A New Years Insurance Guide for Homeowners

When was the last time you reviewed your homeowner’s insurance policy? A lot can change in a year—new valuables, home upgrades, or even a new pet. Take a few minutes to make sure your policy still fits your needs. If you’re not sure where to start, our team at Synergy Insurance Group is happy to help.

Fireworks and Festivities: Celebrate Safely

Nothing says “Happy New Year!” like a sky full of fireworks. But fireworks, sparklers, and even those fancy candles on your centerpiece can cause accidents. Make sure your insurance covers accidental fire damage, and always follow safety precautions.

Hosting a Party? Let’s Talk Liability

If you’re hosting a New Year’s Eve bash, it’s all fun and games until someone slips on a spilled drink or trips over party decorations. Liability coverage is your best friend here—it helps cover medical bills or damages if someone gets hurt on your property. Before you pop the champagne, check your coverage.

Protect Your Valuables

New Year, new gadgets! If Santa (or your year-end bonus) brought you a shiny new TV, laptop, or jewelry, make sure these valuables are included in your coverage. Some high-ticket items might need special coverage, so it’s worth giving us a quick call.

Out with the Old, In with the Safe

Start the year with a little home safety refresh. Test your smoke detectors, inspect your home security systems, and make sure your fire extinguisher isn’t expired. A little proactive effort now can prevent bigger headaches later.

Make Insurance Your Easiest Resolution Yet

This year, let’s make “protect my home” one of your easiest resolutions. Whether it’s reviewing your policy, updating your coverage, or simply answering your questions, we’re here to help.

At Synergy Insurance Group, we’ve been helping Floridians protect their homes and peace of mind since 2006. We pride ourselves on building strong relationships with our clients, offering personalized coverage, and making sure you understand every detail of your policy.

Wishing you a safe, happy, and prosperous New Year from all of us at Synergy Insurance Group!

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1. WEATHERPROOFING WINDOWS AND DOORS

Airtight windows and doors are crucial for keeping the cool air in and pests out. Check for any gaps, cracks, or faulty seals and consider re-caulking or applying weather stripping where necessary to enhance energy efficiency.

2. HVAC SYSTEM TUNE-UP

Ensure that your HVAC system is running efficiently by scheduling a professional service. Regularly replacing air filters and cleaning vents will ensure better airflow and indoor air quality, keeping your home cozy during the cooler nights.

3. ROOF AND GUTTER MAINTENANCE

Autumn is a practical time to ensure your roof is fortified against potential storms or windy weather. Clear out any debris from gutters, and inspect the roof for loose or damaged shingles, addressing issues promptly.

4. LANDSCAPING AND YARD CLEAN-UP

Fall maintenance should include tidying up your yard. Trim trees and shrubs, especially those close to the house, and maintain a healthy lawn by fertilizing and mowing regularly to prevent pests.

5. PEST PREVENTION

Pests tend to seek refuge in homes as the weather cools. Safeguard your home by sealing entry points, keeping spaces clean, and scheduling pest control services if necessary.

6. POOL CARE ADAPTATION

Adjust your pool maintenance practices to suit the fall weather. Reduce pump operation times, and consider using a pool cover to maintain cleanliness and water temperature.

7. SAFETY CHECK

Conduct a thorough review of your home’s safety features, including smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, and emergency exit routes. Ensure everything is in optimum condition, prioritizing the safety of your household. If you find concerns as you’re going through your home, check with our Home Insurance Claims eBook to see the ins-and-outs of  your coverage.

Navigating fall maintenance in Florida is about fine-tuning your home to accommodate subtle seasonal shifts. With a focus on optimization and preventative care, these tips aim to keep your home comfortable, energy-efficient, and well-prepared for the uniqueness of Florida’s autumn season. By being proactive, homeowners can foster a space that’s not only resilient to the elements but also harmoniously attuned to the gentle rhythms of fall in the Sunshine State.

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A vacation home is truly one of life’s ultimate luxuries. But it’s also one of the best long-term financial decisions a homeowner can make! Owning a vacation home is not for everyone though. There’s the stress of upkeep on a second property to consider and the how-to of managing renters and renters insurance. If you’re thinking about purchasing a vacation home, you’ll find the following tips valuable as you weigh your options.

Financing Terms

A vacation home sale differs in many ways from the purchase of your first home. For one thing, there are no friendly breaks from the government like tax incentives on secured loans. On top of that, you won’t be able to deduct the mortgage interest on accumulated debt over $750,000 (a number that is easy to hit with two mortgages).

You’ll need a blemish-free financial history regardless of whether you plan to rent the second home or keep it for yourself. So, what’s your first step toward buying a vacation home? Calculate the long-term expenses (property, taxes, water bills, etc.) along with the price of the mortgage to project future costs and determine what you can afford.

Landlord Precautions

Want to rent your home when you’re not there? It’s a great option, especially with services like AirBnB that make it easy to advertise your gorgeous home to eager renters around the world. A word of warning: it is also because of AirBnB that many cities have adopted more stringent, short-term rental rules. Check the area for city zoning and administration codes, and understand all rental regulations before you buy.

You’ll also want to create a system ahead of time for finding responsible and financially savvy renters. To get good tenants, you’ll need a thorough application process that includes background checks and requires renters insurance. The best rental properties are homes, guest cottages, or apartments in low-crime areas with plenty of job growth or tourism appeal.

If a second home sounds right for you, call Synergy Insurance Group to learn more about our homeowners insurance policies. We make it easy to customize your policy so you get exactly what you need without paying for anything extra.

Want to learn more about exactly what’s covered in a standard homeowners policy? Our Home Insurance Claims eBook takes you through different scenarios and explains whether you’d be protected. Click the graphic to get your copy, and protect your homes with ease.

The post How to Tell If You’re Ready for a Vacation Home appeared first on Synergy Insurance.

TEST YOUR SMOKE ALARMS AND CHANGE BATTERIES

Your smoke detectors need to be checked at least once a month. This means you need to hold down the test button and wait for the siren to sound. Easy, right? Bet it’s been a few months since you’ve checked! That’s ok, you’re going to get out there and test your smoke detectors today! If the siren is weak, it’s time to replace the batteries. Try lithium or long-life batteries to reduce how often you need to change them.

If the smoke detectors in your home are eight to 10 years old, experts recommend replacing the entire unit, even if it isn’t broken.

CHECK YOUR WINDOWS

More than 3,300 children are seriously injured a year from window falls, so don’t assume your screen is enough to keep kids safe and sound. Window safety doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the spring breeze, but you may need to be more conscientious of what your kids are up to. Keep furniture and general play spaces away from windows, and open the top sash (rather than the bottom) of double-hung windows for ventilation. An even better idea is to keep the windows locked unless you’re there to supervise the kids.

GET SMART SMOKE DETECTORS

Now you can link your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms to your smartphone for maximum fire prevention! With this technology, firefighters can get to the scene fast and stop smoke and fire damage in their tracks. Ionization smoke alarms give fast warnings for flame fires and photoelectric alarms are faster at detecting smoldering fires. Try dual combination alarms for 360° protection against all types of fires.

It’s not enough to have smoke alarms, you need to put them in the right place! Keep them toward the middle of the room on the ceiling where air flows rather than at the edge of the ceiling. On vaulted ceilings, the smoke detector must be installed within three feet of the peak. Place smoke detectors three feet from a doorway into a kitchen or bathroom to reduce the chance of “nuisance alarms” going off from steam or burnt toast.

GO THROUGH YOUR MEDICINE CABINETS

Getting rid of either unwanted to expired medicine this spring is a smart safety move, and this tip isn’t just for people with kids! Most people who are sick or in pain aren’t painstakingly checking the expiration date before they take it. If your medicine cabinet is too crowded, you need to start organizing it so it’s easy to find the appropriate medication. The National Safety Council offers Seal & Send envelopes to safely return old or unwanted medication.

MAKE A FIRE ESCAPE PLAN AND PRACTICE IT

Map out your home on a piece of paper and identify at least two exits and then determine a safe meeting location outdoors. Practice your fire escape plan and note any doors or windows that are difficult to open so you can fix them. If your home has a second story, install escape ladders and have your children practice using them.

For more home safety tips and tricks, check out our blog at Synergy Insurance. We know that great home insurance policies help families survive even the worst events. Give yourself the peace of mind you deserve by safeguarding your home against accidents and get a free quote to make sure you have the right insurance coverage for your home while you’re at it.

Spring cleaning isn’t just a way to get rid of dust and cobwebs — it’s a good time to think about family safety in the home. Disasters can happen at any moment – is your family ready for the worst? Our Disaster Preparedness Plan is designed to help you stay safe, calm and prepared in any situation. Download your copy today and be ready to face anything!

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It’s easy to forget about your car insurance rates after you purchase it the first time. Autopay systems keep that bill out of sight, out of mind usually. But the truth is your rate was not set in stone when you purchased the first time, and rates can vary greatly from year to year and company to company. Synergy helps unsuspecting drivers save money every day by reevaluating their coverage and providing them with any possible discounts and the most up-to-date rates. Here are five of the most common factors that influence the price of your auto insurance. It  only takes a few minutes reach out to to a Synergy Insurance Group expert to evaluate your policy. Let’s see if we can put a little extra money back in your pocket.

Location

Your local has a lot to do with how much you pay. If you live in an area with a relatively high rate of crime, you’re going to pay more than the safer neighborhood a few miles away. If you live in a particularly congested area with a lot of traffic, you’re more likely to get into an accident (which means you’ll pay more too). If you’ve recently moved to a safer area, it may be time to get a new quote.

Marital Status

Married couples can enjoy joint auto insurance, lumping their policy together to simplify their coverage. This little trick allows both parties to lower the cost of their premium. Couples may know the benefits of a joint checking account, but they may not realize they can also save on their insurance too. As a rule, the more insurance you buy, the more you save.  Plus, couples only have to keep track of one set of documents instead of two.

Driving Record

Have you been watching your speed lately? Making full stops at the sign? Treating school zones with the utmost of reverence? If it’s been a few years since you’ve gotten a ticket, you may be able to lower your rate considerably. The cost of your premium is directly tied to your driving record, so this can be an important step. If you still need a little help improving your driving record, we have a few tips that can help here.

Credit History

If you’ve been diligently paying off your debts and building up your financial goodwill, you may be eligible for lower auto insurance rates. A clean credit history is a sign of the insured’s reliability, which can translate to big savings.

Driving Habits

The more you’re on the road, the more likely it is that trouble can find you. If you’ve recently started driving less for any reason, you can update your information and lower your rate. So, if you recently changed job and your commute plummeted by 30 miles a day, you’ll want to reevaluate your current rates.

When it comes to your rate, each aspect is rated differently (e.g., your marital status won’t be as important as your driving record). However, it is possible to lower your rate between 20% and 40% based on the above factors. Synergy Insurance can’t guarantee that everyone will qualify for lower rates, but it’s worth letting us give you a new auto insurance quote today to see what we can do. It’s definitely worth a shot!

Planning a road trip for your next family vacation? Feeling stressed or anxious before a road trip is common, but don’t let those jitters stop you from having a great trip! Our Road Trip Safety & Tips eBook is here to help make sure you, your family and vehicle are ready for what’s ahead. Between keeping the kids occupied, making sure your car is tuned up, and eating healthy on the road, we’ve got you covered for anything you may encounter. Keep this on hand for your next vacation and put those road trip jitters away for good!

The post Can You Save Money On Your Car Insurance Today? appeared first on Synergy Insurance.

The 2020 Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday is here, from May 29th – June 4th. Unlike previous years, there is only ONE tax holiday for disaster preparedness supplies in 2020.  So it’s time to stock up on those high demand hurricane supplies and general household items. Because, don’t forget hurricane season starts on June 1st (what a crazy coincidence!) and a lot of disaster preparedness items are sales tax exempt during this time.

Hurricane Prep Savings Galore

When a hurricane hits, you don’t want to be scrambling to find these important disaster preparedness items. You can avoid long lines and a lot of stress by planning to pick up these top disaster preparedness items during the sales tax holiday. Click the image below to see the high demand tax free items.

While there are price limits on what you can buy, the range of emergency supplies isn’t half bad:

Planning Ahead

Remember that the most common emergency items are always exempt from taxes, including first-aid kits, basic foodstuffs (including baby formula), bottled water, and prescription medications.

There’s little worse than running smack dab into an emergency without the supplies you need! Now is the time to get the fuel, food, and lighting you need if worst comes to worst. Don’t stand in line with everyone else, only to find out the items you need most are sold out. Prep for hurricane season now (without those pesky taxes!) and rest easy when the storm hits. You can get all the details of Florida’s Tax Free Holiday here as well.

Download your free Disaster Preparedness Plan Ebook here!

Synergy Insurance has been helping Floridians improve family safety for years, and we want to help you too—whether you’re a client or not! For more information about disaster prep, download our Disaster Preparedness Plan to learn more about what to do when a storm touches down. If you have any questions about how homeowners insurance can help you get the coverage you need to stave off the worst of the storm, call Synergy Insurance today.

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Your homeowners insurance premium may seem like a relatively static bill in your life, especially if you’ve had your property for many years. But you probably have more control over it than you think. Home insurers want to see their clients are doing everything they can on their end to protect their property. And making just a few tweaks to your home security can leave you with some extra cash in your pockets. Here are 5 ways you can save money on your home insurance:

1. Water Leak Detectors

A tiny puddle in the back of a basement is remarkably easy to miss. A sensor-based leak detector will sense excess moisture in the air and then send an alert on their mobile device. To qualify for related discounts, homeowners may need to put one in every room with pipes or have them professionally installed (e.g., utility rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, etc.) A Synergy Insurance expert can tell you more about carriers that offer discounts for these type of devices.

2. Burglar Alarm

Alarms play a strong role in deterring criminals, which is why you should always share your alarm certificate with your insurance company. Even if the police can’t show up immediately, they alert the authorities that something is wrong. Home insurance companies rest easier when they know their residents have protections against criminal activity. Having a monitored alarm system can discount your home insurance premium up to 15% annually depending on the carrier. Having peace of mind and saving money may make this a good option for your family. SafeHome.org can help you evaluate some alarm systems on the market today. 

3. Fire Protection

From a central fire alarm to sprinkler systems, homeowners can set up a number of protections to keep their property from going up in flames. A SMART fire alarm will alert the homeowner of any flame detection (via a mobile device) while a sprinkler system will automatically activate in the event of a fire. Having a monitored fire alarm system that can alert the fire department immediately when it detects a blaze can save precious time and cut down on the amount of damage a fire can do to your home. 

4. Senior or Retiree

Property owners who are either 60 or older or 55 and officially retired can enjoy home insurance discounts. Retirees and seniors who live in gated communities with 24-hour security patrol qualify to save even more! From passkeys to patrolmen, these measures can go far to mitigate the severity of both man-made and natural disasters.

5. Electronic Policy

Paper isn’t free, which is why some home insurance companies will give discounts to those who sign up for electronic communications. This is a remarkably simple way to save money on your home insurance (and save yourself the hassle of filing all your documents).

Synergy Insurance wants you to save money on your home insurance whenever and wherever possible. Our team is comprised of insurance experts who are ready to help you find a quality home insurance policy and save you money! Chat with us here now or contact us to learn more. 

Let us be your Insurance Experts! 

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Hurricane season is winding down, so it may seem like flood insurance should be the last thing on your mind. With the immediate danger in your rearview, it may even seem financially prudent to wait for another 10 months before you even consider it. But before you declare the discussion over, keep in mind that you may be selling yourself, your family, and your property short if you wait too long to act. Here are three big reasons to look into flood insurance today.

Binding Restrictions 

Florida homeowners insurance companies aren’t exactly itching to provide coverage to homeowners when there’s a major storm going on. The vast majority of insurers will impose what’s known as binding restrictions on new homeowner policies until the storm threat is well passed. This means that homeowners can’t get coverage once the storm starts to build or while there is lingering damage from continuing bad weather.

It’s why homeowners need to buy flood insurance early or risk facing the storm unprotected. Most flood policies take 30 days to go into effect from the time of payment unless the policy is condition of a home sale. If there are several big storms building off the coast of Florida, you can wind up being cut off from the market for longer than you realize.

It’s Cost-Effective 

When it comes to your personal ROI, few policies are as effective as flood insurance. It’s a relatively small investment for homeowners, costing just a little extra per month. And if you do sustain water damage to your home, you have a policy available that can put your home back in order. Considering flood damage can easily cause thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) to fix, flood policies maximize your spending in all the right ways.

Most insurance policies don’t cover flooding damage unless the homeowner specifically requests the clauses. But because policies are long and boring to read, many owners won’t even realize this until they call to file a claim. There is no worse feeling than to assume that your home can be fixed, only to find that you’ll need to pay out-of-pocket for the damages if you ever hope to return to your property.

Lesson From Past Storms 

When Panama City was hit, many outsiders looking in assumed it was the wind that caused all of the property destruction and massive devastation in the city. But those on the ground knew that much of the damage was really flooding. This is more than just a homeowner problem, it’s a city-wide problem. If people can’t get their homes fixed, then whole neighborhoods can descend into chaos.

It only takes an inch of water in a home to cause $25,000 in damages. And if you think you can rest easy because you’re located outside the designated flood zones, you may want to think again. One in five flood claims were filed by those who live outside the designated high-risk areas.

Flooding can be a scary prospect for any homeowner, but getting a flood quote doesn’t have to be. It only takes 5 minutes to fill out your information and receive a quote. We’ve made it even easier now! You can chat with an online agent to get your initial quote faster than ever. We’re here to protect you rain or shine, so let Synergy Insurance be YOUR insurance experts.

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It’s that time of year again where little ghosts and goblins come out to play and neighborhoods take on a spooky glow. But the scariest part about Halloween can be gaps in your homeowner’s insurance that don’t cover hazardous Halloween mishaps! That’s not to say you should turn the lights out, crawl up inside, and forego the festivities. Here are five common household liability issues that arise on Halloween and how you can avoid them.

1. Trip or Treat?

The most common home insurance nightmare is a trick-or-treater taking a tumble on your property, cracking their head open, breaking a wrist, or twisting an ankle. Keep kids and parents safe by minimizing hazards that lead up to your door. This includes trimming back shrubs, evening out the lawn, fixing loose tiles, and clearing wood piles or other debris away. Walk along your entry path from the road all the way to your front door before the big night. Are there any trip hazards along the way? Is the path clear? Keep lights bright enough so everyone can see where they’re going. If you don’t plan to hand out candy, turn your porch light off. Most neighbors know to take that as a sign you’re closed for business.

2. Avoid Spooky Surprises

Go ahead, make your home spooky and give it the effect of a haunted house. But when it comes to actually scaring people, don’t even think about it. No jump scares. No popping out from behind bushes or chasing people with fake chainsaws. We hate to be a buzzkill, but homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover the blood pumping risks that come with extreme shock and awe, or fear. Did you know Haunted House Insurance is a real thing? It’s true, but only amusement parks, corn mazes, zombies runs, and similar events carry it—homeowners don’t.

3. Keep the Four Legged Furries Away

Between a steady flow of footsteps outside and your doorbell constantly ringing, your pet is sure to get excited, so it’s best to keep your pets away from the action. Scared cats and dogs could easily dart out the door. The chance for a scuffle with a neighborhood trick-or-treater is greatly increased during the festivities. Therefore keep your pets contained in a separate room, away from all the excitement.

4. Decoration Danger

Jack-o-lanterns are a tried and true way to celebrate Halloween, but they also lead to home fires every year. If you want to line your sidewalk with lanterns or line your porch with pumpkins, opt for little LED candles instead of real ones. Candlelit decorations are easily forgotten and left unattended during the festivities and can be a real danger. Don’t leave flames unattended and keep candles away from flammable objects, such as fake cobwebs and witches on straw brooms! Large lawn ornaments like inflatable pumpkins can also collapse unexpectedly, so keep them far away from sidewalks or anywhere people are walking.

5. Review Your Homeowners Insurance Policy

With the changing of the seasons and so many different visitors arriving at your home on Halloween, now is the perfect time to take a closer look at your Florida homeowner’s insurance coverage. Give yourself and your guests peace of mind this Halloween by making sure you’re covered in the event of an accident.

With a little precaution, you’ll have the safest Halloween yet! However, if you’re looking for more protection against the proverbial ghosts and ghouls, call Synergy Insurance Group to see how we can fill in the gaps and keep your property, home, and family safe.

It’s always a good idea to review your homeowners insurance policy to get a better idea of your coverage. The holidays are a great time to go over any questions you may have with your agent. In the meantime, our Home Insurance Claims eBook goes over the ins-and-outs of your coverage, answering your holiday-related coverage questions. Just click the image to get started!

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Spring has arrived, which means it’s time to clean the cobwebs out of the corners, organize the closets and so forth. While you’re at it, don’t forget to revisit the important documents and other items you have in your home safe and in that safe-deposit box at the bank.

What documents do you need to keep? What can your shred? Are your valuable items properly secured?

Wait, what’s that? You don’t have a home safe? Or a safe-deposit box? Well, let’s look at why you may want to get one – or both – and what to keep inside.

Home Safes

Oftentimes these are well suited for safeguarding important documents and valuable things you access somewhat regularly, such as jewelry or watches. Keep in mind that while residential safes help protect against fire and theft, they often aren’t as robust as commercial models. For the best protection in a home safe, select a model that is heavy enough that a burglar couldn’t make off with it, and consider bolting it to the floor. Here are some of the things you may want to keep inside:

• Insurance policies and your agent’s contact information.
• Passports, original birth certificates and Social Security cards.
• Photocopies of passports, credit cards and driver’s licenses, in case they are ever lost or stolen from your purse or wallet.
• Tax documents and tax returns, from the past six to seven years.
• A list of your family’s medical information and contacts, including doctors, pharmacies and medications.
• Investment and banking documents, including billing contact information, as well as emergency cash.
• Heirloom and other valuable jewelry and watches.
• Wills and other important legal documents, including wills that list you as the executor.
• Computer backup disks or drives, or other small electronics you don’t use regularly.
• Safe-deposit box keys.

Safe-Deposit Boxes

Speaking of safe-deposit boxes, are they an old-fashioned notion or something that’s worth your while? To answer that question, U.S. News & World Report recommends gathering everything you might want to store in a safe-deposit box and then determining whether you feel secure enough storing it all at home.

If not, a safe-deposit box may be a better, more secure option. A bank is more heavily guarded than your home, after all – against theft, fire and other disasters.

If you do decide on a safe-deposit box, here’s what you might want to keep in it:

• Originals of key documents, such as property deeds, car titles, etc.
• Valuable collections or family keepsakes that you don’t access very often.
• Pictures or videos from your home inventory to use for insurance purposes.

If not, store these items in your home safe. And, here’s what NOT to put in a safe-deposit box:

• Anything you may need to access quickly, such as passports, powers of attorney documents, etc.
• Cash. Not only will your money not earn interest in a safe-deposit box, it won’t be protected by FDIC insurance, either.

Remember, putting something in your home safe or a safe-deposit box is more secure than stashing it in your sock drawer, but it doesn’t guarantee anything, either. So, think about having document backups, as well as insurance for your valuable items.

After all, if something is valuable enough to lock up, isn’t it valuable enough to insure, too? Talk to us about your personal property coverage and about scheduling any high-value items, especially expensive jewelry and collectibles, separately.

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