Frequently Asked Questions

That depends. Liability protection that you carry for personal injury and property damage will provide some protection while you are driving the rental car.

Damage to the rental car would be covered under Collision and Comprehensive Coverage if your policy has it. The rental car company may also try to recover damages for lost income while the rental car is out of service and diminished value. Your auto policy may respond to the loss of use, normally it does not. Your current auto policy does not afford coverage for diminished value.

Credit card companies often provide protection against these kinds of rental car claims so you should check there to see what the provisions and restrictions might be.

Finally, you can purchase a Collision Damage Waiver – CDW – from the rental car company. This isn’t actually insurance but a release from financial liability you might otherwise be charged with as a result of damaging the rental car. The CDW is expensive at $8 to $12 a day. This would amount to over $4,000 a year for very limited coverage BUT any claim on this coverage will not affect your current auto policy or cause a surcharge. Still, if you do not have protection via your auto policy or credit card, paying the CDW over a few days may be preferable than being personally accountable for $15,000 or $20,000 or more to replace the rental car.

During business hours contact us for advice and assistance. Otherwise, please contact the insurance company directly.

Your policy will adjust for differences in other state requirements. Personal automobile policy protection is only applicable in the United States, US territories and possessions and the provinces of Canada.

That depends. A business auto policy by itself won’t extend protection to rented autos unless you have amended it. You can get protection for situations where you rent autos if you add Hired Auto Liability and Physical Damage coverage.

The claim process has a few variations, but these are the essential steps once the claim has been submitted to the insurance company:

1. You will be contacted by an insurance company adjuster to gather detailed information about your claim.
2. Often, someone from the insurance company will inspect your auto or property for damage.
3. An estimate is prepared.
4. A check is delivered.
5. Sometimes differences in actual and estimated damages arise, especially after repair work has been undertaken. Every attempt is made to resolve these differences and sometimes a supplemental check is prepared.

If you own, lease (long term) or finance your vehicle then you will file a claim with your insurance company. Your deductible is the first portion of your responsibility of any loss.

For example, if your car has $800 worth of damage and your policy has a $1000 deductible, you will not file a claim because your deductible is greater than the damage. Another example is when your car has $2500 worth of damage, and your policy deductible is $1000. You can make a claim in this scenario and your $1000 responsibility will be paid when you pick your car up from the auto repair shop.

Payment for your loss will include payment to the finance or leasing company, if any. If you cause damage to other vehicles or property, your insurance company will handle that with little or no involvement on your part, in most cases.

In most cases the other driver’s insurance policy would respond and reimburse you for damages to your vehicle, property, or injuries. In some cases, as when you or your passengers are injured and the other driver has inadequate or no insurance, coverage from your own policy may apply.

Generally, the answer is no. One claim is not a cause for concern on the part of insurance companies. But a pattern of claims may result in a cancellation.

Generally, the answer is yes, but there are many factors in determining what the rate increase will be.

Your automobile policy protection is extended to anyone you grant permission to drive your car. You do not need to explicitly provide permission; the other person only needs to have a reasonable belief that they are driving with permission.

That depends on the kind of business you engage in. All businesses need basic liability to protect them against acts of owners or employees for which the business might be considered legally liable. Professional service providers often need special liability protection. Examples might be professional liability protection for lawyers, doctors, architects or software designers. Another example are businesses that manufacture or distribute a product; they typically need product liability protection. It’s always a good idea to review the kinds of liability exposures your business might have when updating or initiating an insurance program.

Businesses that own autos or use non-owned autos in the conduct of their business will probably need a business auto policy.

All businesses have property which can be divided up into several categories: office or other equipment, inventory, real property, etc. and it is a good idea to think about your ability to replace any damaged or lost property in these categories. If the possible amount of loss exceeds your comfort level, then insurance might be a good alternative. It is almost always cheaper to use an insurance policy than to use your business capital to pay for damaged business property.

You also need to think about how long you could afford to be out of business. This insurance coverage, known as business interruption insurance, can pay lost income, suppliers, salaries, and other costs you might incur even if your business income were to be interrupted by a covered cause of loss.

That depends. A business auto policy by itself won’t extend protection to rented autos unless you have amended it. You can get protection for situations where you rent autos if you add Hired Auto Liability and Physical Damage coverage.

During business hours contact us for advice and assistance. Otherwise, please contact the insurance company directly.

The claim process has a few variations, but these are the essential steps once the claim has been submitted to the insurance company:

1. You will be contacted by an insurance company adjuster to gather detailed information about your claim.
2. Often, someone from the insurance company will inspect your auto or property for damage.
3. An estimate is prepared.
4. A check is delivered.
5. Sometimes differences in actual and estimated damages arise, especially after repair work has been undertaken. Every attempt is made to resolve these differences and sometimes a supplemental check is prepared.

Generally, the answer is no. One claim is not a cause for concern on the part of insurance companies. But a pattern of claims may result in a cancellation.

Generally, the answer is yes, but there are many factors in determining what the rate increase will be.

Many natural disasters, such as hurricanes or tornadoes, are covered in a homeowner policy. Others, like earthquake and flood are not. Let us know if you have any concerns about your protection from loss due to natural or even man made disasters; we’ll be happy to review your insurance program and let you know what, if any, changes you might want to consider.

Yes. The association master policy is for coverage to the structure, which you don’t need. However, to get protection for your own possessions and for legal liability related to your own unit, you need your own policy. Many condominium associations will assess unit owners for master policy deductibles. That’s another reason why it is important to have your own policy and why it is important that the coverage in your policy match up well with the association master policy.

A standard homeowner policy provides coverage equal to 10% of the limit for Coverage C of a homeowner policy or $1,000, whichever is greater. This coverage is useful for protecting you while traveling and for other temporary situations. If you have property in excess of these amounts away from home or property that is kept away from your residence premises for extended periods, you should consider additional protection.

The 10% limitation for household property, is for property at an Insureds Residence Premise……There is no limitation for property carried on vacation or stored in a storage unit (except whatever the contents limit is on the property).

Homeowner policies specifically exclude reimbursement for damage caused by flood. Your home may be a significant distance from a major body of water but still be exposed to flood risk. The National Flood Insurance Program has a flood risk indicator on their website. All you have to do is enter your property address and you will get an indication of the degree of flood risk you face. Our agency can get flood coverage for you.

Renters policies provide several benefits. A renters policy will provide compensation for many types of loss to your personal property, such as theft, fire, and water damage. Renters policies also include liability protection. This can be especially important because a fire, caused by your negligence, could damage a large number of other rental units and the property contained in them. Additionally, it provides you with loss of use. If your rental is unhabitable due to a covered claim, i.e., fire, you will be compensated for temporary shelter, usually up to 12 months.

Typical policies provide coverage for you and relatives that live with you. So, if your roommate is not a relative you will not be protected under his or her policy. Claims made by your roommate will impact your claims history for at least 3 years.

You should review all your insurance needs at least once a year. If you have a major life change, you should contact your insurance agent or company representative. The change in your life may have a significant impact on your insurance needs.

Life changes may include:

1. Marriage or divorce
2. A child or grandchild who is born or adopted
3. Significant changes in your health or that of your spouse/domestic partner
4. Taking on the financial responsibility of an aging parent
5. Purchasing a new home
6. A loved one who requires long-term care
7. Refinancing your home
8. Coming into an inheritance
9. Switching jobs/careers or significant salary increases
   1. Generally, employee sponsored life insurance policies are not able to be taken if you leave or are fired. Sometimes you have this option, but generally if you leave you lose the coverage.
   2. If you change jobs or careers and get a significant raise or pay increase, you might need more life insurance. 10X annual salary is generally a good starting point when evaluating coverage.
10. Group Corporate sponsored life benefits only
    1. Generally, corporate sponsored life policies tend to be annual term with rates increasing as you age. You should consider locking in a rate with a level term product so that your premiums are guaranteed to remain the same for the duration of the term.