While floods might not hit Astoria, OR that often, they may still happen. At Linda Dugan Insurance, we’ve seen too many people fail to itemize their damaged items properly. As a result, their claim was denied. Here is how you can avoid complications with this process.

Walk Through Your Home

After a flood strikes, walk through your home and take a look at everywhere that has been damaged. There is a good chance that the flood has affected many rooms in your home. Go through each of them and take a look at every element that has been damaged and takes a deep breath. This part is going to be tough.

Photograph The Damage

Take photos of the damaged areas to ensure that everything is properly documented. While your insurance company is likely to take your word, they may want some evidence. Photographs of important items showcase your damage and make sure your claim is approved.

Detail All The Possessions You’ve Lost

Write down all of the possessions that you lost because of the flood. These can include electronics, pieces of furniture, expensive pieces of electronics, and other elements that have a real value. Write them down, including their estimated price, on a piece of paper as you go through the house.

Break Them Up Into Types

After writing down all of the damaged items in your home, take the time to break them down into categories. These can include things like electronic items, home decoration products, and more. Breaking them down in this way helps your insurance company identify them more easily.

Getting Great Flood Coverage

If you live in Astoria, OR and want flood insurance, contact us at Linda Dugan Insurance. We serve this city and others in the area and can provide you the policy that you need.

When it comes to rest and relaxation, there is nothing better than taking the boat out for a float at a nearby lake or ocean in Astoria, OR. Before you are out enjoying the beautiful weather, though, you’ll definitely want to make sure you have properly planned ahead for a fun-filled day. Here is a quick look at three must-know tips for having a safe and fun time out on the water.

Check the Weather

Before planning your trip to the lake or beach, you should always check your local weather. A few things to watch for are:

• Current wave conditions, including when the next low and high tides are
• Wind trends
• Any warnings current for the area you will be traveling to

Know your Water Safety

Make sure your children know about water safety and they have proper swimming skills. Parents will also want to set guidelines and rules for water play. Two of these rules should always include wearing life jackets when swimming or boating and having a swimming buddy while in the water. Also, when you’re on your way to the beach, this makes for the perfect time for you and your family to discuss how far out in the water the children are allowed.

Essential Things To Pack

To plan the perfect day on the water, it is vital to make sure you have the essentials packed and ready to go. A few things to bring to ensure you and your family are prepared are:

• Bottled water
• Snacks
• Sunscreen
• Floaties
• Cooler
• Sunglasses
• Extra clothes
• Beach towels

Protect Your Boat

Also, before you head to the lake or ocean, you’ll want to make sure your boat is properly protected with boat insurance. Contact Linda Dugan Insurance serving the Astoria, OR today to learn more about different types of boat insurance policies.

An RV is not a small or inexpensive item. And if your RV were to sustain damage, it may be a financial burden to you to have to pay for the repairs or any loss that is caused. This is why having the right amount of coverage on your RV insurance is so important. At Linda Dugan Insurance, serving the greater Astoria, OR area, we recommend reviewing your RV insurance every spring, before you take your RV out for the season, to ensure your coverage is ideal. Here are a few of the things you should know.

What Should Be Looked at When Reviewing Your RV Insurance?

As you look at your RV insurance, you want to make sure that your policy limits are still applicable to your RV. Your RV may go up or down in value, based on how much it is driven, used, its condition and changes and repairs you make. As the value changes, your policy may also need to change.

Why Is Spring the Ideal Time to Review Your Policy?

Your policy should be reviewed at least once a year. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what time of year you review it, as long as it is consistently done. However, we recommend spring because it is right before most people take their RV out and begin to heavily use it. This ensures the coverage limits are appropriately set for any upcoming adventures or travel you may have.

If you are looking to change your RV insurance policy coverage or are looking for a new plan, Linda Dugan Insurance, serving the greater Astoria, OR area, can help. Contact us today and let us review your policy or provide you with quotes for a new one.

In the unfortunate event that your home and family are subjected to a flood, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you, but having the right insurance in place can make recovering easier. Whether you need a place to stay while the flood is dissipating, or if you’re faced with costly repairs to your home and property, flood insurance can help. The coverage thresholds and limits vary, making it important to know what your policy covers.

Covered building property under flood insurance policies includes electrical and plumbing systems, water heaters, carpeting and window blinds among many other items. All of this building property would be costly to replace without flood insurance, inhibiting your ability to recover from the disaster.

Insurance can also replace your refrigerator or foundation walls, turning your home back into a habitable place. Personal property items, such as clothing, furniture, portable microwaves and artwork among other items may also be covered. Having these items replaced can make your recovery process easier and faster, which is better for everyone in your family.

Sitting down and discussing coverage options with an insurance specialist at Linda Dugan Insurance in Astoria, OR is an effective way to tailor flood insurance to meet your risk profile. Whether you need additional living expenses or help to supplement medical subscriptions, insurance can help you get back on your feet.

To learn more about flood insurance and how to mitigate the risks posed by this unfortunate event, please contact Linda Dugan Insurance in Astoria, OR. If you live in a flood zone or an area that is prone to having natural disasters, it’s prudent to get flood insurance before the unexpected happens. Flood insurance can help you get your life back on track.

Most of the time, flood insurance is not one of those things that most people think about. After all, Oregon is not far away from any coast, such as the part of the country that was recently hit hard by Harvey. Rain rarely occurs in the desert southwest. However, as Linda Dugan Insurance serving Astoria, OR notes, floods do hit our community from time to time, and, when they do, as happened in 2014, they can be devastating. Our area gets scant rainfall, but occasionally the year’s allotment can happen all at once.

The event of September 8, 2014, hit the area around Phoenix, including Mesa, in the early morning, eventually flooding the Emerald Acres neighborhood when the retention basin overflowed, sending water into nearby streets and eventually into an elementary school and about 200 homes. People were trapped in their homes, watching as the water relentlessly flowed inside. Roads were blocked, and many people found themselves trapped in flooded vehicles. Rain gauges throughout the city measured more than three inches in a six-hour period, with one measuring a mind-numbing 4.6 inches. The cleanup afterward was time-consuming and expensive.

Flood insurance is not covered by a homeowner’s policy and has to be purchased separately. A flood insurance policy has a 30-day waiting period attached to it to prevent people from waiting to buy a policy until just before a rainstorm, Home and business owners who carry flood insurance at least have the peace of mind of knowing that they will be covered if an event like 2014 happens again.

If you have any questions concerning flood insurance, feel free to contact Linda Dugan Insurance serving Astoria, OR.

Umbrella insurance may not be the type of insurance plan that most people recognized, but it certainly has nothing to do with rain or umbrellas. It is actually for people that want extended insurance coverage for limits that are not covered by current insurance policies. If you are considering umbrella insurance and you are from the Astoria, OR, Linda Dugan Insurance may have exactly what you need.

Are you worth it?

In most cases, umbrella insurance is useful for high-net-worth individuals that desire coverage that is much higher than the norm. It is also for people that have the potential to lose a lot of money and assets if there is ever a lawsuit. One must consider what they do with their property, how many people they interact with or do business with, and the specific risks that their lifestyle holds.

What if I don’t have any assets?

If you are in a position that the judge awards a significant amount of money against your favor, it won’t matter what you currently have. A judgment against you may eat your future paychecks and assets until the amount is paid off. This can even affect your non-liquid investments. If you believe that you have a lifestyle in which such a thing is possible, you can still benefit from umbrella insurance.

In any case, the need to have umbrella insurance is such a dynamic matter that must be assessed for each individual. If you live in the Astoria, OR area and you have an interest in umbrella insurance, it is a wise idea to consult with Linda Dugan Insurance.

Employers are obligated by law to provide health insurance for their employees, under certain conditions. In efforts to still save money, they sometimes impose rules on the health insurance policies which can be frustrating to their employers.

One such rule that many employers have is that if the employee is married, and the spouse is eligible for health insurance because of the spouse’s employment, they will refuse to allow the spouse to be on the health insurance they offer. This can be more expensive for the employees, who are forced to purchase separate individual health insurance policies. However, you still need to consider the premiums and how much health care coverage you are likely to use in order to accurately see which will cause you to have the most out-of-pocket expenses.

If you are in Astoria, OR and purchase your health insurance policy through Linda Dugan Insurance, you will discover that you have choices about how you set up your policy. You can choose the plan that best suits your needs and your budget, whether you want a family plan or an individual one. You will also have choices based on what kind of insurance and deductible you want, and how you want to pay.

If you already have an individual health insurance policy and want to add your spouse, you may have to wait until the next open enrollment period even if you have private insurance, depending on what your contract says. Besides open enrollment, you can always add your spouse if you have just gotten married or if your spouse has recently lost health insurance. If you would like to know your options in Astoria, OR, the friendly agents at Linda Dugan Insurance would be happy to help you.

RV insurance is available through your automobile insurance. You may get insurance on this type vehicle just as you would on an automobile through Linda Dugan Insurance in Astoria, OR. Some liability is required on RVs that have to be registered, but there are some RVs that do not have to be registered. Your RV is probably valuable, so it makes sense to have coverage, and you can get the same coverage – liability, collision and comprehensive – that you get for your automobile.

If you have a loan you are paying on an RV, you will have to have insurance.

In Oregon, there are specific definitions for what an RV is. A camper is something that is pulled behind a motorized vehicle. It must have sleeping and cooking facilities and more than six feet long. If it is less than that, it is not considered an RV. A camper permanently attached to a truck is considered a motorhome, and part of the truck.

A motorhome is like the above but has a permanently attached motor that drives the vehicle.

The need for liability insurance is obvious, as you must be able to pay for damage you cause. Most RV’s are valuable, so it also makes sense to have insurance that will cover the cost if your RV suffers major damage in an accident.

You must have proof of insurance to register the vehicle, and if it is of a certain size, it must be registered to be legal.

Call or come by and visit Linda Dugan Insurance in Astoria, OR to learn more about ensuring your RV.  You may also visit online to get more information. There are a lot of options available, so let us help you determine exactly what you need to fit your situation.