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Colorado Insurance Blog

Do You Need Home Insurance in Colorado if You Don’t Have a Mortgage?

Most mortgage lenders in Colorado these days require homeowners to carry home insurance as part of their contracts. But what if you’ve paid off your home in full and don’t have a mortgage? Do you still need home insurance?

Here’s the short answer: legally, you do not need home insurance in Colorado, but there are many reasons why you’ll probably still want a policy. At Integrity First Insurance, we’re here to answer all your questions!

What Does Home Insurance Do?

While mortgage lenders may refer to home insurance as protecting their financial investment, it’s really about protecting yours as well. After all, you’ve already put a lot of time (and funds) into your home, and this goes tenfold if you’ve paid it off in full and don’t have an active mortgage. A good home insurance policy prevents you from having to pay for many potential damages to your property out of your own pocket, therefore making sure your investment is not wasted.

Does it Matter if I Live in an Urban or Rural Area?

Colorado is a very geographically diverse state, and our beautiful land is home to both rural and urban communities. Homes in both areas face different kinds of risks, and they are both still in need of home insurance as a result. Fortunately, insurance providers recognize this and offer different ranges of coverage options as a result.

How Do I Get a Policy?

When you’re ready to learn more about your home insurance coverage options, give us a call at Integrity First Insurance. We’re homeowners in Colorado ourselves, and we understand there’s no “one size fits all” policy. We’ll get to know you and your property, as well as any specific needs you have for coverage. Then, we’ll be able to present you with the policy options that fit best. Don’t wait to protect everything you’ve already invested into your home — reach out to us today!

10 Ways to Save on Insurance Without Sacrificing Coverage

Raise your hand if you live in Colorado and your insurance premium increases every year. You can’t see me, but my hand is high in the air.

I work in the insurance industry, but that doesn’t make me immune to the same rate increases as everyone else. My policies have increased 4 years in a row.

To understand more about WHY the rates are increasing in Colorado, read our blog: 5 Reasons Insurance Rates Keep Increasing in Colorado.

We’re all in the same boat when it comes to increasing rates. I understand how overwhelming it can be to see 15-30% increases year after year. Especially when you haven’t filed a claim. If you’re anything like me, once you see that your rate has increased yet again, your first thought is to try to find a way to lower your rates.

Many agents will offer to lower your liability limits or remove coverage to save you some money. If you go that route, it’s important to understand what coverage you’re giving up and how it’ll impact you if you have a claim.

Continue reading “10 Ways to Save on Insurance Without Sacrificing Coverage”

If Your Tree Falls, Will Home Insurance Cover It?

When summer storms roll through, a lot of questions arise about what your policy will cover if a tree falls.

There are two main situations we get questions about: if a tree falls on your property, and if a tree falls on someone else’s property. Unfortunately, there isn’t one answer to both of those questions, so I’ll answer each separately.

Please keep in mind that all insurance policies are different. So while these answers are the norm, the coverage on your policy may be different.

My tree fell in my yard, will my policy pay to remove it?

Most home policies cover the reasonable cost to get a tree off a covered structure. The amount they’ll pay is still subject to applicable policy limits.

Continue reading “If Your Tree Falls, Will Home Insurance Cover It?”

5 Reasons Insurance Rates Keep Increasing in Colorado

Those of us lucky enough to live in Colorado know that the cost of living has skyrocketed in recent years. On Forbes’ list of the cities with the most significant cost of living increase, Colorado Springs ranked #1 and Denver was #16. 

The cost of housing, insurance, and even a gallon of milk has increased year after year. While I’m no expert on housing or milk prices, I can offer some insight on the rising insurance costs.

Here are 5 key reasons insurance rates keep rising in Colorado:

Continue reading “5 Reasons Insurance Rates Keep Increasing in Colorado”

5 Real-Life Insurance Claims

Many agents will give you the same generic scenarios when discussing liability limits. Or worse, they won’t talk to you about the importance of liability coverage at all, or how an Umbrella Policy could really help.

It’s hard to imagine being responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. Especially if you don’t see insurance claims on a daily basis.

We wanted to give you some actual examples of claims that have been filed through our agency in the past few years. These are just a few examples that show why it’s dangerous to have low liability limits. You may save a few dollars a month, or even a few hundred a year, but you could be on the hook for tens of thousands after a claim.

Here are 5 actual claims that have been filed through our agency:

Continue reading “5 Real-Life Insurance Claims”

Working From Home: Safety and Insurance Risks

Does Home Insurance Cover Working From Home?

Now that we live in a world with COVID-19, working from home is becoming more popular. Many businesses are realizing the benefits of having remote employees, so this may be the new “normal.”

Whether you’ve been working from home for years or you just started, it’s important to have the right insurance coverage. You might assume your home insurance will pay for any injuries or damages, but that’s not always the case.

There are also some safety measures that need to be considered when working from home. There’s probably not much risk if you’re just working from the couch for a day. But when you’re talking weeks, months, or even longer, the risks add up.

Here are some things you should consider when it comes to health, safety and insurance while you’re working from home.

Continue reading “Working From Home: Safety and Insurance Risks”

Insurance Score: What Is It And Why Does It Matter?

What is an insurance score?

An insurance score is how insurance companies rate for the likelihood that a policyholder will file a claim. Each insurance company uses slightly different formulas to calculate an insurance score. That’s one reason why your rate is not the same with each insurance carrier.

Continue reading “Insurance Score: What Is It And Why Does It Matter?”

10 Insurance Terms Everyone Should Know

When it comes to insurance, there are many confusing terms. Here is a list of 10 common insurance terms that it’s important for everyone to know.

1. Deductible

Your deductible is the amount you have to pay before your insurance company will payout for a claim.  The insurance company will generally subtract the deductible from the total payout.

Example:

You file a claim for roof damage. Your deductible is $2,500 and the roof replacement will cost $10,000. The insurance company will pay $7,500, are responsible for the remaining $2,500.

Continue reading “10 Insurance Terms Everyone Should Know”

How Much Home Insurance is Enough?

Replacement Cost vs. Market Value: How much home insurance do you need?

Home values have been steadily rising in Colorado in recent years. Because of that, we’ve gotten many questions about why the dwelling limit on a home policy is lower than the market value of the home. Many homeowners are concerned when the dwelling limit is lower than the amount they could sell their home for.

An insurance company is never going to sell your home, just rebuild it. You should insure your home for the amount it would cost to rebuild your home. Not what the real estate market estimates it is worth.

Market values and rebuild costs can differ greatly. In some areas, the cost to rebuild is lower than market values. In Colorado that is due to the inflated cost of land. For example, your home may appraise for $500,000, but that includes the cost of the land. It may only cost $400,000 to rebuild the home in the event of a total loss.

How do you know if you have enough home insurance?

Continue reading “How Much Home Insurance is Enough?”

Vacation Rental Property Insurance: What You Need to Know

What you need to know about vacation rental property insurance

A few years ago, vacations rentals were few and far between. These days they seem to be on every other street, especially in large cities and mountain towns. Companies like Air Bnb and VRBO have exploded in popularity, and for good reason.

There are many benefits to choosing a vacation rental over a hotel. More privacy, wider location availability, and access to a kitchen are just a few perks. 

Continue reading “Vacation Rental Property Insurance: What You Need to Know”

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