Protecting Your Property During Storm Season: Tips from an Insurance Agent

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In the Midwest it’s a beautiful time of the year, but it also brings with it the uncertainty of storm season. Year after year, we prepare ourselves for the potential onslaught of bad weather, knowing that it can lead to property damage and, in some cases, unforeseen expenses. One of the most common types of property damage we encounter is roof and siding damage, often caused by heavy winds and hail.

Simple and Effective Precautions for Storm Season

While we can't control the weather, there are simple and effective precautions that can significantly minimize property damage during storm season. As an insurance agent, I've seen the difference that basic upkeep can make in protecting homes and families. Let me share some wisdom and specific examples to illustrate my point.

Address Missing or Damaged Shingles Promptly

It's crucial to address missing or damaged shingles promptly. Damaged shingles are more susceptible to break free during high winds, and gaps caused by missing shingles create opportunities for even more damage. Properly installing or replacing shingles with proper nailing techniques is key to their stability. Whether your roof is made of shingles or metal, both types require attention after a hailstorm. Our crews frequently replace both shingle and metal roofs damaged by hail, indicating that the material alone doesn't guarantee immunity from storm-related harm.

Secure Loose Siding

Likewise, loose siding can be a significant vulnerability during storms. Ensuring that your siding is in good condition will add an extra layer of protection to your home.

Clear Gutters and Direct Downspouts Away from Foundation

Keep your gutters clear and ensure that downspouts direct water away from your foundation. Water damage is one of the fastest ways to diminish the value of your property, so taking the time to maintain proper drainage is crucial.

Maintain Your Sump Pump

Maintaining your sump pump is also essential, especially before the rainy season. A functional sump pump can prevent basement flooding and provide you with peace of mind during heavy downpours. For those seeking extra reassurance, having a backup sump pump can be a game-changer in safeguarding your home.

Seal Doors and Windows

Sealing doors and windows may seem like a minor task, but it can have a significant impact during a storm. Even a small opening can allow powerful winds to get underneath shingles or siding, causing severe damage. And in the event of tornadic winds, a small opening in your windows or doors could enlarge and compromise your home's integrity.

Secure Fence Posts

It's not just the roof and siding that need attention—fence posts are often overlooked in storm preparations. Loose fence posts can become dangerous projectiles in high winds. A quick check and tightening of fence posts can prevent potential hazards.

Trim Trees Regularly

Trees on your property can also pose risks, especially if their limbs are not regularly trimmed. Strong winds can cause branches to snap and damage property, vehicles, or even neighboring homes.

Secure Projectiles

A proactive approach to protecting your property involves walking around your premises and identifying items that could become projectiles during a storm. Lawn furniture, tools, flower pots, or other yard debris can be moved indoors or secured in a garage or shed. It's a small effort that can make a significant difference in minimizing potential damages.

Consider Having a Generator for Power Outages

Additionally, consider keeping a generator on hand in case of power outages. A generator can help preserve your food and maintain the livability of your home until power is restored. Investing in standby power can be a wise decision, especially during extreme weather conditions that might disrupt power sources for an extended period.

Protect Your Home, Loved Ones, and Neighbors' Properties

By implementing these tips, you can protect your home, your loved ones, and your neighbors' properties during storm season. Remember, the key to minimizing property damage and expenses lies in preparedness and proactive action. For those seeking comprehensive insurance coverage to bolster their storm protection efforts, reaching out to us to have a knowledgeable insurance agent review your coverages.

The Importance of Rideshare Insurance: Bridging the Gap for Uber and Lyft Drivers

If you drive for Uber, Lyft or Rideshare, it’s time to consider rideshare coverage. Rideshare coverage makes all the difference if you find yourself in a car accident. While rideshare companies do offer some coverage, it may not be enough to protect you from steep car repair and medical bills, leaving you with potential out-of-pocket expenses.

The Importance of Rideshare Coverage

One of the first things you should know is that your personal car insurance policy typically excludes rideshare driving. Personal auto coverage is designed with the assumption that you're driving yourself, relatives, and/or friends, without earning money or putting excessive mileage on your vehicle. Therefore, when you're "at work" as a rideshare driver, your personal auto policy won't provide coverage. Fortunately, many insurers now offer Rideshare coverage as an addition to your policy.

Gaps in Rideshare Company Insurance

While the insurance provided by rideshare companies may seem satisfactory, especially if you have only the minimum personal auto insurance required by your state, there can still be significant gaps in coverage. For example, rideshare companies typically don't provide collision or comprehensive insurance while you're waiting for a ride request with the app on. Your personal auto policy, which may include collision and comprehensive coverage, may also not cover this period. Consequently, if you accidentally back into a pole during this time, you could be left with no insurance to cover the damage.

The Role of Rideshare Insurance

This is where rideshare insurance becomes crucial. It helps bridge the gap between the coverage offered by the rideshare company and your personal auto coverage. A rideshare endorsement, or add-on, for your personal auto insurance policy is needed for most rideshare drivers. This endorsement can fill the gaps in coverage, such as paying the deductible difference between the rideshare company's collision coverage and your own collision coverage. For instance, if the rideshare company has a $1,000 deductible for collision coverage and you have a $500 deductible, the rideshare endorsement can cover the $500 difference.

Why You Should Disclose That You’re Driving Rideshare

Now, let's address a significant concern: hiding your driving gig from your insurance company. It's crucial to be transparent and disclose to your insurer that you're a rideshare driver. Failing to do so can have negative consequences, including claim rejections for damages sustained during a crash if you don't have a rideshare policy or endorsement. In extreme cases, your insurer might even drop you as a customer, leaving you without any financial protection. The responsibility falls on rideshare drivers themselves to take the necessary steps to ensure they have the right protections while working.

Need Auto Quotes With Rideshare Coverage?

Rideshare insurance is a wise choice for any driver working for companies like Uber or Lyft. It helps bridge the gap between personal auto insurance and the coverage provided by rideshare companies. By obtaining rideshare insurance, you can safeguard yourself from potential financial hardships resulting from car accidents, repair costs, and medical bills.

It's important to note that rideshare insurance availability and coverage specifics may vary by state, so make sure to speak with your insurance agent to ensure you’re fully covered to drive rideshare. Your agent can provide you with the necessary guidance and help you make an informed decision based on your unique circumstances and location.

Reducing Car Insurance Costs in Kansas: Tips and Insights

Car insurance in Kansas can be a costly endeavor for many residents due to a variety of reasons. However, it is not all bad news for drivers in Kansas, there are options to reduce your rate. In this article, we will take a closer look at why car insurance is expensive in Kansas and provide tips on how drivers can reduce their premiums without compromising coverage.

No-Fault State and Personal Injury Protection

One of the primary reasons for car insurance being expensive in Kansas is the fact that it is a no-fault state and requires personal injury protection. With personal injury protection, drivers are required to purchase additional coverage to ensure they are covered financially if they become injured in a car accident. The state’s personal injury protection is designed to cover medical expenses and loss of income for those involved in a car accident regardless of who was at fault. While the additional coverage is helpful for those involved in an accident, it can also add to the overall cost of car insurance.

Rising Accidents, Claims, and Payouts

Another factor contributing to the increase in car insurance prices is the rise in the number of accidents, claims, and payouts in Kansas. People are driving more frequently, which, in turn, increases the risk of accidents, regardless of fault. With more accidents, insurance providers must pay out more claims, and the cost is often spread out among all policyholders in the state. Additionally, auto repairs are becoming increasingly costly due to the additional technology and features in newer vehicles, causing insurance providers to raise their rates to offset the increased cost.

Increase in Uninsured Drivers and Healthcare Costs

Moreover, more people in Kansas are driving uninsured. As car insurance rates continue to rise, more drivers take the risk of driving without car insurance. In 2019, 11% of drivers lacked even minimum liability insurance in Kansas, placing further financial strain on insured drivers as the costs of uninsured motorists are passed on to them through higher premiums. Similarly, healthcare costs in Kansas are on the rise, with healthcare spending increasing by an average of 5.5% every year, causing car insurance companies to pay out more claims involving medical bills, which is again reflected in increased car insurance rates.

Severe Weather Events

Lastly, Kansas is experiencing more severe weather events, such as severe storms, droughts, and floods, which are increasingly causing insurers to pay out a higher number of claims. These payouts are generally more expensive and more unpredictable. As a result, insurance providers are raising their rates to keep up with the costs.

Other Factors Affecting Car Insurance Rates

While these factors are primarily responsible for the increasing cost of car insurance in Kansas, there are other reasons why your rates may be high. These include your age, location, driving patterns, financial responsibility, and claims history. Drivers under 25 and over 65, people living in population-dense cities, and drivers with poor credit scores generally pay more for auto coverage. Additionally, drivers with numerous recent claims for relatively small amounts may end up paying higher premiums.

Tips to Reduce Car Insurance Costs

Fortunately, there are ways to reduce your car insurance costs in Kansas. Keeping a clean driving record is crucial to lower your insurance costs. Obeying traffic laws and avoiding accidents resulting in claims can help keep insurance rates down. Other ways to save include shopping around for the best rates every three to five years, ensuring that you maintain the best credit score possible, and taking advantage of any discounts that you are eligible for. Comparing rates from at least three insurance companies can potentially save thousands of dollars.

In conclusion, car insurance in Kansas can be costly due to several factors, including being a no-fault state, increasing accident rates, more people driving uninsured, rising healthcare costs, and more severe weather events. To keep your car insurance costs down, it is essential to maintain a clean driving record, shop around for the best rates, and take advantage of any discounts you are eligible for. Additionally, working with an insurance agent that can shop many carriers and help drivers make informed decisions about their car insurance policy.

Captive vs. Independent Insurance Agents: Understanding Your Options | Family Union Insurance

When you’re in the market for insurance, whether it’s home, auto, or commercial insurance, you typically work with an agent who can help you find a policy that meets your needs. But most people don’t realize that there are two different kinds of insurance agents—captive and independent.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive insurance agents, as the name suggests, are contractually obligated to work with one insurance company only. This means that they can sell only that insurer’s policies. Captive agents are experts in understanding the different policies available only with the company they’re contracted with. In Missouri, insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate, and Farmers use captive agents to sell their insurance products. Working with a captive agent tends to be more expensive overall due to additional fees that the insurance company charges.

Independent Agents

Independent agents, on the other hand, partner with various insurance companies of their choosing, selling policies from each provider. For example, an independent agent might contract with Nationwide, Travelers, and Progressive Insurance etc to sell any of their auto and home insurance policies. This means that working with an independent agent will give you more options, which also means a wider price range. Independent agents have in-depth knowledge about numerous carriers, whereas captives only need to learn about one. Additionally, independent agents tend to cost less because they don't have significant additional fees to support a parent company.

Choose the Right Agent for Your Needs

Working with an independent agent also helps you shop around for plans before settling on one. As insurance is a critical component of one's financial plan, it's essential always to choose the right kind of agent. Before choosing an insurance agent, take the time to understand your options and choose the one that works best for you. When you’re ready to have an independent agent shop a variety of carriers for you, reach out to Family Union Insurance.

Save on Home Insurance Premiums with a Security System | Family Union Insurance

Home Insurance and Security Systems

Home insurance is an important aspect of homeownership, not only because it provides financial protection in the event of loss or damage to one's property, but also because having a policy in place is often required by mortgage lenders.

Save on Home Insurance Premiums

Many homeowners may be unaware that there are ways to save on their home insurance premiums by taking proactive measures to protect their property. One such measure is installing a security system, which can potentially provide discounts on home insurance policies.

Discounts for Security Systems

Insurance companies may offer discounts to policyholders who have specific safety devices installed in their homes, including security systems. These systems come in all shapes and sizes and can include video surveillance cameras, door and window sensors, and motion detectors. The goal is not only to deter potential burglars but also to alert homeowners of an intrusion. By offering discounts for these types of systems, insurers are incentivizing homeowners to take proactive measures to protect their properties, which can ultimately save them money.

Additional Safety Devices

In addition to security systems, insurance discounts may also be available for safety and anti-theft devices such as smoke detectors, fire alarms, and sprinkler systems. Homeowners who have these devices installed and monitored may also be eligible for insurance savings. It's worth noting that these discounts will vary by insurer, and it's important to speak with your insurance agent to understand the specific discounts available to you.

The Value of a Security System

While the financial benefits of a security system discount can be enticing, the true value of having a security system lies in the potential loss it could prevent. Burglaries and other property crimes can be devastating financially and emotionally, and the average loss from a single burglary is over $2,000. By investing in a security system, homeowners can have peace of mind knowing that they've taken proactive measures to protect their homes and potentially avoid the trauma and loss associated with a break-in.

Additional Benefits of Security Systems

Beyond protecting against property crime, security systems can also offer additional benefits such as fire and smoke protection. Monitored smoke detectors and fire alarms can help alert homeowners and emergency services to potential fires, allowing for faster response times and hopefully preventing further damage. Some security systems can also include water sensors that detect leaks or warn of malfunctioning HVAC systems, providing an added layer of protection against water damage.

Take Steps to Protect Your Property

It's important for homeowners to take steps to protect their properties, not only to potentially save money on insurance premiums but also to safeguard against potential losses. Investing in a security system or other safety devices is one way to do this and can provide peace of mind knowing that proactive measures have been taken to protect one's home. Speaking with an insurance agent is a great way to understand what discounts may be available for specific devices and to ensure that your home insurance policy is providing adequate coverage.

Contact Us for More Information

If you’re a current client or interested in saving some money on your home insurance policy, reach out to us for a security system referral or to see what discounts are available to you!

Why You Need Umbrella Insurance for Your Home, Car, and Boat

When it comes to insuring your home, car or boat, it's important to have primary insurance policies that provide liability coverage for each of these assets. While it may seem like your primary policy limits are enough to cover all claimed damages, they may not be sufficient for everyone. This is where umbrella insurance comes in.

What is Umbrella Insurance?

Umbrella liability insurance is designed to offer additional protection against claims made against you for bodily injury or property damage due to a car accident, boat incident, fall or other covered accidents, and personal liability claims like libel or slander that can lead to unexpected out-of-pocket expenses. If you are concerned about safeguarding your income and assets, it's time to consider purchasing umbrella insurance.

Why You Need Umbrella Insurance

The concept of umbrella insurance may seem confusing, but it's not as difficult to understand as it may appear. If you have assets that you want to protect, regardless of whether they are homes with swimming pools, rental properties that you own or boats that you use during the summer, it's important to consider purchasing umbrella insurance. While these items offer leisure and entertainment, they can also present significant property and liability concerns.

It's common to hear stories of accidents occurring when the homeowner isn't present or teenagers using a car or boat unsupervised. These types of accidents can lead to serious claims against you, leaving you with unexpected financial burdens. An umbrella insurance policy not only covers the excess liability claims without limit but also provides peace of mind. It's important to remember that no one knows when things go wrong, but it's better to have extra protection in place when things do go wrong.

Determining How Much Coverage You Need

The amount of umbrella coverage required depends on the value of your financial assets, which includes the value of your properties, equity, jewelry, art, antiques, cars, boats, other vehicles, savings, investment accounts, retirement accounts, and other valuables. It's essential to speak to your insurance agent, who can advise you on the amount of umbrella coverage that makes sense for you.

If you're still unsure if the cost of an umbrella policy is worth it, if your net worth is higher than $500,000, then umbrella insurance is a necessity. Also, keep in mind that umbrella insurance is generally very affordable. The cost of umbrella insurance depends on various factors unique to your situation. To save money on your premiums, it's advisable to bundle policies with the same insurance carrier.

Protect Your Assets with Umbrella Insurance

Purchasing an umbrella policy is a perfect way to safeguard your assets now to help avoid significant financial hardship later. At the end of the day, life is unpredictable, and accidents can happen to anyone. However, with the right insurance policies in place, including umbrella insurance, you can protect yourself financially. So, If you own a home, car, or boat, it's important to have umbrella insurance coverage that offers extra protection in case of accidents or liability. Contact Family Union Insurance today to learn more about umbrella insurance coverage.