Safechoice Insurance Agency

Garage Sale Tips In MN

Posted on by AgentInsure

You want to have a great garage sale in Rochester, Minnesota and therefore there are some tips to follow. This will ensure that you maximize your time, market effectively, and earn more money.

Contact the Neighbors

Contact the neighbors to let them know that you are going to have a garage sale. If everyone decides to hold a sale on the same day, it can drive more traffic and allow you to sell more items.

Market Effectively

It is important to market effectively throughout Rochester. This means you will want to do a combination of marketing online and offline. Hang signs throughout the neighborhood, put an ad in the local newspaper, and create ads throughout various online forums. If you don’t market, people are never going to learn that you are even having a garage sale.

Price to Sell

Price everything to sell because you don’t want to bring it back into the house. Typical garage sale prices are a third to a quarter of the retail price. Anything more than that and people are likely going to walk away without even considering purchasing anything from you. Remember that many people like to haggle prices.

Donate Remaining

You have gone through the work of gathering everything that you don’t want. Donate the remaining items that don’t sell so that you don’t bring them back in the house. This will ensure that you remove the clutter from your home. Schedule a run to the donation center directly following the garage sale – or have a donation center pickup arranged, depending upon what your center offers and how much stuff you have to donate.

Call us at Safechoice Insurance Agency today to learn about homeowners insurance in Rochester. We work with some of the best insurance companies in Minnesota to get you affordable rates.

 

 

What To Do For Car Care In The Colder Months

Posted on by AgentInsure

When you live in Rochester, Minnesota, there are going to be a lot of weather concerns as you drive in the colder months. You may be dealing with snow, ice, sleet, and more. By preparing your car now, you can ensure that your car is ready for the winter. You will also be more comfortable as you drive.

Speaking of comfort, you want to make sure that the heating and ventilation within your car is working properly. This means you may want to bring your car in a shop to have the HVAC looked at. Interior comfort is important and you want to be warm as you drive around. It is also important that your defrosting system works as it should.

Have your tires looked at as well. You will want to check tire pressure as the weather starts to get colder. It is also a good idea to look at the tread to ensure that there is enough to grab the roads when there is ice and snow out there.

Colder weather can be hard on batteries and you will want to check the connections to make sure that they are clean and corrosion-free. It has been more than three years since you last replaced the battery, you may want to explore getting a new one.

You should also have your brakes checked as well. The last thing you want is to slide across the ice because your brakes are not in the best of conditions.

Call us at Safechoice Insurance Agency today and learn how we can help you find affordable auto insurance in Rochester, Minnesota. We can help you prepare for the fall months, answer questions you have about coverage, and obtain quotes on your behalf from some of the top insurance companies licensed to issue policies in the state.

 

Roommates and Renters Insurance – 3 Tips

Posted on by AgentInsure

Having a roommate is a great way to cut expenses. But how does sharing an apartment or house with another person affect your insurance coverage? Here are three tips for understanding roommates and renters insurance.

Tip #1: Have the Discussion

It is important to discuss renters insurance with your roommate from the beginning and decide how to handle the process. Many people wrongly believe that only one of the tenants needs to have a policy in force for everybody in the household to be covered. It is also important to discuss the amount of coverage needed for both personal property and liability. By taking the time to make sure all parties have the right amount of insurance coverage, you can rest assured that you both will be taken care of if there is ever a claim.

Tip #2: Consider Separate Policies

Many renters insurance carriers allow two unrelated adults to be on one policy together. However, this can cause a problem if you every have a falling out or one roommate relocates. In addition, if two parties are on the same policy, they will both have to sign in order to cash any future claims checks. This is why it is important to consider having separate policies. This way, each roommate has adequate coverage to meet his or her needs without being completely tied to each other.

Tip #3: Understand What is Actually Covered

When it comes to roommate and renters insurance, it is important to understand what is actually covered. Instances where a bad roommate destroys or steals your personal property are often considered intentional acts—something that is usually excluded from coverage.

Learn more about renters insurance coverage and having a roommate. Contact our team at Safechoice Insurance Agency today for more details.

3 Facts About Renters Insurance You Might Not Know

Posted on by AgentInsure

Are you a little unsure as to whether or not you need to have a renters insurance policy? Many tenants wrongly skip coverage because they aren’t exactly knowledgeable what this type of policy entails. Here are three facts about renters insurance that you might not know.

It Covers a Wide Range of Scenarios

Many renters forget to think about the wide range of incidents that can happen at their new apartment. Of course, a fire breaking out or a thief breaking in are two of the most obvious scenarios. But what if your luggage is stolen while you are on vacation? Or the UPS guy trips over a rug at your home and becomes injured? What if your sweet dog suddenly becomes frightened and bites a visitor to your home? All of these incidents may be covered under your renters insurance policy.

It is Incredibly Affordable

Most tenants automatically assume that renters insurance is expensive to carry. The truth is that the average cost of a policy nationwide is between one and two hundred dollars per year or only a few dollars a month when divided up into payments. In addition, many auto insurance companies even offer a substantial discount for those who carry both types of policies with them. This makes the final cost to have both policy types together nearly the same as what you are currently paying for just auto insurance coverage alone.

(Note: Discounts and policy premiums vary depending on your personal circumstances. It is important to speak directly with your agent to determine whether or not you qualify for a lower rate.)

It Might Be a Requirement

Many business savvy landlords and property management companies are now requiring tenants to purchase renters insurance policies and show proof of coverage at the time they sign their leases. Why? They know that if an incident happens, many renters wrongly assume that their landlord will pick up the tab for damaged or stolen personal goods. By making sure these renters know that the landlord is not responsible for their items from the moment they move in, they can help fend off a future dispute that could even go as far as court.

The purpose of renters insurance is to be an additional layer of protection against the unexpected. By keeping these three facts in mind, you can now decide whether or not this type of coverage is right for you.

To learn more about renters insurance or to receive a no-obligation quote, please contact our knowledgeable team at Safechoice Insurance Agency today.

 

Extend the Life of Your Vehicle with These Easy Tips

Posted on by AgentInsure

Keeping your car running smoothing requires regular attention to little details. You don’t need to be a mechanic or spend hours under your car’s hood to extend its life. You do, however, have to see to the little things: regular maintenance and proper insurance. Here are a few tips from Safechoice Insurance Agency on how to extend the life of your vehicle.

How To Keep Your Car Going

Cars are often retired to the scrapyard when there’s a major failure, such as a blown piston or dead transmission. These large issues arise when little details are neglected over weeks, months, and years. Taking a few simple steps can keep your car going strong. To extend the life of your car, take time to do the following:

  • keep your tires properly inflated
  • have your oil changed regularly
  • put up a sunshade when you park

The third tip, using a sunshade, is especially important during the afternoon. When the sun’s high in the sky, its rays will damage an interior, causing it to fade over time. A sunshade will reduce the damage that the sun causes to your car’s cabin.

How To Keep Yourself Insured

If you’re hoping to drive your car for thousands and thousands of miles, you’ll want to make sure you’re properly insured when you’re on the road. The level of auto insurance that you need will depend on your personal situation, driving habits, and your car. The best way to determine how much insurance you should carry is by talking with an independent insurance agent. An independent agent can compare the different policies that are available in Minnesota and help you choose the one that provides the best coverage at the lowest price.

If you live or own a car in Rochester, MN, Safechoice Insurance Agency can help you find an auto insurance policy. We have independent insurance agents who are ready to assist you. To speak with one, give our office a call.