The first Sunday in November marks the time to set your clocks back. It also marks the onset of darker evenings. Home insurance experts say it’s a time when burglars can increasingly target properties this time of year. They have more dark hours which gives them a great opportunity to strike, according to Halifax Home Insurance. The insurance provider says last year they recorded a 63 percent increase in burglary claims during winter months compared to summer months. “Year on year we typically see far more burglaries occurring during the winter,” said Halifax Home Insurance Senior Claims Manager Martyn Foulds in a news release. ” Burglars will tend to go for the path of least resistance and look for homes that lack even the basic security measures, so a few simple cost effective steps can go a long way to avoiding a break in.”

Some tips to help you make it through the winter without welcoming in a burglar include:

* Keeping valuables away from windows and doors where a crook can easily spot them.

* Mark property with an inscription or ultra violet pen.

* Photograph your personal items and keep track of receipts and serial numbers.

* Invest in a small safe to keep unused credit cards, personal documents and small valuables like jewelry.

* Make sure all doors and windows are locked.

* Even though it’s convenient, don’t hide a spare key outside of your property.

* Consider installing an alarm.

* Trim bushes near windows to give burglars fewer hiding places.

Not only is it a good idea to revisit your home insurance policy for theft reasons, WVNS says it’s also a time to reevaluate your coverage overall. Insurance agents advise assessing the true value of your home. That way if bad weather, flooding or snow hits you’ll be covered. “When a loss happens we have insurance to pay for the damage, but there’s a lot of hidden costs that you’re not compensated for; in that you don’t have insurance coverage to pay for you to shop around for a new refrigerator and a new roof, or a contractor to repair the damage,” Jim Songer, President of Songer Insurance told WVNS.

According to an annual survey by J.D. Power and Associates, satisfaction with homeowners insurance companies fell to the lowest level in five years. Tabulated scores came in at an average of 750 on a 1,000-point scale, a 23-point drop compared to 2009 ratings. The US National Homeowners Insurance Study surveys people on policy offerings, price, payment and claims and billing.

The company that came out on top according to those surveyed was Amica Mutual. The company has filled the number one spot for nine consecutive years. Coming in behind Amica are Auto-Owners Insurance, Erie Insurance, and Cincinnati Insurance. “Homeowners insurance policyholders are already price sensitive due to the economy,” Jeremy Bowler, senior director of the insurance practice at J.D. Power and Associates, said in a statement. “Approximately 50% of customers don’t have a clear understanding of how much coverage or what type of coverage they have on their home, and many have erroneously expected their premiums to decrease just as home values have declined since 2008. As a result, many customers believe their policies are not aligned with their property values and express dissatisfaction.”

If you’re looking for ways to be more satisfied with your insurance policy, study officials say to bundle home and auto insurance policies because those surveyed were more satisfied with that scenario.

A 2008 wind storm is still causing problems for Ohio homeowners. This time instead of downed trees and ripped off roofs, homeowners are having to deal with higher homeowners’ insurance rates. According to the Ohio Department of Insurance, rates increased by an average of 9.7 percent. The Ohio Department of Insurance surveyed the top ten providers of homeowners’ insurance, according to the Dayton Business Journal.

The increase comes on the heels of a seven percent increase in 2008, which at the time was the largest jump in five years, according to reports. Insurance companies say they paid out more than $1.4 billion in 2008 as a result of the September wind storm that left millions without power for days. The storm was what was left of Hurricane Ike, wiping out power to 1.9 million electricity customers in the Dayton area.

In addition to increased homeowners’ insurance rates, Ohio residents will also see a 2.8 percent increase in auto insurance rates. But despite the increases, reports show that Ohio is still the sixth lowest in the country for homeowner’s insurance rates and the 11th lowest for auto insurance rates.

A huge insurance company in California is accused of breaking state laws and could face big fines. The state Department of Insurance released a report Monday according to San Francisco Chronicle  that says that Mercury Insurance Group, the state’s third largest insurer overcharged customers and also denied some people coverage.

Mercury company officials released a statement maintaining their innocence. The company said in the statement that it “takes very seriously our responsibilities to consumers and our customers” adding, “We don’t engage in practices that would overcharge our customers.”

The report identifies 35 alleged violations in a span of about three months between March and May 2007. The violations include instances where Mercury supposedly barred people from coverage if they worked in certain jobs including bartenders, painters, cocktail waitresses or artists. Also, the report says that homeowners insurance premiums weren’t applied on time, resulting in overcharges for the insured. According to reports, Mercury has ten days to correct the violations and otherwise faces a $5,000 fine for each violation. This isn’t the first time Mercury has faced fines. In 2008 the company paid $200,000 in fines and in 2006, they paid $300,000 for violating insurance laws, according to Insurance Department officials.

An earthquake struck California earlier this week with the epicenter shaking rural Baja California. While the 7.2 magnitude did some damage, it was not widespread. However, the natural disaster did bring to light that few Californians carry earthquake insurance. In fact, according to KPBS, only 12% of California homeowners have earthquake insurance. “California homeowners, in this most recent event, basically dodged the bullet,” said Glenn Pomeroy on KPBS. Pomeroy is the CEO of the California Earthquake Authority, which is a state-run non-profit that provides 70% of the earthquake insurance in California. “Let’s say the 7.2 that happened on Sunday happened under Los Angeles,” Pomeroy said. “We would see massive destruction. Homes destroyed. Infrastructure badly damaged.”

In 1994, following the costly Northridge Earthquake, California leaders created the earthquake authority which now has the ability to cover billions of dollars with of earthquake damage claims. But in order to receive it, homeowners must purchase policies and the majority do not. Think you’re covered by your homeowner’s policy? Not so says Pomeroy. Most do not cover earthquake damage. “Keep in mind that FEMA grants usually top out at about $30,000,” Pete Moraga told KPBS, a spokesman for the insurance industry in California. “And if you get or qualify for a low-interest loan, it’s still a loan and you’re going to have to pay it back.”

So how much can an earthquake insurance policy cost? Experts say if your house would cost $200,000 to replace, you would have to pay $30,000 out of pocket before you get any insurance money. That means the insurance often only covers cases of extreme damage, unlike what occurred as a result of the recent California earthquake. The annual cost for a policy can be as much as $1,000 a year in places that are more likely to get hit. But experts say other locations can cost just a few hundred dollars a year. However, some believe homeowners are better off putting that money towards improving their current home rather than buying policies. According to Pat Abbott, professor at San Diego State,”For most people they are better off spending even a few thousands of dollars strengthening their existing homes, and remove problems they have, at a cost less than the deductible on their insurance policy anyway.”

Forget the economy or tough credit– if you’re selling a home in a flood zone and you need flood insurance in order to close on the purchase, you’ll have to wait. Congress wasn’t able to agree on terms for extending the National Flood Insurance Program before going to recess. That means NFIP can not issue or renew policies as of March 28. While existing policies aren’t impacted, it means sales of homes in flood prone areas are forced to tread water.

This delay has happened two other times in recent months because of political and funding delays. “I’m for continuing vital programs like flood insurance and I think we should use common sense and extend this necessary program without further increasing the federal debt,” said Sen. David Vitter to Houma Today, R-La. “Louisianians, Americans get this. Why can’t Congress?”

Congress will take up the legislation on April 12 when it returns to session. Standard homeowners insurance policies don’t cover flooding which is why the flood insurance program was created in 1968. It offers coverage from floods caused by hurricanes, overflow of rivers or lakes, rain storms, mudslides and snow melt.

There are many truths in the insurance world that the average person is not aware of. The problem is that not knowing the ins and outs of various types of insurance can cost you. What you don’t know about insurance could hurt you so start learning everything you need to know.

There are many factors that can influence your homeowners insurance rates, and most of them fall into a few general categories. When you are buying a home, you will want to think ahead of time about how much that home will cost to insure.

You wouldn’t think that your dog would be such a major consideration when buying homeowners insurance, but it can be. Your dog, and its breed specifically, can affect your insurance premiums just as surely as the age of your house can. You want to go into this situation fully informed of the weight that your dog can carry in your insurance company’s determination of your rates and how you should approach this matter as a whole.

Flood insurance is pretty self-explanatory, but who needs it? The answer may surprise you because the answer is almost everyone. Are you aware that flooding is the most expensive natural disaster than can happen to your home?