Other structures coverage protects the detached structures on your property. Learn about this type of coverage. Then, ensure that your home insurance policy provides adequate protection for each detached structure you own.

Detached Structures

The list below includes some detached structures you may want to add to your home insurance policy.

• Guest house
• Fence
• Garden shed
• Gazebo
• Pergola
• Mailbox

The items listed provide an idea of some of the detached structures that could be included in the coverage of other structures that are part of your home insurance policy. Of course, you may own additional detached structures that qualify, too.

Coverage Amount

Pick a coverage amount that would allow you to have damaged items replaced. Consider the fact that some detached structures could be permanently damaged. If you would like to have the opportunity to purchase replacement structures, select a higher coverage amount that will allow you to do so.

Damage

Your insurance papers will outline the type of damage that your insurance will cover. Standard perils will be covered, including windstorms, hailstorms, and fires.

In addition, planned events may also be covered. For instance, if someone with ill intent steals or defaces a structure that is on your property, your insurance will likely cover the incident. Familiarize yourself with your insurance coverage. This could better prepare you for filing an insurance claim in the future.

Contact Max Insurance LLC

Contact a Max Insurance LLC agent to discuss your home insurance policy. Our agents in Des Moines, IA, offer several home insurance products to protect your residential structures.

Homeowners Insurance: A Continuous Journey, Not a One-Time Event

A prevalent misconception among Des Moines, IA homeowners is that securing an insurance policy for their property is a one-off task. This misbelief couldn’t be further from the truth. If it has been years since your last review of your insurance policy, reaching out to the agents at Max Insurance LLC is advisable. We’re on hand to provide the expert advice you need to make the best decisions about your policy.

Perform Annual Reviews of Your Coverage

Annual insurance reviews aren’t just for health insurance. It’s imperative to periodically examine your homeowner’s policy to ensure it aligns with your current needs. Items like new jewelry or expensive valuables may necessitate the addition of riders. Therefore, reviewing your policy a few weeks before its renewal date can be an opportune time to assess whether you are garnering the best value for your money.

What Should Be Examined During an Insurance Review?

When scrutinizing your policy, catalog your purchases over the past year to identify any that may need supplemental coverage. Home renovations such as an addition will require extra dwelling coverage. Newly installed smart home security devices could qualify you for discounts, thereby saving you money. On the flip side, new swimming pools and recreational equipment may elevate risk, prompting the need for additional liability coverage. Other circumstances warranting policy review include a change in marital status or the commencement of a home business.

Let Max Insurance LLC, serving Des Moines, IA, recommend suitable coverage to secure your home thoroughly. Contact us today to commence a comprehensive consultation on your homeowner’s insurance needs.

Do you have a home inventory? If you don’t, recovering after a disaster could be all the more difficult. Making a home inventory and updating it can help you in the event that you need to make a claim with Max Insurance LLC serving Des Moines, IA. 

What’s a Home Inventory?

A home inventory is a list of everything you own. Having a list like this can help you in the event that a disaster claims your possessions. When it’s time to replace your possessions, you’ll remember what you had and what you need to replace.

Some insurance companies ask that their customers make a home inventory and keep it in a safe spot, but even if your insurance company isn’t asking you to do it, it’s still good to have one.

Making the Home Inventory

There’s more than one way to make a home inventory. One way is to make a video of everything you own. Take 20 minutes or half an hour to walk around your home with your smart camera or video camera and video record yourself going through the rooms of your house, including cabinets and closets. Focus on big-ticket items like jewelry, television, and computers. 

Another way to make a home inventory is to make a spreadsheet of everything you own. To keep the spreadsheet organized, divide the list up into rooms. No matter how you make your list, make a note in your calendar to update it every year. 

Don’t forget to keep your inventory in a safe location. You can store your home video in the cloud or send yourself an email with the inventory attached. Just remember that your inventory should be accessible in the event that a disaster claims everything you own. 

We Are Here To Help

At Max Insurance LLC serving the greater Des Moines, IA area, we’re happy to answer your questions about making a home inventory and recovering from a covered event. Contact us to learn more. 

When it comes to upgrading your home, it’s important to consider more than just aesthetics. Home renovations can impact your insurance coverage, and being informed is key to avoiding potential pitfalls. Here at Max Insurance LLC, providing homeowners in the greater Des Moines, IA area with home insurance, we want to help you know what to expect.

Assessing the Impact

Before diving into renovations, take a moment to assess how they might affect your insurance. Major changes, like adding an extension or upgrading electrical systems, could increase your home’s value, warranting an adjustment in your coverage. Failing to update your policy could leave you underinsured in case of an accident.

Informing Your Insurer

Transparency is crucial. Notify your insurance company about your renovation plans. They can guide you on coverage adjustments and any necessary endorsements. For instance, if contractors are involved, make sure they carry adequate insurance to avoid potential liability issues that might otherwise fall on you.

Budgeting for Changes

While renovating, keep your budget not only for the project itself but also for potential insurance adjustments. Your premium might change based on factors such as the materials used and the overall value of the upgrades. Planning for these changes can help you avoid financial surprises down the road.

Consult With Us

Renovations can breathe new life into your home, but they can also impact your insurance coverage. Being proactive in understanding the relationship between renovations and home insurance can help you protect your investment and ensure your peace of mind. If you’re looking for a new policy in the greater Des Moines, IA area, or just want to find out how renovations may impact your policy, Max Insurance LLC would love to help. Call us today to learn more.

Homeowners insurance creates peace of mind for homeowners. Many homeowners wouldn’t be able to pay for many accidents or unexpected incidents without the help of homeowners insurance. This insurance reduces the out-of-pocket expense associated with the repair or replacement of many things associated with a home. Our Des Moines, IA team at Max Insurance LLC is committed to helping homeowners understand the benefits of homeowners insurance. 

What is Homeowners Insurance?

Homeowners insurance covers the repair or replacement of your home, personal belongings, property, and other assets. Homeowners insurance also provides liability coverage for property damage or injuries you may unintentionally cause to others. This coverage may also apply to incidents or injuries to others away from your home as well. If your home has to be rebuilt or repaired, home insurance typically covers the cost of living elsewhere until your home is inhabitable again. 

Will my home insurance cover the damage from the rat infestation in my attic?

Although homeowners insurance covers many situations, it doesn’t typically cover damage caused by insects, birds, rodents, and small animals. This type of damage is the sole responsibility of the homeowner unless he or she has purchased some kind of add-on insurance that would make allowance for this type of damage.

Conversely, if a bird breaks a window in your home, your insurance may cover this type of incident. An insurance agent can adequately detail the coverage allowances associated with damage caused by insects or animals. Although most of this kind of damage isn’t covered by a standard homeowners policy, there may be exceptions.

Looking for Insurance in Des Moines, IA?

If you have questions about homeowners insurance, call us at Max Insurance LLC. We’d be happy to answer all of your questions.

A home insurance policy is one of your most important investments. It protects your home and all its valuable contents should anything happen in Des Moines, IA. But how often should you update your policy? Max Insurance LLC recommends reviewing your policy at least once a year.

Assessing Your Home Value 

It’s important to assess the value of your property at the time of purchase and then review it each year. This will ensure that you are adequately covered if anything were to happen. When doing this assessment, consider any improvements or renovations you’ve made since purchasing the policy. This could include updated appliances, fixtures, or even additions like a swimming pool or gazebo.

All these factors need to be considered when updating your policy so that you are properly covered for any losses incurred in the event of an incident. 

Reviewing Your Coverage Options 

In addition to assessing the value of your property, it’s also important to review your coverage options each year when renewing your policy. Many companies offer different levels of coverage that can be tailored to meet specific needs and budgets, such as liability coverage for medical bills if someone gets injured on your property or additional coverage for jewelry and other valuables.

Reach Out To Us

At Max Insurance LLC, we specialize in providing comprehensive home insurance policies tailored specifically for our clients in Des Moines, IA. Our team understands insurance protection’s importance in protecting your home and everything inside it—from furniture and electronics to jewelry and artwork. Whether you’re looking to purchase a new policy or update an existing one, our team is here to help guide you every step of the way! 

The leaves are turning color, the days are getting shorter and the air has the crispness that means winter is just around the corner. It is time to start preparing your home for the winter to come. At Max Insurance LLC in Des Moines, IA, we help our customers make sure that their homes are protected, no matter what the winter weather may bring. 

Protecting Your Home

Clean the gutters

Leaves are one of the main items of debris that clog up your gutters. If you don’t have gutter guards, you need either to clean them out yourself or to hire someone to clean them. If they are clogged when the winter snow and rain come, they can back up and cause roof damage. 

Get your chimney cleaned

Before you make your first fire of the year in your fireplace, get your chimney cleaned. Chimney fires are always a potential danger, and why take the risk?

Have the furnace cleaned and tuned

Before you need it, it is always a good idea to have your furnace cleaned and tuned for the coming season. The filter needs to be changed and if there are any issues, you don’t want to wait until the cold weather is upon you. 

Check the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

You will be spending a lot more time in the house in the winter, and it is a good idea to make sure the air that you are breathing won’t kill you. It is just a matter of testing and replacing the batteries in the battery backup. 

Plug the leaks

Make sure that your windows and doors fit tightly and are not letting your heat escape. 

Get Home Insurance

Contact Max Insurance LLC in Des Moines, IA when you want to discuss your current home insurance or are a new homeowner looking for your first home insurance.

Max Insurance LLC is proud to be the agency that the residents of Des Moines, IA and the surrounding area rely on. If you want to make sure that your home has the protection it needs, we can help! There are many comprehensive home policies available in our area, one of which is sure to be right for you! Give us a call or stop by our office today.

Time to upgrade your homeowner’s policy?

It’s human nature to not pay too much attention when a situation is working just fine. This is why so many people simply renew the same homeowner’s policy year after year without giving it much thought. While this can be okay in many situations, no one wants to find out that they are uninsured when they go to file a claim.  

An annual review of your homeowner’s policy is a great idea for this reason and more! Iowa home values increase as time goes by, and your original policy may not provide adequate protection any longer. Also, you may make improvements throughout the years, or purchase expensive items such as complex electronic devices or artwork.

Upgrading to a comprehensive policy can mean that you have the coverage you need now and in the future. We can help you determine your insurance needs and help you find a policy that meets them. Take a look today!

Get in touch with our team today!

Residents in the greater Des Moines, IA area turn to the team at Max Insurance LLC for all of their insurance needs. If you have questions about home insurance or think it may be time to upgrade your policy to one that is more comprehensive, contact us today.  

When you are a homeowner, it’s likely that you are required to have home insurance by your lender. However, if it isn’t required for you, you still need to carry this insurance to help mitigate many risks that you face. If you own a home and don’t carry home insurance yet, call us today at Max Insurance LLC in Des Moines, IA to find out more. 

Why You Need Home Insurance

Covering Your House

A home insurance policy has coverage that is for your house itself. If something were to happen in an accident, disaster, etc., that was covered by the policy, the repair bills would go to the policy instead of to your pocket. A major incident that causes a lot of damage can cost tens of thousands and often even more. Keep yourself protected by carrying a home insurance policy for as long as you own your house. 

Protecting Your Belongings

It isn’t just the house itself that home insurance covers. It also covers all of your possessions that are inside that house. If an incident took place that destroyed your possessions, your policy can pay the cost of replacing them. This cost can be extremely high, depending on how much was destroyed. Home insurance protects you against having to come up with all of that money by yourself. 

Liability Protection

Another way that home insurance protects you is by covering your liability for accidents. If you had someone in your home, and they somehow became injured, your home policy can pay for the medical bills instead of it coming from you. This is important protection for every homeowner. 

Cover Your House With a Home Policy

If you don’t have a home insurance policy for your house, it’s time to get one. Give us a call at Max Insurance LLC in Des Moines, IA. 

     

Buying a house is a big deal. You want to do all you can to protect this huge investment. Not only will this be your residence, but it will also be your home, which carries with it a lot of emotional value as well. At Max Insurance LLC, it is our goal to help homeowners understand home insurance so that they can make the best insurance choices in Des Moines, IA. Keep reading to learn more. 

Do I Need Home Insurance?

If your home is mortgaged, you will most likely be required by your mortgage company to carry home insurance. This protects the mortgage companies investment into the home while you are paying on it. 

Even if you are not required by a mortgage company, though, home insurance is the only way to ensure that you are not left with catastrophic expenses if something were to happen to your house. If the house is damaged or destroyed due to fire, natural disaster or robbery, you would be responsible to repair or replace your home. This could put you and your family in a vulnerable position financially. 

Is Flood Insurance Included

Many homeowners assume that flood insurance is included in their policy. This is rarely the case. If your home suffers water damage because of something faulty within the home, your policy may cover those damages. Flood damage from a naturally occurring flood in your area, however, is something entirely different. You will need to sit down with an insurance representative to discuss flood insurance details. 

If you would like to learn more about home insurance or any of our other services, please contact us at Max Insurance LLC serving Des Moines, IA and the surrounding areas.