Inland Flooding

We welcome everyone to please watch this short video presented by the National Flood Center regarding inland flooding.  When people mention New Jersey, everyone instantly thinks of the Jersey Shore.  However, for those of us located in Northern New Jersey in counties like Sussex, Warren, Morris and Hunterdon we are far from the Jersey shoreline.   Unfortunately many people have the response that they feel it is unlikely that they will experience a flood, however Hurricane Irene in 2011 proved otherwise.



If you have any questions regarding Flood Insurance or would like a free quote, please do not hesitate to contact our office and speak with any of our representatives.

Extreme Weather and Insurance

Don’t Panic

By Steve Tague

If you live in a state that has been anyway affected by the storms that have hit areas of our country and you own a home covered by a Homeowners Policy, chances are you may be receiving a premium increase upon your next policy renewal.

You see, even if you have not had any claims during the storms, rates are determined by the claims experience of all Homeowners policies that are written through an insurance company. In recent history, claims experience has increased due to the bizarre weather we have all experienced. Some insurance companies have even ceased writing or renewing Homeowners business in certain states.

Our first reaction is to run out and find the cheapest premium that one can find, after all, everything is going up and in this economic environment, you have to get the best “bang for your buck”.

Please be careful, however, and look before you leap. Even though your premium has gone up, a cheaper premium from a different company may mean “pared-down coverage”. In other words the bargain that you think you are getting may eliminate some of the essential coverages that you may need in the event of a claim. All Homeowners policies are not the same. This is a fact.

My recommendation is to make an appointment with a Professional Independent Insurance Agency like ours, who represents many insurance companies and can work on getting not only a good premium level, but making sure you have the essential coverage for your individual needs.

Finally, please don’t forget that flood is not covered on your Homeowners Policy and if you live in a flood zone, you need to get a separate flood policy. Ask us about Flood Coverage!

Give Dawn a call at 973-948-3200 Ext. 10

National Boat Safety Week 2013

This week is National Boat Safety Week.  The weather is finally starting to feel like summer is coming and many will be getting their boats ready for summer and the upcoming summer holidays like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.  Before you head out on the water, please take a moment to read the following guidelines for boating and water safety to ensure the safety of your family and friends.   If you are looking for insurance on your personal watercraft, we also have a company that has announced an exciting new coverage for boat owners.  Please contact our office if you would like to learn what this new exciting coverage is and how it will help protect your boat! 

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Put safety first this summer: Guidelines for boating and water safety

One of summer's greatest joys is heading to the beach or pool to enjoy the warm weather. Before you pack the swimming and boating gear, consider this: most boating and swimming accidents occur because people don't stop to think about safety.

How can I prevent boating and swimming accidents?

The most tragic accident is the one that could have been prevented. By observing safety guidelines, you can reduce the incidence of boating and swimming accidents and keep your family safe.

• Never swim alone.
• Know your swimming ability limits, and those of your family, and stay well within them.
• Learn the proper way to dive; and always check the water depth before diving.
• Never chew gum or eat while swimming.
• When boating, carry a first-aid kit, as well as prescription medicine and any other personal care items you may need.
• Equip your boat with an AM radio in case of emergency.
• Everyone on board should have a personal floatation device.
• Leave the alcohol behind when swimming or boating. Of the nearly 700 boating fatalities in the nation each year, 21 percent are attributed to alcohol. Violators charged with Boating While Intoxicated face possible fines, jail and community service.

I own a boat. Is it covered under my homeowners insurance policy or do I need specialized coverage?

You probably need specialized coverage. A typical homeowners policy covers liability for damage to property and bodily injury to others when the watercraft is a sailboat under 26 feet, or when it is powered by an outboard motor of 25 horsepower or less. However, theft and sea perils, including sinking, stranding, running aground and collision, are not covered.

What should I look for in a policy?

Boat owners will be well served by a policy specifically designed to cover physical damage to boats, liability for damage and/or injury and protection and indemnity liability.
When selecting a policy or checking existing coverage, look for limits of navigation—where the boat can go and still be protected by the insurance policy. Insureds who violate these limits may not be covered if the vessel is damaged. Also important in a boat policy are adequate limits of liability insurance and provisions for insuring sails, spars and other property in the boat.

Can I be sued for an accident that occurs in or near my pool?

Yes. For this reason, you should check to make sure the limits of your homeowners policy are adequate. If you are involved in a lawsuit and the court awards a settlement higher than your limits, you will be held responsible for the balance. To protect yourself, you may want to consider increasing the limits of liability on your homeowners policy to protect yourself against a potentially devastating lawsuit. Our agency can help you obtain and secure adequate coverage.

 Your Professional Insurance Agent … We want you to know about the insurance you're buying.

Love and Marriage....and Insurance? Final Part

As we wrap up the end of "First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage....But are you Insured?", we find that 2 years have passed since we've last heard of our happy couple Joe and Lisa.  After purchasing their house, they took a year to do updates to it and fixed it up.  Then one day Lisa gave Joe the happy news.....they are going to become parents. 

A month or so later, they receive a card in the mail from their local insurance agent congratulating them.  Lisa remembers she mentioned it to him the last time she visited the office to make her payment.  Joe and Lisa thought they should make an appointment and see if they need to review their policies at all, now that they have a baby on the way.  Joe has some life insurance through his job and Lisa will no longer be working so she can stay at home with the baby for the next several years.  They discuss their concerns

with their agent and determined that they now have the need to purchase life insurance.  Joe wants to make certain that should anything ever happen in the future to him, that he can be assured that the mortgage will be taken care of and that Lisa and his child will have financial security.  The agent also mentioned that when the baby is born, it would be wise to consider purchasing a life policy for the baby as well.  He noted the look of concern on Lisa's face when mentioning that and he further explained the benefits of purchasing a policy at that stage of life.  You are able to purchase a life policy on that child at an affordable rate which they can afford for the rest of their life and continue once they become an adult.  They do not have to worry that if their child should develop some sort of health issue in the future, that they become uninsurable.  You are giving your child a gift of financial security for their future.  And they learned that Joe's life policy has now reduced his home and auto policies due to a new multi policy discount. And as all stories should end, Joe and Lisa lived happily ever after. 

I hope you have enjoyed our 5 part mini series of "First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage....But are you Insured?".   While we have dramatized our fictional couple, we hope that we have shown how simple life events can trigger different coverages and discounts on your insurance policies; you may find that there is a need for a new type of policy or that perhaps there is no longer a need for another.  As an independent agency, we are here for our clients throughout all of their life events and needs!  If you are currently going through a life event - marriage, new home, expecting a child, a newly licensed teen driver - and are concerned about coverage, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss your insurance needs!

Love and Marriage....and Insurance? Part 4

Welcome to our fourth episode of "First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage....But are you Insured?"  We join our happy couple, Joe and Lisa today as they discuss how they feel cramped in their little apartment.  They feel it's time to start house hunting.  They've gone on a few house visits with a real estate agent and they finally found a nice house in their price range.  Sure they admit, it will need some work but it has the opportunity be expanded on as they look to expand the family in the future.   Within a few weeks, they become proud homeowners!

Throughout the process Joe and Lisa kept in close contact with their insurance agent.  They knew they needed to change their renters insurance to homeowners insurance.   They learned a lot during this process and not only asked their agents a lot of questions, but also received guidance from their agent as well.  They learned that there is a difference between the value of the home - from market value, to tax assessment, to replacement cost.  There are more coverages to consider and choose to have on the home policy than they may have had on the renters policy.   With their renters, they were concerned with insuring their contents.  But now they realize they also need to insure the building as well and after the agent reviewed they need for liability coverage and what kind of claims could arise, they also made sure they chose a higher limit on the liability coverage. 

Their agent had spoke about an umbrella policy in the past and they always dismissed it, thinking it wasn't necessary.  The agent again stressed the need for this type of coverage - an excess liability policy that covers over your underlying liability of your car, home, recreational vehicles, other residences, etc.  Now that Joe and Lisa own a home, they have more assets they could lose if they were sued.   The agent finally explained it to our happy couple like this:  Our couple is involved in an auto accident in which they were at fault.  They caused damage to the other persons vehicle and the other driver was seriously injured, and will be unable to work for quite some time.  Not only is there a responsibility for repairing the vehicle and the medical bills but the loss of income of this person is quite substantial and will go well beyond the limit of liability that they currently carry.  He asked Joe and Lisa if they had they excess money saved to cover the difference?   At this point, they realized the importance of an umbrella policy.

Joe and Lisa are happy and content with their new home.  What may happen next with our happy couple?  Tune in tomorrow to find out!

Love and Marriage and.....Insurance? Part 3

Welcome to today's episode of "First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage....But Are You Insured?".    Joe and Lisa are settling into married life.   Lisa moved out of her parents house and into Joe's apartment and they are busy combining their household contents together.    They will keep Joe's couch; Lisa prefers her television over Joe's.   When it comes to their auto insurance policies, they are indecisive.  They both like their current companies and have been with them for many years.  They wonder if perhaps they should just leave their policies separate.

Luckily for Joe and Lisa, they contacted Joe's independent agent to see if they needed to make any adjustments to the renter's insurance now that they have an increase in contents.  Joe's agent asked questions about the auto policy and pointed out that by updating the policy to reflect that Joe is now married he will be getting a better rate.  The agent also quoted adding Lisa's car to Joe's policy and they were surprised that by combining their policies, they would save a considerable amount of money.  Most companies offer multi car and multi policy discounts.  It's important to keep in touch with your agent and notify them of changes in your life - you may be missing out on important coverages or discounts!

Joe and Lisa are now settled.  They have combined their two lives and are content.  What can be in store next for our happy couple?  Stay tuned!