People who live in New Jersey or own a business in the state can benefit from consulting a local insurance agency when they’re in the market for the best value insurance. Insurance agencies represent a variety of insurance companies, and agency staff members are experts in a wide range of insurance products including New Jersey homeowners insurance, life insurance, business insurance and auto insurance.

• Renters’ insurance compensates you for loss and damage to possessions if there’s a fire or burglary.
• Life insurance coverage provides benefits on the death of the policyholder.
• Homeowners’ insurance covers loss and damage of your home and belongings, additional costs if you have to move out of home during repairs or rebuilding after a disaster and liability lawsuits brought against you by third parties who claim to have suffered injury because of you.
• Business insurance products include coverage for property and other business assets, workers’ compensation and professional liability.
• Auto insurance coverage to meet New Jersey auto insurance obligations can be purchased for personal and business vehicles.

Buying New Jersey homeowners insurance, for example, is simple when you consult a local insurance agency. An agency can help with tasks like obtaining insurance quotes, deciding which policies offer the best value for you, and applying for coverage. They can advise you on preparing your home inventory and will keep in touch so that you know when policies are due for renewal. The agency that helps you to arrange homeowners’ insurance coverage can be a single point of contact for any other insurance products you may need.

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Homeowners who are planning home improvement projects sometimes go to classes to develop their DIY skills. Taking classes is a sound way to learn and is a more practical approach that trying to learn on the job or researching the task on the internet. It’s important for DIY enthusiasts to be aware of their own limitations and not attempt specialized jobs like plumbing or electrical installation work that are likely to compromise New Jersey homeowners insurance (or worse, personal safety) unless they are undertaken by licensed contractors.

Here are a few tips to ensure that your DIY job is the best you can do.

• Consider hiring professional power tools and equipment if you want to do a professional job. Hiring is a much more cost effective option than purchasing expensive equipment that may not be used again.
• Don’t skimp on materials. Good quality paint, for example, is easier to use, provides better coverage and lasts longer than cheap paint.
• Remember that pre-planning and preparation are vital. Careful preparation before undertaking a woodworking task, for example, helps to avoid the risk of inaccurate measurements, incorrect cutting of wood and consequent wastage.
• Always make personal safety your top priority. Wear protective clothing, have someone hold your ladder, and avoid unnecessary risks. A DIY job won’t be so satisfying if you have broken your leg or suffered a burn!

One of the most important DIY skills you can learn is patience. It may be frustrating to have to wait for the right materials or parts to be available, but being patient rather than rushing in unprepared will help ensure that the job is done safely and competently. While you’re waiting for something to arrive, why not take the time to review your New Jersey homeowners insurance to ensure that the value of your recent home improvements is reflected in your coverage?
 

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Your home’s roof and roof drainage system – the roof gutters and downpipes that collect rainwater and snow melt and move it into the storm drains – are there to protect you from the elements.  Damage to these important components of your home must be repaired quickly to avoid their condition deteriorating and causing water damage to the building’s structure and contents. Keeping your roof and roof gutters well maintained will avoid water damage and repeated claims on your New Jersey homeowners insurance.

Your roof should be checked for damage regularly, particularly after extreme weather like heavy wind or hailstorms. Look for loose shingles, broken or cracked roof covering, and unsecured roof gutters or downpipes. You may be confident about repairing your roof if you find damage, but working on the roof isn’t for everyone. You should consider hiring a roofing contractor to do roof repairs if you are uncomfortable working at heights, or if you don’t have proper equipment such as long, strong ladders to allow you to work on the roof safely.

The time spent on gutter maintenance can be reduced if you have leaf guards fitted over your roof gutters. Leaf guards filter out leaves and other debris before they get into the gutters where they can cause blockages and overflows.

A licensed roofing contractor has the experience, skills and equipment to safely undertake work on your roof and roof drainage system. Consider hiring a local licensed roofing contractor to repair and maintain your roof. Diligent maintenance can help prevent water damage in a storm, and may help you to avoid a claim on your New Jersey homeowners insurance.
 

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Starting a new business often means that the owner exists for months being frugal, investing whatever income is earned straight back into business development projects. This is a precarious business model, and an unexpected, unplanned expense can threaten the very existence of an enterprise if it does not have a steady flow of cash or a reserve of capital. It’s important for a new business owner to consider purchasing NJ liability insurance to cover the risk of lawsuits being filed claiming damages.

There are different types of liability insurance products designed for the particular risks faced by various businesses. General liability insurance helps to protect a business from damage that can be caused to a third party or to the property of a third party. Owners of retail stores often carry general liability insurance for the risk of someone being injured by tripping and falling in their business premises.

Professional liability protects a business, its owners and employees from the risk of lawsuits brought by customers who claim to have suffered harm because of mistakes made in the course of providing services. Businesses such as accountancy practices and beauty salons are among the types of enterprise that often carry professional liability insurance.

An uninsured lawsuit could cost a business dearly. Liability insurance protects the business owner’s investment, allowing judgments awarded against the business to be paid by the insurer rather than from business funds – up to the limit of coverage. Talk to your insurer or agent about NJ liability insurance if you wish to protect yourself from the cost of lawsuits.

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New Jersey homeowners who want to live more sustainably have many options: conserving water, using energy efficient appliances and using renewable energy are all good ways to start going green. As a bonus, viewed from a financial perspective most green alternatives are less expensive to run than the traditional devices that they replace. Installation of some facilities like solar panels may attract state and federal subsidies, and installing solar powered intruder lights may be considered by an insurer to be a security enhancement. Homes with good quality security features may qualify the householder for reduced New Jersey homeowners insurance premiums.

Here are a few of the ways you can make a difference to the amount of energy your household consumes.

• Install solar outdoor lights – solar lighting uses electricity generated during hours of sunlight and stored in a battery ready for use after sundown.
• Use energy efficient light fittings such as low wattage compact fluorescent bulbs.
• Conserve water when washing dishes.
• Choose energy efficient Energy Star appliances when replacing electrical equipment.
• Avoid using clothes dryers in warm weather. Dry clothes naturally in the fresh air and sunshine.

Going green doesn’t have to be an “all or nothing” thing: starting to conserve water and electricity are steps in the right direction and are infinitely preferable to doing nothing. Don’t forget to speak to your agent or insurer about New Jersey homeowners insurance products that may interest the environmentally conscious home owner.
 

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Tis the Season for Holiday Parties… and Food Poisoning

Make sure you’re protected through your NJ homeowner’s insurance

The fall and winter holidays are just about here, which means cooking that Thanksgiving turkey, then stringing up the lights, and eventually dashing through the snow. The holidays also mean lots of fun, festive parties to celebrate the season. These celebrations usually feature an array of delectable foods and tasty drinks that are not only dangerous to your waistline, but if you’re hosting a party, you have more to worry about than added pounds or lumpy gravy.
 
According to the Center for Disease Control, an estimated one in six people in the United States come down with food poisoning every year. And whether you’re preparing the food and drinks for your party yourself or purchasing them, you could be liable if your party guests get sick. Food poisoning doesn’t just happen to bad cooks either. Foods, such as bagged spinach — that’s supposedly pre-washed and ready to eat — can contain E. coli, which is undetectable to even the most well trained chef.
 
Fortunately, most homeowner’s insurance policies cover food poisoning situations in which your guests incur medical expenses or endure “pain and suffering” (i.e. missing work because they’re hovering over a toilet bowl). There are limits to both of these coverages and intentional poisoning is not covered (so don’t try slipping something into your pesky aunt’s pumpkin pie), but most policies provide protection from unintentional food-borne illness.
 
The best way to avoid a food-poisoning claim is to take the proper precautions when preparing your holiday fare. Here are some tips to ensure your guests leave with leftovers and fond memories, and not food poisoning.
 
1. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat or poultry.
2. Use an anti-bacterial cleaner to wipe down any surfaces, including counters and cutting boards, that come into contact with raw meat or poultry.
3. Check the expiration date on foods before using them to cook or offering them to guests.
4. Wash all produce, even the kind that’s “pre-washed,” before using it.
5. Avoid cross-contamination by using separate utensils to stir raw and cooked food.
6. Make sure all foods are cooked to the appropriate temperature. This rule doesn’t apply to just meat and poultry either. Eggs, seafood, and even potatoes can cause illness if they are undercooked.
7. Don’t leave foods that require refrigeration or freezing out for more than two hours.
8. When in doubt, throw it out. If you’re unsure about any food – raw or cooked, prepared or homemade – don’t use it.
 
If you have questions about whether your homeowner’s policy covers food poisoning or any other party-related risk, any of us at the Bogle Agency will be happy to answer your policy questions. We can be reached through our state-of-the-art website at:  www.bogleagency.com, or by calling us at 201-939-1076, or toll free at 1-877-453-7358.

We hope you enjoy a safe and enjoyable holiday season and be sure to look for other safety tips and even some tried-and-true recipes to delight your guests on on Facebook Fan Page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bogle-Agency-Insurance/171280236234707

Many homeowners in New Jersey are choosing to rent out their homes rather than sell at a loss. Before you turn the family home into a rental property you may need to inform your local authority, mortgage lender, and New Jersey homeowners insurance provider about your plans to rent out your house. You may also want to consider making a few cosmetic changes that could attract tenants who are prepared to pay you a higher rent.

Stand across the street from your house and try to see it from a stranger’s perspective. Does the paintwork look dusty, is the garden overgrown, or is the gate hanging off its hinges? Things like these are the first impressions your house gives, so it’s important to attend to any weak spots in the presentation of your home. Doing this may not require you to spend a lot on paint or repairs; for example, if paintwork is looking tired, you may be able to bring back its sparkle by cleaning with a pressure hose.

Next, look at each room in the house and consider what you can do to improve its appearance without breaking the bank.

• Inexpensive new light fittings in a bathroom or kitchen can give an impression of spaciousness.
• A coat of paint can transform kitchen cupboard doors. (You can even paint over melamine if you first apply a spray treatment to the smooth surface.)
• Freshen up tired-looking wall surfaces by washing down with sugar soap.

Simple cosmetic changes like these have the potential to transform your home’s appearance and appeal. Having made these changes and spoken to you agent about any necessary changes to your New Jersey homeowners insurance arrangements, you’ll be ready to start advertising your home as a highly desirable rental property.
 

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Having a blocked sewer line is an unpleasant experience that is very disruptive to your daily life; it can also be costly to fix.  New Jersey homeowners insurance may compensate you for the cost of drain repairs in some circumstances, but the best way to avoid a blocked sewer is to be careful about what you put down the drain.

A simple way of preventing insoluble materials from getting into your drains is to fit strainers over drains in your kitchen, bathroom and laundry room to catch food, hair, and other debris that could clog a drain.

Hardware stores sell chemicals that can be used to clear drains, but with a little care you can avoid such measures. For a more gentle approach:

• Pour hot water down your drains regularly. Running hot water down the drains helps to melt oil or grease that could clog drains.
• Use lemon juice to neutralize odors. Lemon juice helps to neutralize any bad smells, but remember to use only juice; slices of lemon will clog the drain.
• Help your drains flow more freely. Use a sink plunger to loosen debris that may be collecting in the drain. Mild clogs might be cleared by putting a few tablespoons of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) down the drain followed by a cupful of white vinegar; the soda and vinegar react together to disperse particles clogging the drain.

A little gentle treatment has got to be better than using harsh caustic substances to clear your drains. Even better, prevent unwanted waste from getting into your drain and avoid the disruption of major sewer blockages and the drama of related New Jersey homeowners insurance claims.
 

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The whole of the East Coast of the United States is vulnerable to storms that come in from the Atlantic Ocean, and homes in the densely populated states along the Atlantic seaboard are at risk of severe damage from wind storm. The home and contents portion of a standard New Jersey homeowners insurance policy may provide some financial against losses resulting from wind storm and other disasters.

New Jersey is one of the 18 states where special hurricane deductibles apply. These deductibles were established with the aim of making insurance coverage more accessible in high-risk areas without driving up premiums in areas that are less vulnerable to hurricane damage. Hurricane deductibles are usually expressed as a proportion (typically between 1 and 5 percent) of a home’s insured value. This means that a policy holder whose home is insured for $200,000 and has a 3% deductible pays for the first $6,000 of hurricane damage. 

Purchasing insurance protection for wind damage is a sensible precaution. Safety authorities recommend that residents of regions that are vulnerable to severe wind storms take steps to protect their properties from damage. Your home is better able to survive a wind storm if you have added a layer of protection to keep out wind and water, so consider installing storm shutters and reinforced garage doors.

Make sure that you understand how your percentage deductibles for wind storm damage in New Jersey differ from the dollar deductibles for other losses such as burglary and fire. Talk to your insurer or agency if you’re unsure how your New Jersey homeowners insurance policy protects you.

Announcing the Return of Bogle “Refer A Friend” Rewards

Refer a friend to our agency and get a complimentary gift card!

Here at the Bogle Agency, we’re looking for new business, and we are willing to pay you to help! 

If you refer a friend, who activates a new personal or commercial policy with us any time in November, we will send you a $25 Visa Gift Card as a reward. It’s that simple, but there will be a limit of one reward per household, and it must be on a new policy, not a renewal or existing policy. 

This is just our way of saying Thank You to the best clients in the business and we hope you’ll share that opinion with your family and friends.

To claim your reward, just make sure your friend mentions this program when they call the office for a quote at 201-939-1076 or 1-877-453-7358.  They can also e-mail us at: jrotonda@bogleagency.com or send us a message via Facebook on our Fan Page, and while you’re there, make sure to LIKE us too!

At Bogle, we strive to give our clients the best possible service at the best possible price.  That’s what we’re here for, and we hope to hear from you soon.

Thank you!