By 1998, new laws came available, which makes up the Homeowner Protection Act. This Act made it clear that all homeowners must have at most the PMI plans. These laws failed to cover the Veteran loans; instead, FHA (Federal Housing Administration) covered these loans.

If you recently took out a mortgage that allowed you to pay 20% down on the loan, most mortgage lenders expect that you take out a PMI coverage package. The PMI plans are the Private Mortgage Insurance that gives the lender a security blanket or pocket by comprising coverage for him (the lender) in the event you fail to repay the mortgage.

When you buy a home, you must take out at most PMI, which is the minimal coverage for your home. Your mortgage lender may offer you a plan, yet you may have options to find your own home insurance.

If you are searching for home insurance, you may want to get quotes online. The quote system allows you to compare costs on premiums, deductibles, interest rates, annual rates and so on.

You can talk to your lender about insurance. Your lender will incorporate the insurance payments into your monthly installment. Again, you may have options. If you choose to find your own, policy asks your lender if you have the option to look for your own insurance plans.

At what time you start searching for insurance, look for policies that will cover natural disasters, vandalism, theft, petty crimes, fire, and so on. Rather than finding loans to give your lender security only, look for coverage that will protect your interest also.

Insurance coverage for fire/theft, natural disaster, etc is important. If someone breaks into your home and robs you, stealing your belongings you want coverage that will return loss or damage. Likewise, if your home burns down you want insurance that will cover your loss.

With these types of insurance deals the premiums, interest rates, and other aspects of the policy will change. For instance, if you are a high risk or live in a high-risk area you may pay higher rates of interest as well as premiums on your plan. Alternately, you can use online quote system to find the best rates on the market.

Some of the loans you may want to consider are the Zero Mortgage coverage. These plans offer you the ability to make pay arrangements that fit your budget. The plans allow you to extend your payments month to month and the premiums are paid accordingly. These plans allow you to incorporate the insurance into your mortgage so that you only have one bill each month.

You may also want to consider the Single Premium plans. These are the same as the Zero insurance, only you slowly work down your mortgage payments ahead of time. Also, get a mortgage insurance quote on the Home Openers insurance.

Martin Lukac, represents http://www.1americaninsurance.com that provides free insurance quotes for home insurance, auto insurance and life insurance. With #1 American Insurance you will get the best insurance quote in your area as our insurance agents are top rated in insurance markets.#1 American Insurance also operates http://www.rateempire.com and http://www.1americanfinancial.com

Many young people who leave home and go out into the big wide world forget about some of the most important details they should take care of. Renters insurance is very often one of these.

By going out on their own, either getting an apartment on their own or sharing with others, they will learn about what is involved in the rental world. Things like having and keeping good references and records, applying for a lease, furnishing the apartment and generally doing all the things that they took for granted at home with their folks.

One of the most important of all these things is protecting their possessions. These days with all the technical products that young ones have, the value of their belongings can add up to quite a sum.

The landlord only covers the building with the landlord insurance, a person renting the building needs to take out the correct coverage for their belongings that they will have in the building.

When enquiring about renters insurance there are a few things you will need to ask. Things like

· The type of loss or damage to property that is covered by the renters insurance

· Renters insurance and replacing property in the event of loss or damage. This can be the replacement costs or the actual cash value. There may be deductibles, the higher the deductibles, the lower the premiums. (The deductible is the amount you pay before the insurance company starts to pay).

Here are the 8 Important Questions that need to be asked with regard to protection of the insured with renters insurance cover.

1. Liability protection and guests’ medical expenses, some policies will cover anyone visiting your rental property, who is injured or have their belongings damaged. The outside and public areas of the property should be covered by the landlords insurance, so make sure to ask this too.

2. Property loss while traveling, this will be cover for things like lost luggage, cameras, jewelry etc while you are away from your home.

3. Extra cost in living expenses due to a loss or damage, this can be if something happens to the building you are renting and you have to move out and stay somewhere else until whatever is rectified and this is more expensive.

4. What premium policy add-ons are available? This will cost you more but some of the add-ons include things like engagement and wedding presents, floods and earthquakes and for the extras cost could be worth it.

5. Sharing with other people, do you all need separate policies or can the one renters insurance cover everyone.

6. Discounts. Always ask about discounts, you may have an insurance cover for your car, check if there is a discount for more than one type of policy.

7. How to pay? You may be able to pay by the month, which may suit your budgeting better.

8. What if more than two people are sharing the apartment? Some renters insurance will not pay for a claim if more than two people are sharing. It has to do with security. Even if someone has renters insurance and they move in with a few people, if they need to make a claim, the insurance company may not honor it.

Number eight is a very important question, it is at number eight so it will be the last question you read. Make sure it is the first question you ask.

If you have an insurance consultant or insurance broker, make sure they get all this information for you

©2007, Carmel Baird. CTBaird contributes to InsuranceInfo-Online a site dedicated to helping people obtain information, hints, tips and get insurance for less. New articles are being posted every week.

If you live in an apartment, you may not think you need insurance or you may think your landlord’s policy covers you. Think again!

Your landlord’s insurance covers only the building, not your possessions. You need to find cheap apartment rental insurance to protect your belongings.

Apartment rental insurance also covers you if …

* Your apartment is damaged and you need to temporarily live somewhere else for a while.

* Your property is stolen someplace else, such as if your laptop computer is stolen while you’re at the library.

* You damage the landlord’s property and have to pay for repairs.

Decide How Much Coverage You Need

Your first step to get cheap apartment rental insurance is to decide how much coverage you need. Make a list of all your personal possessions and estimate how much it would cost to replace them. This will give you an idea of how much coverage you need.

You also need to decide how much of a deductible you can afford to pay. The deductible is the amount you pay on a claim before the insurance company pays. The higher your deductible, the lower your insurance premium. Just make sure you can pay the deductible if you ever need to make a claim.

Check with Your Car Insurance Company

To find cheap apartment rental insurance, first check with the company that insures your car. You may be able to get a discount for having both policies with the same company.

Other discounts you might be able to get include:

* Non-smoker’s discount if no one in your residence smokes.

* Security discounts if your apartment has deadbolts, smoke detectors, or other safety features.

* Senior’s discount if you’re a retired senior.

Look on the Internet

Search online for companies that offer cheap apartment rental insurance. You can go to insurance websites, fill out a single form, and get fast quotes from several insurance companies (see link below).

Make sure you use the same coverage limits, deductibles, and discounts for each company so you can compare them fairly.

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/renters-insurance.html or click on the following link to get cheap apartment rental insurance quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more insurance tips in their Articles section, and get answers to your insurance questions from an insurance expert by using their online chat service.

The authors, Brian Stevens and Stacey Schifferdecker, have spent 30 years in the insurance and finance industries, and have written numerous articles on getting cheap apartment rental insurance quotes.

Coverage for damage caused by trees and for the trees themselves is one of many confusing areas of a Homeowners insurance policy.

Your neighbors’ tree falls and damages your garage, shed and fence.
Will insurance pay for the damage?
Whose insurance should pay?
What will they pay for?

A tree falls in your yard.
Will your insurance policy pay for it to be removed?
Will it pay for a new tree?

A tree limb breaks from wind or a lightning storm and is dangling over your house.
Will your insurance policy pay for it to be removed?
What if it’s hanging over a neighbor’s house?

A tree falls on your car.
What policy will cover the damage to my car?
Is there coverage for the tree removal?

First, the basics; it does not matter whose tree it was. If there is damage to your property (from anyone’s tree) your insurance policy is the one to respond. If there is damage from your tree to a neighbor’s property, their insurance policy is involved. If there is damage to both properties (from anyone’s tree) both policies will be involved and each will deal with its own property only.

The only time a Homeowners insurance policy should be involved with damage to someone else’s property is if there is liability involved. That is if the tree was rotten or leaning and should have been removed or trimmed prior to the damage occurring. Even then the damaged properties insurance policy will generally pay for their customer’s damage and then try to recover their money from the tree owners’ insurance company.

Second, the important consideration for coverage is; what is physically damaged. If a tree, or portion of a tree, falls and does not damage any real property there is no coverage. Real property is any building, structure or contents item it does not include land, landscaping or plants of any kind. A fence, shed, patio, driveway, swing set or bicycle would count as real property.

If a tree falls into your yard and does not cause any damage to the home or any other real property then there is no coverage to remove the tree or for any cleanup. Sorry!

If there is damage to anything such as a fence then the policy should cover repairs or replacement of the damaged item(s) and also limited coverage for removal of the tree. To make this even more confusing; the tree removal coverage is divided in 2 phases.

Phase 1: Getting the tree removed off of the real property is covered with no sub-limit. That is if a tree is on a storage shed then the first stage of tree removal is to remove it off the shed so repairs can be made. The only limit for this part of the removal is the coverage limit on this section of your policy; in this case the Other Structures coverage.

If the repairs to the shed and the tree removal combined are greater than the coverage available then there is an additional coverage available for debris removal. This is 5% in most cases, so if you have $10,000 coverage on Other Structures you can have up to $10,500 for the repairs and tree removal cost.

Phase 2: The second stage of tree removal is removing the tree debris off the premises. This portion is limited to $500 or $1,000, this limit can vary by insurance company, policy type and state involved.

Third, the tree itself is covered in certain limited circumstances and for a limited amount only. The tree is not covered for wind or hail damage but is covered for damage from fire, lightning, explosion, vandalism and vehicle damage (as long as it was not a vehicle driven by members of your family). The limit is typically $500 per tree but can be more on some policies and in some states.

Fourth, If a damaged tree is leaning toward your home or dangling precipitously over your home what is covered? Assuming that portion of the tree has not damaged real property then there is NO coverage. Even if another tree or portion of the same tree has caused damage.

It is your responsibility to protect your property. The insurance policy only covers damage, NOT potential damage. The same is true if one of your trees is dangling over someone else’s property, no coverage for potential damage.

If you ignore the situation and the tree later falls and causes damage to the neighbor’s home their insurance will cover their damage. They will then want to recover their money from your insurance company, or you. This is called subrogation.

If the later damage occurs to your home your insurance company could try to deny coverage because you did not protect the property.

The Homeowners insurance policy covers sudden and accidental damage it is not a maintenance policy.

Finally, damage to any automobile will only be covered on the auto policy (then only if you have Comprehensive coverage). The tree removal will not be covered by your Homeowners policy unless other real property was damaged.

See our websites mentioned below for more information. You can send direct questions or read what other homeowners have asked.

Geary Morris is the National Sales Manager for Storm Survivor, LLC.

We offer web sites and products as a consumer resource for information and news about property insurance claims and insurance related topics. Informational original articles, excerpts from industry publications, links to insurance resources, consumer questions and answers.

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PROTECT YOUR HOME AND BUSINESS THROUGH PICTURES

Whether it is a hurricane, tornado, fire, theft or some other disaster that causes you to have to turn to your insurance company for help you need to do your part to assure you are treated fairly and get what you have paid for in premiums.

INVENTORY YOUR CONTENTS BEFORE A DISASTER STRIKES

If a tornado, fire, hurricane or other disaster struck would you be able to sit down and list all the items you have accumulated over the years? And certainly you would not have the values, model numbers and other identifying details memorized. Keeping an up-to-date home inventory will help you get your insurance claim settled accurately and quickly.

Start by making a list of your possessions, describing each item and noting where you bought it and its make and model. Clip to your list any sales receipts, purchase contracts, and appraisals you have. For clothing, count the items you own by category - pants, coats, shoes, for example –making notes about those that are especially valuable. For major appliance and electronic equipment, record their serial numbers usually found on the back or bottom.

It’s a big job – but you will be sorry if you don’t do it.
As daunting as the task may be if you have had your household set up for some years, an incomplete inventory is better than none at all. If you are just starting out it is easier to get in the habit of updating your inventory with every major purchase or at least annually.

Take care of big ticket items
Items of value such as artwork, antiques, jewelry and collectibles may increase in value over time. Make sure you have itemized coverage on these items (antiques are just old furniture if not itemized). Check with your agent to assure you have up to date coverage.

Digitize Documentation
Use still pictures for important individual items. Make a note either on the back of a printed picture or in your computerized copy of the details of the item such as when and where you got it, the value and any identifying numbers or marks. Also take pictures of whole rooms and closets. Don’t forget your kitchen cabinets. You may have thousands of dollars tied up in dishes, cutlery, pots, small appliances, etc.

Videotape
Walk through your house or apartment videotaping and describing the contents.

Keep it on the Computer
There are several options for using your computer to keep track of your inventory. There are websites that have inventory programs as well as downloadable software to make your lists. Remember you do not want to have the only copy on your hard drive in the event of disaster. E-mail it to your work computer or to a family member or friend. You could also start a personal website – there are plenty of free ones – and keep all your pictures and inventory list there where they are easily retrievable from wherever you are. Scan in the front page of your policy with the policy number and limits as well as any other important documents and upload it to either you personal website or an e-mail. If all is lost then at least copies of everything are available online where ever you are.

Keeping the list, photos and tapes

Regardless of how you do it (written list, floppy disk, photos, videotape or audio tape), keep your inventory along with receipts in your safe deposit box or at a friend’s or relative’s home. It is best to keep a couple of copies in different locations in the event the disaster is wide spread. And again, uploading it to somewhere on the internet provides the best access of all. That way you’ll be sure to have something to give your insurance representative if your home is damaged. When you make a significant purchase, add the information to your inventory while the details are fresh in your mind.

WHAT TO DO AFTER A DISASTER

Protection of life is first and foremost before, during and immediately following a disaster. When re-entry has been cleared by authorities, BE CAREFUL to look for hazards such as downed power lines, broken glass, gas leaks, holes, etc.

IMMEDIATELY TAKE PICTURES

Using digital cameras is best or if using a disposable have the pictures both printed on paper and onto a CD. This will be beneficial later as future adjusters can put this into the programs used to write their reports. Date stamp the pictures if possible. Give a copy of the pictures digitally on a CD or by e-mail to any future adjusters or investigators. Always keep your originals.

Roof Pictures – First take overall pictures of not only your roof but also of your neighbors’ roof if it was also affected by wind or hail damage. Documenting widespread damage to multiple properties could be important if you have to go to litigation in the future. Wind will often drive debris under shingles – get close up pictures of this as well as any broken shingles, exposed felt (paper under shingles), exposed flashing (metal around vents and pipes), obvious breaks in the integrity of the roof by trees, branches or other objects and broken or damaged vents, pipes, chimneys, etc.

Attic Pictures – Get up into the attic and take pictures of any damages from the inside, especially if there are visible breaks in the sheathing (the wood that holds the roof up), wet marks on any surface, compacted insulation, damaged ductwork. Also take pictures of any items like air handlers or water heaters that are in the attic.

Inside Pictures – Go systematically through the house either counter clockwise or clockwise starting at the front door. Ideally use a piece paper with the rooms name printed boldly, take a picture of that first and then all the damage in the room. Repeat with each room.

Ceiling, Wall and Flooring Pictures – It is important to note any areas that are damaged or have water stains. Also take pictures of ceiling fans and light and wall fixtures to show the kind and quality. Get the best pictures you can to show the types of material used – paint, wallpaper, paneling, floor carpeting, tile, vinyl, etc.

Kitchens and Bathrooms – Get detailed pictures of damages as well as pictures showing the kind and quality of fixtures, appliances, cabinets, countertops and materials used.

Contents – We have already discussed the need for an inventory prior to any damage occurring. Again detailed pictures of damages are important.

Exterior Pictures – Take a picture of the house from all sides including a wide shot from across the street or at a distance to see most of the property. Take more detailed pictures on each side of any damages to siding, windows, gutters, fascia, antennas, etc. Also if you have a detached garage, carports or sheds get outside and inside pictures as well. Any other outside damages such as to fences should be photographed as well.

WRITE IT DOWN –
Write a brief diary of the events of the disaster, the steps you took to protect the property from further damage and then an inventory of the damage you saw and photographed. As time passes your memory may become fuzzy and this diary could prove valuable to your claim.

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