Fires are the most common claim for homeowners, and they can start in a variety of ways. 

The causes of these fires range from food left unattended on the stove to candles left burning. A majority of these fires are preventable with some forethought and care to minimize the risks.

The New Year is a great time to prioritize home safety and review your insurance coverage to make sure you are appropriately covered. We’ve assembled some tips to make it easier and maybe even save you some money.
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One misconception about homeowner's liability insurance coverage is that it only covers incidents in the home. 

In fact, coverage under the comprehensive personal liability portion of your homeowner's policy is not limited by location. It is, however, limited by the liability caps on your policy. 
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Winter weather is tough on nearly everything, including your roof. Harsh winds, the stress of freeze-thaw cycles, and the weight of the snow can affect a roof’s structural integrity.  The damage can range from a leak to a roof collapse.

Expecting a baby is one of the most joyous experiences in life.  As you prepare your nursery, don't forget to review your insurance to make sure your coverage reflects the change in your growing family.  Below are a few pointers. 
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Not every trip needs to be insured; however, if the cost, risk of illness, or potential for interruption has you feeling cautious, then trip insurance may be a wise investment. Asking yourself the following questions may help you decide:

• Are you traveling abroad or more than 100 miles away from home?
• Are you hyper-aware of the cost of your travel arrangements?
• Are you concerned an injury or illness of you or a loved one may affect your trip?
• Are you traveling during a heightened risk of severe weather, like the winter holidays or hurricane season?
• Does your trip include pre-paid home rentals, car rentals, or event tickets?

​When considering a plan, take inventory of the components of your trip. Pre-paid vacation home rentals, car rentals, and event tickets are unique items to insure, yet they can be costly if forfeited due to an unexpected circumstance. If these costs are added to the total pre-paid price of the trip, a comprehensive travel insurance plan could protect you if your trip should be canceled or interrupted.

When you apply for life insurance or open a retirement account, you'll be asked to name beneficiaries. This is an important step in financial planning.

​Social media has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade. What many people don't understand are the unique risks that come along with social networking.

Anyone using Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn or any other social networking site should exercise extreme caution in what they decide to say online.

​It's a nightmare scenario for any new car buyer. You drive it off the lot and a few days later another driver runs a red light, smashing into your car and severely damaging most of the front end and irreparably damaging the frame - essentially totaling the vehicle.

Luckily nobody was injured, but will insurance cover the total loss? Are you expecting the insurer to pay off the loan? That may not always be the case.

Since the other driver was at fault, their insurer will be the one picking up the tab for your vehicle and, as repairing it is out of the question, it will have to pay you for the damage.

But, if you only put a little bit of money down when taking out a loan on the car, you could end up having to pay off at least some part of the loan balance that's left over after the insurer pays you for your vehicle. 

​People often worry about fires damaging their homes and commercial buildings. While fires are dangerous and can cause extensive damage to property, they are rare compared to another element that is in the home or building every minute of every day: Water. 

Properties suffer water damage more frequently than they do other causes of loss. Water damage emergencies occur 14,000 times a day in American homes and businesses, according to insurance industry data.