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Have a rehab or renovation project?
If you own rental properties, enjoy flipping houses for an extra income, or need major work done to your house, we have a great policy for you. Most standard insurance companies will not insure these types of risks until the work is completed. So what about getting coverage for that temporary period of time while the property is being renovated? Well our agency can provide the perfect solution to this problem. We were able to help a client that inherited a home recently, and needed to do major work to it. The roof had to be replaced, kitchen needed remodeling, etc. They went back to their insurance company and were turned down. If fact, most standard insurance companies will NOT insure your property it needs major renovation. Since we are an independent insurance agency we represent a few insurance companies that specialize in this type of insurance. We were able to write a 3 month policy for this client, enabling them time to complete the work while providing the necessary coverage that they needed. At the end of the 3 months, if the work is not completed they can simply renew for another 3 months. If the work is completed, we can rewrite as a standard homeowners or rental dwelling policy with one of our standard insurance companies. These specialized insurance policies can also be written for 6 and 12 months terms.
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The Walker Insurance Group specializes in several types of businesses, with contractors being one of
them. If you are a contractor and have shopped for insurance or have been in business many years, you are aware of the procedures and requirements performed by most insurance companies. If you are a new business or simply changing carriers, the insurance company will have to run a credit check to even get coverage. Also, each year when your policy renews the insurance company will contact the owner and ask several questions and perform an audit. This can be good or bad depending on your sales or gross receipts for the year. Your premium can also increase at renewal if the audit shows that you increase sales from the previous year. There are many insurance companies that will also perform an audit immediately following a new policy to confirm the work you are performing. They can also set the policy up for cancellation if you’re performing work that doesn’t fit the type of work you indicated on the application. For me, there are just too many questions and uncertainty with the premium you are paying. As a business owner, you need to focus on running your business and being profitable and not worry about whether you might have a drastic rate increase every year. This is why our agency represents Erie Insurance, whose contractor’s policy is heads and shoulders above the competition. There is NO credit check up front to obtain coverage, and NO annual audit performed at the renewal of your policy. The Walker Insurance group provides excellent coverage and service to the following types of contractors: lawn care & landscaping, painters, electricians, cleaning & janitorial services, plumbers, carpentry & remodeling contractors, “handyman” services, siding contractors, ac & HVAC contractors, floor covering installation, concrete construction, and MANY OTHERS. This is a question that I get asked all the time, which makes it a good topic to discuss when considering
your auto insurance options. As a general of thumb, when your vehicle is “10 years old” you can start thinking about carrying liability only on your vehicle. When I say, liability only I am referring to not carrying comprehensive and collision coverage. The easiest way to explain the difference is to look at what each coverage provides. Liability will cover the “other person” if you are at fault in an accident. This includes all of their medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and even legal costs related to an accident. This makes it very important to carry higher limits on your auto insurance to protect yourself and your biggest assets. Full coverage means coverage for “your vehicle”. There are two parts to full coverage: comprehensive and collision coverage. Comprehensive coverage will cover “acts of God” such as weather claims, hitting a deer or animal, theft, fire, etc. Collision coverage will provide coverage for any impact or collision with another vehicle or object. I usually explain to clients that a collision loss is usually “your fault”. For example: If you were to rear end someone or back into something and there is damage to your vehicle. These are examples of a collision loss. In the event of an accident or a loss, you will also have a deductible for both comprehensive and collision. The higher your deductible, the lower the premium. The standard or most common deductible options are $250 or $500. I would only recommend $1,000 or higher if you have this in savings, or can come up with the money in the event of an accident or claim. If you say that you just want liability coverage, you still have to remember that there are many other coverages that you should continue to carry on your policy. These coverages include: medical payments, uninsured & underinsured motorists, towing/labor, and uninsured property damage. Another idea to consider, which we share with all of our clients is to consider the value of the vehicle. I would recommend looking at NADA and Kelly blue book websites for the value of your vehicle. Most insurance companies use one or a combination of these websites when totaling out a vehicle. If you have a 1995 Model vehicle and are carrying full coverage, it doesn’t make sense if the vehicle is only worth $1,000 or less. If you have a $500 deductible you would only net $500 dollars if the vehicle was totaled out. The cost of full coverage insurance would not warrant the extra premium that you have paid in over the years. Local food. Local shopping, Local products. We’re paying more and more attention to things that come
directly from our own communities. Why shouldn’t your home and auto insurance agent be local, too? Everyone hates feeling like a number, and we promise never to make you feel that way. We’re local. We live here in the same community that you do. We understand the dangers and risks associated with owning a home and driving a vehicle in our city. Don’t let a 1-800 and possibly 10 different people help you when you are at your WORST….. when that accident occurs, or you have to rebuild or repair your home due to loss. In these situations, you NEED a local, trusted advisor to assist you every step of the way. When you purchase a home, for most people, it becomes their largest investment. Don’t chance your biggest investment and family on a company or agent who treats you like a number, or someone in a far-off city. Our agency has earned a place of honor in the communities we serve. Let us help you, here and now. When it comes to your insurance Agent, shop local. Contact our agency today. |
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