Is filing a claim worth it if the value isn't that high?

Is filing a 

home or renters insurance claim worth it if the value isn't that high?  Items worth: ~$1500  Deductible: $1000

A few questions to ask yourself:

• Could this turn into a larger claim down the line?
• Am I willing to pay a higher premium if I make this claim?
• If I'm not sure if I'm going to make a claim for $500, would I be better off at a $1,500 or $2,500 deductible?

So here's the rub.  One claim isn't going to kill you and may not affect your premium at all.  You could lose any 'claims free discount' that some companies offer. 

If you have another big claim such as a water damage claim, you now have a severe claim and have a frequency of claims (2), so you may not qualify for the best rates anymore.  
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Also, keep in mind that many brokers will have to report your claim to the company even if you don't want them to because of the nature of their contractual relationship with the carrier.

Prevention:
Creating a spreadsheet along with when, where, and the cost of items is a great way to keep track of your household inventory.  There is also software that will do this for you and lets you scan in receipts and attach pictures (knowyourstuff.org).  By going room by room and listing everything, you will have a better case when speaking to adjustors.

Schedule any heirlooms onto the policy with a specific agreed value.  Also, you can raise the limit for jewelry by endorsement.

Also, here's 10 ways to discourage break-ins.

This blog was a combination of two questions I answered on Quora.  See my answer and others here:

Is it worth filing a stolen item claim against a home renters insurance when the value is not very high

How will my insurance company determine the value of my personal property after payoff after a fire

Protect Your Phone's Data with a Passcode

Do you have a passcode on your iPhone or Android device? If not it is recommended as phones can easily be miss placed or stolen. A passcode to get into your device will help keep your information private and secure. Many personal and business phones have apps on them that hold a lot of important personal information. That information in the wrong hands can be dangerous and because of this we have three steps we recommend in helping protect your phone.

The first step is simple; decide to put a passcode on your phone. I know, it may be annoying to have to type something into your phone each time you use it but it is better for you in the long run.

The second step is to make the passcode something more than just four digits. Recently there was a software invented called Micro Systemation XRY app. This software can crack any four digit code in only a few minutes. Currently this software is only used by law enforcement agencies however the hackers are never to far behind in developing their own. We recommend you using the setting in your phone that lets you put in more than just four digits. Letters and numbers help to make the cracking process harder. Throw in a few other characters and it becomes even harder to break.

The third step in protecting your phone’s data is to put on the setting in which your data is wiped from the phone after so many failed attempts to login. I know it would be annoying to lose your data from your phone but hopefully you have it synced and backed up on your computer or in a cloud (plus is someone stole your phone you not only lose the data anyway but also the phone). By having the phone wiped after so many failed attempts you are preventing hackers and thieves form being able to use software to try and figure out your passcode.

Radio Frequency Indetification Thefts

Credit cards are gradually moving away from the swipe and process cards to the wireless transfer of financial data. This make shopping lines move quicker but it does create a new kind of theft. The technology is called Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). All you do is hold a card near a RFID scanner and the data is transferred. The problem with this is that computer savvy criminals can create scanners that steal your financial data right off your credit card, even if it is still in your wallet. Credit card companies are becoming aware of this issue and have worked to solve the problem with on off switches on the card that are triggered when a finger presses the chip that is imbedded in the card. One other way to prevent scanning theft is to purchase a RFID protected wallet. For example the HuMn Wallet has material that doesn’t allow RFID scanners to scan cards in the wallet.
So be sure to take precaution if your new credit card has the RFID chip imbedded inside. Ask if you can have a card that has the on/off switch and if not look into purchasing a RFID protected wallet.

Scheduling Special Items

Back in July we posted an article about special limits on homeowner policies for things such as guns, jewelry, coins, cash, silver and furs.  In the wake of a string of burglaries in our area (burglaries that are only focused on taking cash, coins and jewelry), we felt it was important to remind people of the homeowner limitations on these items.  It differs per policy and per item but usually there is only about $1000 to $2500 of coverage given on the homeowners for things such as guns, jewelry, coins, cash, silver and furs.  If you own more than that limitation in any of the mentioned categories you should schedule the items on a special policy.  Feel free to contact Fey Insurance to make sure you have things appropriately covered.

On a side note, the current criminals who have been robbing homes in the area are first placing calls asking if you have a security alarm.  As soon as you answer no they hang up and then know your home is unprotected.  Be sure to never answer no to such questions over the phone to a random phone call.

Safeguard Your Home from Burglary

In 2007, the last year with full statistics, there were an estimated 2.2 million burglaries, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Burglaries represent more than 22 percent of property crimes committed in 2007, and of these burglaries, 61 percent involved forcible entry. Burglary offenses represented $4.3 billion in losses, an average of nearly $2,000 per burglary, and nearly 68 percent of burglaries were residential.



Surprising to many is that nearly 64 percent of burglaries occurred during the daytime. Below are some suggestions that should help you from becoming a statistic:



- Keep exterior views of your home unobstructed and trim landscaping back to expose windows and doors. This requires a burglar to work in full view and poses a serious risk of detection.



-Maintain adequate exterior lighting at access points to your home.



-Put your ladder away. Do not provide easy access for the burglar to gain entrance.



-Do not keep valuables, such as bicycles and tools, in the open.



-Keep your garage door closed and locked. An open garage door allows a crook to see valuables stored in your garage.



-Make sure your house number is prominently displayed and illuminated to help emergency responders find your home quickly.



-Do not leave notes on your door that might indicate your home is unoccupied.

GPS Devices Help Burglars

GPS systems have made life much easier for drivers to find where they are going. Unfortunately it has also made life much easier for burglars to track down your house. Recently a 23 year old was caught burglarizing homes in northwest Ohio and Michigan. He would break into vehicles that had GPS devices in them while they were parked at restaurants and cinemas. He would then steal the GPS device along with the garage door remote. Later he would use the GPS device to locate the home and then gain entry in the home by using the garage door remote. The young man had struck ten home prior to being caught.

Fey Insurance's recommendation for individuals that own detachable GPS devices is to never leave the device out in the open when you are not in the car. Even if you are just going in for dinner at a restaurant or for grocery shopping, we suggest you hide the device in your glove compartment or take it with you when you leave the car. A second suggestion is to use a nearby location as your "home" and not your actual home address. This way the burglar would not be able to track down your exact house if they did happen to steal your GPS device and garage door remote.