Tag Archives: insurance

3 Types of Insurance You Didn’t Know You Could Get

There are not too many people who can say they aren’t aware of the fact that everyone must have car insurance. Most people are painfully aware that health insurance is also a must, and most homeowners know that having fire insurance and other protections for their home is vital as well. And then there’s life insurance. But did you know your insurance company can offer you some types of insurance coverage that not everyone may know about. We at American Insure-All® would like to tell you a little bit about a few of the less common ones.

Renters Insurance

Renters often think their landlord is responsible for everything. But did you know that all the personal possessions within your rental home can be damaged or stolen, and this becomes the renter’s problem? Renter’s insurance can give you the peace of mind that your valuable personal items and furniture can be protected against calamity.

Recreational Vehicle

Your ATV or snowmobile weren’t exactly free, and when something happens to them, you’ll want to be able to replace them without a great expense. Recreational vehicle insurance can help you enjoy your recreation more just by knowing that no matter how hard you play, you’ll be covered.

Watercraft and Boat

Your boat was a large investment, but the hours spent out on the open water, fishing or basking in the sun, make it all worthwhile. But there are a lot of bad things that can happen to your boat. For example, boating accidents, damage sustained from severe storms, and every other type of crazy accident that might befall your beloved watercraft. We can cover you so that all you’ll need to think about is the warm, soothing sun and the peaceful serenity of the water.

When looking for insurance in Arlington, remember that many of your other personal possessions can be covered too. Why worry about something happening to your personal possessions when you should just be enjoying them?

What Might Insurance Be Like in 100 Years?

Today most consumers undoubtedly think of insurance as a modern phenomenon. In reality, the basic concepts of insurance are thousands of years old. And insurance that closely resembles some of today’s products has been around since the Middle Ages.

As a result, when we speculate about what insurance will be like a century from now, it makes sense to think that in many ways it will still be very similar to the insurance products we have today. Insurance in Everett, Washington, is likely to be just as important to residents in 2115 as it is in 2015.

Early Types of Insurance

The purpose of any insurance is to offset risk. Over time, the types of risk that are most significant can change. For example, some of the earliest forms of property insurance were created in London after a fire in 1666 destroyed more than 13,000 homes. In the 1400s, maritime insurance policies protected ship owners against the loss of vessels and cargo.

It is hard to know what types of risk will most concern people in 100 years. A century ago it would have been virtually impossible for anyone to conceive of computers, air travel, interstate full of cars, etc. In that era, no one had health insurance. Today’s laws now require everyone to have health care protection.

It is possible that 100 years from now improvements in health care and longevity could make health care insurance obsolete. In 2012 in Massachusetts, Partners HealthCare System Inc.–the state’s biggest hospital and physician organization–purchased Neighborhood Health, an insurance provider. Perhaps in the future people will pay health care providers directly and eliminate the need for that type of insurance.

Insurance Needs Can Change

Insurance actuaries are constantly studying different types of risk and making adjustments in insurance coverage and cost to accommodate changing circumstances. For example, life insurance rates are based on the longevity of a population. As the average length of life increases or decreases, policies and their rates are adjusted accordingly.

Insurance is also subject to the whim of government regulators and politicians. Under current law, proceeds of a life insurance policy are exempt from estate and income taxes. That has not always been the case, and there is no assurance that it will be the case in 100 years or even in 5 years.

The only thing that is certain is that 100 years from now, insurance of some form is likely to still be important, just as it has been for many prior centuries.

Ways to Save Money on Homeowners Insurance

Homeowners insurance premiums can be expensive. So we want to share some of the ways you may be able to save on your home insurance in Lynnwood, WA, or wherever you reside.

Bundle Insurance Policies

If your home insurance and auto insurance providers are different, you may be able to save money by finding a company who can offer you both. This is fairly easy to find, as most homeowners insurance providers also have auto insurance options. These companies often offer multi-policy discounts to entice clients to have both insurance policies through them. In most cases, the discount offered is around 10%.

Raise Your Deductible

Deductibles are the amount you will be required to pay before your insurance will kick in. If you want to save on your premium each year, it is best to have a high deductible. The downfall of this is that in the event that a claim is filed, the amount you’ll pay out of pocket will be much higher.

If you are simply unable to afford a high premium, this may be a great option for you. Of course, you will want to assess your risk for environmental damages as well as the condition of your home before you choose this option.

Buy a New Home

Homeowners insurance companies offer discounts for policies on newer homes. In some cases, companies offer a 15% discount on a new home. The reason that insurance companies do this is that the chances for claims on faulty appliances, burst pipes, and other common problems in older homes are lower in newer homes. If you are in the market for a home, buying new can be a great opportunity for keeping homeowners insurance premiums low.

Check for Location Discounts
post9

Make sure that you’re getting the discounts you should be getting on your current homeowners policy. If your house is located near a fire station, you can get a discount for that. This is also true if you live near a fire hydrant.

Conversely, if you live in an area that is prone to flooding or other environmental disasters like earthquakes, insurance policies could be hundreds of dollars more every year. The location of your home will greatly influence the cost of your homeowners insurance.

Keep Your Credit Score High

If you can maintain a good credit score, you’ll likely get a better homeowners insurance rate. Many insurance companies look at credit scores when structuring their prices. Along with checking these scores, insurance companies will also look at how long you have stayed with previous insurance providers. If you’ve stayed with a company for more than three years, you may get a 5 to 10 percent discount on your premium.

The Worst Advice We’ve Ever Heard about Insurance

When shopping for insurance in Burlington, you might have a hard time knowing which agency to choose. Trusting your assets to a company is a big step that shouldn’t be taken lightly. For that reason, it’s important to make sure you are getting the right information from a reliable source. Over the years, we’ve heard our share of terrible advice about insurance. Don’t jump on the bad advice bandwagon. If you’ve heard a few of these tips, it’s time to set the record straight.

#1 Insurance Is an Unnecessary Expense

While insurance can be expensive, accidents and emergencies can be even more costly. While you might not see the benefit of having insurance on a daily basis, it will definitely come in handy if you find yourself injured or if your personal property incurs damage. Furthermore, in some cases, it is illegal to not have insurance. Auto insurance, for example, is mandated by the state. This not only protects you, but the other drivers on the road as well. If you find yourself at fault in an accident and don’t have insurance coverage, how will you pay for the damage done to your car and the other automobile involved? What about the injuries incurred on both parties? Don’t take that chance. Make sure you are always covered by insurance.

#2 Cheapest Is Best

There are plenty of cut-rate insurance plans out there. While some coverage is better than no coverage, make sure your insurance company isn’t skimping on your protection. If your plan seems too good to be true, it just might be. Take the time to look into your policy. It might be beneficial to pay a little bit more in order to get the benefits you need.

#3 All Insurance Companies Are the Same

Like with any type of product, this is not true. Before jumping on board with the first insurance company you come across, do your research. Read reviews from other customers and choose an agency with a good reputation.

If you have questions regarding insurance, call American Insure-All® in Burlington.

Why American Insure-All® Offers the Best Insurance in Kirkland

Here at American Insure-All®, we want to make sure that you are taken care of in terms of insurance. Here are just 5 ways in which we provide the best insurance in Kirkland.

We Do It All

Whether you need auto, homeowners, commercial, or life insurance, or you have toys such as RVs or ATVs that you need to keep covered, we can help. We are a local company and when you call, you can rest assured that a qualified insurance professional is going to be on the line soon to help you.

We Are Local

When you are looking for insurance, make sure that you work with someone local. You might be able to save money with online companies but when it comes time to file a claim, when you really need to talk to someone after an accident or a house disaster, for example, you will want to make sure that you are able to talk to a person who can help you navigate the pressures you are going through.

We Offer Quick Quotes

If you take a look at our website, you will see that we offer quick quotes. Many companies will have you fill out a form online or in person and then make you go to all the work and the trouble to follow up. Our team is proactive about insurance and we realize that when you need insurance answers, you should get them quickly.

We Provide Information

In addition to quick quotes, personalized service, and a variety of insurance products, we provide information on our blog and our website that can help you make good decisions. Give us a call with any questions you have.

We Make Insurance Convenient

Finally, you should choose us for your insurance needs because we make the process of getting a quote for insurance, signing up, and filing a claim when needed quick and convenient. We have customer service professionals on hand to answer any questions you have.

5 Common Misconceptions about Auto Insurance

At American Insure-All®, we care about our customers and getting them the best deals on their auto insurance. However, it is important to us to make sure that people understand what they are purchasing when they choose insurance policies, so we’d like to clear up 5 common misconceptions about auto insurance and the truth behind them to help you make the best decision.

Free Towing and Rentals Included with Full Coverage

When you are shopping around for auto insurance, there might be some options that you want to consider, such as rental coverage or free towing services. You never want to just assume that these are provided even if you have full coverage. If you want these options, you will probably have to include them separately.

Car Color Will Affect Insurance Rate

A lot of people falsely assume that the color of their vehicle will influence their insurance rate. While some cars and vehicle colors may be more likely to get pulled over, the color of your car will not affect your insurance rate on its own.

Your Rate Automatically Goes Down with Good Driving

When you are shopping for auto insurance, you will want to ask about all of the different discounts that might be available to you. You might qualify for a good driver discount, but your insurance rate will not automatically go down with good driving.

The Benefit to Buying in Person

There are a lot of benefits to buying your insurance in Arlington in person. You might think that buying online is going to be the best way to save money, but buying a policy from someone with whom you can connect with personally in the event of a claim is a value that you can’t put a price on.

Insurance Protects Valuables inside Your Car

Your insurance is not likely going to protect any valuables that you have inside your car, so if you are keeping something in your car that you want to protect in case of theft or vandalism, insure it with a separate policy.

The History of Insurance

Known risks and unknown risks are 2 factors that had the biggest influence in bringing (or not bringing) insurance to the landscape of the American consumer.

Not surprisingly, it took a well-respected American leader to ascribe to the idea of insuring property and to overcome the obstacle of risk.

Addressing Risk

A risk is the potential of losing something of value, whether that loss is financial, social, physical, or emotional. In the insurance arena, people in America were hesitant due to the known and potentially unknown risks.

Benjamin Franklin

In 1752, Benjamin Franklin delved into the world of insurance by championing the Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire, which is the first American mutual fire insurance company. In the first year of service, 143 policies were issued to homeowners; each of the policies lasted for 7 years. Interestingly enough within those 7 years, none of those 143 insured properties caught on fire.

In addition to fire insurance, Benjamin Franklin also was instrumental in the issuance of crop and life insurance, as well as insurance to protect widows and orphans.

Life Insurance

The first life insurance company, Presbyterian Ministers’ Fund, came about in 1759. At the time of the creation of life insurance, people in the religious communities were uncomfortable with the idea of placing a price on the life of a human being. As the practice of life insurance began, and the first payouts were made, the minds of the people were changed as they saw the protection this insurance gave to the surviving widows and orphaned children.

Auto Insurance

In 1897, Gilbert J. Loomis made insurance history by purchasing the first liability insurance policy to cover his automobile and the risk of it damaging property or injuring or killing a person. From that point on, auto insurance slowly became more comprehensive to the point that it is today.

Additional Coverage

As the needs of the American people expanded and progressed, so did the coverage offered by the insurers of the people. There are now hundreds of types of insurance available today, from auto and home to gap and umbrella coverage. Talk to a Kirkland insurance agent today to learn more.

10 Quick Tips on Getting Insurance

In addition to providing homeowners insurance for Smokey Point residents, our highly qualified team at American Insure-All® is here to help you better understand this type of insurance. Here are 10 quick tips about homeowners insurance you should know when you are shopping for policies.
Understand Replacement Value

Many people look at their insurance policies and misunderstand the difference between replacement value and the building value. The land your house sits on does not need to be replaced, so this is not included in these values.
Buy from the Same Company

The clearest way to save on homeowners insurance is to buy your homeowners, auto, and other insurance from the same company.
Shop Around

Doing a lot of shopping around with both online and in-person insurance companies can help ensure you pay the best premium for what you are getting.
Ask about Discounts

You will likely need to ask about discounts rather than just assuming the insurance agent will quote these to you in the price they offer.

Make Your Home Super Safe

Safety features such as security features and weatherproof improvements you make to the home can significantly affect what you pay for your policy.

Keep Your Insurance Company

Many insurance companies will offer lower premiums or discount rates the longer that you have them. If you shop around and are lucky enough to find that your company provides the best rates, you will want to stick with them.

Shop Every Year

A good way to save each year on your policy is to analyze it every year and shop around for better rates to make sure that you are getting what you need for the best price.

Make Good Deductible Choices

If you are going to raise your deductible to save on your premiums, then you should plan to keep the amount of your deductible in a savings account to ensure that you have the amount you need in the event you need to file a claim.

Shop Insurance before You Buy

Before you buy your home, you should take into consideration what homeowners insurance is going to cost. For this reason, you should shop for homeowners insurance before you buy your home.

Keep Your Agent Updated

As your life situations change, for example, if you get married, have children, or get divorced, you will want to make sure that you let your insurance agent know in case these changes will affect your premiums.