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R&R Insurance Blog

Water Leaks: The Number One Loss When Going on Vacation

Posted by the knowledge brokers

house180% of Homeowners Overlook Costly Water Leak Exposure When Heading on Vacation

A study by Chubb Insurance shows that while on vacation, just 19% of homeowners view internal water leak damage as the most concerning threat to their home, despite the fact that water leaks are a more frequent risk than fire and theft. Homeowners are particularly vulnerable during summer travel season.

According to Chubb, "the time between when a leak occurs and when it is discovered is the single greatest factor in determining the amount of damage. As a result, leaks that occur while you're away result in greater amounts of damage in terms of both cost and severity."

Water damage claims have been rising over the last few years as well. In the last 10 years, the frequency of pipe bursts has nearly doubled. In addition to the increase in leaks, 90% of homeowners rate themselves as "vigilant" at preventative home maintenance, yet only 22% shut off the water main before heading out of town.

Before leaving on your next vacation, here are quick steps to properly protect your property:

  1. Be sure all appliances and hoses are in good working condition
  2. Inspect your sump pump 
  3. Have your gutters cleared of debris
  4. Ask a friend or neighbor to keep an eye on your house
  5. Install a water leak detection device
  6. Add a yellow tag to your water main shut off valve in case of a water emergency. Click here to receive free tags from us!

To learn more about water leak damage and protecting your home, view the following infographic, "Don't Get Water Logged" or contact a KnowledgeBroker.

Topics: Personal Insurance, Personal Lines, water damage

Do You Have the Guts to Take On a Fixer Upper?

Posted by the knowledge brokers

Fixer-Upper.jpgIf you’re like most of the employees here at R&R, you’re obsessed with HGTV’s hit TV Show “Fixer Upper.”  Chip and Joanna Gains give us major house envy with each episode, and we can’t help but see our own honey-do lists growing each week. 

If you’ve successfully tackled some home projects and are currently admiring the fruits of your labor, we want to hear from you!  Things like updated roofs and furnaces, alarm system installations and changes to your fireplace setup can provide instant premium savings if we notify your carrier about these improvements. On the opposite end, cosmetic upgrades and additional square footage may or may not need to be reflected on your existing policy’s coverage limitations (but we should talk about it either way). 

So when your next home project has been finished, and the paint and sawdust have settled, give us a call so we can review your policy together and make the necessary coverage recommendations to ensure your policy will respond appropriately in the event that you need it.  If you have pictures for us to admire, we love those, too.

Still in need of some inspiration?  Click here for Joanna’s favorite “Fixer Upper” renovation of all time!

Click here to contact a Knowledge Broker at R&R!

Topics: Personal Lines

Are You Covered for Unexpected Events? Test Your Personal Insurance Knowledge

Posted by the knowledge brokers

Flowers-in-Garden.jpgMost of us are familiar with the run-of-the-mill claims that typical home & auto insurance policies cover. You’re having a summer barbeque and the deck catches on fire. Covered. You’re teaching your teenage son to drive and he rear-ends the neighbor’s car. Covered.

Accidents, while unfortunate and unexpected, do happen. But the peace of mind that comes with buying a quality insurance product and knowing it will be there to help you pick up the pieces can help ease the anxiety that is associated with these unexpected events. (It may not help calm your nerves when getting back in the car with your teen driver, however.)

But what about those rare instances when the truly unexpected claim arises?  You know, the type of claim that you never thought would happen to you?  Do you know how (or if) your insurance policy will respond? Take the test below to find out if these bizarre incidents are covered by your home and auto policies, and start building your insurance knowledge!

  • You finally get those pesky mice out of the basement only to find they’ve made a home in your car. They’ve created a beauty of a nest and chewed away at the electrical system. Covered?
  • Your full-time college student forgets to lock her dorm room when she leaves for class one morning. She comes back to find that her brand new flat screen TV and shiny laptop are gone. Covered?
  • A nasty summer storm strikes and you’re left with no power. The fridge you filled on Sunday starts to warm up and all of your fresh groceries are now spoiled. Covered?
  • You’re doing the annual spring tree trimming and decide to tackle those annoying branches hanging above your bathroom skylight. You make one wrong move and a branch goes straight through the window. Covered?

If you answered yes to the questions above you are an expert insurance policy holder! All of the incidents above would be covered under your home or auto policies.

It’s important to remember that all insurance policies do have coverage gaps and exclusions, so we recommend reviewing your policy annually to ensure that it continues to meet your family’s ever-changing needs.  If reading insurance contracts does not sound like your idea of a good time, please contact us – we’d love the opportunity to walk you through this process!

Topics: Personal Lines

Avoid the Lines | Online Services Offered by the DMV

Posted by Tom Mack

DMV.jpgGoing to the DMV can often times feel like a chore. Whether you’re trying to squeeze it in during a lunch hour, or rush to beat the after work crowd, there’s never a good time to take care of pesky car business.

We frequently speak with customers that are heading to the DMV for services that can be taken care of online. Here is a quick reminder about what's available from the comfort of your own home:

  • Change of address
  • Get a duplicate driver license or ID card
  • Check eligibility and reinstate a driving privilege
  • Purchase a driver or vehicle record
  • See if a license is valid
  • Manage the registrations for a fleet of vehicles

For more information on these and other online services, visit www.wisconsindmv.gov.

Topics: Auto Insurance, Personal Lines, car, DMV

All-American Celebrations: Freedom & Baseball

Posted by Stephanie Katzfey

As we head in to the 4th of July holiday, R&R employees share their All-American thoughts: their definition of freedom and their memories of a classic American sport, baseball.

Both videos are part of the July Personal Lines e-newsletter that is sent to all Personal Lines customers. 

Share with your family and friends:

What Freedom Means to Some R&R Employees:

Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts: Brandy Enger, Bill Katzfey, Dan Wolfgram, Rianna Doll, Rhonda Steiner, Chris Rogers, Kathy Rector, Joyce Gott, Jack Riesch, and Kori Cumley.

Here's a cute story about how R&R employee Traci Catalano sang the Star-Spangled Banner to her daughters and tought them the real story behind the song.

Would you like to work with people like us?  Learn more about our Career Opportunities.

R&R is a great place to work!

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

Topics: R&R Insurance, freedom, baseball, Personal Lines