Month: July 2013

What kind of commercial insurance best suits a Warehouse in Washington D.C?

Posted on by AgentInsure

If you own a warehouse in the Washington D.C. area, you’re not just responsible for damages to the warehouse. You are also responsible for the items that your customers store in your warehouse. It just takes one unforeseen emergency to go bankrupt, so it is important to protect your business from risk with the right type of insurance. The following types of commercial insurance can protect you and your customers from loss in the event of a disaster that impacts your warehouse.

General Liability Insurance

Warehouses can be hazardous work environments that pose risks to you and your employees. General liability insurance steps in if an employee is injured in your warehouse and covers their medical and related expenses. General liability insurance can also kick in to protect you from legal liability should an injured employee sue you for an accident incurred on your property.

Legal Liability Insurance

A warehouse legal liability policy consists of a special form of coverage that reimburses your customers for loss. If your warehouse has been negligent in anyway, and it results in the damage of your customer’s property, legal liability coverage will kick in to pay your customers. Legal liability is crucial for warehouse operators because it protects you from legal actions if you are unable to reimburse a customer for his or her goods.

Contact an Independent Agent

Every business is unique, so you may need additional riders to adequately cover your business. The level of coverage you need will also depend on the location, size and scope of your business. An independent agent can help you compare premiums from several insurance companies so that you can find the best value on commercial insurance. Contact us today to speak to an independent agent who can help you get your warehouse covered.

My dog tore my car leather seats; can I claim the money from my auto insurance policy in Washington D.C to replace them?

Posted on by AgentInsure

Many people treat there dogs just like a member of the family and take them everywhere they go. Normally, your dog is well behaved and just likes to look out the window as you are driving around your Washington D.C. neighborhood. But, for some reason, something got into your dog one day and he decided to tear up your expensive leather seats.

If the damage is severe enough and you have comprehensive coverage on your auto insurance policy, you can file a claim for the money it will cost you to have those leather seats repaired or replaced. As long as the damage was not caused intentionally, you will receive money, once you have paid your deductible, to cover any additional costs to repair or replace your car seats.

Comprehensive insurance coverage is for damage that is caused by anything other than a collision. It covers many different possibilities. For instance, it will cover you if someone keys your car or if you accidentally spill a bucket of paint on your leather seats. It will not cover intentional acts that you commit that damages your car. You can not get paid for four brand new seats if you take a knife and hack them up yourself.

Your dog, no matter how well-trained he or she happens to be, is still an animal. Unless it can specifically be shown that you encouraged and commanded your dog to tear up and make a mess of your car seats, it is assumed to be, to use a technical term, an accidental chewing.

If you would like to find out more about what comprehensive coverage does and does not cover, give us a call. An independent agent will be happy to share some useful information that may come in handy in the future.

Do I get any discount on my home insurance policy if I have been their loyal customer since many years in Laurel, Maryland?

Posted on by AgentInsure

If your Laurel, Maryland home has been insured with the same home insurance company for a number of years and you faithfully renew your policy year-after-year, there is a good chance that you can qualify for a discount on your premium. Maryland home insurance companies have their own specific rules on how and when they reward their most loyal customers.

If you have maintained home coverage with the same carrier for 10 years and never filed a claim, you may qualify for what is known as an experience rating credit. In other words, you are rewarded not simply because you have been with the same carrier for years, but because the insurance company has had a good experience with you as a customer.

Say you pay $1,000 per year for your home insurance policy and do so for 10 consecutive years. You never file even a small claim for a few loose shingles falling off your roof. Your insurance company will have received $10,000 from you and paid out zero dollars in claims.

Rewards can come in the form of a discount to your annual premium or not being hit with a surcharge for filing a claim. Loyal policy holders may have their rates held steady while a new client may be subject to higher rates that the insurer recently decided to charge.

It costs insurance companies a lot of money and time to acquire new clients. It is in their benefit to hold onto good-paying and loyal customers that they already have. Loyalty programs are a marketing tool that is an incentive for current customers to stay with their same insurance company rather than switch to another.

As your independent agent, we agree that staying with the same insurance company can be beneficial thanks to the discounts you can receive for being a loyal customer. However, that does not mean you should not consider any other insurance company. Give us a call and talk to an independent agent. They will tell you whether you can get a lower premium by staying with your present carrier, or perhaps, switching to a new home insurance carrier.

Should I by business insurance for a start up Boutique in Laurel, Maryland?

Posted on by AgentInsure

Before you start a boutique in Laurel, Maryland, it is important to protect your business with commercial insurance. If you leave your business uninsured, you can incur burdensome costs that lead to bankruptcy. While every business is unique, you will usually need to mix and match several different types of coverage to receive adequate protection for your start-up retail operation.

Liability Insurance

If an employee or a customer is injured in your store, you may be sued and found legally liable for the accident. Legal expenses can add up fast, so it’s important to protect your business from potential lawsuits. Liability insurance affords protection by covering your legal expenses in the event that your business is sued.

Commercial Property Insurance

The most valuable items in your business will likely be stored inside of your boutique. Commercial insurance is a must because it protects the building you conduct business in and your inventory. Commercial property insurance kicks in when flooding, fires, or other types of hazards cause damage to your business.

Theft Insurance

Retailers can especially benefit from adding theft coverage to their insurance policy. If you have a retail operation, shoplifting is inevitable. Your store will have merchandise that looks good to paying customers and shoplifters alike. Prevent thefts from eating into your profits with this crucial form of coverage.

Contact an Independent Agent

The types of insurance that you will need will depend on the size and scope of your business. An independent agent can walk you through the process of selecting the right level of coverage for your start-up boutique. We can also help you compare policies between different insurance companies so that you can receive the best premiums. Contact us today to speak with an independent insurance agent about your business insurance options.