Frequently Asked Questions About Winterizing Your Pipes

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During the winter months, water sitting in pipes can freeze in Laurel, MD due to freezing temperatures. When water freezes, it expands. If this happens in the pipes, the expansion can cause the pipe to crack or burst. When water flows through that damaged pipe, you will have a flood on your hand. This is why winterizing pipes is so important. Unfortunately, many homeowner’s don’t know about winterizing their pipes. Here is some information you need to know.

What Winterizing a Pipe Involves

When a pipe is winterized, all of the water is removed from the pipe. This helps prevent the pipe from freezing. Depending on the type of pipe, you may be able to drain the water from the pipes or you may need to call in a professional plumber to remove the liquid from the pipe.

What Pipes Need to be Winterized

You should always winterize pipes that aren’t used during the winter months. This includes sprinkler systems, pool pipes and all of the pipes in summer homes. Additionally, if you plan on being gone from your home for longer than two weeks in the winter, your home’s pipes should also be winterized to prevent problems.

Winterizing your pipes can prevent you from having to file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance because it prevents damage to your home. In addition to thinking about winterizing your pipes, the fall is also a great time to think about your homeowner’s insurance. If you are not sure if your home is adequately covered or if you want to get quotes for a new policy, contact Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial for all of your homeowner’s insurance needs in the greater Laurel, MD area. We can help you determine if your current policy has enough coverage or help you get a quote for a new policy with more or less coverage, depending on your needs. Give us a call today and let us help you with your homeowner’s insurance needs.

 

Freezing Temps and Pipes: What You Should Know

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When the weather drops to freezing temperatures, there are increased risks of freezing pipes. However, there are some things you can do to avoid freezing pipes and all of the financial responsibilities that go along with it. Uses these tips from My Mid-Atlantic Insurance Financial to prep your pipes and prevent some burst pipes. 

  • If you have a pool or a sprinkler system in Laurel, MD, before the temperature drops, you should drain the water from the pipes. Do not put antifreeze into these pipes because it can be harmful to the environment as well as your family or pets. 
  • If you have any hoses that you use outdoors, empty them and bring them inside so they will not freeze. If your valve is outside, you should leave it open so the water inside can expand if it freezes. This will prevent it from causing the pipe to break. 
  • Consider insulating your pipes if they are exposed to the outside. You can check for exposed pipes in your crawl space and around your home. If there are any exposed pipes, getting them insulated will help prevent them from freezing.
  • On cold nights, if there is a likelihood of freezing temperatures, you should leave a faucet dripping so there is continuous water movement which can prevent freezing. Additionally, you can open you cabinets to expose your pipes to the warmth inside your home. This will allow the warmer air to circulate around the pipes. 

Freezing pipes can cause a lot of trouble for your home. While it may not seem like a big deal when it is still freezing but once the temperatures rise, you will have a lot of water in your home. Contact My Mid-Atlantic Insurance Financial serving Laurel, MD today to get a quote for home insurance so you can protect yourself in case your pipes do freeze and you need extra home protection. 

Managing life changes: Navigating unexpected events

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Life comes with unexpected changes from relocation to job changes to major illnesses, and these changes can impact your life in a wide variety of ways. In order to get through these difficult moments, you have to be prepared and have a plan in place to work through the challenges so they don’t become overwhelming. Managing life changes before they occur can help make them much easier to work through. 

There are many ways a sudden, major life change can impact your life. A job loss, illness, or death can have both an emotional and financial impact. Because of that, it can be hard to get through these life events successfully. You have to deal with the emotional challenges of the life change as well as the financial. The good news is that there are plans you can put in place to protect yourself and your family when major life events occur.

Insurance should be a component in your plan to manage major life changes. Insurance can help protect against financial strain if you or a family member becomes seriously ill or injured or in the event of a death in the family. By helping alleviate some of the financial burden that comes from a major life change, you and your family are free to deal with the emotional challenges. This can help make major life changes easier to manage.

There are many types of insurance that can help you manage major life changes that may arise in your life. For more information about insurance to protect you and your family during major life changes, contact Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial today.

Different Kinds of Commercial Insurance

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Protecting your place of business is a must. Not only is it your livelihood but it likely is for all your employees as well. With the amount of work and money you’ve invested into the property, it is important to protect it wherever possible. At Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial, we understand the importance of protecting your business with the right kind of commercial insurance. Whether your business is in Laurel, MD or a different region all together, understanding the difference of commercial insurance types is a must, so you know what to select when purchasing insurance for your business. 

Property Insurance

This is one of the most common forms of commercial insurance, and if you own property, having this insurance is a must. It protects against loss and damage that harm the property. This often includes fire damage to a work place and possibly flood related damage sustained in the event of a fire. 

Boiler and Machinery Insurance

This is typically for older buildings or for a facility where you use large machinery in the production or manufacture of items. It can protect against equipment breaking down and property damaged sustained due to the machinery breaking down. 

Debris Removal

Here’s something you might not consider ahead of time. If your property is damaged in the event of a fire and needs areas replaced, other insurance coverage may not pay to have the debris removed. Debris removal is expensive, in which case debris removal insurance fills in these payment gaps. 

Glass Insurance

Depending on your storefront and where you are located, your glass might be a prime target for break-ins and other forced damage. Replacing the glass constantly is expensive to do. Having glass insurance makes it easier to repair the glass and restore your workspace. 

What kinds of insurance will cover my damage after an auto accident?

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If you own a car in Laurel, MD, then you know how important it is to have good insurance coverage.  At Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial, we pride ourselves on offering a lot of options in auto insurance to our customers.  Determining the best option for you and your budget, however, can be tricky.  

One of the most common concerns that our customers have is exactly what types of damage are covered by their insurance policy.  In Maryland, a basic insurance policy that only meets the state-required coverage will only provide funds to repair the vehicles of the victims of an accident that you are found to be at-fault in.  Essentially, this means that if you cause an accident, the other person’s car will be repaired by your insurance, but yours will not.  For this reason, these policies are generally not recommended unless the driver can afford to repair or replace his or her vehicle on their own.

Collision or comprehensive insurance policies will cover the damage to your personal vehicle in the event of an accident, however.  These policies will provide funds to both you and the victims of an accident to have your vehicles repaired or replaced.  Only comprehensive insurance, however, will provide funds to repair or replace your vehicle if it is vandalized, stolen, or damaged in a natural disaster.  Collision insurance only covers accident damage.

If you want to save money on your auto insurance, give the agents at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial a call.  They have years of experience helping Laurel, MD customers find the policy that’s right for them.

Do single people need life insurance?

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A lot of people make the assumption that if they’re single, they don’t need to be bothered with life insurance. The truth is that anyone who has loved ones who would suffer as a result of their death needs to have a life insurance policy in place to protect them.  If the following situations apply to your life, then you need to have life insurance.

  1. You don’t have enough assets today for your final expenses. If your estate can’t cover your funeral, then it will have to be paid for by someone else. Small policies are often sold to singles specifically for this reason. Fortunately, they are relatively cheap.
  2. You have relatives who depend on you. Kids and/or elderly parents that rely on you for financial support will be effected by your death. Life insurance funds can be used to replace child support payments as well as provide funds to attend college. They can also provide lifelong care and/or someone to take over the tasks you normally do for your parents. 
  3. You own a business. If your death would be the end of your business, then you need to be insured. While many banks will insist on a policy if you have a business loan, it’s also a good idea to keep a policy that will compensate your employees and provide them with some severance as they look for new jobs.

If any of these circumstances apply to you, then call the agents at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial. They have years of experience helping people find the life insurance policy that is right for them at a price that fits into their budget

Advice for Avoiding Fender Bender Fraud in Laurel, Maryland

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Even in a place like Laurel, Maryland, fender benders are bound to happen. And usually, when they do, each party checks on the other and their vehicles and insurance companies, like Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial, handle the rest. However, sometimes these minor accidents become much bigger deals due to injuries one party suffers and in many of those cases, there are fraudulent claims being made by the injured party, as they are trying to squeeze some money out of a minor incident. These claims can be difficult to disprove in court, though there are some things that can be done immediately after the incident occurs to protect from this fender bender fraud. Below is some advice for avoiding fender bender fraud in Laurel, Maryland.

TAKE PICTURES AND VIDEO

The more evidence you can present later in the event of a fraud case of the actual fender bender itself, the better. So take as many pictures of the accident itself, the area where the accident occurred and the other party involved to see if they are injured right after the fact. These photos or footage will be very helpful in the event this ever goes to court.

CALL THE POLICE

The police will arrive on the scene and file their own report and take statements from all the parties involved. This is important in the event the case ever goes to court, as the police are trusted above all parties to give impartial third party statements, backing up the truth.

CALL YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY

The sooner your insurance company knows the fender bender happened, the better, so they can protect you and themselves from any fraudulent claims that may be coming their way from the other party involved in the accident.

 

 

3 Times Commercial Insurance Could Have Saved the Day

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One of the great fears of running a business is being hit with a lawsuit. You’ve probably looked into coverage for a number of common issues, but many times it’s the abnormal that can bankrupt a perfectly good company. Commercial insurance can cover almost any eventuality if you optimize your coverage, but for a number of reasons, these three cases were not covered and got out of hand quickly.

Blitz

Blitz is a company that specialized in making handheld gas cans. In fact, they were the biggest manufacturer in the U.S. In 2012 they had to file bankruptcy and eventually close the business because of a little over 30 lawsuits all with the same claim: pouring gas from their cans onto a burning fire caused explosions. While one might think that pouring gasoline on a burning fire is a dangerous activity, the company was still held liable for an average of $4 million per case. The totals were too much and the company is no more.

Garcia vs Ledraplastic

Francisco Garcia and the Sacramento Kings famously sued Ledraplastic. He was exercising with one of their balancing balls when it burst, causing him to break his forearm and miss playtime with the NBA team. The large player was lifting 90-pound weights in each hand while balancing. It is unclear whether or not he exceeded the manufacturer’s listed weight limits, but the suit was settled for an undisclosed amount that most suspect was in the tens of millions.

Broward County Bus

Ursula Wilson was riding the public transit when the driver had to slam the brakes and caused her to collide violently with the bus floor. She sued the county for the driver’s alleged negligence for $100,000 to cover medical expenses. Video shows that the driver was using one hand to eat a beef patty when the incident occurred, and ultimately the county settled the case.

In each of these cases, large sums had to be paid out of pocket. In one case it closed a business, and in another it came out of taxpayer pockets. Unbelievable lawsuits can threaten any company, so talk with Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial to make sure you are covered against the unexpected.

What are some important characteristics of a good home insurance policy?

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There are many details that go into a home insurance policy. All the details make it hard to figure out what you need when shopping for the right policy to keep your home financially secure.

Future policyholders should be aware of the following four characteristics of a good insurance policy:

  1. It comes with appropriate coverage limits- Your coverage limits on your home insurance policy should be neither too low NOR too high. If your coverage limit is much higher than your home is worth, you’ll probably be paying out too much in premiums. 
  2. It comes along with outstanding customer service- Good customer service will prove very important when it comes time to file a claim. You can find out how good your potential provider’s customer service is by doing some research online. Look for reviews of the insurance provider to see what past and current customers think of the company and the customer service it offers. Also, call the company and ask questions over the phone to see how the representatives communicate with clients. 
  3. It includes a guaranteed replacement cost provision- A guaranteed replacement cost provision is a provision that makes it so that you will be able to rebuild your home regardless of how much it costs. Such a provision will mean that the insurance provider will pay to have your home rebuilt even if the cost exceeds your coverage limits. 
  4. It includes the option to sign up for an inflation provision- An inflation provision will adjust your coverage on an annual basis depending on inflation or changes in construction costs in your area. 

Are you ready to shop for the right insurance policy that includes these important characteristics? Contact Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial to discuss your options. 

Auto Insurance and Why You Need It

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In the simplest explanation – auto insurance is all about being smart and planning.  This type of planning can keep you protected from surprises that can be expensive and sometimes even devastating.

When you think of auto insurance, think of it as being a factor in your overall financial plan.  It is a powerful tool that can be used to help:

  • Protect the investment that is your car
  • Pay for any sort of medical bills after a car accident
  • Protect you from the damages that can result from accident related lawsuits
  • Protect your assets that you have worked so hard to amass – this can include things like stocks and bonds, retirement funds, and even your home
  • Protect you from underinsured or even uninsured motorists
  • Take care of repairs that are made necessary by natural disasters, vandalism or theft
  • Give you peace of mind whenever you are on the road

With all of that, it is critical for you to know and keep in mind that not all insurance carriers – or policies – are alike.  You need to understand the unique details of your situation – this includes knowing what it is exactly that you need to protect and how each type of coverage will help you protect it – or not.

Aside from all of that, you need auto insurance because it is required by law, even though the specifics do vary from state to state.

If you are in the Laurel, MD area and need a new policy or just need to understand the one that you have, call or come into Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial and have one of our friendly and knowledgeable agents go over it with you.  They can let you know what you are covered for and if you need more coverage, they can help you with that as well.