Arson at my church? If you think like most people, you will dismiss the possibility as something that will never happen at your parish. You will say that you have never had an issue in the area and that it happens mainly near urban churches. However, church arson takes place more often than you might expect. According to federal crime statistics, arson leads in the cause of church fires each year. We witness an average of 130 churches destroyed or damaged by arson each year.

What if you have church insurance? Even if you have full replacement value coverage, that may not always solve the issue. Many times churches carry priceless contents that cannot be replaced. The memories of deceased parishioners will often carry a large amount of sentimental value. Even if you do have church insurance, a major building project may take a long duration and become an uphill battle to recovery.

How can I address the issue? First, you can assess the risk. In many cases, insurance providers, locksmiths, police departments and fire departments will conduct a free risk survey. Here is what they examine:

• Architectural Features That Create Shadows
• Burnt-out Lighting Surrounding the Building
• Worn-out Locks and Locks without Deadbolts
• Flammable Dead Grass Nearby
• Dumpsters Full of Paper

If you have flammables, lock them in a secured area and keep the trash containers away from the building. Next, install alarms. Statistics have shown that security alarms will greatly reduce your chances of being burglarized. A good security system offers decals and window stickers to warn criminals, an audible alarm system, and the appropriate authorities will be dispatched immediately in the event of an attack. Insured property value will often range from $10,000 to $3.3 million. Nevertheless, a lot of churches lack adequate insurance to cover the full replacement costs. You have to understand the terms in your church insurance policy, and it is better to be safe than sorry.

Call Pachuta Insurance Today @ 706-769-2262
Sources:
UMC
Episcopal Cafe

According to a report from InsuranceQuotes.com, your average married couple will pay 85.5 percent more for car insurance after they added a teen driver to their policy. Sounds absurd, right? A report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that motor vehicle crashes account for 33 percent of deaths in teens 16 to 19 years old.

However, Georgia ranks as the 18th most expensive state to insure a teen driver. If you live in New Hampshire, your premium average will jump 115 percent, which is the most expensive. On a national scale, 16-year-olds have caused the highest spike in premiums, and the average impact will decrease 60 percent after an individual reaches 19 years old.

Laura Adams, senior analyst for InsuranceQuotes.com, said that good student discounts have been as high as 25 percent for students who held a B average in college and high school. As a parent, however, you need to proactively seek the good student discount. Hawaii, the only state where age and driving experience cannot be used against teens, only costs 17 percent more for car insurance with teens. New York ranks as the second lowest with an increase of 53 percent. Auto insurance prices will rise for teenage boys over girls because studies show that boys have a higher likelihood of taking risks.

While we all know that inexperienced teens tend to have a lead foot and do not exhibit as much experience or good judgment as more seasoned drivers, it does seem fair that good teen drivers must suffer. Despite these disconcerting findings, the good news is that the cost to insure teen drivers has actually fallen since 2013. During that period, a teen driver saw an average annual increase of 87 percent in their auto insurance premiums.

Call Pachuta Insurance Today @ 706-769-2262
Sources:
WTVM News 9
WSB Radio

About two-thirds of homeowners are under-insured and more than 60 percent of renters do not carry insurance. When a gas explosion leveled three buildings in Manhattan's East Village, Nora Brooks was among the hundreds of New Yorkers who lost everything they owned. Nora and her husband watched their house burn and collapse after hours of relentless flames.

Across the United States, a fire occurs every 23 seconds, and burglars break into homes at an almost equal frequency. Bad things happen, which is why it is better to have homeowner's insurance ahead of time, rather than after the fact. Your standard home insurance policy will cover fires, thefts and explosions, but it may not cover sewage backups, floods and earthquakes. You want to check to see that you have not agreed to minimum coverage. To do this, dust off your policy and check the clauses.

What do financial advisers recommend? First, your home insurance policy should cover burst pipes, indoor flooding and floods that hit the entire neighborhood. Each type of flooding will have different levels of coverage, so you should clarify these things ahead of time. Next, you want to have sewer backup coverage because your standard policy will not cover destroyed furniture from a flooded toilet or pipeline replacement. You will also want replacement coverage, which replaces damaged or stolen goods. Check to make sure that the company will not deduct depreciation from its original value.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, the minimum liability for home insurance is $100,000, and this usually does not cover everything. To purchase the proper amount of liability, look at your assets. You want a minimum of $1 million worth of umbrella coverage on top of the homeowner's liability limits. While most homeowners have insurance because their mortgage lender requires it, your average lender does not have adequate insurance.

Call Pachuta Insurance Today @ 706-769-2262
Sources:
Advice IQ
USA Today

What if a popular car insurance program placed you in danger on the road? While shopping for auto insurance, James Manning saw the potential savings in the Progressive Snapshot program. Manning agreed, and the company mailed him a small device that plugs into the diagnostic port beneath the steering wheel.

Progressive monitored Manning's driving habits for a month to determine if he traveled late at night or would brake suddenly. Provided the results proved positive, he could save 30 percent with his monthly premiums. Nevertheless, shortly after Manning installed Snapshot into his 2005 PT Cruiser, he noticed that random lights would flicker on his dashboard. The situation became dire when Manning's vehicle automatically turned off in the middle of traffic, as he drove his nephew and daughter to school.

During a search from the I-Team, they discovered that Progressive Snapshot accumulated 8,121 complaints and $582,009 in claims payouts through February 2014. Since Manning removed the device, he reports that he has experienced no further issues, and after he filed a claim with Progressive, he received a $600 reimbursement in repair costs. Nevertheless, the company would not admit to their device causing issues, and they would not send Manning another Snapshot to check if further issues would arise.

In addition to vehicular shutdown with these car insurance devices, they pose a security risk. If someone hooks their laptop up to the device, they can unlock the doors, gather engine information and start the car.

After what he experienced, Manning believes the devices are a danger to drivers on the road. He does not want to see people hurt or property damaged. James Manning has said that his greatest fear is that someone will be killed because of the auto insurance device that is supposed to save money.

Call Pachuta Insurance Today @ 706-769-2262
Sources:
Market Mad House
Ehline Law Firm