Insurance FAQs

Your house is likely your largest investment.  To protect it, choose the insurance you need based on replacements costs, not original building costs.

Consider these eight factors that could make rebuilding more costly than new construction:

Temporary repairs.  Unlike a new home build, with a rebuild, the home may need to be boarded up or require other work to temporarily secure it.

Demolition.  A repaired home often requires partial or complete demolition of the damaged structure before rebuilding can occur.  Demolition can become costly when you factor in removal and hauling of debris.  If your home has asbestos, these costs can be even higher.

Building permits.  Depending on your community, these can amount to 2.5 percent of total building costs.

Engineering and architectural fees.  These can add 5 to 8 percent to the total cost of replacement.

Code Compliance.  Upgrades to bring a home into current code compliance can cost thousands of dollars when you consider electrical upgrades, asbestos abatement, addition of tempered glass, etc.

Landscaping.  Some insurance policies cover landscaping - to a certain degree.  The rebuild process can destroy any landscaping that survived the initial incident.

No price breaks.  While homebuilders often obtain discounts on materials and labor purchased in bulk, a rebuild does not benefit from these economies of scale.

Foundations.  Though rarely destroyed as a direct result of fire, foundations often are weakened when moisture inside the concrete heats up and affects the integrity.

The items listed above can easily add 20 to 30 percent to the cost of rebuilding - even more, depending on the age and condition of the home.  Make sure your home is adequately covered by choosing its true, full-replacement value.

Material provided by Kemper.

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You can file a claim several ways. The best way is to contact the insurance company directly. For contact information by carrier, click here. You can also complete the File a Claim form on our website or call us.

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Renters policies provide several benefits. A renters policy will provide compensation for many types of loss to your personal property. Renters policies also include liability protection. This can be especially important because a fire, caused by your negligence, could damage a large number of other rental units and the property contained in them. Liability coverage will normally cover your legal obligations to compensate other parties in cases like this as well as for other instances where you are legally liable for damage of loss.

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That depends. Liability protection that you carry for personal injury and property damage will provide some protection while you are driving the rental car. Damage to the rental car would be covered under Collision and Comprehensive Coverage, if your policy has it. The rental car company may also try to recover damages for lost income while the rental car is out of service. Your auto policy may or may not protect you against this claim; the best way to know is to look at your policy or ask us to review it for you. Credit card companies often provide protection against these kinds of rental car claims so you should check there to see what the provisions and restrictions might be. Finally, you can purchase a Collision Damage Waiver - CDW - from the rental car company. This isn't actually insurance but a release from financial liability you might otherwise be charged with as a result of damaging the rental car. The CDW is expensive at $8 to $12 a day. This would amount to over $4,000 a year for very limited coverage. Still, if you do not have protection via your auto policy or credit card, paying the CDW over a few days may be preferable than being personally accountable for $15,000 or $20,000 or more to replace the rental car.

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Your policy will normally adjust for differences in other state requirements if you have the required minimum coverage for your state. Personal automobile policy protection is only applicable in the United States, US territories and possessions and the provinces of Canada.

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That depends. A business auto policy by itself won't extend protection to rented autos unless you have amended it. You can get protection for situations where you rent autos if you add Hired Auto Liability and Physical Damage coverage.

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The claim process has a few variations but these are the essential steps once the claim has been submitted to the insurance company:

1. You will be contacted by an insurance company adjustor to gather detailed information about your claim.
2. Often, someone from the insurance company will inspect your auto or property for damage or will ask you to provide evidence of value and ownership for loss to property that is not a vehicle or real property.
3. An estimate is prepared.
4. A check is delivered.
5. Sometimes differences in actual and estimated damages arise, especially after repair work has been undertaken. Every attempt is made to resolve these differences and sometimes a supplemental check is prepared.

It is the responsibility of the insurance company to settle and pay your claim and the responsibility of our agency to make sure that is done as quickly and fairly as possible with a minimum of uncertainty and bother for you. We monitor claim progress closely and communicate with you throughout to make sure you are satisfied.

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If you own, lease (long term) or finance your vehicle then you will file a claim with your insurance company. You will have to pay any deductible amount. Payment for your loss will include payment to the finance or leasing company, if any. If you cause damage to other vehicles or property, your insurance company will handle that with little or no involvement on your part, in most cases.

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In most cases the other driver’s insurance policy would respond and reimburse you for damages to your vehicle, property or injuries. In some cases, as when you or your passengers are injured and the other driver has inadequate or no insurance, coverage from your own policy may apply (Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage).

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Generally the answer is no. One claim is not a cause for concern on the part of of insurance companies. But a pattern of claims may result in a premium increase or cancellation. So if you have a claim that is the third in three years, for example, that will be viewed differently than having one claim only. Individual claims that are suggestive of gross negligence can also result in significant premium increase or cancellation. An example might be an auto accident accompanied by a reckless driving or driving under the influence conviction.

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Your automobile policy protection is extended to anyone you grant permission to drive your car. You do not need to explicitly provide permission, the other person only needs to have a reasonable belief that they are driving with permission.

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Many natural disasters, such as hurricanes or tornadoes, are covered in a homeowner policy. Others, like earthquake and flood are not. Let us know if you have any concerns about your protection from loss due to natural or even man made disasters; we'll be happy to review your insurance program and let you know what, if any, changes you might want to consider.

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The association master policy is for coverage to the structure, which you don't need. However, to get protection for your own possessions and for legal liability related to your own unit, you need your own policy. Many condominium associations will assess unit owners for master policy deductibles. That's another reason why it is important to have your own policy and why it is important that the coverage in your policy match up well with the association master policy.

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A standard homeowner policy provides coverage equal to 10% of the limit for Coverage C of a homeowner policy or $1,000, whichever is greater. This coverage is useful for protecting you while traveling and for other temporary situations. If you have property in excess of these amounts away from home or property that is kept away from your residence premises for extended periods, you should consider additional protection.

The 10% limitation for household property, is for property at an Insureds Residence Premise......There is no limitation for property carried on vacation or stored in a storage unit. (except whatever the contents limit is on the property)

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Your house is likely your largest investment.  To protect it, choose the insurance you need based on replacements costs, not original building costs.

Consider these eight factors that could make rebuilding more costly than new construction:

Temporary repairs.  Unlike a new home build, with a rebuild, the home may need to be boarded up or require other work to temporarily secure it.

Demolition.  A repaired home often requires partial or complete demolition of the damaged structure before rebuilding can occur.  Demolition can become costly when you factor in removal and hauling of debris.  If your home has asbestos, these costs can be even higher.

Building permits.  Depending on your community, these can amount to 2.5 percent of total building costs.

Engineering and architectural fees.  These can add 5 to 8 percent to the total cost of replacement.

Code Compliance.  Upgrades to bring a home into current code compliance can cost thousands of dollars when you consider electrical upgrades, asbestos abatement, addition of tempered glass, etc.

Landscaping.  Some insurance policies cover landscaping - to a certain degree.  The rebuild process can destroy any landscaping that survived the initial incident.

No price breaks.  While homebuilders often obtain discounts on materials and labor purchased in bulk, a rebuild does not benefit from these economies of scale.

Foundations.  Though rarely destroyed as a direct result of fire, foundations often are weakened when moisture inside the concrete heats up and affects the integrity.

The items listed above can easily add 20 to 30 percent to the cost of rebuilding - even more, depending on the age and condition of the home.  Make sure your home is adequately covered by choosing its true, full-replacement value.

Material provided by Kemper.

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Homeowner policies specifically exclude reimbursement for damage caused by flood. Your home may be a significant distance from a major body of water but still be exposed to flood risk if your home was built in a flood plain. The National Flood Insurance Program has a flood risk indicator on their website. All you have to do is enter your property address and you will get an indication of the degree of flood risk you face. Our agency can get flood coverage for you. For an indication of the cost, the National Flood Insurance Site also has a 'quick quote' table of premiums to give you an idea.

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The claim process has a few variations but these are the essential steps once the claim has been submitted to the insurance company:

1. You will be contacted by an insurance company adjustor to gather detailed information about your claim.
2. Often, someone from the insurance company will inspect your auto or property for damage or will ask you to provide evidence of value and ownership for loss to property that is not a vehicle or real property.
3. An estimate is prepared.
4. A check is delivered.
5. Sometimes differences in actual and estimated damages arise, especially after repair work has been undertaken. Every attempt is made to resolve these differences and sometimes a supplemental check is prepared.

It is the responsibility of the insurance company to settle and pay your claim and the responsibility of our agency to make sure that is done as quickly and fairly as possible with a minimum of uncertainty and bother for you. We monitor claim progress closely and communicate with you throughout to make sure you are satisfied.

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Generally the answer is no. One claim is not a cause for concern on the part of of insurance companies. But a pattern of claims may result in a premium increase or cancellation. So if you have a claim that is the third in three years, for example, that will be viewed differently than having one claim only. Individual claims that are suggestive of gross negligence can also result in significant premium increase or cancellation. An example might be an auto accident accompanied by a reckless driving or driving under the influence conviction.

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Typical policies provide coverage for you and relatives that live with you. So, if your roommate is not a relative you will not be protected under his or her policy. Renters polices are very affordable, starting at not much more than $150 a year and they provide liability protection as well as coverage for your personal possessions.

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If you have a homeowner policy your boat might be covered but there are limitations. Automobile policies do not extend coverage to boats. Boat coverage can sometimes be increased by modifying a homeowner policy but a separate boat policy may be needed.

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The claim process has a few variations but these are the essential steps once the claim has been submitted to the insurance company:

1. You will be contacted by an insurance company adjustor to gather detailed information about your claim.
2. Often, someone from the insurance company will inspect your auto or property for damage or will ask you to provide evidence of value and ownership for loss to property that is not a vehicle or real property.
3. An estimate is prepared.
4. A check is delivered.
5. Sometimes differences in actual and estimated damages arise, especially after repair work has been undertaken. Every attempt is made to resolve these differences and sometimes a supplemental check is prepared.

It is the responsibility of the insurance company to settle and pay your claim and the responsibility of our agency to make sure that is done as quickly and fairly as possible with a minimum of uncertainty and bother for you. We monitor claim progress closely and communicate with you throughout to make sure you are satisfied.

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Generally the answer is no. One claim is not a cause for concern on the part of of insurance companies. But a pattern of claims may result in a premium increase or cancellation. So if you have a claim that is the third in three years, for example, that will be viewed differently than having one claim only. Individual claims that are suggestive of gross negligence can also result in significant premium increase or cancellation. An example might be an auto accident accompanied by a reckless driving or driving under the influence conviction.

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The claim process has a few variations but these are the essential steps once the claim has been submitted to the insurance company:

1. You will be contacted by an insurance company adjustor to gather detailed information about your claim.
2. Often, someone from the insurance company will inspect your auto or property for damage or will ask you to provide evidence of value and ownership for loss to property that is not a vehicle or real property.
3. An estimate is prepared.
4. A check is delivered.
5. Sometimes differences in actual and estimated damages arise, especially after repair work has been undertaken. Every attempt is made to resolve these differences and sometimes a supplemental check is prepared.

It is the responsibility of the insurance company to settle and pay your claim and the responsibility of our agency to make sure that is done as quickly and fairly as possible with a minimum of uncertainty and bother for you. We monitor claim progress closely and communicate with you throughout to make sure you are satisfied.

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If you own, lease (long term) or finance your vehicle then you will file a claim with your insurance company. You will have to pay any deductible amount. Payment for your loss will include payment to the finance or leasing company, if any. If you cause damage to other vehicles or property, your insurance company will handle that with little or no involvement on your part, in most cases.

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Generally the answer is no. One claim is not a cause for concern on the part of of insurance companies. But a pattern of claims may result in a premium increase or cancellation. So if you have a claim that is the third in three years, for example, that will be viewed differently than having one claim only. Individual claims that are suggestive of gross negligence can also result in significant premium increase or cancellation. An example might be an auto accident accompanied by a reckless driving or driving under the influence conviction.

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That depends. A business auto policy by itself won't extend protection to rented autos unless you have amended it. You can get protection for situations where you rent autos if you add Hired Auto Liability and Physical Damage coverage.

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The claim process has a few variations but these are the essential steps once the claim has been submitted to the insurance company:

1. You will be contacted by an insurance company adjustor to gather detailed information about your claim.
2. Often, someone from the insurance company will inspect your auto or property for damage or will ask you to provide evidence of value and ownership for loss to property that is not a vehicle or real property.
3. An estimate is prepared.
4. A check is delivered.
5. Sometimes differences in actual and estimated damages arise, especially after repair work has been undertaken. Every attempt is made to resolve these differences and sometimes a supplemental check is prepared.

It is the responsibility of the insurance company to settle and pay your claim and the responsibility of our agency to make sure that is done as quickly and fairly as possible with a minimum of uncertainty and bother for you. We monitor claim progress closely and communicate with you throughout to make sure you are satisfied.

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That depends on the kind of business you engage in. All business need basic liability to protect them against acts of owners or employees for which the business might be considered legally liable. Professional service providers soften need special liability protection. Examples might be professional liability protection for lawyers, doctors, architects or software designers. Another example are businesses that manufacture or distribute a product; they typically need product liability protection. It's always a good idea to review the kinds of liability exposures your business might have when updating or initiating an insurance program.

Businesses that own autos or use non-owned autos in the conduct of their business will probably need a business auto policy.

All businesses have property which can be divided up into several categories: office or other equipment, inventory, real property, etc. and it is a good idea to think about your ability to replace any damaged or lost property in these categories. If the possible amount of loss exceeds your comfort level then insurance might be a good altenative.
You need to think about how long you could afford to be out of business. Insurance, known as business interruption insurance, can pay suppliers, salaries and other costs you might incur even if your business income were to be interrupted by a covered cause of loss.

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Generally the answer is no. One claim is not a cause for concern on the part of of insurance companies. But a pattern of claims may result in a premium increase or cancellation. So if you have a claim that is the third in three years, for example, that will be viewed differently than having one claim only. Individual claims that are suggestive of gross negligence can also result in significant premium increase or cancellation. An example might be an auto accident accompanied by a reckless driving or driving under the influence conviction.

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You should review all of your insurance needs at least once a year. If you have a major life change, you should contact your insurance agent or company representative. The change in your life may have a significant impact on your insurance needs. Life changes may include:

• Marriage or divorce
• A child or grandchild who is born or adopted
• Significant changes in your health or that of your spouse/domestic partner
• Taking on the financial responsibility of an aging parent
• Purchasing a new home
• A loved one who requires long-term care
• Refinancing your home
• Coming into an inheritance

Source: Insurance Information Institute www.iii.org

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