As we settle into 2023, we’d like to address the rising cost of insurance. Unfortunately, the auto & home insurance industry is not immune to the current domestic challenges – think rising inflation, labor shortages, environmental disasters, supply chain issues and more. The trickledown is here. We could spew all sorts of data, numbers and statistics your way. But, quite simply, for a whole host of reasons named above, it costs more to replace and/or repair our cars, homes, and properties. Their values have increased, making them more costly to insure. Seeing a rate increase at renewal is a very real scenario.
We understand the frustration of seeing a rate increase upon renewal – especially when you haven’t had a claim or an accident.
Our team is proactively working through renewals and rate changes. Our goal is keeping you properly insured at a fair and competitive price. Your best interest is in our best interest.
How we are addressing substantial rate increases …
1) Identify any discount opportunities you may not be taking advantage of
2) If needed, quote multiple insurance carriers so you can see your options with regards to premium/deductible/discounts.
3) Use our industry knowledge to help you select the right coverage and policy for your unique situation, helping you avoid being caught under-insured (yes – that IS a thing).
4) Continue to partner with quality insurance carriers who have a proven track record of superior customer service, reliability, and longevity.
5) Remain a people forward agency, where if you want/need to talk to a real live Oliver Insurance team member, you can and you will.
It can be tempting to jump ship and find a “less expensive” online option. We’d like the opportunity to help first. If we can’t offer a comparable, price competitive option, we will in fact, tell you that. No smoke and mirrors here.
We are available (in person, on the phone or via email) to work through any concerns you might have. Thank you for your business and trust in our agency. We look forward to a long partnership helping protect what matters to you!
Category: Home Insurance
What you can do to make your home a safer place
Safety in the home is something that everyone is concerned about. Safety means different things to different people. It can mean making your family safe from things outside the house or from things inside the home. Both of them are equally important. At Oliver Insurance in Canby, OR, we take our customers’ safety seriously and do our best to ensure their home insurance protects them.
Accidents in the home are a very significant worry. More than 150,000 people die in the US from accidents every year, and of those, 75% are considered household injuries. This includes poisoning, falling, choking, drowning, and suffocation.
Poisoning is the most common cause of death in the home but falls account for more than 70% of the injuries. Falls are particularly common among the elderly; the most common injury is a broken hip. Bathrooms are hazardous, so it is vital to ensure that the necessary precautions are taken to make slips and falls less common.
Making your home safe also means protecting it from fire. Getting your furnace and chimney cleaned yearly can go a long way towards helping, and having smoke detectors that work is essential.
Installing a home security system is both simple and inexpensive, and many are DIY projects that take very little time. You can monitor your home with your smartphone, and installing smart locks lets you ensure your house is locked tight even when you are not at home. Windows also have locks, and ensuring they are in use is a big help to your home’s safety. Installing motion detector lights on the exterior of your home also provides additional safety.
Contact Oliver Insurance in Canby, OR if you are a first-time homeowner or are ready to get a quote from a new carrier.
How do you file a claim on your commercial insurance policy?
Many business claims start with a police report because they center around the crimes of theft, vandalism, or the rarer, embezzlement. Other claims, such as storm damage or equipment breakdowns, start with your insurance company, Oliver Insurance. Read on to learn the steps to follow to file a commercial insurance claim.
- Call the police and file a report if you need to file a claim due to any crime at your business.
- Call your insurance agent. For anything other than a crime, you can probably completely file your claim the same day the event occurs. For a crime, you need to provide the official police report.
- Take photos of the crime scene or claim-worthy event while waiting for the police or your insurance agent. Do not move any items if you report a crime. The police need the scene preserved until they document it.
- Begin looking for repair people after your insurer and the police finish with your office or event location. These repair crews can’t come to visit your location until the police release it if a crime occurs.
- Contract with a certified public accountant if you file a business interruption claim. A forensic accountant can assist your business in documenting business income loss.
- Follow up with the police to obtain a copy of the police report.
- Provide the police report to your insurance agent.
Your insurance agent should contact you when the agency has your check ready, or they may directly deposit the claim amount in your checking account.
Your diligence in preparing the claim can mean the difference between a quick claim and significant delays.
Keep your Canby, OR business running smoothly with commercial insurance from Oliver Insurance. Call us today for a custom commercial policy to protect your company.
Why Every Homeowner Needs Home Insurance
For homeowners, there are a lot of risks that they face from a wide range of incidents that can happen to and in their homes. However, home insurance provides a number of types of protection to help them mitigate many of those risks. With home insurance, you can get the protection that you need to have better peace of mind. If you need home insurance, contact us Oliver Insurance in Canby, OR today to make your appointment.
House Protection
What home insurance is perhaps best known for is the protection afforded to the house itself. This protection allows your policy to pay for the repairs that are necessary after certain events happen to your house. Many different types of events are covered by standard home insurance, including certain types of disasters and calamities. When one of these covered incidents takes place, it can mean enormous repair bills for your house. If you aren’t protected by home insurance, you would be responsible for those bills yourself.
Protection for Belongings
Just like the protection that home insurance gives to your house, it also gives protection for the belongings inside the house. Covered incidents that damage or destroy possessions inside the house can be replaced with the help of your home insurance policy. If you didn’t have the policy, you would have to replace everything from your own pocket. Most people would be unable to afford such an enormous expense.
Liability Protection
Another type of protection afforded by home insurance is liability coverage. This protects homeowners in case someone were to have an accident with injuries in their home. The policy would pay for the medical bills instead of the homeowner.
Get Home Insurance Now
If you don’t yet have your home policy, there is no time to wait. Call us at Oliver Insurance in Canby, OR.
How Home Insurance Protects You
If you own a home, it’s essential that you have a home insurance policy on your house for as long as you live there. If you don’t have this type of policy in place, it’s important for you to give us a call at Oliver Insurance in Canby, OR to get started. No homeowner should ever be without this coverage. In many cases, it is required by the mortgage lender that you keep this insurance. But even when it isn’t required, you should have a policy.
The House
With a home policy, there is coverage built in that protects your house against any damages that are caused by covered incidents. These may be weather disasters, accidents, geological problems, etc. As long as it is covered, the damages that it creates to your home will be paid for by the policy. This includes rebuilding the entire house if it is destroyed. When there is serious damage to your home, the price can be incredibly high to get it all repaired. With home insurance, those costs are taken care of.
Your Belongings
Inside your house is likely most, or even all, of what you own. Those items are important, and they often represent a large outlay of money. With your home insurance policy, items that are damaged or ruined can be replaced. If there is a serious incident that ruins many of your belongings, it can be prohibitively expensive to replace them all yourself. With your home policy, you won’t have to. This is a helpful way to protect not just the dwelling but everything that is inside it as well.
Get Your Home Insurance Policy
If you own a home, you need to have home insurance. To find out more about it, contact us at Oliver Insurance in Canby, OR today.
Potential Rate Changes for WA Residents
** Important News regarding Potential Rate Increases/Changes forWA Residents **
The State of Washington’s Insurance Commissioner, Mike Kreidler, issued an order on March 23, 2021, that bans the use of credit in setting insurance rates for new and renewed policies as of June 20, 2021.
Unfortunately, this policy change will potentially effect over 1 million people in the state of Washington. The removal of credit-based insurance scores will likely raise insurance premiums for the vast majority of Washington residents.
Our agency wanted you to be aware of this legislature change that could last for up to 3 years. It will affect new policies and renewals for auto, homeowners and rental insurance across all carriers. In some cases, the premium increase could be significant. This impacts all insurance carriers in the state of Washington.
As your independent agency, we can compare pricing among multiple carriers. We will continue to work to find you the most competitive rate based on your coverage needs. Also, we can look for other opportunities to help reduce premiums.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns. I have attached a link to an article that explores all sides of this issue.
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/car-insurance/washington-credit-ban/
Best regards,
Ryan Oliver, President of Oliver Insurance
Keeping your home safe in Canby, OR
No matter where you live, keeping your home safe is a priority for every homeowner. Canby, OR is a wonderful place to live with spectacular scenery, lots of parks and water activities and most people own their own homes. But, things happen in even the most beautiful locations. Having good home insurance and an independent agent you can trust is a must. Oliver Insurance has been bringing its personalized service to local residents for more than 20 years.
Keeping your home safe takes many forms. Today it starts with having a state-of-the-art home security system. It can be one you install yourself or it can be one that is monitored by a service. Making your home a smart home allows you to check what is going on both inside and outside of your home with a simple app on your smartphone. Not everyone, however, is into high tech when it comes to home safety and there are simple things everyone can do to make your home safe.
- Lock your doors and windows.
- Install a deadbolt.
- Secure your slider with a metal rod.
- Cut back any tall bushes close to your home.
- Don’t broadcast any plans you have to be away.
- Put up signs for a security system outside your home even if you don’t have one.
Install smoke detectors on every level and make sure you have a schedule for replacing the batteries if they are not hardwired. Even if they are hard-wired, batteries are the backup so need to be changed twice a year. If you are burning any type of fuel, a carbon monoxide detector is a necessity. If all your power is electric and you don’t have a fireplace, then it isn’t necessary to have one.
When you are ready to discuss home insurance give Oliver Insurance in Canby, OR a call to discuss your needs.
Common Home Insurance Myths Exposed
Based in Canby, OR, Oliver Insurance proudly serves the community by offering residents multiple types of insurance coverage. We have positive working relationships with several insurance carriers throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Common Home Insurance Myths Exposed
As a Canby, OR homeowner, you likely have a great view of the region’s beautiful scenery. Home insurance helps you maximize the value of one of your most important assets. You will be protected if a disaster arises. Home insurance covers any damage to your property and possessions. While you are researching policies, avoid some of these common home insurance myths.
Making A List Of My Items Isn’t Necessary
This is a mistake. If someone steals your belongings, having a full list of the items inside your home is extremely valuable. This makes it easier to decipher which items were stolen.
I’m Covered If My Property Suffers Flood Damage
This is incorrect. A traditional home insurance policy does not cover your property if a severe storm causes flood damage. You will have to inquire about an individual flood policy in order to cover your home and belongings.
I’m Covered If Insects Invade
It’s important that you take care of your home by performing regular maintenance. If you start noticing insects around your home, you will not be covered if they cause damage. Ideally, you can prevent the spread of insects by taking care of your home.
Liability Coverage Isn’t Necessary If I’m Single
Even if you live alone and you don’t have a lot of visitors over to your home, accidents can happen at any time. Liability coverage will protect you if the person delivering your mail slips and falls. The policy also covers any damages caused by your pet, so it works in a variety of ways.
Consult With Oliver Insurance
Visit our website to learn more information about home insurance.
Wildfire Impact & Important Information
For those of us in the Pacific Northwest, times have been challenging to say the least. In conjunction with our insurance carriers, our Oliver Insurance team is ready to support and help our clients recover during this time.
If you have not done so, setting up your online customer account will give you 24/7 access to your policies, coverage and more. If you are suddenly displaced, access to your insurance information online can help you immensely during a crisis. Follow the link to enroll in the Client Center Login portal. REGISTER HERE
FAQ’s
1. If I had to leave my residence, are temporary housing costs covered? YES, if you live in a level 3 evacuation zone only. You will be reimbursed for these costs, so always keep your receipts. (this includes renter’s policies, but coverage amounts may differ)
2. When should I file my claim? Due to the ongoing nature of the wildfires, most insurance carriers have requested clients wait until the situation has become less urgent to start their claim process.
3. I know my policy covers fire in my dwelling, does that also include “Wildfire”? YES, coverage applies in wildfire situations.
4. How long will the claims process take? We are advising our clients due to the sheer number of people impacted by the fires in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho and Montana, that the process will likely take longer than normal.
Additional resources
U-Haul is Offering Free Storage for Evacuees of the Fires in Oregon and Washington Learn More HERE
Find A Shelter
Catastrophe Preparation Guidance
Air Quality Where You Live
Unfortunately, no words can erase the pain for those who have lost homes, property, pets and memories. Our hearts go out to you. We will be here for you as you look toward rebuilding. Please take care, stay safe as possible and do not hesitate to contact our office with questions.
Sincerely,
The Oliver Insurance Team
Tips for successful home insurance claim
Our homes make us feel safe. It is where we rest and take time to bond with our loved ones. That’s why we protect it with a home insurance policy, hoping never to make an insurance claim. However, due to unforeseen circumstances or simply bad luck, accidents happen, and we end up running to find our policy documents to see whether they will be helpful. Unfortunately, many Canby, OR residents don’t know how to file a home insurance claim.
At Oliver Insurance, we help take you through all the steps and ensure you are fully compensated in any covered claim. Here are a few tips to help out.
Act quickly
In the event of an accident like fire, your speed matters a lot. How fast you report and provide all the information required by your insurer determines how quickly your claim will be resolved. If it were a burglary, you would need to report the incident to the police and present this information to your insurer.
Don’t tamper with anything that would invalidate your claim
Making a home insurance claim is not something we are used to, which means we are unfamiliar with the process. However, like any other claim, it is essential to understand that tampering with evidence can lead to losses on your end. If there was a fire, don’t touch things until your insurer allows you to.
For larger claims, an adjuster will be sent to you
For larger claims, your insurance provider will have to take full control of the situation as there will be investigations to be conducted. Your insurer will probably need to send an insurance adjuster who will determine what will be replaced and what will be repaired.
Remember, honesty is the best policy. So, don’t exaggerate the value of your claim. Being dishonest can easily land you into trouble, and you may end up not getting any compensation at all. Need more information about home insurance in Canby, OR? Let Oliver insurance guide you. Our insurance experts will be on standby to offer any help you may need. Contact us today.
