Home Insurance

Five Ways to Get Your Home Ready For Summer

Posted on by Martinson Agency

Five Ways to Get Your Home Ready For Summer

March 31st, 2016 — Martinson Agency LLC — Chaska, MN

Summer is right around the corner and while you’ve probably been ready for it since December, your home probably isn’t. Here are five home maintenance tips for you to consider while prepping your home for the warmer weather.

Tune up your air conditioner — Have a professional tune up your air conditioning unit at least once per year. A professional will check for damage or leaks and make sure that your equipment is running efficiently. Don’t wait around. Your family will thank you for it.

Make room for popsicles — Empty your freezer and defrost it. This will help to melt any icy build up. While you’re at it you might as well check the expiration dates of the food in your freezer and toss out any expired items. With your extra freezer space you can load up on your favorite summer treats. (Hint: Popsicles!)

Have your roof inspected — Have a professional come out and check the condition of your roof. If there are any issues be sure to get them taken care of ASAP! A leaky roof is something that you don’t want to find out about during that first summer thunderstorm.

Let the sunshine in — Wash your windows! You can start by brushing the windows and trim with a broom to loosen some of the dirt. Use a rag or squeegee to clean the outside, and rinse with a garden hose. If you have a two story home you may want to have a professional take care of the second story for you.

Clean the gutters — A clogged gutter can lead to basement water damage, mold growth and water spots on the side of your home. These are things that are easy to avoid with a little elbow grease! Clean the leaves and debris from your gutters before you have the deal with any of these issues.

The changing of the season is also a great time to have us review your homeowner’s insurance policy. At Martinson Agency we take pride in making sure that you and your family have a competitively priced product that will provide coverage when you need it most. Give us a call today!

Don’t leave your insurance to luck! Call today!

Phone: (952) 314-4400

Email: jphagen@aibme.com

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Do Your Part to Help Keep Halloween Safe

Posted on by Martinson Agency

Do Your Part to Help Keep Halloween Safe

October 29th, 2015 — Martinson Agency LLC — Chaska, MN

Halloween is right around the corner. This means that you will have a number of little ghosts and goblins showing up at your door in search of tricks and treats…well mostly treats! The following is a list of things you can do to ensure that you avoid any accidents or injuries on this holiday.

Around The House:

  • Remove anything a child could trip over, such as garden hoses, toys, bikes or lawn decorations from the porch, driveways, sidewalks or front yard.
  • Make sure your yard and front porch is well lit.
  • Sweep wet leaves or snow away from sidewalks and steps.
  • Be sure to keep a watchful eye on your pets when kids start coming to the door to collect their candy.

In The Car:

  • Popular trick or treating hours are 5:30 to 9:30 pm. During these hours be especially alert for kids and be sure you are driving slowly through neighborhoods.
  • Pay extra attention to crosswalks, intersections and the side of the road. Kids tend to walk along the curbs, cutting across the street to get to other homes. Keep scanning all around as you drive, whether you’re driving or following along with your children. Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
  • If you are dropping off or picking up children, pull off the road into a safe spot and turn on your hazard lights. If you go with your kids from door to door, leave the hazard lights on.
  • As always, make sure you’re not using your phone or any other electronic device while driving.

Does your home or auto policy include protection in case a Halloween guest of yours is injured? The most expensive part of insurance is being underinsured or uninsured at the time of a loss. Don’t let this happen to you. Give Martinson Agency in Chaska, MN a call today to discuss your current policies or inquire about purchasing additional protection. Happy Halloween!!

Don’t leave your insurance to luck! Call today!

Phone: (952) 314-4400

Email: jphagen@aibme.com

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Get Your Home Ready for Cold Weather

Posted on by Martinson Agency

Get Your Home Ready for Cold Weather

October 15th, 2015 — Martinson Agency LLC — Chaska, MN

Fall brings more than changing leaves, shorter days, and playoff baseball. Here in Minnesota, it also comes with a change in weather conditions. These weather conditions can have a major impact on your home. Before the cold weather takes over, make sure to do some routine home maintenance in order to get things in shape for the months ahead. Here are a few tips to help get you started:

Fall Maintenance Outside Your Home

  • Check your roof: Remove moss from sloped areas and clear any debris from gutters and downspouts. Also, check for any damage and make repairs as soon as possible.
  • Keep your yard free of debris: Clean up and properly dispose of fallen leaves and limbs on a regular basis to help reduce your risk of fire and other hazards.
  • Look out for critters: Rodents and other animals might be looking for warm places to stay for the winter. These critters can be problematic if they find their way into your home for the winter.
  • Check your pavement: If you have cracks in your driveway or other walkways, address them right away. Freezing weather will only make them worse and cause further issues come spring time.

Fall Maintenance Inside Your Home

  • Check for leaks: Examine your water heater and your water main to make sure everything is working properly.
  • Seal things up: If you feel any drafts around windows or doors make sure to take care of the issue right away. This will help keep your energy costs down which saves you money!
  • Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors: Make sure that these devices are functioning properly in order to prevent a catastrophe.

Home maintenance is key preventing many issues that may otherwise pop up over the winter months. If you have any questions regarding this topic or are interested in how many of these issues impact your home insurance feel free to give our office a call today!

Don’t leave your insurance to luck! Call today!

Phone: (952) 314-4400

Email: jphagen@aibme.com

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New Carrier Alert: Acuity Insurance

Posted on by Martinson Agency

New Carrier Alert: Acuity Insurance

November 5th, 2015 — Martinson Agency LLC — Chaska, MN

We are proud to announce that we have added a new carrier to our stable. We are now appointed with Acuity Insurance based out of Sheboygan, Wisconsin to write home, auto, umbrella and commercial insurance policies. Acuity offers a great selection of products and we wanted to take a moment to share some facts about our new partnership.

Facts about Acuity:

  1. 96% of claimants rate the award winning claim service as “very good” or “excellent”.
  2. Acuity was named the #3 large company to work for in America.
  3. Rated A+ by both AM Best and Standard & Poor’s
  4. Acuity has been in business since 1925 and is listed as the 62nd largest insurer in the nation, with over $3.5 billion in assets.
  5. They write a broad spectrum of property and casualty coverages for families and businesses in 24 states including Minnesota and Wisconsin.
  6. Named to Ward Financial Group’s list of the 50 best run insurance companies in the nation for 15 straight years.
  7. Named one of the top 500 technology companies in the nation by Information Week.
  8. Won more ACORD technology awards than any other carrier in the country in the past 13 years.
  9. With turnover of less than 2%, they attract and retain motivated, experienced and dedicated professionals who are looking to develop a long term relationship with you and your family.

If you are interested in having our agency provide you a quote from Acuity Insurance please contact us at (952) 314-4400 or visit our website, www.martinsonagency.com today!

Don’t leave your insurance to luck! Call today!

Phone: (952) 314-4400

Email: jphagen@aibme.com

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Insurance 101: Homeowners Insurance

Posted on by Martinson Agency

Insurance 101: Homeowners Insurance

August 13th, 2015 — Martinson Agency LLC — Chaska, MN

Homeowners insurance can provide protection for you and your family in the nastiest of situations. It is important to understand your homeowner’s policy in order to take advantage of everything that it has to offer.  This article will highlight a few of the things you should know about your homeowners insurance policy.

What does a home insurance policy cover? This is one of the most important questions that you can ask during the quoting process. A typical policy will cover damage to your property and possessions in the event of a storm, fire, theft or vandalism. It will also provide you with personal liability coverage. This means that if someone gets injured on your property and decides to sue, you’re covered. Homeowners insurance will also pick up the tab for temporary shelter costs should you be displaced from your home due to a covered loss. Your home policy can also protect your personal belongings while they’re traveling with you. For example, if you have an item stolen from your car it will be covered by your home policy, not your auto policy.

One common misconception pertaining to home insurance is the actual insurance value of your home. It is important to understand the difference between insurance replacement cost and the market value of your property. Market value is easily defined as the value of your home, land included, if you were to list the property for sale. Obviously this value can fluctuate based on the housing market and can be greatly impacted by the location of your home. Insurance companies however, consider the actual replacement cost in the event that they have to rebuild your home. This is an important distinction and means often times you’ll have to insure the home for more than the property’s “market value”.

Make sure to maximize your discounts. One of the best ways to save some money on your home insurance policy is to bundle it with your auto insurance. Insurance companies will give you a discount on both your auto and home policies for bundling. Paying your home insurance in full for the year rather than making monthly payments is another great way to lower your premium. If you are curious as to what other discounts are available to you make sure that you do your research and contact your agent right away.

Understanding your homeowner’s policy is critical. As a consumer you should make it your priority to know what your policy covers as well as know all of the available coverage options. In the end it will cost you far more if you are uninsured or under insured at the time of a loss. If you have questions about your policy or are looking for a quote give Martinson Agency in Chaska, MN a call today!

Don’t leave your insurance to luck! Call today!

Phone: (952) 314-4400

Email: jphagen@aibme.com

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