What is Home Depreciation and How Can it Impact You?

Home depreciation is something that happens as a home ages. What this means is that over time, your home will start to lose some value if you do not make any upgrades or changes to the home. If it is left as is with no changes, there will be newer homes available on the market that have better features and will be worth more money as well. Your home starts to lose value when things break, are outdated, and more. This is an important factor in your home insurance policy and Pizano Insurance serving Wayzata, MN can help. 

Over time, your home will start to depreciate and it does not happen overnight. There are some other factors that can play a small role as well including the economy but it may not play as big of a role as many claim. You will want to make sure that your home insurance policy reflects depreciation and that you are not overpaying if your home as lost value. To ensure you are not paying too much, you will want to get your home assessed for depreciation. 

You do not want to get your home assessed simply for the purpose of potentially lowering your insurance premiums because this can lead to other problems for you later on. However, if you do want to have your home evaluated, you can do so through an easy process. You will need to get in touch with an appraiser or home assessor to come perform the task for you. It is best to have one come through your insurance agency. This process will help you determine the current value of your home and how much it will cost you to rebuild. They will then give this information to your insurance company.  Contact Pizano Insurance serving Wayzata, MN today to learn more.  

Improving Your Home Insurance Policy: Add Ons and Extra Considerations

Home insurance is based on you, so it helps to know everything that’s available. While each company differs in terms of exactly what’s offered, you can make your own requests if you have specific fears. For example, if your beloved Golden Retriever is prone to knocking your things to the ground with the sweep of their tail, you don’t want to be responsible for replacing everything he destroys out of pocket. Keep these tips in mind from Pizano Insurance if you live in Wayzata, MN. 

Start Asking Questions 

The best way to improve your home insurance is not necessarily to start combing through the pages of your policy. The best way is to start addressing different scenarios with a critical mind. What happens if your home is flooded, what happens if a vandal destroys your mailbox, who will pay if your cash is stolen from your safe? Once you get these exact answers, you can start seeing where the gaps are so they can be filled with additional language that covers further destruction. You can also decide if an event is likely enough to happen to you to justify spending the extra money. 

Help for Wayzata, MN Residents 

If you’re looking for help when it comes to your policy, we’re here to make it easier to navigate. Our job is to address your home and the possessions that make it special and start giving you concrete ways to protect it. The key is to remember that insurance policies can be built to you. For example, you may not have a dog, but what if you have a relative who might bring theirs over? Pizano Insurance makes it simpler to see how insurance really works in the real world, so call today! 

The Best Ways to Save On Your Home Insurance

You are not locked into the amount of money you pay currently for home insurance. There are different ways to reduce what you pay while living in Wayzata, MN, all without dropping coverage or increasing your deductible. At Pizano Insurance, we want to make sure you not only receive excellent home insurance but at a desirable price. 

Security System

A home security system is one of the very best services out there. It will keep your home safe and yet can also reduce your home insurance costs. With a connection to the local police and fire departments, you’ll reduce any chance of extensive damages in the event of a fire. It will also prevent break-ins, which in turn also cuts down on insurance costs. 

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

It is a good idea to have these in every room of the house. These will keep you safe and also reduce insurance costs as fire damage is limited. Some smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can work in unison with the security system as well. 

Improve Utilities

If you have money for a home upgrade, consider having work down to the electrical or plumbing. In a dated house, these are often the most problem filled areas. By making these corrections and having the system updated you can see a drop in insurance costs. 

No matter the kind of home you live in or where in Wayzata, MN you call home, at Pizano Insurance we are here to assist in finding the right coverage at a price you can afford. So, if you have any questions regarding your home insurance or want to know if our company can help you save money, feel free to reach out and contact us at your earliest convenience. 

How to Take Inventory of the Contents of Your Home

Have you ever wondered how the insurance company would reimburse you after your Wayzata, MN house burned down or a tree fell on the roof? You might be surprised to learn that you can’t just tell them, "Well, I guess the total value of everything we owned was $20,000," and expect a check. You have to be able to prove it in order to get the most out of your Pizano Insurance homeowner’s policy.

That’s why you need to inventory your home. If your Wayzata, MN home has never burned down, that’s great. But you need to be prepared. Follow these tips to make sure you get reimbursed for everything—not just the house, but its contents too.

Get an Inventory App

That’s right, there’s an app for that. In fact, there are quite a few available for any type of device. These apps make taking inventory of your house fast, all in one place, even fun. Some allow you to take pictures, some have space for a receipt. They all look a bit different. But the bottom line is they make taking inventory easy. For most of these apps, you can walk into a room and start snapping pictures of your stuff.

Keep Your Receipts

It’s likely that you never thought about taking inventory of your home before, and that’s ok. But from here on out, you’ve got to be savvy. Every time you purchase an item for your home, keep the receipt, or at least take a picture of it. Remember that the more proof you have of an item’s expense, the better your chances of being fully reimbursed for it in the event of a catastrophe.

It’s not hard to keep an inventory of your home. Make it simple by keeping receipts and taking picture of your items, as well as building a list of them, for your Pizano Insurance homeowner’s company. You’ll get your home’s worth, inside and out, when you file a claim.

Preparing the House For Fall in Minnesota /preparing-house-fall-minnesota

As fall begins in Minnesota, temperatures drop and chances of snow begin to appear in the forecast. The days become shorter as well. It’s important to take steps aimed at preparing your Wayzata, MN home for the months ahead:

1. Switch your ceiling fans so that they turn clockwise. This will help you keep heat in the room rather than letting it rise through the ceiling.

2. If your house has central heat, schedule a yearly furnace inspection and cleaning. These services reduce the risk of system failures and boost the efficiency of your heating equipment.

3. The risk of a fire increases in the autumn because you need to generate heat and spend more time indoors. Remember to test all smoke detectors and replace the batteries when needed.

4. If you use timers or a home automation system, make any necessary adjustments to accommodate changing sunrise and sunset times. For instance, you might set outdoor lights to turn on earlier.

5. Clogged rain gutters may trigger indoor leaks after ice dams form. To prevent this harmful situation, remember to clean your gutters during the autumn. Pour water into the troughs and make sure it drains properly.

6. Seal and insulate your house to cut energy bills and prevent frozen pipes. Consider adding insulation to walls, pipes or the attic. Use caulk to eliminate chilly drafts.

7. The North Star State’s first snow showers often materialize in October. Remember to stock up on sand and ice melter so that you can treat slippery decks, sidewalks and driveways.

While these tips may help safeguard your Wayzata, MN residence during the fall, they can’t prevent every disaster. Consider signing up for affordable home coverage from Pizano Insurance to obtain greater financial protection. Pizano Insurance helps customers compare quotes from multiple insurers. Please dial 763-244-3320 today.
 

Is your home ready for the new year?

At the start of a new year, there is a sense of fresh beginnings that takes over. It is a chance to get all of your affairs in order to have a productive year. This includes making sure that your Wayzata, MN home is ready to enter the new year with you. When it comes to your home, there is no way to predict what could happen to put your home in jeopardy. From break ins to weather mishaps and roofing issues, your home can go into the new year and take a true beating. It is imperative that you have the right home insurance to ensure a prosperous new year.

Here at Pizano Insurance, our independent agents want to make sure your home insurance fits you and your family needs as well as your budget. From choosing between liability and property insurance to creating a plan that suits your financial needs, our agents know what insurance and will make the process simple and easy. We understand that the process of purchasing home insurance can be confusing, difficult, and nerve wrecking. Our agents will take their time to go over your options and help you make the best choice to protect your home and peace of min in the new year.

The new year is around the corner so don’t waste any time protecting your home, family, and the place that is the foundation of your life. Call us today to speak to one of our knowledgeable agents or walk into our office to speak to one of our agents about your needs and how we can protect your home.

Steps to Take to Prep Your Home for Winter

It seems as though everyone loves fall and the weather it brings. While fall is great, winter is closely following. With the fall season so jam packed with events, it is easy to let the season slip by. If you are a home owner, you should take some time to prep your home for winter before it gets too cold. Use these tips from Pizano Insurance to get started today.

  • Get your Heater Examined. One of the biggest issues that people run into during the winter months is a heating system that will not work. When it gets cold, that is one of the things you need to work. Before running the risk of not having heat, get your heater looked at now before you need it. You probably haven’t used the system in many months and you should ensure it is ready to go. Another thing to do at this time is replace your filters around the home for increased efficiency.
  • Clean out Your Gutters. During the fall, many leaves will likely get stuck in your gutters which will not be good once it starts raining and snowing in the area. You should clean these out once all the leaves have fallen so they will continue to work well through the remainder of the year. Another thing that can happen is your gutters may become infested with bugs if they are not cleaned out.
  • Get a Home Insurance Policy. One of the best things you can do to protect your home no matter the season is get a home insurance policy. This is a great way to prepare for the unexpected. Even with prepping your home for the season, you will not be properly prepared without having a home insurance policy.

If you are interested in getting a quote for a home insurance policy, be sure to contact us at Pizano Insurance, serving Wayzata, MN.

Essentials of a Home Insurance Policy

There are many different kinds of home insurance policies on the market. Most of the time, it is difficult to find one that is the same as another. That is why it is so important to know what basic things you should have covered in your home insurance policy. This can help you determine if the policy has a good base and whether or not you should continue looking at the details of it. Knowing the essentials can help your sort through all of the bad policies. These are the essentials according to Pizano Insurance serving Wayzata, MN.

  • Make sure it will cover the structure of the home. You want to have a policy that at least covers the structure of the home in case you ever have to rebuild. This includes the walls, the frame, and even the roof that should be covered by the home policy that you purchase.
  • Make sure it covers the value of the home. Whether you got a great deal on your home or you paid too much, you want to make sure that the value of the home is covered by the home insurance policy, not the price you paid for it. You do not want to end up paying for too little or too much coverage.
  • Make sure it protects your belongings. Not only should your policy protect your home itself, but it should also protect anything that is located within the home. In most cases, if the home becomes damaged, the belongings inside will be damaged as well.

If you would like more information or would like to take a look at your options and some quotes, be sure to contact Pizano Insurance serving Wayzata, MN. They can even take a look at your current policy to make sure you are covered.

Recyclable Items Found in Every House

The average American generates nearly 5 pounds of waste every day.  When you multiply that by 300 million (the approximate population of the United States) you can see why we have a serious garbage problem.  Landfills are filling up rapidly, and no one really wants one practically in their backyard.  For that reason, Americans should look at various ways to cut down on the waste they produce.  One good way of doing this is to find those small ways to recycle; they might not seem like big steps, but they can make a huge difference in waste generation.  With that in mind, here are some common household items you should look at recycling instead of throwing away.

Junk Mail

Did you know that junk mail and cards can be recycled?  Instead of pitching those pre-approved credit card offers, letters about cremation services, and grocery store circulars in the trash can, toss them into the recycling bin.  Better yet, sign up for paperless statements for bank accounts, credit cards, and other accounts to further cut down on envelopes and papers you would need to throw away.

Books

Tired of those old romance novels that are sitting in your nightstand drawer?  Kids outgrow their old books?  Donate them to schools, libraries, or thrift stores.  Got Grandpa’s old collection of 1960s hardbound books?  Those might be worth something to book collectors on eBay, Etsy, or other sites.

Waste Paper

If you’ve gone through and shredded your old documents, you might be able to toss them in your recycling bin and leave it to be picked up curbside.  If you’ve used a cross-cut shredder (which makes shredded paper pieces too small to reuse), you might add those shredded paper pieces to your compost pile.  An added bonus is that compost piles also cut down on food waste.

Ink Cartridges

Do not simply toss out ink cartridges; they often contain toxic materials that can leach out in a landfill.  Instead, take them to your local office supply store.  Not only will they accept them for recycling, you’ll often get a small discount toward the purchase of new cartridges.

CD and DVD Cases

Consolidating your CD or DVD collection?  You’ll likely have a bunch of leftover plastic jewel cases.  The good news is that most disposal companies will accept them for curbside recycling.  If yours doesn’t, you can always take your empty cases –along with any electronic waste- to your local Best Buy.  They have bins near the entrance for recycling these items.

As you’re performing Spring cleaning and looking at recycling things you don’t need, the independent agents at Pizano Insurance want to remind you to make sure your homeowner’s policy is neat and tidy as well.  Contact one of our agents to go over your homeowner’s insurance and ensure it still meets your needs or speak to an agent about signing up for a new policy today!

Do I Really Need Home Insurance?

When you own a home in Wayzata, there is the question of whether you need home insurance. It can seem like an expense you don’t want to incur. However, it is something to consider.

Home insurance is not required by the state of Minnesota. This being said, if you have a mortgage, your lender may require that you have the insurance as a way of protecting their investment. This means that you will need to contact your lender to find out what the requirements are.

Whether you have a mortgage or not, it’s a good idea to have home insurance so that you are protected against the various things that could potentially happen. This may include burglary, a fire, a flood, and much more.

A typical homeowner’s insurance policy is going to protect your dwelling as well as the various items inside, including furniture and other belongings. You can add onto the policy to protect various other aspects, including additional buildings on your property as well as expensive belongings, such as art, jewelry, and more.

Should something happen your home, a claim can be filed with the homeowner’s insurance company. As long as it is one of the covered aspects, they will provide the money to make repairs or replacements – and this ensures that you don’t need to come up with all of the money on your own.

Homeowners insurance can be affordable, and is certainly going to be worth every penny in the event that you need to file a claim due to a heavy storm, fire, or something else that could prevent you from living in your home.

Call and talk to one of our knowledgeable insurance agents at Pizano Insurance today. We can talk to you about the various options available for homeowners insurance and get quotes to help you with the overall comparison process.