Don’t Be “Cheap” when it comes to insurance coverage. The worst scenario is being under-insured when you have a large claim.
You pay a lot for insurance coverage; when you have a claim you want adequate coverage and not have to come out of pocket more then your deductible.
One of the biggest fallacies is that consumers only care about getting better rates.
Here are things that you as a consumer should know:
- Property prices are increasing and people want to protect their investments
- Most properties in the California fires were under-insured, probably to reduce premiums
- Clients WILL PAY more for better coverage. Often their current agent/company hasn’t reviewed their policies and the client has too little coverage
- We will pointing out the facts to you while being professional and we will win your business
The mortgage industry lost trust of mortgage brokers after the 2008 mortgage crisis and many lost their jobs. We pledge not to this happen to the insurance industry! We will help you evaluate your risks and gives you an abundance of information to help you select the proper coverage, insure to value, and select appropriate premium.
Call, text, click or email for your personal or business insurance review today.
Auto: https://farmerskc.wufoo.com/forms/k1k5v5jm1v0nvnr/
Home: https://farmerskc.wufoo.com/forms/xhkisc70sllksw/
Life: https://farmerskc.wufoo.com/forms/zfmqeo81f1s9l6/
Business: https://farmerskc.wufoo.com/forms/zgmy4rd1knkaqw/
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Dog Bites?
When you think of homeowners insurance your probably do not think of your pets harming a child or other animal, however this is a leading cause of liability claims under your homeowners policy.
Below is an excerpt from a local Lee’s Summit Dog Trainer’s Blog. Follow Debra Murray for more info:
DOG BITE PREVENTION WEEK
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year. This number is especially disheartening since most dog bites are preventable. Dog awareness and advocacy, as well as responsible pet ownership, is where dog bite prevention begins.
1. Dog Awareness: That little phrase packs a lot of punch! Dog awareness starts with educating yourself on the basics of canine communication. It continues with seeking to be well-informed about our canine companions. If your knowledge comes from tv “experts”, your neighbor, and personal opinions, then you’ve got some more investigating to do. Dog behavior is a science. There are numerous myths and hypothetical postulations that have sadly spread like wildfire over the years. If you’re still in the dark ages believing dogs are trying to dominate their human families and be the pack leader, then that’s a good place to start looking into recent scientific discoveries. Everyone benefits from continuous growth in dog awareness.
2. Dog Advocacy: I hope you won’t be able to continue business as usual once you begin increasing your dog aware skills, and have a better understanding of man’s best friend. The humane thing to do is start advocating for, at the least, your own dog. When you recognize distress, fear, nervousness, anxiety, etc., then do your best to appropriately guide your dog. Don’t rely on their remarkable tolerance to prevent growls, snaps, snarls and bites. Kindly remove them, or the stressors that cause discomfort. You can go a step further and enlist a positive reinforcement trainer or veterinary behaviorist to guide you in improving your dog’s emotional responses.
3. Responsible Pet Ownership: This not only includes providing for the basic needs of your pet, but also forming realistic expectations. All dogs have teeth. All dogs can bite. Expecting your dog to tolerate consistent distressful situations without repercussion is irresponsible. Even our good family dogs can snap or bite when their tolerance levels are exceeded, combined, or overlooked. If you already have a dog that exhibits aggression, fearfulness, reactivity, etc., then you should take precautions to ensure the safety of your pet and others.
Pursuing the above goals will not only aid in the prevention of dog bites in your community, but also put us on a better path to becoming dogs’ best friends.
For the YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/nSPGLlLPJxY
For the full article:
https://www.smartypaws.net/blog/67-national-dog-bite-prevention-week-2018.html
Have you heard of Umbrella Liability Coverage? Here’s a couple of reasons why you might want to purchase a policy-
There is a large difference between “Having Insurance” and “Being Insured”
In each of these scenarios, a person’s “normal insurance coverage” would have been exhausted and they would have been forced to liquidate bank accounts and other assets to pay for the damages awarded.
5 Actual Claims On A Personal Umbrella Policy
Example Claim # 1: A babysitter left a 5 month old infant unattended in a walker. The infant toppled the walker, struck her head on the floor and suffered brain damage. The parents of the infant sued the teenage babysitter and her parents. The court awarded the infant’s parents $11,000,000.
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Example Claim # 2: An insured’s daughter hated math class as well as the teacher. The daughter made several “disparaging” and false remarks about her teacher online. The teacher sued the parents for personal injury and $750,000 was paid.
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Example Claim # 3: The insured’s 18 year old son was driving the insured’s car on a short trip to the store with his girlfriend. He lost control of the car and struck a tree. The insured’s son told the police that a vehicle cut him off, but there were no witnesses and no evidence of any impact with another car. His girlfriend, a 19 year old college student, was hospitalized for over a month with multiple fractures and internal injuries. She was in a wheelchair but is now able to walk with crutches and continues with physical therapy. She has a right drop foot as a result of the injuries. The insured’s personal umbrella policy limit of $2,000,000 was paid.
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Example Claim # 4: A 28-year old engineer dove into a friend’s above ground swimming pool struck his head on the bottom and, as a result became a quadriplegic. He sued both the homeowner and the pool manufacturer. The court found the homeowner to be 60 percent responsible and the pool manufacturer to be 40 percent responsible, and awarded $10,000,000.
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Example Claim # 5: The insured’s tenant claims she became ill from carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from a faulty furnace. The tenant claimed permanent brain damage and demanded $750,000.
For your auto and home insurance coverage, should you go through an agent or online?
For many people, the convenience of buying insurance online from the provider or from an 800 number is appealing; but when a CRISIS hits, it is in YOUR BEST INTEREST to have an agent who is LOCAL, whom you know personally and can serve as a liaison between yourself and the insurance carrier. It is always most beneficial to have your auto-home-life insurance, all with the same company.
At our agency, we know YOU personally, you never have to confirm your name, address, or give a policy number when you call. We take the time to meet and sit down with our clients and to do a review of all their policies. If you talk with an “800 Insurance Company” you’ll never speak to the same person twice and they have no idea who you are as a person and what coverage you need. If there is a serious claim, it’s doubtful that you could ever find the employee of the “800 Insurance Company” to ask them why they sold you the coverage that they did.
In times of trouble, our agency goes to bat for you. We help file the claim, we can speak the adjusters, and help out with any unforeseen situations related to the claim. This is especially important, especially with weather-related incidents where there can be quite a large area off affected clients. We’re here to be an advocate YOU, if something is not being addressed promptly or if there is a communication issue, we’ll help you resolve it quickly and get you back where you belong.
Another great attribute of having Farmers Insurance is that we only work with our own adjusters, meaning the adjuster inspecting the damage is someone who is knowledgeable with Farmers Insurance policies. Many online insurers (as well as independent insurance agencies) use independent adjusters, who may not be as familiar with each insurer’s claims. This can cause larges delays as well as unfavorable outcomes when you have a claim.
For a review of your coverage, give us a call anytime 816-795-5977.
Moving and Selling Your Home? What To Do When Your House Is Vacant
Selling your home can be a stressful process, especially when it doesn’t move quickly. With a new job looming, you may have no choice but to leave the home vacant for a short time until it sells.
So is there a problem? Truthfully there can be. When you have a homeowner’s policy, on of the insurance company’s requirement is that the property is “Owner Occupied.” Since you no longer occupy the property, generally these now vacant homes fall under different insurance rules and can leave you at risk. Homes are typically considered vacant when the utilities are shut off and/or furniture has been removed.
Insurance companies view a vacant home as a higher risk. There are more opportunities for vandalism and no one living there to protect the home from fire or storm damage should they occur.
So what should you do when moving?
First you need to talk to your insurance agent and get the details on your policy. Since policies vary by state and insurance company, there is no single right answer.
Explain the situation to your agent. Ask what coverage is included and what is excluded (specifically for vandalism as well as water damage). And find out what changes can be made to protect your home.
Selling a home doesn’t always follow a quick timeline. If you’re facing the possibility of leaving your home vacant, contact us first and find out how to best protect yourself and your property.
We are always here to answer your questions. Call 816-795-5977 or email anytime-jolson3@farmeragent.com
I Am Starting a New Business and Need Insurance, What Should I do?
Congrats on starting your own business! It can be exciting, nervous, scary, and overwhelming all at the same time!
One of the first things that you need to do before you sign a lease, sell a product, or open your doors to the public is to get proper business insurance set up.
Most people will go straight to their auto, home, and life agent for a policy quote and then buy the policy without completely understanding the coverage and the risks of their business and this can be a HUGE mistake.
The issue at hand is having the correct coverage. Most State Farm, Allstate, Farmers, American Family agents know auto/home/life policies but don’t completely understand commercial or business policies. This equates either paying too much for the coverage or paying for a policy that WILL NEVER help you if you truly did need it. Also all of the above companies only carry general liability and NOT professional liability. Not every business needs professional liability but quite a few do and often they don’t realize it. I represent Farmers Insurance and we write quite a bit of commercial policies with Farmers but if it’s a hard to place business or something that we cannot write thru Farmers I can broker it to a carrier who will help place the risk. If you’re are either starting a business or if you’re not comfortable that your agent sold you the correct coverage at the correct price, give us a call at 816-795-5977 or email at jolson3@farmersagent.com.
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Contractor’s Insurance? Yes we can help!
Combining insurance coverage in one policy generally leads to a better value, and we help contractors every day create an attractive insurance package for helping insure their small business.
For contractors–primarily HVAC, landscapers, painters, plumbers, electricians, carpet installers/carpet cleaners, we have a policy that is especially attractive.
A lot of insurance “brokers” offer just liability insurance for contractors, but our policies include tools and equipment and more.
For example, our policy even covers theft of a contractors’ supplies. For example: a HVAC company buys a new furnace or AC puts it in their shop. The shop is broken into and the unit is stolen. If they have our policy the first $3,000 of protection comes automatically, but you can increase it up to $100,000 of coverage.
The protection doesn’t end there.
A lot of contractors work out of a den or third bedroom in their house, but a typical homeowner’s insurance policy won’t cover anything to do with a business. If there is theft, water or fire damage, our policy covers $2,500 automatically, and it can be increased if needed”
The convenience factor is huge.
If a contractor has company vehicles, a lot of insurance carriers have separate liability for commercial vehicles, a separate policy for tools and equipment, a separate general liability policy, and a separate worker’s compensation policy. What we can do is package it all together; we can also provide them a contractors bond if they need that too. We keep in all in house so they have 1 central point of contact for all their insurance coverage.
Does the best coverage for your business matter to you? Of course it does! Call 816-795-5977 or email jolson3@farmersagent.com today to see how we can help you customize the best package and lowest premium for your business.
Personal Umbrella Liability Insurance-What is it and do you need it?
If you were found liable for an accident, would your current insurance coverage be enough to pay for a judgment against you, or would your assets be at risk to help pay? “What about my homeowners and auto insurance? Don’t they cover me?” If you are sued, your standard homeowners or auto policy can provide liability coverage, paying for judgments against you along with your attorney’s fees, up to a limit set in the policy. However, if the judgment against you is for more than your insurance covers, you could be forced to pay a legal judgment from your current assets and future earnings. You might think this scenario is unlikely, but what would you do if it became reality? That’s where a personal umbrella liability policy can be beneficial to help you provide the protection you want.
With a Personal Umbrella policy, you’ll have additional liability limits over and above those provided by your underlying homeowner and auto policies. An umbrella policy can help prevent financial hardship by providing protection that you choose for both current assets and future earnings.
Umbrella Insurance Explained
So how can a personal umbrella policy provide the protection you want? This type of coverage offers additional protection above what your auto and homeowners policies will cover. For example, should you be involved in a car accident and sued, your auto policy covers you up to a predefined amount, your coverage limits. If the cost goes over that limit, your umbrella policy kicks in and covers you for an additional amount up to the limit on your umbrella policy.
You may also think that only those with a large amount of assets would benefit from an umbrella policy, but that’s not necessarily the case. Do you like to entertain? Have a pool? A large dog? You could benefit from considering an umbrella policy. Ultimately, if you or something you own accidentally causes damage to another person, you can be sued for more than just what you have in the bank. Any retirement funds, investments, savings and even future earnings can be at risk to pay for a settlement. In some states, the equity in your home can be part of the judgment and you may have to sell your home to pay for a judgment against you.
Regardless of your personal finances, if a situation arises where you may be held financially responsible for an accident, it could be beneficial to purchase an umbrella policy. A million-dollar umbrella policy is available for far less than you may think as well. Depending on your policies you can get coverage in Missouri or Kansas for as little as $120/yr.
Other Benefits
Besides providing increased liability limits, a Personal Umbrella policy can fill gaps in your coverage with added benefits, such as:
- Coverage for claims that may not be covered by your underlying Homeowners, Auto, or Watercraft liability policies, such as libel, slander, or defamation of character.
- Worldwide coverage.
- Paying for defense costs and attorney fees associated with claims against you that are covered by your Personal Umbrella policy, but not by your primary policies.
Protect your future with the coverage you want
If the unexpected occurs, do you have enough coverage to protect you and your family’s assets? Talk to me about adding a Personal Umbrella policy to your insurance portfolio. The added protection you choose with an umbrella policy can outweigh the minimal cost, and can be financially advantageous should you need it.
Do you have questions or comments on umbrella policy coverage? Call 816-795-5977 or email jolson3@farmersagent.com.
No matter what you think you don’t have FULL COVERAGE for your auto insurance. Your agent lied to you.
FINALLY!!! Proper Insurance for UBER Drivers
UBER DRIVERS—Do you have a lack of the proper Insurance Coverage??? When the app is on and the driver is seeking riders – (Period 1) there may be only limited coverage from the Rideshare company and possibly NO COVERAGEunder the driver’s personal automobile policy.
Effective immediately (KANSAS RESIDENTS ONLY) I have one of the first major carriers to begin offering a new Rideshare Endorsement. With this endorsement, Rideshare drivers can avoid a potential gap in coverage by extending their personal auto policy coverage when they are logged in and waiting for the next ride. At this time this endorsement is for KANSAS residents only. Message me or call me at 816-795-5977 if you would like a quote.
Jon Olson Agency-Farmers Insurance 