The importance of insurance cannot be over-emphasized and neither can the danger of paying for insurance you don’t need. It is strongly recommended you solicit the advice of an in-dependent business insurance agent. Don’t forget to SHOP! Talk to three or four independent agents and compare notes and prices. An insurance agent will lay out a vast array of insurance coverage much of which you simply may not need. Your situation will be unique and you must consider each insurance element carefully to ensure comprehensive coverage.
Whatever your final insurance program looks like, you should review it at least every six months. Your business can change rapidly, especially in the first few years and insurance needs change with it. Keep your program up to date by calling in your agent and reviewing your coverage. Make changes where necessary.
LIABILITY INSURANCE
This is probably the most important element of your insurance program. Liability insurance provides protection from potential
losses resulting from injury or damage to others or their property. Just recall some of the big cash awards you have read about that have resulted from lawsuits concerning liability of one kind or another and you will understand the importance of this insurance. Your insurance agent can describe the various types of liability insurance coverage that are available. If you will end up with a comprehensive general policy, make certain that the general policy does not include items you don’t need. Pay for only the insurance you need. For example, your business may not need product liability insurance.
Do not confuse business liability coverage with your personal liability coverage, both of which you need. Your personal coverage will not cover a business-generated liability. Check to be certain.
Compare the costs of different levels of coverage. In some cases a $2 million policy costs only slightly more than a $1 million policy. This economy of scale is true with most forms of insurance coverage. That is, after a certain value, additional insurance becomes very economical.
KEY PERSON INSURANCE
This type of insurance is particularly important for the sole proprietorship or partnership where the loss of one person through illness, accident, or death may render the business inoperative or severely limit its operations. This insurance, although not inexpensive, can provide protection for this situation. Key person insurance might also be necessary for others involved in your business.
SGC was a small firm run by three partners, a software programmer, marketer, and a general manager. Their product was a complex computer program used by aerospace firms. Al, the programmer, was involved in a severe automobile accident, became totally disabled, and SGC lost their programming capability. The problem was that the computer program written by Al was essentially the company’s sole product. Modifications to accommodate the customer became impossible and the time to bring another programmer up to speed was excessive. SGC lost considerable business as a result of this situation. These losses could have been offset by key person insurance.
DISABILITY INSURANCE
You, as a business owner, should be covered by disability insurance whether or not you decide on key person insurance. This insurance, along with business-interruption insurance, described below, will help ensure your business will continue to operate in the unfortunate situation where you are unable to work. Your disability insurance policy needs to provide satisfactory coverage. Particular attention should be paid to the definition of “disability,” delay time until payments start, when coverage terminates, and adjustments for inflation.
FIRE INSURANCE
Fire insurance, like all insurance is complicated and you should understand what IS and IS NOT covered. For example, a typical fire insurance policy covers the loss of contents but does not cover your losses from the fact that you may be out of business for 2-months while your facility is rebuilt. Fire insurance is mandatory whether you’re working out of a home office or you have a separate facility. You should discuss a comprehensive policy with your agent. Take the time to understand the details. For example, will the contents be insured for their replacement value or for actual value at the time of loss?
Consider a co-insurance clause that will reduce the policy cost considerably. This means that the insurance carrier will require you to carry insurance equal to some percentage of the value of your property. (Usually around 85%.) With this type of clause it is very important that you review coverage frequently so you always meet the minimum percentage required. If this minimum is not met, a loss will not be paid no matter what its value.
If you are working out of your home, your existing homeowner’s policy may not cover business property. If this is the case, have your insurance agent to add a home-office rider to your policy.
AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE
You probably already have automobile insurance but it might not include business use of your vehicle. Make sure that it does.
WORKER’S COMPENSATION INSURANCE
If you make the decision to hire employees, you will be required, in most states, to cover them under worker’s compensation. The cost of this insurance varies widely and depends on the kind of work being performed and your accident history. It is important that you properly classify your employees to secure the lowest insurance rates. Work closely with your insurance agent.
BUSINESS INTERRUPTION INSURANCE
This protects against loss of revenue as the result of property damage. This insurance would be used, for instance, if you could not operate your business during the time repairs were being made as a result of a fire or in the event of the loss of a key supplier. The coverage can pay for salaries, taxes, and lost profits.
CREDIT INSURANCE
This will pay for unusual losses as the result of nonpayment of accounts receivables above a certain threshold. As with all policies, you must thoroughly understand the details so discuss it with your insurance agent. One of the largest providers of this coverage is American Credit Indemnity, Baltimore, MD. (800) 879 1224.
BURGLARY/ROBBERY/THEFT INSURANCE
Comprehensive policies are available that protect against loss from these perils, including by your own employees. Make certain you understand what is excluded from coverage.
RENT INSURANCE
This policy covers the cost of rent for other facilities in the event your property becomes damaged to the extent that operations cannot continue in your normal location.
DISABILITY INSURANCE
This insurance will pay you an amount each month slightly less than your current salary in the event you become disabled and are unable to work. Cost for this coverage varies considerably depending on your profession, salary level, how quickly benefits start, and when they end. Benefits paid are tax-free only if you, not your company, pay the premiums.
This list could be continued since it is possible to purchase insurance for just about any peril you can imagine … if you can pay the premium! When considering your insurance coverage, use the following checklist:
INSURANCE COVERAGE CHECKLIST:
o Can you afford the loss?
o What coverage is required by Federal, state, or local law?
o What SPECIFIC items are covered by the policy?
o Are items to be insured for their replacement cost or original value?
o What SPECIFIC items are EXCLUDED by the policy?
o If there is a co-insurance clause, do you have adequate coverage?
o Have you chosen deductibles wisely in order to minimize costs?
o Do any of the policies you are considering duplicate or overlap one another?
o Do you need any insurance based on location, e.g., flood, earthquake?
Use the following checklist to review your insurance plans:
INSURANCE PLAN CHECKLIST:
o Employ an independent insurance agent rather than going to individual insurance companies. Ensure the agent shops for your insurance.
o Talk to and get quotations from at least THREE agents and pick the best one for you.
o Use money saving comprehensive policies, if possible.
o Perform periodic (every 6-months) reviews of your insurance program.
o Have business assets professionally appraised to determine coverage needs.
o Ensure existing personal insurance coverage includes business-related activities and add riders as necessary or obtain additional coverage.
Posts Tagged ‘ Insurance Agent ’
In case you are not familiar with the market of insurance in general and healthcare coverage in particular, it can be quite confusing at first. But do not worry, as it is far simpler than you may think. Here’s a short recap of the most important things to know when shopping for health coverage plans. Of course, it’s not that profound to make an insurance specialist out of you in a single read, but it sure will help you find a decent policy with good coverage and low price.
Your options
Individual health policies – it is the most obvious option for most people, especially when not provided with healthcare coverage through their employers. You can find many insurance companies providing individual health plans. There are different regulations in every state regarding individual health coverage so make sure to learn more about your state before actually getting the policy. The best source for this information is your state’s insurance department.
High risk pools – these specific pools are the best solution in case you have been denied ordinary individual insurance due to a pre-existing condition. Not all states have high risk pools, but if your state allows them you will want to look better into this option. They typically have higher rates if compared to usual individual coverage, but it’s far better than having no healthcare coverage at all.
HIPAA coverage – in case you have recently been canceled of a job-base group plan and all COBRA coverage does not apply to you anymore, there’s a thing called HIPAA coverage that may be useful to you. HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) coverage is available in all states and can be of a use for people who can’t get individual coverage due to pre-existing conditions. This way HIPAA coverage is a good option in states where high risk pools do not exist. But even if there are high risk polls in your state you should consider both possibilities. Consult with your insurance agent to see what’s more appropriate in your case.
Whom to address
Insurance agents – an insurance agent is the person that will connect you with the insurance company, so it’s better to ask him or her about your options. But before you ask questions, make sure the agent is licensed for providing health insurance in your state. To do so, you can address your state insurance department and check the status of the agent you’ve been talking too. If the person is licensed, their experience in the domain can help you find good health coverage.
Department of insurance – besides giving information about state regulation and agents’ license, your state insurance department can also be a very valuable source of information on the whole health insurance market in your state. Don’t expect any recommendations to be made, though, as the workers are restricted from making any commercial claims. Use the department as your info source to know what companies are working in your area and then contact them directly.
Websites – there are many websites dedicated to health insurance out there and they can be a very good source of information to use. Many sites also provide free online quotes and state-specific data so you won’t have any problems with finding the right deal from a local provider.
Having a retro car in your garage is definitely a serious investment of both time and money, but it’s not something strange and unique, as there are many lucky people who have managed to restore antique cars and bring them back on the road. And it’s evident that having such a unique item as your property you want to make sure that it’s perfectly safe through insurance coverage. However, some insurance companies have very restrictive policies regarding antique cars and it’s recommended that you pay very close attention to the policy you are about to sign before insuring your retro car. Because the difference can be huge.
When looking for a policy to insure your retro car with, the first thing you should think of is the reputation of the company you’ll get your policy from. When dealing with retro cars you want to work with the most reliable and reputable company, more than in the case of a series contemporary car. The way the insurance provider deals with your possible claims and is willing to work out things with you matters a lot when insuring an antique car. So first of all, spend some time online or with your insurance agent to learn which companies are the best to insure your retro car. Financial stability and long history of work are always welcome, but you also would want to learn how they process claims and what provisions they have for antique vehicles.
Certain companies have very strict rules regarding the type and age of the antique car they will accept to insure. A large part if insurance providers will only register your retro car if it carries a certain percentage of the original factory parts and details. Most of the retro cars you seen on the road these days carry a lot of parts and features that have been replaced recently with the use of newer materials. And not all companies will accept such cars as antique. Still, there are providers that perfectly understand the process of restoration and will have less strict provisions regarding the original features when providing you with auto insurance.
One of the most common requirements that all car insurance companies will have towards your antique vehicle is that it should be kept in a sealed garage when you’re not driving it. Moreover, with some companies you will have a strict limit on yearly mileage with your antique car, restricting its use to pleasure use only. There may be other restrictions as well, so with most insurance companies it will be nearly impossible to use your antique car as an everyday vehicle to get to work with.
Certain insurance providers will also ask you to evaluate your car by addressing a professional appraiser and provide a photo of it when applying for a policy. You may also meet an age restriction, as some companies will provide you with insurance only if you are older than 25 and have a clean driving record.
As you may see, insuring your retro car can be a little tough with all the restrictions and requirements. Moreover, in most cases it will be quite hard to find cheap car insurance for your antique car. So think twice before insuring it, and make sure you understand all the restrictions and costs involved.
Myth: Standard policies will pay for flood damage.
Fact: None of standard insurance policies will cover any damage resulted from a flood. In case you have the need for flood coverage you should purchase it separately or include it as a weaver to your standard policy.
Myth: The medical payment coverage included in the insurance policy will pay for my and my family’s medical costs.
Fact: This type of coverage will pay for the injuries that someone other than you or your family members (guests, neighbors, visitors, etc.) had sustained while being on your property. However, your homeowners coverage won’t take effect if it’s you or someone else from your family. In such a case standard health insurance plans are employed.
Myth: In case my house is devastated the insurance company will pay as much money as I tell them my house was worth.
Fact: If it occurs that your house gets devastated due to a various reasons (explosion, fire, tornado, etc.) the insurance company will only cover your lost items and the house itself if you provide all the necessary information such as purchase price and serial numbers of all the items that were lost. Of course, it’s impossible to provide such information from memory after the house was destroyed. That’s why your insurance agent is likely to recommend you having an inventory of all the items (especially valuable ones or equipment) stored in your house, and having a copy of it in different places. This way you make sure that you will be covered to the right extent and the insurance company assures that there is no fraud with your claim.
Myth: If my house gets robed things like jewelry will also be paid for.
Fact: It is true that such valuables like jewelry are covered with your homeowners insurance. However there are limits to the amounts the policy will cover such things, with most insurance companies putting a cap of $1500 on all the valuables that are lost due to fire or burglary. In case you think that it’s too little to cover the actual value of your jewelry or furs you should buy additional coverage for such items.
Myth: I should lower my coverage if I want to get cheap home insurance.
Fact: Saving money doesn’t necessarily imply that you have to cut down the most important aspects of insurance coverage. The whole purpose of having an insurance policy is to be adequately covered in case of damage delivered to your house. You can use other more effective methods of cutting your insurance costs such as installing security and fire alarm systems in your house, or getting your home insurance from the same provider as auto or health insurance. This will usually give you great discounts.
Myth: Can I use the purchase value of my house as the dwelling coverage amount when defining the amount of insurance coverage for my policy?
Fact: It’s the most common mistake the homeowners make when purchasing insurance for their house. The main catch is that the purchase value of your home is comprised of both the value of the house and the land it’s built on. And it’s evident that in case of a fire, storm or any other even that might destroy your house, the value of the land should not be reimbursed. That is why you should use the replacement value of your house as the dwelling coverage for the insurance policy. The easiest way to calculate the replacement value is to multiply the square footage by the construction costs in your area.
You want to insure your health and ask your insurance agent to offer you a good policy. You are given quotes and start thinking about buying a certain plan when the inevitable question is asked “What type of plan do you want to purchase?” This question has left many first-time insurance shoppers confused as they didn’t know about any plan types before. Too bad, because by choosing the type of insurance plan you will pay for determines how your coverage will be distributed as well as how your medical services will be provided. And as you may guess this is crucial when it comes to insuring own health.
But do not worry, this article will explain the essence behind each coverage plan type you can get in the US so the next time you will be asked the question of plan types you would choose the perfect plan to meet your requirements.
HMO (Health Maintenance Organization)
HMO plans are the most popular type of managed care distribution these days. They provide a wide spectrum of healthcare services you can receive for a reduced fee or free of charge. But the main catch is that you can receive them only at specific locations and from specific professionals. And you will have to choose a primary care physician (PCP) who will refer you to other professionals when needed. Without your PCP’s affiliations you won’t be able to receive coverage for the services you took. Neither will you be covered for the costs if you address someone outside the network.
PPO (Preferred Provider Organization)
PPO insurance coverage is quite alike to HMO. This type of managed care also requires you to choose a PCP, however you have more options when choosing this doctor. This is especially useful to those who have a good relation with their family doctors who might be outside the insurance company’s network. Moreover, you have fewer restrictions on out-of-network services, still you will eventually pay more for them if compared to in-network services.
POS (Point of Service)
POS health insurance plans also require you to choose a primary car physician. But you aren’t restricted to a network your insurance company has. Still, it will be impossible for you to get individual health insurance coverage if you don’t get a referral from your PCP before visiting any other doctor.
EPO (Exclusive Provider Organization)
EPO health insurance coverage is almost the same as HMO plans. There’s a PCP you have to get a referral from in order to visit a specialist and there’s a network of physicians and facilities you are limited to. The only difference is that you pay only for the services you received, while with HMO plans you have to pay a regular monthly fee.
Fee-for-Service
This type of insurance coverage is the oldest out there and least complicated to understand. You have no restrictions on where to get your care or whom to address. You only pay for the services you receive when needed. However, you get less coverage with such plans and your overall expenses tend to be higher than with managed care plans.