Love and Marriage and....Insurance? Part 2

Welcome back for the second day of "First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage.....But Are You Insured?"   When we last saw Joe and Lisa, Joe had just asked Lisa to marry him and she said yes!  Since then, they have been busy planning their upcoming wedding.  They have picked out a gorgeous beach front venue as the setting for the wedding and reception.  Lisa's dress is already picked out and awaiting her fittings.  After many taste tests, they have finally agreed on the cake that they want.  Photographer and deejay are both reserved for their special day.  Lisa can't imagine why brides complain about the stress; everything is going along so smoothly and things couldn't be any better.

 

  

Flash forward and we are just a weeks away from their wedding date.   Lisa went to pick up her wedding dress and there was a sign on the window saying they went out of business.  She's tried to contact them but hasn't been able to reach anyone.  And now they've learned that there is a hurricane predicted to hit about the same day as their wedding.  They can't imagine what else can go wrong!   And now a word from our sponsors........

 

Now that you have your ring covered, you start planning your big, special day!  Deposits are being made to the caterer, the venue location, the bakery, deejay and many many other places.  You've put so much into your wedding, your heart, your time, and your money. But what if severe weather rolls in? The bridal salon loses your dress? Or your photos are damaged?  Wedding insurance can protect your special day and significant investment.

For as little as $160, a wedding insurance policy can cover a variety of situations:

• No Dress. You can get repair or replacement cost if the bride's wedding gown or groom's tuxedo is lost or damaged.
• Lost Deposits. You can be reimbursed your deposit if a vendor goes out of business, declares bankruptcy before your wedding, or simply fails to show up.
• Lost Rings. You can receive repair or replacement cost if the bride or groom's wedding bands are lost or damaged.
• Sever Weather. If severe weather (such as a hurricane) forces you to postpone your wedding, we can provide reimbursement for non-recoverable expenses.
• Ruined Photos. If your photographer's film is defective, or negatives are lost or damaged, wedding insurance can help cover the cost to re-take new photos.
• And many other coverages.

Now back to our couple, who are still happy!  Luckily, they had called their insurance agent when they added the engagement ring to their renter's insurance.  Joe and Lisa were told about wedding insurance and they believed it would be a wise investment since you never know what the future may hold and what problems can pop up.  They encountered a few bumps in the road but were still able to have their special day after all!

Tune in tomorrow when our happy couple go house hunting!

Love and Marriage and.....Insurance? Part 1

This week, we are presenting a 5 part mini blog episodes of: "First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage.....But Are You Insured?"   Proposing to a loved one, preparing for your wedding, buying your first home or planning to start a family are big life milestones.  These life milestones affect all areas of your life and yes, even the insurance.  You want to know how these things may affect your insurance or how are they covered. 

Our first episode starts with our young couple, Joe and Lisa, out on the town for quite dinner together.  Lisa is surprised and overjoyed when Joe gets on one knee, presents her with a gorgeous ring and asks her to marry him.  "Yes!" she exclaims and accepts the ring.  Let's pause this show for a quick commercial.......

Most people don't think twice about asking their agent how the new ring is covered under their homeowners or renters insurance.  Most people don't know until something has happened to that ring, that there is very limited coverage under the general homeowners policy for jewelry and usually not covered at all for an item that is misplaced or simply lost.  A policy or coverage commonly referred to as a Personal Articles Policy is used to schedule specific pieces of jewelry and usually requires a recent appraisal (Note - this policy is also used for other items that can be limited in coverage such as jewelry, furs, silverware/goldware, fire arms, antiques, collectibles and many other items).   Generally, you may be able to add the coverage to your current renters or homeowners insurance, or purchase a stand alone Personal Articles Policy.  You've invested a great deal of money into your ring, make sure it's properly insured.  Now back to our program.....

Joe and Lisa are now ready to share the good news with their friends and family.  They begin to talk about setting dates, venues, dresses..........to be continued until tomorrow!

April is National Car Care Month

April is National Car Care Month and it's a good time to do a solid once over on your car.

Here are some tips to follow to make sure your car is in tip top working condition and to keep you safe:

1. Check all the fluids. There are several fluids, in addition to the antifreeze, that require attention including engine oil, power steering, brake and transmission fluids and windshield washer solvent and antifreeze/coolant.  For maximum engine life, change the oil and filter every three months or 3,000 miles or as directed in your owner's manual.  Use specified oil grade and weight.


2. Check hoses and belts.  A belt that fails can affect the electrical system, air conditioning and power steering, as well as the cooling system.  Colling system hoses may be deteriorated from within, so old hoses and clamps in marginal condition might need to be replaced.


3. Check the tires.  Check tire inflation and inspect the tread for uneven wear, indicating the need for wheel alignment.  Also, look for bulges and bald spots.


4. Check the brakes.  Now is a good time to check the entire system, including brake linings, rotors and drums.


5. Check the wiper blades.  Replace every six months or when cracked, cut, torn, streaking or chattering.

The Importance of Flood Insurance

You Never Know

by Steve Tague



Maple St, Branchville NJ
Hurricane Irene August 28, 2011



Boy, recent weather has really been bizarre! Who would have ever thought that we would be wearing our “woolies” well into the month of April resulting from below normal temperatures?

Hopefully, Spring has “sprung”, so to speak, but with it comes some other weather related dangers like flooding.

Most of us do not think much about flooding, because, after all, Sussex County is basically a mountainous region and not a lot of flooding has occurred in the History of the County.

 Don’t be fooled, however, a flood can happen anywhere at anytime in our state and we should all be prepared for the possibility. Heavy rains and the resulting saturated ground can cause properties to flood, not to mention the swelling of lakes, rivers and streams that may occur from significant storms. Many Sussex County residents suffered flood damage from the storm “Irene’ just over two years ago.

Remember, that flood damage is not traditionally covered on our Homeowners and Business policies. Flood must be covered on a separate policy and you must check to see if both building and contents need to be covered on the policy. Flood rates to determine policy premiums are developed by the flood zone in which your building is located as well as the elevation levels of the building to be covered.

Finally, there is a thirty (30) day waiting period between the time you purchase flood insurance and the date in which it becomes effective. So don’t wait to the last minute to explore buying this coverage. Please contact us at van den Heuvel & Fountain Insurance Inc. at 973-948-3200 to obtain a quote because you never know when a flood will occur.


Branchville NJ
Hurricane Irene Aug. 28, 2011



Branchville NJ
Hurricane Irene Aug. 28, 2011





Branchville NJ
Hurricane Irene Aug. 28, 2011

Insurance - You Get What You Pay For

You Certainly Get What You Pay For

By Steve Tague

We consumers are a pretty interesting lot and those who advertise products to us know that we generally buy things based on emotion rather than logic or a great deal of cerebral thought process.

Funny commercials and attractive celebrity spokespeople just make us want to buy what they are selling, no matter what.

One of the most effective attractions to our purchasing things emotionally is the phrase “cheaper price”. This is especially true when it comes to our buying insurance.

Insurance, that invisible stuff we buy because we have to and in most cases, we will never use during the course of a lifetime. Of course we want this at a cheaper price, because we don’t want to purchase it in the first place and the thought of the subject makes us cringe.

The advent of “The Great Recession” made us all look harder at our personal and business finances and one of the first things we sought to minimize was the cost of insurance. Recent natural weather disasters became both pervasive and frequent and many of us learned that we were not covered for certain losses and/or we didn’t have adequate coverage limits to handle the financial losses we experienced. The personal “out of pocket cost” to consumers far outweighed the savings that were realized when we first purchased our insurance program.

My advice is that we need to evaluate our insurance programs both for your personal insurance and business insurance on an annual basis. It is amazing how quickly things change from year to year, whether they involve addition of coverages, rate changes or discount credits.

We also have to consider who we get advice from so that we don’t make the mistakes referenced above.

As a Professional Independent Insurance Agent, my recommendation is to seek out a Professional Independent Insurance Agency like ours. We do not work for a single insurance company. We represent several carefully selected, financially sound insurance companies and we place your policies with the company offering the best coverage with the best pricing to suit your individual needs. We also work with you when you have a claim to see that your claim is settled fairly and quickly.

If you like, call us for a free, no obligation review of your insurance.  Call us at your earliest convenience at 973-948-3200. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain!