3 Ways to Avoid Personal Injuries by Visitors During a Holiday Party at Home

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Having friends and family members over for holiday events at your Green Valley, AZ is always a good time. However, if someone gets hurt at the party, it can definitely put a damper on the festivities. Plus, you may be facing a big home insurance claim to cover the costs of their injuries. To make sure someone is not injured at your holiday party, make sure you remember these simple rules.

Limit where guests can roam in your home. 

Instead of keeping your entire home open and accessible for every guest at the party, it is a better idea to keep guests contained to only certain areas. For one, this keeps the guests easier to keep tabs on so they do not get into a dangerous predicament, which can be especially worrisome if your guests bring children along with them. You don’t necessarily have to make this an obvious thing; simply lock up doors where guests should not be and use a safety gate to block off stairways to different levels of the house. 

Make sure steps and walkways are free from hazards. 

Slip and fall cases are common with homeowner’s insurance claims, and they are more likely to happen outside of your home in the winter than any other time. In the winter, make sure you use deicing agents on steps and walkways where guests will be walking to get in and out of your home. It is also a good idea to keep the driveway clear of ice and snow. 

Find a sitter for your pets. 

Pets can be a big concern, especially dogs who may get uncomfortable with a bunch of strangers in the house. Therefore, it is a good idea to find a sitter for your pets so no guest gets bitten or injured. If you cannot find a pet sitter, make sure you keep your pet in a kennel for the evening or chain them up outdoors. 

For more information about preventing injuries during a holiday event at home, contact Insurance Center of Green Valley for advice. 

Ride Share Programs

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The United States Department of Transportation reports that ride-sharing programs are increasing. This is a good thing. Ride-sharing includes traditional carpooling, vanpooling, and taking turns with your neighbors picking up the kids from school. Ride-sharing also includes the innovative Internet-based car-sharing programs, such as BlaBlaCar, Lyft, and Uber.

Considerations for Ride-Sharing Programs

Before participating in any ride-sharing programs, the experts at the Insurance Center of Green Valley serving Green Valley, AZ, and the surrounding areas, say there are a few things to consider, which are:

  • Lack of Flexibility – If you use ride-sharing to get to and from your work, you will have to be ready to go at the pre-scheduled times; otherwise, you will inconvenience others in the ride-sharing program with you. This may mean you have to get up earlier than you normally would in order to be ready and waiting when the carpool vehicle arrives at your home. It also means you will have to leave work at a certain time and cannot work late. If the boss asks you to stay at work to get something done, you may be stranded without a convenient way to get back home.
  • Vehicle Maintenance – If it is your turn to drive, you must keep your vehicle properly maintained and clean.
  • Extended work hours – Most people who commute with others find that the commuters begin talking about work almost automatically. The ride to work becomes a kind of casual business meeting.
  • Vehicle insurance – When you are using your vehicle to transport others, your insurance coverage needs to be adjusted for the additional potential liability in the case of an accident. If you are receiving compensation, including from your company, you may need commercial insurance coverage for your vehicle.

Summary

If you use your vehicle for commuting to work and take passengers along with you or if you offer a ride for hire as part of the new social media ride-sharing services, you have special auto insurance needs.

Consult with your agent at Green Valley, AZ, Insurance Center of Green Valley. Even if you do not participate in ride sharing programs, it is always a good idea to conduct an annual review of your auto insurance coverage with your agent to make sure the coverage is adequate.

At What Juncture of Your Business Plan Do You Need To Purchase Commercial Insurance?

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What To Do Next?

You have your business plan completed and have an appointment to meet with potential investors and loan officers at a nearby bank. Is this the time to purchase a commercial insurance policy? The ink hasn’t dried on the business plan yet.

Ready, Set, Go?

Wait Just a moment. Before you hang up your shingle, you need to consider purchasing your insurance policy. The right juncture to insure your business is before your first operating day. Build in the costs for insurance with the prospective financing for your business.

From day one there are areas that need to be protected from liability. This is the perfect time to sit down and see what you need to have adequate protection from all of the what ifs that could happen. If this is your first business, you will learn as you go. You may need to add new insurance products along the way.      

To be perfectly honest, commercial insurance is not an easy notion to navigate. There a myriad of nuances involved with having a comprehensive and efficient policy that is going to do what it needs to do to protect your business and your overall way of life. 

Give us a call at Insurance Center of Green Valley. There are plenty of established business owners who call Green Valley AZ and the surrounding areas home that we cater to.  If you reside in this area and you are in the beginning phases of opening your business, we are here to clarify some key issues regarding the type of insurance you have for your company. If you want to come in, call, fax, or email us we would love to set your mind at ease about this critical business topic. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Auto Insurance Brokers

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As you begin to shop for auto insurance plans, you may discover that some insurance plans are offered through an insurance agent, while others are offered through an insurance broker. This can leave you with many questions. Here are a few of the questions you have regarding auto insurance brokers.

What is an Auto Insurance Broker?

An auto insurance broker sells auto insurance plans. However, unlike an auto insurance agent who works solely for one auto insurance company, a broker works with a variety of companies.

What Are the Benefits of an Auto Insurance Broker?

When you work with an auto insurance broker, they are able to find you the best auto insurance policy for your needs. It may not be with the auto insurance company you think it is with. Unfortunately, many people make the mistake of working with an auto insurance agent, which limits their options to one insurance company. Unless you are loyal to one company, a broker can be beneficial.

Can An Auto Broker Help If You Need to File an Insurance Claim?

An auto broker typically sells the policy. They cannot file a claim on your behalf, and because they do not work for the insurance company, cannot help with the status of your claim. However, they can put in a call for you and work to obtain information on your claim or direct you to the right department if you need to file a claim or have questions about an existing claim.

Do you need a new auto insurance plan in the Greater Green Valley, AZ area? If so, Insurance Center of Green Valley can help. Give us a call today to discuss all of your auto insurance needs and let our auto insurance brokers find the right auto insurance plan for you.

In Green Valley, AZ, Does Your Auto Insurance Covered Towed Vehicles?

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In Green Valley, AZ the insurance agents at Insurance Center of Green Valley can provide certain features within a policy to cover certain expenses that may otherwise be overlooked. A good example of this is towing. There are times when the tow bill can be extravagantly high due to the distance the vehicle must be taken. When this is included as part of an auto insurance company, it can dramatically reduce the cost of an accident or breakdown.

To Tow or Not to Tow

Most auto insurance policies are very basic until the agent and owner discuss what they would like to have included. Coverage for towing is not part of a basic policy and must be added as a special feature, especially if it is not a full coverage policy. Many full coverage policies do include a tow package, although it may be limited as to when it can be used. States do not require insurance agencies to carry tow coverage. Clients, however, often ask for the coverage in case of an accident or breakdown. If a policy is being written for anything other than PL/PD, most insurance agents will recommend adding tow coverage in case of an emergency. This protects their client from spending hundreds of dollars on an unexpected to tow bill. 

The agents at the Insurance Center of Green Valley provide services to clients who live throughout the Green Valley, AZ area. They are able to answer questions and offer features that can be included in auto insurance policies that will protect their client from future financial loss. If you are unsure of what your insurance policy covers and what is excluded, call the agents at the Insurance Center of Green Valley to have all of your questions answered. 

Signs You Need Your Brakes Checked

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Whether you travel in the Green Valley, AZ area or anywhere else in the country, your brakes are one of the most important parts of a safe trip.  You do not want to be driving along and suddenly need to stop to realize your brakes are not working properly.  It’s best to have them checked with your regular vehicle maintenance, but sometimes that is not enough.  You need to be aware of warning signs that there may be a problem with your brakes.  Here are some signs that your brakes need to be checked.

  • Obvious signs are the brake warning light on the dashboard or your vehicle taking longer than normal to stop.
  • Brake pads have sensors that will squeal when the brake pad gets low, and if you let them go, you will then start to hear a grinding noise.  Grinding means the pad is gone and it’s metal on metal.
  • If your vehicle pulls hard to the right or left when stopping, then it could mean a caliper is stuck, and it causes it to pull to one side.  It could be other issues, like an unevenly worn tire, poor alignment, or another issue, but it’s a sign to have your car checked.
  • When making an emergency stop with antilock brakes, the pedal pulses, and if this happens during regular stopping there could be a problem with the rotors.
  • A mush pedal, meaning it goes close to the floor before engaging, there could be a problem with the pads or hydraulics.

Insurance Center of Green Valley

At the Insurance Center of Green Valley in the Green Valley, AZ area, we care as much about your safety as making sure you have the right amount of auto insurance coverage for your unique needs.

The Best Home Insurance Additions

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Home insurance is not a one size fits all approach. Everyone uses a different kind of insurance as everyone has different personal and financial needs. When living in Green Valley, AZ, you can depend on the Insurance Center of Green Valley for your particular home owner’s needs. That is why you need to consider these particular insurance additions. 

Valuable Item Insurance

Your home owners insurance projects the home. In the event of a break in your coverage may not extend to what is stolen. So, if you have valuable china smashed up or the thief made off with your entertainment system, valuable item insurance coverage may be a desirable addition to consider. 

Personal Umbrella Insurance

Say someone is attempting to solicit something at your front door. You don’t answer but they slip and fall, injuring themselves as they turn to walk away. Realistically it is their fault, they shouldn’t be on the property and you have no true legal responsibility to the matter. The problem arises if they attempt to sue you. Yes, you’ll likely win, but you’ll also need to pay for an attorney, which is money you are out of. A personal umbrella policy protects you in this case and can cover these kinds of legal situations. 

Flooding Insurance

During the monsoon season around Green Valley, if you live in an area of heavy flooding, you might want to look into flood insurance as the ground simply is not able to absorb this kind of rainfall. 

There are several different insurance options available when protecting your home investment. Depending on what you are in need of these insurance options may change. At Insurance Center of Green Valley, AZ, you can find an assortment of insurance additions to consider. With a team of professionals at your side, we can help identify possible insurance coverage options that will better protect your property in the amount of money you can afford. 

3 Tips for Making Your Green Valley Home Greener

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Green Valley, Arizona is a small town not far from the bigger city of Tucson but has some lower temperatures, even in the summer.  However, it still gets pretty hot in Green Valley during Monsoon Season so we’ve outlined a few ways you can save on energy costs during the hottest months of the year.  

1.  Go Solar

Solar energy is green energy.  If you own a home in Green Valley, AZ you could consider putting solar panels on your roof to generate the power needed to run your air conditioner all summer long.  Solar energy will significantly decrease or eliminate your summer electric bill, depending on the number of panels you have installed.  

2.  Install Solar Shades on Windows

By installing sun shades on all your windows, you can decrease the amount of sunlight that penetrates your home through windows.  This will help keep the temperature in your home cooler without having to compromise on light.  

3.  Get an Energy Audit

To find out how your property in Green Valley, AZ doesn’t pass the Green Test, have a professional energy audit. These experts will come to your home and examine every way you could be losing energy – and money – and recommend ways to improve upon their findings.   

At Insurance Center of Green Valley, we provide reputable agents who serve the Green Valley community. Our experienced agents can answer all of your questions about insuring your home in Green Valley. Call us today at Insurance Center of Green Valley at 520-648-1150 to talk with a friendly team member.  

 

 

Minimum Auto Insurance Could Fall Short

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The State of Arizona requires that people drivers have auto insurance. These laws are in place to help people who suffer a loss. While many people take out a policy to just satisfy the minimum standards, that coverage may not fully protect you. At the Insurance Center of Green Valley, our professionals are committed working with people of the Green Valley, AZ community to create a policy that provides secure coverage.

Minimum Coverage Can Fall Short

In Arizona, drivers must carry a liability policy with limits of $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident and $10,000 for property damage. If you stop and think about today’s medical care costs, it’s quite obvious those numbers are insufficient. An injury that requires minor surgery alone would likely exceed the $15,000 minimum. A major head injury, for example, could result in complex surgery and months of rehabilitation. That could easily run into six figures of medical debt.

Consider the price of a new automobile. There isn’t a new car on the market today under the state’s minimum property damage. This year, the average price tag for a new vehicle exceeds $30,000. Once your minimum coverage has been exhausted, an injured party could file a civil lawsuit against you to recover the remainder of their losses.

Protect Yourself

The other problem with minimum coverage is that you may not be financially protected if injured. There are numerous scenarios in which you could suffer an irrecoverable loss. While everyone is supposed to carry insurance, some people shirk their responsibilities. If you are injured by an uninsured or underinsured motorist, you may not get fully compensated. If an accident is your fault, liability insurance may only protect the other party.

It’s important not to put yourself in a vulnerable position with by having only minimum coverage. At the Insurance Center of Green Valley, we’re happy to explore options that can provide you with adequate and secure insurance coverage. We are here to serve members of the Green Valley, AZ community and look forward to working with you.

 

Determining the Level of Homeowner’s Coverage for You

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Although homeowner’s insurance isn’t required by law like auto insurance, mortgage companies often require it for those who have loans. Green Valley, AZ, Insurance Center of Green Valley recommends keeping a homeowner’s policy on the house even if the home is paid off to protect the owner’s asset. However, not every person requires the highest level of coverage, and sometimes the cheapest policy just isn’t enough.

1. Structure Home

One vital aspect of deciding on an amount revolves around what it would take to build a new house similar in structure and design. For instance, local construction costs and the square footage of the place will play a part. What the home is built of as well as the style of the home determines how much it would cost to rebuild. The number of rooms, especially bathrooms, in addition to any special features like fireplaces and arched windows affect the rebuilding price. A homeowner should keep in mind if any areas were custom built.

2. Whether Extras Are Needed

A person should consider whether extras not covered on a standard policy are beneficial. For instance, a homeowner who lives on a flat area or at the bottom of a hill may want to consider adding flood insurance.

3. Personal Possessions

An insurance policy doesn’t just cover the cost of the structure of the home itself and the sheds and other buildings outside. The policy covers possessions, so a person should take that into consideration when tailoring the policy. This is especially the case if the homeowner owns anything of value. A person should craft a list of all possessions in the home and how much it would cost to replace them. A person can expect 50 to 70 percent of the total valued to be covered on policy.