As temperatures rise, so do the risks of wildfires. In 2023, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) reported more than 55,000 wildfires burning 2.7 million acres across the United States*. If you live in a wildfire-prone area, being prepared is crucial. Luckily, we have some tips to help you get started. 

Here are steps to potentially reduce the spread of flames toward your home:

  • Create a defensible space: Establish a clear zone between your home and any nearby grass, trees, shrubs, or wild-land areas. This buffer can significantly slow down or halt the progress of a wildfire. 
  • Remove potential hazards: Regularly clear debris from your roof, gutters, and yard to minimize fuel for fires. 
  • Prepare your home: Upgrade your home with features like vulcan vents, gutter guards, and fire-resistant windows and doors to enhance its ability to withstand wildfires. 
  • Check your landscaping: Maintain well-pruned trees, keep shrubs away from your house, and opt for fire-resistant plants when landscaping around your property.

Additional resources: 

Questions about wildfire in relation to your Bamboo homeowners policy? Reach out to your Bamboo Sales Advocate today. 

 

*Source: disasterphilanthropy.org 

We know what some of you are thinking – earthquake insurance is one of those unnecessary coverages that you’ll pay for, but probably won’t end up using. We’re here to shake that thinking up (pun intended). If you’re in an area that’s prone to earthquakes or has experienced an earthquake in the past few decades, it’s worth it to look into getting earthquake insurance. Earthquakes can cause intense damage, costing thousands of dollars. In fact, a report conducted in 2023 by the U.S. Geological Survey and FEMA estimates that earthquake damage costs the U.S. $14.7 billion dollars annually – an increase of 140% over the previous estimate from 2017.*

What is earthquake insurance, and what does it cover? 

Earthquake insurance is a specialized type of insurance designed specifically for covering the cost and repairs of damage caused by earthquakes (since your standard homeowners won’t).  Earthquake insurance coverage ranges from structural damage to your home (e.g., your roof, damaged walls, etc.) to replacement of personal property (e.g., your furniture, appliances, etc.). If you need to find a temporary place to stay, it can also help to cover those expenses. Keep in mind, this isn’t a one-policy-covers-all type of insurance, so make sure you run through the details of exactly what your specific earthquake insurance policy covers with your agent. 

Why do I need earthquake insurance? I have a homeowners policy. 

Your homeowners policy will cover many things; but one thing it doesn’t cover is damage to your home, structures, and personal property caused by earth movement (i.e., an earthquake). If your home is in an earthquake-prone area, we highly recommend looking into obtaining earthquake insurance. Good news! Our Bamboo Insurance Agency can help with finding options for you. 

What factors impact the cost of earthquake insurance? 

When obtaining earthquake insurance, your location, the cost of rebuilding your home, and risk tolerance are considered. All these factors impact the cost.  

Does my renters insurance cover earthquakes? 

Unfortunately, it doesn’t. Renters insurance is great for covering situations like vandalism, theft, fire, and other events; however, it generally doesn’t cause damage directly caused by earthquakes. 

Which one is better to have? Homeowners/renters or earthquake? 

If you live in an earthquake-prone area, you should look at obtaining both. Let’s say an earthquake causes a fire, and that fire causes damage to your home. In that situation, your homeowners or renters insurance policy would come in for the save. However, if the earthquake directly causes damage to your home, that’s when that earthquake insurance would really come in handy. 

Looking to learn more and potentially get earthquake coverage? 

Connect with one of our experienced Bamboo Agents 👉 Contact Us Page

 

*Source: temblor.net

Damage to the home caused by water is one of the costliest and most stressful situations homeowners deal with. Even worse? Most homeowners don’t even know they had a leak to start. The impact of water damage can result in way more than just wet floors – like potential mold growth over time, broken pipes, damaged walls, and destruction of your home’s structural integrity. In fact, according to the Insurance Information Institute, approximately 14,000 people nationwide are impacted daily from water damage.  

When it comes to a leak, it’s critical to get the leak stopped and water dried up within the first 24 hours to avoid the growth of mold. The good news is that there are options for systems, like an automatic water shut off system, to keep you aware of any leaks in your home that will even shut off your water to prevent excessive damage. Even better? We’ve partnered up with Phyn, a trusted provider of property and water protection systems, to make it easy to find your ideal one.   

The Phyn Plus system includes a water shut-off mechanism that leverages advanced machine learning and AI to accurately alert you the moment a leak is detected and if needed, will automatically shut off your water. The result? The avoidance of extreme damage done to your property and the costly fixes that come with it. We’ll just go ahead and add this cherry on top: When you purchase a Phyn Plus through us, you’ll get 15% off the system. Wait, it gets better: Phyn will let us know once you’ve installed it and we’ll apply 10% off your Bamboo homeowner policy’s premium**. 

To get started, email customerservice@bambooinsurance.com with your policy number and a quick note asking for the Phyn link.

About Phyn 

Since Phyn’s start, they’ve shown unwavering dedication to improving users’ health, well-being, and communities by strengthening their relationship with water. Their mission is to create the best technology for a more sustainable relationship with water by reducing loss and protecting property and life on the only known planet to support humanity. Learn more about them by visiting phyn.com/pages/mission. 

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Bamboo Ide8 Insurance Services (Bamboo) is Managing General Agency licensed to sell property-casualty insurance products; NPN 18657046; CA License #0M31082. Products and services are provided by Phyn, LCC, or its independent contractors and not Bamboo Ide8 Insurance Services, LLC (“Bamboo”). Bamboo has no relationship with any of Phyn LLC’s independent contractors. Selection of Phyn, LLC, and/or an independent contractor is solely the decision of the eligible policyholder. Bamboo makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, concerning Phyn, LLC, its independent contractors, Phyn Plus, or any other products or services provided by or on behalf of any of the foregoing. Please speak with your independent agent to learn about Bamboo’s coverage products. Products vary by jurisdiction, terms, and conditions and are provided by Bamboo and its insurer affiliates. Details at https://bambooinsurance.com. **Discount is available only to Bamboo homeowners’ policyholders (HO3, HO5, + E&S) in California.

It’s official, spring is here! And what better season than this one to get some tasks around the home checked off the to-do list? Compiled below are some tasks that not only feel good to get done but could also protect your home against any potential mishaps that result in costly damages. 

  • Change air filters: With spring comes pollen, and for those of us with allergies, having clean, high-efficiency air filters can help trap not only the pollen in the air, but also the dust and airborne particles. On top of that, you’re supporting your HVAC system’s longevity by regularly swapping out those filters (we’re talkin’ every 90 days). 
  • Clean your dryer vent: This may not seem too important, but regularly cleaning out your dyer’s lint filter could prevent clogs that reduce your dryer’s efficiency. Even more serious? Dirty dryer vents are a leading cause of domestic dryer fires, according to the US Fire Administration. (Source: architecturaldigest.com) 
  • Clean those hard-to-reach areas: When was the last time you moved your couch and vacuumed underneath? We thought so. The good news, spring’s a great time do that.  
  • Change batteries: Household items that are battery-operated, like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, could probably use a new set. Instead of waiting for them to run out of juice, go ahead and swap those batteries out so you’re set for the season. 
  • Check your hoses: And we don’t mean the ones outside. Your washing machine hoses rupturing could create huge problems that cost a whole lot of money. Go ahead and check those to ensure there are no leaks or swelling, and if you’re feeling fancy, swap out any rubber hoses with braided hoses for more durability and longevity. 

Our final tip? Make sure your homeowners insurance policy is exactly what you need. Start your personalized quote right here. 

For this article, we’re taking it from the home maintenance experts and our trusted home warranty partner, Super Home Warranty.

If house slippers have become more of a necessity than a nice-to-have, you might want to think about what’s creating the extra chill (and we don’t mean that in a relaxing way). Before you touch that thermostat, check the gaps around doors and windows to see if you’re losing out on heat because of worn weatherstripping (or lack thereof). The solution? Installing new weatherstripping to keep your home toasty (and your bank account happy). (PSA: Weatherstripping is for the sides and top of doors and swing-out windows. Slide-up windows are pre-sealed.)

According to Super Home Warranty, take the following steps to get your home’s heating back in check:

1. Check for air leaks to find out where you need new weatherstripping. Put your hand over the edge of a door or window. Does it feel colder than the rest of the surface? You should probably weatherstrip there. You can also light a candle or incense stick and place it in front of the space between the door/window and its frame. If you see the flame flicker, you’ve got unwanted air flow.

2. Choose new weatherstripping. You basically have three options, but we’re skipping ultra-expensive compression strips and V-type weatherstripping this time. They’re durable, which is great, but they’re also hard to install correctly. Do yourself a favor and just opt for self-adhesive strips instead. They’re cheaper, come in rolled-up strips and don’t need to be nailed in (read: less damage to your doors and windows). Cons? You’ll need to swap them out after a few years.

3. Measure your frame. Grab your measuring tape and measure the width of the frame where the adhesive strips will go. This is the small ledge where the door or window meets the frame. (It’ll face outward if the door or window swings out and vice versa.) Don’t forget to measure the length too so you know how much weatherstripping to buy.

4. Get new weatherstripping. Head over to your local hardware store with pictures of the doors/windows you’d like to seal — closed is best, with a focus on the space between the doors/windows and their frames. Find weatherstripping that’s roughly as thick as the gap. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but you do need the doors and windows to close.

5. Remove old weatherstripping, especially if it came with the house. Many houses come pre-weatherstripped. If yours came with compression or V-type weatherstripping, use the claw of a hammer to remove the nails. If you’ve got the self-adhesive variety, just peel it away.

6. Cut the new weatherstripping to the length of the frame. Measure the length of the door/window you want to weatherstrip from the top of the frame to the bottom. Give yourself an extra inch so you can really get into those corners and snip, snip, snip.

7. Clean the frame. Grab a paper towel or washcloth, coat it in soapy water and clean the door or window frame. You don’t want any dust preventing the adhesive on the weatherstripping from sticking.

8. Apply the weatherstripping. Peel as you apply so the strip doesn’t get stuck to itself or something else you don’t want it stuck to. Once you’re done with both sides and the top, close the door or window for half an hour to let the adhesive set. Go make yourself a snack. You earned it.

Pro Tip: Want to seal the bottom of your door as well? Grab a door sweep from your local hardware store — these metal sweeps with rubber bottoms attach to the bottom of your door with screws and create a seal between the door and the floor.

Check out Super Home Warranty’s original article here!

Source: Super Home Warranty

Winter temps are coming in [not so] hot. With the cold air comes the potential for ice and snow, and it’s critical for not only the longevity of your home’s life, but for your safety, to make sure your house is ready to take it all on. That’s why we’ve pulled together some tips for you that will have you saying, “Bring it on, winter”. 

Insulation, insulation, and more insulation: The chilly air creeps in and cools down your house (ya know, the opposite of what you want), which then cranks up your heater – ultimately increasing the amount on your monthly heating bill. Having your pipes, attic, and crawl space sufficiently insulated helps to block out cold air and keep your house at the temp you want it without your heater putting in overtime. Hello, potential savings and cozy winter nights.  

Chimney and fireplace: Whether your fireplace runs on wood or gas, have a professional come check it out before you fire it up. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (via consumerreports.com), “fireplaces, chimneys, and heating equipment are some of the biggest causes of home fires”. Having a professional inspect yours could potentially help to avoid any mishaps. 

Trees and tree limbs: Mature trees are beautiful. The damage that their dead limbs can cause is not. Have a trusted tree service come out and inspect the surrounding trees for any branches that might not get along well with ice or snow. 

Outdoor water devices: Those spigots and sprinklers sure do come in handy for most of the other seasons, but in winter, there’s the potential for them to cause quite some chaos if not properly drained. Make sure you drain and store any hoses and/or sprinklers, and open outdoor spigots to drain trapped water prior to the first freeze. Contact your local plumber for tips (or help)! 

Homeowners insurance: We’ve got you on this one! If you want to level up on your homeowners coverage, get started today right here. 

Did the responsibility of bringing a side dish somehow manage to land on your plate? Where we’ll never turn down some canned green beans, if you’re looking to bring more to the table (literally) without the extra work and time, we’ve got you. Here are 5 remarkable-sounding recipes that are surprisingly simple to make. 

  • Buttery Garlic Green Beans: If you haven’t guessed it, we like green beans – and they’re an essential for any holiday meal. Here’s your opportunity to still bring the green beans, yet with this recipe, you can bring them with some extra deliciousness.
  • Baked Sweet Potatoes: Need a recipe that’s almost impossible to mess up? This one’s simple to make, with minimal prep, that you can just pop in the oven. (And who doesn’t love some sweet potatoes?)
  • Broccoli Cheese Bake: If you’re wanting to kick things up a notch, this is a good one to take on. Light prep, simple ingredients (some that you might even have already), and a yummy outcome.
  • Air Fryer Caramelized Bananas: This might be leaning more towards a dessert, but it looked too good not to share. This might be the simplest recipe on this list, with the potential to be one of the tastiest.

Another thing we make easy? Getting insurance. Get started today by clicking here.

I think we can all agree that we’re very ready for the cooler temps that the fall season will bring. But is your home ready? (And we’re not talking pumpkin decorations.) We mean prepping your house and yard to make sure they’re ready to take on the falling leaves, cooler temperatures, and new things this season brings that could impact them. If you’re not sure, we rounded up a few of the best maintenance tips we found to help you out!

Your house

  • Clearing roof and gutters: Go ahead and clear debris off and away from your roof and gutters. Unfortunately, this isn’t a one-and-done chore. During fall, leaves well…fall…and allowing your roof to get covered and your gutters to get clogged could result in costly damages.
  • Changing your filters: Having fresh air filters will keep your home at the temperature you’re wanting it.
  • Assessing for cracks in and around your house: When water gets into cracks, then freezes, it expands. So not only will your cracks get bigger, so will the cost of fixing them.
  • Checking for drafts inside the home: As the weather gets cooler, feel around for any areas that might be allowing the outdoor air in (like under doors that lead outside, windows, etc.). Getting these gaps addressed before the winter cold will help save on energy (and money).

Your yard

  • Scheduling an aeration treatment: Having your yard aerated will help to restore your grass from having been fried over the hot summer. Hello, green luscious grass for fall!
  • Planting bulbs: Depending on your geographic location, planting flower bulbs in the cooler fall months, like September and October, helps to support stunning blooms come spring and/or summer.

As always, if you’re looking for a little extra protection this season, fill out this form and one of our trusted Bamboo Advocates will reach out and help you find just what you need.

Tropical Storm Hilary is expected to bring heavy rainfall and wind to Southern California starting Saturday, 8/19. You and your family’s safety are of the utmost importance, so we’ve provided some top tips on preparedness below.  

  • Know your zones: You can find this by searching evacuation zones/mapping for your area. 
  • Pack your emergency kit: Have an emergency kit ready that can easily move around with you. While you’re at it, check the batteries in your flashlights and assess any other equipment used in these situations, like storm shutters or generators. 
  • Review your family emergency plan: Go over with your family where everyone will go and how to get in contact with each other. 
  • Bring in loose outdoor items: Items like patio furniture, umbrellas, kids toys, etc. should be moved into the garage or an area where they aren’t susceptible to being blown over/away by high winds.

Find more tips and helpful information here at weather.gov. 

After the storm, if you notice any damage to your property, we’re here for you. Get started on filing a claim right away by calling (877) 333-6938. (You’ll need your Bamboo Policy Number.) 

We’re continuing to think of those in the projected path of Tropical Storm Hilary, and wish for nothing but safety for you and your family.

The heat is slowly but surely creeping in, and it’s about that time to get your pool ready to take on some cannonballs. If your pool’s been out of service for the past few seasons, it’s time to start prepping for action again. With that, we’ve got some tips to help you start the pool season off the right way. 

Inspecting your pool 

And we don’t mean just testing the water. Dedicate a good bit of time to inspecting, cleaning, and reconnecting all pool equipment that’s been off duty the previous seasons. You’ll want to ensure they’re working properly for another long summer season. It’s also worth it to hire a professional to come out and inspect certain pieces of equipment, such as your pool filter and pump. 

Cleaning your pool 

Clear any debris that’s sitting on your water and vacuum the pool’s floor to remove any dirt that’s at the bottom of your pool. Keep in mind, this isn’t a one and done step – it’s recommended to do this at least once a week. While you’re at it, check your pool’s filter to ensure it doesn’t need to be changed.  

Checking the surrounding area 

Now that you’ve prepared your pool, it’s time to look at the surrounding area! If you have concrete or wooden flooring around the pool, check for any chipping or exposed nails that could be potential hazards. You’ll also want to double-check that your pool area’s fence is in working condition and the gate is able to be secured. And to keep those oasis vibes strong, hose off any dirty chairs or tables so your guests (and you) can sit back and enjoy your at-home pool. 

Keeping swimmers safe

With a pool comes great responsibility – like the safety of those who swim in it. When children are among your guests, assign shifts so that there’s an undistracted adult supervising the pool at all times. Ask visitors not to run, to avoid diving, and to stay away from the drain. Where “pool rules” may take you back to your younger days and the lifeguard blowing their whistle at you for running at the neighborhood pool – it’s smart to not only have rules established for your own pool, but make sure everyone who visits knows and follows them. Signing up for a local CPR class is a big recommendation, too! 

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If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the maintenance, try creating a pool cleaning schedule to make sure you don’t miss a beat when keeping your pool nice and clean. Pools are a large undertaking when it comes to care and maintenance. But dedicating the time to keeping up with it is all worth it when you and your loved ones are spending quality time together enjoying it, safely.  

To find out if pool-related incidents are covered by your homeowners insurance policy, reach out to your Bamboo Advocate or contact us through the form on our Contact Us page to find out!