A. Fire legal coverage provides coverage if you rent a business space and are held responsible for fire damages to that rented space. It does not apply to all business risks.

A. Replacement Cost is the current cost to replace property. Actual Cash Value is the replacement cost less depreciation

A. Insurance carriers require that an insured party insure at least 80% of the property’s value in order to collect a partial loss in full. This is the way the insurance company encourages all insureds to adequately insure their property in relation to other insureds.

. This damage will be covered only if that type of coverage is purchased.

A. Other people may drive your vehicle with your permission. It is important that they be listed on your policy if they are regular drivers of the vehicle.

A. At the end of the policy term, the insurance company will review the policy and either charge or credit the policyholder based upon an audit of estimated figures. Examples of estimated auditable items include sales and payroll. Audits can be performed onsite by an auditor or via mail or telephone. A premium is charged for audit estimations.

A. An audit may require you to show proof that sub-contractors had their own insurance coverage. The sub-contractors’ certificates of insurance will prevent you from being charged for their exposure.

A. General Liability provides coverage if you are liable for damages to other individuals arising from your premises, general operations (ongoing and after completion) and products manufactured or sold.

A. Products/Completed Operations refers to the liability coverage for damages caused by your operation or products after the point at which you no longer have control of them.

A. Business Interruption/Extra Expense coverage provides coverage for income loss and the expense of establishing a temporary site during repairs due to damages related to a fire or compensable loss.

A. Named Insureds are those listed by name in the relevant block of the policy’s declaration page. Although the named insured is commonly one person, partnership, corporation or other entity with insurable interests, multiple named insureds may be included. First Named Insured is the first “named insured” listed on the policy declarations (front page of the policy). This insured acts as the legal agent for all named insureds in initiating cancellation, requesting policy changes or accepting any return premiums. The first named insured also may be responsible for payment of the premiums. Additional Insured is an entity to which a policy’s coverage is extended. An additional insured must be added to the policy prior to a claim being paid. There must be a relationship between the additional insured and named insured. Being an additional insured on another’s policy does not eliminate the need for someone to have his/her own Commercial General Liability policy.

A. There are several things you should consider when purchasing automobile insurance that your independent agent will help you with. Here are a few: - Purchase the amount of liability coverage which makes sense for you. - Select the optional coverages you want. - Decide which company to purchase insurance from. - Don’t base your decision solely on price. Other factors like service and claim response are extremely important in selecting the right insurance.

A. When you loan your car to a friend or an associate, he or she will be covered under your automobile insurance policy.

A. Collision is the loss you incur when your automobile collides with another vehicle or object like a telephone pole.

A. Comprehensive provides coverage for direct physical damage losses you could incur to your car from something like a hailstorm.

A. There are several things you can do to lower the cost of your automobile insurance. One way is to look for competitive pricing. An independent agent works with many companies and can provide comparative rates and ensure you are getting the same coverage. Another way to lower the cost is to change your deductible. By raising your deductible, you may lower the cost of your automobile insurance almost 10%. You must be able to pay the deductible amount in case of a claim. You also can look for discounts to which you may be entitled. Some examples of discounts that may be available are: multiple cars under the same policy, carrying a homeowners policy with the same insurance company, or different groups or associations.

A. Homeowners insurance is a form of personal lines insurance. The typical homeowners policy has two main sections: 1) covers the property of the insured and 2) provides personal liability coverage to the insured.

A. Homeowners insurance is a form of personal lines insurance. The typical homeowners policy has two main sections: 1) covers the property of the insured and 2) provides personal liability coverage to the insured.

A. Get the amount and type of insurance that you need. Determine the amount of personal property insurance and personal liability coverage that you need. Select any additional endorsements you want to add to your policy. For example, do you want the personal property replacement cost endorsement?

A. Get the amount and type of insurance that you need. Determine the amount of personal property insurance and personal liability coverage that you need. Select any additional endorsements you want to add to your policy. For example, do you want the personal property replacement cost endorsement?

A. When “actual cash value” is used in a policy, a policy owner is entitled to the depreciated value of the damaged property.

A. When “actual cash value” is used in a policy, a policy owner is entitled to the depreciated value of the damaged property.

A. When “replacement cost” coverage is used in a policy, a policy owner is reimbursed an amount necessary to replace the article with one of similar type and quality at current prices.

A. When “replacement cost” coverage is used in a policy, a policy owner is reimbursed an amount necessary to replace the article with one of similar type and quality at current prices.

A. Coverage C of a homeowners policy provides named perils coverage. This applies to all your personal property (except property that is specifically excluded).

A. Coverage C of a homeowners policy provides named perils coverage. This applies to all your personal property (except property that is specifically excluded).

A. Direct damages due to earthquakes are not covered under the standard homeowners insurance policy. If you live in an area that is prone to earthquakes, you may want to consider adding an earthquake endorsement to your homeowners insurance policy. This endorsement will cover damages due to earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions and other earth movements.

A. Direct damages due to earthquakes are not covered under the standard homeowners insurance policy. If you live in an area that is prone to earthquakes, you may want to consider adding an earthquake endorsement to your homeowners insurance policy. This endorsement will cover damages due to earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions and other earth movements.

A. If your property lies in a flood plain as determined by US Government Flood Maps, ask your independent agent about a flood quote.

A. If your property lies in a flood plain as determined by US Government Flood Maps, ask your independent agent about a flood quote.

A. Rough “rules of thumb” suggest an amount of life insurance equal to 6 to 8 times annual earnings. However, many factors should be taken into account in determining a more precise estimate of the amount of life insurance needed. Important factors include: - Income sources (and amounts) other than salary/earnings - Whether or not the individual is married and, if so, what is the spouse’s earning capacity - The number of individuals who are financially dependent on the insured - The amount of death benefits payable from Social Security and from an employer sponsored life insurance plan - Whether any special life insurance needs exist (e.g., mortgage repayment, education fund, estate planning need), etc. It is recommended that a person’s insurance advisor be contacted for a precise calculation of how much life insurance is needed.

A. In certain circumstances, it may be advisable to purchase life insurance on children; generally, however, such purchases should not be made in lieu of purchasing appropriate amounts of life insurance on the family breadwinner(s). It is of utmost importance that the income earning capacity of the primary breadwinner be fully protected, if possible, through the purchase of the required amount of life insurance before contemplating the purchase of life insurance on children or on a non-wage earning spouse. In a dual-earning household, it is important to protect the income earning capacity of both spouses. Life insurance on a non-wage earning spouse is often recommended for the purpose of paying for household services lost at this individual’s death.

A. Although a difficult question–one whose answer will vary depending on circumstances–several principles should be followed in addressing this issue. It must first be recognized that in any life insurance purchasing decision, there are at least two basic questions that must be answered: “How much life insurance should I buy?” and “What type of life insurance policy should I buy?” The question contained in (1) involves an “insurance” decision and the question contained in (2) requires a “financial” decision. The “insurance” question should always be resolved first. For example, the amount of life insurance that you need may be so large that the only way in which this needed amount of insurance can be afforded is through the purchase of term insurance with its lower premium. If your ability (and willingness) to pay life insurance premiums is such that you can afford the desired amount of life insurance under either type of policy, it is then appropriate to consider the “financial” decision–which type of policy to buy. Important factors affecting the “financial” decision include your income tax bracket, whether the need for life insurance is short-term or long-term (e.g., 20 years or longer), and the rate of return on alternative investments possessing similar risk.

A. The face amount under mortgage protection term insurance decreases over time, consistent with the projected annual decreases in the outstanding balance of a mortgage loan. Mortgage protection policies are generally available to cover a range of mortgage repayment periods, e.g., 15, 20, 25 or 30 years. Although the face amount decreases over time, the premium is usually level in amount. Further, the premium payment period often is shorter than the maximum period of insurance coverage –for example, a 20-year mortgage protection policy might require that level premiums be paid over the first 17 years.

A. Yes, the purchase of a new mortgage protection term insurance policy is usually not required by the lender. An existing policy, either term or cash-value life insurance, can be used for many purposes, including paying off an outstanding mortgage loan balance in the event of the insured’s death. Credit life insurance is frequently recommended in conjunction with the taking out of an installment loan when purchasing expensive appliances or a new car, or for debt consolidation. Is credit life insurance a good buy? Credit life insurance is frequently more expensive than traditional term life insurance. Further, if you already own a sufficient amount of life insurance to cover your financial needs, including debt repayment, the purchase of credit life insurance is normally not advisable due to its relatively high cost.