Homeowners Insurance For First Time Homeowners

Congratulations, you are buying your first home!

One important consideration when buying a home is to make sure that you have adequate homeowners insurance coverage. Gulf Coast Educators Insurance offers a variety of homeowners insurance policies at competitive rates. Our experienced insurance agents can walk you through a homeowners insurance policy and help you find the perfect coverage for you and your family. We offer great savings on homeowners insurance.

Home insurance policies cover both the exterior and interior of your home. Our insurance agents will need to know what type of home you are buying, how your home was constructed, the square footage of your home, the year your home was built, and where your home is located. Our seasoned insurance agents can explain all of the different aspects of a home owners insurance policy such as what a deductible is, what liability coverage consists of, replacement cost, and actual cash value. Our agents can also discuss adding riders to your homeowners insurance policy to cover specific items such as jewelry.

First time home owners are often unaware that there are certain factors that can make a home more expensive to insure. For example, owning a trampoline or pool can increase the cost of your homeowners insurance policy. A bad credit score, living in a high crime area, and living in a flood zone can also be factors in a higher homeowners insurance policy.

Gulf Coast Educators Insurance is the best agency for insurance in Southwest Florida. We offer three offices to help serve you. Our main insurance office is located in Naples and we have two branch offices in Port Charlotte and Ft. Myers, Florida. Our expert insurance agents provide experience and knowledge to help you choose a homeowners insurance policy that will meet your coverage needs.

Please contact any of our three offices for a competitive home insurance quote. To reach our Naples office, please call 239-591-0963. Our Port Charlotte insurance agents can be reached at 941-391-5423. To contact our Ft. Myers insurance agents, please call 239-997-0420. We are here to help you get the best home owners insurance policy! Follow us on our Facebook page too!

Is Your Roof Leaking?

Florida has been his with a lot of rain this Summer it’s no wonder we are all not drifting away!  With rain comes leaks.  Whether it be the roof of your home, your pump house, garage, outbuilding or car, leaking roofs can mean for a serious uphill battle against moisture and mold.

Thanks to our tropical weather it’s challenging for things to totally dry out.  The humidity just keeps the air damp and can be a breeding ground for mold.  Yes mold!  Here is a quick list of things to notice in your home or on your property that could be an indication your have a leak:

 

1) water spots on your ceiling

2) the smell of must when you walk into your home

3) rotten wood on the underside of your roofing materials (i.e. shingles)

4) a dip in your roof line

5) a fuzzy appearance anywhere on your wall – this could be mold

6) if you have cracks in your home’s stucco you may have water seeping into your home.  You will want to consult with a repair man but you may consider caulking those cracks

7) if you have shingle damage from hail or have had shingles lifted from driving rain you may consider getting a roofer out to inspect for damage

8) if you have cracked roofing tile or missing tile(s) you may have damage underneath

9) in your vehicle if you notice a damp smell or musty smell you may have a leak in your car roof somewhere or maybe a seal around the doors, you may consider having this checked out

Many people will use Damp-Rid to pull the moisture up but long term this won’t repair the problem.  We recommend homeowners and car owners call their insurance company to let them know of possible damage.  Once you have made that initial call begin getting repair estimates.  It’s a good idea to get at least three estimates.  A note of caution you want to ask the contractor if they are licensed and insured.  Ask for proof of paperwork too.  Be sure the insurance policy is current.  We have had clients hire a non-licensed contractor and then not have the repairs pass county inspection.  It may cost a little bit more to work with a licensed contractor but you will save yourself a lot of frustration and anxiety in the end as your repairs will be done right and pass county inspection.

We encourage homeowners to call us with questions.  If you have other homeowners insurance and you are shopping around call us for a free homeowners insurance quote.  We would be happy to give you an estimate.  We have three convenient locations in Southwest Florida including an insurance office in Naples, Ft. Myers and Port Charlotte.  Visit our contact page with our phone numbers and addresses and reach out to us today.  We look forward to answering your questions!