Here are some updates on insurance or common questions we hear from customers.

Do I Need to Purchase Insurance When Renting a Car?

If you are planning on taking a trip this spring break, you may be renting a car. At the time of checking in or even during the process of getting a rental car reservation, every rental car company will ask if you want to purchase insurance.

Your personal auto insurance policy does provide you with coverage for a rental car, but it is always important to understand what your personal auto insurance policy covers. Even if you have full auto insurance coverage, your rental car is still not 100% covered.

If you get into a car accident in your rental car and the car needs to be repaired, the rental car agency will charge you for downtime since they cannot rent the car out again until it is fixed. It is also possible that the rental agency may claim diminished value if you damage the car. Purchasing this specific coverage from the rental agency would help cover the cost of these claims.

How Inflation is Impacting Insurance Policy Premiums

You may have noticed your home or auto insurance policy increased at renewal, but you didn’t have any tickets or claims. Inflation has caused rates to increase across the country. Not only are insurance carriers receiving more insurance claims than before, but it is also costing insurance carriers more with settling claims.

Anytime insurance carriers see an increase in claims, they will raise their premiums to all customers.

Inflation is also impacting your insurance coverage. For instance, if you have a homeowners loss, the cost to repair your home has increased substantially since inflation began. The cost of materials and labor is up.

If your insurance policy has increased significantly, reach out to us. We can re-quote you with other insurance carriers we represent to see if we can find you a more affordable policy.

Best insurance discounts

One of the best insurance discounts you can receive is bundling your auto and home/renters insurance together with the same insurance carrier. Paying your insurance policy in full or participating in a driver’s safety course/telematics program through your insurance carrier also provides you with additional discounts.

If you are looking for additional discounts, reach out to our agency.

Update Your Insurance Policy Every Few Years

Since inflation has increased, it may be time to review your current home insurance policy, specifically your replacement cost. If your home has increased in value over the past few years or if you have done major renovations that improved your home value, it is important your home insurance policy reflects those changes.

If your home value increased, but you didn’t make any changes to your policy & had to settle a claim, it is possible your home has become underinsured.

If you have expensive jewelry insured, it is advised to get it appraised every few years to ensure it is properly insured. If it has, be sure to let us know of the new value.

Insurance Coverage for Boats, RVs, ATVs, Motorcycles and more.

It’s that time of year when we start thinking about our powersport vehicles. Whether you are shopping for a new toy or need to review your current existing policy, our agents are here to help. We can explain your coverage options or provide you with a new insurance quote.

When we think of an issue that may arise by being a homeowner, many people wonder if their problem can be covered by insurance.

My House Has a Mold Issue, Am I Covered?

If your home develops a mold issue, is it covered by insurance? The easiest answer is most likely no. Most mold issues do not occur overnight and this is the main reason why it is not covered by insurance. Insurance carriers tend to see mold as a sign of neglect. This could occur if you have a leaking pipe or if a window isn’t sealed properly, which eventually leads to mold growth.

Some home insurance policies may name mold as a covered peril so it is important to review your coverage details or discuss coverage with your insurance agent. There also may be a few scenarios where you may be covered if your mold issue developed quickly. This could occur if you experienced water damaged from a burst pipe or appliance.

Homeowners never want to deal with a mold problem and many times it can be prevented.

Tips to Avoid Mold Issues

• If you are shopping for a home, you may want to pay for a mold inspection before you move in. Sometimes mold can be hard to detect if it is hidden inside the walls of your home or underneath your carpet.
• Check your gutters to ensure they are free of debris. Clogged gutters can also cause more problems than just mold growth.
• When it is a nice day, open up your windows to allow fresh air to circulate. This could decrease moisture inside your home.
• Be aware of any leak inside your home and fix it immediately. Be sure to check your roof, as this is another common place to develop leaks.
• Do you ever notice any condensation on your walls or windows?
• Do you smell anything musty inside your home? This is the common scent of mold growth and it may be time to hire a professional to inspect your home.
• Perform yearly maintenance on any appliance that uses water.
• If you see any mold growth in your home, be sure to clean it with soap & water or a cleaner. Mold can form in many places such as your shower, toilet, sinks, inside your refrigerator, under your kitchen sink, inside your trash can, microwave, stove, window sills, mattress, vents, etc.
• Purchase a dehumidifier and keep it on low levels in your home.
• Always run your fan when taking a hot shower. Mold loves moisture.

We hope you never experience a mold issue, as this can cause damage to your home and your health. Preventative action is the best way to reduce your risk. If you have questions about your current home insurance policy, call our agency.

Prepping your home in the event you lose power or a natural disaster strikes –

We all know the importance of being prepared, but what percentage of us actually do the prep work? A good way to ask yourself if you are prepared is to assess what you have on hand now. If a disaster struck today or if you lost power for several hours to days, would you be prepared? If the answer is no, use this list to start preparing yourself this week. January can be a great time of year to start a new habit!

Checklist for home –

• Non-perishable food: canned goods, noodles, bars, cereal, dried fruit, nut butter, crackers and other items with a longer shelf life are important to have on hand. If you currently use an electronic can opener, be sure to have a manual can opener too. You should have enough food supply for several days. Check on your inventory every six months. Also, make sure everything you have for an emergency your family will eat.
• Water: Water isn’t just essential for drinking, but can be used for brushing your teeth, cooking food and washing your hands. Keep one gallon of water on hand per person minimum. A several day supply is even better.
• Flashlights: when your power is out, flashlights are essential. Be sure to have a few on hand. A variety of flashlights are handy – traditional and lantern style. Be sure to have extra batteries stored away too.
• First Aid Kit: you can get a variety of sizes and features with many first aid kits. Even without planning for a power outage or natural disaster, this is a good one to have in your home or car.
• Battery powered generators or gas generators: An ideal item to have for a natural disaster is a power generator. This allows you to run lights, refrigerators and change your cell phones. This technology has come a long way recently so be sure to look at the options available and get one with enough power to suite your needs.
• Bonus items: filtered masks to protect you from contaminated air and an emergency whistle.

Your home should require more emergency items on hand. It is important to keep your vehicle stocked with essentials in the event you are get into a car accident, experience a flat tire or your car breaks down, as well as items for cold weather.

Checklist for your vehicle –

• Reflective triangle
• Flashlight
• Ice Scraper
• Cell Phone Charger
• Blanket
• Bonus: jumper cables & first aid kit

All of these items can prepare you if you have a flat tire, need roadside assistance and aid with bad weather.

While we hope you never have to experience a natural disaster or accident, we hope you are always prepared. If you have questions about your home or auto insurance, call our agency. We can review your coverage to ensure you have the protection you need.

The holiday season tends to see some of the biggest crime waves throughout the year. Here are some things to be aware of when it comes to lowering your risk for theft this holiday season.

Vehicle Break-ins:

Nobody wants to have their vehicle broken into. Not only does it cause a major inconvenience, but it feels violating & you could have valuables stolen out of your vehicle. To lower your risk of a break-in, always follow these tips.

• Never leave valuables in your car. There are many scenarios where you may have valuables in your car, whether for a short period or a long period. If you are out doing holiday shopping, store items in your trunk or cover them so they are not exposed. If you are parking your vehicle outside overnight or for an extended period, always remove valuables from your car. When parking for an extended period, you are at a higher risk for a break-in. Even if your vehicle was broken into, at least you can say you didn’t have anything for the burglar to take.
• Park your vehicle in well-lit areas. This could prevent thieves from breaking in if they think they could be caught on a security camera.
• Always lock your car. Get in the habit of locking your car each time you get out of your vehicle. Unlocked doors gives prowlers a free look to see what is inside & a locked car can sometimes prevent valuables from being stolen.

If I had valuables stolen out of my vehicle, does my auto insurance policy provide coverage?

The short answer is no. Comprehensive coverage on an auto insurance policy will provide you with coverage if your vehicle is stolen. Items stolen from inside your vehicle are typically not covered.

Mail Theft:

Many people receive gifts in the mail during the holidays. Gift cards and cash can often be found in holiday cards & thieves may be out lurking in your mailbox hoping to score your gift. Here are a few tips to always remember this holiday season regarding your mail.

• Get in the habit of picking up your mail daily, even if you have a locked mailbox. Prowlers can still break into your mailbox if they see mail sitting there.
• If you plan to be gone for an extended period, hold your mail. This can be done online for free with USPS.
• Ask a trusted neighbor, friend, or family member to pick up your mail.
• Don’t place cash, check, or gift cards in your outgoing mail. Did you know a thief can easily use your checking account number on your check to steal your identity? If you can, take outgoing mail to a drop-off location.

Doorstep Theft & Home Security:

Many people do more online shopping during the holidays which means more packages getting delivered to your doorstep. Thieves are aware of this. Follow these tips to lower your risk of theft at your home:

• Track all your packages. If you see a package is getting delivered on a day you will not be home, ask a friend, family member, or neighbor to grab it for you.
• Ship packages to a different location. This could be your work or friend or family member’s home where someone will be around to pick up the package for you.
• If your delivery provider has the option to pick it up at their distribution center, consider this option if you will not be home.
• If you can provide a message to your delivery provider, consider asking him or her to leave your package in a specific location at your house that is not visible to thieves.

We hope you have a wonderful holiday season! If you have any questions about your insurance policy, please contact our agency.

Insurance premiums are calculated based on how much it will cost to replace or repair your home or vehicle as well as your overall risk. Your overall risk is broken up by several factors that can impact your auto insurance such as your driving record, claim history, your age, credit score, zip code, the make and model of your car and the type of insurance coverage limits & deductible you choose. Your home insurance premium factors can be based on the age of your home & condition, your zip code, credit score, home safety features, the coverage limits & deductible you choose, claim history and more.

We are seeing a trend that many customers continue seeing an increase in auto and home insurance premiums at renewal, even if their overall risk has not changed.

Home insurance has increased because construction costs have gone up due to a shortage in building materials and labor. Not only has there been a shortage in materials and labor, but the cost of materials and labor wages have also increased. Lastly, there has been an increase in home insurance claims due to natural disasters. Anytime an insurance carrier experiences an increase in insurance claims, they will increase their future premiums for customers. This can even extend across state lines.

Car insurance has also gone up for several reasons such as more accidents occurring, a shortage of skilled labor and car parts have increased in price. All these factors make insurance premiums more expensive.

If your home or auto insurance policy premium increased significantly at renewal, don’t panic & give us a call. We represent the top insurance carriers, which means we work for you. We have the ability to shop your current coverage with all of our carriers & provide you with several quotes. This gives you the option to have competitive prices, as well as several choices.

We can also provide you with professional insurance advice. We always want you to have plenty of insurance coverage to ensure you are protected in the event you have to file a claim.

Here are some things to consider when it comes to lowering your premium: 

1.) Bundle your home or renters insurance policy with your car insurance.

2.) Stay on top of home maintenance to lower your risk of a claim. A few areas to assess are your roof, plumbing and electrical. Insurance claims can impact your future insurance premium so if there is a way to prevent a claim, this is crucial.

3.) Talk to your agent about an insurance review. When you increase your deductible, your premium gets lowered. Please note if you do experience a home insurance claim, out of pocket expenses would be increased due to a higher deductible.

4.) Ask for a re-quote with other carriers. This is a big advantage of working with a local, independent insurance agency. We have many choices for insurance!

Contact our agency today with any questions or concerns you have about your insurance policy.