Insurance for my AirBnB Bremerton, WA

I’m planning on doing an AirBnB at my home. What do I need to know?

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Insurance for my AirBnB Bremerton, WAMore and more people are taking advantage of the extra income they can make by doing an AirBnB, VRBO or other rental out of their homes. This is a great way to save money for college, pay off your mortgage, pay for a remodel or just make extra money for your savings. But, before you commit and jump into it, consider the risks associated with being a landlord.

Short-term vacation rental properties such as AirBnB, VRBO, HomeAway and others require special insurance. Regardless of whether it is just a room in your house, a trailer or even a separate house, be sure you match your insurance policy to the risk you’re taking on. Believe it or not, you’re a landlord!

Doesn’t AirBnb or VRBO Provide Insurance?

Yes, they do provide liability and property damage protection for third-party claims when they are booked through the AirBnB website. However, you are only protected up to their liability limits. Like many types of insurance policies, there can be gaps that are created.

Example 1: You become chummy with a previous house guest that booked through AirBnB. You exchange numbers and they text you to book a stay instead of booking through the AirBnB website. During the stay, they’re injured. Because they didn’t book through the website, you’re on the hook for the liability.

Example 2: You use Craigslist to get renters into your short-term rental because there is a big local music festival and it will be easy to rent it out for more money during this time. The renter trashes your property and because of repairs, you can’t rent out the property for months. You lose out on income.

Example 3: An excessively bad bodily injury occurs on your property. The medical bills exceed what the short term vacation rental company provides in insurance coverage. You are stuck with the remaining balance of the medical bills.

It’s common to want to make some extra cash from your short-term vacation rental, but we want it to be a safe endeavor for you. By calling an agent in our office, we can help you eliminate the gaps that exist with insurance that may be provided and get you a policy that is the perfect match for you and your family.

Boat Insurance Agent Bremerton, WA

Don’t Settle For Cheap Boat Insurance – 3 Coverage Options to Consider

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With summer upon us, many of you will be getting your boats out or maybe even buying a new one. When it comes to insuring your boat, you don’t want a policy that is the least expensive – you want the right coverage. Boating season is so much fun and being on the water carries a certain risk. When you’re shopping for boat insurance, be sure that your policy includes three specific, and sometimes optional coverages:

  1. On-Water Towing: If you’re out on the water and you boat breaks down or runs out of gas, this coverage will cover the cost of: getting you gas, soft un-groundings, towing your boat back into shore, jump starts and more. Don’t go without this coverage. Getting your boat towed on the water can be expensive.
  2. Wreckage Removal: If your boat sinks, and it is required by law to remove it, this coverage pays up to the liability limits of your policy to bring your boat to the surface and remove it from the water.
  3. Fuel Spill Cleanup: If you boat sinks or simply leaks fuel into the water, this coverage pays to clean up the fuel. The amount paid depends on your liability limits on your policy. Be sure you get enough liability insurance.

Owning a boat is a great adventure and the memories built on them are second to none! Give yourself the peace of mind by purchasing a boat insurance policy that not only protects you, but also protects those around you and your passengers. Many optional coverages exist and we can assist you in understanding what each of them means and find the right insurance policy for you.

Home Inventory Checklist Bremerton, WA

Can you name every valuable in your home? If not, you need to read this.

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Nobody wants to experience a home disaster & it’s not like you can predict when one will happen. If you were to experience a fire, flood, earthquake or other home disaster, would you be able to name every single valuable in your home? If not, you need to create a home inventory list of all your valuables.

Preparing a home inventory can be a large task, but taking the time to do so can make a difference of thousands of dollars when it comes to your claims settlement as well as simple ease of processing your claim.

For many of us, where we live symbolizes us and what is in that house symbolizes our lives. Our belongings represent our memories, personal style and even investments that hold significant value such as art.  When you add up how much all of your personal items are worth, it can be a substantial figure into the many 10’s of thousands of dollars or more.

Home insurance claims from disasters such as flood or fire are traumatic. A home inventory checklist can help you remember quickly what items you had. Would you recall exactly how many pairs of jeans you had and what brand they were? Would you recall how many pairs of shoes you had or what brands they were? What about art? Could you recall the name of the artist and how much you paid for it?

The Easiest Way to Create Your List

Taking the time to inventory your home can be useful in the event of theft or damage to the contents of your home.

  1. Take pictures of every room in your home. Then, take pictures of each valuable in the room.
  2. Take a video of every room in your home.

Note: be sure to store these pictures or video in the cloud as a backup so you don’t lose it in the fire or flood too!

If you were to experience a home disaster, having this list will significantly cut down on how much time and stress you deal with when it comes to your claim settlement.

What Valuables in Your Home Need a Separate Endorsement?

Remember, valuables like art, furs, comic books, antiques and jewelry need an endorsement on your current home, condo or renters insurance policy.

The good news is your insurance agent likely gave you sufficient coverage for your personal property. If you feel like you need more, be sure to tell your agent. Home, renters and condo insurance policies typically come standard with this coverage but you might need more.