Ask An Agent - Do I Have Full Coverage?

“Do I have full coverage?” is a popular question around our office. Clients often want to know if they have full coverage or liability only on their auto insurance policy. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as full coverage insurance!

Here’s the problem - “full coverage” has become a common term, but it can mean lots of different things. If a bank tells you that you need full coverage, they typically mean Collision and Comprehensive coverage. But you might think that full coverage means you have everything we offer. And there are a few important differences between the two.

Collision is what fixes or replaces your vehicle if you have an accident.

Comprehensive is what fixes or replaces your vehicle after storm damage, theft, vandalism, and other situations that don’t involve an accident.

These two coverages are usually required by lenders and are sometimes called full coverage. But there are other things you may THINK you have when you say full coverage, that aren’t automatically included.

One of those items is Rental Reimbursement. This is the coverage that supplies you with a rental car while your car is in the shop for repairs due to a claim. Another is Towing coverage, which tows your vehicle if it breaks down or even runs out of gas.

So what should you do to make sure you’re protected? The best recommendation is to work with a local agent who can sit down and review your coverage line by line. We’ll explain each item, make suggestions for gaps you may have in your coverage, and make sure that you know EXACTLY what you’ve got! No more vague “full coverage” nonsense. Call us today for a quote or to review your current policy!  

Get Financially Organized This January!

Getting organized is one of the top New Year’s Resolutions each year.  And while you might not be ready to organize your entire house, here are a few things you can do to quickly organize your finances!

Review Your Statements - Look over your bank and credit card statements for the past year.  While it’s great to check for mistakes on a regular basis, this time you’re looking for things that you pay for each month.  Those recurring monthly charges or fees can cost a lot if you’re not actually using the service.  Look for anything that you can cancel in the new year and put that money in savings instead! 

Check Your Credit - You should check your credit report at least once per year.  You’ll want to look for mistakes as well as see your credit score to determine how healthy your finances are.  Use a website like www.annualcreditreport.com to request a free copy of your credit report.  Sites like Credit Karma are also an easy way to estimate your credit score.  Your credit card company may also offer credit monitoring services. 

Backup Your Computer - This might not be directly related to finances, but it’s a good reminder anyway!  Take a few minutes to back up your computer, phones, and photos.  Use a tool like Dropbox or iCloud to securely backup your documents. 

Getting organized doesn’t have to be difficult!  Take care of these quick tasks and be on the road to financial wellness in 2016. 

Want to save money on insurance while you’re at it?  Give us a call today at 508-347-9343 to request a free quote.

How Healthy Are Your Finances?

January is not only the beginning of a new year, but also the official Financial Wellness Month.  It’s a great time to look over your family finances and see where you can improve.  Here are a few great places to start…

Get rid of debt.  Debt reduces your monthly income, costs you money in interest, and can make it harder to purchase a home.  Maybe 2016 will be the year that you get rid of it once and for all? One simple tip you can start with is leave your credit card at home. Only having cash on hands limits your spending. For more great tips on where to start and how to create a debt payoff plan, check out books by Dave Ramsey or Suze Orman.

Put more money in savings.  The easiest way to save money each month?  Put it on autopilot.  Set up an automatic transfer from your checking to your savings account on the day you get paid.  Or find out how you can save money tax free in a retirement account through your employer.  The less you have to think about it, the easier it will be to save! 

Get the right insurance.  You don’t want to skimp on insurance coverage, but you don’t have to overpay either!  Call us today to schedule a free no-obligation insurance review.  We’ll look at all of your needs and find you the best policy for the best price.

Protect Your Home This December (With These Tips)

Winter (and Christmas) are just around the corner!  Here are a few important things to keep in mind to keep your home, vehicle, and family protected this month.

Have you decorated your home for the holidays?  While Christmas lights are pretty safe, it’s overloaded extension cords and outlets that pose a fire threat.  Be smart when plugging in your lights.

Space heaters are another fire danger.  Only choose heaters that have an automatic off switch if they tip over and keep them far away from flammable materials or fabrics. 

If you choose a real Christmas tree, make sure to keep it watered and turn off the lights when you’re not home. 

Before Santa arrives (or you light those fireplaces), make sure your chimney is clean! 

If the temperatures dip too low, remember to let your faucet drip slowly.  This will relieve pressure in the pipes and prevent them from freezing and bursting. 

Make sure your tires are well aired and in great shape, especially if you will be driving on icy roads.

Say a “Thank you!” to all of the First Responders in our community who work long hours during the holidays to keep us safe! 

We wish you and your family a happy holiday season!  We’d love to keep you protected all year long.  Give us a call today at 205-347-9343 for a free quote and consultation.

We will be closing at 1 PM on Christmas Eve (24th) and will be closed Christmas Day (25th) through Sunday the 27th. And will be opening at 9 AM on Monday the 28th. A very merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays from all of us! 

Keys To Great Holiday Travel

Are you planning a trip during the holiday season?  If you’ll be hitting the road over the next few weeks (or anytime really!), here are a few important things to keep in mind.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE TOWN:

•       Get your oil changed and make sure your tires are properly aired up.

•       Leave some lights on in your home so it doesn’t look empty at night.

•       Ask a neighbor or friend to pick up your mail or newspaper. 

•       Pack some snacks!  No one wants to be driving hungry (especially if you’ve got little kids riding in the back seat!) 

•       Pack a car charger for your cell phone.  Your phone is is your map and your emergency contact.  Don’t let it run out of battery power on your trip!

•       If you’ll be traveling in snow or ice, make sure to pack emergency supplies in your vehicle.

•       Plan to travel on off-peak days.  It will mean less traffic, less stress, and a faster route to your destination.

•       Get a good night’s sleep!  Driving fatigued is a leading cause of accidents.  Stay rested. 

DURING YOUR DRIVE:

•       Wear your seat belt!  Always.

•       Keep your gas tank at least half full.  You never know how long it could be between gas stations or how bad the traffic could be.  Don’t run on empty! 

And above all…be flexible!  Travel stress can ruin your holiday fun.  Plan to take your time and enjoy the ride!  

Tips for Insuring Your High Value Jewelry

Christmas is a popular time for new jewelry purchases.  Between engagements, holidays, and all of those jewelry sales, it seems like everyone has a few new trinkets by the time January rolls around. 

If you’re investing in a new ring or receiving any special jewelry, then there are a few things you need to know about jewelry insurance!  Let me help….

Jewelry is part of the Contents coverage on your Home or Renters policy.  It is covered on a basic level, but it’s usually not enough coverage if you have several nice pieces.  (This varies by policy so call us to find out exactly how much coverage you have.) 

But there is a special coverage you can ADD to your policy to insure each piece of jewelry!  It’s called “scheduled personal property”. 

You simply send us a copy of the appraisal (sometime’s a receipt will work too) and we can tell you exactly how much it will cost to insure it.  Many times it’s less than $20-30 per year!  (It really depends the value.) 

We can also discuss how this coverage protects you if you lose the jewelry and if you’ll still owe a deductible. 

Even if you don’t want to insure each piece of jewelry you own, you can still increase your overall jewelry coverage to make sure that there is enough to protect your collection.  You will still want to add photos, descriptions, and appraisals or receipts to your Home Inventory! 

The holiday season is a magical time!  Make sure that your beautiful gifts are protected.  Call us today to get started!  

Are Your Christmas Gifts Covered?

This time of year, most of us are doing a lot of shopping!  Christmas gifts and holiday sales mean that everyone is buying a little bit more than normal.  So what does that have to do with insurance?

 

Let’s look at some common purchases and how you can make sure they’re protected!

 

Electronics - Did you purchase a new flat screen TV or Xbox on Black Friday?  Maybe a new laptop or some high dollar headphones? 

 

All of these items are covered for theft or fire (or any other covered peril) by your Homeowners or Renters Insurance, but they are subject to your deductible. 

 

However the BIG problem is that when someone has a major fire or burglary, they FORGET what they have!  It’s hard to remember every item in your home. 

 

That’s why we recommend that you keep a Home Inventory of high-dollar items.  Save your receipts, take photos, or just keep a list.  Keep this info in a safe place (like a file backed up in the cloud), so that you can access it in case of a claim.  Our agency recommends knowyourstuff.org, a great free Home Inventory site provided by the Insurance Information Institute. This isn’t required, but you’ll be glad you have it! 

 

Guns, Jewelry, & Art - If you purchase high dollar, custom, one-of-a-kind, or collectors items, you need to contact us as soon as possible!  These items will be covered by your policy, but may be limited to an amount much less than what they’re worth.  If you contact us, we can review your policy and tell you exactly how much coverage is available and if you need to add these specific items to your policy.

 

And what about all of those gifts sitting in your car trunk?  Yes, it’s a great place to hide presents from the kids but here is the bad news - your auto insurance DOES NOT cover the contents of your vehicle.  That means that if someone breaks in and steals everything, it’s only covered by your Home or Renters policy.  And if you have a large deductible, you could be out of luck!  Get those presents into a safe location quickly and don’t keep them stored in your vehicles. 

 

’Tis the season for lots of shopping!  Call us to make sure all of your possessions are properly protected!