Author Archives: AgentInsure

Commercial Insurance For Your Small Business

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If you think your business is too small to insure at all, much less purchase commercial insurance for, you may be in error. Your small business may benefit by the big protection of commercial insurance. At Insurance Center of Green Valley we want our local small businesses to succeed no matter what comes their way, so check if you should be covered if you have a business of any size. We serve businesses in Green Valley, AZ and the surrounding area. 

Does Your Small Business Need Commercial Insurance? 

According to the Arizona Small Business Profile, a small business is a company with fewer than 500 employees and makes up more than 97% of all state employers. It is vital that these small businesses are all protected as much as possible with insurance to keep our economy up. 

Even if your business is nowhere near 500 employees, insurance is still a good idea. In fact, if you have one or more people who are part or full time, you are required by the state to carry worker’s compensation insurance. Also, all drivers must have minimum auto insurance, but if you use your vehicle for your business it is wise to get commercial vehicle insurance, no matter if you are the only one driving it in your business. 

While the above is required, commercial property insurance and commercial automobile insurance are not legally mandatory. Regardless, it is prudential to protect your source of income and your employees’ livelihood with commercial insurance. Even if your company is fledgling or very small, you still have a lot to lose if things go wrong and a good commercial insurance policy can save the day. 

Contact us at Insurance Center of Green Valley, AZ if you are interested in protecting your business. We can discuss your options and come up with a policy that fits you. 

 

What Auto Insurance Do I Need?

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For those that are in the Green Valley, AZ area, owning a car is practically a necessity. If you do have a car in this area, it is important that you have it properly covered by insurance. Since there are so many different options out there today, picking the right policy can be hard. There are several factors to consider when you are trying to find the right insurance for your situation.

Bare Minimum Requirements

Both state law and auto insurance lenders will require that you carry auto insurance. Per the state guidelines, you will be required to have minimum liability coverage of at least $10,000 in property damage coverage with $15,000 / $30,000 for bodily injury coverage. If you have an auto loan, your lender will undoubtedly require that you have collision and comprehensive coverage in place as well with a coverage level sufficient to cover your loan amount.

Additional Coverage

In many situations, you may also want to have additional coverage on top of your base requirements. If you do not have a loan or lease on the vehicle, having collision and comprehensive coverage is still often preferred as it will pay to replace your car in a variety of situations. Further, the state mandated liability coverage levels are not normally recommended as they do not often provide adequate coverage. 

If you are in the Green Valley, AZ area and are in need of auto insurance for your car, you should reach out to the team at Insurance Center of Green Valley. The Insurance Center of Green Valley knows the law and other auto insurance requirements. Their experience and insight will help you to decide what type of insurance you should get and how much coverage you need. This will result in you getting the appropriate level of protection. 

How to Protect Your Home when Traveling for the Holidays

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Whether you simply plan to spend the holidays with family in Phoenix or across the country, it’s important to make sure your home is protected while you are gone. While your home insurance covers such things as theft and fire, you surely don’t want to experience a disaster like these during the holidays. For that reason, here are some simple tips to follow to keep your home safe while you are away enjoying the holidays with friends and family.

1. Hire a House Sitter

When you hire a house sitter, your house will not be vacant while you are away. This is a great deterrent for would be thieves who may be roaming around Green Valley AZ neighborhoods looking for vacant houses to rob.

2. Install a Security Device

Another fool-proof option for protecting your home while you are away is to install a security device. In some cases, your insurance company may even reward you with a break on your premium if you have one of these installed. 

3. Ask a Neighbor to Check on Your Home

A friendly neighbor should be happy to help you out while your away. They can collect your mail and in general, just keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Even if you have a security device, having a neighbor keep an eye on your property while you are away is always a good idea. 

At Insurance Center of Green Valley, we specialize in helping Green Valley, AZ residents protect their homes by helping find the best home insurance policy for their property. Our team of experts will help guide you through the home insurance buying process by helping you compare quotes and choose the best policy. Call us today. 

 

Got an Older Car? Should You Drop Full Coverage and When?

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At Insurance Center of Green Valley, serving the greater Green Valley, AZ area, we are often asked whether you should drop full coverage when you have an older car. This is challenging question to answer, as everyone’s situation is different. Here is some of the advice that may help you decide whether you should drop full coverage and when if you have an older car. 

Can You Afford to Replace Your Car? 

When you are deciding whether or not to drop full coverage, you should always pay close attention to whether you can afford to replace your car at the present moment. If your car is totaled and you are at fault or your car is stolen, you will not receive any money for your car if you don’t have full coverage. If you cannot afford to replace your car or put a down payment down on another vehicle, it may be worth keeping full coverage auto insurance. 

How Much Are You Really Saving?

Another important factor to consider is how much you will really be saving. Most people think that they will save a significant amount of money by dropping full coverage insurance. This may not always be the case. Compare the cost of both types of insurance to learn how much you can really save before making a decision. 

Is It Worth the Risk?

Lastly, you have to consider the risk. Not having full coverage is a gamble of sorts. For some people, the savings is worth the risk and for other people, it is not. Always consider the risk and your comfort level when making a decision. 

Deciding whether or not to drop full coverage insurance on your older car is a personal decision. If you are interested in obtaining a new auto insurance policy in the greater Green Valley, AZ area, whether it be full coverage or not, Insurance Center of Green Valley can help you. Contact us now and let us help you find the policy that is best for you. 

Three Priorities of Commercial Insurance

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Some people planning to start a small business might not realize they need commercial insurance. If business owners do understand the importance of it, they still may need more information about what their policy should cover. Insurance Center of Green Valley encourages you to keep the following three commercial insurance priorities in mind:

  1. Coverage for data breaches – Only about a third of small U.S. small businesses in 2017 had cyber insurance coverage in case of a data breach, but one in 10 of them suffered hacking of their computer systems. Since much of what a business would complete on paper is now performed in the Cloud, your Green Valley, AZ recommends cyber insurance.
  2. The inclusion of your building, equipment, and supplies – Take a careful inventory of all that you rent or own including the building where you serve clients. It could reduce the stress associated with losses and damages that can diminish your profits. This might include protection in the event of a fire, flood, theft or other unfortunate circumstance if you request it. You also may need commercial vehicle insurance.
  3. Provisions for liabilities to others – Make sure your policy pays out enough to cover employee injuries or damages to client property. Prevent financial loss from customer slips and falls and other unexpected incidences, too.
  4. Your Green Valley, AZ insurance agent wants you to continue operating your business without excess financial strain. Don’t hope for the worst, but prepare just in case. Feel free to discuss with a representative about how much money your policy should pay in specific scenarios, for instance.

Contact us, your Insurance Center of Green Valley for more information about commercial insurance or any other coverage you need.

 

What Does Home Insurance Cover in a Severe Storm?

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Severe storms can cause an extreme and even devastating level of damage to houses and other property, as people in regions affected by those storms know all too well. Here are some details about home insurance coverage for severe storm damage. These guidelines are brought to you by Insurance Center of Green Valley serving Green Valley, AZ.

Heavy rains can bring flooding and other problems, and oftentimes that flooding can cause some serious damage to homes. A separate flood insurance policy might be necessary, but in certain circumstances, home insurance may cover damage from rain.

Powerful winds from severe storms can do a tremendous amount of damage. They can blow trees down, which can fall into homes and other structures. They can also blow shingles off roofs and do a variety of other damage. Home insurance can cover many types of damage caused by wind, depending on the specific details of a particular policy.

Many factors can affect what home insurance coverage you need that helps with recovery from severe storm damage. Those factors include your location, such as if you are at or near an area that is prone to severe storms. Keep in mind that any area can experience severe storms at one time or the other. There are various levels of coverage with insurance policies, and each policy has certain limitations.

But if it looks like you will need home insurance coverage for severe storms, make sure you have that in place well before any storm hits. Also look into flood insurance, especially if you are in an area that is prone to flooding. If you need assistance with your home insurance questions, feel free to contact us at Insurance Center of Green Valley serving Green Valley, AZ.

Do I Need Commercial Auto Insurance?

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When you run your own business there are a number of expenses you need to consider. One such expense is insurance coverage. Commercial insurance coverages come in a number of forms, each of each is designed to protect your business in varying ways. However, one form of insurance coverage you need to consider is commercial auto insurance. Whether you work in Green Valley, AZ or the surrounding area, Insurance Center of Green Valley is on hand to help you determine whether or not you need commercial auto insurance. 

Do You Use Drive For Work?

This doesn’t include driving to your job and driving home. However, if you drive while on the clock you’ll need commercial auto insurance. This means if you’re driving between clients or even making deliveries (even pizza deliveries) you need commercial auto insurance. If you are not protected and are involved in an accident the other individual in the accident can come after the company. 

Driving Professionally?

Do you drive professional? If you drive for a ride-sharing service, such as Lyft or Uber, you need commercial auto insurance. Your regular auto insurance will not cover you with this. As you are on the clock being paid for the ride you are in a commercial act. Due to this, you need to invest in commercial auto insurance to protect you and your vehicle in the event of an accident. 

Commercial auto insurance will protect you, your business, and your vehicle in the event of an auto accident. Even if the accident is not your fault you may find regular auto insurance will not cover you. To know for sure if you need commercial auto insurance now is the time to contact Insurance Center of Green Valley for all your Green Valley, AZ commercial insurance needs. 

Three steps to a successful management of auto risks

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Effective risk management begins with identifying and addressing basic hazards before the occurrence of any incidences. Without a proper understanding of the hazards and risks which your employees are likely to face with the nature of their tasks, it may not be possible to ensure their safety.  Below are three main steps that an organization may use in the management of auto risks.

1. Risk identification and assessment.

This is the process of examining and evaluating the basic auto risks for purposes of identifying any hazards which are inherent in the tasks of employees. While evaluating auto risks, two main factors should be considered: The severity of the impact on any injury as a result of the risk, and the probability that the damage is likely to occur.

This will call for the need for supplemental excess liability auto insurance to help cushion the organization in case the level of severity and probability of occurrence is high.

2. Risk control

After examining and evaluating the risks, action should be taken for all assessed risks. You can have your employees have a definite route, establish an accident reporting policy, reviewing the driving policies of the organization by ensuring the vehicles are roadworthy and safe and come up with the standard code of conduct for all drivers.

3. Review and Monitoring

Whichever method you choose to control the risks, it is important to monitor and carry out a review of the process to determine its sustainability.

Additional coverage will always be needed if the potential auto exposure risks likely threatening your business and employees. You should, therefore, consider purchasing liability insurance in addition to the self-insurance which will provide sufficient coverage in case of an accident with liability exposure.

At Green Valley, AZ, Insurance Center of Green Valley, we understand the complexities in protecting all aspects of your business. Our experienced professionals in auto risk management will be glad to provide you with any assistance in securing commercial auto insurance. Call us or visit us today for more information.

Does Home Insurance Include Coverage For A Detached Garage?

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When you’re shopping for a home insurance policy in Green Valley, AZ, it’s important to look at what is covered. A typical homeowner’s policy will cover you for property damage, personal liability, medical payments, and even additional living expenses. Since a detached garage is property damage, this is the area you will want to pay close attention to in the paperwork.

Property Damage Coverage

It’s important to identify what “property damage” is covered by your policy. In some instances, the coverage is only for the main structure of your home, which would exclude a detached garage. In other instances, any structure on the property would be covered. Even if your policy doesn’t initially cover a detached garage, there are riders that can be added so that you have the necessary coverage in place. Agents at Insurance Center of Green Valley can ensure that all aspects of your property are encompassed within a home insurance policy.

New Additions

If you bought a home insurance policy and then added a detached garage later on, you might not have the coverage. This is why it’s a good idea to review your policy every year. It gives you a chance to make updates based on any improvements that you have made across your property, including adding a detached garage. This way, if you do have to file a claim that includes damage to the detached garage, you will have the coverage in place.

At Insurance Center of Green Valley, agents have been helping residents throughout Green Valley, AZ four years. They understand the importance of ensuring that coverage includes everything on your property so that there are no issues when you go to file a claim. Plus, having a thorough policy will provide you with plenty of peace of mind throughout the year.

 

 

 

The Best Time of Year to Buy Car Insurance

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Are you thinking about buying auto insurance? If so, the Insurance Center of Green Valley serving the Green Valley, AZ area is here to meet all of your auto insurance needs. And if you’re wondering when the best time to invest in a policy is, make sure to check out our helpful information below. 

The Time to Buy Auto Insurance is now!

The saying, "there is no time like the present” holds very true when considering the best time to buy auto insurance. If you want to drive legally, then it’s best to buy insurance right now. The sooner you purchase auto insurance, the sooner you begin to build a history for yourself that shows good faith as an auto insurance carrier. As your history grows, along with a good driving record, you will, generally, begin to pay less for auto insurance coverage.  

It may be a good time to buy auto insurance if you have maintained an insurance policy with a carrier for a good amount of time and they are not willing or able to provide you with lower premiums or additional discounts. Most insurance companies send you a renewal notice and this is a good time to start considering your options. When considering a switch, it is a good idea to view your renewal paperwork and understand your coverage and pricing. This allows an accurate comparison and you will know if you are getting the same coverage with a different carrier and it can help you decide if you are getting a better deal. In addition, switching at your renewal time gives you a clean break from your current insurance company without any type of lapse in coverage taking place; this is essential in being able to keep your rates low.

Contact the Insurance Center of Green Valley serving Green Valley, AZ to learn more about buying car insurance.