With smartphone and tablet use on the rise, many of us have grown accustomed to anytime, anywhere access to information.

Thanks to advances in technology, the same real-time availability is now available as part of many home security solutions. Through a mobile app or your desktop browser, interactive services, let you easily:

• Log in to view your system’s status.
• Monitor activity at your home.
• Watch live and recorded video.
• Arm and disarm your system.
• Set up user codes.
• Manage many other features.

For you, mobile access means ultimate freedom, control, and convenience, whether you’re on the couch or across the globe.

Mobile Security Solutions in Action

Below are some sample scenarios to give you a glimpse of how mobile security solutions are simplifying lives.

• If you have kids, elderly parents or even pets at home, mobile security solutions give you the ability to check in 24/7 via real-time video to ensure everything is okay in your absence.
• Remotely unlock or lock your doors - a convenient capability to let cleaning services, unexpected visitors or caretakers in without having to give them a key.
• View activity reports that let you know if doors, windows, safes, etc., have been accessed to guard against intrusion or unauthorized entrance. Set up real-time notifications to send you alerts when questionable events occur.
• Program your lights from afar. Put them on a timer when you’re away so that your home looks occupied, making it less susceptible to burglary.
• Forget to turn your lights off or to adjust your thermostat? No worries; with mobile security, you can control connected appliances from anywhere, effectively lowering your energy bill.
• Manage and monitor second, rental or vacation homes without having to step on site.
• Remotely set up interactions between sensors and lights. For example, if you're coming home alone, maybe you want the hall light to turn on when the front door opens, so you don't have to stumble through a dark house.

When it comes to mobile, the possibilities and applications are limitless, and all available at the swipe of your thumb. Based on your unique needs, your home security specialist can recommend the best setup and interactive services.

Purchasing Tips for Interactive Services

When evaluating systems and vendors, a few key features to look for include:

• Secure, password-protected applications, protecting you even if your device is lost or stolen.
• An easy-to-use mobile app interface that is intuitive and simple to navigate. Ask your sales rep to give you a demo of the solution to see it up close, or if custom onboarding or training is available for purchase.
• Clear contract and service-level agreements with no hidden charges or fees. Don't get fooled with gimmicks that promise discounts up front, but tack on added costs later.
• Quality service and support. A lot can be said about a company by the way their employees treat you during the sales process. Place your bets with a vendor that has your best interests at heart, not a quick sale.
• An assessment of your needs and property so that solutions match well with your lifestyle and security goals.

With a trusted partner, mobile home security solutions can give you the comfort and convenience you expect, and deserve.

35 years is a long time.

Think about some of the things that happened or were popular in 1981.

• Raiders of the Lost Ark
• MTV began
• Prince Charles and Lady Diana married
• Hall & Oates
• The Rubik’s Cube
• Donkey Kong

A lot can happen in that time of time. The fall of The Soviet Union. The Internet. Mobile phones. Emoji. 35-yr term life insurance.

Yes, you read that right. You can now buy term life insurance with a term period of 35 years from American General Life Insurance Company.

Until now, the longest term period available was 30 years. But with the new term length, you can lock in a low rate up to age 45 and keep it until you are 80 years old.

Will you need term life insurance for 35 years?

Maybe and maybe not. It all depends on your unique circumstances. Things to consider include:

• How many years until your youngest child leaves home?
• How many years until all your children (and perhaps grandchildren) graduate college?
• How many years until you pay off your mortgage?
• How many years until you retire?

This is a start, but there’s more to it. Thankfully, we’ve written a thorough guide to help you find out how long you will need term life insurance.

It’s important to note that you are never ‘stuck’ in a policy for the entire term length. Meaning, you can always cancel the policy before the term expires without incurring any penalties or fees. Most life insurance companies will refund any unused premiums as well. Just in time for last-minute holiday shopping!

Water damage is one of the leading causes for personal property insurance claims in Ontario. Learning how to deal with preventable water damage is essential for everyone who lives in Ontario.

Water damage has surpassed fire as the leading cause of personal property claims in Ontario.

The challenge with water is that even the smallest amount of water can be a major headache, resulting in the homeowner having to claim under their personal property insurance. Intact Insurance classifies water damage as the following; flooding, broken pipes, sewer backup, and leaky plumbing.

Protecting your home from water damage

Since water damage is so widespread throughout Ontario, it’s important that you inform yourself and ensure you have the coverage you require to protect your home. Speak to your insurance broker to confirm what your insurance coverage protects and adjust if necessary. Furthermore, we suggest contacting your local municipality to find out if there are any special programs that may be in place to protect your home against water damage. 

Reducing your risk with preventative tips

We cannot control Mother Nature; however, we can implement preventative tips to help reduce our risk of having unwanted water in our home. The following checklist has been adapted by Intact Insurance.

Tips for Preventing Water Damage outside your Home

• Clean eaves troughs and downspouts to ensure proper drainage
• If you have any damage on the outside of your home (including cracks, etc.) repair them
• Ensure you caulk window trim and door frames
• Check your roof and flashing for repairs
• Install weather stripping on exterior doors and windows
• Winterize your pool or hot tub
• Turn off the water supply to outdoor taps after the taps have been left open to drain completely. Leave the taps in the open position until the spring
• Always clear snow away from the foundation of your house

Tips for Preventing Water Damage inside your Home

• Check heat-duct and water pipe insulation
• Inspect any washing machine and dishwasher hoses for cracks or leaks, and clean the filters
• Water shut-off valve - learn the location of it and learn how to use it
• Have the furnace and air conditioner professionally serviced annually
• Have any chimneys cleaned annually and repaired as needed

We’d love to help you navigate water damage prevention - Contact Us if you have any questions or would like a no obligation AMEZones home insurance quote. 

Health insurance, as the word suggests, insures the risk of a person’s medical expenses. It is a type of insurance coverage that pays for all health related expenses from surgeries to small injuries or regular medical check-ups. Health insurance either reimburses the insurer or pays the medical authorities directly. It is often offered by companies to their employees to ensure quality workforce.

Why is Health Insurance valuable?

Health insurance is valuable owing to many reasons. People with no health insurance are likely to get poor medical services, no timely checkups, and quality health becomes a financial burden for such people. Health in Pakistan is a privilege, and health insurance makes certain that you are provided with that privilege in the best way possible.

Reasons Why Health Insurance is Expensive

Health insurance tends to get really expensive because of multiple reasons.

1: Administrative Costs

The top most reason of health insurance being so expensive is the administrative cost. The administrative cost of our health care is huge. Running the health care sector costs a huge amount of money in terms of management staff and administrative staff. More than anything else in the medical department, costs are associated with administrative costs, which is higher than any other department.

2: Drug Costs

Another major factor that makes health care an expense that is out of reach of most people is the cost of drugs. Even the government tends to understand that drugs are really expensive and people under a certain wage cannot afford basic healthcare and lose lives to easily curable diseases like pneumonia. The government tries to negotiate with the drug makers to lower the prices, but because of the fact that most drug making companies are private, they are unable to do much in this regard. Medicines that are provided by the government hospitals are free of costs for a certain class, but it is not enough. The quality of such medicines and the limited amount of the dosage provided is not enough to cure the diseases.

3: Defensive Medicine:

One reason for health care being expensive is defensive medicine. Doctors sometimes, because of their own benefit or sometimes because they are genuinely scared of being sued, do not conduct a proper diagnosis until they have run all sorts of medical tests. Multiple tests can cost a lot, and some tests are too expensive to be affordable for poor people. And the government only provides certain tests free of costs to people under a certain wage and to government employees.

4: Expensive Ways Of Treatment

Because of no or very less concern from the government on health issues, government and private practitioners offer expensive ways of treatments to patients. For example, they may prescribe a medicine from a company they have contracts with, even though a similar medicine of another brand is available at a cheaper price. Personal interests come into play and people are robbed of the opportunities to get right medical treatments. This also happens because of lack of knowledge of the patient or the family.

5: Branding

As mentioned above, the brands play a vital role in over pricing the healthcare. A certain medicine with the same salts can be available in the variety of prices. Practitioners tend to have a certain understanding with these drug making companies and they prescribe their medicine to their patients not considering if they can afford it or not. They tend to forget that not just their health but their lives are at stake.

How To Save Up on Health Insurance Plan

There are multiple health insurance companies, but how to decide which one meets all your expectation of ensuring a healthy life for you and your family? 

Here are few of the factors that you must keep in mind while choosing which plan to go for.

1) Lower Premiums are Not Always The Most Affordable Option

While lower premiums will sound great initially, it might also mean that you will have to pay more for deductibles. These things have to be kept in mind of course. For example, if you go for a high deductible policy, there are chances that you might pay less premium. But then you will have to pay more for the deductible.

2) Compare

Always calculate how much health insurance subsidy can you get and comparing different policies from different companies can help you get a much better deal.

3) Know If A Certain Health Insurance Plan Covers Insurance for All Members

If you are married and have kids, be very careful while choosing a plan. Your health insurance must cover a quality healthy life for all your family members, not just for yourself. By looking for a plan that is perfect for you and your family, you can end up saving a lot of money.

4) Compare the Coverage Of Existing Plans

Some people tend to overlook the benefits that two different insurance plans can give you. This can just help give you an advantage in a maximized way.

5) Health Insurance Waivers

Health Insurance waivers allow a person to get the space to decide with one group of insurer and then after discussing things and thinking them over, they can go for the one that benefits them the most, without any pressure on themselves for selecting a certain plan over another.

6) Health Insurance Agents

One of the wisest things to do would be to get a health insurance broker. It is their field and they can guide you the best as to which plan is perfect for you. These professionals know this field inside out and can help you find whatever you are looking for. Trust us: it is not an unnecessary step.

Health insurance is a basic necessity these days. With the increasing amount of health issues, one must ensure that they can cover their health expenses without a worry. Health insurance also provides a healthy life for your spouse and your kids and is an essential part of modern life.

Let’s face it, home security services aren’t cheap. On top of costing a pretty penny, installing them can be cumbersome, especially if you are thinking of wired home security systems. Wireless home security systems are also available, however, it all depends on your security needs and the layout of your house. Here your old iPhone/iPad can be turned into a wireless home security system, with the help of some apps.

Manything                                                                               

Did you know that you could turn your old iPhone/iPad into a motion-sensing security camera? It’s true! Manything is an app which can do that for you. All you need to do is install this app on your new and old iOS device, place your old iPhone/iPad in the area which needs monitoring (front door or living room) and that’s it. You can monitor on your new iOS device in real time. The app also enables live video streaming.

Some of the distinctive features of the Manything app are:

·         It automatically begins recording as soon as it senses motion

·         You can set it to notify you when it begins to record

Presence

Presence performs the same functions as Manything with a little extra topping. When you download Presence on your iOS devices, your new phone becomes the monitor and the old phone turns into a camera. Just do what you would in the case of Manything – place the old phone in an area which needs monitoring (kitchen, backyard, basement, etc) and watch real time video on your new phone.

Some of its features include:

·         You don’t have to look at the monitor all the time. Saves time

·         Your old phone, which is now functioning as the motion detector, will notify you when it senses something moving

·         And if movement is detected, it will send you an email with a 5-second video clip of the incident

An Important Tip – For these apps to work, you will need a reliable Wi-Fi connection. And it goes without saying that your old iPhone needs to have a working camera.

Are you thinking…

But what good is the old iPhone/iPad for when it’s visible and can be stolen by the burglar? It’s true that the device can be taken by the burglar but do not forget that by the time they steal the phone, you will have a nice selfie of the burglar on your new iPhone.

Canary – Smart Home Security

Canary is another home security app for iOS devices, which not only provides you with video but audio feeds. Like other apps, Canary also notifies you when there is movement.

Some of its distinctive features of are:

·         This smart monitoring system does not require tools to install or set up

·         Alerts you when anything out of the ordinary happens, so that you don’t have to watch the monitor all the time

·         Canary can differentiate between a pet and an intruder so that there are no false alarms

Vivint Classic

If you want to get the most out your iOS app, this is it. In addition to what has already been said above, this app provides you with the ability to remotely control lighting. This is a great feature to beef up your home security. Let’s say you are coming home late or stuck in traffic. It’s getting dark and your drive way or backyard’s lights are not turned on. You can light up these areas with this app, even when you’re miles away from home.

Some of the features include:

·         Remote access to your home

·         You can save up on your energy bill

·         User-friendly app

Vivint Sky

Another home security app by Vivint, Inc, Vivint Sky requires you to have Vivint SkyControl Hub. This app secures a home like a fortress, since it helps you remotely lock the doors. It can also allow your neighbors to check up on your house by allowing them into your garage. You can also remotely adjust the thermostat.

Some of its features include:

·         Remotely lock doors

·         Save money on energy bill by remotely adjusting the thermostat

·         See and talk to visitors

Cloud Baby Monitor

There are apps specifically designed for kids as well. Cloud Baby Monitor is an ideal app to keep an eye on your baby. It provides you with both audio and video feeds. You will need two devices, one in the baby’s room and the other will be with you. Due to encryption, only you will have access to your baby’s video and audio feeds. The two devices can connect via 3G/4G, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. It also enables you to select songs and lullabies for your child from the iTunes library. You can also talk to your baby. This app is also compatible with the Apple Watch.

This app comes with the following features:

·         Live video and audio streaming

·         Easy to use

·         Comes with a night light

·         Multiple children can be monitored from the same device

With technology aiming for new horizons, your security and that of your loved ones is in your hands. Apps have, to some extent, replaced traditional home security systems that require extensive wiring. With iOS apps installed on your iPhone/iPad, you can turn even your old iOS device into an instrument of security. These apps have breathed a new life into an otherwise worthless commodity, which was destined for an online sale or a donation.

Are you a small business owner or a co-owner of a company? Among the many days to day responsibilities you encounter, you also are responsible for your family. You need to protect your family at home as well as your business family.

Life Insurance for Business Owners

Life insurance for business owners can help lay a proper financial foundation by protecting your current and future business. Let’s look into the different situations that life insurance can benefit your company or business.

Collateral Assignment Life Insurance

A life insurance policy can be used for business owners that require cash to begin a business or buy a company. Typically, when you buy a life insurance policy you will name a beneficiary. This beneficiary has an insurable interest to the insured. This beneficiary can be a family member, spouse or a business partner or company. When you’re getting a life insurance policy for an SBA loan or bank loan – it is the same overall concept. You have to assign a primary beneficiary, however- the lender will be named the collateral assignee. If you were to die the lender will get the balance of the loan from the life insurance death benefit. Your primary beneficiary will then get the balance once the loan is paid off.

What would happen in the event that you didn’t use a collateral assignment? If you had the lender the sole beneficiary, the lender would then collect one hundred percent of the life insurance policy’s death benefit. E-exchanger life insurance can help you avoid that.

Executive Bonus Plan Life Insurance

With an executive bonus plan, you’re using a compensating method for specific employees by paying the life insurance policy premiums on the key employee’s life. The employer or business owner will pay for a benefit that is owned by the executive or employee. There are benefits to both the employer and employee when it comes to Executive bonus plans.

For the employer, there is no administration needed, the plan is simple, and costs are tax deductible. For the employee, the executive is the owner of the life insurance policy and of the cash values. The policy is not lost if they were to change employers. The death benefit can be income tax-free.

Key Person Life Insurance

The purpose of key person life insurance is pretty basic:

A company buys a life insurance policy on a key employee, business owner or executive who is very important to the business. The company will apply for a life insurance policy, pay for all of the premiums and own the policy. The business is also the beneficiary of the life insurance policy. If the key person were to die, the company will receive the death benefit of the key person. The tax-free benefit can be used in a variety of ways. It can help make up for company sales as well as lost earnings. The benefit can also help cover some or all of the costs of finding a good replacement and provide proper training.

What would happen if the key person were to die unexpectedly? Could your business move forward without a hiccup? The life insurance death benefit can provide liquidity quickly so you can provide ongoing financial demands.

How about securing loans for your company’s growth? Sometimes loans are needed to help with the financing opportunities of expanding a business. Your lender will often seek collateral as security and the death of a key employee may pose too much of a risk to your lender. It is very common for a lender or bank to require key person life insurance on anyone that is vital to the life of your company.

One of the most important uses of key person life insurance is when there’s a need to buy out a deceased co-owner's interest in a company. There are some unfortunate situations that can arise if a key person policy isn’t in place. How would the deceased co-owner's family receive their share of the interest in the business without selling it off? How would the surviving owners pay off the dead owner’s family in order to avoid becoming partners with them?

Buy Sell Agreement with Life Insurance

When you’re an owner of a company or a partner in a business, a buy sell agreement can be an excellent way to avoid uncertainty. When a partner or company owner dies, the life of the business and its future are uncertain. With a buy-sell agreement, you can make sure you’re helping to protect you and your company from the unexpected or unintended transfer of ownership. By considering a buy sell agreement and funding it with life insurance, you can provide protection and extend the life of your company.

The buy sell agreement will aid the sale and purchase of a company based on a specified event. The most common events are retirement, disability or death of the owner of the company. The buy-sell will lay out specifically who will get what with regards to shares of the business. It will define how much and it will guarantee the buyer at a predetermined price. The buy-sell agreement also allows for the purchasing of company shares from the estate of the surviving family. Lastly, a buy-sell can be beneficial with creditors. Creditors will most likely be much easier to deal with when they can see that a company has protection established to make the loan decisions easier.

Business Succession Planning

Life insurance plays an important role as the driving force in succession planning. It is key that you have adequate coverage for you and your business partners. You need to get a formal valuation of your company and make sure that your coverage is updated with the growth of your company. Succession planning is a very important topic and can be vital to your business. If you let the estate plan dictate how your company transitions, it may cause significant issues. There are many companies that have had disastrous results due to poorly designed succession plans. Just ask the Robbie family and the Miami Dolphins.

Get Started

If you’re ready to get started, make sure you work with the following 3 resources:

• Attorney
• CPA
• Life Insurance Broker

You’ll need experts in each of these areas in order to secure the best strategy and policy for your business succession plan.

How to Get Quotes and Apply

Once your plan is in place you can begin shopping for your life insurance policy. Simply use the free quote on this page to get an idea of rates.

However, the best way to secure coverage is to have our research customized quotes. You can simply contact us at AMEZones.com.  We’re independent and licensed life insurance agents. We’ll find you the best policy at the most competitive price from dozens of top rated life insurance companies. Once we find you the lowest rate, we’ll help you apply conveniently online or over the phone. We’ll help you from start to finish.

Term life insurance can be seen as income replacement if you were to die prematurely.  It’s affordable and customizable.  One of the ways you can customize your term life insurance is with the term length.

The term length of a policy determines how many years you have insurance coverage for.  A permanent life insurance policy lasts forever – hence calling it “permanently.”  A term life insurance policy lasts a specific number of years – a “term”.  The typical term length options are 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years.  So, if you were 30 years old and you purchased a 25-year term policy, you would be insured until you were 55 years old.

A 10-year term policy is one of the cheapest life insurance policies you can buy, which makes sense because the coverage it provides lasts the fewest amount of years.

Even though a 10-year policy may not last very long, there are still situations in which it makes sense to purchase one.

Buy a 10-year term policy if it’s all you can afford.

You may have a lot of bills.  Maybe you’ve got credit card debt.  You couldn’t possibly afford to buy life insurance now, right?  Wrong.  It’s in situations like these when you likely need life insurance the most and can’t afford not to have it.  If your income were to suddenly disappear, what would happen to your family?  If you were already struggling financially, your death won’t make things easier.  Final expenses – such as any debt you had and your funeral costs – would be up to your family to somehow pay.

A 10-year term policy can protect your income and your family’s future while you work toward paying off debt.  A little bit of life insurance is always better than none at all.  Once your finances are more secure, if you decide you want to purchase more life insurance this is always an option.  You can either convert your 10-year policy into a permanent policy (if your policy is convertible) or you can purchase a new term policy.

Buy a 10-year term policy if you are close to retirement.

Most of the time term life insurance policies are purchased to cover the most financially-vulnerable years, such as when your children are small and you have quite a few years left on your mortgage loan.  Other times term life insurance policies are purchased to protect financial responsibilities that may crop up later in life, such as the purchase of a vacation home or your adult child’s graduate school tuition.

As an example, let’s say you are 55 years old and you and your spouse pull the trigger and finally buy that dream condo on the ocean.  It will be a great place for your children and grandchildren to visit.  However, one of your children isn’t quite done with graduate school and tuition isn’t decreasing anytime soon.  You have savings, Social Security benefits will be starting soon, and even though you’re healthy, you still want to be sure that if the unexpected happened, your spouse wouldn’t have to sell the condo and your child could finish school.

Buy a 10-year term policy to supplement your existing life insurance.

Perhaps you planned ahead when you were young and bought life insurance right after your first child.  You locked in a great low premium payment for a 30-year $250,000 term policy.  Perfect.  Your child will be financially protected through her college years and your spouse could pay for your funeral and rent each month.

Now, fifteen years later you’re 40 years old and realize that your $250,000 policy won’t cover your $400,000 mortgage loan.  Instead of applying for a brand new 30-year policy with a $500,000 coverage amount, you can opt to add to your current coverage with a new 10-year policy $250,000 policy.  This will ensure you have an appropriate amount of coverage for the next ten years while you’re paying off your mortgage and through your daughter’s college years – without being over-insured.

Buy a 10-year term policy to protect a loan.

Whether you need to take out a personal or business loan, lenders need to know how you plan on paying back the loan.  They also like a backup plan as assurance that they won’t lose money should you die unexpectedly before the balance is paid in full.  One such option is to assign a term policy as your payment backup should you die.  Lenders will be more inclined to approve your loan if they see you have all intentions of paying it back – even in death.

Interested in a 10-year term life insurance policy?  Finding out how little a policy may cost you is incredibly easy.  Visit AMEZones.com/lifeinsurance. – run as many quotes as you want without being required to enter contact information.  We look forward to helping you purchase life insurance.

Alarm systems and motion detectors can offer you protection and security, but there are other steps you can take to prevent your home from being burglarized.

According to Statistics Canada, alarm systems have helped reduce the number of home break-ins. Insurance companies favor those who have such security systems in place, however, follow our additional steps to further prevent home break-ins.

Doors and windows MUST be locked.

To prevent a break-in, always lock your doors and windows, especially when you aren’t home. Make sure that windows can’t be open from the outside, but that you can unlock them from the inside in case of an emergency. It’s important to change your locks or combinations if you move into a new home or lose your key. You can also use security bars on basement windows or sliding doors. If you have a spare key outside your home, make sure it’s well hidden.

Keep valuables out of sight.

Closing your blinds and curtains at night can stop people from seeing in, but you should also keep valuables out of sight. If a thief can see valuable items, such as jewellery or electronics, they are more likely to break-in. Small valuable items can easily be taken from your home. Keep these items in a safety deposit box or an unlikely place. It is always a good idea to take an inventory of your valuables in your home with videotapes or photographs.

What to do while you are away.

Home break-ins are less likely if it looks like someone is home. Before leaving for vacation, stop your mail or have someone pick it up for you. To make your house look lived in you can keep your grass cut, a shoveled driveway, and a car in the driveway. You can also use timers on your lights. If you have a good relationship with your neighbour, let them know how long you will be away so they can keep an eye on your home. Avoid posting on social media that you are going away and wait until you are back to post those great vacation pictures!

Remember to limit the number of people who know you will be away from your home. We hope you have found our prevention tips useful!  

Installing a home security system is essential in order for you to protect your home, family, and valuable possessions. Having a home security system installed affords you the peace of mind you need in order to live without fear for your home’s safety.

However one of the most important things you need to consider when installing a home security system is the type of monitoring plan you wish to have. Here are a few things you should know when you’re trying to find the best monitoring plan for your home security system.

What is Monitoring?

To put it simply, monitoring refers to the way in which your home security system communicates with a device or center which monitors the information it is receiving. Essentially, a monitoring center processes the information to determine what action or steps need to be taken in the event of a security breach.

Types of Monitoring

When it comes to monitoring for home security systems there are generally two different types of monitoring methods: personal and professional. Personal monitoring is very rare and is usually carried out when you’ve purchased and installed a lower grade home security system. This type of monitoring involves all of the information from the home security system being redirected to you directly. That means you have to keep a vigilant eye on what is happening in your home in order to keep on top of things.

If your attention slips and something happens during that time, nothing can be done because you were the monitoring center so to speak. It was your responsibility to identify a threat and report it to the relevant authorities.

As you can see, this type of monitoring is very cumbersome on the homeowner and can prove to be grossly ineffective in most cases.

The other method of monitoring is professional. This means that the alarm company is the one keeping a tab on all the signals that your house is emitting. If there is a security breach or threat, the alarm company will inform the relevant authorities and help will be sent to your home right away. Alarm companies pride themselves on having fast response times which is what makes them so attractive to customers. The faster the response time, the less likely it is that you and your family will incur serious harm, damage, or losses.

Things to Keep in Mind When Looking for a Monitoring Plan

With respect to monitoring plans, they are typically divided into two broad categories: basic and advanced/interactive. The two different plans differ in how much control you are afforded. The general features of the two plans are outlined below.

Basic Monitoring Plans

If you’ve just gotten a home security system, basic monitoring packages are a great way to start out. This is especially true in today’s day and age because now, the more advanced packages require smartphone and tablet use. If you don’t have a smartphone, basic monitoring is perfect for you.

Advanced and Interactive Plans

These plans are a little bit more complex and give you the chance to be more involved with the monitoring process. If you want to be kept in the loop with everything that’s happening in and around your home, these sorts of monitoring plans keep you updated via your smartphone or tablet. You can expect to get texts and alerts as to the status of your home, remote access to various home security features, as well as access to the cameras and sensors if there are any.

What to Expect from any Monitoring Plan

Generally, all monitoring plans have certain key features. Some of these include:

• 24/7 monitoring and surveillance of your property for everything from break-ins to the state of the environment. This means that your monitoring system is also keeping an eye out for things like excess carbon monoxide, water levels, and smoke.
• Primary contacts – These are generally two numbers which the alarm company calls first in the event of a security breach or problem.
• Secondary contacts – If they can’t get in touch with your primary contacts, the company will attempt to get in touch with your secondary contacts. You can give up to five numbers as secondary contacts.
• Cellular connection – This is the means by which your alarm system forms a connection to the monitoring service. It uses cellular connections as opposed to landlines which aren’t very reliable. A landline can be cut by a burglar to try to cut you off from protection. Cellular connections don’t require wires and are therefore a more reliable way to connect to your monitoring service.

How to Choose Which Monitoring Plan is Best for you

Choosing which monitoring plan is best for you involves a consideration of your personal preferences and circumstances. For instance, are you looking to have more control over what’s happening inside your home when you’re not around or are you comfortable with giving that responsibility solely to the monitoring service?

There are certain cases and situations in which a more interactive/advanced system would be more effective. These include:

• When your kids are at home alone
• If you’re going on vacation and want to keep tabs on the house
• If your elderly parents are living with you and you want to monitor them

In these cases, being able to see and know what’s happening at home while you’re away is very beneficial.

As you can see, what monitoring plan you end up choosing largely depend upon what degree of control you want over the surveillance of your home. If you’re looking to be more involved, an advanced plan is best for you; if not, you can easily settle for a basic plan.

Home insurance companies don’t always tell you everything you need to know. If this means that as you look for home insurance in Oklahoma City, OK, you need to do your due diligence. It will allow you to get the insurance policy that will give you peace of mind throughout the year.

Basic Policies Don’t Include Everything

Every home insurance policy will cover protection to the home, your belongings, and liability. However, a basic policy may not cover the full extent of your belongings, such as if you have expensive artwork or art collector of something. At AMEZones Home Insurance, our insurance agents will take the time to learn more about you and your home in order to build a more customized policy so that it does include everything needed to provide financial protection.

Not All Claims are Accepted

When you file a claim with the insurance company, is not automatically accepted. Often, research will be done in order to determine whether everything happened the way you said it happens or it additionally if you don’t have the coverage within your policy, you would be financially responsible for everything.

Deductibles Vary

Just as with every other type of insurance, you will have to pay a deductible before the insurance company pays anything. Deductibles can vary from policy to policy. This is why it’s important to know what yours is so that if you need to file a claim, you know how much you will have to pay out-of-pocket.

There are plenty of things you should ask when you are seeking home insurance in Oklahoma City, OK. The more you know, the easier it will be to develop a better home insurance policy. If insurance companies aren’t disclosing everything, it is within your right to ask questions and learn more about what is being offered to you. Contact Us today to learn more about home insurance policies.