3 Steps to Buying Home Insurance

One of the most costly mistakes you can make is not purchasing sufficient home insurance. Home insurance protects your dwelling and personal property. It also protects you against liability claims if someone has an accident on your property. Whether you purchased a new home or are reevaluating your current home insurance needs, these steps from LeapFrog Insurance in San Antonio, TX can help you make wise home insurance choices. 

Appraise the Value of Your Home

Appraise the value of your San Antonio home to know how much dwelling coverage to obtain. Ideally, you should have enough dwelling coverage to rebuild your home if it’s totally destroyed in a disaster. This includes structures attached to your home such as a deck, porch or garage and renovations you may have made to your property.    

Make a Home Inventory of Personal Property

Next, make a home inventory of your personal property. Your inventory should include photos, videos, and receipts, if possible, of high-end goods you own. If you have heirlooms or antiques, have them appraised so you know their value. Then assess how much it would cost to replace your goods if they were totally destroyed in a disaster. This will give you a good idea of how much property coverage you should obtain to protect your belongings.

Liability

Liability coverage protects you against accidents on your property. A simple accident could wind up as a major liability claim that costs you thousands of dollars. A standard homeowner’s policy offers minimum liability coverage. By increasing this coverage substantially, you can protect yourself against serious accidents. Liability coverage also protects you against lawsuits if someone decides to sue you for damages.

Don’t compromise on your home insurance protection. For comprehensive home insurance coverage at affordable costs, call or visit your LeapFrog Insurance agent in San Antonio, TX today.

Surprising Things Your Home Insurance May Cover

Homeowners insurance in San Antonio, TX is necessary to protect your home and other assets. You will see that it protects you from a wide variety of things, such as fires and vandalism, but there are also some surprising things it protects you from. An agent at LeapFrog Insurance can answer questions about what may or may not be covered in your policy.  

Patios and Sheds: Your policy not only protects your home, but it covers your entire property, which includes sheds, patios, and gazebos. Be sure to document these structures in your policy to ensure that they are covered.

Student Property: Your policy will cover every member of your household, including a student away at college. Students that live in an on-campus dormitory will have many of their personal belongings covered under their parent’s policy.

Tombstones: Grave markers are considered personal property and are covered under most policies. There is a limit on coverage, and if the tombstone is damaged by the cemetery’s landscaping equipment, then that is covered under their fund. Check the source of damage, but if it’s because of vandalism you can make a claim.

Anything You Travel With: No matter where your belongings go, they are covered. If your laptop is stolen while on vacation, you are covered. Remember that for pricey items it is a good idea to get a rider, so you have enough coverage.

Spoiled Food: If a big storm blows through and you lose power, the food in your refrigerator will have to be tossed. Many policies will cover the cost of replacing the food, but make sure you note the deductible.

Volcanoes: There are some disasters that aren’t covered, such as earthquakes, and even though this may not apply in San Antonio, TX, rest assured that even some unique natural disasters could be covered.

Contact LeapFrog Insurance to get a quote on home insurance.

 

 

What Happens to Your Homeowners Insurance When You Retire?

Your homeowner’s insurance protects you from covered risks including theft, liability claims, and vandalism. When you retire, your insurance needs may change. Most insurance providers charge lower premium rates for retirees. It is, therefore, wise to update it. They assume that after retirement, people have more time to perform maintenance on their homes and that they are home most of the time. They can, therefore, detect fires or attempts of theft fast. If you live in San Antonio, TX, contact LeapFrog insurance to get insurance quotes for a policy that suits your new needs.

Homeowners Insurance After Retirement

If you are planning to move to a new home after retirement, you need to get a new policy. Your new home may have different needs and risks from your existing ones. Your insurance provider will use the specific details of your new home to calculate your premium rates. If you are moving into a gated community or in a safe, easily accessible place, most insurers will give you a discount. Homes that are far from a fire department may be more expensive to insure.

After retirement, you probably don’t need your mortgage insurance anymore. If you have already paid your mortgage, it is a waste of money to keep the insurance policy.

Review your homeowner’s insurance with the help of a professional insurance agent to determine whether it still offers you enough coverage. Consider your new lifestyle and new risks if any, and get an insurance policy that covers them. By the time of retirement, you probably have more personal property than you did when you first took the policy. Get a personal property coverage that gives you sufficient protection.

Contact LeapFrog Insurance for your San Antonio, TX homeowners insurance needs. Our agents are ready to answer your questions and get you started on a policy.

In What Cases is Home Insurance Required?

Home insurance, though very beneficial, is not always required by law. It is simply recommended. In other cases, you are required to have some coverage. There are also some cases in which you are required to have home insurance and to know what these cases are is the best way to make sure you are fully covered. For those that live in the San Antonio, TX area, the agents with LeapFrog Insurance can elaborate on instances in which you must have home insurance.

The most common instance in which you are required to hold home insurance is in the case that you have a mortgage on the property. This means that the bank or other lender has loaned you money to purchase the property or home and therefore you are required by the lender to have insurance to protect the investment. The bank or lender will require that the home or property be insured at least for the amount of money that is still out on loan. If you have a home that is worth $200,000 and you only owe $100,000, you must have insurance for at least $100,000.

This is to protect the lender should something happen to the property in which they cannot recoup their investment from the property itself. If your home is destroyed, you are going to be able to collect your insurance and pay off the remainder of the mortgage. Each year you can have your coverage adjusted, and you can make sure you have enough to recover should something happen to your home.

For those in the San Antonio, TX area, the agents with LeapFrog Insurance can help you get the correct amount of coverage you need for your home and your property. Reach out to our offices for more information or start your home insurance quote online today.

What Does Home Insurance Actually Cover?

Home insurance is one of the most frequent types of insurance that you will have to deal with in your lifetime. As the name suggests, home insurance covers your home in the event of an unexpected tragedy or accident.

Types of Home Insurance

There are numerous types of home insurance, and the only way to know for sure what your home insurance policy covers is to speak directly with your agent and look at your policy. On the other hand, we can give you a quick overview of what most home insurance policies will cover.

Coverage

For the most part, home insurance or a homeowners insurance policy covers three things: your dwelling, your personal property, and yourself.

Dwelling coverage refers to the structure of your home. For example, if a tree falls on your house after a storm, this would be coHnsidered damage to the structure of your home. Most homeowners insurance policies cover these damages.

Personal property coverage refers to coverage of your belongings. This includes everything that isn’t your walls, floors, ceilings, or built-in appliances. It includes things like jewelry, clothes, furniture, and more.

Finally, a personal liability policy covers you if someone files a lawsuit against you because they were personally injured on your property or because their property was damaged and it was possibly your fault.

Need Home Insurance around the state? LeapFrog Insurance in San Antonio, TX Has You Covered!

If you are a Dallas, Austin, or San Antonio, TX resident and are looking for home insurance, LeapFrog Insurance is here to provide you with all the options you’ve been looking for. Give us a call or stop by our office to learn more about the plans and coverage details we have available. We offer everything you’ll need for complete home coverage!

start your home insurance quote today

How Can I Protect My Home From a Break-In?

A home break-in can be devastating. Not only do you lose your sense of security and have personal property taken, but your home insurance premiums may also increase. At LeapFrog Insurance, serving San Antonio, TX and the greater half of the state, we want to provide you with a few tips for protecting your home from a break-in. Here are a few of the ways you can protect your home from a thief. 

Keep Valuables Out of Sight

One of the best tips for protecting your home from a break-in is to keep valuables out of sight. Shut your blinds or curtains and ensure your valuables are not exposed in the open for all to see. If you get a new television or computer, break down the box instead of simply putting it out on garbage day as is. 

Secure Pet Doors

Another tip is to secure your pet doors. Pet doors allow your animals to come in and out, but they can also allow burglars easy access to unlock your door. When you are away, find a way to secure the pet door so that it does not open and close. 

Use Automatic or Motion Detector Lights

The last tip is to use automatic lights or motion detector lights. A burglar wants to go unnoticed. If your home is brightly lit, they run a higher chance of someone seeing them or noticing them. Keep the exterior of your home well lit with the right lights to prevent break-ins. 

If you need home insurance in the greater San Antonio, TX area, turn to LeapFrog Insurance. Contact us today and let us put together a policy that best meets your needs and provide you with a free quote. Call now to get started. 

How the Dust Can Harm Your Paint in Texas

Whether you are in Dallas, Austin, or San Antonio, TX, a fresh coat of paint isn’t just to make your house look nice and pretty. The paint also protects your home from sun, wind, rain, and dust. When your home is exposed to the elements, the exterior can be slowly worn away, chewed up by regular encounters with gusts of sandy wind and harsh sun.

However, the paint itself is not exactly invulnerable. Over time, the paint will wear away and leave your home vulnerable to the elements. Dust can cling to your paint, and when the wind brushes it across the surface, it’s like a piece of sandpaper being dragged across your exterior walls on a constant basis.

To ensure a long life for your home’s exterior, it’s a good idea to wash the exterior of your home now and then when the dirt, sand, and dust start to build up on the exterior. Just as with your car, washing your home doesn’t just make it look nice, it keeps it in good condition. You don’t need to wash your home as frequently as you do your car, but a quick scrub anywhere you find dirt building up isn’t a bad idea.

Eventually, you will need a fresh coat of paint. The old coat will wear off, and it will eventually fade in color. If you don’t want to go through the whole process of scrubbing away dry, flaky paint and putting down a fresh coat, hiring a house painter may be more affordable than you might suspect.

If you take care of your house’s paint job, your house’s paint job will take care of your home. Between that and LeapFrog Insurance, you should be covered on all fronts. If you are looking for a home insurance policy to cover the damages your house may face, reach out to LeapFrog Insurance in San Antonio, TX. Our agents can answer any questions you may have and shape a policy that fits your needs.

5 Essential Home Maintenance Jobs for Spring

At LeapFrog Insurance, we encourage homeowners to maintain their home in order to retain its property value. Warm spring weather offers a great opportunity for homeowners to pursue home maintenance tasks that can improve the appearance and function of their San Antonio, TX property. The following tasks can do much to upgrade your home environment.

Rugs and Carpets

Steam clean rugs and carpets to remove dust, debris, and stains that have accumulated over winter. Professional carpet cleaning on an annual or semi-annual basis will make your carpet look and feel like new and extend its lifespan.

Windows, Screens, and Sills

Washing your home’s windows, screens, and sills will make for a brighter, more pleasing home environment. Replacing old, outdated windows, when needed, will improve your home’s security and add to its property value.

Kitchen Appliances

Deep cleaning kitchen appliances will improve their function and help extend their lifespan. This includes wiping away stove and oven grime, cleaning knobs and dials, and replacing old grubby burner pans if needed. Take time to remove all food from the fridge and wipe it down inside and out. Thoroughly clean all countertop appliances, i.e. toaster, microwave, blender, and check underneath for food crumbs, dirt, and debris.

Ceiling Fans, Smoke Detectors, and Light Fixtures

Smoke detectors, light fixtures, and ceiling fans are great dust collectors that can irritate allergies. Removing dust, dirt, and cobwebs from fans, furniture and lights will make for a more hygienic home environment.

Gutters

Clear gutters of dirt, debris, and leaves that can cause a backup of rainwater. As water accumulates on the roof, it increases the risk of structural water damage to your property. Consider replacing gutters that are worn or damaged to better protect your structure.

For comprehensive home insurance coverage that offers full protection of your property, contact LeapFrog Insurance, San Antonio, TX.

How to Care for Your Home in Texas’s Continuously Changing Weather

There is a saying here in Texas that basically says if you don’t like the weather, just give it a few minutes and it will change. This has been especially true this winter season where we’ve had rain, unseasonably high temperatures, and a good freeze all in the same week. We all know that these sudden weather changes can affect our health, but can they also impact our homes? At LeapFrog Insurance of San Antonio, TX, we believe the best way to be ready for the next change in weather is to be prepared.

Make Sure Your Home is Ready for Anything

The best way to be prepared is to make sure your home is ready for any type of weather. You may need to blast your heater one day and crank up the air conditioner the next. Have you changed the air filters and had your furnace inspected? Not only do we have to be prepared for blasts of both hot and cold, but rain and ice are also concerns throughout the winter. Keep your gutters clean and cleared of debris and leaves to prevent water damage inside your home.

 It is also a good idea to regularly keep up with the weather reports. Again, just because it is 70 degrees and sunny one day, there is no guarantee that it will be that way tomorrow. In fact, this past December, after a beautiful sunny day in San Antonio, TX, we had freezing temperatures.  Were your pipes wrapped and plants covered?

Regular Home Maintenance Prevents Troubles Later

At LeapFrog Insurance, we believe that regular home maintenance performed throughout the year can prevent trouble and disasters later. Your home will be ready for Texas weather, whatever that may be!

The Homes of San Antonio: Buying Home Insurance That Lasts

Buying home insurance in San Antonio, TX doesn’t have to be frustrating or complicated, but you do need to give it some thought before you can officially decide on a policy that will last you for years. LeapFrog Insurance wants you to have all the facts in hand before you sit down to sing your name to anything. Make sure it works for you first. 

Now and Then 

Part of the problem with home insurance is that people buy one particular policy and then don’t end up updating it. Weather disasters, home invasions, and just plain accidents can really take people by surprise — especially when they scrimp and save to even get into the house in the first place. It’s not just the home that you need to be worried about, but all of your valuable objects inside of it, the property surrounding it and even the people who grace your doorway. People make upgrades throughout the years and forget that the value of the home changes, meaning the policy will have to change too. To really look long-term, you need to have a better system of making decisions. You also need a provider who’s able to stay flexible, whether you have a question or whether you’ve added another bedroom to the property.  

Finding Help

LeapFrog Insurance serves San Antonio, TX, and helps the residents there stay forward thinking about their home insurance policy. Before you decide that you’re better off going it alone, talk to us about what you’re looking for. Our team of agents are here to get you on your way to having the best policy available — both right now and in the future. Give us a call, and find out just how helpful we can be.