​Gifts are an important part of many holiday traditions, and while you can’t put a price on their sentimental value you certainly can—and should—insure their financial value in case a costly item is lost, stolen or destroyed by a fire or other disaster.

If you receive a sparkling engagement ring, a stunning piece of art or even took advantage of the end-of-year sales to treat yourself to a new set of golf clubs or fast new bike, it is important to contact our insurance agency to make sure the items are properly insured.

Generally speaking, personal possessions are covered under standard homeowners and renters insurance policies. However, there may be a limit on the amount covered for theft. Typically, items such as jewelry, furs, collectibles and precious stones are limited to $1,000 to $2,000.

To properly insure jewelry, consider purchasing additional coverage through a floater. In most cases, a floater also provides coverage for ‘mysterious disappearance,’—for example, if your wedding ring falls off your finger or is lost, you would be financially protected.

Floaters (also known as endorsements) are available as an addition to homeowners and renters insurance policies, carry no deductibles and frequently provide the option of having the insurance company replace the item for you. Prices vary depending on the type of jewelry, the insurance company you choose, where you live and where the item will be kept. In addition to jewelry, floaters are also available for furs, fine art, musical instruments and even sports equipment.

If you receive an expensive present and want to make sure it is adequately protected, we suggest that you contact our insurance agency even if you are insured elsewhere. Let us know that you now own a piece of jewelry, a fur or other expensive item. We will review your insurance to find out how much coverage you have under your current policy and whether additional insurance is needed.

If you're lucky, you might never need to make a major home repair. Cars, on the other hand, will eventually need some parts replaced. Tires don't last forever, and neither do spark plugs, brake pads or timing belts. So, it's worth asking whether auto insurance will cover those replacements when they need to be made.
The answer is no. Car insurance will not cover normal wear and tear. In fact, if you are in an accident because you failed to maintain your car, such as driving on bare brake pads, your auto insurance provider might not approve your claim.
​The reasoning is simple: Car insurance is designed to cover unexpected damages and losses. A smashed windshield, a stolen car, liability costs. Wear and tear damages are losses that we can plan for.
You can generally expect your provider to cover damages and losses relating to the following causes:

• Theft
• Vandalism
• Traffic accidents
• Damages suffered while parked (a falling tree, for instance)

You can generally not expect your insurer to cover damages and losses such as the following:

• Bald tires
• Worn brake pads
• Exterior rust
• Ripped or worn out upholstery
• Electrical problems
• Worn down axles

It is a general rule of thumb in insurance that you cannot expect the anticipated to be covered. Insurance will not cover the inevitable, only the possible. Even if damages or losses are common, there is a good chance that you can find a provider. If damages or losses are unavoidable, there's simply no motive for insurers to cover the risk.

​Further, insurers do expect you to take good care of whatever it is that you are insuring. A homeowner who discovers a leaky pipe and simply leaves it to drip will likely see their claim rejected when they file for the damages they've suffered as a result. The same goes for your car. If you want to make sure that you are covered in the event of an accident, make sure that anything that needs to be replaced is replaced. Also remember to take the vehicle in for regular maintenance.

Has it been over three years since you compared your coverages and rates?
Call us at your convenience and let us see how much money we can save you on your insurance.
Our agency uses the most state-of-the-art software to make sure you get all the discounts you deserve while comparing with all the many companies we have available for you.

​Advertisements for cheap car insurance seem to be everywhere. Is this good enough for you? 
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It is a misconception that all auto insurance policies are the same. For some people, the least expensive policy is good enough. However, it is best to customize the policy to meet the specific needs of your vehicle and your lifestyle. How do you know what is too cheap and what is just right for you then?

What Your Policy Needs to Do for You
When choosing car insurance, there are a few key things to look for to determine if it is the right one for your needs. Put price aside for a moment. Only after you consider coverage, then you can compare providers to determine which offers the best price for that amount of protection. Here are a few things to consider.

Do You Have a Loan or Are You Leasing the Car?
Those who have a lease or loan on their vehicle may have a requirement from the title holder to carry full coverage. This generally includes:

• Comprehensive coverage
• Collision insurance
• Liability insurance
• Underinsured and uninsured coverage

These policies protect the value of the car. This is the value the title holder cares about. They don't want to lose their investment in your vehicle, after all.

Does the Vehicle Have Value?
​If you do not have a loan or lease, consider the value of the car. If the car was not possible to repair in an accident, could you easily replace it? If it would cause financial hardship for you to lose the car like this, it may be worth considering collision insurance and comprehensive coverage. Collision insurance covers damage to your car if you hit something. Comprehensive covers the vehicle from losses such as fire and theft.

How Much Liability Insurance Do You Need?​
One of the ways some companies offer very low-cost auto insurance is by providing you with just the state minimum requirement. However, this is a big risk. A simple accident can cause significantly more damage than this basic policy can cover. In an accident, the lowest car insurance may not cover all of the losses you need it to. This means you may have to pay out of pocket for it.
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Is cheap car insurance a good thing? It can be if you do not have a lot of value in the vehicle. However, a customized auto insurance policy is best. Work with our agency to obtain one.

​Coverage for mobile/manufactured homes is generally offered using two approaches. Some policies include a laundry list of items (or perils) that may cause a loss. Other policies protect your home against everything EXCEPT for a host of specified perils. Either approach includes liability coverage that protects you for injuries or losses to others which you accidentally cause.
Property Insurance Needs
Any coverage option you choose is likely to reflect the fact that mobile homes are, well, mobile. Therefore coverage is affected by the fact that mobile homes:

• are able to move under their own power (or are capable of being easily transported);
• are more susceptible to wind damage,
• tend to lose value with age.

The mobility of such homes creates a special need to protect the financial interest of the business that lent the money to purchase the home. For example, a mobile homeowner who lives in Georgia decides to drive his home to Florida. The soon-to-be Florida resident "forgets" to mention his plan (and his new address) to his Georgia Mortgage Company. The Georgia lender would be out of luck if the policy didn't include protection for this whimsical act. Another way in which a mobile or manufactured homeowner policy differs from conventional homeowner coverage involves coverage for unattached buildings. This coverage is usually minimal for, say, $2,000. Such a provision helps keep the premiums for policies lower by avoiding paying claims on very low value structures. The coverage is likely to be offered on an actual cash value basis. Unfortunately, mobile and manufactured homes tend to lose value over time.
The policy is likely to include a provision that requires you to get permission to move your home. Once granted, you're likely to get thirty days of special transportation protection for collision; sinking, upset or stranding (a special, higher deductible may apply during the move). Another common coverage feature is coverage for your attempt to move the home in order to prevent damage from an insured cause of loss. For example, you move your mobile home fifty feet to get away from a neighboring trailer that is on fire. IMPORTANT: coverage for moving endangered property usually has a modest limit (several hundred dollars is typical) because of owners who may be too heroic or clumsy for anyone's good.
​Liability Insurance Needs
The liability protection connected with mobile or manufactured homes is, for all practical purposes, identical to the liability provided to conventional homeowners. Why? The likelihood of guests to be hurt at your home, or your probability of being sued, tends to be the same. The important thing to remember is that one of our agents is a tremendous source for getting the information you need to be sure that your home and property are adequately protected at a reasonable price.

​Many businesses are exposed to the financial consequences of their ownership, use or maintenance of vehicles used in their operations.
Most coverage needs can be handled by a business auto policy (BAP) or similar form which cover operations such as:

• Product or food delivery
• Transporting business products to wholesalers or retailers
• Retail product delivery to consumers
• Carrying persons for short, intermediate or long distance routes
• Picking up customer items for cleaning, repair, storage, etc.

Coverage is flexible. It may be purchased as a separate policy or as part of a package of coverage that can also protect buildings and business property (equipment, furniture, etc.). A BAP generally offers:
Liability Coverage–protection for physical injury to other persons or their property because of an accident related to your covered vehicle, including legal defense cost or expense.
Comprehensive Coverage–handles loss from any cause except collision. A limited, less expensive option is available. It only protects against a set of specific causes such as fire, lightening, explosion, vandalism and several others
Collision–takes care of damage from crashes with another object or overturn of the vehicle
Towing And Labor Costs–handles expenses for moving disabled vehicles
Loss of Use/Rental Vehicle Coverage–if you damage a rental car, this option helps to reimburse the rental company for income it loses because the vehicle is out of use. Also, there may be limited coverage for injury or damage that you cause to others while using a rented vehicle anywhere in the world.
Typically, a business auto (or similar form) bars coverage for the following:

• any injury/damage that you expected or intended
• responsibility for damage you assume under a contract
• losses that should be handled by a Workers Compensation, Disability

Benefits or Unemployment Compensation Law

• Bodily Injury to an employee caused by a Fellow Employee
• Damage to property that is in your Care, Custody and Control
• Any bodily injury or property damage that occurs because of Pollution
• Any loss that is related to racing, demolition or stunts

​Are you protected against business auto losses? Drive over and discuss your situation with one of our insurance agents. The trip will be worth it.

​If you are ever sued, your standard homeowners or auto policy will provide you with some liability coverage, paying for judgments against you and your attorney's fees, up to a limit set in the policy. However, in our litigious society, you may want to have an extra layer of liability protection. That's what a personal umbrella liability policy provides.

• An umbrella policy kicks in when you reach the limit on the underlying liability coverage in a homeowners, renters, condo or auto policy. It will also cover you for things such as libel and slander.
• For about $150 to $300 per year you can buy a $1 million personal umbrella liability policy. The next million will cost about $75, and $50 for every million after that.
• Because the personal umbrella policy goes into effect after the underlying coverage is exhausted, there are certain limits that usually must be met in order to purchase this coverage. Most insurers will want you to have about $250,000 of liability insurance on your auto policy and $300,000 of liability insurance on your homeowner’s policy before selling you an umbrella liability policy for $1 million of additional coverage.

Want to know more? Our agency stands ready to give you a no-obligation review of your insurance needs.

​If you commuted regularly to your job, in retirement your mileage has likely plummeted. If so, you should report it to your auto insurer as it could significantly lower the cost of your auto insurance premiums. Furthermore, drivers over the age of 50-55 may get a discount, depending on the insurance company.
Insurance needs change as circumstances in your lives change, which is why an annual insurance review is recommended by our agency.
Please contact our office at your earliest convenience for a no-obligation review.

​The definition of “commercial use” varies by company. Our agency can help you determine your needs.
Do you:

• Have a trailer or permanently attached equipment such as ladder racks, shelving, etc.?
• Have a commercial license plate?
• Have other people drive your vehicles to work?

A Few examples of businesses that generally require a commercial auto policy:

• Sole proprietorship, partnerships, corporations
• Pizza, newspaper and food delivery
• Real estate agents
• Catering
• Door-to-door consulting services,
• Landscaping or snowplowing services
• Day care or church van services
• Transporting passengers or property for a fee

So which policy is right for you? Commercial Auto or Personal Auto. We invite you for a no-obligation review of your unique situation.

​When you buy an engagement ring or expensive jewelry, know what your policy says.
Most homeowners and renter's insurance include jewelry as personal property, but that coverage may not be enough to cover your purchase.
Many policies set a limit and might not protect against all losses. Given the sentimental value of some heirlooms, think about coverage for all situations.

• Your standard policy might only cover a fraction of what your jewelry is worth.
• Most policies will protect against theft, but you may need additional coverage to protect your jewelry against damage or loss.

A jewelry floater is an optional addition to a homeowner's insurance policy that protects against financial loss from the damage or theft of valuable jewelry.

• Though a basic homeowners policy provides some jewelry coverage, if an individual has a sizable and valuable jewelry collection they should add a jewelry floater on top of their basic policy. The jewelry floater will provide a higher dollar amount of coverage for jewelry than a basic homeowner’s insurance policy does.
• Some jewelry floaters also offer coverage against more perils than homeowners insurance does. For example, they might cover accidental loss, while a basic homeowners policy would not. Since not everyone owns expensive jewelry that they want to insure, a basic homeowners policy provides limited coverage for jewelry.
• The minimal jewelry coverage provides homeowners with some jewelry insurance, but homeowners do not pay for unnecessary jewelry coverage. For example, a basic policy might provide $1,000 or $1,500 in jewelry coverage. So if a homeowner purchases a $5,000 engagement or wedding ring, they might buy a jewelry floater to ensure that they have protect the ring’s full value.
• Depending on how much the premium for the jewelry floater is, the individual might decide to self-insure, meaning that they’ll plan to pay for a new ring out of pocket if the existing one is stolen during a burglary, falls off in the ocean during the couple’s honeymoon or is otherwise damaged.
• It’s also possible to purchase floaters for other high-value possessions, such as baseball card collections, antique silverware sets, fine art paintings, computers and fur coats. 
• Renters insurance also insures personal possessions such as jewelry; you don’t necessarily need to be a homeowner to insure these items. You can also purchase a jewelry floater for a renters insurance policy.

Check with one of our insurance agents to better understand the scope of your policy. If it's not enough to cover the items you want to protect, consider purchasing a separate policy or adding an endorsement.