Lake County Inspections

Beat the Insurance Company

Having worked for many of the insurance companies and completed hundreds of inspections for them, I have gotten to know what they consider high risk to increase your premium, and what "Loss Deterrents" will reduce the premium.

Paying attention to these items can not only reduce your Insurance premium of course, it can protect your property and your lives.

First of all the risks they take into account. These items you should try to eliminate if possible. They include:
Wood Burning fireplaces that are not professionally installed
Mud slide or brush fire hazards
A trampoline is considered a high risk item on a property.
Dogs, especially the larger breeds will also tend to increase the risk. Be pre paired to defend its "Bite History".
Poor house keeping and maintenance. Clothes laying around the house or loose boards on your deck etc constitute hazards.
Cripple walls under the first floor that does not have the correct sheathing or bracing.
If you have a room over a garage, you need special angle braces or suitable sheathing around the garage door opening.
Unreinforced masonry is a risk in earthquake area's
The sole plate should be bolted to the foundation.
The water heater should have two solid straps securing it from falling over in an earthquake.
If you have bars on your windows, the bedroom windows MUST have quick releases in case of fire.

Next lets look at the "Loss Deterrents". These items improve your protection and tend to reduce your insurance premium. Simple things like:

Smoke detectors - the more the better.
Fire extinguishers - also the more the better.
Burglar alarm, preferably monitored 24 hours a days by a reputable alarm service.
Dead bolts on all exterior doors.
Sprinkler system, inside and or outside.

If you, or a previous owner have added an addition, converted a garage made some wiring or plumbing upgrades, etc without taking out the necessary permits and having it inspected, the insurance company may not bring up the problem when you take out the policy, but if you make a claim that comes from an un-permitted change, they will likely deny any claim you make.

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How to inspect your new property yourself
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