How Does Commercial Insurance Benefit Small Businesses?

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Opening your own business is a huge undertaking, so it’s important to make sure it’s well protected with the proper commercial coverage. With all the expenses of operating your own business, though, you may be wondering what benefits there are to buying commercial insurance.  Our team at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial wants to make sure small business owners in Laurel, MD get their businesses started on the right foot with commercial insurance individualized for your business.

Types of commercial insurance 

The type of commercial insurance that may be right for you depends on the type of business you’re operating. Types of commercial insurance policies include auto, liability, and property. Small business owners often choose to get a business package policy (called BOP), which includes liability, property, and business interruption insurance. This type of package protects your business from property damage, claims if someone is injured at your business, and expenses if your business must close for a period of time for repairs. 

Benefits of commercial insurance 

Commercial insurance, like all insurance, helps protect businesses from losses. You’re responsible for a lot more than just yourself when you’re a business owner and must consider protecting your customers as well as your employees. The state of Maryland only requires small business owners to provide worker’s compensation insurance, but it’s not enough coverage to protect your entire business in case of property damage, theft, or a car accident with a company vehicle.   That’s why it’s important to make sure your business is properly covered with the right type of commercial insurance.

Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial is here to help small business owners find the right type of commercial insurance policy.  Call or stop by our office in Laurel, MD to learn more about what insurance coverage is right for your business. 

Why Have Life Insurance before You Have Children?

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Having a child can trigger a lot of financial changes in your life and reassessing your life insurance needs in Laurel, MD is important to do after you have a child. However, you could be losing money by waiting until after your child is born to get life insurance and it may be best to get a policy before your new baby arrives.

Life insurance in Laurel, MD goes up as you age. Being younger usually means being healthier so you can get cheaper life insurance policies. Even waiting just a few years can add $10 more per month. If you jump the gun and get life insurance many years before your first child is born then you are saving a lot of money in the long run.

Buying life insurance before you have children is even more important for a woman. Weight can affect your health insurance premiums and getting pregnant means weight gain and many women keep some of the weight on after pregnancy. Just because you’re pregnant, the life insurance company doesn’t take into to affect. They take the weight at face value, whether there is a baby or not. However, many life insurance companies will let you take a new medical exam after a year so if you can demonstrate weight loss, you may get lower premiums. An agent at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial can help you with the requirements for the medical test. Pregnant women can also develop other health problems, such as high cholesterol and blood pressure, which can also increase premiums.

When you and your partner decide to actively start trying to have kids, also get life insurance. If your first child is more of a surprise, you want to get life insurance as soon as possible.

Contact Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial to get a quote on life insurance. 

Is Life Insurance Needed When You’re Young?

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The idea of getting life insurance is one that most people don’t think of when they’re younger. They focus on it as they get older, and have a family to care for. But even when you’re young, life insurance can be a great choice. Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial can help you if you’re in the Laurel, MD area, so you can get the right level of life insurance for your needs and stage of life. Don’t ignore the options for good quality protection when you’re young, so you can keep that level of protection or increase it as you age and your stage of life changes.

Even Young People Can Use Life Insurance

A lot of young people have families today, and they want to make sure they’re protecting those families if something should happen to them. Even for people who don’t have a family yet, protecting parents, siblings, friends, or other loved ones is all possible through life insurance. The younger you are when you get a policy, the easier it can be in some cases. You may also have different options to consider, and those options could be more limited as you age. Focus on what your agent suggests, and you’ll have the best chance of getting the right policy for your needs.

Talking to Your Agent Can Make a Difference

Before you choose a life insurance policy, make sure you talk with us at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial. We want all our Laurel, MD clients to have the right life insurance for their needs. Even when you’re young, having life insurance can protect the people you care about and give you peace of mind. We can help you with those things, and ensure that you have a policy that fits where you are in life right now.

3 Ways to Minimize Customer injury at Your Maryland Business

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Your customers are an integral part of your business. Protecting customers who visit your Laurel, MD business is essential to keep them returning and keep your reputation a positive one in the community. Below are three ways that our team at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial believes can assist you with minimizing your customer injury. 

Alert and Warn Customers of Hazards

Any time there is a hazard in the workplace or an employee is mopping a floor, it is critical to place signs that visibly notify customers that the area is under construction and the floor may be wet. In most cases, customers will avoid these areas and walk carefully around them to avoid injury. If they are not properly notified, they could be the next injured victims.

Daily Inspection

If your business is open for a single or multiple shifts, it is critical that your on-duty manager do a walkthrough of the premises to determine if there are any new damages or repairs that are needed. Most customer injury cases could be prevented if someone had taken a few minutes to check on the area. 

Encourage Signed Wavers

If your business requires your customers to experience something that is physical and could potentially be a safety risk throughout the service, then you can protect your business by requiring customers sign waivers before the service begins, waiving their right to sue you for any injuries or damages. 

Add a layer of Insurance

For ultimate protection against customer injury, contact our agents at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial for a commercial insurance policy today. We proudly serve the Laurel, MD area and surrounding areas with commercial insurance options. Give us a call today to see what your options are and how we can get you the coverage you need. 

Why You Should Discuss Your Home Insurance Needs With An Experienced Agent

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For a Laurel, MD homeowner, their property is one of the most significant investments that they are ever going to make. That’s why it is important to take the time to properly safeguard this investment. These investments are prone to various risks and an experienced Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial agent can walk the homeowner through them.

A home insurance policy is going to be required by any mortgage lender and while this is typically not a state level requirement, the investment must be guarded from loss. Let’s say that the homeowner resides in an area where they are at risk of experiencing various natural disasters.

An experienced agent will let the homeowner know more about the minimum amount of coverage. The amount that the homeowner is spending on their mortgage goes a long way towards determining the level of coverage that is needed. In many instances, a lender will step in if the home is not properly insured.

From there, the payments are going to be added to the homeowner’s monthly mortgage payment by the lender. By taking the proactive route, a Laurel MD homeowner can avoid these types of difficulties. A homeowner may also want to discuss needs that are associated with their personal belongings. 

Let’s say that the homeowner has an expensive laptop that they are looking to protect, or even some jewelry. The policy that is purchased must be reflective of the homeowner’s personal needs. If injuries occur on the property, homeowner’s insurance also offers protection against the resulting legal bills and medical expenses that are incurred. 

When a homeowner is ready to start their search for the proper policy, they must take the time to meet with experienced Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial agents. Take a moment to visit the Mid Atlantic website, so that you can find out more about the importance of these policies. 

How to Prep Your Car for Holiday Travels

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Whether you’re going out of town for the holidays or having relatives visit you, you’ll need reliable transportation. Prepping your vehicle for the holidays ensures it will be in good shape for your holiday travels. Start by reviewing your auto insurance to make sure you have the protection you need on the road. Here are a few other ideas from Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial in Laurel, MD on how to prep your vehicle for the holidays.

Service Your Vehicle

Have your vehicle serviced before hitting the road to make sure all systems are running smoothly. Your mechanic should check your fluids, belts, coolant system, wipers and tires to enhance your safety during long-distance travel.   

Assemble an Auto Emergency Kit

Winter driving in Maryland is hazardous enough without having to endure a breakdown by the side of the road. By stocking up on emergency supplies, you can be prepared for any eventuality. Your auto emergency kit should include jumper cables, flares, flashlight with fresh batteries, cell phone charger, ice scraper, first-aid kit, matches, blankets, water and healthy snacks for the kids.

Protect Your Interior

Winter road trips can take a toll on the interior of your car as passengers track in mud, slush and snow entering and exiting the vehicle, not to mention food crumbs on seats and flooring. Investing in all-weather floor mats and seat covers will protect the interior of your car during holiday travels. Make sure you have plenty of trash bags and paper towels on hand for wiping grubby hands and cleaning food and drink spills.

Holiday driving can be a challenge. By prepping your car in advance and acquiring comprehensive auto insurance, you can protect your vehicle and family during your winter road trip. Contact us at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial in Laurel, MD, today for all your auto insurance needs.

What Maryland Business Owners Need to Know about Comprehensive Commercial Insurance

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Business owners in the greater Laurel, MD area rely on the team at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial for their insurance needs. There are a lot of factors that go into choosing the right commercial insurance policy, and they appreciate having these professional agents on their team. Choosing a comprehensive commercial insurance policy involves a lot of thought and deliberation because being underinsured can have a catastrophic effect on the health of your business. 

Comprehensive Commercial Insurance

In addition to finding the right policy features, it can also become complicated determining the proper policy coverage levels. When you work with a professional agent who understands comprehensive commercial insurance you are more likely to get the protection your business needs. Coverage for your vehicles, employees who do work using personal vehicles, litigation liability, and business interruption are just a few of the important areas that carry risk. A comprehensive policy can protect you from those scenarios and a lot more. Business interruption coverage is another feature that can really make a difference if your company experiences a covered event that knocks your production offline. This coverage can allow a business to stay open as they recover from a natural disaster, fire, or other covered situation that has a significant effect on their ability to conduct business as usual. Minimizing risk is the foundation of any successful business!

Is it time to review your commercial insurance policy for completeness? Knowing that you have the protection that is right for your business needs can offer a lot of peace of mind! The team at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial invites the business owners in the greater Laurel, MD area to call or stop by today and find out more about the available policy options!

How to Choose the Right Life Insurance Policy

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Choosing the right life insurance policy in Laurel, MD can be overwhelming. There are some things you need to think of to discuss with your agent at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial in order to get the right one.

The Reasons You Need Life insurance

The need for life insurance can depend on your personal situation. If you don’t have dependents then you may not need life insurance. If your salary is important for supporting your family then you need to consider life insurance.

How Much Coverage You Need

How much coverage you need will depend on different factors, such as sources of income, the dependents you have, your lifestyle, and outstanding debts. A general guideline is to have five and 10 times worth your annual salary. You may also want to consult with a financial planner to determine how much coverage you need.

Types of Life Insurance

There are two types of life insurance in Laurel, MD. Term and permanent life insurance can both be beneficial for different parts of your life.

Consider term life insurance if you only need insurance for a certain period of time. You can also consider term insurance if you have a limited budget but still need a large amount of insurance. If you think your financial needs might change then look for a policy that is convertible. This will allow you to convert it to permanent insurance with the need for a medical exam. Premiums are the lowest when you are young and will increase when you try to renew.

Consider permanent life insurance if you need insurance coverage for as long as you live. You can also choose permanent life insurance if you want to have a cash saving element. On some policies, the savings element can be used to pay premiums to keep the life insurance active.

Contact Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial to get a quote on life insurance. 

Is a home inventory really necessary?

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Your home in Laurel, MD probably contains most of your possessions, if not all of them. The policy you obtained from Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial is meant to protect your home and what is contained in it. This includes but is not limited to:

  • The structure, including outbuildings.
  • Major and small appliances, like your stove, washer, dryer, toaster, and coffee maker.
  • Flooring and window treatments.
  • Electronics, movies, books, and games.
  • Personal items like clothing and make-up.

Limits and Deductibles

Your homeowner’s policy is really a contract, and it will have a maximum amount covered and deductible amount. Some items may even have their own maximums, such as jewelry or outbuildings. The policy doesn’t really describe the individual items covered.

Why the Inventory Is Important

If something happens to any of your possessions, you will need to file a claim with the insurance company. To do that, you will need to explain your specific loss. For instance, if your television is stolen, you will both call the police and make a claim. Without identifying information, like a serial number, the police won’t be able to say whether the property is yours if they recover it.

With a large event, like a fire, the problem is much worse. You will need to explain exactly what you lost, and without an inventory, you will need to create a list from memory.

Making an Inventory Is Easier Than You Think

Especially in the days of smartphones, making an inventory has gotten easier and easier. One trick is to do a video inventory where you go through the rooms in your house one at a time, recording the contents and noting identifiers.

If you want help making a home inventory in Laurel, MD, we at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial have experience helping our clients plan. Call us today for any questions or if you want to discuss a policy.

Summer Is Almost Over. Time To Review Your Auto Insurance

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Summer is almost over, which means it’s time to focus on your auto insurance policy. When you’re in Laurel, MD, it’s important to know that you have the coverage where it counts. Agents at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial can help you with building a policy that you can rely on, too.

Review Your Coverage

Now is the perfect time to review coverage. Particularly as you’re getting ready to head into the colder weather, you want to know that you have higher coverage limits to cover accidents due to snow and ice. If you get into an accident that causes more damage than what your insurance limits cover, you could be paying thousands of dollars out of pocket.

You want to make sure you have the coverage where you need it. With the help of an independent insurance agent, your policy can be reviewed. From there, we can make recommendations on how to boost your coverage.

Avoid Overspending

Insurance premiums can get expensive if you’re not careful. Just because you have been with a particular insurance company for years doesn’t mean that they’re the most affordable option. Especially if your premiums have gone up recently for no apparent reason, it might be time to do some comparison shopping. Our agents can get quotes to help you with the process.

Add Drivers

You want to make sure that your policy is covering everyone in your house, and the end of summer can serve as a great reminder to look at your auto insurance. If you have teen drivers who have just gotten their permit, be sure to get them added to your policy. It will ensure that all drivers in your household are included.

Let us help you with coverage in Laurel, MD. Call us at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial today to discuss your auto insurance policy.