Category: Home Insurance

The Impact of Owning a Dog on Your Homeowner’s Insurance

At MTC Insurance Agency Group of University Place, WA, we understand that many factors can influence your homeowner’s insurance premiums. These can include the age, size, and location of your home, the materials used in construction, the number of bedrooms, whether you have a fireplace or swimming pool, and even your credit rating. However, many are surprised to learn that owning a dog can affect their homeowner’s insurance coverage and rates.

How Does Your Dog Impact Your Homeowner’s Insurance?

Your adorable furry friend can potentially affect what you pay for home insurance. The reason behind this is liability coverage. Typical home insurance includes liability coverage if someone suffers an injury while on your property. This covers friends, family, neighbors, and even delivery personnel.

Common injuries that result in claims can range from tripping over poorly maintained pavement or a loose rug to falling down a flight of stairs. Even a dog bite can result in an injury claim.

While it might be hard to imagine your obedient canine friend causing harm to anyone, home insurance companies need to account for this risk. Some insurance providers even have provisions regarding breeds perceived as more aggressive.

It’s also worth noting that your dog doesn’t necessarily need to bite someone to potentially result in an accident injury claim. An excitable dog that startles a visitor causing them to trip or fall, could also lead to a liability claim.

The positive news is that your homeowner’s insurance could cover you for such a claim and even help with associated legal costs. However, it’s important that they’re aware you have a dog, and it’s included in your policy coverage.

Want to Learn More? Get in Touch with MTC Insurance Agency Group

To better understand the impacts of dog ownership on your homeowner’s insurance and ensure you’re adequately covered, contact us at MTC Insurance Agency Group of University Place, WA. We’re here to answer your questions and provide a no-obligation quote. Get started today by contacting us and ensuring you’re appropriately covered.

When you live in University Place, WA, you already have most of what you could ask for – stunning views and a thriving community. Your home insurance should offer you peace of mind, too, and at MTC Insurance Agency Group, we can help you navigate the process to ensure you have a policy that you can rely on.

The Need for Personalized Home Insurance

Just as you personalize your home, your insurance coverage deserves the same level of care. You’ll want to consider such things as the value of the home, the value of your furniture and personal belongings, as well as any situation that would cause you to file a claim.

The more you take into consideration, the easier it is to build a policy that will take care of any situation that may arise. This way, if something happens, you can file a claim confidently knowing that it won’t bankrupt you.

Don’t worry, though – there’s no need to do this on your own. One of our experienced agents can work with you every step of the way.

Getting a Policy That Offers Real Protection

Every home insurance policy in University Place, WA will incorporate a few of the same things – coverage for the dwelling, liability, personal property coverage, and coverage for additional living expenses.

How you build your policy to cover everything that could and may happen is up to you – and getting guidance from an insurance agent ensures you get sufficient protection.

At MTC Insurance Agency Group, we’re here to get quotes from some of the top insurance companies that offer coverage in Washington. We’ll go over the details of the policy, talk to you about potential out-of-pocket costs when you file a claim, and ensure you get the best price on your insurance premiums.

Give us a call today to let us help you navigate home insurance for your home in University Place, WA,

Homeowners in University Place, WA and the surrounding communities can turn to the MTC Insurance Agency Group for all of their insurance needs. We’re proud to serve our community and help families like yours protect their homes. Now is an ideal time to see if you have the liability protection you need.

Liability Coverage Protects Your Family’s Future

Many people think of liability insurance as something that business owners need. While this is true, liability protection is important to homeowners too. For example, if someone slips on your property and injures themselves, your liability coverage could cover any damages. The same is true of some mishaps that occur when you’re having work done on your property. 

Mistakes and accidents happen, and no one wants to have to disrupt their family’s future to cover damages that occur. Your liability protection will ensure that you’re protected should a covered event occur on your property. It’s always best to avoid lawsuits whenever possible, but in today’s litigious world, they often occur.

If you find yourself faced with a situation that might end up in a lawsuit, you’ll be glad to have the liability protection you need. Your local agent can help you review your current policy to ensure it has the coverage that you need. In the event that it doesn’t, they’ll review available options with you. 

Call or stop by today!

MTC Insurance Agency Group is here to provide the residents of University Place, WA with the guidance they need when it comes to choosing the right homeowners’ policies. If you’re not sure if you have the protection you and your family need, call or stop by to talk with one of our friendly local agents. We look forward to seeing you soon!

There are two main types of home insurance, known as replacement value and actual cash value. At MTC Insurance Agency Group, serving the greater University Place, WA community, we offer many types of insurance, including home insurance. 

Similarities Between Actual Cash Value and Replacement Cost 

Both actual cash value and replacement cost will reimburse you if your home, property, or possessions are damaged, lost, or destroyed due to a covered loss. 

Actual Cash Value

An actual cash value policy will reimburse you for the actual value of the damaged property, including your home, property, and possessions, up to the coverage limit. 

The value you are reimbursed will change over time, as the covered items go up or down in value. Your home may increase in value over time. However, personal belongings usually decrease over time, which is known as depreciation. 

Replacement Cost 

Replacement costs will reimburse based on how much it will cost to replace your home or items. If your home is damaged, this coverage will allow you to replace the items or areas of your home with those of a similar price and quality. 

Replacement cost doesn’t take depreciation into account. 

Which is Better? 

Replacement cost is typically considered the best option. If your home is destroyed, for example, the replacement cost will allow you to purchase a home similar to the one you owned. 

Actual cash value, on the other hand, will only reimburse you for the amount your home is worth, which is often less than the cost to replace your home. 

Replacement value is also a better choice for your personal belongings. If you purchased a new TV a few years ago, it has gone down in value significantly. 

If you replace it with a similar model, you’ll pay more than the actual value of your TV. With an actual cash value policy, you must make up this difference. Replacement value coverage will cover the cost of a new TV that is the same or similar. 

More Questions? Contact Us Today

If you need home insurance in University Place, WA  and surrounding communities, contact MTC Insurance Agency Group. Our experienced agents can discuss your options, and help you select the best policy for your needs.