Norma Grathoff - Country Financial

05/16/2025

Our second homestand of the season starts TOMORROW! 🚨 Enjoy two nights of fireworks, Amazing Tyler and the Windy City Game Theater this weekend!
🎟: https://bit.ly/kccougarstix

04/03/2025

We put together some information to help you understand the basics of a homeowners policy so you’re better prepared when you need to purchase or switch insurance providers. This information is not specific to COUNTRY Financial and is meant to provide a general overview.

◾ What is home insurance?
Home insurance is protection for your home and possessions. You pay your home insurer a premium and in exchange, they agree to pay for the cost to repair or rebuild your home if it’s damaged or destroyed by a covered event (these are outlined in your policy).
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◾ What does home insurance cover?
Home insurance provides protection against damage caused by sudden and accidental incidents. A standard home insurance policy will usually include three main types of protection:
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◾ Dwelling Coverage
Designed to repair or rebuild your main home structure, dwelling coverage is the main protection provided by home insurance.
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◾ Personal Property Coverage
Personal Property Coverage allows you to replace items such as electronics, furniture, clothing and other belongings.
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◾ Liability Coverage
Liability Coverage provides financial protection for you if someone is injured on your property or a member of your household causes damage to someone else’s property. Umbrella insurance is added liability coverage that goes beyond the limits of your existing car and home insurance.
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◾ What is a covered loss?
Covered losses are events, sometimes called perils, covered by homeowners insurance. Talk to your insurance agent about the covered losses contained in your specific home policy.
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◾ How much is home insurance?
Factors affecting the cost of home insurance include: Location, age, size and condition of your home
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◾ How can I be sure I’m covered for a home insurance claim?
You choose how your property will be valued if you have a claim, and that affects the amount of coverage you have to rebuild. While it may vary by home insurer the levels of protection are actual cash value and replacement cost.
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Learn about our home insurance coverage
https://cfin.us/Home-Insurance-101

03/21/2025

Let's dance! 🏀 Good luck to the Fighting Illini and the Cougars as they represent Illinois in this year's NCAA Basketball Tournament!

Fighting Illini Men's Basketball SIUE Cougars Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

09/25/2024

Home insurance is a must to protect you if you experience damage to your home. But you may be looking for ways to save. Here are four ways you can cut costs to your home insurance without skimping on coverage:

1. Look for home insurance discounts.
You may be eligible for money-saving discounts if you make improvements to your home, pay on time or avoid claims for a certain amount of time. We offer these home insurance discounts:
• New Roof discount
• Claim Free discount
• Good Payer discount
• Protective Devices discount
• Smart Home discount
• Welcome discount

2. Bundle your policies.
Many home insurers offer discounts if you bundle your home and auto insurance, along with other insurance products. We offer a Multi-Policy discount for clients who have both home and auto policies with us.

3. Change your home insurance deductible.
I can help you choose a deductible that works for your budget. If you want to lower monthly premium costs, you can choose to increase your deductible. Or you can choose a set dollar amount deductible instead of a percentage.

4. Ask me for a home valuation.
Make sure you review your home valuation with a representative. A verified valuation may help you save money on premiums or at the time of a claim.
These are some ways to lower your home insurance rates. Contact me to find out more.

Norma Grathoff (630) 492-3146. [email protected]
has been protecting homeowners since 1925. Follow for more on how you can protect the things that matter most.

09/24/2024

Home fires can start and escalate quickly in everyday moments. So, here are some fire safety tips you can use to prevent fires.

1.Pay attention in the kitchen
• Turn the burner off before you walk away.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of stove.
• Keep stove clear of oven mitts, towels etc.
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2. Use a space heater with care
• Leave at least three feet of empty space around the heater.
• Plug the heater into a wall outlet (not an extension cord).
• Ensure heater is approved for indoor use.
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3. Maintain your furnace
• Ask a heating and cooling specialist to inspect it every year.
• Change furnace filters every three months.
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4. Check your chimney
• Pay for annual chimney sweeps.
• Dispose of (or vacuum) ashes only after they’ve cooled for at least 48 hours.
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5. Leave smoke detectors enabled
• If your smoke detector goes off while you’re cooking, don’t turn it off. You might forget to turn it back on.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries at least twice a year.
• Pay attention to your wiring very floor, including the basement.
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6. Pay attention to your wiring
• Don’t overload electrical outlets by reviewing wattage rating and following manufacturer instructions.
• If you blow a fuse, consider it a warning and decrease wattage by plugging that item into a different area.
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Don’t forget to make sure you’re protected with proper home insurance coverage. Give me a call today!

09/24/2024

You’ve heard that life insurance is good to have, but maybe you don’t know much more than that. You’re not alone! Read on to get answers to life insurance questions.

What is life insurance?
Life insurance provides your family with money to pay debt, funeral expenses and more if you die. You pay your insurance company a premium. In return, your beneficiaries (the people you select) will get the death benefit when you pass away.

Types of life insurance
• Term life insurance – is coverage for a specific amount of time (10-30 years). If you die during that time, your beneficiaries get the death benefit.
• Permanent life insurance – provides lifetime coverage that builds cash value, like how you build equity in your home.

How does life insurance work?
• For a term policy, select a policy term (10-30 years) and the amount of money you’d like your beneficiaries to get if you die during that time.

• For a permanent policy, if you make the required payments and don’t allow the policy to lapse, you’ll get lifetime coverage. Plus, you can access the policy’s cash value while you’re alive.

Do I need life insurance?
People need life insurance for lots of reasons. Here are the top five:
• Funeral expenses
• Wealth transfer
• Income replacement
• Mortgage pay off
• Retirement income supplement

To find out what type and how much life insurance you need, give me a call today and let’s talk!
Norma Grathoff (630) 492-3146. [email protected]
we’ve been protecting families and providing insurance to our clients since 1925. Follow us for more tips on ways to protect what matters most.

06/11/2024

Kane County Cougars Baseball Tickets

04/03/2024

Are you really saving money by renting instead of buying? If you’re unsure about buying your first home, I can help you figure out the real costs, and help you avoid a few pitfalls along the home-buying journey. Call me. In the meantime … more tips in the article.

Read these home insurance tips and call your insurance agent before making an offer on a home. Get the insurance claims history, a home insurance quote & more.

04/02/2024

Whether you’re ready to start a family or about to send your kids off to college, we’ve got tips for every moment along the way.

04/02/2024

Did you know we offer a new roof discount? The newer the roof, the bigger the savings. Call me today to find out if you qualify.