. Regardless of the reason, it would be best if you had homeowner’s insurance from Taake Insurance Agency. While it might seem easier to bundle the second home into your existing home insurance, whether that’s possible is a different matter.

Can a Homeowner’s Insurance Policy Provide Coverage for Two Homes?

You cannot bundle two or more homes into the same policy. Homeowner’s insurance covers one home in Columbia, IL. A house has several risks that other big-ticket purchases don’t have, so adding two will be more challenging. The home’s location, age, and repair needs factor into a home’s coverage, and no two homes’ characteristics match up. Additionally, the purpose of the homes and the items inside them differ. It’s impossible to cover both houses in the same policy when each house has different needs.

Can You Get a Homeowner’s Insurance Policy for a Second Home?

You can purchase a second policy for your second home and enjoy the same benefits as the first. The flip side is that the monthly cost is higher because of the higher risk second homeownership brings. Those risks are:

  • Vacant homes that stay vacant for a long time
  • Rental property and tenant issues
  • Vacation home locale
  • Risk of a natural disaster

The risk increases because you are not the primary resident. If you are, you don’t live there regularly. That limits second home insurance coverage to only the situations in the policy. You may need additional insurance like flood and landlord insurance to strengthen coverage.

At Taake Insurance Agency, we want you to get adequate home insurance for each home’s unique needs. Come by our Columbia, IL office to discuss our home insurance offers.

What Types of Damage Can Home Insurance Cover?

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At Taake Insurance Agency in Columbia, IL, we assist new homeowners and seasoned homeowners with determining what their home insurance policy does and doesn’t cover. While many homeowners may take for granted what they believe their policy covers, it never hurts to confirm what your policy offers and what is outside of the scope of what your policy can cover. Before your home is damaged, we recommend getting home insurance to protect against liability, qualifying damage, and more.

What Types of Damage Can Home Insurance Cover?

When your home experiences damage due to theft, a natural disaster, or vandalism, you may wonder how you’ll be able to afford to repair the damage. After all, most of us don’t have the extra funds lying around to cover these kinds of damages. Before you panic, you should know that some home insurance policies may cover damage that occurs during a qualifying natural disaster, vandalism, fire, or theft. Of course, every insurance policy is different, so you should speak with one of our professionals to determine whether the damage may qualify for coverage.

What Types of Damage Can Home Insurance NOT Cover?

Home insurance doesn’t cover damage from regular wear and tear. It also usually doesn’t cover damage from natural disasters outside of qualifying events. Additionally, if your home isn’t damaged and you want to renovate it, home insurance almost certainly will not cover those expenses. If you have questions about what events and damages fall outside of your home insurance coverage, we can answer any related questions when you call our office or visit it in person.

For more information about our home insurance policy options, we welcome you to call our office at Taake Insurance Agency in Columbia, IL!

Beyond Bricks and Mortar: Five Benefits of a Home Insurance Policy

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Investing in your dream home where you plan to raise your family is one of the most significant investments you can make. Protect your homeownership investment with comprehensive home insurance from Taake Insurance Agency in Columbia, IL! 

Benefits of Home Insurance in Columbia, IL 

Benefit #1. – Protect Your Home’s Interior and Exterior 

A comprehensive home insurance policy can provide financial coverage for your home’s key interior and exterior features. Licensed insurance agents can provide coverage advice and policy options based on your circumstances. 

Benefit #2 – Reduce Expenses

One of the best benefits of having a comprehensive policy is that you’re protected from unexpected incidents of thefts, vandalism, effects of natural disasters, and other covered perils. Comprehensive insurance can reduce out-of-pocket expenses when your policy covers your must-have items and repair or replacement costs. 

Benefit #3. – Avoid Legal Blindsides

Accidents can happen regardless of where we are –including unexpected accidents on your property. With comprehensive home insurance, avoid being blindsided by legal and financial claims associated with accidents on your property. 

Benefit #4. –  Temporary Displacement Support

Repairs and clean-up from natural disasters, floods, vandalism, and break-ins can render a family homeless while they await restoration. Talk to a trusted insurance agent to learn how to add emergency living expense coverage to your home insurance policy. 

Benefit #5. – Sleep Easier

Most homeowners rest easier at night when they know their homes are safe and protected from unexpected perils that would normally render them homeless. Please don’t wait until it’s too late to protect your most prized possession from the unexpected.

Contact the insurance experts at Taake Insurance Agency in Columbia, IL, and get a free quote today! 

How does remodeling affect home insurance?

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Remodeling a house to make it your home can be an enjoyable experience, especially when the work finishes. Still, remodeling increases your risk during the process and generally increases the value of a house, so you need to protect your investment during and after the remodeling project. At the Taake Insurance Agency, serving the Columbia, IL, area, our team will work with you to structure the home insurance coverage that protects your family during and after the project.

The Impact of Remodeling and Renovating

The typical home insurance policy offers basic protection during remodeling projects, but accidents can happen, so it is worth considering supplementing your policy during the work period. Some home insurance policies require homeowners to notify their insurance agent about their plans before beginning work. Due to the potential hazards and risk of injuries, homeowners should modify their home insurance coverage or acquire umbrella insurance.

After completing the work, remodeling projects often bring increased home size, enhanced fixtures or furnishings, or add touches that increase the home’s value, and you should update your policy to reflect those changes. Additions such as pools and hot tubs increase your risk and must be identified in the policy. Renovations that modernize your home’s wiring, plumbing, heating, or other system may reduce your risk. 

So, no matter the changes planned, it is best to discuss them with your agent in advance so you fully understand how they may affect your home insurance coverage.

Working with Taake Insurance Agency

Your home is likely one of your most significant investments and needs protection against unforeseen events. Our Taake Insurance Agency team proudly serves the Columbia, IL, area, and we want to help you with all your insurance needs. Call or stop by today to discuss your options.

How to make your home a safer place

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A safe home is what most homeowners strive for. The danger in your home can come from within and outside. Knowing what your risks are, you can take the preventative action that is required. At Taake Insurance Agency in Columbia, IL, we have offered our customers security and peace of mind since 1977. As independent insurance agents, we can also provide more choices. 

Security

Security is an integral part of making your home a safer place. It needs to be safe from threats outside. Begin with a basic security system. They come in a wide variety of options. You can have an installed system that is monitored, or you can install a system yourself. Many of the new systems can be monitored by you with your cellphone. Some are as simple as a doorbell camera. In addition, having motion sensor lights can help keep the exterior of your home lit. 

Windows and doors have locks, and it is essential that you use them. That means every door and window in your home. 

Safety

Making your home safe requires a little diligence on your part. Some important things need to be handled on a timely basis. Your chimney should be cleaned every year. The batteries in your smoke detectors need to be changed every six months and tested regularly. 

Poison chemicals should be kept in a locked cabinet out of the reach of children and pets. If you use poison to treat insects or weeds, do not let children or pets play in the area until it is safe. Also, keep any medication out of the reach of pets and children. 

When you are in the market for home insurance, contact Taake Insurance Agency in Columbia, IL, to talk to one of our experienced agents. 

Home Insurance Coverage Options

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The agents at the Taake Insurance Agency in Columbia, IL express the importance of home insurance. If you borrowed money from a bank or another lender to purchase your home, you are required to have a home insurance policy in place, but even if you paid cash for your home, you will want to protect it with an adequate amount of home insurance.

Home insurance is designed to replace or repair your home and your belongings and other items if your house is damaged by a fire, vandalism, or even a natural disaster. It can also cover theft or robbery incidents that take place at your home and may cover the items that are stolen.

What Does Home Insurance Cover?

A typical homeowners insurance policy will cover your dwelling, which is the house itself, and other structures on your property. It will also cover your personal property inside your home, such as your belongings, household items, appliances, fixtures, etc. A homeowner’s insurance policy will also protect you from liability for injuries that may occur to someone visiting your property or for any damage to their property that happens while they are visiting you on your property.

Examples of other structures on your property include decks, barns, sheds, and even swimming pools. The dwelling portion of your home insurance protection includes your house, its foundation, and anything attached to your house, such as a garage or deck.

Contact Us

To create the best home insurance policy for you and your situation, enlist the assistance of the experienced home insurance agents at the Taake Insurance Agency in Columbia, IL. Call for an appointment today to get your policy started!

Home Insurance and Theft

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If you have ever been a victim of theft, you know how violating and maddening it can feel. You cannot always prevent another person from stealing your items. However, you can ensure that those items are covered by your home insurance policy and, therefore, easier to replace in case of a break-in. A standard homeowners insurance policy does, in fact, cover theft of items located on the premises. In some cases, the policy could even cover your possessions if they are stolen at a separate location.

Home insurance policies can offer coverage for a variety of situations. Amongst those situations are natural disasters as well as theft. Even if the theft takes place off of the property, or if the items stolen belonged to a house guest, these possessions can still be covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy. If you have an older child enrolled in college and living in a dorm room, some of their stolen items may also be covered by the same policy. With one simple policy, you can provide your entire household with coverage that will make your lives easier.

If you need a policy covering all of the basics, Taake Insurance Agency in Columbia, IL can take care of you. This company has been in business since 1977, so they know insurance inside and out. Taake Insurance Agency can assist you with any questions you may have about a policy that will protect your assets. While you may not have control over someone stealing your things, you have control over whether or not those items are insured. Call Taake Insurance Agency today or stop by if you are in the Columbia, IL area.

The Hidden Dangers of Not Having Home Insurance

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Home insurance is one of those things that many people think they don’t need until it’s too late. While it may seem like an added expense, home insurance can save you a lot of money in the long run. So, before you decide to forego coverage, take a moment to consider the hidden dangers of being uninsured. They include:

1. You Could Lose Everything

The most obvious danger of not having home insurance is that you could lose everything in the event of a fire, theft, or another disaster. While your home may be your most valuable asset, it’s also one of the most vulnerable. Without insurance, you would have to bear the entire cost of rebuilding or replacing your home and possessions. This could easily bankrupt you, especially if you have a mortgage.

2. You Could Be Sued

Another hidden danger of not having home insurance is that you could be sued if someone is injured on your property. If you’re found to be at fault, you could be responsible for paying the victim’s medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. This could easily cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars or even more. Home insurance would cover these costs up to your policy limit.

3. You Risk Huge Repair Bills

One of the most common reasons people file insurance claims is to pay for major repairs, such as a new roof. These repairs can be costly, and if you’re not insured, you’ll have to pay for them out of your pocket. This could leave you in a serious financial bind.

4. It Leaves Your Home Vulnerable

Another hidden danger of not having home insurance is that it leaves your home vulnerable to vandals and criminals. If your home is broken into or vandalized, you’ll have to pay to repair the damage yourself. This can be costly, and it could easily be avoided by having insurance.

Don’t let the hidden dangers of not having home insurance surprise you. Taake Insurance Agency in Columbia, IL can help you find the right coverage for your needs and budget. Give us a call today to get started.