Brandon FL

Putting in a New Deck for Summer? Don’t Forget to Update Your Home Insurance

Posted on by AgentInsure

Summer’s a great time to make home renovations to accommodate the growing needs of your family. As renovations may alter your insurance coverage, it’s wise to discuss home improvement plans with a Runnels Insurance agent before upgrading your Brandon, FL home. Updating your home insurance ensures you are fully covered against damage or loss. Here are a few ways in which home renovations could alter your current insurance coverage.

Increase Home Value

Major improvements such as adding a new deck or patio can increase the value of your property. This means your current policy limits may be insufficient to cover the cost of home repairs in the event of fire, wind or storm damage. Updating your policy gives you a chance to raise property damage or liability coverage limits to coincide with your home’s new value. This way you will have the protection you need in the wake of a major disaster. By adding renovations to your policy, you also protect these investments against damage or loss.

Increase or Decrease Insurance Costs

Home improvements may result in an increase or decrease in your insurance premium, depending on the contribution they make to your property. A new roof or replacement windows, for example, will increase your home’s security, which could make you eligible for a discount on insurance costs. In contrast, adding a new deck, patio or bathroom will increase property value, which could result in an increase in your premium. By planning ahead, you can configure higher insurance premiums into your monthly budget. 

If you’re considering renovating your home this summer, contact us at Runnels Insurance, Brandon, FL, to update your policy. We can help customize a homeowner’s insurance policy conducive to your family’s individual needs. 

Should You Drop Full Coverage Once You’ve Fully Paid For Your Car?

Posted on by AgentInsure

Most lenders require you to carry full coverage on your vehicle while you owe on your loan. Once you own your car outright though, you have the option of dropping full coverage. Should you though? Although you may save a little on premiums if your vehicle becomes damaged the repair or replacement cost without full coverage may exceed costs you can bear.

When It Becomes an Option
There comes a time in the life of every car when it makes more sense for its owner to drop down from full coverage to liability. 

  • You’ve paid it off in full.
  • The annual cost of full coverage becomes greater than 10 percent of the car’s current Blue Book value.
  • The vehicle is eight years old or older.

But Is It a Good Option?
Consider what you lose if you drop coverage down to liability only. Liability covers damage and injury to the other person’s vehicle. That’s it. You’ll lose: 

  • collision insurance that covers damage to your own vehicle due to any type of collision accident (i.e. another car or a tree).
  • comprehensive insurance that covers damage to your own vehicle from weather, fire, fallen tree limbs, etc. It also covers vehicle theft.
  • rental car in case of an accident that renders your vehicle undrivable.

If your regular driving requirements mean you are regularly subjected to dangerous driving conditions, it may serve you better to keep full coverage. Also, if you don’t have the funds on hand to replace your car or pay for expensive repairs, keeping full coverage makes sense.

Visit Runnels Insurance serving Brandon, FL to discuss your car insurance options. We’ll help you make an informed insurance decision. 

What is Whole and Term Life Insurance

Posted on by AgentInsure

There are two main types of life insurance coverage that you can choose from when you are ready to buy life insurance. Both Whole and Term Life insurance has many benefits. Deciding what you may need can be a little confusing, but the Brandon, FL associates at Runnels Insurance would like to help you sort out the differences so that you can make an informed decision.

Whole Life Insurance

Whole life insurance is guaranteed to pay out as long as the premiums are paid. When an insurer dies, the beneficiaries will receive the death benefits. Whole life also:

  • Covers your entire life
  • Has higher premiums than term life insurance
  • Pays the cash value of the policy
  • Takes up to 15 years to accumulate cash value
  • May not have to take a medical exam

Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance allows for coverage under a fixed-rate system of payments for a specific amount of time. It is not guaranteed and after the term is up, you will need to either cancel coverage or renegotiate coverage with a new contract.

  • Will pay only if you die during the term
  • Less expensive than whole life insurance
  • Can use it as temporary life insurance
  • Must renew after the term over
  • May be able to convert it to whole life
  • Pays death benefits, but not cash value like whole life coverage

Things to Consider When Choosing Life Insurance

Whether you decide to go with term life or whole life, there are few considerations you may want to keep in mind.

  • Your age and the age of your children
  • Financial needs and budget size
  • Funeral expenses
  • Health care expenses, if any
  • Any debts, including mortgage, auto, or student loans

The knowledgeable insurance agents in Brandon, FL at Runnels Insurance are available to you navigate the process. Stop by our offices today to get started on a whole or term life insurance policy today.

How Good Credit Affects Your Auto Insurance

Posted on by AgentInsure

Many Brandon, FL residents have come to us at Runnels Insurance confused by the ways that their insurance premiums can be affected by their credit score. The truth is, your credit score can affect your insurance rates, and having a good credit score is one of the best ways to ensure that your rates don’t end up too high.

Credit Scores Will Affect Your Insurance

While it is not a national practice in all insurance companies, up to 92 percent of all auto insurance companies use credit to assess premiums. Why? The belief here is that your credit indicates a chance of insurance losses. For example, those with bad credit may not be able to afford to maintain their vehicle, leading to an increased risk of breakdowns.

How Good Credit Helps

Improving your credits helps increase your premiums by showing a decreased risk of insurance loss. Good credit showcases that you have paid your bills on time, worked hard to avoid excessive debt, and are a reliable person. Insurance companies believe that this indicates a lower chance of suffering from a serious car accident.

Improving Your Credit

The best way to keep your credit at a suitable level is to make your payments on time. Don’t skip payments, pay everything on time, and work hard to pay off everything you owe. In this way, you can create a solid credit score that will decrease your premium.

And if your identity gets stolen and your credit is affected, don’t be afraid to talk to a credit tracking company. They can help sort through the confusion and avoid this situation causing too much damage to your credit.

At Runnels Insurance, we can help you and anyone else from Brandon, FL get the help they need to get high-quality insurance at low prices. We can help walk you through the difficult credit assessment process and give you a leg up on cheaper premiums.