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A car in Garage increases the risk of a fire due to car being in it. Higher Risk, Higher Cost, On the flip side The car ins. will be lower if its in the garage, less risk of getting stolen, damaged by hail etc. If you convert it to Living space the rebuilding cost goes up. Dens cost more then garages.
Well, I'll tell you what happened. I got home owner's insurance back in April and the premium was 507.00. They did a bank draft late April and it was paid for. Then yesterday I get premium change notice. The new premium is $527. I called the agent and it took him close to 10 minutes to locate what had happened. I don't remember being asked back in April if there was a garage but the agent knew "100%" that there was an enclosed garage because they had insured the house since 1982 and he asked me little or no questions about the house because he had all that info in front of him already, from the previous policies going back 25 years. I was going to be paying 53% higher than my father paid ($343) as it was, and it was told to me, to be because of my credit report and the fact that a different subsidiary of Allstate was now covering the house, maybe Allstate Property and Casualty.
The garage has "never" been used for a car, only storage or workbench activities.
And my father had two vehicles, so again the agent knew at least one of them was kept outside.
I wonder why the agent did not already know there was an enclosed garage when he quoted me.
Well, the inspector came out and noted that my policy info did not specify the existence of an enclosed garage and that was the extra $20. But, the agent said the extra $20 was because the coverage of the policy went UP from 139,000 to 147,000, so they raised the coverage because of the empty garage, when I would have expected, as you mentioned, a coverage "increase" if the garage was coverted to living space.
My house is for sale and I went to visit a couple who has a home whose layout is exactly like mine and their asking price is similar and my agent and I are watching that one as to what it sells for, as a comparible to mine. The reason I asked about the garage being converted into a den, is that is the only difference between the two houses, they converted theirs into a den. So their insurance should have gone up when they changed their garage to a den.
So, I guess the fact that my garage is empty does not help me any way as far as premium?
If empty then 2 cars outside, if not empty then one car more protected.
I'm on disability income and the insurance on the house is 4% of my income. Vehicle about the same 4%. So, increases in expenses are often felt.
Unless their computer system did not show the garage and they never inspected the house back in 1982 and it has gone un-noticed all these 28 years. Oh well. Thanks for your answer.
I see that you are near Charlotte, Having a Garage in the 'south' is not as high Priorty as living space. In the colder area being able to go out into a somewhat warm car, that is not covered in snow/Ice, Is huge time saver. Car may be hot from being outside but The AC works alot faster then the heat in a car. So in a trade off most will pick the extra living space, If your place is smaller and then the Den gives a informal space for the family to hang out in.
So, as it turned out the premium increased $20 because the existence of the indoor garage required them to raise the coverage from $139,000 to $147,000, and not really because there was or was not a garage (the garage required them to raise the coverage).
That other couple told me they converted their garage to a den, to enhance the value of the house.
So, I guess the fact that my garage is empty does not help me any way as far as premium?
If empty then 2 cars outside, if not empty then one car more protected.
Homeowner's insurance covers the structure.
Auto insurance covers the vehicles.
I have never heard the term "inside garage". Is this the same as enclosed? Not an open-sided carport?
Out here, the insurance is more if you have an attached (to the house) garage versus a detached garage.
If it burns down, $20 a year is an inexpensive way to rebuild an entire garage!
yes, enclosed was what I meant.....attatched. My mother has a carport. She has to back into the drive way so she can enter the carport by driving forward. It's not enclosed so parking it there does to keep out the weather. The right side of the carpet is a brick wall with a door to the kitchen and in front of the parked car is a little store room, so two sides open. My father designed and built that house. The carport design was not the best, since if you enter the driveway forward you have to make a u-turn to drive onto the carport.
As far as my house, I'm not sure why the same agent had insured the same house for 28 years and suddenly they don't know the place had an enclosed-attatched garage. I'll not inquire, just pay it.
Heaven help if there was a fire, but I'd not rebuild, it's insured for 54,000 more than it's taxed value, since the insurance only covers the structure and is replacement cost.
But, Allstate told me what it needed to be insured for.
I'd clear the lot and sell the lot in case of some disaster like that.
I've never had home owner's insurance before, since living in apartments or mobile homes, so the $527 may be cheap but a "new" bill to my tight disability budget. The property taxes are another "yike", as well as water bill as I've never had one of the those.
I've never had home owner's insurance before, since living in apartments or mobile homes, so the $527 may be cheap but a "new" bill to my tight disability budget. The property taxes are another "yike", as well as water bill as I've never had one of the those.
It's always good to check your bill and insurance coverage once a year, no matter what
As for cost, it all depends on where you live. Mine in CA is more than yours, but I also have friends in another zip code a few miles away - and theirs is three times mine!
Property taxes - does your county/state offer a home owners exemption? We fill out a little green card here, submit it, and it knocks $7000 off the assessed value, which in turn lowers the yearly property tax. But you have to apply - it's not automatic!
We can also get a low-income senior property tax assistance (provides cash reimbursements); and a property tax postponement program (option of not paying until you move, sell, or die). I know there's a disabled veteran program here - don't know about disabled non-veteran.
It's all worth looking for - check out your county's web page. If you can't find it there - call them. Boy, is it worth it!
I'm pretty sure there is also low-income utility help. Check the web sites.
It's always good to check your bill and insurance coverage once a year, no matter what
As for cost, it all depends on where you live. Mine in CA is more than yours, but I also have friends in another zip code a few miles away - and theirs is three times mine!
Property taxes - does your county/state offer a home owners exemption? We fill out a little green card here, submit it, and it knocks $7000 off the assessed value, which in turn lowers the yearly property tax. But you have to apply - it's not automatic!
We can also get a low-income senior property tax assistance (provides cash reimbursements); and a property tax postponement program (option of not paying until you move, sell, or die). I know there's a disabled veteran program here - don't know about disabled non-veteran.
It's all worth looking for - check out your county's web page. If you can't find it there - call them. Boy, is it worth it!
I'm pretty sure there is also low-income utility help. Check the web sites.
so much helpful info. Thanks.
My father was paying $552 for property taxes in 2008. Then in 2009 they were $620. an increase of around 11%. I won't know the 2010 until the bill arrives in November. I remember checking into it last year to get an idea what mine might be, because when you go from no property taxes to "alot" it bites. The taxes on my mobile home were about $26 and basically didn't count it was so small.
I think I was told mine would be over $900. The only exemptions that I'm aware of is something they call "Homestead" and "school tax credit". My father's tax bill for 2008 and 2009 were:
2008 gross taxes: $1821.31 - school tax credit of $1000 - homestead exemption of $268 = $552
2009: $1952.28 - total exemptions of $1331 (they are not itemized on this particular receipt) = $620
The Homestead exemption is for age 65 or over, permmanently disabled (I'm not as I have a case review in 2014), legally blind, or hold complete fee simple title or life estate to your primary residence.
I have zero idea what that last statement means.
So, as the levy went up 11%, so did the exemptions from 1268 to 1331.
I think everybody gets the school exemption, maybe it was voted down etc. I'll have to check. They couldn't subtract $1000 from the $900 or so, that they said mine would be, or mine would be less than zero.
Even though the homestead is for the permanently disabled, I think I'll get that, and just lose it if I were to be taken off disability before age 65.
There is another exemption here described on the tax bill.
Seniorworks Tax Reimbursement Program. Age 60 and over and home owner can participate. Not sure what that is. I'm not 60 yet.
Also we have two brackets, the 4% bracket and the 6% bracket.
My father's was 4%.
Also, either thru one of the exemptions or other rule, we do not pay taxes on the first $50,000 value of the home.
So, with all that and my disability status I'm not sure if I'll be in the 4% category or the 6%, but I think everyone gets the school exemption and it just happened to work out to $1000 for my father based on some %.
Everybody couldn't get $1000 or some would pay no taxes, so it is surely a %.
Thanks for your previous response.
It sure seems very different state to state and the names of the exemptions are different.
As far as my house, I'm not sure why the same agent had insured the same house for 28 years and suddenly they don't know the place had an enclosed-attatched garage. I'll not inquire, just pay it.
Heaven help if there was a fire, but I'd not rebuild, it's insured for 54,000 more than it's taxed value, since the insurance only covers the structure and is replacement cost.
But, Allstate told me what it needed to be insured for.
Having an attached, enclosed garage should have less an impact than say adding a bedroom.
Where do fires start in the home?
From the National Fire Protection Association
Table A.1.2(a) Causal Factors in One- and Two-Family Dwelling Fires that Caused One or More Deaths
Area of Origin Percent Occurence
Living room 41%
Bedroom 27%
Kitchen 15%
Storage area 4%
Heating equipment room 3%
Structural area 2%
Other areas 8%
The garage isn't much of a culprit when 83% of fatal fires start in living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens.
People like to think heating equipment rooms are extremely dangerous but reality indicates otherwise.
Rather dated survey:
Table A.1.2(b) Fires and Associated Deaths and Injuries in Dwellings, Duplexes, and Manufactured Homes by Area of Origin: Annual Average of 1986-1990 Structure Fires Reported to U.S. Fire Departments Area of Origin Civilian Deaths Civilian Percent Fires Percent Injuries Percent
Living room, family room, or den 1,330 37.1 42,600 10.5 2,546 18.6
Bedroom 919 25.6 50,200 12.4 3,250 23.7
Kitchen 541 15.1 92,670 22.9 3,987 29.1
Dining room 83 2.3 3,780 0.9 189 1.4
Heating equipment room or area 62 1.7 15,130 3.7 374 2.7
Hallway or corridor 48 1.3 3,690 0.9 155 1.1
Laundry room or area 47 1.3 15,370 3.8 363 2.7
Garage or carport (attached) 45 1.2 14,580 3.6 524 3.8
You are over 30 times more likely to have a home fatal home fire originating in a living room, family room or den than an attached, enclosed garage.
The extra $20 has to be due to value.
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