Home Insurance and Knob and Tube Wiring

My home was built in 1932 and I have knob and tube wiring in my walls.  Is this safe?

Many homes built in the before World War II had a type of wiring known as “knob and tube” originally installed.  This practice has been discontinued, and modern building codes specify wires plastic, PVC or metal sheathing where both positive and negative wires, as well as a ground wire, and individually isolated and insulated.

Knob and tube wiring offers no such insulation – a positive and a negative wire are individually sheathed in cloth, and run together around ceramic “knobs” where a turn is required and for support, and through “tubes” where it is necessary to transport wiring through studs.  The positive and negative wires were generally not next to each other in walls, but instead isolated on either side of a beam or stud.

Over time, the cloth insulation deteriorates, and the bare wire may be exposed.  This becomes a potential fire hazard generally if there is some sort of change in the house – walls moved or other renovation work, for example, that brings exposed wire into contact with another wire or the house itself.

As a result, most insurance companies will not insure homes with known knob and tube wiring in use.

We recommend you take precautions of other electrical situations that might affect your New Jersey Home Insurance premiums such as aluminum wiring or other electrical fire hazards.

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Home Insurance and Aluminum Wiring

My home was built in 1970 and I have aluminum wiring in my walls.  Is this safe?

Many homes built in the late 1960’s to late 1970′s had aluminum wiring and components originally installed.  This practice has been discontinued, and modern building codes specify copper wiring and components.  Aluminum wiring is not necessarily unsafe in “all-aluminum” environments where aluminum components are used throughout; the major problem with aluminum is that over time, homeowners and contractors often replace screws, outlets, switches and other components with copper.  When an electrical current is passed through an aluminum wire with copper components, the points where the aluminum and copper touch tend to become very hot, posing a considerable risk of fire.

As a result, many insurance companies will not insure homes with known aluminum wiring in use.

We recommend you take precautions of other electrical situations that might affect your New Jersey Home Insurance premiums such as knob and tube wiring or other electrical fire hazards.

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Electrical Fires and Home Insurance

How can I help prevent electrical fires in my home?

The risk of electrical fire can be minimized by following some simple rules:

-        Extension cords should never be run under carpeting or area rugs.  Foot and chair traffic may damage the insulation on the cord over time, and exposed wire very possibly can cause a fire.

-        Keep clothing, drapes and other combustible material at least 3 feet from space heaters at all times.

-        Never overload an electrical outlet with extension cords or three way adapters.  It is recommended that power strips with fuses be utilized instead.

-        Call an electrician if your lights flicker, you have a circuit breaker that often trips, or you have appliances that run sluggishly.  These could be indications that your electrical system is overloaded.

-         Be aware of other electrical situations that might affect your New Jersey Home Insurance premiums such as knob and tube wiring or aluminum wiring.

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Sinkholes and New Jersey Home Insurance

Q: Does my home insurance cover me from damage caused by sinkholes?

A: Sinkholes have been in the news recently as a home in Florida was swallowed up on Tuesday, killing the occupant in the process.  New Jersey home insurance generally does not cover sinkholes by default, they are excluded, even on very high-end policies.   This coverage can be added to your homeowner’s policy as an optional add-on.

Areas that can be prone to sinkholes usually are in areas with very sandy soil, mines, or limestone formations below the surface, although we have seen them occur in both Passaic and Hudson counties in NJ.

Sinkholes are not a particularly common occurrence, but as the article below discusses, they can cause considerable damage.

Florida Sinkhole Incident

If you are concerned about the hazard caused by sinkhole damage and want to make sure you are protected, we recommend contacting your agent or Esposito Insurance Group at 973-284-1083.

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Hurricane Sandy Recovery Information

The following information on Hurricane Sandy was provided by FEMA and is being republished here for your information and awareness. 

Sandy Recovery Bulletin

New Jersey | DR-4086-NJ | Hurricane Sandy

The State of New Jersey and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are committed to providing the most relevant information to survivors of Hurricane Sandy. We will periodically email you with resources and news on the recovery. Please do not reply to this email. If you have any questions, visit a Disaster Recovery Center near you or call the toll-free FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Please feel free to print out and share, or forward this email, to anyone who might benefit from the information. If you wish to unsubscribe, click the link at the end of this bulletin.

FEMA WORKS TO HELP NEW JERSEY MEET SANDY HOUSING NEEDS

FEMA and its partners are addressing the housing needs of people displaced by Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey. Our top priority is to help survivors return to their homes or help them find a safe alternative if returning home is not an option.

More than 51,000 households have received FEMA grants to make essential repairs to their homes or secure alternative housing. For those who cannot return home, the goal is to help them find a rental property close by. This is better for survivors and helps the whole community recover.

The state of New Jersey and FEMA have identified hundreds of homes and apartments available for rent. Households that qualified for FEMA assistance may use their FEMA rental assistance for the security deposit and rent for these units. Households that previously told FEMA they did not need housing may still request FEMA assistance to move to rental housing if their housing situation has changed.

The number of available units changes constantly as units are occupied and new listings are added. Rentals are listed at http://www.socialserve.com where you can select the New Jersey link to do a search.

NEW ADVISORY BASE FLOOD ELEVATION MAPS AVAILABLE

The state of New Jersey and FEMA have released Advisory Base Flood Elevation maps for 10 coastal counties: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Union. To access the new maps, visit www.Region2coastal.com and click on the Hurricane Sandy tab.

IMPORTANT DEADLINES EXTENDED

FEMA Registration – Survivors of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey have until Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013, to register with FEMA for disaster assistance. FEMA encourages anyone who suffered damages from Hurricane Sandy from Oct. 26 to Nov. 8, 2012, to apply for assistance before the deadline.

SBA Physical Damage Loan Applications – The deadline for applicants in New Jersey to request a physical damage loan from the SBA has been extended until Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013.

RESOURCES FOR COPING WITH HURRICANE SANDY

FEMA

FEMA disaster assistance registration and helpline:  800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 800-462-7585.
Apply online for assistance: DisasterAssistance.gov.
Smartphone/tablet: m.FEMA.gov/Sandy.
New Jersey/FEMA housing resources: FEMA.gov/HousingPortal.
To find the nearest disaster recovery center: FEMA.gov/DRCLocator or Text “DRC” and your “zip code” to 43362.

U.S. Small Business Administration

Customer Service Center: 800-659-2955, TTY 800-877-8339 or visit http://www.sba.gov/.
Secure online disaster loan application: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Resources for Rebuilding

National Flood Insurance Program help center (for help with questions on filing claims or claims status):
800-427-4661.

Stronger, safer, protected houses and communities: FEMA resources for rebuilding.

Protecting your home and property from flood damage: Mitigation ideas for reducing flood loss: an extensive collection of ideas.

Home builder’s guide to coastal construction: 37 fact sheets for areas subject to wind and flood forces.

Above the flood: elevating your flood-prone house: Examples from south Florida.

Wind retrofit guide for residential buildings: How to improve wind resistance of existing buildings.

Anchoring home fuel tanks (DVD): Describes methods for anchoring tanks.

Best Build I: building coastal homes: Safe and cost effective ways to build coastal homes.

Resources for Additional Needs

New Jersey disaster case management: 877-510-6762 or email at dcmNewJersey@CatholicCharitiesUSA.org.

Clean-up resources and local recovery efforts: 2-1-1 or online at NJ211.org.
New Jersey Helps: NJhelps.org.
American Red Cross: 800-733-2767 or online at RedCross.org.
New Jersey Hope and Healing: 877-294-HELP (4357), TTY 877-294-4356.
National disaster stress helpline: 800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746.
Missing pets: 855-407-4787.
Disaster legal assistance: 888-541-1900.
Disaster unemployment: Online at NJuifile.net
     Union City: 201-601-4100
Freehold: 732-761-2020
Cumberland: 856-507-2340
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Hurricane Sandy Recovery – Beware of Scams

The following information on Hurricane Sandy was provided by FEMA and is being republished here for your information and awareness. 

Sandy Recovery Bulletin

New Jersey | DR-4086-NJ | Hurricane Sandy

The State of New Jersey and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are committed to providing the most relevant information to survivors of Hurricane Sandy. We will periodically email you with resources and news on the recovery. Please do not reply to this email. If you have any questions, visit a Disaster Recovery Center near you or call the toll-free FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you wish to unsubscribe, click the link at the end of this bulletin.

BE WARY OF SCAMS

Disasters like Hurricane Sandy bring out the best in people – but not in all people. Too often disaster survivors are the targets of scam artists. In the early days following a disaster, con men may pose as inspectors from FEMA or the Small Business Administration.  FEMA and SBA staff never charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections or help in filling out applications.

As rebuilding gets under way, sham contractors may knock on your door, promising to begin work immediately, only to take your money and disappear. Before hiring a contractor, check with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs at 800-242-5846 to make sure the contractor is registered.

STATE OFFICE OFFERS HELP WITH INSURANCE PROBLEMS

Insurance settlements are critical to recovery after a disaster and state officials are on hand to help survivors having problems getting a claim paid. The New Jersey Office of the Insurance Ombudsman  assists consumers with issues related to insurance availability and claims processing. You can contact the office by calling 800-446-7467 or by emailing ombudsman@dobi.state.nj.us.

HURRICANE SANDY RECOVERY RESOURCES

FEMA

FEMA disaster assistance registration and helpline: 800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 800-462-7585

Apply online for assistance: DisasterAssistance.gov

Smartphone/tablet: m.FEMA.gov/Sandy

Find the nearest disaster recovery center: FEMA.gov/DRC or text “DRC” and your “zip code” to 43362

Small Business Administration

Customer service center: 800-659-2955, TTY 800-877-8339

Disaster assistance website: SBA.gov/DisasterAssistance

Online loan application: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/

Resources for Additional Needs

New Jersey disaster case management: 877-510-6762 or email at dcmNewJersey@CatholicCharitiesUSA.org

Cleanup resources and local recovery efforts: 2-1-1 or online at NJ211.org

NJ Helps: NJhelps.org

American Red Cross: 800-733-2767 or online at RedCross.org

New Jersey Hope and Healing: 877-294-HELP (4357), TTY 877-294-4356

Disaster legal services: 888-541-1900

Disaster unemployment: Online at NJuifile.net
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How Can I Prevent Frozen Pipes in my Home?

Preventing Damage From Frozen Pipes

During winter months, the water pipes in a house are at risk of freezing. Frozen pipes can burst and can cause substantial damage to your home. Here are some simple tips to prevent the frozen pipes.

  • Keep your thermostat set to the same consistent temperature throughout the day and night.
  • If you are going to be out of the house for an extended period keep the temperature in your home to at least 65ºF.
  • Keep cabinets in your kitchen and bathroom open to allow warm air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to secure any cleaners or chemicals that might be harmful to children or pets.
  • Let cold water trickle from your faucets continuously to help prevent freezing.
  • If you have water pipes in your garage, keep the garage doors closed to keep the temperature above freezing

For more information about frozen pipes, water damage and New Jersey home insurance coverage, contact the Esposito Insurance Group.

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FEMA Assistance – Hurricane Sandy

HOW TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE  

  • Those in the county designated for assistance to affected residents and business owners can begin the disaster application process by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) Monday through Sunday until further notice. Applicants registering for aid should be prepared to provide basic information about themselves (name, permanent address, phone number), insurance coverage and any other information to help substantiate losses.
  • Application procedures for local and state governments will be explained at a series of federal/state applicant briefings with locations to be announced in the affected area by recovery officials. Approved mitigation projects are paid through the state from funding provided by FEMA and other participating federal agencies.

WHAT INFORMATION DO I NEED TO APPLY 

Whether applying at DisasterAssistance.gov from your computer or smartphone, or over the phone through a FEMA call center, you should have a pen and paper and the following information ready:

  • Your Social Security number
  • Current and pre-disaster address
  • A telephone number where you can be contacted
  • Insurance information
  • Total household annual income
  • A routing and account number from your bank (only necessary if you want to have disaster assistance funds transferred directly into your bank account) Lookup your bank routing number.
  • A description of your losses that were caused by the disaster

After you’ve completed your application for assistance, you will receive a FEMA application number. Write down this number and keep it for future reference.

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What to Do when You Need to File an Insurance Claim

If you have suffered damage to your house, car or business and need to file a claim:

  1. Remain calm.
  2. Locate your policy number and contact your company to report the claim. A list of claims and contact numbers is available at http://www.espositoins.com/claims.php
  3. Be sure to protect your home and car to prevent further damage.  A damaged roof, for example should be covered by a licensed contractor with a tarp.  Water in the basement from sump overflow can be pumped out.
  1. After being connected, note your claims number, adjuster’s contact info including office and cell numbers, and their supervisor’s contact information.
  1. Do not put yourself in harm’s way in protecting your property.
  2. Take photos of the damaged areas and/or items.
  3. DO NOT DISCARD any damaged items unless authorized by your adjuster.  Keep damaged items in a secure area until disposal has been approved.
  4. Save receipts for any work you’ve had done to protect your property.
  5. Do not repair the damage until authorized by your adjuster. Failure to allow a company to adjust a claim by prematurely repairing the damage can result in a claim being denied.
  6. Let us know if there is anything we can do to assist you further. Contact us, at 973-284-1083 or via email at info@espositoins.com.  Be sure to provide at least 2 contact phone numbers to reach you.
  7. If there has been a large storm event, it is possible that we may not be able to work from our office.  Please use our email or leave a message on our office voicemail system, we will monitor for messages.
  8. Visit our website for updated general information at www.espositoins.com

For an objective forecast and analysis of approaching storms, we recommend http://www.espositoins.com/claims.php

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8 Tips to Reduce Your Chance of Theft

How can I make myself less likely to be victim of theft?

Here are 8 Tips that may reduce your chance of theft:

1)   Keep bushes and shrubs trimmed to no more than waist high so thieves can’t easily hide.

2)   Hide valuables in uncommon locations, such as the refrigerator or in a ceiling.  Under a bed, in a medicine cabinet, night stand or dresser are particularly vulnerable locations.

3)   When you will be away for an extended period of time, hire a house sitter or join a local neighbor watch.

4)   If possible, pack your car inside your garage so your being away is not common knowledge.

5)   Keep alert for odd activity in your neighborhood. If a car repeatedly stops in front drives around the block or stops in front of a neighborhood home, write down the license plate number.

6)   If you are a witness to a crime, report it.  Thieves often “work a neighborhood.”

7)   Do not leave valuable possessions in your car overnight.

8)  Do not leave valuable items – briefcases, electronics, etc – within easy reach of a door.  Often thieves will kick open a locked door and “grab and go” whatever articles you have close at hand.

Remember – if you want to be serious about reducing your chances of theft or burglary, let common sense prevail and follow the above 8 simple steps.

 

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Categories: Homeowners Insurance

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