Can I insure my home if it is used for business?

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Using your home for business can affect your home insurance coverage and the business insurance options that you may need to consider. Even though your business may have a limited risk, it is always important to purchase coverage to protect your company and your home from possible problems.

Risks to Consider

Running a business from your home may expose you to certain risks that are not a problem for other businesses. For example, the amount of security that may be available in your home can be significantly less than the options that are available for a commercial property, so you may have a greater risk of can affect customer data or facing a theft.

Insurance must address those risks and any other concerns associated with getting work did from your house. Often, your homeowner’s policy will not pay for the liability factors that are related to your business.

Insurance for Home Based Businesses

If you are doing business at home, then a home-based business insurance policy may be the best option for your goals. The policy is specifically designed to address your particular needs as well as the risks to your personnel property. It helps keep your business separates from your home so that you can avoid loosing your house when a customer is upset about your services or products.

Selecting a policy that is appropriate for your home-based business will depends on your particular company and the type of services or products that you provide.

Taking steps to protect your business and your personnel property is important, particularly if you are worried about the possibility of loosing personnel assets since you are running the company out of your home. Contact us to talk to an agent for more details.

Does my policy cover me if I rent a car?

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Renting a car in West Hartford, CT can make it easier to get around when you are visiting or passing through the area, but the vehicle must be insured to protect other drivers, you and your passengers. Furthermore, the rental car company may have additional requirements to protect their assets in case you get into an accident. Depending on the situation and your current auto coverage, your may or may not have protection for a rental vehicle.

Look Over Your Policy

Do not assume that your auto policy will automatically cover any rental vehicles that you are using. In some cases, you may not have any coverage for rented cars and it may be necessary to purchase separate rental car insurance to protect the vehicle and comply with state insurance laws.

Read your policy and look for any details regarding vehicles that you do not own. Some insurers may allow you to use your current policy and others may require that you contact the company to inform them before you rent the vehicle to apply your coverage.

Purchasing Separate Coverage

Even if your plan does provide coverage for a vehicle that you do not personally own, it may be necessary to purchase additional rental car insurance to comply with the agreement that you make with the rental car company. Some companies may require that you purchase additional protection in case of an accident or you may want to consider supplementary coverage to protect the vehicle against collisions.

Purchasing auto insurance does not necessarily mean that you are able to apply your coverage to a rental vehicle. Contact us to talk to an agent to learn more about your coverage options when you are planning a trip and will be renting a vehicle.

What are the most important features of a home insurance policy?

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Lenders require your home to have a home insurance policy on it before they establish a mortgage. For most people, homeowners insurance is not something that they shop for often, so it’s sometimes difficult to tell what the most important features of a home insurance policy are.

The first thing to find out is the actual replacement value of your home. You don’t need homeowners insurance coverage that is far higher than what you would actually get in a claim. Outside of the home’s value, you also want to pay attention to the deductible associated with a claim. If you have damage to your house or property, you need to know how much of the cost you need to cover. Some insurers may require you to pay a percentage of the value for specific circumstances, as opposed to a flat deductible. It pays to read the fine print so you aren’t surprised when you make a claim.

In addition to house damage, a home insurance policy also covers replacement or repair costs for your possessions. If your overall asset value is higher than the value of your home, you need to add additional coverage for personal property to cover claims.

If a natural disaster makes your home unlivable, look for displacement provisions in the insurance policy. These provisions pay for alternative housing while you are unable to occupy your home, so you can cover a short term rental or a hotel room during repairs.

It’s also essential that you understand common natural disaster risks for your area. This is particularly true if you live in an area prone to flooding, as flood insurance is not commonly included by default by a homeowners insurance policy.

Is a perma liner installation covered by home insurance if a pipe cracks due to root infiltration?

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One thing that first-time homeowners are seldom prepared for is the damage that can be caused to their pipes by tree roots. These invaders can cause leaks and blockages that require major portions of your yard to be dug up, costing you thousands of dollars. There is another way to fix it called a perma liner installation, which involves putting a hard liner inside of damaged pipes. This is not quite so invasive or expensive, but it will still probably cost a considerable amount of money. In either case, when a homeowner takes on a major expense like that, they naturally wonder if their home insurance might cover it.

Consider, for a moment, the nature of homeowners insurance. It is designed essentially to pay for sudden damage or loss, often caused by weather, fire or violent act. Root damage is not generally considered to be sudden, so you will usually have a hard time convincing an insurance adjuster that there was nothing you could have done to prevent the root damage over time. What this usually means is that you are stuck paying for your perma-liner without any help from your insurance.

This does not mean that it’s impossible to get a damaged pipe repaired with your home insurance. It is often possible to design a policy to cover removal of roots, pipe repair and/or perma liner installation–the trick is to talk to an agent before it becomes a problem. As an independent agent, we can help you to find a homeowners insurance policy that covers everything you want covered, and with our comparative quote tool on our website, you can be sure you’re always getting the best price, so call us today!

Won’t my homeowners insurance cover any business related claims since I run a business out of my home in West Hartford, CT?

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It’s a commonly held belief by many home business owners that their homeowners insurance policy completely covers all of their business insurance needs. As your independent agent, we know that all types of insurance coverage varies by state, so it’s not wise to make assumptions about what’s covered.

Depending on the state, it’s possible that your West Hartford homeowners policy may offer limited coverage for certain items, but if it does, the maximum covered amount will have some type of cap for things like business equipment used in the home office, and a smaller amount for business equipment that’s used outside the office when you travel, or during outside business meetings.

As your insurance agent, we’re here to offer you help, suggestions, and guidance. For example, whether it’s your home, or commercial business insurance policy, you may want to consider deductible options for your required payment toward any type of covered loss before your insurance company will even start to pay a claim.

Based on the specific terms of your Connecticut insurance policy, higher deductibles can help save on your premium payments. The recommended amount in today’s economic environment is a minimum deductible of $500. and even higher if possible for added savings.

There’s no reason for you to attempt to figure out the variables on your own. It’s important that you call us to gain better insight. Since you’re located in the West Hartford area, there are other considerations like flood and windstorm deductible to consider. In fact from the latest data, Hartford is scheduled to receive the most Connecticut State aid the next fiscal year amounting to $257 million.

You May Need to Add Additional Insurance for Specific Personal Property

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Your West Hartford, Connecticut homeowner’s insurance covers your home and possessions from losses due to fire, theft and storm damages. Individual insurance policies are issued to cover a set amount for the value of the home and a different amount for your personal belongings. The amount of personal insurance provided may not meet your unique needs.

Homeowners or renters should have an inventory list of their personal property for insurance purposes. However, when you purchase insurance to cover your items, you do not necessarily need to have an exact dollar figure. Policies are normally written to include a percent value for your goods. For example, a $100,000 home policy might include $60,000 worth of personal property. The same applies to a detached structure including garages or sheds.

High Value Goods and Collections

You should consider the need for additional insurance for specific items or collections. Your insurance will normally have a limit set for certain goods including jewelry, artwork or coin collections. Limits on jewelry may be $1,000 per piece with a $3,000 total limit. If you have an $8,000 ring, you need to have additional insurance added to cover your ring.

Artwork, coins and stamp collections may also exceed the limits in regular property policies. You will want to talk to an agent about Scheduled Personal Property or Optional coverage for unique and high-value possessions.

You should also understand the difference between market value and replacement cost for personal property. The first pays you the value of the item based on its age, minus your deductible. The second pays the cost of a new purchase after your deductible. As your independent agent, we want to make sure you and your West Hartford, Connecticut home are properly covered by your insurance.

Why Do I Need Commercial Coverage in West Hartford, CT?

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Commercial insurance in West Hartford, CT provides businesses with protection from risks. Those risks may affect the business’s assets, such as equipment, buildings, and employees. It can also help to reduce the risks associated with liability claims that others make against the organization. The need for commercial coverage is evident in virtually all types of businesses.

Commercial coverage needs range significantly from one business to another. Work with an independent agent to learn about policies right for your business.

In West Hartford, Connecticut, asset coverage is important. Commercial property insurance, commercial auto insurance and commercial equipment coverage are important for most businesses. Having proper protection for these items may help prevent losses from theft, vandalism, or other risks from costing your business too much.

Workers compensation is another type of commercial coverage many businesses need. It helps to protect your business (and employees) from losses related to on the job injuries. Employees hurt on the job often face lost time at work, medical bills, and long term care needs that the business may be responsible for paying if it does not have appropriate workers compensation coverage.

Liability insurance is another type of necessary commercial insurance coverage. This type of insurance may help protect a business from lawsuits filed against it. This might include lawsuits related to customer’s falling, defective products, poor service, or other losses suffered by your customers due to your business’s potential negligence.

To find out what types of insurance your commercial establishment needs, talk to an independent agent in West Hartford, Connecticut. You’ll be able to not only find the policies right for your business, but also get the most affordable coverage available. This could help you to save money in the long term while also providing coverage for your business’s biggest risks.

Am I covered for natural disasters or “Acts of God” in West Hartford, CT?

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Insurance is a product that is designed to cover people from the cost associated with losses do to natural disasters. A loss can happen at anytime and just about in any place. If you are not prepared from it when it comes, then you could be facing repair bills that are beyond your financial ability. To help you find an insurance product that can cover your risk exposure here are some acts of God that you are covered for.

Types of Perils that You can Expect to be Covered For

  • Hail is one peril that you can expect coverage against. Hail is a result of strong thunderstorms that can develop without much warning.
  • Vandalism is one thing that some people never have to deal with as a homeowner.When it does happen you will need to have insurance coverage in order to have help paying for the damages.
  • If some one is hurt on your property you will need to have liability attached to your insurance policy. If someone if hurt on your property and can prove it is your fault, then your policy will cover the damages.
  • Fire is a common cause of a lot of damage. Your policy will help pay for the cleanup, water damage, smoke damage and other related secondary damages.

Acts of God can strike at any time in West Hartford , Connecticut. If you have any questions about your home insurance policy and what it covers, then you need to contact your independent agent today. You need to call your agent to find out the truth about your policy. It is what you do not understand that can really cause trouble to your financial standings.

If my Son Rents an Apartment in West Hartford, CT, Will my Home Insurance Cover his Liability and Property?

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When your son moves out of your home in West Hartford, Connecticut, you may worry about his personal property and the possible liability concerns that may arise. Depending on the situation, he may still be covered under your homeowners insurance policy, but it usually will not apply if he is renting an apartment.

Apartments vs. a Dorm

During college, some young adults are still covered by their parent’s home policy. The reason is because the young adults live in a college dorm rather than an apartment. When your son rents an apartment, he is no longer covered under your current plan because he is saying that he is independent by renting on his own.

A dorm room is not the same. Your policy may cover a young adult who is staying in a college dorm because the dorm is considered a temporary living area.

Renter’s Insurance

If your son is renting an apartment, then he will need to purchase a renter’s insurance policy. A renter’s policy is designed to address all of his concerns when he rents a property. For example, it will protect his personal belongings and offer some liability protection, but it will not protect the building from fires. It is the responsibility of his landlord to pay for damages to the property if a fire occurs. Furthermore, it may offer some protection in case the rental property is damaged and he cannot live there, such as paying for hotel costs until he can find a new apartment.

Although your son may be your child, he is responsible for his own insurance if he is renting an apartment. To learn more about the different rental insurance options, contact us to talk to an independent agent today.

If a Cellular Phone is Stolen from your Car in West Hartford, CT, is the Phone Covered by your Auto Insurance?

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When personal belongings are stolen from a car in West Hartford, Connecticut, you may worry about the replacement cost. That is particularly true if it was your expensive cellular phone or if you are missing important documents, like the details of a term life policy. Although every insurer will have a different policy and plan for auto insurance, many policies will offer some coverage for belongings that are stolen from the car.

Review Your Policy

Never assume that you are covered under a current policy. Take the time to read through the document and find out how much coverage is available and what is covered.

If you only have a basic liability and state-minimum plan, then you may not be covered for the theft of personal belongings. Insurers may refuse to cover belongings in the car when you obtain the minimum requirements, so take the time to find out what is covered under a policy.

Obtaining Additional Coverage

If you determine that the current policy is not appropriate for your needs or goals, then it may be time to obtain a new policy or add to the current coverage. Ideally, it is best to review your policy at least once per year to determine if it is appropriate for your current needs so that you can make appropriate changes if it is necessary.

Working with an independent agent will help you find the right policy to address all of your concerns. If you are worried about items being stolen, then you will want a policy that protects the vehicle and any other object in the vehicle from theft. Contact us to talk to an independent agent about your options or for more details today.