Is Your Home Prepared for a Fire?

You may have found your dream home in Rochester Hills, MI, but you never know what will happen in the future. That’s why you have to prepare in advance. Guy Hurley McNeil offers you assistance in doing so, especially when it comes to fire preparedness. 

Smoke Detectors

Make sure you have smoke detectors on every floor of your home. It helps to place them outside of the bedrooms to alert people of a fire while they sleep. You should check your detectors once per month. If you test it and it doesn’t work, replace the batteries immediately. 

Your Important Documents

Always make sure you place your important documents, like your birth certificate and marriage license, in a fireproof and waterproof box. This gives you at least a chance of keeping all your documents in the event of a tragedy. 

Have a Plan

Know at least two ways to get out of your home from every location in the house. Make sure you educate everyone in your home of the escape plans and have a meeting place. 

Have Routine Fire Drills 

To make sure everyone in your home is ready in the event of a fire drill, hold routine fire drills to practice. Make sure kids know to "stop, drop, and roll" if they should happen to catch on fire. 

Homeowner’s Insurance

Make sure your homeowner’s insurance policy covers you in the event of a fire. Always keep your policy up-to-date, even if your home is paid off. If you don’t currently have a policy, talk to an agent and discuss your options to guarantee you have coverage in the event of a fire. 

To get a quote for a homeowner’s insurance policy, contact Guy Hurley McNeil, serving Rochester Hills, MI and the surrounding region, by calling 586-731-1180 today. Also, try our online rating tool for a quote on home or auto insurance.

 

What are the Benefits of a Home Security System?

Home security systems use the latest technology to protect your home on many different levels. In Rochester Hills, MI, Guy Hurley McNeil can answer any insurance questions you may have when it comes to how a home security system can protect your home and family from different types of disaster.

Minimizes Your Risk of Financial Loss 

A home security system is designed to perform several tasks. Not only will it record video of your property and what is happening there, it will notify the proper authorities in real time and also send you text messages or alerts via email or through a convenient mobile app. Many of today’s home security systems also offer home automation so you can take care of things around your home, even when you aren’t there. 

Protects Your Family From Environmental Hazards

Most home security systems today also have environmental hazard detectors. These include sensors that set off an alarm if the carbon monoxide or radon levels get too high. Temperature sensors can notify you if there is a significant rise or drop in temperature and moisture sensors will notify you if there is a water leak.

Installing a home security system can dramatically reduce your risk of financial loss in case of an emergency. Insurance companies recognize the benefits of a home security system and may choose to offer discounted rates to homeowners who subscribe to a 24/7 monitoring service. Guy Hurley McNeil is available to answer questions for residents who live in the Rochester Hills, MI area. Call today for a free consultation or insurance evaluation to find out if installing a home security system could offer you significant financial benefits. 

 

How Do Pets Affect Your Home Insurance?

Pets can be like family. However, depending on the kind of home insurance policy you choose, pets can affect your insurance in various ways. Let Guy Hurley McNeil in Rochester Hills, MI help you learn more about how a pet and your home insurance work together.

Pets and Home Insurance

Home insurance is known for protecting your property from damage and all the belonging that you may have in it. It can also protect you from liabilities in case someone is injured in your home. You may be wondering, what happens if your dog bites a guest or your pet damages your neighbors’ property?

Having a liability policy is essential in this situation, as it caters for the cost of replacement of the damaged property. It also helps to pay the medical bills if your pet were to cause injuries to a person. Moreover, it may help you pay the legal fee if the victim decides to sue you for the damages.

However, owning a pet affects your premiums. When purchasing home insurance, you should evaluate the policy and check if your pet is listed. If you want a pet, you should know that your premiums may increase. This is because if you have not added your pet to your home insurance coverage, the insurance policy could be declared void and this may cost you thousands of dollars to pay for the legal and medical expenses where a liability policy is not applicable. This is the major reason why you should consider adding your pet to your policy.

Dangerous and Exotic Pets

If you own a dangerous or exotic pet like a snake, you will need to add an extra rider for additional protection. A dog or cat may not increase your policy, although, in some circumstance, it may. The increase depends on the breed, size and history of pet you are keeping. Some kinds of dogs such as the German Shepherds and wolf-dog hybrids are associated with higher premiums. This is because, although they can be trained to be excellent pets, they are associated with aggression thus requiring extra care and protection.

Adding your family pet to your homeowner’s insurance policy in is crucial. Reach out to the agents of Guy Hurley McNeil in Rochester Hills, MI to learn more about how a pet can affect your home insurance policy.