Posted by John Coyle on Sun, Jun 14, 2009
You may be paying higher homeowners insurance premiums than you need for the amount of coverage you have. Why? Because insurance companies that offer homeowner's coverage vary in what types of risks they want to write over the course of time. For instance, if they have over-saturated the home owner's market in one region, they may raise rates to balance the amount of exposure they have undertaken.
Are you paying too much?
If you have been with the same company for several years, we will help you discover how your rates compare with the rates of other reputable companies.
Are your rates climbing annually? Are you paying too much?
Some Insurance Companies Offer Less Coverage For The Same Amount of Premium
Since the Texas mold crisis a few years ago, many insurance companies are no longer offering an “all peril” policy for homeowners. This type of policy gives the broadest insurance coverage to homeowners. Some companies offer this policy, also called an HOB, because it gives homeowners coverage from all perils except ones specifically excluded, such as flood, nuclear war or hurricanes. Others offer “named peril” policies (called either an HOA or a broader form of it called an HOA+) that insure against losses from specific incidents, such as lightning, fire, explosion and so on. While the “named peril” policy may save you money, you are also losing a great deal of coverage.
Do you have an HOB policy? Are you paying too much premium for too little coverage?
Do You Have An Insurance Agent Working For You?
At TriStar, we are independent agents that work for you, the consumer. An independent agent sells insurance for more than one company. We are licensed to sell homeowners policies from a wide variety of companies with several types of policies.
How Does That Help You???
We save you the time and hassle of shopping around from company to company.
Here’s what we promise to you:
- We will shop the policy for you.
- We will find the best policy with a premium that fits your budget.
- We will write the policy and handle all the paperwork. All you do is sign.
Are you paying too much for insurance? Do you have time to peruse the insurance market to know?
Contact John Coyle at jcoyle@tristarins.com or call 214-387-0600 and let us at Tri-Star help you find a better solution for your insurance.
Posted by John Coyle on Sun, Jun 14, 2009
The first tropical depression of 2009 occurred in the Atlantic on May 29 and finally dissipated before hitting land. Yes, folks, hurricane season has arrived and it is time to be sure your homeowners insurance is adequate. Memories of Hurricanes Ike and Dolly from the 2008 season are vivid reminders to Texas homeowners of the importance of being properly insured.
Do you have enough insurance coverage?
How Much Home Insurance Coverage Do I Need?
You will want to be sure that you have a replacement cost policy with dwelling limits high enough to rebuild your home in the event of a total loss.
In other words, if you have a custom home, you may want to figure about $125 per square foot of your home to determine replacement cost. If your home is not a custom-built home, use $90 per square foot to calculate.
For instance, let’s say you have a custom-built home with 2500 square feet. You will want to purchase at least $312,500 dwelling coverage.
2,500 square feet x $125 = $312,500
This is an approximation based on average homebuilding prices, but we can get you an accurate figure right now. Just fill in the form below and we’ll calculate replacement cost and how much you can expect to pay for your insurance.
Why Is Replacement Cost So Much Higher Than My Appraisal?
Replacement cost is figured based upon the features of your home. Insurance companies use square footage, special amenities, your location, number of baths and half baths, type of exterior and other factors to help determine replacement cost. They want you to have enough insurance coverage to completely rebuild your home if destroyed. Otherwise, you may have to come out of pocket or downgrade custom features when replacing your home.
Do you have enough home insurance to fully replace the interior and exterior features?
Do You Have Any Tips To Help Dallas/Fort Worth Homeowners Prepare For The 2009 Hurricane Season?
Absolutely. Homeowners can begin making preparations now. Here are "7 Tips To Get Ready For The Hurricane Season Even If You Don't Live On The Coast!"
Tip one: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends that every home have a National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA) weather radio receiver. For best results, purchase one with Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) technology that will activate both an audible and/or visual alarm when the National Weather Service issues watches and warnings. Receivers should also have “tone alert capability, battery back-up and ability to receive all seven frequencies, according to the NWS.
You can purchase a NOAA weather radio at stores that sell electronics.
Tip two: Plan an emergency escape route ahead of time. Determine your final destination and map out two or three ways of getting there in order to avoid traffic jams.
Tip three: Put together a disaster supply kit. You can find a list at this website.
Tip four: Get your kids involved in the preparations. Children love to help. And if that isn’t reason enough, remember that helping develops confidence and security in kids during a time when they need extra assurance that everything will be okay.
Tip five: Individuals with special needs should make extra arrangements that will give them the extra support needed to be safe. Knowing about public disaster assistance ahead of time may prevent unwelcome surprises during a crisis.
Tip six: Make a plan for your pet. In order to leave a pet at a kennel, their shots must be up-to-date. Kennels may require proof that the animal is fully vaccinated before accepting them. Also, be sure to get an appropriate crate to transport the pet safely.
TIP SEVEN: Keep all your current insurance declarations pages in a folder together in a handy place. We recommend you keep them in a waterproof container while transporting for extra safety.
For more information contact John Coyle at jcoyle@tristarins.com or call 214-387-0600.
Posted by Roger Harkins on Tue, Dec 30, 2008
When shopping for insurance, theft is probably not your number one concern. More likely you are worried about accidents or weather-related calamities. Your home or automobile insurance has got you covered in the event of an accident, but what about theft? Whether called stealing, filching or pilfering, theft is the taking of another person’s property without consent, which is highly illegal. To avoid the emotional distress and hassle brought about by theft, make sure you are covered by your insurance policy. The knowledgeable staff at Tri-Star Insurance Professionals, Inc. in Frisco, North Dallas and Plano knows just what you need to feel safe and secure about leaving your home or automobile unattended. Through Tri-Star and their status as an independent agency, you can get the most coverage for the best available rate. Tri-Star agents have the ability to shop around and compare rates from other companies, including the big guns, in order to find you the perfect policy.
Having a comprehensive insurance policy is ideal, but there are also steps you can take to lessen the chance of your car or home getting broken into or vandalized.
Auto
Car insurance policies do not often cover property theft, but rather theft of the vehicle itself. Ironically enough, most homeowners or renters insurance policies cover the theft of items from inside your vehicle. Aside from that, you can try to make your car less of a target to avoid a break-in.
Thief-proofing your car begins with locking it at all times, even when you are in it. Thieves usually act on opportunity; so don’t give one a reason to strike by leaving your possessions in plain view. Valuables such as cell phones, MP3 players, GPS devices, computers and anything that would fetch a price should always be kept hidden from view. Also, remember to keep purchases out of sight by placing such items in the trunk or glove compartment, not in the back seat or on the floorboards. Vehicle security in the form of installing a car alarm may be your best defense in the long run.
Home
A comprehensive home insurance policy is ideal, if not a bit pricier, because it covers everything from fire damage to vandalism and everything in between. The amount of coverage is based on a percentage of the limit of insurance you place on your home. In most cases, it is probably worth it to get more coverage, but you can also try to minimize the risk of a robbery by making your home appear less appealing to thieves.
According to the Burglary Prevention Council, the peak time for break-ins is during the summer months, when many people are on vacation. Even so, you need to be vigilant at all times. Pay extra attention to any unknown persons or vehicles lurking in your neighborhood and form a crime watch group to keep on the lookout. Make your yard unfriendly territory to thieves by keeping your bushes and trees trimmed back. Also, install motion-detector lights on or near the front of your home.
To learn more about protecting your personal property from thieves with a comprehensive insurance policy contact Tri-Star Insurance Professionals, Inc. today at 214-387-0600 or visit them online at www.tristarins.com.
Related Links
Insurance Information Institute
Independent Insurance Agents of Texas
National Crime Prevention Council
Posted by Roger Harkins on Mon, Dec 22, 2008
In a world of countless insurance agencies, it's a rare find to discover one that truly cares about its customers. Tri-Star Insurance Professionals, Inc., which serves the Plano, Frisco, and North Dallas area, employs a team of agents with over 70 years of combined insurance experience. John Coyle, commercial line manager for Tri-Star, is familiar with all types of coverage including personal and business insurance. With over twenty years of experience in the insurance industry, he strives to provide each one of his clients with exceptional customer service to ensure that they receive proper coverage at the lowest price.
“More Coverage for Less Money". I want people to feel secure about being covered in the event of an accident, but without having to pay an arm and a leg,” says Coyle.
As an independent insurance agency, Tri-Star differs from a traditional captive agency in that they can shop many companies to find you the best rates.Tri-Star represents several of the top insurance companies including Hartford, Travelers, America First, Utica & Philadelphia and many others. The traditional captive agencies like State Farm, Farmers & Allstate only represent their one company. If their company has a rate change, they can not move you to another company to who might have lower rates and a better coverage. Tri-Star agents do all the dirty work by researching low-cost insurance plans to ensure that you get quality coverage at a fair price.
Starting out as a captive agent, John Coyle soon realized he was at a disadvantage when he couldn’t fit the needs of all his clients. After many years of turning people away because he did not have the means to help them, John decided to work as a Independent Agent. He made the move to Tri-Star in 2007 and has never looked back.
“There are many advantages to working at Tri-Star such as having the ability to offer choices. Giving people a choice is the key to a successful client relationship,” says Coyle.
Tri-Star is a member of the IIAT (Independent Insurance Agents of Texas) and has been deemed a “trusted choice” agency. Trusted choice agents must uphold the following principles:
- Have strong customer and community ties
- Provide excellent service
- Thoroughly assist in the event of a claim
- Act as a consultant on all aspects of insurance
- Offer a choice of insurance plans at the best combination of price
- Periodically review coverage
John Coyle has met those requirements to the tee, and in the case of a local "Piano Retailer", has gone above and beyond. After reviewing the company insurance policy, John noticed that coverage was placed on the building and its contents but they did not actually own the building, just the contents, and was paying a high monthly premium. Since John took the time to throughly review their current policy, John uncovered the previous agency mistake and was able to correctly insure the risk and in the processed saved the business owner $10,000. Not all agencies are created equal, John Coyle & the staff at Tri-Star, understand and offer personalized customer service.
Don’t pay for coverage you don’t need a second longer. As a small insurance firm, Tri-Star can provide you with personalized service and will work closely with you to find the perfect policy. John Coyle and Tri-Star Insurance offer the same products such as auto, home, renters, flood, condo, individual health and life insurance products at competitive prices. Call 214-387-0600 today to speak directly to John Coyle or visit. www.tristarins.com.
Related Links
Texas Department of Insurance
Insurance Information Institute
Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Americ