Category: Home Insurance

The holiday season is here, and this may mean that you are looking to decorate your home. Decorations help to make your home look and feel festive, but unfortunately, many people make mistakes that prove to be damaging as they hang decorations. Here are a few of the most common mistakes that homeowners make when decorating for the holidays and how you can avoid these mistakes, brought to you by The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC, serving the greater Louisa, VA community. 

Common Mistakes Homeowners Make That Can Cause Major Home Damage

Using Nails to Hang Holiday Lights

One mistake homeowners make when they are decorating their homes for the holidays is to use nails to hang holiday lights. Nails can damage your gutter system, roof, or siding. Always use light clips instead of using nails, which can cause permanent damage. 

Placing Inflatables Against Their Home

Another common mistake homeowners make when decorating their homes is placing inflatables against them. Inflatables can trap moisture against the home’s siding, leading to mold or mildew growth, or rot. Always ensure there is space between your inflatables and your home, so water and moisture can slide down and away from the home. 

Overloading Their Electrical Systems

The final common mistake homeowners make as they decorate their homes for the holidays is overloading their electrical systems. If you plan on using a ton of lights and inflatables, have an electrician to ensure your home can handle the electrical demands you are going to be placing on your home. 

Not Having The Right Insurance

Insurance can help protect the investment you made in your home in case something unexpected happens. At The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC, serving the greater Louisa, VA area, we can help you find the best home insurance policy with the coverage limits you need. Give us a call now to obtain an estimate. 

The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC can help homeowners in the greater Louisa, VA area with all of their insurance needs. If you have questions about home insurance and potential liability for damages, give us a call today. We are here to help you!

Damage caused by trees – who is responsible?

During storms with high winds, trees can blow around quite a bit, and in some circumstances, branches can blow free and cause damage. After a storm with high winds, it can be difficult to determine exactly which tree caused what damage. But if you have trees on adjoining property with your neighbors, it’s important for you both to practice good tree maintenance.

While every situation is different, it is possible for neighbors to be held responsible for the damage that their trees cause. This can quickly turn into a contentious situation that causes problems between neighbors. This is why it is so important to keep your trees well-trimmed and maintained, especially before a storm. If you notice that your neighbors are not practicing good tree maintenance, it’s a good idea to take some pictures in order to have a record of the situation. 

If your home is damaged by your neighbor’s trees, be sure to discuss the situation with your claims adjuster. In many situations, it will be them who are responsible for the damage to your home. 

Call us today!

Homeowners in Louisa, VA and the surrounding area turn to the team at The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC for all of their insurance needs. If you want to make sure that your current homeowner’s policy provides the coverage you need, get in touch with us. We are here to help our community. Call or stop by today! 

When you purchase a home in Louisa, VA with a mortgage loan, your bank requires you to purchase homeowners insurance. What the bank doesn’t do is stipulate which homeowners insurance you need to buy.

The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC wants you to understand your choices, so you buy the coverage you need. 

How many perils should your Virginia home insurance cover?

You have a choice between policies that cover 10, 16, or all perils.

That means the insurance policy covers you for ten to all naturally occurring or man-made events beyond your feasible control. That means that the policy covers your home against loss when a tornado hits it, or fire occurs. If a hail storm damages the siding or the weight of winter storm ice and snow rips the gutters off, the insurance covers your repairs. The same is true if a burglar breaks in and steals from you. Home insurance covers your loss.

You must decide when you purchase your policy, which level of coverage you want. A 10 peril policy covers only the minimum number of perils. It costs the least, but you remain unprotected. Sometimes referred to as a dwelling policy, landlords often purchase it for rental homes. A 16 peril policy covers most hazards. Most homeowners opt for this coverage. You’ll pay the most for all perils coverage, but you can afford to pay for any repairs needed.

If a covered peril wipes out your home completely, you can replace it using your insurance payment. How much you’ll get depends on the coverage level there, too. You can choose replacement value or actual value. The difference is that, with actual value, you’ll receive a check for the value of your home when the peril destroyed it, even if it has dropped in value since you purchased it, but with replacement value, you get the cost of rebuilding your home as it was constructed, with any renovations you made paid for, too.

Protect your Louisa, VA with home insurance. Contact The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC to obtain the coverage you need to protect your home in Virginia.