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Homeowner Insurance Coverages During Tornado Season

Unfortunately, tornado season has been a rough one this year. We have witnessed much devastation and couldn’t help but think, “I hope they had good homeowner insurance coverages”. This thought is not from a selfish standpoint, but rather a professional who knows the risks and can help people avoid total loss in the event of a covered peril.

The following video will explain how MJM Insurance of Fenton can help you.  Don’t wait until insurance companies put a freeze on writing policies! Call Today (636) 343-5000

 

Missouri Home Insurance | Protection Before Tornado Season

What’s in Your Policy? Do You Have The Right Coverages?

MJM Insurance of Fenton | Missouri Home Insurance | (636) 343-5000 First, let’s start with the safety factors for tornado season. We’re going to cover Missouri Home Insurance | Protection Before Tornado Season.  While no home can ever be made “tornado-proof,” homeowners prepare for tornadoes ahead of time can improve the odds of their home surviving high winds by taking these precautions.

According to wikipedia, a tornado watch is issued when weather conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms that are capable of producing tornadoes.  In most cases, the potential exists for large hail and/or damaging winds in addition to tornadoes.

A watch does not mean that the severe weather is actually occurring, only that atmospheric conditions have created a significant risk for it. If severe weather actually does occur, a tornado warning or severe thunderstorm warning would then be issued. Note that a watch is not required for a warning to be issued; tornado warnings are occasionally issued when a severe thunderstorm watch is active, or when no watches are in effect), if a severe thunderstorm develops and has a confirmed tornado or strong rotation.

Take these additional steps to protect yourself and your family:

  • Decide where your safe place is going to be.  An interior room, basement or local shelter.  When a tornado approaches, go there immediately. If you have no time to get to shelter, head to the center most part of your basement or home — away from windows and preferably under something sturdy like a workbench or staircase. The more walls between you and the outside, the better.
  • Become familiar with your community’s severe weather warning system and make certain every adult and teenager in your family knows what to do when a tornado watch or warning sounds.
  • Learn about your workplace’s disaster safety plans and similar measures at your children’s schools or day care centers.
  • Create a family plan in case you are able to move to a community shelter and identify escape routes from your home and neighborhood and designate an emergency meeting place for your family to reunite if you become separated.
  • Establish a contact point to communicate with concerned relatives. Keep in mind, when a tragedy hits a large geographical area, everyone is calling someone, or emergency departments from their cell phone.
  • Keep an emergency kit readily available.  Include a three-day supply of drinking water and food you don’t have to refrigerate or cook; first aid supplies; a portable weather radio; a wrench and other basic tools; a flashlight (there are flashlights with a wind up power source versus the need for batteries.  Consider extras like work gloves; portable lanterns; clothing; blankets; baby items.
  • Move anything in your yard that can become flying debris inside your house or garage before a storm strikes. Do this only if authorities have announced a tornado watch, however. If authorities have announced a tornado warning, leave it all alone.
  • Don’t open your windows. You won’t save the house, as once thought, and you may actually make things worse by giving wind and rain a chance to get inside.

A tornado can seriously impact many areas of your life – your home, your apartment, your car, your business!  WE CARE!

 

MJM Insurance of Fenton | Missouri Home Insurance | (636) 343-5000 There are many ways to purchase Missouri Home Insurance.  For homeowners to make sure they have the right protection in place, it is highly recommended to meet with a licensed insurance professional to review your policy.  There are many choices in coverages, endorsements, discounts, and more.  It can be a bit overwhelming, and our agents at MJM Insurance of Fenton can help.

Home Insurance policies in Missouri can be  very different and the price of insurance varies based off the risk of the home, location, etc.  If you can think of anything, realize that you’re not buying a commodity;  you’re protecting your financial well being…and the choices you make could affect you for the rest of your life.  After you read this post, check out our page for additional Missouri Home Insurance at Missouri Home Insurance Information.

Our motto is “Expect More. Receive More.”  MJM Insurance of Fenton is a full service independent insurance agency representing many of Missouri’s premier personal and commercial insurance carriers. With a combined experience of over 70 years in the Missouri insurance industry, our agents are knowledgeable and competent specializing in, not only home insurance, but also auto, renters, boat, motorcycle, business automobile, workers compensation, and general liability. With our utilization of cutting edge automation, we’re able to provide superior service to our clients including A+ rated insurance products.

So, let’s get together and review your homeowners insurance policy to make sure you have sufficient coverage to rebuild your life and home after a tornado. Report any property damage to your insurance agent or company representative immediately after a natural disaster and make temporary repairs to prevent further damage. For information about filing an insurance claim after a natural disaster, contact MJM Insurance of Fenton.

Here are a few link for you to become prepared, protect your family – including your pets!  

MJM Insurance of Fenton | Missouri Home Insurance | (636) 343-5000 Here in the USA, tornadoes have occurred in every month, so any time is a good time to review tornado safety procedures – for home, for school, for work, in the car, and while out and about. And if you are considering a storm shelter, take a look at Tornado Project Online to learn more about shelters.

If you don’t regularly watch or listen to the weather report, but strange clouds start moving in and the weather begins to look stormy, turn to your local radio/television station or visit www.weather.com to get the weather forecast.

Remember, if a tornado “watch” is issued for your area, it means that a tornado is “possible.”  If a tornado “warning” is issued, it means that a tornado has actually been spotted, or is strongly indicated on radar, and it is time to go to a safe shelter immediately.

Call Us – We’re Here To Help!

Source: Institute for Business and Home Safety. IBHS is a national nonprofit initiative of the insurance industry to reduce deaths, injuries, property damage, economic losses and human suffering caused by natural disasters.

 Missouri Home Insurance | Protection Before Tornado Season

Missouri Home Insurance | Avoiding Claims in the Winter

How to Keep Your Insurance Costs from Rising

Missouri Home Insurance | Avoiding Claims in the Winter - MJM Insurance of Fenton | (636) 343-5000Winters in Missouri can be long with temperatures ranging from mildly to bitterly cold. Kansas City’s average January low is 26 °F and St. Louis’s average January low is 29 °F.  While our agents are here to help our clients with any claim needs; we also want to help clients avoid winter damage to their home.

Losses from snow, ice and freezing temperatures have averaged about $1.2 billion a year, and may be double that amount this year. This article provides useful tips for homeowners to keep in mind during the winter months. Missouri Home Insurance | Avoiding Claims in the Winter.

Outside Maintenance

  • Missouri Home Insurance | Avoiding Claims in the Winter - MJM Insurance of Fenton | (636) 343-5000Clean out gutters so melting snow and ice can flow freely. This can prevent ice damming, which is what happens when water is unable to drain through the gutters and instead permeates into the house.
  • Install gutter guards to prevent debris from entering the gutter and interfering with the flow of water.
  • Trim trees and remove dead branches. Ice and snow can sometimes become very heavy and could cause weak trees or branches to break free and damage your home.
  • Repair steps and handrails so that visitors on your property are safe and avoid injury.
  • Seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations to prevent cold air and moisture from entering your home.

How to Avoid Freezing Pipes & Water Damage

  • Missouri Home Insurance | Avoiding Claims in the Winter - MJM Insurance of Fenton | (636) 343-5000Keep the house warm. Set the thermostat no lower than 65 degrees.
  • During super harsh cold weather, turn on faucets so that a trickle of water continues running through the pipes.
  • Check pipes. Look closely for the presence of cracks and leaks, and have them repaired immediately. Pipes in attics and crawl spaces should be protected with insulation.
  • Install an emergency pressure release valve in your plumbing system. This will protect the system against increased pressure caused by freezing pipes and can help prevent your pipes from bursting.
  • Add extra insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces. If too much heat escapes through the attic, it can cause snow or ice to melt on the roof. Water then can refreeze, leading to more ice build-up—and even ice dams that can damage your roof.
  • Have a back-up power source. In the event of a power outage, continuous power will keep you warm and help to prevent frozen pipes, or a frozen battery operated sump-pump.

Flooding

  • Missouri Home Insurance | Avoiding Claims in the Winter - MJM Insurance of Fenton | (636) 343-5000Flooding related to melting snow can cause sewer systems to overflow; hence causing raw sewage to back up into the drains in your home. Some carriers offer water & sewer backup coverage.  This coverage is not part of the typical homeowners insurance policy, but may be purchased as an endorsement.
  • Sewer backup is NOT covered with flood insurance. Flood Insurance is a separate policy available from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  Flood insurance covers floods from tidal surge and overflowing bodies of water.
  • Install a Backwater Prevention Valve. A backwater valve is a fixture installed into a sewer line, and sometimes into a drain line, in the basement of your home or business to prevent sewer backflows.

Wood Stoves & Fire Places

  • Missouri Home Insurance | Avoiding Claims in the Winter - MJM Insurance of Fenton | (636) 343-5000Remove combustible items placed near any hart sources. This includes wood stoves and space heaters.
  • Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Not only do residential fires increase in the winter, but so does carbon monoxide poisoning—so check that your detectors are in working condition on a regular basis.
  • Have your heating systems serviced. Furnaces, boilers and chimneys should be serviced at least once a year to prevent fire and smoke damage.

What’s in Your Policy?

Most homeowners insurance policies have a deductible that the insured is responsible for paying. And if the claim exceeds the policy’s limits, the insured could be responsible for additional costs.  Licensed agents with MJM Insurance of Fenton will review homeowner policies at no charge. Winter damage could cause insurmountable damage, so it is important to make sure the right coverages are in place.

Loretta Worters, spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, said most standard homeowners’ and renters’ policies cover damage from burst pipes and other winter-related mishaps, including roofs that collapse from the weight of snow and water damage from ice dams.

It’s best to check your policy ahead of time, to make sure you know just what it covers, and what your coverage limits are.

Missouri Auto Insurance Roadside Assistance on YouTube!

Insurance carriers offer different benefits, and restrictions, for Missouri Auto Insurance Roadside Assistance. Contact our licensed agents for a free review of your auto insurance policy and we’ll help you determine if you have the best roadside assistance package.  (636) 343-5000

 

 

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

We have much for which to be Thankful.  

Happy Thanksgiving from MJM Insurance® of Fenton!

 

 Have a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving from MJM Insurance of Fenton!

Happy Thanksgiving from MJM Insurance® of Fenton!

Happy Thanksgiving from MJM Insurance® of Fenton!

Happy Thanksgiving from MJM Insurance® of Fenton!