Creating and storing a home inventory

Most people have no idea of the number of possessions that they actually have. Chances are that if you had to write down what you own, the list would be much shorter than the reality. If your home is damaged or destroyed, you will need to provide the insurance company with a list of what needs to be replaced. Having this already done in detail will save you a lot of anxiety in an already stressful situation. At Jason Ridley Agency in Colleyville, TX, we will be there with you through any claims that you have. 

Creating and storing a home inventory

Get together a pad, a pen, and your phone or camera, you will want to take pictures of all your rooms from as many angles as possible. Pick a room and start writing down everything that is in it. Look up and down, open any closets or drawers, and write down everything you see in as much detail as possible. For electronics write down the model number and manufacturer. If you have sales slips, receipts, or appraisals, attach them to your inventory. 

Take your time and do every room in your home. Don’t forget your attic, linen closet, and basement. You should also include the garage and any sheds that you might have. Once your inventory is complete, you need to find a way to keep it safe so that you can use it if you ever need to. If you have a safe deposit box, that is ideal. You should try not to keep it in your home. But if you must keep it at home, put it in a waterproof fire-resilient container.  Place a copy on the cloud if possible. 

We Are Here To Help

Call the Jason Ridley Agency in Colleyville, TX and let our team help you get the right home insurance and answer any questions you have. 

Tips to make your house more energy efficient

When trying to save energy, many of us here in the Colleyville, TX area think of ways that we can cut back on our electricity use. But there are also lots of other ways to make your house more energy efficient.

Here are some tips from us at Jason Ridley Agency to help you get started:

1. Install an Energy Star-certified Appliance:

Installing an Energy Star-certified appliance such as a dishwasher or washing machine can reduce your electricity costs significantly. Look for models with the highest efficiency rating and make sure they are properly installed by a professional technician. 

2. Switch to LED Lighting:

LED lighting typically uses up to 90% less energy than traditional bulbs, so switching over to LED lighting can have a big impact on your energy bills. Not only is it much cheaper in the long run, but it’s also long-lasting and kinder to the environment. 

3. Seal Leaks and Drafts:

Air leaks around doors and windows can cause energy bills to skyrocket during colder months. Consider investing in weather stripping or caulking around doors and windows for better insulation, especially if you notice cold air coming inside your house during the wintertime. 

4. Utilize Natural Light:

Take advantage of natural light during daytime hours! Instead of turning on lights, open up curtains or blinds to let sunlight fill up rooms instead – this will help with heating costs while providing natural warmth and daylight indoors without having to use any electricity at all! 

Reach Out To Us

Taking just these few steps towards making your home more energy efficient could have huge benefits for both your wallet and the environment alike! For more tips, give us at Jason Ridley Agency a call today. We are proud to serve the Colleyville, TX area.

I hit my neighbor’s mailbox by accident. Will my home insurance pay for the repairs?

Home insurance provides a wide variety of different benefits. Not only will it pay for the repair or replacement of your home, personal belongings, and structures on your property, but liability protection as well. Homeowners insurance provides many different benefits that help homeowners manage and protect their homes. Our Colleyville, TX team at Jason Ridley Agency is committed to helping homeowners understand the benefits of home insurance. 

What is Home Insurance?

Homeowners insurance is designed to provide coverage and personal protection for you, your home, and your property, as well as liability coverage. Liability coverage can include medical compensation for someone who becomes injured on your property, and property damage compensation if you damage someone else’s property.

Loss of use cost is also a benefit of homeowners insurance. Loss of use coverage is also a benefit of homeowners insurance that provides compensation to homeowners who aren’t able to reside or use their home or some other structure. However, what’s covered by your home insurance policy will be determined by the specific guidelines and coverage details of your policy. 

I hit my neighbor’s mailbox by accident. Will my home insurance pay for the repairs?

Yes. Your home insurance will pay for the repair of your neighbor’s mailbox if you accidentally hit it. Your liability coverage includes property damage coverage. If you’re responsible for damaging your neighbor’s mailbox, your insurance company will either replace or repair the damaged mailbox.

Contact Us Today

If you have questions regarding what’s covered under a home insurance policy, we’d be happy to help you explore coverage levels. We can also answer any questions you may have. Call us at Jason Ridley Agency in Colleyville, TX. We’re standing by. 

What Are The Risks Of Not Having Home Insurance

If you are a homeowner, you should always ask yourself what would happen to you and your house in the event of a burglary, fire, or any other unfortunate event. Do you have financial protection if something happens? Is your home properly protected?

One of the best ways to protect your home today is to get home insurance, but many homeowners decide not to purchase it to save money. If you are one of them and you do not want to spend money on home insurance, you should be aware of the risks. 

Jason Ridley Agency in Colleyville, TX can help you navigate this vital coverage.

What Are The Risks Of Not Carrying Home Insurance?

  • Your property is left unprotected. You should understand that without home insurance you are responsible for all the repairs and fixings you may have if something happens to your property. Without an insurance policy, you will have no financial security and will have to cover all the expenses. 
  • No liability protection. If your guest or visitor gets injured on your property, you will not be covered against lawsuits if they decide to sue you. In addition, you will have to pay for their medical bills, which can cost a fortune. 
  • You may have a mortgage default. Even though homeowners insurance is not required in Texas, many mortgage lenders do not approve homebuyers for a loan until they get home insurance. If your lender is like this and you decide to cancel your policy after getting approved for a loan, your mortgage lender will most likely get notified, and your action will be considered a violation of your mortgage contract. 

Get Home Insurance Today

If you are a lucky homeowner and you are searching for an insurance agency to buy home insurance for your property, you should contact Jason Ridley Agency. Our knowledgeable and experienced insurance agents serving clients in Colleyville, TX and other nearby areas will help you find a perfect policy based on your needs and budget. Feel free to reach out to us to know more about the insurance options that we offer. 

Do all people in Texas need home insurance?

Owning a home has continued to be a great long-term investment opportunity for those in the Colleyville, TX area. When you are looking to purchase a home in this region of Texas, it is very important that you spend time properly assessing your insurance needs. There are various reasons why the typical person here will want to get insurance coverage when they buy a home. 

Ensure Assets are Covered

A primary reason to have a home insurance plan is to ensure your assets are covered. If you buy a home, you will want to know you have the capacity to replace it if it is badly damaged. With home coverage, you will get the support you need to cover damages due to a fire or bad weather. This coverage will also include support for your personal assets up to your policy limits.

Liability Risk Mitigation

It also is a good idea to get home coverage to reduce your liability risk. As a property owner, you can be held responsible for accidents that cause injuries or property damage. If this happens, you would need to cover the damages and repair costs. Fortunately, this risk can be mitigated if you get a home insurance plan as it will offer you additional liability insurance coverage. 

If you want to buy a home when in the Colleyville, TX area, you will always want to know that you are speaking with someone that you can trust. The team with the Jason Ridley Agency can offer you any guidance that you need to choose a plan that is ideal for your situation. Jason Ridley Agency is able to do this by assessing your situation to determine your insurance needs and then giving guidance to build the right plan. 

What Does Your Home Insurance Policy Cover?

Home insurance is a vital part of many people’s lives and can protect them from various issues that may otherwise occur. And at Jason Ridley Agency, we can provide Colleyville, TX, area residents with the high-quality coverage that they need to avoid serious issues, including multiple types of damage. 

What Your Policy Will Cover

A high-quality home insurance policy will cover problems in your home, including potential liability cases caused by negligence. However, they also cover theft, natural disasters, personal accidents, and additional living expenses for a variety of different problems, including:

  • Structural damage that may occur due to various types of covered natural disasters, like fire and hail
  • Personal belongings damage caused by appropriately covered natural disasters or other issues 
  • Potential lawsuit cases that may occur if people are injured in your home, including pet bites 
  • Additional living expenses to pay for temporary relocation while your home is being repaired 

You can also add many extra coverage options to your policy to keep yourself. For example, a flood policy is a wise investment for most people. Remember – up to 30 percent of all floods occur in areas without a high risk of flooding. Protecting yourself in this way will ensure that you are safe. 

Some homeowners may even want to consider high-quality umbrella policies to minimize the potential dangers caused by expensive liability cases. Often, this option is best if you run a business in your home and want to avoid running into serious financial complications due to injuries.

Preventing Serious Issues 

As you can see, high-quality home insurance can protect you from a variety of issues that would otherwise affect your home. So, if you’re interested in a policy and want a high-quality option, please contact us at Jason Ridley Agency, serving the Colleyville, TX area, right away to learn more.

What Possessions Will Home Insurance Not Cover?

If you’re buying home insurance in Colleyville, TX, and wondering if any of your possessions aren’t covered, the fact is that just about anything you can own can be protected under an insurance policy.

The only real exceptions are expensive items that you don’t have listed on your inventory, of course, anything illegal, and perishables like groceries. And certain perishables can be protected under certain restaurant insurance policies but won’t be on a home insurance policy.

This being said, you’re typically going to be accepting a flat payment from your home insurance provider rather than going down an itemized list of every single item that was lost in a fire or burglary and collecting the appropriate value to the penny. So if you want to spend your insurance payment replacing groceries you lost in the incident, nothing’s stopping you. There’s just no reason to include every potato and soup can on your inventory or keep a photographic record of it.

The best way to ensure that your belongings are covered is to keep an updated inventory and to let your insurer know about any big purchases like new appliances, jewelry, and things of that nature. Record a video tour of your home once or twice a year so that you can get photographic evidence of all the little bits and pieces you might not have thought to put on a list.

If you have any questions or you’re looking to buy home insurance for your Colleyville, TX home, get in touch with the Jason Ridley Agency. The Jason Ridley Agency can get you the protection you need with a good deal on a great policy.

Do I Have to Have Homeowners Insurance?

While homeowners insurance is not a legal requirement in the United States, it can be and is likely to be mandated by the lender if you have a mortgage because this helps protect their investment. Generally speaking, before even funding your mortgage or refinance application, the lender will request proof of homeowners insurance. If you choose not to purchase insurance and have a mortgage, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau allows the lender to purchase it on your behalf and charge you for the cost, which may result in a policy that is more expensive and/or offers less coverage than you need. For folks that have either paid off their mortgage or paid cash for their homes while you are not technically required to have insurance, your house is likely to be your largest investment, and a homeowner’s insurance policy will protect it in a multitude of ways. 

Typically speaking, a homeowner’s insurance policy will provide coverage for your home. Still, also it offers protection for your personal belongings, any other dwellings on the land like a shed, and medical bills if a visitor is injured while on your property or inside your home. Keep in mind that for each of the coverages you have, you will also select a limit, which means anything beyond that dollar amount is your responsibility. Hence, the more coverage you have, the less likely it is that you’ll be responsible for any out of pocket costs once your deductible has been met. 

At the Jason Ridley Agency in Colleyville, TX, our friendly team of insurance professionals are ready to find you the perfect homeowner’s policy for your needs, so give us a call today to schedule a no-obligation consultation and see how we can assist in protecting your home.

3 Ways to Protect Your Home From Vandalism

In Colleyville, TX, the agents of Jason Ridley Agency are often asked how clients can better protect their homes from vandalism and theft. The agents are well-versed in a variety of ways for homeowners to protect their property. Being proactive and knowing what is effective when it comes to keeping vandals and burglars at bay is an excellent place to start.

Add an Outdoor Security Light

Outdoor security lights can be installed to stay on from dusk to dawn or to come on when motion is detected. Either way, it shines the spotlight on intruders and makes it, so there is no place for them to hide.

Install a Home Security System

Installing a home security system with video surveillance cameras is a great way to catch intruders in the act. Not only will you have a visual image, but your local authorities can also be notified of an added layer of security. You can monitor the system on your own, or you can hire a professional monitoring service.

Install a Privacy Fence

Installing a privacy fence makes it difficult for intruders to gain access to the back portion of your property. This forces them to try and gain entry from the front where they will be more visible and at a higher risk of being caught in the act.

The agents of Jason Ridley Agency are always looking for ways to keep their clients’ homes safe from vandals. If you are a resident of Colleyville, TX, and would like to learn more about how you can keep your home secure and protected against vandalism, speak with an agent today!