Protecting Your Home from Loss Due to Theft

Your home is filled with memories, personal mementos, and most importantly, your family; the risk of losing your valued possessions to theft is a situation you never want to encounter. Ensuring that damages and loss due to theft are covered by your home insurance is important. Here are the questions you should ask yourself and your insurance agent about protecting your home in case of a break-in, and things you can do to protect your home and reduce your insurance rates.

 

Look Over Your Existing Policy

 

The first step in protecting your home is to see if your existing policy covers both your property and the contents of your property in case of a break-in. Most basic homeowner’s policies do not cover these, and so you’ll want to get a clear picture of what you need before proceeding.

 

Asking Your Agent

 

There may be a number of things you can do to reduce the amount you will pay for theft protection, including combining existing policies and making changes to your home’s security. If you already have homeowner’s insurance, adding theft protection may be cheaper than buying a separate policy, especially if you were to go with a different company or broker. Installing an alarm system, adding locks to windows, and other types of home security protection may qualify you for a discounted rate on your insurance.

 

Creating Peace Of Mind

 

Regardless of the insurance issues, protecting your home and family in case of a break-in is important to your peace of mind. Things such as simply hanging a security sign in your window, leaving lights on when you are not home at night, and changing your routine can deter theft. They may not qualify you for a reduced insurance rate, but may protect your home nonetheless.

 

Free to Our Customers

We highly recommend that you take a look at the Digital Locker and use it to its fullest advantage. It is a way that you can keep a personal inventory of everything you own.

The Digital Locker is free and you can use it online or you can download the app and use it on your phone (both iPhone and Android). This first link will take you to an Allstate web page where you can learn a bit more about it and the second link will take you right to the Digital Locker website.

 

http://www.allstate.com/digital-locker.aspx?cid=OTC-SOC-T-131201:Innovation

 

https://www.digitallocker.com/Home/Dashboard/View

What Is Covered In A Life Insurance Medical Exam?

Life insurance is a major purchase. Finding a policy that not only provides you with the coverage you need to care for your family or loved ones, but is also affordable, is critical in making your decision. So you have found the policy that seems to have all the feature you are looking for, and at the right price, but it requires a medical exam! What should you expect from a life insurance medical exam and how can you prepare for it?

What Kind Of Medical Exam Should I Expect?

In general, a life insurance medical exam will try to get an overall picture of your health. You can expect to be asked a series of questions about your medical history and the medical history of your family members. You can also expect questions about your lifestyle that may affect your health such as drinking, smoking, and exercise habits. In addition to a questionnaire you may also be required to have a routine physical that could include taking your weight, pulse, and blood pressure, as well as doing blood work and urinalysis. It is a good idea to have the insurance company send the results to your doctor. That way if you do have a health problem you did not know about your doctor will be informed of the results. It can also give you a third party perspective if you were to fail the medical exam.  Most exams require that you fast for at least 12 hours before to ensure the best test results for your blood work.

Why Do I Need To Take One?

Your insurance company may require you to take a medical exam to assist them in determining what premiums they should charge you. They will compare the results of your medical exam to their longevity charts, which will give them an estimate of how long you are expected to live based on various criteria. The premiums will be based not only on your medical exam, but also on other factors such as your age, gender, occupation, and credit score.

Are There Alternatives?

The policy that you select may require a medical exam. There are, however, a number of policies on the market that do not require a medical exam, and many of these are offered to those who are older or who may be concerned about taking an exam in the first place due to existing health problems.

Overall, if you are in good shape, healthy, and young, taking a medical exam may give you access to a policy with a very low rate. If, however, you are older or in poor health you may want to consider a policy that does not require it.

The Most Important Policy Most People Don’t Have

You know you need insurance to help protect you from the unexpected. You carry auto insurance because you acknowledge the possibility of an accident, theft, or vandalism. You carry homeowner’s insurance because you know a fire or burglary could happen to anyone. You probably have life insurance because you know that if the worst should happen, your family would need to be provided for and you realize that it could happen at any time. And yet, many people don’t carry long-term disability insurance. You know that you are at as much risk as anyone of an accident or illness sidelining you from working, so why not carry coverage to protect you from this possibility?

Another Policy?

With all of the insurance we are required by law to carry or have been told we can’t live without, it can seem like it’s just yet another policy you have to pay for and yet another premium coming out of your bank account, all based on “what if?” Long-term disability insurance is often the policy that falls through the cracks or is simply dropped because people don’t want to pay another premium.

But before you discount disability insurance, consider the reality of what would happen if you were disabled for a long period of time. Your workplace benefits probably give you a small amount of coverage, but when they run out and you still can’t work, what then? A long-term disability policy gives you extended coverage for the difficult situation of an illness or injury that you can’t simply get over in a matter of weeks. Without it, you could lose your home, your car, and your entire lifestyle, all while trying to take care of your health.

The Cost Of Long-Term Disability

If you don’t have an Long Term Disability policy because you feel the premiums are too high or not worth it, take a moment to think about what it will cost you if you do not have the policy and do become disabled. Without your salary, even with whatever benefits you have from work or other sources, your life will change completely. You won’t be able to afford the things you are used to having. Not only will you be facing the difficulty of trying to recover and take care of yourself, you will have to struggle to pay the bill and face the stress of losing things that are dear to you.

Long-term disability insurance is the one policy too many of us do not have that we absolutely need. Don’t wait until it’s too late; give us a call today at 401-433-1111.

What Is Minimum Coverage And Do I Need More?

Minimum auto insurance coverage, in most cases, is not enough to ensure that you are completely protected from the financial and legal responsibilities that may result if you were ever to be involved in a car accident. Here are some facts about minimum car insurance coverage and whether it is enough for you.

What Does Minimum Coverage Include?

Minimum coverage is just that-the minimum. The amount of coverage you need to be legally insured as a driver. It covers you for a very specific amount of liability for any damage you may cause to others’ property, or for any medical expenses and lost wages that may incur as a result of an accident in which you are at fault. It does not provide you with any coverage for your own property or medical expenses for you and your passengers. In many cases the minimum amount of liability insurance may also not be enough if you are involved in a serious accident, and you will be personally responsible for the amount it costs beyond your coverage.

What Should My Minimum Coverage Really Be?

If you want to keep yourself protected as a driver, but still do not want to pay the high premiums, what types of coverage should you have? In general, it is smart to be sure you have both collision coverage, which will pay for repairs to your vehicle, and comprehensive coverage, which will protect you from natural disasters, theft, or vandalism in addition to your minimum liability coverage. This will protect you from out of pocket expenses for repairs to your own vehicle and any medical expenses you may incur. To keep your insurance expenses under control, choose the highest deductible you can afford.

The purpose of any type of insurance is to protect you from the expenses of unforeseen and unavoidable life events. Choosing coverage that provides the right protection is important, and finding a balance between protection and cost is the best way to do this.

Why You Can’t Afford Not To Have Life Insurance

Insurance agents hear the same story over and over again: I know I need life insurance; I just can’t afford the premiums. The trouble is that those who feel they can’t afford to have life insurance are likely the people who need it the most. Here are a few of the reasons why the argument that you can’t afford life insurance coverage likely means you really need it.

You Have No Savings

If you live paycheck to paycheck and have no savings or other backup to cover yourself in case something goes wrong, then you also have no way to provide your family with what they need should you pass away. The less you have in the way of assets and savings, the more a life insurance policy will be needed by your loved ones in the event of a tragedy. How will they pay the mortgage and utilities, buy food, or handle all the other costs of everyday life? Without a life insurance policy, you will be leaving your family in a seriously difficult situation, dependent on charity or family members for help.

There’s No Extra Room In The Budget

When your budget is tight, which it is for many people today, you probably need every dollar that is coming in right now to cover the bills and make ends meet. What happens if some or all of that income is taken away? The family members left behind certainly won’t have a chance of finding income to replace what is gone quickly enough to avoid losing their home and more. While it can be difficult to fit the premium for a life insurance policy into a tight monthly budget, the cost of not fitting that policy in can be a lot higher if something unexpected happens.

If you really think you can’t afford to have life insurance, then the truth is you need to find a way. Talk to us about ways to take out a policy affordably, and look at your budget to see if there is a way you can make room. The more you think you can’t pay for life insurance, the more you need that coverage to protect your family from losing everything if something happens to you. Knowing your loved ones will be okay if you are gone is well worth stretching the budget just a little more.

Most of the time life insurance is a lot cheaper than you think it is. We have term policies for as little as $20 a month with less than 10 medical questions. Even if you can only afford a small policy some coverage is better than no coverage at all.

Flood Insurance – Part 2

Floods are the most costly natural disaster in the United States, causing over a billion dollars in damage every year. Yet many people mistakenly believe that they are safe from flooding because they don’t live in a “high risk” area. But the fact is, every home is in a potential “flood zone.”

Why should you be worried about flooding? In part, because unexpected floods can strike anywhere. One quarter of flood loss occurs in areas designated “low” or “moderate” risk. And the typical homeowner’s policy doesn’t cover floods or water damage of any sort.

There’s also another type of flooding you have to worry about. Flood insurance policies are important, and, we’d say, a necessary expenditure for most homeowners. But you also want to make sure you are protected against water damage due to overflowing sewers, drains, or sump pumps. These occurrences may not count as a natural disaster, but they are certainly a disaster to affected homeowners or renters. And they can cause financial disaster as well. It takes just an inch of water to inflict thousands of dollars’ worth of damage, and it doesn’t matter to your carpet, furniture, wiring, and appliances whether that water comes from a hurricane or a backed up sewer drain. That’s why we recommend additional water damage coverage to all our customers.

We specialize in providing homeowners with affordable policies they can trust, with companies they can rely on to come through for them. You can learn more about me by visiting my Web site.

Better yet, give us a call today at 401-433-1111, or contact us via email at hdaigneau@allstate.com. We‘ll set up an appointment to go over your policy options and make sure your home and finances are protected!

What You Need Versus What Your Employer Offers: Short-Term Disability

When it comes to discussions of disability insurance, the area most focused on is long-term disability. This is generally because people assume that any sort of short-term disability would be easier to ride out financially, and that they already have coverage for this through their employer. While both of these may be true, neither of them negates the need for good short-term disability coverage.

 

What You Already Have

 

If you have a good benefits package with your job, you probably have some short-term disability coverage. This usually provides for a portion of your income to be replaced while you are absent from your position. There are most likely limits on this coverage in regard to how many weeks you are eligible and the amount you are qualified to receive.

 

Very few employers who do offer short-term disability policies provide enough coverage to pay all of your bills. At best, they provide a small amount of assistance that will keep you afloat, just barely. And not for a very long period of time.

 

What You Really Need

 

The term “short-term disability” does not refer to having to take a few days off for the flu. Instead, it refers to an illness or injury that is beyond the usual run-of-the-mill sick days, but not something with an indeterminate duration. Short-term disability may last for a week or two; it generally comes into play when an insured person needs to have a procedure or surgery that requires a relatively long recovery, is in an accident with moderately serious injuries and will be recovering for more than a few days or a week, or contracts a serious illness with a long recovery time.

 

Short-term disability coverage can sometimes run into long-term disability, when the period of recovery lasts longer than expected. This means that, although the word “short” is used, you could be away from work for a fairly long period of time. You need to have enough coverage to pay all of your bills and prevent your financial status from being compromised. How long can you pay all of your bills with a reduced or no income? How much do you have in savings, and do you want it all wiped out by an illness or injury?

 

Carrying a good short-term disability policy that covers what your employer’s policy does not is a smart move for anyone; a short-term disability may not be as life changing as a long-term one, but it can certainly leave you in a difficult position if you don’t have the right coverage.

Who And What Is Covered Under Your Commercial Auto Policy

You count on a commercial auto policy to protect your business from liability risks that could be incurred when you or an employee gets behind the wheel for business purposes. In order to get the most from your commercial policy, you need know what it covers-and more importantly, what it doesn’t.

 

When you set up a commercial policy, it is important to ensure that every potential driver who might get behind the wheel is listed on your policy. As new employees join your company, you will need to contact your insurance agent and make sure they are added to the policy. If anyone who is not listed as a driver gets behind the wheel, you run the risk of being denied coverage in case of an accident. A commercial auto policy can and will protect all of the drivers in your business, but only if you are sure they have been properly added as insured drivers.

 

There are several types of commercial auto policies. Under an individual policy, a specific car owned by the business is covered for liability as well as other options you may choose. When you have a fleet policy, you will have a single policy that covers every vehicle owned by the company. Much like adding new drivers, you should be certain to add and remove vehicles as needed to keep your policy up to date.

 

A commercial insurance policy covers you for property damage and injuries to others that occur as a result of the actions of a covered driver. That means that if your employee is found to be at fault in an accident, the commercial auto policy will kick in and prevent your business from becoming the target of a lawsuit for damages. Why does this matter? Because if you don’t have the coverage you need, your business could face financial ruin. When a business is involved, lawsuits are more likely; injured parties see the likelihood of a higher financial payout. Your commercial auto policy protects you from this sort of lawsuit, providing coverage for the liability you take on when you let employees drive your vehicles.

 

A commercial auto policy also protects you from damage that can be done to the vehicles you own in the course of business use. Vehicles that are on the road more often-as many business vehicles are-are at a higher risk of being damaged. Your commercial policy protects you from errors made by your drivers, theft, vandalism, and other damage.

 

While you are careful in choosing the people you hire, everyone makes mistakes. Unfortunately, when someone is driving a vehicle owned by your company, you can be held responsible for those mistakes. Commercial auto insurance makes certain that your business won’t face a disaster due to an accident.

 

 

Top Mistakes When Choosing Auto Insurance Coverage

You don’t need to be an expert to choose the right auto insurance policy, but you should be aware of some of the basics that will ensure you get the best rate for which you qualify and are protected appropriately. Here are a few of the most common mistakes made when choosing auto insurance, and the ways in which they can affect you.

Choosing Coverage That Is Too Low

Each state has a minimum requirement for liability coverage. In order to quote the lowest possible rates, some insurance companies will always quote at the state minimum. While this will ensure it is legal to drive your car, the minimum liability limit might not be enough to cover you properly in the event of an at-fault accident, especially if you own a home or condo.

When you request an auto insurance quote, be sure the liability limits are high enough to thoroughly protect you and your assets. If a serious accident occurs and your policy limits are quickly reached, you could find yourself in court facing a lawsuit for the rest of the damages, you can even have a lien placed on your home.

It’s better to be protected correctly in the first place. Sometimes an increase in coverage is only a matter of a few cents to a dollar.

Missing Out On Discounts

The number of discounts offered by most insurance companies today can be a long list. But it’s the major ones that you should pay the most attention to. The discount for having more than one policy with an insurer is often quite a large one. If you own a home, try to have your homeowner’s and auto insurance with the same company. It just makes sense, financially and for the sake of simplicity. You will not only get a discount on the auto policy, but on the homeowner’s premium as well.

Believe it or not insurance companies do offer new discounts from time to time to help their costumers save money on their insurance premiums. It is always important to ask your current insurance agent or insurance representative about any discounts that you might be missing out on.

Skipping Affordable Extra Coverage

Most auto insurance policies have an option for roadside assistance. Some may include it automatically, while others require a small extra premium. This coverage will give you protection in case of a mechanical breakdown, locking your keys in the car, or other situations in which you require help. The yearly cost of adding this coverage is far less than the cost of having your car towed, so it just makes sense to add it, but many people don’t realize it is even available.

Even if you have AAA it is still something that you may want to consider having. If you are in a bind and need to call AAA they might not be able to get to you for a few hours but the roadside assistance that your insurance company offers may be able to send someone out to you a lot sooner.

Small mistakes can cost you a lot of money, and have even more serious consequences. Avoiding them is simple if you are aware of them when you select an auto policy.  We are always more than happy to review your insurance coverage with our customers (new or old) and potential new customers.

Keeping Your Commercial Auto Policy Affordable

Insurance is one of the big expenses of running a business. Between coverage for your premises and products, liability and worker’s comp, and the other coverage you might need specific to your company, it can add up fast. Commercial auto can be a big expense for a company with a large fleet of vehicles and drivers.

Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to keep your commercial auto policy affordable. First, take a look at what insurance companies consider when determining the rates. Much as with a personal auto policy, a commercial policy is rated based on several factors such as the type of vehicle being insured, the type and amount of use that vehicle gets, and the location where the vehicle is garaged. In addition to these factors is the driving record of the person who is being insured to drive the vehicle.

Consider what happens when you add a teenage driver to a personal auto policy: the rates go up because there is now a high risk driver using that car. When it comes to your commercial auto policy, you can keep rates under control by ensuring that your employees have good driving records-and keep them that way. Careful hiring practices for drivers in your company can avoid surprises on your insurance bill!

When you select vehicles as company cars, take into account things like the value of the vehicle, safety features, and the likelihood of theft. Cars with a high safety rating and low theft statistics will save you big on premiums. Choose vehicles that serve your needs without going overboard; luxury cars are a nice perk, but not a great choice for insurance costs.

Think about where you garage the vehicles. A safer area with a low crime rate can reduce your rates. You should also be sure to keep the vehicles secured with features like a fence or a garage if possible. The more effort you take to ensure the safety of the vehicles in your fleet, the lower your insurance rates will be. Your insurance company will be taking on a lower risk, and thus charge you less.

If your commercial auto rates are too high, it might be time to shop around for a new policy. Just as with your personal auto policy, you need to compare rates to find the best deal for your company. Smart choices combined with smart policy shopping can mean much better rates.   Give us a call and let’s see what we can do for your business, 401-433-1111.