Complete Trust Insurance

Integrity, Knowledge & Service for all Your Insurance Needs

Archives for April 2017

What To Look For When Comparing Quotes – Apples & Oranges

When dealing with an Independent Insurance Agent, you have many advantages.  Your agent has many different insurance companies that he or she can get quotes from, ensuring that your specific needs are met.  Most agents in an area have many of the same companies they deal with, so why are you getting quotes that vary so much? When it comes to home owners insurance, it all comes down to how detailed and meticulous your agent is when providing you a quote.  The more accurate the description of your property, the more accurate the quote will be.  When you are looking at various quotes, it is a good idea to look at the following items:
  • Are the deductibles the same?
  • Are there any credits (discounts) given?
  • How are your contents covered?
  • What is the “RCE” amount?  Are they the same?  What is the difference?
  • How are “other structures” covered?
There are other specific differences in quotes, and then ultimately the policy you purchase.  Let’s go over some of the examples above.
  1. Are the deductibles the same?  If you are able to ‘self insure’ to some extent, you may want to have a higher deductible, which will lower your premium.  It is important to know how much you can truly afford in the case of needing to make a claim.  If your deductible is higher than what you can realistically save, then you won’t be able to use your insurance to replace whatever it is that has been destroyed.  Keep in mind that your first quote may have a higher deductible that you will ultimately go with.
  2. Are there any credits (discounts) given?  In Florida, it is important to have a current wind mitigation report done.  What this report does is shows that your roof meets the current standards, and if it does then you will receive a discount – you get credit for having that type of roof.  Often times, it is the standard practice of agents to give a quote which includes the roof discount, even if you don’t have the right type of roof.  It is just the default, especially on houses built after 2002.  If your home is built before 2002, be certain that your quote is accurate.  It is possible that a policy can be written, and bound, and then later if the paperwork isn’t accurate, you can end up with a big charge you weren’t expecting.
  3. How are your contents covered?  Sometimes quotes will not include personal property.  That is, your furniture, your clothes, your electronics, your jewelry, your art, etc. are not included in the quote.  That lowers the quote, and ultimately the premium.  If the quote seems lower than others you have received, check to be sure that contents are covered — if that is what you want and expect.
  4. What is the “RCE” amount?  This is the dollar amount that the insurance companies assume it will cost to rebuild or replace your home.  This is not the same as the value if you were to sell your home.  The RCE is typically done through software created by the insurance company.  It includes things like square footage, type of flooring, quality of counters and fixtures, if there are any special things in the design like bay windows, etc.  If one quote has a much lower or higher RCE than another, ask your agent why.
  5. How are “other structures” covered?  Most home owners policies automatically add a certain percentage to cover “other structures”.  Other structures could be a shed or a fence.  This does not pertain to your screened enclosure.  Perhaps you have a gazebo or tiki bar?  The quoting agent will make a decision for how to do the quote, and you need to be sure you understand what is being quoted.
Insurance, including home owners insurance, is different than many products and services that you buy.  It is an actual contractual agreement between the insurance company and you, the insured.  You will be signing a contract that states you have answered the questions honestly and accurately.  Here is why the quote is important.  Not only is it telling you how much you will need to pay, it is the outline for the contract.  If the information is not accurate, it is possible that you won’t be covered if you need it.  If the quote, and the policy, includes credits to reduce premium (including things like alarm systems, hurricane shutters, etc.) and you don’t actually have those things if you need to make a claim, your claim could potentially be denied.  Don’t let that happen to you. Look at your quote and ask questions.  If it seems too low or too high, find out why.  Just be sure that you are comparing apples to apples, not apples to oranges. We are happy to review any quote you have, whether we do a quote for you or not.  There are a lot of good agents out there and we want you to have the agent and policy you want to have.  Contact us with questions!

    7 Reasons To Choose A Local Independent Insurance Agent

    We all want cost savings and convenience, so what does your local independent insurance agent do for you that the big advertisers can’t do? Your “stuff” has been earned by you over time with your hard work.  Your local agent knows you and genuinely wants to be certain that when you pay insurance premiums, your dollars are being spent effectively.  So, what does your local agent do for you in exchange for the time you spend?  Here are 7 reasons to consider working with an independent insurance agent, locally owned by a member of our Vero Beach community.
    1. Personal Shoppers – With several agents on hand, we are able to shop both price and product in a timely fashion.  Rather than you calling several different companies to get quotes, we do that for you.  We get to know you, and your needs, then we check several different insurance companies to find the best price for you.  We have contractual agreements with many nationwide, reputable companies so that we can find you the best deal & the best product.  We will even look at quotes you have received from other companies and help you compare.
    2. Reputation – When you deal with one of our agents, you can speak with friends and neighbors to get a referral.  Because we know you and live in this community, our reputation matters.  You aren’t speaking with a stranger who has no reason to do what he or she says.  We care about how our actions reflect on us as individuals, as well as for our reputation within the business community.
    3. Knowledge – We aren’t sitting at our desks taking orders.  When you call, we will take our past experience and knowledge and apply it to your specific situation.  We will research as needed and we will share our knowledge with you.
    4. Service – Taking care of clients is our business.  As an independent agent, we are competing with others locally and across the nation.  When there is competition, service matters.  When you have an issue, you speak to a real live human being who cares about the outcome.
    5. One Stop Shop – Independent insurance agents work with specialty companies, niche markets, and mainstream auto and home insurers.  We can handle your personal and professional needs.  Whether insuring your boat or your auto, your home or your life, your business or your hobby, we have the resources to cover you.  All from one company, so you know who to call and can save some time.
    6. Community Involvement – We know the value of serving our community.  It is part of what makes Vero Beach a great place to call home.  Whether with the Mental Health Association or Main Street Vero, participating in fundraising events or donating our time, community involvement matters.  Because we are local, we serve the community you live in.  It matters.
    7. Local Knowledge – rather than calling a 1-800 number and hoping they understand the issues specific to you, when you call us we know what is unique about insurance in our community.  We understand the flood zones, the distance to the water, the struggles over named and unnamed storms.  We know the neighborhoods and where there are pitfalls when it comes to finding the best premiums.  When you call us, you get the benefit of our local knowledge.
    And, if all of that isn’t enough, we have coffee and are happy to spend some time with our clients.  You can come in and look us in the face and tell us what is on your mind. Give us a call at 772-492-8545 and see the difference an Independent Insurance Agent might make to you. Or use the form below and we will contact you!

       

      BOO!!! Life Can Be Scary!

      Did I scare the bejeezus out of you?  There are a lot of scary things that happen in life, however most of us understand that with preparation, we are able to navigate the scary times.  And, the more information we have, the more likely we are to be able to plan in ways that help us to limit outcomes that we might find to be scary. What are some of the scary times?
      • Major Life Changes
      • Major Illness
      • Loss of a Loved One
      • Financial Hardship
      I remember Mrs. Stamp’s private pre-school, where I learned about cocoons and how to spell “cat.” I remember walking, my hand in my sister’s, on the way to our grandparents’ house for a delicious Southern dinner of chicken and dumplings. I also remember my mother tapping numbers into her desk calculator, and the “chit chit chit” of it printing the results on ticker tape. She never looked at the numbers on the tape with panic or worry.
      The quote above doesn’t sound like a scary time, not at all.  Yet, it is after the loss of the author’s father when the author was just 3 years old.  It is quite a story and worth a read for the love story.  Check it out. In this post, I want to talk about one of  life’s major changes as a scary time, and how to limit fears. What are some major life changes?  Going to college, getting married, purchasing a home, having children,  and children leaving the nest.  Those are all great changes, right?  (Not really.  Empty nest is a mixed bag…don’t let anyone fool you into being surprised.)  If these life changes are great, what makes them scary?  You know, don’t you?  It is the vulnerability.  Emotional and financial vulnerability.  Loving until you think your heart will explode, loving so much that you want to do anything to protect your new spouse, your new children, your new life. Yes.  Emotional vulnerability is scary.  And it makes life worthwhile.  And it sure doesn’t seem fitting to be talked about on an insurance blog.  Insurance is BORING!  And still, here we are.  Talking about insurance in the same paragraph as emotional vulnerability. Once upon a time,  almost 30 years ago, Jamie was at the beginning of his insurance career.  He had a client who was building a new home.  A man and his wife, and their young children.  At the beginning of their beautiful journey.  The young family was in almost the same phase of life that Jamie was in.  All of their “stuff” was properly insured, and Jamie spoke to them briefly about life insurance.  They were interested, but just not quite ready.  They would get back on it soon.  After all, they were young and healthy. Quite frankly, Jamie is not a pusher.  He certainly didn’t want to push life insurance.  It is such an uncomfortable and scary topic. Then he got the call.
      The husband had literally fallen into the foundation of the home and broke his neck.  The wife needed to know if there was a life insurance policy.  It was needed.
      As I type this, it made me tear up.  I remember.   Life Insurance is boring and uncomfortable to talk about.  Thinking about raising children without your spouse is an emotional topic. Talk about it anyway.  How does it help to take away the scary parts of life?  Just like any monster in the closet, when you look in there and see what is actually there, when you have “monster spray” available to take care of the problem, you don’t have to be so scared.  Because you planned.  That is what we do for the people we love.   We would love to talk to you about how you can protect your family, just in case.