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Aug 06, 2014
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Features that Increase Your Homeowner’s Insurance Policy

One of the most disconcerting consequences  of owning a home is having to purchase a homeowner’s insurance policy.  While it’s comforting to know that you are protected in the event of catastrophic damage, it can be disheartening to watch your insurance be deducted from your bank account month after month.  It can be even more frustrating to learn that certain home features can increase your premium.  Want to know which ones lead on the list?  Here’s what you need to know.

Swimming Pools: Why does something so fun need to increase your premiums? Insurance companies cite the risks of drowning and water related injuries as the reason they charge more for homes with pools.  In most jurisdictions, a homeowner is liable for injury or death in their pool, even for people that trespassMaggie onto the property.  Many companies require the pool to be fenced in but do not offer discounts for this being done, as it may be a condition for it to be even be insurable.

Trampolines: Over 100,000 ER visits per year are attributed to trampoline accidents.  For this reason, many insurance companies refuse to insure them or charge additional to include them in their policies.  They may also place restrictions on where they are placed and require that the trampoline’s springs be covered with padding.

Pellet & Wood Stoves: Homes that have pellet and wood stoves are statistically more likely to incur fire damage than those heated through more conventionalpellet stove methods.  Your company will need to be notified prior to the stove being installed and may require inspection afterwards or proof that it was installed by a licensed professional in order to insure it.

Age of Home: The older the home, the more likely that it will fall into disrepair.  Insurance companies take this into account and adjust premiums accordingly.

Size of Home: The larger your home is, the more it costs to replace if it were a total loss.  Expect higher premiums with more square footage.

Garage Size The larger a garage is, the more it holds and the more you’ll be asking your insurance company to replace in the event that the garage is destroyed. garage Additionally, larger garages are more likely to be targeted for theft than smaller garages.

Bling: While many home insurance policies provide some provisions for jewelry, it may not be enough to replace them at full value.  Understand what your policy covers and add additional coverage if need be.  Bear in mind that gold & diamonds continuously increase in value so it’s a good idea to update your insurance company with documents from your jeweler that state the actual value of the items, and not what the purchase price was a few years ago.

Pets: Dog breeds associated with aggression (such as Great Danes, Pit Bulls, and Rottweilers) typically carry higher insurance premiums.  The reasoning being that the insurance company doesn’t want to be on the hook for a lawsuit in the event that Fido bites a house guest.

Outdated Roof: Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to see asphalt & metal roofing systems with 50 year warranties.  This is due to recent advances in roofing before rooftechnology.  However, if your current asphalt roof is from the early 1990’s, it’s very likely that your insurance company will flag it as a high risk (i.e. high priced) insurance group because it’s unlikely to hold up to high winds and hail.

The Final Word: Trampolines, swimming pools, and large garages are not the root of all evil.  Having such items will likely increase your insurance premiums but if you see them as a value, there’s no reason you shouldn’t have them.  Be sure to review your insurance policy annually to make sure you clearly understand what it covers and don’t be afraid to shop around occasionally to ensure you’re being charged appropriately.

Reviews

We Strive for 100% Customer Satisfaction

Delivering exceptional service is our No. 1 priority. Read these happy reviews from homeowners who were blown away by their home improvement experience with Lindus Construction.

"I was very impressed that Lindus sent a safety inspector on day one and a quality inspector at the end. I did not expect this but sincerely appreciate this attention to detail. All of this demonstrates how Lindus stands by its work and differentiates Lindus from other firms. I would definitely consider Lindus for any future exterior needs."

Debbie E.
Plymouth, MN
February 27, 2024

"Over the past 18 years and 4 separate major home improvement projects, Lindus Construction has exceeded every one of our family’s expectations on each of these projects. Whenever anyone invests in home improvement, the homeowner’s concerns ultimately center on several critical factors: the ultimate quality of the final product, ease of working with the firm, honest communication and relationships, craftsmanship of the employees, timeliness, service after the sale, and of course, a manageable investment cost. We are proud to say that the Lindus team has been an outstanding partner in improving our house’s function, appearance, and market value."

Jim G.
Chanhassen, MN
February 8, 2024

"I did two big projects in 2023 with Lindus. First was removing and replacing attic insulation plus creating proper ventilation. Second was replacing roof and adding LeafGuard®. Did everything go perfectly? No but that is where a company shows its merits. All issues were resolved! I even received a check for unused supplies. I highly recommend Lindus. They are not the cheapest. You get what you pay for."

Jill D.
St. Paul, MN
December 14, 2023

"Lindus Construction is a company that provides the best possible workmanship, professionalism and customer service for each and every project. Lindus Construction is a great choice for roofing, siding, windows, doors, decking and LeafGuard® Gutter projects or any combination of those projects. Small jobs such as garden sheds to large homeowner associations with multiple buildings they are able to handle it."

Kelly P.
River Falls, WI
December 4, 2023

"We are quite pleased with the way our project went. The Lindus folks have successfully managed to instill a culture of quality and customer service in throughout the entire business, which is rare these days.  Everyone we worked with carried that same attitude of wanting to do it right and make us happy. The installation went well and we are very satisfied."

Tim M.
Minneapolis, MN
June 20, 2023

"Thorough, timely, efficient, good communicators. Excellent work, cleaned up well and took care of a few extra details without any hassle."

Carla U.
Minneapolis, MN
May 17, 2023

"Your services and products are wonderful!  (And we have used Lindus three times now). The crews were gracious and hard-working."

Alan W.
St. Paul, MN
May 11, 2023

"I would just like to compliment Randahl for excellent work and customer service skills.  Every time he was at our home, he was professional, thorough, extremely pleasant, and explained things well.  You are very lucky to have such an outstanding employee!"

Vicki F.
Blaine, MN
March 25, 2023

"Great job. Workers were friendly and cleaned up everything when they were done. They stopped to tell me they were ready to work and checked in when they were done."

Carolyn I.
Andover, MN
March 16, 2023

"This company has all ways been honest with us, took care of us and their workmanship is second to none."

Michael N.
Rosemount, MN
March 13, 2023

"Very professional, super quality work, everyone was very pleasant, would highly recommend, will continue to use Lindus for all future projects."

Chuck V.
Chaska, MN
February 18, 2023

"Service and work were excellent; thank you!"

Ron B.
Burnsville, MN
January 19, 2023

"The technician worked very efficiently and put in long hours to get the job done. Excellent work and we were very grateful."

Pam L.
Oakdale, MN
January 12, 2023

"I have used Lindus in the past and they once again, gave me excellent service. They stand behind their products and service. I have referred them to many friends."

Susan B.
St. Paul, MN
January 6, 2023

"We have had them do work at our home before and at my parents' house. They did great work!"

Sue R.
St. Croix Falls, WI
January 3, 2023

"The two young men that did the install were great.  They were personal and appeared very conscientious."

Jim H.
St. Anthony, MN
December 30, 2022

"Always polite and considerate. Last inspection was a quality control and I was impressed with him and his thorough inspection. Great job!"

Irene S.
Bloomington, MN
December 20, 2022

"We had a great experience with Lindus. The communication has been great. When I had a question I received a return email or phone call quickly. When Lindus employees were at our home, they explained what they were doing in great detail, my questions were always satisfactory answered. I will gladly continue to refer Lindus to friends and neighbors."

Roger D.
Shoreview, MN
November 29, 2022

"I highly recommend Lindus Construction. I have used them for three projects over the last few years and they are easy to contact, the people are friendly and they do very high quality work. Don’t hesitate to use Lindus for your next project."

Darrell M.
Lino Lakes, MN
June 9, 2022
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