What type of insurance do I need for my boat? 

When it comes to insuring your boat, it can be hard to know where to start. Most new boat owners start by wondering how much coverage will be provided by an existing home insurance policy.  But it’s often best to separate your boat insurance from your homeowner’s policy or any other policies that you might have. The majority of home insurance policies either offer very limited marine specific coverage or don’t cover boats at all.

If your home insurance does provide marine insurance, it’s important to ask what type of coverage is included.  Most home insurance policies that have some type of marine insurance included only offer coverage when operating the boat on inland waterways, small lakes, and rivers. Coverage rarely reaches to a coastal inlet or along the beach.  Additionally, the liability limits can be restrictive.  Oftentimes a home insurance policy won’t provide coverage for costs that you might be liable for such as salvage work, wreckage removal, and environmental damages.

What are the variables involved in most boat insurance policies?

There are many variables which insurance companies will consider when determining your boat insurance premiums.  Some of the most common of these variables include:

• Length of the boat
• Age of the boat
• Overall value of the boat
• Condition (Does it meet US Coast Guard Standards?)
• Horsepower of the motor(s)
• Where it will be kept and operated

What types of boat coverage are there?

There are two basic types of boat insurance —“agreed value” and “actual cash value.”  Applying deprecation at the time of a loss is what sets these policy types apart.

An “agreed value” policy insures the boat based on its value when the policy was initially written. While it can cost more upfront, there is no depreciation for a total loss of the boat.

“Actual cash value” policies cost less upfront but factor in depreciation. The policy will only pay the boat’s actual value at the time of loss. Over time, as your boat ages, your insurer will likely insist on an actual cash value policy—and your premiums will likely decrease over time as a result.

What coverages are often available on a stand-alone boat policy?

The availability of specialized coverages is the advantage of purchasing a stand-alone boat policy rather than relying on your home insurance.  Some of these coverages include:

• Accessories Coverage: Coverage for a specific high-value piece of equipment on your boat, such as an expensive prop or navigation equipment.
• Wreckage Removal: Covers the cost of removing and transporting your boat in the case of severe damage or sinking.
• Towing: In the event that your boat breaks down, this coverage will reimburse you for the costs associated with getting back to shore.
• Cruising Extension: You can get temporary, additional coverage for areas outside the USA such as Mexico or the Bahamas.

The best way to get more information on boat insurance is to ask a licensed agent in our office.  We can assist you with assessing your insurance needs and provide you with some quotes from several of the top insurance companies.

Get A Quote For Your Boat Insurance Today

Our licensed staff is ready to help you get multiple boat insurance quotes.  Because we’re an independent insurance agent we can shop from multiple insurance companies to help you find the right coverage at the right price.

During the pandemic, many individuals may not feel comfortable getting on an airplane. However, many still want to travel. Perhaps a road trip can be the answer. Road trips allow you to see what is between your home and destination, something that hopping on a plane doesn’t, but it is essential to have the best plan in place before you hit the road.

First off, where do you want to go?

This is the most important question. Start with your end destination. For example, say someone who lives in Washington State wants to travel to Death Valley National Park.

Start with your basic questions:

• How much time can I spend on the road?
• How long will it take to get to my end destination?
• What are my route options?
• What am I interested in seeing?
• Is everything open that I am interested in seeing?
• Do I want to rent a car or use my own car?

Once you answer those questions, you can begin your planning.

Grab the basics for your vehicle

It doesn’t matter if you are renting a car or using your own, it is good to have the basics in the car for your road trip.

• Flashlight
• Food and water
• Owner’s manual
• Spare tire & roadside kit
• Cell phone charger
• Blanket
• Small trash bag

Adding comfort to your road trip

Comfort can come in many ways. From wearing comfortable clothes & shoes to having snacks. We will share below some items that can bring comfort to a long drive.

• Good music playlist. Whether you create it on your phone or pack a bunch of CDs, music makes a comfortable drive. Not a music fan? What about an audio book?
• Hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes. Obviously this is more important than ever with COVID-19, but having access to clean hands brings comfort.
• Sometimes you will come across a vendor who only accepts cash. Sometimes there are tolls you have to pass that require cash. This is always good to have on hand.
• Snacks – pack your favorites!
• Sunglasses & sunscreen
• First Aid Kit
• Cooler – this allows you to bring a variety of food choices. Especially if you don’t want to eat out every meal, packing your own meals brings safety and routine to your diet.
• Pillow
• Camera & camera charger (unless you use your phone for photos!)

Another common question – if I am renting a car, do I need to purchase their insurance policy?

This choice is up to you. Your auto insurance coverage would cover anything on your rental car that is covered on your personal car. Comprehensive and collision insurance is a required coverage on rental cars. If your current auto insurance coverage does not have comprehensive and collision coverage, you will need to purchase that coverage. Also, consider roadside assistance if you plan to be in an area unfamiliar to you.

What else should I know about creating the best road trip?

This may sound silly, but keep your head up and enjoy the scenery. If you are sitting in the passenger seat, it is easy to scroll through your phone instead, but sometimes the gems along the route are better than the destination.

Also, it may be fun to keep a journal of all the details of your trip. Especially if you are a fan of scrapbooking your trips, you’ll remember all the little memories that may be easy to forget.

Lastly, do some research. If you are a foodie, research the best places to eat on your route. Whether it is a simple Google search or looking at Yelp, it is easy to find tasty food.

If you have any questions about your existing auto insurance or RV insurance coverage, please contact us before you hit the road. Safe travels and enjoy the open road.

Jewelry is often one of the most valuable belongings in your home and, for this reason, it’s something you may want to consider insuring. Most pieces of jewelry can be fragile, easily lost, and they are among the first items stolen during burglaries. But most people still fail to insure expensive pieces of jewelry with high sentimental values.

Below is some general information to help you understand how much jewelry insurance can cost and the different ways that you can purchase insurance for some of your most precious belongings.

Homeowner Insurance

One common way to insure jewelry is on a homeowner’s insurance policy. Usually adding your jewelry to your home insurance will cost you extra. Homeowners insurance rates will vary based on the amount of coverage you choose for your home, the location, age, and condition of your home, and other factors like your marital status and even your credit score.

Most home policies don’t automatically cover your jewelry. You’ll need to ask for an endorsement to your policy to cover your jewelry. And, as jewelry is a high-value item and is often stolen or lost, you’ll see a separate amount of coverage for it on your policy.

The cost of jewelry insurance can vary but typically it’s between 1% – 5% of the total value of your jewelry collection.

The different home insurance coverage options

When it comes to comparing home insurance, there are many different options to choose from. Some of the most common options that you will want to consider when taking out a policy include:

• HO-3 Insurance – This is the most popular type of insurance and, if you have a mortgage, you are often required to have at a minimum this level of coverage.

This type of policy will cover any damage to your home, apart from any exclusions in the policy, which might be events such as floods or earthquakes.

As for the coverage for your belongings, this policy is commonly referred to as a Named Peril policy. On an HO-3 policy, your belongings will only be covered for events listed in your policy. Also, you typically will only be reimbursed for the actual cash value of your belongings rather than the true replacement cost.

• HO-5 Insurance – If you are looking for more holistic coverage, then this type of policy provides more extensive coverage than an HO-3 policy.

HO-5 insurance provides the same amount of protection for your home as an HO-3 policy. But for your belongings, HO-5 is commonly referred to as an Open Peril policy. This means that rather than only covering your belongings for perils that are named in the policy, your belongings will be covered for everything unless a peril is specifically excluded in the policy.

An HO-5 policy will also reimburse you for replacing your belongings if lost or stolen rather than only providing the actual cash value of your property.

The best way to get more information on jewelry insurance is to ask a licensed agent in our office. We can assist you with assessing your insurance needs and provide you with some quotes from several of the top insurance companies.

Get A Quote For Your Jewelry Insurance Today

Our licensed staff is ready to help you get multiple jewelry insurance quotes. Because we’re an independent insurance agent we can shop from multiple insurance companies to help you find the right coverage at the right price.

Avoiding Frozen Pipes

When the temperatures drop in the winter, there is a possibility that your water pipes could freeze. Since water expands when it freezes, there is a chance that a pipe could burst, which could cause major damage to your home. To avoid this from happening, install frost-proof hose bibs, find and wrap exposed water pipes and keep garage doors closed.

Driving in the snow and ice

Auto accidents during the winter are often related to slick roads and driving in poor weather conditions. Whether you live in a climate that gets yearly snow and icy roads or you are traveling to a climate that does, every driver should have the knowledge for driving in these conditions.

A few things to consider:

1. If your vehicle starts to slide on the road, take your foot off the gas until you regain traction. While it can be natural to want to slam on your brakes, try not to do this.
2. Make sure your vehicle has plenty of windshield washer fluid. The last thing you want to do is run out of fluid on muddy, frozen roads, and have it impact your visibility.
3. Always check weather conditions. If conditions are bad and you still have to make your trip, allow yourself extra time to get to your destination. This allows you to drive slower as well as give yourself more distance between other cards on the road.

Liability concerns regarding ice or tripping hazards in your driveway

With more people doing home delivery for groceries, gifts and other necessities during the pandemic it is important to keep your delivery area clear of hazards. Avoid being held liable for a slip and fall injury claim by keeping your driveway and stairs clear of hazards for your delivery drivers. Keep extension cords tucked safely away, make sure steps and driveways are free of ice and slippery surfaces are scrubbed clean. A huge thank you to delivery drivers everywhere.

Review your policy

Life changes, so should your insurance policy. If you need an agent to review your current insurance policy, reach out to us! There are many scenarios where an update to your insurance policy may be necessary. Items such as a kitchen remodels, a big-ticket purchase like jewelry, art, collectibles or antiques or if you are driving less to name a few. If you are shopping prices or want to change your coverage, reach out to us. We can shop all our insurance carriers and help you find a policy that suits your budget and coverage requirements. We will always explain your coverage options too.

Watching for rodents

Rodent damage isn’t always covered by your home insurance policy. Rodents are always looking for a warm place during the winter months and likely would prefer to enter your home if given the opportunity.

Here are a few tips:

1. Cover all holes and gaps in your crawlspace by checking your screens and access panels.
2. Never store food in your garage or crawlspace. Also leave your pet food in a safe place. It can be stored high on racks or in an airtight container.

If you suspect a rodent may be in your crawlspace, consider calling a professional to come out and look.

When did commercials become interesting and funny? Watching TV has become more about how entertaining the commercials are versus the sports we happen to be watching, like a big football game.

Advertising is big business and insurance advertising represents one of the biggest spenders. In fact, the three largest insurance companies spent a combined 1.62 billion dollars on advertising in 2019, according to statista.com.

Today, we will look at some of the trends that insurance companies have had over the past decade or so.

Market Position

One of the most common trends with insurance advertising has been insurance companies touting their size as if that is an indication of their good products. The advertisements often say they are the biggest insurer of certain products like commercial truck, motorcycle, auto or home insurance to name a few. While size is important for investors, there are many regional companies who offer great insurance products and have financial stability. As an independent insurance agent, we offer many great regional choices as well as large industry leaders so you can choose the right company for you.

Humor

There are some hilarious insurance commercials. However, it seems like the funniest ones have absolutely nothing to do with insurance! The truth of the matter is insurance is serious business, but when it comes to attracting new customers, the best commercials are the ones lacking seriousness.

Fear

Slow motion car accidents, houses burning, burglary, teen drivers killed in accidents… Insurance is meant to protect you from accidents and devastating property damage or injury. It is no wonder that some insurance commercials aim to incite fear to get consumers to act claiming they can protect you from these things. While in fact no insurance company can protect you from the dangers of driving or a devastating flood from occurring, they can however protect you from the financial losses that are incurred because of these life-altering events.

Claims Scenarios

When it comes down to it, when you purchase an insurance policy, you are paying for financial protection and claims assistance. Many insurance companies today advertise purely on the fact that they covered certain scenarios or claims that occurred. Some of these are scenarios are humorous and others are quite serious.

When it comes to your insurance, most companies you can choose will provide you with exactly what they say – insurance coverage for catastrophic events in your life. While most of us will have to endure an insurance claim at some point in our lifetimes, the best we can do for you is fit you with an insurance company that truly meets your needs the best and offers you and your family the auto, home or business insurance you require.

Chances are we offer more than one of the insurance companies you have seen on TV and we can provide you with a quote on them as well as many other great insurance companies. Contact us and we will provide several quotes for vehicle insurance, property insurance and more!