AUTO
Most states require proof of insurance such as bodily injury and property damage liability is mandatory. Each state has its own car insurance requirement. Research your state’s requirements, think about the various car insurance components that make up your policy and understand how each works.
Bodily injury: The bodily injury portion covers a person’s physical injuries, caused when you or someone on your policy is behind the wheel. That may include medical expenses, wages and legal fees, as well.
Property damage: Property damage liability covers damage by your car to other people’s property, including their car and other physical property like a fence.
Personal injury protection: Other types of coverage are sometimes optional, depending on the state. Like the bodily injury coverage, personal injury protection pays medical costs and lost wages. However, this applies in states where there’s “no fault” coverage, meaning that your injuries and those of people in your car are covered by your insurance policy, regardless of who caused the accident.
Underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage: This coverage provides insurance protection if you’re hit or injured by someone who doesn’t have adequate insurance and for hit-and-run accidents. This ensures that you are not paying out of your own pocket for costs associated with an accident that’s not your fault.
Collision coverage: One coverage to strongly consider is collision coverage, which applies to damage to your own car when you’re at fault in an accident. Your property damage policy covers the car or cars you hit, but not your own. Collision coverage provides insurance protection for your car damage as well.
Comprehensive coverage: Comprehensive insurance also protects your car, but for non-driving damage to your vehicle, like vandalism and weather events.
Your auto insurance agent can explain these types of coverages, including what’s mandatory in your state, what’s optional, their recommendation and how much each type of coverage costs.
Personal umbrella insurance provides additional coverage for bodily injury, property damage and personal injury to others – beyond the policy limits outlined in your main homeowners policy.
Renters insurance is an insurance policy that can cover theft, water backup damage, certain natural disasters, bodily injuries and more in a rented property. If you rent an apartment, home or even a dorm, renters insurance is recommended for protecting your space and belongings in the event of a covered accident.
Recreational vehicles insurance policies to cover a wide range of recreational vehicles such as: boats, ATVs, scooters, motorcycles, motorhomes, snowmobiles, campers and more. Protect all of your recreational vehicles with our comprehensive insurance plans.
DISCOUNTS
Insurance companies provide multiple ways for you to save money. One way to save is using one company for several different insurance policies, such as auto, homeowners and life insurance. Companies will give you a discount for “bundling” your policies.
Some offer auto insurance discounts based on having a clean driving record (no at-fault accidents), students earning good grades in school, taking a defensive driving course, vehicle safety features such as anti-theft devices, or using paperless billing or paying electronically.
HOME
Standard homeowners insurance policy includes the following coverages:
- Dwelling coverage is the basis for all homeowners insurance policies. It provides protection for the structure of your home including the floors, walls, built-in appliances and ceilings, as well as any attached structures. It also covers a variety of perils including fire, hail, theft and vandalism – and can help you rebuild your home in the event of a total loss (up to your policy limit).
- Contents coverage protects items including furniture and clothing in your home. If a covered incident were to occur, you would receive funds for the value of these items, as defined by your policy. Personal liability pays for damages that occur from certain accidents.
- Personal liability consists of bodily injury damage coverage, which covers costs if a guest sustains an injury in your home or elsewhere, and property damage coverage, which kicks in if your property is damaged as a result of a covered accident.
Optional home insurance coverages are available some of which are:
- Flood insurance protects your house and belongings from flood-related damages. It is a separate policy with its own deductible.
- Earthquake insurance covers your home in the event of damages caused by an earthquake. This policy also has its own deductible.
- Replacement cost plus is an extra level of protection that can provide additional coverage to rebuild your home after a total loss.
- Water backup of sewer protects your home in the event of sewer or drain backup.
- Other structures insurance covers property that is unattached to your home, such as a gazebo, shed or unattached garage.
- Medical payments coverage may provide payment for a medical expense resulting from an accident on the customer’s property. This coverage is intended for the immediate medical treatment of guests on the customers’ premises, without determining fault.
- Ordinance or law insurance kicks in if you need to rebuild your house to fit current building codes after a covered loss.
- Valuables coverage that provides an extra level of protection for your high-value items such as jewelry, art, musical instruments or antiques
FLOOD
Flood insurance denotes the specific insurance coverage against property loss from flooding. To determine risk factors for specific properties, insurers will often refer to topographical maps that denote lowlands, floodplains and floodways that are susceptible to flooding.
UMBRELLA
Personal umbrella insurance provides additional coverage for bodily injury, property damage and personal injury to others – beyond the policy limits outlined in your main homeowners policy.
RENTERS
Renters insurance is an insurance policy that can cover theft, water backup damage, certain natural disasters, bodily injuries and more in a rented property. If you rent an apartment, home or even a dorm, renters insurance is recommended for protecting your space and belongings in the event of a covered accident.
RECREATIONAL VEHICLES
Recreational vehicles insurance policies to cover a wide range of recreational vehicles such as: boats, ATVs, scooters, motorcycles, motorhomes, snowmobiles, campers and more. Protect all of your recreational vehicles with our comprehensive insurance plans.
LIFE
Term life insurance is typically the most affordable way to give you comfort knowing that your loved ones will be cared for even after you're gone. It is most often available in coverage terms of 10 years, 15 years, 20 years and 30 years.
Universal life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance policy. Unlike term life insurance, it covers you for your entire life instead of just a selected period of time. A universal life insurance policy provides permanent life insurance protection and access to tax-deferred cash values. You are insured with a cash value that grows based on the interest rate set by your insurance company.
Whole life is the most common type of permanent life insurance. With whole life insurance, your premium payments remain the same over the life of the policy. You can choose how often you’d like to make premium payments, too – annually, semiannually, quarterly or monthly. Some whole life policies can be paid up after a certain number of years. And because your policy has predetermined, guaranteed cash values, you know what your policy's cash values are going to be.
Variable life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance that has the ability to accumulate cash value while providing variety and control over professionally managed investment options. Similar to whole life insurance, variable life insurance will provide a tax-free death benefit to your beneficiaries if you pass away, but it differs in that the money you put in is invested in subaccounts – similar to how mutual funds are structured.
You have the freedom to monitor and make decisions on where to allocate your funds over time. This product also provides flexible premiums and a flexible death benefit. As a permanent life insurance policy, variable life insurance is also available for your entire life, as long as you continue to make the monthly or annual payments in full on time.