Senate Bill 1770, sponsored by Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, is a large insurance reform effort, containing many changes that the insurance industry has long advocated for. However, critics say that if the bill becomes law, property insurance policy holders will see their rates go up. The bill targets the government-run Citizens, but may also cause rate increases.

Sen. Simmons said that the bill would reduce the high level of risk the state faces in the event of a major hurricane and would also reduce reliance on state-run insurance. Some Senators from coastal areas said that the bill would result in unmanageable rate increases for homeowners’ insurance. Consumer advocates criticized the lawmaking process, saying that public comment had been limited.

The bill would make the following changes in current law:

The rates charged by Citizens would be required to be actuarially sound, to not compete with private insurers and to carry an appropriate risk load. These measures could cause rate increases for customers of Citizens, who currently have a cap of 10 percent for increases in their rates.

When insurance companies purchase reinsurance to cover a potential hurricane, they would be permitted to charge higher rates. This means that customers of Citizens may be charged an additional 3 percent per year, though the assessment they would face after a major hurricane would also be lower.

Some of Citizens’ $6 billion surplus could be lent to private companies that would take over some of its policies, a move that would reduce the insurer’s resources and could result in higher rates for Citizens customers that remain.

For new policyholders at Citizens, as well as existing policies for second homes and homes worth more than $300,000, Citizens will be required to charge rates higher than those charged by the top 20 private
insurers.

When it comes time for renewal, Citizens policyholders will lose their coverage if a private insurance company offers a policy that can be up to 15 percent pricier than Citizens.

The bill has cleared the Banking and Insurance Committee and the Government Operations subcommittee. It must clear the Appropriations Committee before it faces a full floor vote in the Senate. If the bill passes both the Senate and the House, it will go to Gov. Rick Scott for his signature.

Learn more about Florida home insurance by visiting FloridaInsurance.com.

If you want the right kind of SEO marketing for your insurance agency, then you need to find a real insurance marketing pro; ideally one with experience in the insurance industry. There are not a lot of SEO outfits that fit that bill, so when you find one, it’s time to find out what they can do specifically for you. Marketing insurance is difficult on a good day, and in this economy, you need all the help you can get. It’s a competitive industry and you want to stand out ahead of the pack.

Of course by now, you likely already have a website but perhaps are not that thrilled with the way it is, or is not, performing for you. You get visitors, but they don’t stay long. They sometimes ask for quotes, but then don’t respond to your call. This issue could be solved in a variety of ways. For instance, you may not yet have added an instant quoting function to your website. This will jump your traffic quite nicely and offer customers what they want – instant information.

Insurance websites with an instant quoting function do provide more quotes and write more policies than a site that does not offer a service like that. People want things right away when they make up their minds that the time is right to buy something, and that includes insurance policies. If your website offers them what they want and you follow up and provide excellent service, you will start converting your traffic to sales —- a huge bonus.

If you do not yet have a website and want to get going, then you need a design team with insurance experience building insurance websites. Throw in the SEO experience, a dynamite web designer, solid writing for your monthly articles and news releases (to keep the search engines happy) and you have a winning combination. Think it is expensive? It does come with a price tag, but a properly designed SEO marketing strategy offers you the highest ROI for your marketing dollars, and bottom line, it is more affordable than advertising on the radio, in papers and magazines or on T.V.

Besides, there is another adage about spending money to make money that holds true in these kinds of circumstances. If you want to attract customers and increase your revenue, you need to have a site that captures their attention and converts them to customers.

Ready to Quote is an insurance marketing company, ReadytoQuote.com. ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

Think back over the last few times you have been surfing on the Internet – perhaps looking at your competitor’s websites. What stood out the most for you? See something you really like and want to emulate? Loved the colors on one site and think they would work well for yours? Think that being really off-the-wall creative will gain you more traffic?

Do you remember which insurance website was the easiest to read? Probably not, because that is one of its selling points. Easy to read, eye appealing, easy to remember content and in black and white, right? Black text on white space is easier to read, and even though you may love the idea of being colorful, your website visitors may not like it. For instance, you do not want to have red text on a black background – which makes the letters seem like neon, pulsating lights – and you do not want to try white text on soft gray, for that “see if you can guess if there is text on this website” effect.

No one is saying don’t have color on your insurance website, as color is terrific for websites. It’s just that the color should only be used in/on page borders, graphics, the odd bit of flashy text perhaps and other enhancing elements on the site. But when it comes to text, stick to the tried, tested and true combination of black text on a white background.

That being said, color of course, is not the only element to consider carefully before having an insurance website designed. Step back and take a look at the bigger picture. What do you want your website to achieve; besides a good ranking on Google? You want it to be memorable, useful, professional, interactive, interesting and eye-catching (but not in a gaudy way).

Overall, the site has to pique people’s interest. Offer them something they want and need. Provide them with relevant information. Offer products they need and want. In other words, an insurance website needs to be chockfull of all the things someone could want when they are searching for the right insurance policy for their situation. It also needs to be done in up-to-the-minute coding to comply with the latest changes in browsers, mobile compliant and ready-to-go to be hooked into social media platforms.

There are a lot of things to do, as insurance marketing is not a 1-2-3 process any longer. If you’re not sure what needs to be done, find a qualified search engine optimization company with insurance industry experience. It will look good on you.

Ready to Quote is an insurance marketing company, ReadytoQuote.com. ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

Insurance website are really best left to stand alone on their own devices, as background music may drive potential customers away, which is counterintuitive. However, if you insist that some music be present, work in partnership with the website designer and add in soft button rollover sound effects. If the music or sound effects are not intrusive or obnoxious, it can then be a subtle complement to the overall site.

Think long and hard about what your message is before adding extra doo-dads to it that might affect the overall image. Your insurance agency is your business and a direct reflection on you; so ideally, your insurance website should reflect professionalism, carry up-to-date information on the latest changes in the insurance industry, offer instant quotes and have a current blog with interesting facts and figures for people to read.

It’s a good idea to have fresh content in the form of articles and news releases, at least once a month, or more often if you are maintaining your own website. Most insurance agents these days have enough on their hands just running their brick and mortar location, without worrying about what is happening online. Ideally, to boost your online presence, find a search engine optimization firm with experience in the insurance industry. They understand your needs and requirements better than anyone. After all, they have “been there and done that.” Experience like that can help your web presence immensely.

Another gimmick to stay well away from if you are tackling your own website creation is centering all the text down the middle of the page in a strange font with an unusual background color. Think about that for a minute and you will realize that the main reason most text on the Internet is black on white relates directly to the fact that it is easy to read.

Put red text on a black background or pale green text on a blue background and the only thing you get is irritated readers that cannot read the text. If they can’t read the text or it’s just too much work trying to decipher what it says, they leave. Since you are in business to make money, driving website visitors away with a poorly designed site costs you business.

Not sure how to design an insurance website that looks good, loads fast, offers top notch information and is professional and gets attention? Hire the job out. It’s the best money you will ever spend.

Ready to Quote is an insurance marketing company, ReadytoQuote.com. ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

Okay, the honest truth is that yes, Twitter can be a bit silly, and you might wonder why you would want to plug your business into the service. The best answer to that question is that Twitter is not just addle-pated commentary. It actually has real, legitimate people on it, and those people are an audience that generates web traffic to your insurance website.

In today’s online world, marketing any kind of business requires some form of social media networking. It’s just how it works. More and more of your audience use mobile devices daily and some even use them exclusively. It’s a market you need to woo, and the only way to do that is to appeal to them by using social media. So yes, that means Twitter and Facebook and other networks that reach your existing demographics, and those you want to court for business.

But back to your insurance website. Just what would you need to make it “socially” compliant and ready to roll? There are a couple of ways that you could go, using plugins. What is used is largely dependent on what type of platform your website and/or blog is built on. Other than that, it’s a relatively simple concept. Here is how it works: when you blog, you post a Tweet. That Tweet links back to your website. And, when you Tweet, you can post a blog on your website. Sweet. Easy. Simple and you can get downright creative with the whole idea too.

Not sure this kind of feature is something you need for your insurance website? Then call the experts and ask more questions. Your best bet is to contact a search engine optimization company with many years of experience in the insurance industry. Now that gives your insurance marketing plan a whole new life, your blog a new attitude and your Tweets a bit of relish.

If your goal is to grow your business, social media is a fast and interesting way to do it. It also gives you a good return on your investment.

Ready to Quote is an insurance marketing company, ReadytoQuote.com. ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

Ignoring consumer trends in the social media may mean big trouble for your business. Consumers are the beacons of change, the origin of what is trending at any given time in the online world. If you want your insurance agency to be a success, you need to keep in step with the latest in online trends relating to what customers want when it comes to insurance.

Your market is highly diverse and has many cultural components. What that means is that not all of your policies may suit everyone, large and small. This is something that you need to be aware of and have alternatives for those who do not wish traditional insurance coverage, or will not buy certain policies due to other beliefs. Since this is your business, you need to know how to best provide service to that market segment, because even if you only have one customer like that, they are linked, by word-of-mouth to hundreds of others. If you serve them well, you stand a good chance of landing more customers.

Today’s marketing must involve social media and the use of mobile devices. This is a whole other market compared to the online world you are likely used to working in for the last few years. Now, your insurance website needs to be easily viewed on a regular computer and a smartphone. You need to know, in detail, what your demographics are by culture to get a firm grip on how to market your products. Your market needs to be targeted in precisely the right manner to get a good return on your marketing investment dollars.

To be in step today, marketing needs to involve cutting edge social media optimization, and employ a variety of social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook. There are a number of ways to accomplish that and it may also be done by using mobile advertising utilizing a tailored, custom-made pay-per-click campaign.

Insurance marketing online is basically the same as it has always been, with a social media twist with other exciting options to expand your ability to market your products. The bottom line is still the same as well, and that is if you give your customers what they want, they give your their business. One way to do that is to offer customers mobile apps and social network profiles that make their lives easier. Offer coupons and specials that are interesting, and at some point, include the use of the word “free.” That catches people’s attention in a hurry.

Of course, you cannot do all this on your own. Find a company with search engine optimization experience, one with roots in the insurance industry, and find out what they can do for you. It’s the best investment of marketing dollars you will ever make.

Ready to Quote is an insurance marketing company, ReadytoQuote.com. ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

You are proud of your insurance website and put a lot of work into it. You did everything right, as far as you know, but in tracking your online traffic, you discover potential clients did not go past your home page. What’s up with that? By the way, this happens to a lot of insurance agents, so don’t worry too much.

What’s happening is this: your new website was designed to get attention from the search engines, but that alone is not enough. It needs to do more than just sit there and look pretty. Pretty might appeal to some visitors, but they are not visiting your website to look at how nice it is, they are there to get information and buy a product. If your site does not offer them what they need, they will leave – in droves.

While your website might be pretty nifty, or was done the way you asked for it to be done, the results are not making you happy. Here is something you can do to find out what is going on, and what you can do to turn things around: Perform usability testing. This means asking a wide variety of experienced online users to visit your site, and give you feedback. Remember, your site was not designed just for you and your staff, it is for customers who want to use your services and buy your products, and that is a different point of view.

If you can put yourself in your customer’s shoes, you have a better chance of designing something they need and want to help them make informed decisions about their insurance needs. When your users offer feedback, immediately fix what does not work, is vague or that no one seems to understands. Then stick with what works, and learn the lesson of seeing your insurance website through the eyes of your potential customers.

If you do not have the experience to design your own website, or even track the results when people visit it, then consider hiring an experienced search engine optimization company, with a proven track record. Find one with a track record in the insurance industry, and you have two birds in one bush, and are well on your way to having a website that does what you need it to do – perform and convert customers.

Ready to Quote is an insurance marketing company, ReadytoQuote.com. ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

Just because it takes two components to make an effective search engine optimized website perform well on the Internet, that does not mean you need two kinds on online companies, marketers and designers. Ideally, those two necessary components work as one to produce what you need.

There is a long-standing debate over making a website chockfull of words or making it pretty. Both are right, because if you design an ugly website with good content, visitors are not likely to convert. So, no matter how much traffic that website may get, it does you no good in the long run.

Check this out for yourself by surfing Google for your competition. The first page-ranked websites are well designed, clean, professional, and crisp and upload fast. They also have superior content. It is no surprise these insurance websites rank where they do. It is simple: clean, professional websites convert better and rank higher – period.

You may be wondering why many SEO companies don’t pay much attention to professional website design. SEO companies are typically run by analytical specialists, whose main goal is to get a website ranked well. They are not artists or designers. This is why it takes two to tango when performing SEO on an insurance website. Both factions make the whole shebang work seamlessly.

In the design phase, ask the designer what strategy they use to maximize your SEO exposure. Understand they do not deal with the analytical side of this equation, but they do understand what not to do to allow the SEO gurus to do their job when they are done. For instance, they strive for a clean look, with calls to action at the top of the page. This strategy converts well. You may see that in action by checking out insurance websites with instant price quoting available to consumers, visible the moment they land on a page.

Chose to work with a guaranteed SEO company? If you are shooting for a first page ranking, the company may require you to update your website design to make it more Internet and search engine compliant. So, as you can see, design makes a “huge” difference. With easy to read text, that is straightforward, clear and to the point, an easy to navigate site and simple vertical layouts, the search engines will love your site – and rank you better. Sweet.

Here’s the scoop. Find a SEO company with an in-house website designer. Now you are well on your way to a good Google ranking.

Ready to Quote is an insurance marketing company, ReadytoQuote.com. ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

Some insurance marketing companies lay claim to being insurance search engine optimization (SEO) gurus, but are they really? Usually not. There are very few SEO companies that can claim they have over 25 years of insurance experience. However, when you find such a company, this is the answer to your insurance marketing prayers.

One of the first things you should be told by an “expert” insurance SEO company is that your website needs to be created with conversion in mind and needs to be user friendly. That merely means is it easy to navigate, is the information on it easy to access, is it relevant information for users and are you easy to contact? While many think that insurance SEO in just about keyword placement, this is a myth. Insurance website optimization is not just about keywords, it is about optimizing the experience the user has when they visit your site.

At one time, websites thrived on inbound links. Then, Google said they were going to block paid links, link exchanges, website directories and any links about anything that had nothing to do with your insurance website. In other words, relevancy has become the watchword of the day. If it’s not relevant, and a quality link, it does not do you any good in your marketing and ranking attempts. Relevant, quality links are real links and thus valuable for your website.

This isn’t to say you can’t still get links from some website directories, because you can, they just need to be respected and well, relevant. For instance, Yahoo Directory or Joeaunt.com.  Using insurance directories or resource guides helps to drive quality traffic to your site, because their content is relevant to your insurance website. The most important point here is that content driven links are highly valued. News releases, articles and blogs published within niche communities offer high quality links with long-term benefits.

One important thing to keep in mind is that your content, and any other activity, needs to be synced with LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, and Google +. Today, social media is the driving force behind insurance website marketing. The more active your insurance agency, the better it looks to followers and the search engines.

If you want to be rock stars, find an insurance SEO company with experience in the insurance industry. Your insurance website and all other optimization techniques will be highly relevant, because they have the experience to market insurance websites.

Ready to Quote is an insurance marketing company, ReadytoQuote.com. ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

If you do take the time to study some analytics relating to your insurance website, you might have run across the term, “bounce rate.” All that means is how many people visited one page of your site, and then click away form your site. If you have a high bounce rate, it usually means people just see the one page they landed on, and then they leave. If the bounce rate is low, this is generally good news, as it means visitors are staying on your site and checking out other pages.

Does it matter if people bounce off? Yes, it does, as the longer they stay, the higher the chances they become a customer, and convert by buying something. What can you do to reduce your bounce rate? If your insurance website only has one contact form on the home page, this significantly reduces the chances that someone fills it out. The solution is to have a short contact form on all the pages on your site. Keep in mind that visitors don’t always land on the home page.

Overall, you want a lower bounce rate, and want people to stay on your site longer and read the content. Having said that, is it a critical failure for your insurance website to have a higher bounce rate than you might like? The answer is no, a single page visit is not necessarily a bad thing, and does not affect your ranking. It means the visitor has found what they wanted, with either one or two clicks; a good sign for your insurance company.

Certainly, there are many ways to interpret bounce rate statistics, and this is something that will help you focus your website content. However, it is also something that not every insurance agent has time to do. This is where a top flight insurance search engine optimization (SEO) company comes to bat for you. They are able to not only help you choose the right content for your insurance website, but know the ins and outs of working with natural SEO conversion rates, and why, when dealing with “that” conversion rate, the bounce rate does matter.

Of course, SEO is more than just the bounce rate. It involves social media, news releases, articles, blogs and other connections, like Twitter and Facebook. For the whole picture that looks good on your insurance website, partner up with an insurance search engine optimization company. Reap the conversion rewards.

Ready to Quote is an insurance marketing company, ReadytoQuote.com. ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

It’s a given that competition is tough on the Internet today, particularly in the insurance business. However, having said that, with the Supreme Court backing ObamaCare, business should start to pick up very soon. You will definitely need a viable, fresh, professional and socially-conscious insurance website to get your message out to potential customers. You want your products online with an instant quote application, good articles – containing your keywords – where your visitors can read them, up-to-the-minute news releases that discuss the latest happenings in the insurance industry and a bunch of ways to contact you right away.

Your website needs to get people’s attention and keep it. For this, you need the latest in insurance website design. Gone are the days of the chunky, clunky html code and the nice, but frantic looking websites crammed with information and links galore. These days, insurance search engine marketing is about being relevant to the times. We live in a social milieu where information is power. If you want your customers to make an informed decision about buying insurance, you want an insurance website that speaks directly to their needs.

In this day and age, with Twitter, Facebook and a whole host of other social media sites, you need to be present and active. It’s not just about getting your insurance information out to everyone, although that is part of the equation, it is about letting people know who you are, what you do, how knowledgeable you are and how you can help them find what they need. Visitors to your insurance website want to know something about you. Call it the social touch, but in reality, it is called relationship marketing. If your customers know you through your Twitter feeds and Facebook page, they feel they “know” you and will consider buying products and policies from you.

Once you have a clean, crisp and professional insurance website, loaded with the right kind of information, and enough of it to inform visitors, half the battle is won. You need to ensure you’re updating your website frequently with fresh and compelling copy that keeps your customers coming back.

Chances are you do not want to do this kind of behind-the-scenes work on your website yourself. Not a problem. Find an insurance search engine optimization company with experience in the industry, tell them what you want and need, and then let them do you proud. It’s just that easy, and worth the investment.

ReadytoQuote is an insurance marketing company, ReadytoQuote.com. ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

You want to be able to run your insurance business while still being fully present to deal with customers. You know you need a continuous string of leads to make your insurance marketing a huge success, but where do you find the time to do all the things that need to be done to maintain an insurance website? Most agents say they do not have the time because they have a business to run.

The perfect solution to this conundrum of needing to have an active and viable website that generates leads and turns surfers into conversions is to get a search engine optimization company that knows the insurance business and how to design the right kind of insurance website for the highly socialized world online today. It’s a different world out there. There is so much to explore and do, and doing it right ultimately pays off in increased business for you.

In today’s social milieu, everyone wants new things to read, fun facts, updated and fresh copy and useful information in a quick-to-read format. People do not read websites from start to finish. They scan. So you want the good stuff you need to get across to them right up front. Get their attention right off the bat. Hook them and they will stay longer and read/scan more. That is the start of a happy relationship between you and your clients.

Not sure what you want for an insurance website? That is easy. Take a look around you and find out what your competition is doing. Then find sites that you would never in a million years choose for yourself. These two things give you a good idea of what you need to make an active and interactive insurance website work to attract customers. While you will not be getting to page one in Google instantly, you will get there with the right kind of insurance search engine optimization. The right tactics will get and keep you there. It’s the little things that make a big difference in insurance marketing.

When the company you select to do your insurance search engine optimization gets rolling, they do the detail work behind the scenes, which means you get to spend quality time with customers who need insurance.

Sit back and do what you need to do while your keywords, blog entries, social media marketing, articles and news releases get your name well-known and trusted. The right insurance search engine optimization company will do this for you. Get ready for the future.

Ready to Quote is an insurance marketing company, ReadytoQuote.com. ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

Okay, what is the bottom line in insurance marketing? You want to make your business a huge success. To do that, you need a clean, crisp and professional image online. You need a professional website that has the latest changes in coding, the hottest new plug-ins, a dynamic blog, news releases that are relevant to your customers and articles that have fresh content in them updated on your site at least once a month. Don’t have the time to do that? Hire it out.

Find a search engine optimization company that also has solid experience in the insurance industry, and start asking what they can do for you to help you make your presence known on the Internet. The answer is they can do a lot, starting with evaluating your existing site for upgrade potential, comparing it to your competition, checking the code it is built on, explaining new tags out there to help categorize your content for search engines and offering you a cohesive team that does their thing in the background – from start to successful finish.

Over time, your insurance website will start to move from where it is now to a better spot on page one of Google’s search engine results. Keep in mind that this kind of movement does not happen overnight. It’s like trying to lose weight fast. It takes time and effort. Such is also the case with search engine optimization. It takes time to build a proper website that reflects who you are and what your business is all about. It takes time to choose the right keywords and then use them properly to get honestly earned recognition from the search engines.

If you want fast, down and dirty results, you can go that route, but usually two things happen. The first is you peak fast and only stay up for about a week. The black hat methods only work for the short term. The second thing likely to happen is, if you are caught using some of the less-than-ethical methods of boosting your website rankings, your site is yanked. Why waste time and money on a flash in the pan, when you could invest in a stable future with a skilled SEO company that takes the time and builds your site and rankings with care, due diligence and integrity.

Ready to Quote is aninsurance marketing company. ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

If you want to get and keep customers on your insurance website, you need to offer them something they want. Typically, that would be instant quotes. And, you want to have them very visible and simple to use. The 21st Century has brought us some good things, but it has also made people impatient to get information as quickly as possible. If you can offer instant quotes on your insurance website, you have a leg up over the competition.

When it comes to a quoting engine, you will want to ensure customers have the ability to get at least three quotes at once. They can get more, but three are a good place to start. People are initially looking for price comparisons to suit their budget. The nitty gritty of what the insurance policy contains and covers may come later. Some individuals just do not read their insurance policies, so this is not essential on the instant quote engine. Thus, you need to strive to provide prospects with enough salient information to help them understand what you offer and what it means to them when they buy from you.

If you do not have relevant information on your insurance website, you can count on your visitors clicking away and going someplace else. That is a potential lost sale. Do you have the time to work with your website, make it easy to navigate, pack it with great information, have instant quotes and use the right, relevant keywords? There is a good chance the answer to that is “no.” Really, would you have the time to do that? Most busy agents do not.

Remember, when people visit your insurance website, they are not visiting just because you offer instant quotes, although that is part of the reason. They are visiting because they want to find out more about you and your services. They want to check out the blog, the articles, the tone of the site and how it presents itself.

When your site is clean, well laid out, navigationally friendly, offers relevant material people need and will use, you are well on your way to converting a visitor to a sale. To live up to the expectations of today’s Internet surfers, you need a search engine optimization (SEO) team to tweak your site to maximize its effectiveness and get it to a better ranking. Get a team that knows the insurance marketing industry and the SEO side of business. These are dollars well invested.

ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at http://www.readytoquote.com.

You already know that in order to make a living online, your website needs to perform seamlessly with Web 2.0 applications. Period. The older the website, the more problems newer browsers will have accessing and displaying it. The older the website, the more difficult it is to access in the first place. Some or all of the elements do not work properly, forms are not functional and, well you get the idea. Your insurance website is a potential goldmine, so it needs to be optimized and ready for today’s visitors.

Insurance marketing, on or offline, is about consistency, attention to detail, getting the company name out there, and providing superior customer service. It is about keeping your website up-to-date, fresh, interesting, and compatible with social media. So when do you find time to run your business? Fair question. The answer is, you need a team of search engine optimization (SEO) pros to promote your business consistently and with integrity by using the right keywords and phrases.

The reality is that there are not enough hours in a day to do online marketing and keep a website current. Handling the other aspects of your insurance business is a full time job in and of itself. Add in the learning curve to get the SEO right and suddenly the day ends with the feeling that not much was done. One person just cannot do everything on their own. They need a team of SEO specialists with insurance industry experience who know how to drive traffic to your insurance website.

Imagine your own insurance website that offers fresh content frequently, interesting blogs with thought provoking information, articles with unique information and news releases that put your company in the position of being an expert in the insurance marketing industry. A site like that featuring interesting things for everyone who visits is pretty appealing, and it can be yours for the asking by finding the right insurance search engine optimization company.

Why would you place your trust in such a company? The answer to that is easy. If the company co-founder worked in insurance marketing for more than 25 years, can get you more conversions and keep your own insurance website on page one of Google over time, you need to look into having a SEO expert help your insurance company.

ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at http://www.readytoquote.com.

Rental properties can be a great investment if they are in high-demand areas and a person does thorough research to ensure they are getting a good deal. Nationwide, there is demand for renting as many people either have to walk away from their home or cannot qualify to take advantage of the buyer’s market in real estate. Average monthly rent is up 2.5 percent from a year earlier and is an average of $846 a month.

Financial and real estate advisers recommend that you research the ability to get 1.25 percent of the purchase price for rental income each year. Sometimes you can research what going rents are in an area by checking out Craigslist or websites like Finest Expert. It is also recommended to drive around the neighborhood to see how many for rent signs are up and if the area is burdened with a lot of short sales or foreclosures. These can be signs that the area might not be able to help you attract a renter in a timely manner.

Individuals interested in investment properties have to be prepared for all the responsibilities of a rental property. Build a cushion of at least three months reserves to find a renter and account for any repairs. You need to also set aside monies for taxes and insurance. As you become a landlord, it is critical that you call your Florida home insurance agent to review the costs of this type of property. Non-owner occupied properties are classified as riskier to insure, so it will cost you more than the standard homeowner’s insurance policy. It is important to make sure the insurance is in the same name as the property title, so double check if you bought the property as an LLC or as an individual.

You will want to review property insurance, liability coverage, and any flood or hurricane policies that can be relevant in your area of Florida. It is more important to get the best coverage possible than being cheap and having surprises later on with your homeowner’s insurance.

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com.

The FHFA estimates that it could help 1.8 million homeowners with the revised version of HARP, which has been extended to run through the end of 2013. Lenders can vary how quickly they adopt the changes and the revised HARP program guidelines.

“This new phase of the Home Affordable Refinance Program will help reach more borrowers with negative equity so they can refinance into new Freddie Mac mortgages at today’s historically low-rates,” said Freddie Mac’s CEO Charles Haldeman, Jr. “These changes mark another step on the road to recovery for the nation’s housing market and…in making affordable mortgage financing available to America’s homeowners and future homebuyers.”

The revised HARP removes the 125 percent loan-to-value cap and the need for a new property appraisal as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have automated valuation systems to estimate most property values. It also reduces fees for borrowers who refinance with shorter-term 20 year or 15 year mortgages. Borrowers have to be current on their mortgage and have no late payments in the last six months. The original mortgages must have gone through Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac before May 31, 2009 to be eligible. Lenders will also have particular liabilities on the original loans waived when a refinance goes through HARP.

Borrowers should check in with their Orlando home insurance agent to see how a refinance can affect their home’s value and reduce any homeowner’s insurance premium. Homeowners can get guidance on their premiums by reviewing what the current costs are to rebuild the home should a catastrophic incident occur. An insurance agent can show you options to lower your homeowner’s insurance premiums with different deductibles, coverage, and updated home values.

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com.

Alarm systems are reasonable to get, and many security companies throw in the system for free if you get a monthly monitoring package. An alarm system is a great deterrent against burglars stealing high-ticket items and precious family keepsakes. Home alarm systems can work whether you are in the home, such as at night, or away. Alarm systems can be hooked up to your home’s doors, windows, garage door, and even send text messages to your phone when an alarm system is deactivated. Many parents like this if their kids are at home and want to make sure they are secure.

With enough insurance for your valuables within the homeowners insurance policy, you will not have to come up with the money outright to replace them should a burglary, fire, or other catastrophe occur. Be sure to keep all documents from the alarm company in case your homeowner’s insurance company wants proof of the system being active in your residence. Insurance companies encourage alarm systems because this means your residence is less of a risk to them. Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and sprinkler systems are also good to protect your family.

With your home now protected, give your homeowners insurance company a call to let them know you now have a system and review what coverage you have for your valuables. Think of any pricey valuables they might not have incorporated into the policy. Did you recently purchase a flat-screen TV, new computer, diamond ring, or renovate the kitchen with new, fancy appliances? All of these items should be covered adequately, so it does not hurt to review your coverage.

Another big area of savings is the deductible amounts you have for your homeowners insurance. With a security system and adequate insurance on your valuables, you might look at increasing your deductible. Research what is within your budget and comfort zone for a deductible, and then discuss your options with an experienced homeowners insurance agent.

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com.

“The easy way to know how much coverage you will need is to do a checklist room by room of the most important valuables,” said Orlando renters insurance and Orlando home insurance agent Lee Rogers from the Florida Insurance Group. “Renters insurance is very inexpensive and will protect you in case of a theft, fire, or other incident.”

The Insurance Information Institute reported that only half of all renters have renters insurance. More than 37 million people rent according to the U.S. Census, which means that more than 18 million do not have protection for their valuables.

“How would you replace these belongings?” asked Rogers. “Do you have enough of an emergency fund to buy new furniture, electronics, jewelry, and more?”

Many people assume that the landlord is responsible if a catastrophe was to occur, but that is not the case. Only the outer walls are covered by the landlord along with any big fixtures or appliances; everything inside the four walls is up to the renter. At an average insurance rate of $173 a year, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners equates having this type of insurance to the cost of dinner once a month.

“Renter’s insurance helps with living expenses should the rental be damaged and you have to live in a temporary place,” said Rogers. “It also protects against injuries that might occur in your rental and pay legal costs if you would be taken to court because of it.”

The Florida Insurance Group has experienced agents that will help find the best renters insurance rate from more than 10 of the nation’s top insurance companies. To learn more call 1.888.525.2210 or visit http://www.floridainsurance.com.

Homeowners should be proactive about knowing what their homeowner’s insurance policy includes. Coverage for wind and debris should be researched before a storm happens so you have peace of mind of what steps will need to be taken if it causes damage.

“If a tree hits a home or other insured structure, such as a detached garage, standard homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for the damage the tree does to the structure and the contents within it,” said Jeanne M. Salvatore, senior vice president of the Insurance Information Institute (III).

Homeowners will need to file a claim with their insurance company and pay the deductible to receive compensation for the damage. Even if a tree did not come from your land but caused issues, you can get insurance to help with the cleanup and post-storm damage. Most insurance companies will want you to get a quote from a licensed, insured, and experienced tree trimming company before cleanup can begin. Tree cleanup can be an extensive process of cutting big pieces of it to prevent more damage to an area, hauling, and many workers to expedite the labor.

Most homeowners insurance policies will cover for damage that a tree has caused to a home, detached building, or patio structure. Damage to a vehicle from a tree is covered under optional, comprehensive auto insurance policies. Coverage is not likely for trees that simply fall on the grassy property, unless it is blocking a driveway or special walkway for a disabled individual.

It is also important to know about trees or branches that could fall from your property and onto a neighbor’s property, and vice versa. “In some situations where the felled tree was located on a neighbor’s property, the policyholder’s insurance company may try to collect from the neighbor’s insurance company in a process called subrogation,” said Salvatore. “This sometimes occurs if the tree was in poor health or not properly maintained. If the insurer is successful, you may be reimbursed for the deductible.”

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com.

Currently, building material costs are up, so you want to make sure that the replacement coverage would account for rebuilding your home, detached structures like sheds, custom kitchens or bathrooms, fireplaces, and other special improvements. Standard policies cover damage from fires, theft, and lightning, but do not cover for flood damage or lack of maintenance.

The next part of your homeowner’s insurance policy to review is personal possessions. If a disaster were to occur, are you currently insuring for the true amount it would take to replace your possessions? Start by doing a home inventory and list out all the items you would need to replace. Many people find it helpful to go room by room and take photos along the way too. You can insure your items for their replacement cost or actual cash value. Replacement cost covers the cost it would take to buy the item and does not subtract for depreciation. Actual cash value only takes care of what the item’s value is on the actual day of replacement, subtracting for depreciation.

Expensive possessions such as jewelry, art, and electronics merit their own policies as the standard homeowner’s coverage can limit the amount paid out in the event of theft or a disaster. Floater or endorsement policies can help you insure these items to cover what they are actually worth.

The third facet to your homeowner’s policy is the compensation for living expenses should you not be able to live in your home after a catastrophe. Hotel bills, meals, and other expenses can be covered up to a policy’s limits while your home is undergoing repairs or rebuilding. This is also known as loss of use coverage.

It is also important to consider the liability part of your policy. This will cover you and your family in the event that another person is harmed on your property and sues you. This covers court costs and damages you would be ordered to pay up to the policy limits.

In Orlando, the Florida Insurance Group assists homeowners to fully understand their home insurance policy and have peace of mind that it will be there for them should a disaster occur. They are experts at finding the Orlando home insurance company that is the perfect fit for your budget and needs. On the phone and online, they have assisted clients for more than 20 years to get the highest quality insurance at the best value.

For more information:
1-888-525-2210
www.floridainsurance.com

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com.

If your website is not functioning as well as you think it should be, perhaps it is time to take a hard look at what needs to be done to make it more successful. You want to convert those browsers to buyers. The only way to do that is to ensure that you have the right things going on with your site. In other words,  you need the right insurance search engine optimization (SEO) – search engine optimization that works for you and brings you business.

Working with SEO is sort of like building that better mousetrap. Everyone needs this kind of service and yet some still think they can do things on their own. Unfortunately, those without the experience to do SEO the right way will find their website buried deeply on page six or worse of Google’s website rankings. Not the best thing for your business.

You want and need people to know who you are, know about your business and find it on the Internet. You want them to interact with you, buy from you and talk to you and ask questions. The more interactive you are with your customers, the more they will remember you, which will mean business later on. You cannot accomplish this if your website does not rank well. Few people will go beyond page one of Google’s rankings to find what they want. Therefore, you want to be on page one. It is that simple, but complex at the same time.

The mostly simple part is that you need to expand what you offer on your website to include the latest and most interactive widgets and gadgets used in the 21st century to connect with the billions of people online. You need the social media, the blogs, the Twitter account and other things like an instant insurance quote function. People demand more online today than they ever have before. If you do not give it to them, they will go someplace else.

People want insurance information fast and they want it yesterday, so if you have the ability to offer them quotes yesterday, you have just given them something they really wanted  and they will remember that when they choose to buy. You need to find a search engine optimization company that will be your partner in the success of your business; one with insurance marketing experience of their own. They know your business, because they do it every day.

Ready to Quote is an insurance marketing company, specializing in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

Want to snag competitive clicks from a competing insurance website? One of the ways to do that is to make sure you have an instant quote function on your website. People are in a hurry to get information these days and they do not want to waste time poking about a website trying to find out prices for various insurance policies. They want to know right away how much money they can expect to shell out for insurance. They also want to know what other options they have at their disposal.

If your insurance website offers visitors what they want to know immediately, within a few clicks, then you have kept them on your website long enough that they will likely convert – meaning buy insurance. If your quotes are reasonable, prompt, suitable and instant, you have a leg up on your competition. If you are readily available to assist those who have asked for instant quotes and can offer them other alternatives, then that will put you even further ahead yet.

If your insurance website is not up-to-date, clean, loads fast, offers instant quotes, great articles, current news and tips and a blog etc., your business is missing the showboat. Your website needs to be alive, dynamic, chockfull of useful information, personable and above all else, optimized to the max for your needs. You want to keep your visitors from clicking away to the competition. In other words, you want insurance search engine optimization (SEO) to work in your favor and bring you traffic.

Once the traffic is there, your site needs to meet the needs of the visitors. They do not just want health insurance quotes, they want information about how the various plans work, costs, how it will fit their needs, what they can do if they are on a budget and a whole host of other questions. If you have those answers, they will consider you the expert to do business with for their insurance needs.

To do all this, you need a professionally designed insurance website that gets your message across clearly. Think about this question for a second: What is the most important thing that I need to tell my customers? Once you have the answer to that, you have the core reason behind your website.

To get the right kind of insurance website, partner up with an insurance search engine optimization company. If you have an SEO company on your team, you will have a website that will be the talk of the town. You also want your SEO company to know what they are doing when it comes to insurance agency marketing. Find that company and your website will be tailored to Web 2.0 compliant and do you a world a business.

ReadytoQuote insurance marketing company, ReadytoQuote.com. ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

Let’s take a look at each one.

Collision insurance protects drivers from accidents involving other vehicles and objects. It provides protection by covering the cost of repairs to the vehicle or, if the vehicle is totaled, its replacement.

Comprehensive insurance coverage, however, covers virtually everything else beyond a collision up to the limits of the policy. This could be theft, vandalism, a tree limb falling on the vehicle or weather damage. It usually does not cover things such as tires, vehicle contents or acts of God.

Collision and comprehensive insurance can be purchased separately but are often purchased together. They often require a deductible. This means that the benefits of the coverage will not kick in until the policyholder has contributed a certain portion of his or her own money toward a claim. Deductibles can run the gamut, but often start at $500 and increase from there.

When choosing an auto insurance policy, it is important to note that a higher deductible will carry a smaller premium and vice versa.

The coverage amount provided by comprehensive and collision can differ depending on which policy is chosen. A coverage limit is the maximum amount a policy provider will pay toward the cost of repairs. A common limit chosen is $100,000.

As mentioned, comprehensive and collision are not required in the state of Florida. What is? Motorists are mandated to purchase personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability (PDL) coverage only. The limits set for both PIP and PDL are a minimum of $10,000 each.

Yet those requirements do not offer the protection that collision and comprehensive provide. Many financial lenders will require collision and comprehensive on a vehicle.

It is important to weigh the pros and cons of carrying collision and comprehensive auto insurance. For most drivers, it is a wise and prudent investment that can provide peace of mind and save thousands of dollars should an incident occur. But if the vehicle is old and has a value of only a couple of thousand dollars, it ordinarily is not worth the added expense.

It is important to speak with an insurance agent about the different options available.

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com.

Ask an Orlando renters insurance expert what coverage and discounts are available today. Renter’s policies give peace of mind that should valuables and possessions be damaged, for only $10 to $20 a month, you would be able to replace these items. Most renters do not think their stuff adds up to a lot of value, but think if all your worldly possessions were gone – renter’s insurance would ease the pain of replacing all the furniture, electronics, clothing, and many other things that made life easier.

Three to five components make up most renters policies. Personal property covers household items damaged due to fire, theft, or other loss. Personal liability protection pays for bodily injury or property damage caused to others because of a covered incident. Guest medical protection pays for medical fees that guests could incur who are accidentally injured on your property. Worker’s comp coverage pays for medical fees that personal helpers, such as nannies, maids, and gardeners, could incur as they are injured on the job. And additional personal property such as art, jewelry, antiques, and other valuables can be protected against theft and fire, as well.

Just like other policies, renters are eligible for discounts if they are in certain apartment or home communities. An experienced Florida insurance company will help you find the best policy with the best coverage for your money and offer you support for the months and years to come.

Discounts that can help the monthly fees include reductions when the apartment is located in a gated community, has a smoke alarm or security system, and when higher deductibles are chosen. Be sure to choose replacement versus actual value as the replacement value covers the cost of replacing belongings at current prices. And be aware of the policy’s limits. If you have diamond earrings and a policy caps reimbursements at $1,400, buy extra coverage for these and other big-ticket valuables to truly protect their value should an incident occur.

A good insurance agent will help you define your priorities, whether you are going to college and renting an apartment or settling into your first rental condo and want to make sure you’re being wise with your possessions.

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com.

Some insurance providers make this feature built into their policies whereas other companies offer it as an add-on endorsement. Drivers can expect 10 to 20 percent higher rates for collision forgiveness policies, but it does protect them from increases should an accident occur.

You will want to know how your provider will protect you when an accident happens, as some companies have only partial, not total, forgiveness policies.

Total forgiveness policies will charge no increase in auto insurance premiums for the first accident. Insurance companies reserve these types of policies for drivers who have never caused an accident and have no traffic violations or tickets on their record. Because these drivers seem a low risk of filing future claims, many insurers are marketing this policy to attract this driver profile.

Partial forgiveness policies will only slightly raise premiums, but not drastically compared to drivers not using the protection at all. And if a driver is used to discounts given for safe driving records and involved in accident, they could lose these savings.

An insurance company might forgive a driver, but come renewal time, they could spike their rates or not renew the policy. And when the driver goes to find a new company, they could realize that they must inform them about the incident as the company will be sure to find it on the driver’s record. The new insurer will charge that driver higher rates and most likely not offer accident forgiveness.

It pays to go over your options with an experienced agent so you know how your driving habits will fit with an insurance provider. Getting accident forgiveness for a few more dollars per month could save you a lot of money after your first accident.

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com.

Who does not want to be different? Who does not want to have their website stand out? Who really knows how to make that happen these days? In the milieu of Web 2.0, there are so many things going on that if you do not pay attention daily, update your site continuously and use the most web compatible and interactive technology, communicate via just about every app and service you can think of, your website will be left in the dust. Insurance search engine optimization (SEO) is changing fast and those who hesitate get left behind.

Even if your website is old hat, that does not mean you will not draw traffic. What it does mean though is that you will not get the same kind of visitors that you need these days to sell insurance. While you may be able to design a website yourself, chances are you honestly do not know the first thing about insurance search engine optimization. And really, why would you?

That is not your full time job; taking care of your insurance business and customers is your full time job. If you want to be a part of the now and stay up-to-date on the World Wide Web, check into insurance websites professionally designed by people who know SEO.

The focal point of your website needs to be something that makes people want to come back and buy insurance. Makes sense right? Insurance is a tough market these days and no one knows that better than you do. You need a website hat has some dynamite stuff on it, is eye-catching, interactive, a little bit edgy, offers down-to-earth information, superior customer service and shows the world you know your business like no one else does.

Most of all, you need your insurance website to be optimized for the right keywords and phrases to give you that extra edge over others; the edge that will, over time, get your site on the first page of Google. If you do things the right way the first time, your site will be well on its way to making a steady climb higher in the search engine results.

Remember, insurance marketing is as much about the website itself as it is about the person who runs that website and insurance company. Put another way, your insurance website is your face and place on the web. It is the place to let potential customers know who you are, what you offer, what your pricing structures are, where to find deals and so forth.

It is all about being personable, available and knowledgeable and on top of your business and web presence. It is all about people knowing who they are dealing with and feeling a connection; a connection that means they will buy insurance from you. And that is what insurance search engine optimization is all about, profiling your insurance business in a way that attracts the attention of buyers.

ReadytoQuote insurance marketing company, ReadytoQuote.com. ReadytoQuote.com specializes in marketing insurance websites online. Learn more at ReadytoQuote.com.

When a loss occurs, the provider will pay the replacement cost up to the selected coverage amount. Consumers need the personal assistance of an insurance agent to help them navigate the adequate riders and policies to insure each object. So thank your relatives, but be sure to have a written appraisal or detailed receipt to record the object’s authenticity and estimated value.

Most policies do have a limit and whether the item is lost, stolen, or destroyed you will have protection. Deductibles are very low and fall within the homeowner’s policy. For example, a $250,000 homeowner’s policy will insure for as much as $125,000. Specific items such as flatware, firearms, coins, stamps, and furs tend to have maximums of $1,500 to $2,500 in the event of damage or theft. Policies are also categorized between what is kept at home versus in a vault.

As for computers and electronic items, seek out adequate replacement value coverage to be able to replace your current item with a new one, not just actual cash value insurance. Some insurers also provide floater policies for individual, higher dollar items.

Many big insurance companies will not cover items over $200,000, so you will want to seek out providers that have special services and compensation for appreciation or loss in value. Many individuals are looking to put their money in hard assets that will appreciate, so if you inherit or purchase a big-ticket item, it is worth looking into these types of policies.

“It is very practical to ensure all the things that you use in your daily life that are highly valued,” said Lee Rogers, of www.floridainsurance.com. “Every year you should review your coverage with a trained agent to be sure you are adequately protecting your investments.”

It is best to take pictures or video of your collection and any unique markings that help authenticate the piece. “Florida Insurance recommends that you keep a simple inventory of your collectibles and email it to yourself so you can access it from any computer,” Rogers said.

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com.

The wisest thing a homeowner can do is to make sure they have the adequate insurance for their big investment, and www.floridainsurance.com can search more than a dozen providers to seek out the best premiums and coverage.

“We’ll make sure you are aware of what benefits the providers specialize in,” said Lee Rogers of Florida Insurance. “Our clients deserve peace of mind that they are getting the best coverage and never doubt their insurance.”

Homeowners will want to spend time knowing what is required by updated laws for their homeowner’s policy, and what calamities they should prepare for, too. With property insurance, a replacement cost calculator will analyze square footage and other variables to arrive at an annual premium. A separate policy should be obtained to cover personal property for the replacement value of furniture, electronics, and other valuables. Of special note is the additional living expenses covered, should the home need to be evacuated or becomes a total loss. The liability section should be looked at to confirm it has the protection your family deserves and accounts for legal defense fees should someone ever have a lawsuit based on your property.

An agent should be able to walk their client through what is the most appropriate deductible. “You’ll want to be able to afford the deductible, so be sure that the amount is reasonable for your income,” said Rogers, whose company has been in business for more than 18 years.

A licensed Orlando home insurance agent will find a policy that treats its clients the best, as every company will analyze the risk of past records on the property address and also current assets to mitigate their exposure to defaults and claims. There are so many insurers in the market today, so it pays to get an Orlando insurance expert on your side after you have received a notice that your insurance company will no longer provide coverage.

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com.

This type of deductible is the least common. Not all insurance companies calculate deductibles in this way, but the trend has become increasingly popular in Florida due to the extensive damage caused by hurricanes or windstorms. These increased deductibles are meant to limit the insurance companies’ exposure in these high-risk areas.

With deductible percentages, the deductible is usually set as 1 to 5% of the insured value of the home. If, for example, your home is insured for $400,000 and you have a 2 percent deductible, you’d have to pay out $8000 before the insurance company begins paying out. As this example illustrates, this amount is more costly than the traditional deductible. Typically, insurance companies use this calculation when providing coverage for windstorms or hurricanes, and this deductible is separate from the deductible for basic coverage.

Traditional Homeowner’s Insurance Deductibles:

Traditionally, homeowner’s deductibles are a flat amount and will vary from company to company. If, for example, you choose a $500 deductible and you incur $2500 worth of damage to your home in a covered event, you would only pay the first $500. The insurance company would pay the remaining $2000. Having a deductible as low as $500 dollars, however, will likely result in a costly premium. By raising your deductible to as much as you can afford, you can greatly reduce your homeowner’s premium and you’ll have more money to spend on your day-to-day expenses.

Generally, the higher deductible you have on your policy, the lower your homeowner’s insurance premium will be. The more risk you are willing to absorb, the less your insurance will cost you. Some deductibles, such as a hurricane coverage deductible in Florida, may be set at a percentage of your home value. You should talk to an agent about your deductible and premium options.

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com

When buying a homeowner’s insurance policy, you will be faced with a number of important choices including how much of a deductible you wish to pay. In addition, you will also have to choose just how much coverage you wish to secure. You can get the minimum amount of insurance coverage you’d need to replace your home and your things in the event of a disaster. However, you can increase your coverage to include a host of scenarios that aren’t covered with a basic homeowner’s insurance policy.
Below are some extras you can add to your homeowner’s insurance policy:

Emergency Response Time: This coverage will provide quicker response in the event of an emergency that’s covered under your homeowner’s insurance policy. Emergency response time coverage can include a stipulation that a contractor will be on-site within a certain number of days or hours to get started on repairs to your home. This extra can be expensive and is ideal for those who know that they will have no other place to stay in the event of an emergency.

Legal Service Coverage: This coverage will pay for the cost of defending yourself in court if there are any legal issues related to your home including property disputes, personal residence disputes, and personal injury cases. Before you purchase additional coverage, make sure you have checked your existing homeowners insurance to see what fees it will cover.

Personal Property Coverage: A basic home insurance policy covers a standard amount to replace the contents of your home.

Sometimes, depending on the kinds of property you own, this coverage may not be enough and you may need to secure additional coverage. If, for example, you have a large investment in electronics equipment or many valuable antique heirlooms, you will want to ensure that you have enough coverage to replace those items.

Adding these extras may not be the right choice for every family. You should consult a licensed Florida homeowner’s insurance agent who can help you and your family decide which extras are right for you.

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com

Checking the Roof: Damage to your home’s roof can be quite expensive and can make your home unsafe. In order to prevent damage to your roof, you should have it inspected every few years to make sure that there are no soft spots. Intense storms can cause significant damage to the roof, as threatening tree limbs or branches could fall on the roof.

Install Outdoor Lighting: You can make your home less susceptible to robbery by installing more outdoor lighting. Installing outdoor lighting around the front door, driveways, and other entryways are less likely to be burglarized. Houses that are well lit may deter potential burglars who prefer the dark.

Checking Smoke Alarms and Fire Extinguishers: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that all homeowners check their smoke alarms at least once a month. When checking the smoke alarms, the batteries should be replaced. Fire extinguishers should also be inspected visually at least once a month. A visual inspection consists of locating the fire extinguisher, making sure that the pin and seal are in the proper place, and verifying that there is no damage to the extinguisher. Conducting these inspections will ensure that you have the proper tools necessary to combat risks to your home.

Updating Electrical and Plumbing Systems: If your electrical or plumbing systems are outdated, you may be at a greater risk for fire or flooding in your home. Checking your home every few months for faulty electrical outlets or bad wiring is a good idea for all Florida homeowners. One small wiring or plumbing fix could save you a lot of money and grief in the future.

Install Surge Protectors: Surge protection devices can prevent or minimize the damage from power surges to individual appliances or your entire home. These devices are relatively inexpensive and can save you the trouble of having to file claims for your expensive electronic items.

Making an Emergency Preparedness Plan: All homeowners should have an emergency preparedness plan for fires or natural disasters. This important document will help you and your family properly prepare in the event of an emergency.

Taking these simple actions will help protect your home and your family from the financial and emotional burden a homeowner’s claim can cause.

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com

In the eyes of an insurance company, your possessions and your roommate’s possessions are two totally different things. If you have a roommate, you should have your own homeowners or renter’s insurance policy to cover your belongings, and he or she should have a policy to cover his or her items.

A roommate is considered to be someone that you live with who is not related to you. This includes individuals you are involved with romantically. If you are married, your spouse does not need separate renter’s insurance, unless the two of you do not co-own most of what is in your home.

By having your own homeowners or renter’s insurance policy, you can ensure that you only have to pay for your own items. If the value of your items changes, then it will be solely your responsibility to pay the increased insurance rate. If, however, your roommate’s possessions were listed under your policy, you may have to pay a higher premium if he or she wants to insure pricey items, such as antiques or heirlooms.

Some insurance companies may allow roommates to be on the same renter’s insurance policy, but you may want to be careful about choosing such a policy. If, for example, there are any changes to you or your roommate’s possessions, you will need to inform your insurance company of these purchases so that they are covered. This can be a time-consuming process. In addition, changes in your possessions, especially if they are expensive purchases, may cause your rates to go up. If you and your roommate have separate policies, then you will not have to monitor your roommate’s purchases.

When you speak to a licensed Florida insurance agent about renter’s insurance, be sure to mention whether or not you have a roommate. Don’t wait for your insurance agent to ask for this information; just volunteer the information up front, so that your agent can advise you of the best policy for you.

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com