When it comes to buying insurance, you can purchase it online yourself through a well-known insurance carrier, a captive agent or you can buy it through a local insurance agency. When you buy it online yourself, you may find it can be more challenging to manage your insurance policy. When you have to call an 800 number to ask a question about your policy or make a claim, sometimes you may feel like you aren’t receiving a personal touch.

As a local insurance agency, we want to share the benefits of having a personal insurance agent when it comes to purchasing insurance.

Do you have a professional insurance agent you trust?

Just like having a doctor or dentist, we want to be a professional you can trust when it comes to buying insurance. Insurance can be tricky and difficult to understand. We are here to explain the differences in insurance coverage to ensure you have the right coverage for your specific needs.

Have a quick insurance question? Email or call your agent directly.

We love answering all your insurance questions. We get questions all the time from our customers.

• Do I need to buy rental car insurance for my upcoming vacation or will my personal auto insurance cover me?
• I am renting a U-haul, do I need to buy their coverage?
• Do I have any gaps in my insurance coverage?
• I just purchased a boat, does my homeowner’s insurance cover me or do I need additional insurance coverage?
• Should I purchase flood or earthquake insurance?
• Should I increase my limits on my umbrella insurance? I just purchased my first investment property.
• Should I have life insurance at my age? What are the benefits?

Questions like the ones listed above are easily answered from our agents! We are here to answer all your questions. With a simple email or call, you can get an answer from your insurance agent directly.

My insurance premium increased significantly and I haven’t turned in any claims. Help!

If you purchase insurance from a well-known insurance company directly, it may be hard to find a better rate at renewal without having to sacrifice insurance coverage. Luckily, local, independent insurance agents represent several companies instead of just one. If you find your insurance premium is too high for your budget, reach out to your agent at renewal. We can shop similar coverage with a different insurance carrier. You might be surprised to find several quotes to choose from!

If you don’t have a personal insurance agent, reach out to our agency. We’d love to review your current insurance coverage, answer your questions or simply be the personal, professional agent you need in your life. Our agency can help you with all your auto, home, business or life insurance needs.

How to Cook Healthy Meals On A Road Trip

Did you purchase an RV this past year or have you found you enjoy taking road trips? With the COVID-19 pandemic, many people invested in an RV, travel trailer, or simply went camping more in order to safely travel & enjoy the beautiful outdoors. When you are taking a road trip, you do have to figure out how you plan to eat. Fast food and takeout from restaurants may be your first thought.

Have you ever considered that you can eat great home-cooked meals on the road that doesn’t require much cooking at all? Of course, you can always make a grocery store run & cook just as you would cook a meal at home. But, this might mean buying all of the little things like spices, oils, etc.

In this blog, we share how to eat healthy on the road without having to spend too much time cooking. Plus, you might find you can get away with packing less.

Our basic cooking essentials – do you own the following items?

• Portable Stove
• Small Gas Barbeque
• Pot, Pan or both
• Water jug container (for cooking and cleaning pots/pans)
• Soap/Sponge (for cleaning pots/pans)
• Utensils and Paper Plates
• Garbage Bag
• Lighter
• Propane Tank + an extra
• A good cooler (if you are on a long road trip, we love a cooler that can plug into your car!)
• Ice Packs or Ice Bag

Having the following items above is a great start. They don’t take up too much space and provide you with everything you need to cook, eat & clean up afterwards.

Next, how can I prepare a delicious, healthy meal with minimal cooking?

Batch cook.

Batch cooking is simply preparing meals in your home before your trip. Choosing meals that freeze easily are key. Once you have cooked your meal at home, throw it into the freezer at least 24 hours before your trip. The day you are leaving for your trip, load it into your cooler frozen then layer on your ice packs to keep it cool. When it is time to cook, all you have to do is reheat it using your portable stove or barbeque.

Some great food suggestions –

• Frozen cooked burgers (turkey, beef, or chicken)
• Frozen Chili or other soup
• Meat sauce/vegetable sauce
• Frozen breakfast sausage links
• Taco meat
• Foil vegetables or entrees (prepare vegetables or entrees ahead of time & wrap in foil – simply place on your BBQ grill or unwrap and place into a pot or pan)
• Frozen pizza slices

How to re-heat your meal? Either place your frozen burger on your barbeque or add your entrée into a pan or pot to re-heat on your portable stove. Within 10 minutes or so, you’ll have a tasty meal!

Other meals that don’t require much cooking –

• Cold Sandwiches
• Hot Dogs
• Yogurt
• Hard-Boiled Eggs
• Snack foods like rice cakes, chips, pretzels, trail mix
• Anything that requires boiled water such as oatmeal or noodles
• Prepared meals you enjoy eating cold (tuna salad, other cold salads, and entrees)
• Raw fruit and vegetables

We hope you found new tips that can help you eat healthy while traveling on the road. While we can’t prepare your meals for you, we can ensure you have the best coverage for your vehicle or RV. Whether you are shopping around for the best rate or are looking to purchase different RV coverage, we are here to help.

What type of insurance do I need for my boat? 

When it comes to insuring your boat, it can be hard to know where to start. Most new boat owners start by wondering how much coverage will be provided by an existing home insurance policy.  But it’s often best to separate your boat insurance from your homeowner’s policy or any other policies that you might have. The majority of home insurance policies either offer very limited marine specific coverage or don’t cover boats at all.

If your home insurance does provide marine insurance, it’s important to ask what type of coverage is included.  Most home insurance policies that have some type of marine insurance included only offer coverage when operating the boat on inland waterways, small lakes, and rivers. Coverage rarely reaches to a coastal inlet or along the beach.  Additionally, the liability limits can be restrictive.  Oftentimes a home insurance policy won’t provide coverage for costs that you might be liable for such as salvage work, wreckage removal, and environmental damages.

What are the variables involved in most boat insurance policies?

There are many variables which insurance companies will consider when determining your boat insurance premiums.  Some of the most common of these variables include:

• Length of the boat
• Age of the boat
• Overall value of the boat
• Condition (Does it meet US Coast Guard Standards?)
• Horsepower of the motor(s)
• Where it will be kept and operated

What types of boat coverage are there?

There are two basic types of boat insurance —“agreed value” and “actual cash value.”  Applying deprecation at the time of a loss is what sets these policy types apart.

An “agreed value” policy insures the boat based on its value when the policy was initially written. While it can cost more upfront, there is no depreciation for a total loss of the boat.

“Actual cash value” policies cost less upfront but factor in depreciation. The policy will only pay the boat’s actual value at the time of loss. Over time, as your boat ages, your insurer will likely insist on an actual cash value policy—and your premiums will likely decrease over time as a result.

What coverages are often available on a stand-alone boat policy?

The availability of specialized coverages is the advantage of purchasing a stand-alone boat policy rather than relying on your home insurance.  Some of these coverages include:

• Accessories Coverage: Coverage for a specific high-value piece of equipment on your boat, such as an expensive prop or navigation equipment.
• Wreckage Removal: Covers the cost of removing and transporting your boat in the case of severe damage or sinking.
• Towing: In the event that your boat breaks down, this coverage will reimburse you for the costs associated with getting back to shore.
• Cruising Extension: You can get temporary, additional coverage for areas outside the USA such as Mexico or the Bahamas.

The best way to get more information on boat insurance is to ask a licensed agent in our office.  We can assist you with assessing your insurance needs and provide you with some quotes from several of the top insurance companies.

Get A Quote For Your Boat Insurance Today

Our licensed staff is ready to help you get multiple boat insurance quotes.  Because we’re an independent insurance agent we can shop from multiple insurance companies to help you find the right coverage at the right price.

During the pandemic, many individuals may not feel comfortable getting on an airplane. However, many still want to travel. Perhaps a road trip can be the answer. Road trips allow you to see what is between your home and destination, something that hopping on a plane doesn’t, but it is essential to have the best plan in place before you hit the road.

First off, where do you want to go?

This is the most important question. Start with your end destination. For example, say someone who lives in Washington State wants to travel to Death Valley National Park.

Start with your basic questions:

• How much time can I spend on the road?
• How long will it take to get to my end destination?
• What are my route options?
• What am I interested in seeing?
• Is everything open that I am interested in seeing?
• Do I want to rent a car or use my own car?

Once you answer those questions, you can begin your planning.

Grab the basics for your vehicle

It doesn’t matter if you are renting a car or using your own, it is good to have the basics in the car for your road trip.

• Flashlight
• Food and water
• Owner’s manual
• Spare tire & roadside kit
• Cell phone charger
• Blanket
• Small trash bag

Adding comfort to your road trip

Comfort can come in many ways. From wearing comfortable clothes & shoes to having snacks. We will share below some items that can bring comfort to a long drive.

• Good music playlist. Whether you create it on your phone or pack a bunch of CDs, music makes a comfortable drive. Not a music fan? What about an audio book?
• Hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes. Obviously this is more important than ever with COVID-19, but having access to clean hands brings comfort.
• Sometimes you will come across a vendor who only accepts cash. Sometimes there are tolls you have to pass that require cash. This is always good to have on hand.
• Snacks – pack your favorites!
• Sunglasses & sunscreen
• First Aid Kit
• Cooler – this allows you to bring a variety of food choices. Especially if you don’t want to eat out every meal, packing your own meals brings safety and routine to your diet.
• Pillow
• Camera & camera charger (unless you use your phone for photos!)

Another common question – if I am renting a car, do I need to purchase their insurance policy?

This choice is up to you. Your auto insurance coverage would cover anything on your rental car that is covered on your personal car. Comprehensive and collision insurance is a required coverage on rental cars. If your current auto insurance coverage does not have comprehensive and collision coverage, you will need to purchase that coverage. Also, consider roadside assistance if you plan to be in an area unfamiliar to you.

What else should I know about creating the best road trip?

This may sound silly, but keep your head up and enjoy the scenery. If you are sitting in the passenger seat, it is easy to scroll through your phone instead, but sometimes the gems along the route are better than the destination.

Also, it may be fun to keep a journal of all the details of your trip. Especially if you are a fan of scrapbooking your trips, you’ll remember all the little memories that may be easy to forget.

Lastly, do some research. If you are a foodie, research the best places to eat on your route. Whether it is a simple Google search or looking at Yelp, it is easy to find tasty food.

If you have any questions about your existing auto insurance or RV insurance coverage, please contact us before you hit the road. Safe travels and enjoy the open road.

Jewelry is often one of the most valuable belongings in your home and, for this reason, it’s something you may want to consider insuring. Most pieces of jewelry can be fragile, easily lost, and they are among the first items stolen during burglaries. But most people still fail to insure expensive pieces of jewelry with high sentimental values.

Below is some general information to help you understand how much jewelry insurance can cost and the different ways that you can purchase insurance for some of your most precious belongings.

Homeowner Insurance

One common way to insure jewelry is on a homeowner’s insurance policy. Usually adding your jewelry to your home insurance will cost you extra. Homeowners insurance rates will vary based on the amount of coverage you choose for your home, the location, age, and condition of your home, and other factors like your marital status and even your credit score.

Most home policies don’t automatically cover your jewelry. You’ll need to ask for an endorsement to your policy to cover your jewelry. And, as jewelry is a high-value item and is often stolen or lost, you’ll see a separate amount of coverage for it on your policy.

The cost of jewelry insurance can vary but typically it’s between 1% – 5% of the total value of your jewelry collection.

The different home insurance coverage options

When it comes to comparing home insurance, there are many different options to choose from. Some of the most common options that you will want to consider when taking out a policy include:

• HO-3 Insurance – This is the most popular type of insurance and, if you have a mortgage, you are often required to have at a minimum this level of coverage.

This type of policy will cover any damage to your home, apart from any exclusions in the policy, which might be events such as floods or earthquakes.

As for the coverage for your belongings, this policy is commonly referred to as a Named Peril policy. On an HO-3 policy, your belongings will only be covered for events listed in your policy. Also, you typically will only be reimbursed for the actual cash value of your belongings rather than the true replacement cost.

• HO-5 Insurance – If you are looking for more holistic coverage, then this type of policy provides more extensive coverage than an HO-3 policy.

HO-5 insurance provides the same amount of protection for your home as an HO-3 policy. But for your belongings, HO-5 is commonly referred to as an Open Peril policy. This means that rather than only covering your belongings for perils that are named in the policy, your belongings will be covered for everything unless a peril is specifically excluded in the policy.

An HO-5 policy will also reimburse you for replacing your belongings if lost or stolen rather than only providing the actual cash value of your property.

The best way to get more information on jewelry insurance is to ask a licensed agent in our office. We can assist you with assessing your insurance needs and provide you with some quotes from several of the top insurance companies.

Get A Quote For Your Jewelry Insurance Today

Our licensed staff is ready to help you get multiple jewelry insurance quotes. Because we’re an independent insurance agent we can shop from multiple insurance companies to help you find the right coverage at the right price.