The residents of Bethlehem, PA are days away from sweltering temperatures, tornado warnings, pest invasions, and blasts of rainstorms. If you are like many others, you are expecting this year to be especially hot, which means that your home will be at full force with all of the unpleasant things associated with the summer heat. Before summer cleaning the grill and pulling the lawn furniture, taking the time to prepare your home for the summer will allow you to focus more on enjoying longer days, than worrying about pest invasions and a poorly operating air conditioner. So, Saucon Insurance Agency has put together a mini-guide to help you prepare your home for summer.

Prevent Pest Invasions

Summer weather is notorious for bringing out pests, especially ants and flies. Most bugs go into hibernation during the colder months, unfortunately, they may decide to stay out of the cold by hibernating in or near your home. The minute it starts to warm up, the bugs that have been staying warm inside of your walls and attic will begin to make their presence known. One of the most common types of pest problems is ants. Here are some tips to prevent and get rid of ant invasions:

• Make sure everything is sealed up tight, including caulking around doors and windows. Check for gaps and fix any with weather stripping and caulking.
• Spray the outdoor perimeter with a good, over-the-counter pesticide. Spray along the foundation, around windows and around porches and stairs.
• If you are already noticing ants in the kitchen and/or bathroom, place ant baits in areas where you are noticing their trail.
• Be sure to clean up all crumbs and spills as soon as they occur and keep food items in tightly sealed containers.

Give Your Air Conditioner a Checkup

The best time to make sure your air conditioner is doing its job is before you need it. Turn on the air conditioner and make sure it’s in good working order In many situations, it something minor, such as a dirty filter, so before contacting an HVAC company, replace the filter and clean all debris on or around the exhausts and vents. Be sure to clean all dirt and debris from the outside unit as well. After taking these steps, if it isn’t working like it should contact an HVAC company to inspect the unit.

Now that you have taken the steps necessary to prevent pest invasions and ensured that your air conditioner is functioning as it should, it’s time to check for leaks in your home. Because it doesn’t matter how well the air conditioner is working if the air is slowly leaking out. Before calling a professional, do your own simple home energy audit first. Check for drafts around doors and windows, ensure all windows are opening and closing properly and check to make sure the attic insulation is still in good condition.

Residents of Bethlehem, PA who interested in learning information about homeowner insurance or considering upgrading their current policy, contact Saucon Insurance Agency.

If you are a pet owner, you may love to share your friendly pet with neighbors and friends at a neighborhood barbecue or afternoon walk. However, if your dog becomes spooked and bites someone, you could be on the hook for a lot of money. Fortunately, many home insurance policies cover dog bites, even some that don’t occur on your property. Your agent at Saucon Insurance Agency in Bethlehem, PA can help you determine whether you are currently covered for dog bites.

Dog Bite Insurance Coverage

Dog bites fall under your liability coverage unless the breed of your pet is on an exclusion list. For example, pit bulls account for about 63% of complex bite wounds and appear on the excluded breeds list of many insurers. Rottweilers and Dobermans also appear on most exclusion lists because they are perceived as dangerous.

Your insurance agent can explain how your dog bite coverage works. You may be covered up to your policy limit or a percentage of your limit, depending on how the insurer writes the policy. Your coverage may also include legal costs and settlement amounts related to a case that goes to court.

Read the Fine Print

Some insurance companies may only payout on one claim per animal. If your dog has already bitten someone, the insurance company may consider it to be dangerous and uninsurable. This means that you would be on the hook for expenses if your dog bites anyone else. 

Where Are You Covered?

If your dog bites someone at the park or during a walk around the neighborhood, your home insurance policy may have you covered. Ask your insurance agent to double-check if you aren’t clear on the language in the policy. 

Contact Saucon Insurance Agency about your home insurance needs in Bethlehem, PA. We’d be happy to make sure you and your pet are covered in the case of dog bites and other perils. 

When planning a renovation for a home, you need to consider many things that include the cost of the construction, who you will hire to do the work, getting a building permit, and the disruption of your life that is going to occur while the work is being done. One important thing that can easily be neglected is upgrading home insurance to take into consideration the improved value of the home.

Replacement Cost Coverage

If you do not already have replacement cost coverage for your home insurance, you should consider it. This is the best way to protect yourself and your family because if your place is destroyed you will have enough to rebuild a new place that is similar to the old one. Many homeowners are under-insured and that is a terrible mistake.

When doing a renovation project, you will quickly see how expensive it is to build something The costs just seem to keep coming and it is the little things that add up. As part of your planning process, consult with your agent at Saucon Insurance Agency, serving Bethlehem, PA and the surrounding area.

Staging of Insurance Upgrades and Avoiding Insurance Gaps

If the renovation project is a big one that will take a considerable amount of time, the home insurance upgrades may need to be increased in stages to stay even with the renovation as the project progresses. As your agent to review the insurance that is carried by the contractor to make sure that any insurance gaps are dealt with, such as what happens if the building materials are left on the job site, and they disappear. You need to know whose insurance pays for that kind of loss while the project is underway.

Summary

It is exciting and stressful to do a home renovation. Adjusting your home insurance needs by contacting your agent at Saucon Insurance Agency in Bethlehem, PA before you start the project will take care of one important thing and give you better protection.

Insurance is something that can make a huge difference in your home and in how easy it is to recover should something happen to your home. For those that live in the Bethlehem, PA area, the agents with Saucon Insurance Agency can help you find the policy that works best for you.

For the most part, your home insurance is going to cover a great range of things that you may not realize it covers. In cases of normal home maintenance, your home insurance is not going to cover them. For those cases in which your home is damaged from things like a storm, break-in, or fire, your home insurance is certainly going to help cover the costs. If your windows are damaged in a storm, for instance, your home insurance will help to cover the cost of replacement. There are plenty of ways that you can get new windows with the help of your home policy.

If your windows are damaged in a burglary you can claim them on your home insurance and if they are damaged in a fire or other natural disaster you can also get your windows replaced. Your home insurance is going to help you to get the right claim filed and help you to get your home back in tip top shape. Your home insurance is going to help you recover and replace your windows if they are damaged or destroyed so that you can get back to your normal life and can stop worrying about replacing your windows.

For those that live in the Bethlehem, PA area, the agents with Saucon Insurance Agency can help you to find the policy that is going to work best for you and that is going to cover all your needs and help you recover no matter what issues you are facing.

We at Saucon Insurance Agency have worked with Bethlehem, PA residents for years to help them find great umbrella insurance options. But many of our clients ask us if this type of policy is necessary for their home. While perhaps not a strict necessity, umbrella insurance is a good option for many people.

Understanding Umbrella Insurance

Umbrella insurance is a type of extra liability coverage that goes into effect when your initial home insurance policy is maxed out or if it doesn’t cover a specific problem. For example, if somebody is injured at your home and sues you for $50,000 and your policy only covers $20,000, umbrella insurance pays the rest.

The exact range of coverage will vary depending on the policy a person purchases. However, this type of coverage is a nice buffer for people who are at high risk of being sued. While some individuals won’t need it, others will benefit greatly from umbrella coverage.

Is It Necessary?

Umbrella insurance might seem like a luxury that most people either don’t need or simply can’t afford. However, there are many reasons individuals who will find this coverage a good choice. Typically, umbrella insurance is good for people who:

• Hold regular parties with many people
• Invite friends over for extended periods
• Take care of people on their property
• Frequently house outside family members
• Have home businesses to manage

These individuals will find the extra liability coverage provided by umbrella insurance very beneficial for their pocketbook. Many are likely to find that this increased coverage comes in handy when somebody gets injured unexpectedly on their property.

Finding a Policy You Can Afford

As you can see, Bethlehem, PA umbrella insurance provides benefits that may be worth the extra cost. So please don’t hesitate to contact us at Saucon Insurance Agency to learn more about your options and to research your possible umbrella insurance choices.

Lighting strikes are probably a lot more common than you think, with over 20 million strikes reported each year in the United States. Luckily, most basic home insurance policies will cover the damage caused by both lightning strikes as well as power surges and other electrical incidents. At the Saucon Insurance Agency, we are here to provide such coverage to our clients in the greater Bethlehem, PA area. 

How Your Home Insurance Policy Can Protect You from Lightning Damage

If your home is struck by lightning it may become uninhabitable, especially if the strike causes a fire. While a basic home policy will cover the damage to your property, it may not provide reimbursement for expenses relating to your temporary relocation. Additionally, there may be valuable items in your home that exceed the maximum coverage amount of your policy. It is highly advisable that you have a regular policy review of your entire insurance portfolio to make sure that your home policy provides adequate coverage to protect you and your family in the event of a lightning strike or other natural disaster. Basic policies will cover some damage to your home but may not be adequate to protect your belongings and other ancillary expenses that can arise after a natural disaster. Make sure that you have the right coverage in place now before you need it!

Want to learn more about lightning coverage and other protection that a comprehensive home insurance policy can provide? Call or stop by the Saucon Insurance Agency today to meet with one of our helpful agents who can review your home insurance options for your residence in the greater Bethlehem, PA area. 

We make sure that our belongings and loved ones are well taken care of.  We provide for them the best we can with the known factors in life, and have insurance to protect our belongings and loved ones from the unknown events in life.  We have car insurance, home owners insurance, and life insurance.  Often, people think that this is enough, but what about items that may fall outside of the realm of normal coverage?  For that there is umbrella insurance.  Many people do not realize there are common household items that you may be required to have additional umbrella insurance to cover.  Let’s take a look at some items that you probably didn’t realize need umbrella insurance.

Often, car insurance and home owners insurance will come with a limit.  This limit could be $300,000 or $500,000.  But what happens when your claim exceeds this amount?  Do you collect valuable antique cars?  Do you customize exotic cars?  If you were ever to be in an accident where bodily injury is involved, your current car insurance policy could quickly run out.  This is where umbrella insurance would kick in so that you are not held liable to any additional expenses as a result of the insurance claim.  Do you have any fun recreational vehicles?  Having an ATV or a dirt bike is great fun, but what if friends get injured while riding your ATV on your property?  Of course your home owner’s insurance would help cover the medical care for your friends if they are injured, but what if the injuries exceed your policy?  Again, umbrella insurance would be there to help protect you from paying out of pocket.

Umbrella insurance is an additional insurance to help protect people and their assets.  The residents of Bethlehem, PA understand the importance of additional insurance and regularly turn to the experts at Saucon Insurance Agency.  Proudly serving Bethlehem, PA, Saucon Insurance Agency welcomes questions and new clients everyday.  If you think umbrella insurance is a good idea for yourself, call our experts today to start a new policy. 

Pests in the home are inevitable, especially during the warm months in the Bethlehem PA area. Ants and other insects make it through the smallest of openings to your home in search of food and water. Here are some Do’s and Don’ts not in your quest to remove pests from your home.

• Fruit flies can show up in droves and are difficult to remove. They often sneak a ride home on the produce from the store. The best thing to do is to keep the kitchen clean, don’t leave fruits and vegetables out, and create vinegar traps to snag them. Don’t try to seal them out, because it doesn’t work.
• Ants will go after any crumbs or spills around. Follow their trail to see where they are sneaking in and use a tube of sealant to cut off the trail of pheromones they left for their friends. Don’t spay ants with cleaners or combine borax and powder sugar to poison their food. It may kill the ant, but it can end up attracting more, and it is toxic to pets.
• Roaches naturally hide in their search for food. Scrub the space where they are and put out commercial-grade roach traps. Don’t try to manage an infestation, call an exterminator.
• The most destructive insects are termites and carpenter ants because they will damage the wood in your home structure. The best thing to do in either case is to call an exterminator to make certain they are gone.
• Don’t forget about your pets. Treat them for fleas and ticks or those pests will hitch a ride in and want to stay.

Saucon Insurance Agency

We provide home insurance in the Bethlehem, PA area. Contact the Saucon Insurance Agency today to explore your home insurance options.

Your home insurance policy likely sits in a drawer or on a file on your computer, and you only look at it if you absolutely need to. But what if you’ve decided to finally spring for a new couch or that 2-karat diamond you’ve had your eyes on? The problem is that these purchases can quickly cause the value of your home to sky rocket. As people settle into a property, it’s only natural to spend money on it. So how often should you really reassess your property?

Major Events 

Any time you do anything drastic to your home (remodeling your bathroom, adding an expensive garden, etc.), you’re going to want to call your home insurance agent. Saucon Insurance Agency serves the people of Bethlehem PA, and we’ve seen all the ways people go out of their way to give themselves a better home. The more people put in the effort, the better the city gets. It’s helpful to have home insurance to reflect it so everything can be repaired or replaced if a massive storm or major event destroys it. 

Once a Year 

But it’s not just major events that should cause you to think about your home insurance policy. You should be going over how your home has changed every year. You may have bought a new laptop or professional clothes. That adds up over time, so it might be time to get more coverage on your items. Saucon Insurance Agency can talk to you more about how your policy should work, and what you should be worried about when it comes to keeping your family safe. If you have questions or are looking for a few quotes to compare, give us a call today to start your search in Bethlehem, PA.

You are not boxed into paying a set price for your home insurance. There are a few different ways you can save on your home insurance costs, either by making a few different plan switches or by making some home improvements. Whatever you are looking for, Saucon Insurance Agency can help you save money insuring your Bethlehem, PA home. 

Up Your Deductible 

If you want to drop the amount you pay for the premium, the best way is to up the deductible. This will increase the amount of money you need to pay in order for insurance to kick in, but it will often substantially lower the amount you pay on your monthly payments. 

Security System Installation

A home security system is an excellent way to cut down on insurance costs. These systems reduce the chance of a break in. Most insurance companies also like knowing you are safe and sound. So, if you are ready to take the next step in home security, look towards a home security system. 

New Plumbing

If you live in an older home, your plumbing system may be significantly outdated. An outdated plumbing system makes your house susceptible to major plumbing problems further down the line. Anything from a burst pipe to leaks behind the shower can end up costing you tens of thousands of dollars in home repairs. By updating your plumbing, you may see a drop in insurance costs. Just make sure to inform your insurance provider of the updates. 

Whether you live in Bethlehem, PA or live somewhere else, the Saucon Insurance Agency is here to assist in protecting your valuable investment. With a handful of ways to save money on your home, follow these tips and you should see a nice drop off in your principal payments.