Napa, CA — the home of wineries, stunning sights and views, and some of the most gorgeous homes in the state of California. If you’re a homeowner in Napa, you know how fortunate you are to live and play in California! At Wine Valley Insurance Services, we’re here to help you select the best home insurance for your home in wine country. 

In California, most mortgage lenders require homeowners to maintain a home insurance policy in order to get approved for a loan. While this is often the reason people invest in home insurance, it’s one of the best common-sense decisions you can make for your family’s peace of mind. 

What does home insurance provide me?

Homeowner’s insurance can protect you from a variety of unfortunate situations — from someone becoming injured on your property, your home being a victim of theft, a natural disaster destroying or damaging your home, or a fire destroying your personal belongings. These are just a few of the scenarios that home insurance can protect your home from. 

Your dream home in Napa, CA is probably something you worked hard for, pinching pennies and making sacrifices to be able to afford it. Don’t throw it all away by not bothering with home insurance because you don’t think you’ll ever need it. 

As one of the most valuable investments you’ll ever make, your home deserves to be insured and protected as such. Although you can’t predict what could potentially happen to your home, California has unpredictable weather patterns and it’s important to plan for anything to happen. 

If you’re interested in evaluating your current policy or want to build a new policy with updated coverage, contact Wine Valley Insurance Services. We’re here to help! 

If you have bought a home insurance policy for your house in Napa, CA, it is fundamental to know the liabilities it covers. Your home may get damaged under various circumstances — the home insurance policy covers you, but it may not include the destruction of property by your pets. Wine Valley Insurance Services is the best option for pet damage insurance. Here are some guidelines to help you understand the best approach. 

Is It Necessary to Buy Pet Insurance?

If you keep pets under your roof, the damage that they can cause is unpredictable. That said, purchasing pet insurance is a wise idea. The policy covers injuries sustained from a pet attack or any accident. If your pet damages your property, the insurance compensates you as long as it’s up-to-date. 

Basics About Pet Damage Home Insurance

Some situations are accidental and may cause significant damage to your equipment. Without insurance cover, replacing or fixing damaged valuables can be an expensive process. Fortunately, your pet damage insurance comes in when such unfortunate events happen, compensating you for the losses you may incur.

Is My Standard Insurance Helpful When My Pet Causes Destruction?

Since your standard home policy does not protect you from property destruction caused by your pet, it makes sense to pay extra for such benefits. The primary coverage will likely cover some valuables, which may include electronics appliances. Inquire with your insurer to know what the policy covers and what it cannot compensate.

Your pet’s conduct may not be predictable, and that complicates the insurance process. Some pets have special training, while others have none. That way, the insurer may lack appropriate parameters to assess the level of damage they may cause in your home. All in all, you can buy a policy designed to compensate for any property destruction that your pets may cause in the neighborhood. Accidental damage pet cover pays any repair cost to the damaged valuables.

Visit our website today to reach Wine Valley Insurance Services and get all the answers concerning your pet insurance cover in Napa, CA.

Common myths about home insurance in Napa, CA

It can be costly to discover that you may lose your home even when you have home insurance. Many homeowners in Napa, CA, still haven’t mastered their policy and, unfortunately, learn this after the damage has been done. That’s why Wine Valley Insurance Services recommends studying your policy carefully; learning what is covered, the limit, and how to file a claim successfully.  It is also important to learn a few myths and to get the facts. Here are a few myths we thought you should know.

Home insurance covers all water damage

While home insurance policies tend to cover water damage from hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards, Flooding is not covered. Despite being a common disaster in Napa, CA, residents have to purchase a separate flood insurance policy to protect their homes from floods.

All your valuables are covered

Home insurance protects your personal property like electronics, clothes, appliances, and furniture but does not cover priceless or extremely expensive items like jewelry, guns, and artwork. Your insurer may request you to buy a separate policy for such items.

Your injuries are covered

As sad as it may sound, your home insurance doesn’t cover your injuries or your family’s injuries. That’s why it is “home” insurance, not “you” insurance. The liability coverage in your policy is designed to compensate other people who may get injured in your home, like a friend’s child drowning in your pool. With that said, you will need to utilize your health insurance to cover your medical costs if you are injured at home.

Older homes are cheaper to insure

In most cases, it’s the exact opposite. Older homes have more faults, which can turn out more expensive to replace and repair. Insurance companies have to be extra careful when inspecting older homes, and some may refuse to cover such houses.

Your home insurance policy will always have exceptions, and different insurance companies have different rules and coverages. Always ask and follow up to learn what your policy covers. For more information about home insurance, please contact Wine valley insurance Services.

Wine Valley Insurance Services assists the Napa, CA community through offering a wide variety of insurance coverage. We are committed to helping our clients find policies that will protect them in the event of a loss. Providing quality customer service is our top priority.

Home Insurance Variables During The Winter

Home insurance helps you protect one of your most valuable assets. The policy covers any damages to your home or personal items. You are also covered if a potential liability issue arises due to someone getting injured on your property. You can amend your policy to cover your temporary lodging somewhere else if a natural disaster causes serious damage to your home. As you prepare for winter in Napa CA, here are a few variables to consider.

You have to consider the threat of fire. As you are heating up your home, an accident may occur. Depending on how severe the fire is, your home may suffer substantial damages. If a disaster arises, you can have a piece of mind knowing that your home insurance policy will cover you.

Another potential danger is frozen pipes. Cold temperatures may cause your pipes to freeze overnight. This could potentially cause some serious problems. Make sure that you keep a proper temperature inside of your home so that your pipes won’t freeze up. You can amend your policy to cover you if the pipes burst and your home suffers flood damage.

Winter also brings the increased likelihood of a windstorm or a similar type of natural disaster. Windstorms have the potential to cause serious damages to your roof. If the storm damages your roof, water and possibly snow may leak into your home. Home insurance will cover you if this situation arises.

Consult With Wine Valley Insurance Services

Visit our website today to learn more information on home insurance.

Unlike driving a vehicle where you are required to carry auto insurance, there are scenarios where you can own a home without having homeowners insurance but this is typically reserved for individuals that are able to purchase the entirety of their home with cash. Since this is usually not the case for the average consumer, it is highly likely that your mortgage lender will require that you carry insurance to protect their investment if your home is damaged or declared a total loss. Additionally, if you live in an area deemed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as being high risk for flooding, you will likely be required to purchase a supplemental flood insurance policy to your homeowner coverage. 

Home Insurance Options

When it comes to insuring your home in California, homeowners have a number of options. First, you can purchase a policy that covers the actual cash value of your home. What this means is that property records or an appraisal is used to determine what your house is worth and if it is destroyed because of a fire, natural disaster or other covered incident than your insurance policy will pay to replace it minus the estimated depreciation. Second, you have the option to purchase a replacement cost policy that pays to rebuild or repair your home without taking into account any depreciation. Lastly, is a policy that covers the guaranteed or extended replacement cost. This type of policy is considered the highest level of peace of mind and offers coverage to pay whatever it costs to rebuild your home as it was before the incident regardless of whether or not it exceeds your policy limits. 

Shopping for homeowner insurance does not have to be a challenge when you go with the professionals at Wine Valley Insurance Services in Napa, CA. Our friendly team of knowledgeable insurance pros will answer all your questions while helping you choose the best policy for your needs. 

When you purchase a home, you quickly begin to fill it with all sorts of personal items. These could be very valuable items on a material level, such as furniture, televisions, and other electronics. The same can be said for expensive jewelry. It could also be personal items that carry more of sentimental value. When you have these items in your home, you want to be sure they have the same coverage your actual home does in the event there is a loss.

Homeowners insurance will protect items inside of your residence. This is coverage of the contents within your home that is a complementary coverage on top of what you get with your home insurance policy, covering the home itself.

The process of buying home insurance needs to include coverage for personal items inside of your home. When you buy things such as televisions and furniture, save receipts and take pictures. The more evidence you have on the value of the items and what is actually within your home, the easier it will be.

To qualify to recover losses, you need to have a covered accidental loss. Say a tree falls on your home and goes through, harming the home but also breaking contents inside. This would be a valid claim across the board, covering the home as well as the contents inside. If it was a claim that is a result of negligence, you may not be able to cover the losses in the same way.  

Living in Napa, CA, you are exposed to a lot of potential risks all of the time with wind storms, rain, and more. It is important to ensure you have proper protection so that you can feel confident in your home, knowing you will not lose it if the unthinkable should happen. Work with the team at Wine Valley insurance Services to start the process of understanding homeowners’ insurance needs today.

Your new home is probably the biggest investment that you will ever make.  It’s one that needs to be protected with the right home insurance.  Your home insurance policy protects the physical structure if there is a fire or severe weather but it protects more than the structure of the house.  At Wine Valley Insurance Services in Napa, CA, our agents can help you protect everything on your property financially. 

Most homeowners don’t’ realize the extensive protection that their home policy provides.  Sure, it provides funds to repair storm damage and fires when they happen but they also cover all of your personal possessions in the home.  This includes your clothing, furniture, and electronics.  When you have valuable collections, furs or jewelry, it’s important that you talk with your agent to ensure that you have enough coverage to protect these items.  Most policies will also cover items should they be stolen or damaged when you are away from home. 

While your home insurance policy provides protection for any valuables, it also gives you liability coverage.  This will cover the medical bills of anyone that is injured on the property.  It will take care of their medical expenses if you are deemed negligent and legal expenses if they should sue you. 

Home insurance is a valuable financial tool for you and your family.  It can cover valuables, your home and any outbuildings on the property.  It offers liability protection which is invaluable. 

Our agents at Wine Valley Insurance Services in Napa, CA are ready to help you care for your home and any valuables that you own.  Visit our website.  When you are ready, call or come in and visit with our agents.  The best time to start protecting your investment is today!

Your Napa, CA home is a big investment, and it’s one that Wine Valley Insurance Services wants to help you protect. We have dedicated agents who are interested in making sure you get the policy and protection you need. We also want to make sure any policy you have gets updated anytime you need or want to make changes to it. Some policies will work for your needs for years, but that’s not always the case. There are adjustments that might be required, especially if you make big changes to your home. A large remodel, for example, could mean you need more coverage.

Additionally, if you install something that might not be covered, such as an in-ground swimming pool, your policy could need to be changed. The same is true if you have something in your home most people don’t have, such as antique jewelry or a grand piano. While policies cover your home’s contents, they typically have limits that cover standard items. If you have things in your house that aren’t typical at all, asking your agent about changing the policy to specifically include and cover those items is an important way to protect yourself against loss in the event of a claim.

When you work with us at Wine Valley Insurance Services, we can protect your Napa, CA area home the right way. We’ll talk to you about the policy you need, or the one you already have. If there are changes you need to make, we’ll address those, as well. You might not realize your home or life has changed a lot since you got your insurance policy. We can help you see if there are adjustments that should be made, so you can make an informed decision about your coverage needs.

If it’s your first time getting home insurance, then you will soon come to find out that there’s a nice little legal document that’ll come in the mail every few days; there’s typically one sent out per month, and it’s called the mortgage statement. And regardless of what specific home insurance terms you have obliged yourself to, in addition to the home insurance you’ve purchased on the home and its mortgage, you’ll usually find the same set of 8 elements within the document:

1. Company contact info. (for the mortgage company and/or the insurance company) – This will usually include the main point of contact, possibly a 1-800 number, the billing address from the sender, and more.

2. The loan number – This is basically your account number. Don’t lose it.

3. The current interest rate – It shows how much interest you are paying on the mortgage, and/or on the insurance covering it.

4. The escrow balance or taxes paid – If, as the borrow, you choose to simply set aside an escrow (or have the mortgage company do it for you), then you’ll see this escrow in your monthly payments. It’ll display in the currency amount set; if you’re living in the U.S., for example, and the mortgage loan and insurance are based there, then you’ll see it in $ USD. 

5. The totaled monthly payment – On a separate line

6. The central escrow – With date included

7. The interest payment – Your current APR

8. The principal payment – Pay it off first. 

Wine Valley Insurance Services serves Napa, CA with precision and clarity of mind, offering undisputed customer excellence in its every scope. Check them out today to learn how you may be assisted with any insurance query. Call or click now. 

The agents at Wine Valley Insurance Services, serving Napa, CA and the nearby areas, have plenty of experience dealing with insurance claims for wildfires in northern California. They want to caution homeowners about the differences between a regular fire and a wildfire. Most home insurance covers fires due to ordinary causes. However, there may not be coverage for wildfires. It is essential to double check home insurance policies to make sure that any damage to a home caused by wildfires is covered.

Force Majeure Considerations

“Force majeure” is a legal term used in a home insurance policy that is sometimes also referred to as an “act of God.” The use of this term in creating coverage exclusions and policy limits is something to investigate in any home insurance policies.

For example, let’s say the home insurance policy has a force majeure clause that excludes fires caused by an “act of God.” This means that if a wildfire caused by a lightning strike or due to drought is the reason why a home burns down, the insurance may not cover the damages.

Getting Home Insurance Areas with High Risk of Wildfires

California had over 9,000 wildfires during 2017 that burned up over 1.2 million acres and caused many billions of dollars in insurance claims. This was the most destructive year on record due to wildfires.

In many parts of northern California, homes that are located in areas subject to wildfires now cannot get home insurance, or if they do get home insurance, it has a specific exclusion saying that the policy does not cover wildfires.

If you are unable to get insurance coverage for a home due to the risk of wildfires, it may be available under the California FAIR plan. Contact your agent at Wine Valley Insurance Services in Napa, CA for help with home insurance coverage.