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It's a busy time, and insurance is the last thing you want to think about. We get it! Insurance is one of those necessary things, but it isn't something you want to do. So wouldn't it be the WORST if you had to deal with an insurance claim this holiday season? What if you had to contact that agent you barely know to try and get to that carrier you don't remember and what if it doesn't turn out the way that you hope?
That can ruin a holiday season. That can ruin any season!
So if you aren't sure about your insurance, give us a call! We want to review your policy, show you where there are gaps, and maybe even save you some money. Best of all? You get friendly customer service from an independent insurance agent who understands the whole market - not just their one carrier.
If you are in Kingston or Kitsap County, feel free to stop by our office and check out all our holiday cheer! We'd love to see you!
Continue Reading... If you have an insurance policy for your car, whether a family car or for your business, chances are you have physical damage coverage on that policy. Although it is not required, most people elect to have it, as it covers any damages to your vehicle from accidents, or other mishaps.
Physical Damage coverages are often broken between Comprehensive and Collision coverages. Collision covers your car for the obvious - any sort of collision. If you run your car into a tree, or a guard rail, or another car, if the accident is covered on your policy this coverage will pay for the repairs minus your deductible (more on that later). Comprehensive coverage, sometimes called "other than collision" covers that things that can happen to your car that is not a collision. This is things like the windstorm that blows a tree on your car, or the hailstorm that causes damage, and really anything else that isn't a collision.
Here comes the fun part - these coverages are written on coverage forms that list either what kind of accidents are covered, or lists what kind of accidents are excluded. So you absolutely must read your policy. And ask your agent! You want to know what kind of things you are and are not covered for. You don't want to be surprised when an adjuster tells you it's not covered.
Another important consideration is how the company is valuing your car. Different ways of valuing means different kinds of coverage. Often our business auto clients have a stated value - meaning that the most they will get is an amount they estimate their car is worth at the beginning of the policy. Other types are actual cash value - meaning the amount the car is worth at the time of the accident. Or Replacement value - how much it would cost to replace your car with something equivalent. See more about this in our post on
valuing your valuables.
So now, let's talk about deductibles. A deductible is the amount that you pay in the case of an accident before your insurance company provides the remainder of the money they have determined that they owe to repair your vehicle. But what about when the accident isn't your fault and the other insurance company should be paying for your vehicle? You can put in the claim at your insurance carrier and they can handle that part for you. If you want your car repaired prior to getting the money from the other carrier, often you can have your insurance company pay for it, pay your deductible, and then get it reimbursed when the other insurance company pays your insurance company back.
Want to know about your auto physical damage coverages, or how much your deductible is for? Give us a call at 800-843-2430 and we'd love to help you
Continue Reading... The first thing you need to know is how your valuables are valued! Here are the words you may see:
Now, do the second part. Call your agent and make sure you understand how your valuables are valued in your policy. Make sure you know what you would get in the case of an accident - and make sure it's what you will need!
Have more questions? Give us a call at 800-843-2430.
Continue Reading... What does it cover?
Because this is a liability coverage - it covers things you are liable for. Your responsibility has to be proven before your coverage takes effect. Then your coverage will help pay for bodily injury and property damage. This means if you serve alcohol to a guest, and the person you served alcohol to goes out and injures another person (like a drunk driver causing a car accident), you can be named partially responsible for that accident. Then you may be held responsible to help pay for medical bills, damage to the car or other property, and may even be named in a lawsuit. Your liquor liability coverage would come into effect then - paying the medical bills, repair costs and defense costs up to the limit of insurance.
Where do I find this coverage?
There is usually some coverage under your homeowners policy, but that is for personal exposures. If you are having a large party, in your home or outside of it, you may want to get
special events coverage with liquor liability to help cover your risk. That way when you have lots of people and you are serving alcohol your guests are covered, and anything your guests do to each other or property around them is covered.
If you own a business where you serve alcohol, liquor liability can be added to your general liability policy. Often, liquor liability goes hand in hand with abuse and molestation as well - and having both on your policy is essential. Take you policy out and make sure you have it. If not, make sure you get it added on. It is often an additional coverage and has it's own separate limit. Make sure you have the coverage, and that it has enough money to cover your defense costs in the case of a lawsuit, or the medical bills in the case of a terrible accident.
Don't let one bad decision destroy your business or your life.
Need a quote for liquor liability? Give us a call at 800-843-2430 and we would love to help you out!
Continue Reading... Because homeowners insurance is a grouping of policies, you tailor your policy to fit your situation. If you need a homeowners policy, or want to review what you currently have, give us a call and we would love to help you out. So now that we know who needs a homeowners policy - let's talk about what it is.
What does homeowners insurance typically cover?
Homeowners coverage is broken into four different types of coverage:
1. Your physical home itself - the structure
2. The things that you own inside the house - your belongings
3. Liability coverage - lawsuits and medical coverage for guests
4. Additional living expenses - when you temporarily cannot live in your home because of an insured disaster.
So what does this look like -
Your policy is going to list the things that are covered - things like fire, hail, lightning and other disasters. In the case of one of these "insured events" these things are covered: Your house can be rebuilt, your possessions replaced, and the cost of living out of a hotel while being rebuilt paid for.
The liability coverage pays for lawsuits for bodily injury or property damage that you or others in your family cause, including your pets. So if your children break something in the neighbors house, your policy covers that. It also provides medical coverage, so if someone is injured in your home their medical bills can be covered. This does not cover medical bills for yourself or your family.
So how do you know if you have enough coverage?
Think about your house, how much would it cost to rebuild it today. Not when it was built, but today. How much is it worth, how much are the things inside your house worth. Sit down and talk with your insurance agent about the cost and make sure you have enough coverage to rebuild your home in the case of a total loss.
For liability it is a good idea to increase the minimum limit or to think about adding an umbrella to increase the limits across both this policy and your other personal liability policies as well. Make sure you think through what an injury or damage to others property might cost you, and make sure you have enough coverage!
Have questions about what kind of Homeowners insurance is right for you? Give us a call at 800-843-2430 and see what we can do for you!
Continue Reading... 
Umbrella Policies provide an extra layer of protection for your homeowners, auto and other liability insurance policies. This helps by increasing the amount of money available for large claims and major legal action that may occur. The policy only comes into effect once the liability limits on the policies underneath of it have been used.
