When is commercial insurance needed in Laurel?

The Laurel, MD area is a great place for someone to start a business. This area offers plenty of amenities to small businesses, which can help to ensure that any business is able to thrive. If you are going to start a company here, you need to spend time assessing your insurance needs. There are a variety of situations when you need to get a commercial insurance policy for your small business in Laurel.

When Taking out a Loan or Raising Capital

One situation when you are going to need a commercial insurance policy in Laurel is when you are going to either take out a loan or raise capital. Investors and lenders are aware of the valuable protection that comes with commercial insurance. Due to this, they will want to make sure that you have it at all times. Before closing a loan or equity raise, you will need to meet certain insurance requirements.

When Looking to Hire Employees

Eventually, a small business will grow to a point where they need to hire employees. In Maryland, you are required to abide by the worker’s compensation laws that require you offer this insurance protection. Most businesses that have team members will need to have this included in their commercial insurance plan. Without it, you could be in violation of state law and face penalization.

Those that own a business in the Laurel, MD area need to carefully consider all of their insurance needs. When you want to learn more about commercial insurance, you should call the team at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial. The insurance team at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial can answer any questions that you have about your insurance coverage options. This will help to ensure you get the protection that you need for your company. 

The Questions To Ask Your Insurance Agent When Buying Auto Insurance

Purchasing auto insurance may be a challenging experience. Thankfully, you have a good and reliable source of information  – your insurance agent. They are able to answer the questions to help you to get the perfect coverage that will protect you as a driver and your vehicle. Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial serving Laurel, MD has prepared the list of questions you should ask your agent before getting a certain policy: 

What coverage do I need? 

Since every situation is different, the insurance needs are different as well. There are following auto insurance coverages that are available: comprehensive, collision, personal injury, and uninsured and underinsured motorist protection. In order to decide what coverage you need, you should talk to your insurance agent. 

Are there any discounts am I eligible for?

It is important to ask your insurance agent about the available discounts. There are plenty of discounts you may be able to get,  including good student, safe driver, paid-in-full, safety features, and others. 

What is my deductible?

A deductible is an amount you will have to pay out of pocket before your insurance policy starts to pay. The higher the deductible is, the lower cost of insurance. Ask your insurance agents about deductible options and pick the one that is the most affordable for you. 

What will be covered in case of an accident?

Always get the specifics on what happens if you are involved in a car accident. Do not forget to aks such questions as "What if the other driver or other people are injured?", "What does exactly my policy cover?", "What will happen if someone hits me?" and other questions. 

If you are currently shopping for auto insurance and have questions to ask, do not hesitate to contact Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial serving Laurel, MD, and talk to one of its agents, who will be able to provide all the information you need.

How Much Home Insurance Do I Need?

If you own a home or are considering purchasing one then you’ve likely asked yourself how much homeowner’s insurance you need to purchase. Generally speaking, the higher the coverage you purchase the more expensive the policy so it’s not surprising to want to only purchase what you need. However, don’t sell yourself short by purchasing too little coverage because if a disaster strikes and you need to rebuild your home you’ll have to pay for any overages out of your pocket. 

In short, homeowner’s insurance covers damages and total losses to your home, property, and personal belongings. While doing regular maintenance on your home and keeping up with home improvement projects is one of the best ways to prevent costly damages to your house, the other is to make sure you have adequate insurance. While every policy will vary, most homeowner’s insurance policies will cover losses to your home including theft, lightning strikes, fire, damage from an airplane or vehicle, water damage, vandalism, riots, and more.

When it comes to deciding how much coverage to purchase, you want the coverage to equal the total replacement cost of your home. This means that if your home was declared a total loss and had to be rebuilt from scratch, your insurance coverage should at least pay for the entirety of the cost of rebuilding to pre-disaster specifications. Additionally, make sure that you have as much liability coverage as you can comfortably afford to help prevent your assets from being seized if a third party is hurt or injured while at your house. 

If you are in the Laurel, MD area and in need of homeowners insurance look no further than Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial. When it comes to insurance we know the different policy options like the back of our hands and are more than happy to assist in finding you and the perfect policy for your needs. Give us a call today to schedule a no-obligation consultation. 

Can Couples Share A Life Insurance Policy?

It may sound a little odd, but yes, Laurel, MD couples can buy a single, shared life insurance policy.

Your insurer is going to take into account health risks and age for both you and your partner, and your premiums will be priced accordingly. From there, you have two options for joint life insurance:

  • First-to-die insurance. This is what you’re going to want if your plan is for the surviving spouse to be the recipient of the benefits. In a first-to-die policy the surviving spouse, and other beneficiaries, will claim the benefits when their partner dies.
  • Second-to-die insurance. With this policy, the insurance pays out to your beneficiaries when both partners have passed on. This is preferable if you have dependents who will continue to care for no matter which partner lives the longest, and if you would like to make sure that they continue to be cared for when you have both passed on.

Joint life insurance is a handy solution for many people who want to buy life insurance but want to make sure that either partner is taken care of no matter how things play out. A conventional life insurance policy may be fine for many, but for couples with shared finances, a joint life insurance policy can be helpful in ensuring a financial safety net for both partners.

If you’re looking to get insured in Laurel, MD, you may want to get in touch with us at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial. At Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial we can compare several quotes based on your insurance needs and help you to secure the peace of mind that you’re after.

Does Commercial Insurance Cover Vandalism in Laurel, MD?

Broken windows, graffiti, fire: there are a lot of ways in which a business could be vandalized in Laurel, MD. It causes issues for employees, owners, customers, vendors: pretty much everyone who has an interest in the business. Between damaged inventory, structural repair costs, and just plain chaos in the wake of the event, it’s important for business owners to have an idea of what can be done. Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial wants you to know more about commercial insurance and what you can expect from it. 

Coverage Policies Vary 

If you remember nothing else about vandalism and commercial insurance, you should remember that every policy is different. For the most part, vandalism is generally covered under standard policies, but the deductibles may be higher, depending on the nature of the damage and the circumstances under which the damage occurred.

In some cases, it may be covered by property damage, but in others, you may need additional coverage for the damage. For instance, if the damage is caused by someone associated with the company, such as a partner of a firm, the property insurance is unlikely to cover the acts of someone who is listed on the actual policy. 

Reviewing Your Policy 

When it comes to looking over your policy in Laurel, MD, you should be looking at how claims are covered in the event the property is unoccupied at the time of the vandalism, what constitutes vandalism as opposed to malicious mischief and whether your carrier gives discounts for additional security measures. If you want to learn more about commercial insurance, Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial is here to help. Give us a call to go over your coverage or just to request a quote. It’s our privilege to serve the people of Laurel. 

Common Myths About Auto Insurance

Getting insurance for your car is a complicated and sometimes confusing process: you have to decide how much coverage you need, compare quotes and companies, and choose a deductible. In addition, there are myths about auto insurance that have nothing in common with reality. In order to help you, Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial serving Laurel, MD decided to break down and debunk some of them: 

Myth 1: It is enough to set your car to the state minimum

You may think that getting a minimum coverage set by the state is more than enough. In reality, setting your vehicle at the bare minimum will leave you completely unprotected. In case of an expensive accident, you might be responsible for paying a lot out of pocket because the state minimum will barely cover anything. 

Myth 2: Your credit does not affect insurance costs

The cost of your auto insurance depends on many factors, including your age, history of making claims, driving history, and your credit. People with higher credit scores tend to have fewer accidents, so insurance will be cheaper for them. 

Myth 3: The color of your car affects the insurance rates

Many people mistakenly believe it is more expensive to insure red cars. It might be because many sports cars come in red, or because red cars’ owners are believed to be fast and aggressive drivers. But whatever the case, it is just a myth, and the color of your vehicle does not have an impact on the cost of insurance.

Now that you know more facts about auto insurance, it will be easier for you to make the right and informed decision. If you need help in finding the best insurance plan based on your budget and needs, Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial serving Laurel, MD is ready to assist you. Give us a call today to get more information about the options available. 

Is Your Home Disaster Ready?

Severe weather threats like hurricanes, winter storms, and tornadoes are common to Maryland, making it important for homeowners to prepare for natural disasters. The following tips from Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial can help you protect your home and valuables from disasters.

Become Aware of Disasters Common to Your Area  

Be aware of severe weather threats and disasters that normally befall the Laurel MD area. Keep tabs on weather alerts so you’ll have time to prep your home against them. Your home prep could include boarding or shuttering windows, bracing doors, storing outdoor furniture and plants in a safe location, and anchoring down objects that can’t be brought inside. 

Stock Up on Emergency Supplies

Stock up on emergency supplies and keep these up to date in preparation for a disaster. In addition to food and water, you should have a complete first aid kit, flashlights, radio, extra batteries, tool kit, and toiletries, reliable cell phone and charger. It also helps to have extra cash on hand for emergencies in case you cannot get to an ATM.

Locate Water, Electrical & Gas Shut Offs

Make sure you know where your water, electricity, and gas shutoff valves are so you can quickly turn these off before or during a disaster to reduce the risk of fire and interior water damage.   

Secure Important Documents

Gather important documents and secure them in a safe location. This includes passports, birth certificates, insurance papers, financial records, etc.

Update Your Home Insurance

Make sure your home insurance is up to date and that you’re covered for disasters common to your area. Your dwelling and property insurance should be enough to cover the value of your Laurel, MD home and goods in case they’re totally destroyed in a disaster.

To purchase home insurance coverage for protection against disasters, contact Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial.

Protecting Your Family with Life insurance

Life insurance is one way to protect your family’s financial future.  You will have the peace of mind that your children will be protected if you or your spouse pass away.  Many people wonder if they will be able to cover the cost of a funeral and any final expenses.  Children will need money to complete their education.  Also, you may be wondering if you can designate funds for a charity that you support.  All of these things can be taken care of with a life insurance policy.  At Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial, our team works with people throughout the Laurel, MD area to understand how life insurance can safeguard their families. 

Deciding on the type and the policy amount requires some consideration.  Your agent will be able to help you with information so that you can make informed decisions.  Inflation and estate taxes will need to figure into your decision-making process.  Term life and whole life are the two types of life insurance.  Both have their own merits.  Term life insurance policies are for a predetermined time period.  They are less expensive than whole life and can be renewed.  Each renewal will cost more.  Also, term life policies do not increase in cash value over time.  As the name implies, whole life policies stay in place while the policyholder is alive.  They do have higher premiums but they build cash value.  This amount can be borrowed against if needed. 

Our team at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial can help you decide which life insurance policy option is best for you and your family.  We work with families like yours throughout the Laurel MD area.  We’ll answer your questions so that you understand your options.  Your family is important.  Contact our agents today to start protecting their future. 

A Guide To Help Laurel MD Residents Find The Right Commercial Insurance Coverage

 Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial offers different insurance policies to residents of Laurel, MD, and many of the surrounding areas. We strive to offer solutions regardless of our clients’ situation. We understand that every person has different needs and we are determined to help our clients find the right insurance coverage.

Commercial Insurance

Commercial insurance is important for a number of different reasons. Commercial insurance helps protect businesses in the event that a catastrophe occurs. Repairing serious damages to a building may cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Having to cover the cost of large damages can have a long term impact on the future operations of a business. That’s why commercial insurance is so important. However, there are a number of different commercial insurance policies that people can purchase, which can make the process overwhelming at times. To assist Laurel, MD residents through the process here is a guide of the different commercial insurance coverages.

Liability Insurance

Liability Insurance will cover you in the event that someone gets injured. Purchasing policy will protect you against many of the common injury risks that may occur on your property.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Workers’ Compensation insurance covers your business in the event that one of your employees is injured on the job.

Mechanical Breakdown Coverage

Mechanical breakdown coverage protects your property in the event that the equipment starts deteriorating. You’ll receive reimbursement for the cost of repairing the property damage and all of the potential missed income while the property was closed.

Commercial Automobile Insurance

Commercial automobile insurance will cover all of your businesses’ vehicles if they are damaged or stolen.

Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial Will Help You Find The Right Policy

For over a decade, Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial has helped people find the right insurance policy at the right time. Visit our website today to get a quote.

Three things your home insurance policy needs to provide

Home insurance is a product that protects the investment you make in your home. At Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial, we provide home insurance that will cover the costs of damages to your home and protect you from liabilities as a homeowner. 

You need to have a home insurance policy in Laurel, MD that provides you with adequate coverage. The following are three things your home insurance policy needs to provide. 

Liability coverage

Many homeowners associate home insurance first with protecting financially against physical damage to their property. However, this is not the only important form of coverage that home insurance offers.

Home insurance should also include liability coverage. Coverage for liabilities will cover the expenses of a lawsuit that results from an accident or event on your property. It’s important to make sure that your home insurance includes adequate liability coverage. 

Coverage for natural disasters you’re at risk for

You need to gauge the particular risks for damage there are at your property. Think about what natural disasters are likely to occur and cause extensive damage in your area.

If your area is prone to damage from earthquakes, flooding, or hurricanes, you need to have a home insurance policy that will provide coverage in these situations. 

An affordable deductible

It’s important that you can afford to pay your deductible out of pocket in the event that you have to file a claim.

A higher deductible will mean lower monthly premiums. However, a deductible that’s too high could create problems for you. Your home insurance coverage won’t kick in until your deductible is paid. 

Learn more about our home insurance policies in Laurel, MD. Contact us at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial with questions and inquiries regarding our insurance products.