Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

/ Nadja Maril / Leave a comment

 Stop Cyber Criminals From Stealing Your Personal Information

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Identity theft and protecting our computer data are growing problems in the United States. Aggressive hacking operations backed by countries hostile to the United States are encouraging theft  of our information for monetary gain . What can we do to protect ourselves? At Peter B. Crilly & Associates, we care about helping our customers. A few simple precautions, can reduce the chance of your accounts being hacked and personal information stolen.

  1. First and foremost, NEVER click on a link that arrives in your email unless it comes from a trusted source, A common trick, is for a virus to invade someone’s email list unbeknowst to them and send out emails claiming to have a personal message or important information. Just click on the link, the email says. Wait and use caution. The email is from one of your friends, supposedly, but did they actually send it? If you think they might have, send your friend an email and ask if they recently sent you a link to something. Nine times out of ten they did not . Your precautions will help halt the spread of the virus, by informing them to notify their email list thus protecting hundreds of other potential victims.
  2. Set up a seperate email for transactions and purchases. Reduce junk mail and keep you personal information segregated to add another layer of protection. 
  3. Do not store your credit card information on websites. Yes it is fast and easy, but if their  website is hacked your personal infomration is available.
  4. Only use secure internet connections. Require a password for your home wifi and do not access your bank or shop onlne in public places.
  5. Do not post your personal information on social media sites. Your phone number, address, full birth date and year, names of your children and even your birth place are useful material for identity thieves. Consider using a nickname for your Facebook page, if you have one, to make it more difficult for Identity thieves and stalkers.
  6. And finally, create unique passwords that are strong— meaning they are at least nine characters long and include one number, one capital letter, and one symbol. Have several passwords and keep track of them by writing them down in a small notebook for safekeeping, in case you forget. A nonsense sentence from a favorite book or movie, such as “1Scarecrowhas nobrains?” can make the password easier to remember. Change your passwords every six months.

At Peter B. Crilly & Associates, we care about protecting our customers. For other helpful tips on insurance protection, read some of our other blog posts. To comparison shop on insurance rates, call 410-571-1771

Why You Need Renter’s Insurance

/ Nadja Maril / Leave a comment

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Your camera is one of the personal items  that can be covered by a rental insurance policy.

Moving into your own apartment or rental house for the first time? There’s a lot to keep straight: utility bills, mail delivery, internet access. The process can be overwhelming, but don’t forget you’ll need property insurance. As you unpack your possessions and set up your new home take an inventory of what you’ve moved into your new residence. Items such as an  expensive camera. laptop computer, jewelry, ski equipment, clothing, furniture are items of value that should be insured.

Renter’s Insurance covers your belongings (clothing, books, CDs, furniture – everything) not only in your apartment but in your locked car and anywhere else you take them. It protects your things against fire and other occurrences beyond your control—including vandalism and theft.

If you thought about it at all, you may have thought insurance was the responsibility of the landlord. It’s not. The landlord’s policy covers the building only. It’s a renter’s policy that will help pay for the replacement of all your personal items.

It will also pay for an attorney and protect you in case someone gets injured while in your apartment and/or you get sued if damage caused by you impacts neighboring apartments.

Peter B.  Crilly & Associates, Nationwide Insurance can help you determine the amount of coverage you need and provide you with a free renter’s insurance quote. Renter’s insurance will protect both  your belongings and your liability exposure.. We’ll help you sort it all out. As with auto insurance, we’re big on discounts. We’ll make sure you take advantage of any discounts that are available.

How Much Home Insurance Do You Need?

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house__colonial_2How How Much Insurance is Enough?

House are usually  insured for their full replacement value.   This means that your insurance agent calculates the cost of rebuilding the exact same home at today’s construction prices in order to determine replacement value. To do this, he or she will measure the square footage of your building and take into consideration the materials used and the various features such as a fireplace, hardwood floors, full basement, and number of bathrooms. If you have some unusual and/or expensive, such as a luxury stove, imported tiles, or customized paneling you should tell your agent, so they can factor these features into the value of your building. It is important to notify your agent if you build an addition or make any substantial improvements to your home so that your improvements are completely covered by your insurance policy.

Premiums are calculated based on a home’s value and, thus, some homeowners, particularly if they have already paid off their mortgage,  may prefer to insure their house  for less  than the cost of a total rebuild, reasoning that  it is highly unlikely they will suffer a complete loss of property. According to insurance regulations, a home must be insured for at least 80 percent of its value in order for a policy to fully cover the loss.

One way to lower your premium is to raise your deductible. The deductible is your out-of-pocket expense, which you pay off the top when you make a claim. Deductibles can range from $100 up to $5,000. Insurance companies know that the larger the amount it that you are committed to paying yourself before making a claim, the less likely it is for you to make a claim at all. Thus, the premium on a larger deductible is much lower than a small deductible. Visit http://agency.nationwide.com/peter-b-crilly-in-annapolis-md to receive a free homeowner’s quote or call our office at 4140-571-1771- or 410-956-1111 to speak with an agent.

Protect Your Basement

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If your basement is susceptible to flooding and you rely on a sump pump in time of heavy rain, consider purchasing a back-up sump pump and a back-up power source which can be a battery or small generator. This will protect you in case you lose power Also make certain your homeowner’s policy has “water back-up” to cover sump pump failure. Remember when you have a claim, the deductible comes out of your pocket.

Always clear the French Drain and entry area outside your basement area of leaves to make certain water does not collect.

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Buying a Home? Insuring Your Investment.

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Finding and buying a new home is as exciting as it is stressful: The purchase of a home is a huge undertaking that requires a good deal of forethought and research.   Once you’ve taken the time to find that new home,  you’ll want to make certain it’s insured correctly.

While the paint colors and furniture arrangement may be foremost in your mind, the insurance company and agency you choose to protect your investment is just as important

The insurance agents at Peter B. Crilly & Associates, Nationwide Insurance can help make the process  of purchasing and moving into a new home as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Contact your insurance agent in advance, to get a quote on the cost of homeowner’s insurance before you complete the purchase of your new home.

Every lender requires that you have homeowner’s insurance in place when you go to the settlement table.  If you don’t plan in advance, your mortgage company will step in and  provide coverage.  The company they choose may not have the most favorable rates and thus you’ll be paying a higher premium. While the cost of property insurance may be rolled into your monthly mortgage payments, the amount you pay and the type of coverage you receive can vary greatly.

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Peter B. Crilly & Associates can help you find the right protection at the best rate for your new home. All you have to do is get us involved early and provide the information to give you a timely quote.

Some of the factors that will make a difference in the cost of a homeowner’s policy include: 1) The distance your home is from the nearest fire station and fire hydrant.   The further away the nearest fire station and/or fire hydrant  is located, the higher the rate.   If you  were ever to have a fire, every second counts.  With no fire department nearby, the risk for a major or total loss of your home is much higher.  2) The existence of any “attractive nuisance” such  a trampoline or a swimming pool can affect the cost and availability of homeowner’s insurance.  Places  where someone could get injured are cause for concern.  If you have a pool or a  trampoline, you will be required to have a secure fence . 3) The proximity of your new home to an area likely to flood will impact your insurance costs.  If you house is located in a flood plain, you’ll be required by your lending institution to purchase flood insurance. Get a flood insurance quote from Peter B. Crilly & Associates to help you calculate your costs in advance.

A monitored fire and security alarm will help to reduce the cost of homeowner’s insurance. If your new home does not already have one, consider purchasing an alarm system.

Is the home you are purchasing part of a homeowners association?  If you are required to join your homeowner’s association, check the master policy. Find out what the Master policy covers. You may be asked to pay a share of a liability claim if the loss exceeds the coverage of the master policy. Your homeowner’s policy can be adjusted to cover that potential cost. That is what insurance is for. Ask your friends at Peter B. Crilly & Associates. We’re here to help