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Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

We've created this brief video to help you better understand your auto insurance options, so let's start out with the basics. The first type of auto coverage is what's known as liability insurance. This coverage can help pay for the damage if you're illegally responsible for accidentally injuring someone, or other property in an auto accident. Auto liability coverage falls into two categories. First, there's bodily injury liability. This covers medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other special damages. The second category is property damage liability.

This covers damaged property. For example, it would cover damages if you hit a lamp pole, or mailbox, or even house. So, you're probably aware that in most states, drivers are required to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage in order to register their vehicle or obtain a driver's license. And each state has its own minimum liability coverage limits. For example, the limits for California are $15,000 per person, $30,000 per occurrence, and $5,000 for property damage.

So what this means is that if you're in an accident, where you are found to be at fault, your insurance company may pay up to $15,000 for any one person's injuries in the accident, and the maximum that they will pay is $30,000 for that accident, or what is also commonly referred to as per occurrence.

So to clarify, with these minimum coverage levels, no one person will receive more than $15,000 for bodily injury, and the insurance companies will only pay out a maximum of $30,000, regardless of how many people are involved in the accident. The second component of this liability coverage is the $5,000 for property damage. This will pay for the other person's property.

So if you're in an accident and you hit someone else's car, your insurance company would spend up to $5,000 on your behalf to have the damaged car fixed or replaced. So you may be thinking to yourself, $5,000 to replace a car, or $15,000 to cover injuries? Well, in a different video, we discuss some guidelines for selecting the appropriate auto insurance coverage levels and take a closer look as to why the state minimum coverages may not be enough.

So one last point about liability insurance, because this seems to cause a bit of confusion for people. Liability insurance only pays for the other person's injuries and damages to their vehicle. If you only have liability insurance in place, you'd be forced to come out of pocket to cover the expenses to fix your vehicle and your medical expenses.

The next series of coverages aren't required by law, but as we review these, you'll see how each of these coverages can be very important to protecting you and your valuables. First, let's talk about uninsured, underinsured motorist liability. This type of coverage is in place to protect you or your passengers that are hurt as a result of another driver's negligence, even when they don't have insurance.

That's right, uninsured motorist coverage acts like the other driver's insurance and addresses your injuries and property damages up to the limit of your uninsured motorist coverage. So you may be asking yourself, why is it a good idea to have uninsured motorist coverage when it's mandatory for all drivers to have insurance? Well, the answer is simple. According to the Insurance Research Council, 15% of drivers have no insurance and another 30% don't have enough.

So that's why uninsured motorist coverage insurance is a great way to make sure that you and your family have coverage in place, even if the other driver has little to no insurance. The next type of coverage is what's known as comprehensive coverage. This type of coverage protects you from losses that result from fire, theft, falling objects, riots, storms, earthquakes, floods, and even when there is a collision with a bird or animal.

And another way to think of comprehensive insurance is that it applies when there's no accident involved. Comprehensive coverage can also include car theft insurance if your vehicle is stolen or vandalized. It's important to note that comprehensive coverage is normally required if your vehicle is leased or financed. The next type of coverage is collision insurance. This type of insurance pays for the damage to your vehicle resulting from an accident whether or not the accident is your fault. The next type of coverage is medical coverage.

This coverage can help pay for many medical expenses that may not be covered by your existing medical insurance plans. It can also provide coverage for you or a family member when riding in someone else's vehicle. Next up is our towing and roadside assistance service. With this coverage, you'll get emergency roadside assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This coverage provides assistance. If you need a tow, you lock your keys in your car, you get a flat tire, or a dead battery.

In some cases, this coverage will be included in a comprehensive policy. The next coverage option is for loss of use, or this is sometimes called rental car coverage. This coverage can help you cover rental car costs or other costs for transportation. Most carriers offer different levels of daily limits and overall maximum coverage levels for you to choose from. Next up, most carriers offer a glass deductible buyback add-on.

With this coverage, your insurance provider will replace your windshield after you pay a deductible, and in many cases, they'll provide free repairs for small cracks and chips. So I hope we've helped answer some questions you may have had regarding your auto insurance coverage options. Contact us today so that we can help you make informed decisions in choosing the right coverage to protect you and your family.

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• 0:42 — An illustrated sample driver's licence accompanies the registration discussion. The example California liability limits shown later are $15,000 per person, $30,000 per occurrence and $5,000 property damage. These are the recording's older figures, not current requirements.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

Welcoming your teen to the road can be exciting, but also scary. There's a lot to think about, but the first thing you'll want to do is to make sure your teen is insured. Most insurers require that your teenage driver gets insured as soon as they receive their license. For some parents, it may make sense for them to add their teenage driver to their auto policy, as this may help them to qualify for a multi-vehicle discount.

But for other parents, it's important not to take on more liability risk, so they may want to get their teen insured under their own policy. Once your teen is insured, here are some tips to keep them driving safely. The first tip is that you establish a clear set of rules with your teen. This could be anything from setting a curfew to who they can drive with to never using their phone while driving.

Whatever your rules are, be sure that they are clearly understood and that there's consequences in place if they are broken. Next up is texting and driving. Texting while driving is especially dangerous for teenage drivers, because teens are both the biggest phone users and the least experienced drivers. Make it very clear that not only is texting very dangerous, but that in most states it is also illegal. Here are some sobering facts about texting and driving.

Texting while driving makes a driver 23 times more likely to crash, and the combination of texting and driving is responsible for 11 teen deaths every day in the US. It's also the case that 13% of drivers aged 18 to 20 involved in an accident admit to texting or talking on their phone at the time of the crash. So for these reasons, it's imperative that you discuss the dangers of texting and driving with your teen. Next, it's important that you set a great example.

Your teen driver will mimic your behavior as you are the person they have seen drive the most. This means that, whatever good or bad habits you have, they are likely to copy these. For example, if you don't wear a seatbelt, it's likely your teen won't either. It's also important that you teach your teen to minimize distractions. Tell your teen to turn off their phone while driving to avoid the temptation of answering phone calls.

Get them into the habit of adjusting their stereo and AC before they pull out of the driveway so that they're not distracted while on the road. The next tip is a reminder about the importance of practicing with your teen. One of the best things you can do to help prepare your teen driver for the roadways is to have your teen practice driving when you are in the car. This way you'll be able to provide suggestions for improvement and positive reinforcement in real time.

Next up is the importance of discussing safety for nighttime driving. Driving at night is the single biggest risk factor for teens. 61% of all teen crash deaths occur between 6pm and 6am. This is primarily due to the combination of the visibility challenges caused by dark conditions, slower response time brought about by fatigue, and a lack of experience driving under such conditions. For these reasons, it's important that you remind your teen about these risks and make sure your teen has sufficient practice driving during nighttime hours.

The last tip is about the importance of education. It's always a good idea to give your teenager extra training and resources. Sign them up for a driver's ed class and a driver training course. Some insurance companies offer their own programs that teach teens about the dangers of driving. Not only will this give your teen valuable experience and education, but most insurance companies also offer discounts upon completion. We hope these tips help to keep your teens safe on the road.

Call us today to learn more about how we can help you decide on the best policy for your teen driver.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

Choosing your auto liability coverage limits is an important decision. So that's why we've created this brief video. We want to make it easy for you to understand your insurance options. This way you can make an informed decision on the ways you can protect yourself from financial risk. So what exactly is liability coverage? Well, liability coverage pays for the injuries or damages to other people or their property caused by you or someone driving your vehicle.

The two liability coverage types are bodily injury liability and property damage liability. And every state has different laws dictating the minimum coverage you must carry for this. So let's walk through a brief example that will help you to better understand the importance of selecting the appropriate liability coverage levels. Let's say you have an accident. You are distracted momentarily and rear end the Lexus in front of you. There are four people in the car and all of whom suffer some injuries.

And for discussion purposes, we'll imagine that you live in Los Angeles and have the California minimum coverage levels in place of 15, 30 and 5. This means your insurance company would cover the cost of any one person's injuries, rehabilitation expenses, pain and suffering and time lost from work up to $15,000. But they would not pay more than $30,000 for the accident regardless of how many people were injured. This is the bodily injury portion of liability insurance.

And your insurance company would also pay up to $5,000 for the property damage. So now let's take a look at how your coverage would apply. There's four people injured and the cost to cover their injuries totaled $89,000 and the damage to their vehicle was $13,000. So in reviewing your coverage amounts, you'll see that your policy would pay $30,000 for all injuries and $5,000 for the property damage. So where does the remaining $59,000 for bodily injury and $8,000 for property damage come from?

Well, once your policy pays the maximum limits, you could be held personally responsible for the remaining amount. In this example, this would mean that you would be responsible for paying a total of $67,000 out of your own pocket. So this is why it is so important that you consider carrying more than the state minimum coverage amounts. After all, it's not difficult to see how a simple fender bender like this could end up costing you tens of thousands of dollars if you maintain the minimum coverage levels.

Call us today to learn more about how we can show you the options available that will help protect you from this financial risk.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

We made this brief video to help you better understand how to save money on your auto insurance policy. Not all discounts may be available, as many depend on your state and your specific insurance provider. The easiest way to save money on your auto insurance is by bundling it with either a homeowner's policy or a life insurance policy. This will be an option with the majority of providers. The next discount is for insuring multiple cars.

The more cars you insure with one company, the bigger discount you will receive. Some carriers will also give you a discount if you insure your boat, motorcycle, RV or trailer. Also, if you are a member of a certain professional association or organization such as an alumni association, business and professional group, educational organizations, military and many more, you may be eligible for discounts at certain insurance providers.

These discounts could be quite significant, so check with your association to see if they are partnered with any insurance carriers, or just give us a call and we can find out. One of the important things to remember is that insurance companies reward safe driving. With most carriers, drivers get discounts when they have no violations or have had no accidents for a certain time period, such as three years. Most insurance providers also offer discounts based on your age.

If you are over 55, you can reduce your premiums by gaining a recent driving certification from an approved DMV driving course. Similarly, if you are under 21, you can save on insurance by completing an approved driving safety course. In addition to driving courses, teen drivers can also get a discount if they have good grades, usually a B average or better, but requirements can vary with different providers.

Some people are not aware of this, but it's always cheaper to insure a car that has safety features, such as anti-lock brakes, anti-theft systems, airbags and electronic stability devices. This is also why new cars and hybrid vehicles often qualify for more discounts. Next, if you want a simple way to save on your auto insurance, you can always raise your deductible because the higher your deductible, the lower your premium expenses.

By raising your deductible from $500 to $1,000, you could potentially reduce your monthly premiums by up to 20%. Actual discounts will vary depending on your specific situation. And lastly, one of the best ways to save money on your insurance is to call us. As an independent agent, our loyalty is to you, not the insurance company, and it's our job to help you find the best coverages at the most affordable rates.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

In this brief video, we want to cover what steps you should take and some important things you should never do when you've been in an accident. The first thing you'll want to do if you've been involved in an accident is to check for injuries. Check yourself out first to see if you have any injuries, and then check your passengers, and determine if everyone is physically able to get out of the car on their own, and whether or not an ambulance is necessary.

Next, turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers to slow down. If your vehicle is positioned where it might be a hazard to oncoming traffic, then you'll want to pull over to the side if possible. Exit the vehicle only after you have made sure it is safe to do so. If necessary, use any cones or safety flares so oncoming cars can see that an accident has occurred. Next, you'll want to consider whether it's necessary to call the police.

In most states, you're legally required to call the police if anyone has been injured, or if the total damage appears to be over a certain amount, such as $1,000. Many people involved in minor accidents feel it's a lot less complicated if they avoid filing a police report, but that could end up being a costly mistake. Even a minor injury can result in legal and financial problems later on if injury damages are claimed and the other person sues, or if liability is contested in an insurance claim.

Filing a report with the police helps to protect you because it is a legally documented description of the accident. A police report can also help your insurance company settle your claim more efficiently and with less hassle. This is especially true if the other party presents a different version of how the accident occurred. Whether or not the police are on their way, your next step is to exchange information with the other person involved in the accident.

You should write down information about all the parties involved in the accident, which includes their names, address, and contact numbers, their insurance information, including the insurance company and policy number, and the make and model of the other vehicles and license plates. The next step is to document the accident as thoroughly as you can. If possible, immediately take pictures of both cars, the damage, and the accident scene itself. Take note of the exact location of the accident, such as the name of the street or address numbers.

Ask if anyone nearby witnessed the accident and ask for their names and contact numbers for insurance and legal purposes. You'll be asked for this information from the police, your claims service, as well as the other party's claims service, so it's a good idea to write everything down. The more detail, the better. The next step is to call me, your personal insurance agent.

Contacting your insurance agent is important, as we can provide specific advice in outlining all the steps you need to take, such as reporting the accident and what you should do next. We can also outline your options so you can decide whether or not to file a claim. Depending on the details of your accident, it may make sense for you to file a claim, and if you decide that you should file a claim, we can help you to get that process started.

Now that we've covered what you should do, let's briefly discuss what you should never do after an accident. The most important thing to remember is that you must never leave or flee the scene of the accident, no matter how minor it may be. If you do leave the scene, it is considered a hit-and-run. At minimum, it would result in a misdemeanor offense, but if someone was injured or killed and you leave the accident scene, you could be facing felony charges.

The next thing you'll never want to do is to say you're sorry or admit fault. Admitting fault or even saying sorry could result in all the blame or liability for the accident being placed on to you, even if you were only partially at fault or not at all. We hope this brief video has helped you to be better prepared should you ever be involved in an auto accident. Should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to call. That's why we're here.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

Whether you're buying a home for the first time, moving into a new home, or switching insurance carriers, you'll want to insure your home and all of your valuable possessions. And there's a lot to consider when selecting the right coverages. In this brief video, we'll go over some of the coverages available so that you can make an informed decision when deciding on your coverages. The first coverage to note deals with your specific dwelling.

This policy coverage is designed to replace your existing structure with one of similar construction and building materials. And in order to come up with the recommended coverage levels, it's important that you consult with your agent. That way, you'll have an accurate estimate of the cost of materials and labor to rebuild your existing home from the ground up.

When evaluating these numbers, you'll want to keep in mind that the current market price of your home, or what your home might sell for today and land value, are not factored into this reconstruction cost. An important component included in your homeowner's policy is what's called extended replacement.

This helps to ensure that you have enough coverage, just in case that dwelling coverage amount is not enough to rebuild due to an increased cost of labor and materials, which generally increase in cost over time and are subject to large spikes when hundreds of homes have to be rebuilt to the same time, such as after a wildfire. For these reasons, extended replacement could be an important component of your policy. Many homeowner's policies include extended replacement coverages, totaling 125% of your dwelling coverage.

However, up to 150% or more may be available, depending on your specific needs. The next coverage component includes separate structures and covers structures on your property that are not attached to your home, including detached garages, sheds, pools, retaining walls, and more. Many policies include separate structures coverage of 10% of your dwelling coverage limits, but this number can be increased if needed. Next up is personal property coverage, which is in place to insure your belongings, including furniture, clothing, appliances, and more.

You can think of this coverage as protection for items within your home other than the structure. Most homeowner's policies include coverage for personal property. Typical coverage ranges from 50% to 75% of the amount of insurance you have on the structure of your home. So for example, if your policy includes personal property coverage of 75% and your dwelling coverage amount is $400,000, you'd have $300,000 or 75% of the dwelling coverage amount for your personal property.

When comparing homeowner's policies, it's important that you understand the difference between actual cash value and guaranteed replacement or contents replacement coverage. This is a very important distinction. For instance, if your house burns down and the total cost to replace your personal property is $300,000, but the actual cash value or depreciated value is only $100,000, you'd be left with a big gap in coverage, and paying to replace your possessions out of pocket in an instance like this can be next to impossible.

This is why many homeowners select a policy that includes guaranteed replacement or contents replacement coverage, as this would provide coverage to replace the full amount of your personal property. It's also important to note that there are coverage limits for special items such as jewelry, firearms, antiques, and other valuable items. To protect these items, you'll want to consider adding a floater or an endorsement to your homeowner's policy. We also want to mention another important coverage included in your policy called loss of use coverage.

This means if you are displaced from your home due to a covered loss, such as a fire, lightning, or smoke damage, this is coverage that can provide for the cost of a hotel or long-term rental, doggy daycare, and even extra gas or food expenses. Next up is one of the most important and often under-investigated coverage items called personal liability. We commonly think of someone slipping and falling on our property, but that's not the only reason you need coverage.

Actually, one of the largest claims culprits is animal attacks. From dog bites to cat scratches, animal claims tend to come with very large jury verdicts. Or what if you or your family member accidentally starts a fire and it spreads to your neighbor's houses? Well, their homes, personal property, and loss of use become your personal liabilities in this instance, which is why having enough personal liability coverage is extremely important. Another important coverage that's included in most homeowner's policies is medical payment coverage.

This is the coverage that will help by potentially resolving small claims. If someone is injured on your property, the medical payments portion of your policy will reimburse the injured person's medical expenses up to the limit in your policy. Unlike liability coverage, this coverage does not require the injured to establish that you are liable for his or her injury. So now that you have a better understanding of how our main home insurance policy coverages work, we'll wrap this up with a brief discussion about deductibles.

Deductibles are one of the most important parts of any insurance policy. In addition to determining how much money you'll receive when you file a claim, they also affect how much you pay in premium. So, what is a deductible? When you experience a loss that is covered by your insurance policy, the deductible is the amount you're responsible for before the insurance pays. Keep in mind that the higher the deductible, the lower the premium will be.

And on the flip side, if you do want a lower deductible, know that you will pay more for your policies up front. When selecting your deductible amounts, it's important that you choose a deductible that you can afford. If you select a deductible of $2,500, you'll want to be sure you have $2,500 available in case you do have a loss.

We hope this brief video has helped you to learn more about your home insurance options and how having the appropriate coverage is in place can help protect everything you've worked so hard to achieve. If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to give us a call. That's why we're here.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 2:38 — A contents replacement example lists replacement cost $300,000, actual cash value $100,000 and out-of-pocket difference $200,000. These hypothetical figures illustrate the distinction explained in the narration.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

Imagine for a moment you return home after a long day at work to discover that a thief had pried your door open and took all of your valuables. Or worse, you arrive home and find a fleet of fire trucks, and all that is left of your home is smoldering ashes. All of your possessions, your TV, computer, furniture, clothing, and jewelry, gone.

How would you feel knowing that everything you owned, everything that you worked so hard to accumulate, including the roof over your head was taken from you? Where would you stay? Would you be able to afford to stay at a hotel while your landlord renovated? How would you pay to replace all of your personal property? As a renter, these are things you need to think about.

While your landlord may have insurance on the property, that insurance does not cover your personal belongings, and it does not cover temporary housing expenses that you may incur. That burden rests solely on your shoulders. So what do you do? You could cross your fingers and hope this never happens to you, or you could get renter's insurance. Renter's insurance can cover your personal property from fire, theft, vandalism, and many other losses.

In addition to covering your personal property, renter's insurance can also pay for your hotel room and even your meals and restaurants while your rented home or apartment is uninhabitable due to an insured loss. An additional benefit of renter's insurance is that it generally includes personal liability coverage. This coverage gives you and all family members that live with you protection against claims caused by many unintentional acts. This includes the acts of your pets and children either on or off your premises.

So if your dog bites someone or someone slips and falls in your unit, or if you accidentally run into someone in the park while riding your bicycle and knock them and their expensive laptop to the ground, these situations may be covered. Liability insurance can also help pay for the damaged property, medical bills, and even settlements and legal expenses if you were to be sued. The fact is, accidents happen all the time, and bad things do happen even to good people.

But renter's insurance can make sure you get your life back together when these things happen to you. Renter's insurance gives you great protection and extremely affordable rates. For as little as about 50 cents a day, you can get the vast protection that renter's insurance provides and it can become even more affordable if you already have an auto insurance plan in place because you may qualify for a multi-policy discount.

Call us today to discuss all of your options and learn more about how renter's insurance can help protect you and your valuables.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

Do you own a rental property? If so, it's a wise decision to have a landlord insurance policy to protect your property and income. While not required by law, landlord policies provide three major benefits to a property owner. The first is property insurance coverage for physical damage to the structure of the home, caused by fire, lightning, wind, hail, ice, snow, vandalism, and damage caused by tenants. This also covers any personal property you may leave on-site for maintenance or tenant use, like appliances, lawnmowers, and snowblowers.

Next is liability coverage. This protects against liability claims and lawsuits. So, for example, if a tenant or one of their guests slips and falls on your driveway, injuring their back, a landlord policy would provide coverage for medical expenses, legal fees, and lawsuits that arise from the accident. Landlord liability coverage can also provide protection against claims from wrongful eviction or discrimination of tenants. The third benefit of a landlord policy is for loss of income.

Imagine a fire in the building next to yours breaks out and extends to your property, leaving it uninhabitable. Landlord insurance would provide coverage for the loss of income while the property is being repaired or rebuilt due to damage from a covered loss. And one last thing to keep in mind, a landlord policy covers only the structure itself and your financial interest in it. Your tenant's personal possessions are not covered under this policy.

In order to avoid disputes arising from damage to the renter's belongings, many landlords require a tenant to buy renter's insurance before signing a lease. Do you have other questions about how landlord insurance can protect your rental property? Call us today so that we can help you select the best policy to protect your assets and income.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 0:12 — The title identifies landlord insurance as also known as Rental Dwelling Fire insurance.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

We're often asked about the benefits of condo insurance, and if condo owners really need it. We've prepared this brief video to help you better understand the ins and outs of condo insurance, including how it can protect you in the event of a crisis. It seems that much of the confusion about condo insurance centers around the fact that there's multiple types of condominium insurance, and the first type is the insurance that is a part of your condominium association.

For most condominium owners, you automatically became a member of the condominium's association when you purchased your unit. One benefit that this association almost always offers its members is a master insurance policy that covers the common areas of the property, including the garage, lobby, elevators, swimming pool, tennis courts, etc.

And it's likely that this master policy also covers the physical structure of your building or unit, and while this type of insurance covers damage to the physical building, such as the walls of the structure itself, more often than not, it does NOT cover what's inside of the walls of your unit.

Understanding this distinction and coverage is important because let's say if there was a fire that destroyed your property, it's the master insurance policy that would cover the expense to rebuild the structure of your condominium, including the studs and walls. However, anything inside the walls, such as wall covers, appliances, furniture, tubs, toilets, cabinetry, fixtures, TVs, home computers, your wardrobe, and any structural improvements would be your responsibility to replace or rebuild. This is exactly why a condominium insurance policy is something that all condo owners should consider.

Condominium insurance provides coverage for your personal belongings and any structural improvements to property if you are a victim of vandalism, theft, fire, or if your plumbing suddenly burst. And another benefit to condo insurance is the liability aspect. Let's say, for example, that someone slips and falls at your property, your dog gets loose and bites a neighbor, or you accidentally start a fire and it spreads to your neighbor's unit. In these scenarios, you could be facing lawsuits or be responsible for replacing your neighbor's personal property.

For these reasons, the liability component of your condominium insurance can provide important protection against these financial risks. Other questions we commonly get asked are, how do I know what policy I need and how much coverage should I get? To answer this question, we would first take a look at the master policy already in place. Next, we'll use our industry insights to help you estimate what it would cost to rebuild the kitchen, the bathrooms, and the other fixtures inside the condo.

And lastly, we'd ask you to answer this simple question. How much will it cost to replace everything in your home if it were all destroyed or stolen? After taking all three of these things into consideration, we'll have a good idea of the coverage levels needed. Next, you'll want to understand the difference between extended replacement cost and actual cash value for your personal property with extended replacement cost coverage in place.

This means that your policy would pay you for the current cost of any item you must replace after a disaster. Without extended replacement coverage, you may only be paid for the cash value of the older or used item after depreciation is taken into account. So let's say you bought a new couch four years ago for $1,800. Without extended replacement coverage in place, you would only receive what the couch is worth today, and that would be far less than the original price of $1,800.

It's kind of like getting the eBay or Craigslist price for your items, and we all know that's not much. We hope this brief video has helped clear up any misconceptions you may have had regarding condominium insurance. Contact us today so that we can help you make an informed decision when choosing coverage to protect you and your family.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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Creating a home inventory list probably isn't on the top of your list of things to do as a homeowner. However, in the event that your home becomes damaged or destroyed in a fire, windstorm, flood, theft, or other disaster, a home inventory list will be one of your greatest assets. So what is a home inventory list? Well, it's simply a detailed list of all the contents within your home.

In the event that disaster strikes, this list can help you remember all of your personal belongings so that you can report your losses when filing an insurance claim. To assist you in creating this list, you can visit this link to download a list that includes most common household items. It's also important for you to think about some common-sense tips when creating your home inventory list.

First, you'll want to make sure to list every item of value in your home and include serial numbers of items when possible. Next, you'll want to think about continuously updating your home inventory as you acquire new items. And although not required, consider using your smartphone or camera to take photos of household items. This important documentation can really help out later. And lastly, don't forget to store your list in a safe place.

You can even scan a copy of it and email it to yourself, or you can ask a neighbor or relative to hold on to your list for you. Another option is to store it in a safety deposit box. There's another important factor to remember when creating a home inventory list. Be sure to take note of any particularly high-value items, such as jewelry, furs, or collectible items. These items may have coverage limits associated with them, which could leave some of your possessions under-insured.

So if you do have a valuable piece of jewelry, art, or collectibles, please give us a call so that we can discuss whether or not it makes sense for us to add a floater or endorsement to your existing policy. This helps ensure that this valuable piece is protected. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. That's why we're here.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

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Homeowner's insurance provides you with valuable protection against disasters and accidents, including fire damage, accidents on your property, identity theft, and much more. These protective coverages can save you a substantial amount of money after a traumatic event occurs. But there are a few standard exclusions to most homeowner's policies you should be aware of. An exclusion simply means that there are certain types of damage or locations that aren't covered. Common exclusions in most homeowner's insurance policies include earthquakes, mold, flooding, and backup of sewers or drains.

If any of these risk factors are something you want to protect against, be sure to ask about these add-ons so that your agent can provide you with more details regarding each additional coverage. In addition to exclusions, it's also important to note that in most insurance policies there are special limits when it comes to particularly expensive items, including property that generally must have an appraisal, like jewelry, guns, furs, and art and antiques.

So if you have these types of items in your home, make sure you inquire about which coverages you need so that you have the peace of mind that all of your personal property is fully insured. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. That's why we're here.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

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While your homeowners, condo or renter's insurance does provide coverage for your personal possessions, most of these policies have special limits for items of real or sentimental value that may require more coverage. That's why you may want to consider getting a floater to protect these items. Floaters can also be known as endorsements, riders, and scheduled items. These are inexpensive policies that are added to existing homeowners' policies and can provide additional protection for special possessions. Almost everybody has valuable possessions that might make a floater a prudent idea.

For example, do you own expensive jewelry, fine art, antiques, furs, or collectibles of any kind? These are exactly the types of personal property that floaters are designed to protect. A floater is an inexpensive add-on to your existing policy that is designed so that the full value of possessions can be replaced in the event of theft, loss, or damage. And we have plenty of options, so you can choose just the coverage that's right for you.

Whether you're a home or condo owner or a renter, a floater can provide valuable protection for your most treasured possessions. Call us today and we can discuss if a floater is right for you.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

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In the Northridge earthquake of 1994, approximately 12,500 homes were damaged or completely destroyed. Without any warning, thousands of people were forced out of their homes. In less than 20 seconds, this one earthquake caused a whopping $20 billion in damage. And to be frank, there's a very real threat that this can happen again.

In fact, according to the most recent comprehensive study conducted by the United States Geological Survey, the probability of having one or more earthquakes in California as large as the Northridge quake or larger over the next 30 years is greater than 99%. But it's not just Californians that face the devastating risks of an earthquake. The same study indicates that nearly half of Americans live in areas prone to earthquakes. And since 2009, earthquake activity has sharply increased due to man-made earthquakes in many parts of the country.

And in Oklahoma, the seismic activity has skyrocketed. It's now 600 times greater now than it was in 2008. So you can see the danger is real. And in fact, it's almost inevitable. But are you prepared if your home was to be damaged or destroyed in an earthquake? How would you pay the cost of rebuilding or even repairs? Or how would you pay to replace your household possessions like your flat screen TVs and computers?

Would you be able to afford temporary housing and still pay the mortgage on your damaged or destroyed house during reconstruction? The fact is, most homeowners are not prepared to deal with the financial devastation that earthquakes can bring. They are caught by surprise when they realize that their standard homeowners insurance policy does not cover the damage that an earthquake created. Just like flood insurance, earthquake insurance is most often an additional policy that is purchased separately.

So how will you protect yourself against the looming threat and financial hardship of an earthquake? Relying on the government is never a safe bet. And for most homeowners, your house is your biggest single asset. So it's unlikely that you have the amount of money laying around that you'd need to rebuild. That's why you should strongly consider getting an earthquake insurance policy. Earthquake insurance can give you the peace of mind that your home and valuables are protected.

Call us today so we can help you decide if an earthquake policy is right for you.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 0:28 — A California earthquake-probability map illustrates a 30-year probability of an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 or greater, with a colour scale and a boundary between northern and southern California. Subsequent screenshots illustrate the discussion of induced seismic activity. This is historical source material, not a new forecast issued by this website.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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We made this brief video to help you better understand how to save money on your homeowner's insurance policy. Not all discounts may be available, as many depend on your state and your specific insurance provider. The easiest way to save money on your homeowner's insurance is by bundling it with either an auto policy or a life insurance policy. This would be an option with the majority of providers.

Also, if you are a member of a certain professional association or organization, such as an alumni association, business and professional group, educational organizations, military, and many more, you may be eligible for discounts at certain insurance providers. These discounts can be quite significant, so be sure to check with us to see if they are available to you. What some people don't realize is that by improving the security of your home, you can reduce your premiums.

This includes doing things like having automatic gas shutoff installed, having a whole house water leak detection system, becoming Energy Star or EPA certified for energy efficiency, being LEED certified for high performance green homes, not smoking in the home, having a new home or one that's been newly renovated, installing burglar alarms, fire alarms, and sprinklers. So if your home is secure, then you are less likely to make a claim.

The good news for you is that if you don't report any losses or file any claims within a certain time period, you'll be eligible for a discount. Another way to save money on your homeowner's insurance is to raise your deductible because the higher your deductible, the lower your premium expenses. For example, by simply raising your deductible from $500 to $1,000, you may save as much as 25% on your premiums, a significant savings on your homeowner's insurance.

And lastly, one of the best ways to save money on your insurance is to call us. As an independent agent, our loyalty is to you, not to any one specific insurance company. It's our job to help you find the best coverages at the most affordable rates.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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When purchasing homeowners insurance, your first inclination may be to insure your home for the amount you paid for it. Most of the time, though, that's not enough. That's because there's a difference between your home's market value and its replacement cost. Understanding that difference could save you a lot of money. Your home's market value is an estimate of how much you would sell for in the current housing market.

Some of the factors that affect this valuation are the value of the land, its location, the internal and external characteristics, and current supply and demand. On the other hand, your home's replacement cost is an estimate of the necessary cost to replace or rebuild your home using like-kind materials. Oftentimes, the replacement cost valuation is higher than market value because it considers the labor and materials expenses required to rebuild your home today. Which should you base your insurance coverage on then?

Well, imagine you've lost your home in a fire. Prior to the fire, the market value and replacement costs were valued at $300,000 and $500,000, respectively. If you had insured your home at market value, your insurance limits wouldn't be able to fully cover the rebuild, leaving you with a significant gap in coverage. You would have to come out of pocket to pay this difference, or build a less expensive replacement home.

If a market value policy is all you're able to afford, you'll at least be able to recoup a portion of your home's value after a loss. Alternatively, if you had replacement cost insurance in place, the entirety of the rebuild would have been covered by the limits on your insurance policy. Oftentimes, as in this example, replacement cost is the best choice to minimize any gap in coverage.

That may not always be the case though, so it's important to have an agent help you determine which coverage is right for you. Whichever level of coverage you choose, you should review your policy regularly, as both market value and replacement costs fluctuate over time. Call us today to make sure you have the correct coverage in place.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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In this brief video, we're going to address some common myths associated with flood insurance. The first myth is that flood insurance is included in your standard homeowners policy.

The truth is, while many homeowners policies do cover water damage caused by a burst pipe in your home, or from rain coming in through a hole caused by a storm, even a toilet that is overflowed, a standard homeowners policy does not cover water damage caused by water outside the home, such as damage from flash floods, inland flooding, even seasonal storms. To protect against these risks, you'll want to secure a separate flood policy for your home, condo, or renter's policy.

The next myth is that many people assume that federal disaster assistance programs will cover the expenses to rebuild your home after a flood. While it is true that there are federal disaster relief programs for floods, in order for these to become available, the president must declare a disaster.

And remember, even if the relief funds are made available, usually in the form of a loan that must be paid back with interest, and of course, this would be in addition to any mortgage loan you still owe on your home. With flood insurance, when you submit a claim, you are compensated for all covered losses, regardless of whether or not a disaster has been declared, and you don't have to pay it back.

The next myth is that you don't need flood insurance because you don't live in an area that floods. The fact is, everyone lives in a flood zone. It just depends on whether or not it's a low, moderate, or high-risk area. For those people living in high-risk areas, flood insurance is almost always required. But if you live in low to moderate-risk zones, flooding can still happen. Every year, heavy rains, melting snow, clogged sewer drains, and failed levees and dams cause millions of dollars in flood damage.

In fact, according to FEMA, close to 25% of all flood claims are filed from homeowners that live in low to moderate-risk zones. So remember, even if you live on top of a hill, you still may be at risk. Call us today so we can help you decide whether flood insurance is right for you.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 1:18 — The U.S. Flood Risk map is dated March 15, 2010. Its broad regional categories are historical and are not a current property-specific flood determination.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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Your number one priority is supporting your family and making sure that they are protected no matter what happens. Sometimes this means thinking about things that no one really wants to think about, such as dying prematurely. But it's a vital question. What would your family do if you or your spouse were suddenly gone? Without both incomes, how would your family pay for things like your rent or mortgage? Car payments. College tuition.

The fact is, one in five men and one in seven women won't live to retirement age. Even though no one wants to think it, there's always a chance you could be one of those unlucky people. Life insurance can provide tax-free money to your family, money to pay for rent or a mortgage, to pay off bills, to pay for education, and to pay for the many other expenses that come up.

And of course these funds can help take care of funeral arrangements during a time when the last thing your family should be worrying about is money. But remember, providing this security for your family can only happen if you arrange for a life insurance policy before it is too late. Each day you continue without it is another day you are putting your family at risk. Call us today to put a plan in place so your loved ones are protected no matter what happens.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 0:28 — The infographic defines retirement age as 65 for its illustrated comparison of one in five men and one in seven women. These are the recording's historical illustrative statistics.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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What's the difference between term life insurance and permanent insurance? Well, they are the two main types of life insurance. You get them to protect your family from financial difficulty in case you die. If you or your spouse die unexpectedly, life insurance is there to make sure your family still has enough money to do all of the important things, like pay the mortgage and send your children to college. So what is the difference between term insurance and permanent insurance then?

With term life insurance, your family only received the benefits if you die in the specific timeframe that you've agreed, such as 10 or 20 years. Permanent life insurance doesn't expire. Your loved ones will receive the benefits no matter when you die. You can think of it as buying versus renting. Permanent insurance is like buying because you are getting the protection for your entire lifetime and you agree on the price of the payments at the beginning. Furthermore, as with buying, it has a cash value.

You can borrow against this or use it later. Term life, on the other hand, is like renting because it gives you coverage during the specific number of years you need it the most. Because it is like renting, the premium is often significantly less when compared to permanent life. You must think about both your needs and your budget before deciding which type of life insurance is best for you.

For many families, it works best to buy a term insurance policy that is large enough so that it provides mortgage protection and income replacement because the cost is low. You would then arrange a smaller permanent insurance to cover all of the costs that will arise when you die, such as funeral costs, so that your family does not have to carry this extra burden.

When deciding on life insurance, it is important that you find the policy that fits exactly to what you and your family need, not just the one with the lowest premiums. Call us today and we will help you find an affordable and secure way to protect the people you love.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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Thinking about how much life insurance you'll need to protect your family's future? In this brief video, we'll provide some general guidelines for you to consider. The fact is, answering the how much question can be pretty tricky. It depends on a number of variables, including your marital status, how many dependents you have, your current and projected income, the value of your assets, and your preferred lifestyle. So how do you determine if you need $100,000, $250,000, $500,000, or more in life insurance coverage?

To help you answer this, you'll want to start by gathering all of your personal financial information and develop an estimate of what your family would need to meet their financial obligations if you die unexpectedly. In the insurance industry, we've cleverly come up with a catchy acronym that can help you get your mind around the various factors you need to consider when determining how much life insurance you need. The acronym is DIME.

D is for debt, as in personal debt, including credit cards, car payments, lines of credit, and so forth. I is for income. Your family depends on your income to help cover living expenses. You need to consider how much they would need to replace your income and how long they would need it. M is for mortgage. Certainly, you'd want your family to maintain the kind of life you've built together.

Think about what it would take for your family to pay off the mortgage if you were out of the picture. E is for education. If your children attend private school, there are already substantial costs incurred, and with college costs skyrocketing every year, if you don't plan to meet those costs if you're not around, their dreams of a great higher education may go out the window.

So after you put some thought into the DIME process, you'll have a better idea of how much money your family would need to maintain their existing lifestyle and the money needed for future expenses. Next, you'd want to compare that number to whatever resources would be available if you're not around. This includes things like your spouse's income, any savings you may have, and any life insurance you may already own.

The difference between your family's needs and the resources in place to meet those needs is what you should put in place as additional life insurance. So that's a high level review of the formula, but it's not as simple a process as you might think. Every individual and every family is different. There's no cookie cutter answer. And there are a lot of options, not only in the amount of coverage, but in different types of insurance as well. Term insurance, whole life insurance, permanent insurance, universal insurance.

You've probably heard the terms but may not know the difference between them. The best way to figure out how much life insurance you need and what type is to have an insurance professional conduct what's called the financial needs analysis. Your local insurance agent does that sort of thing on a daily basis, and there's really no substitute for the personal guidance and assistance you'll receive by meeting with a licensed professional. So if you're serious about protecting your family's future, be sure to contact us today.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 2:04 — Four family photographs carry illustrative labels: $300,000 Permanent, $500,000 Whole Life, $250,000 Term and $1,000,000 Universal. These are example labels in the recording, not recommendations for any viewer.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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Selecting the right insurance for your family, home, or business is an important decision and that's why working with an independent insurance agent is a smart choice. You see, as an independent insurance agent, we have access to a network of insurance providers, not just one individual company. So what that means is that our loyalty is to you, the customer, not the insurance provider.

It's our job to help you to navigate the complexities of insurance when deciding on the best coverages, and then be sure to track down the best price for your family and budget. So whether it's your home, auto, life, business, or even recreational vehicles, we can help you protect what you've worked so hard for and make sure you're getting the best rates. Call us today so we can put a plan in place to help you and your loved ones.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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Did you know that bundling your insurance can be a great way to save money? You may be asking, what is bundling? Bundling is when you purchase more than one policy from the same insurance company. The biggest savings come when you bundle your auto and home together, but many times you'll save even more money if you had a boat, RV, motorcycle, umbrella, or even a classic car policy. Simple, right? Well, saving money isn't the only reason to bundle your policies. The fact is, insurance can be complicated.

When you bundle your insurance policies, you are working with one agent who will get to know you and your insurance needs more personally. When you have questions or need to add a policy, your agent will be there for you. And should you ever need to file a claim, having a personal agent makes the process not only easier but a lot less stressful. The bottom line is that bundling is a smart idea that can save you money and improve your coverages.

Call us today to see how much money you can save by bundling your policies.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

Let's face it, lawsuits are quite common today. If you accidentally injure someone or damage their property, you could be sued. And more and more, juries are awarding very large verdicts. So while your homeowners, property, and auto policies may provide substantial liability limits, juries can award sums that exceed those limits. That's where umbrella insurance comes in. A personal umbrella policy provides an extra layer of coverage on top of your existing policies.

Imagine that you are involved in an auto accident, and your auto insurance has a limit of $500,000 for bodily injury and property damage per accident. Unfortunately, you're found to be at fault for the accident, and the other driver decides to sue you. The suit is settled for $1 million, and you're liable to pay. In this example, your auto insurance would pay the first $500,000 as per the limits of your policy, but what about the remaining $500,000?

How would you come up with the money to pay for that? Thankfully, if you have a $1 million personal umbrella policy in place, the insurance company would pay the remaining $500,000. So this is why an umbrella policy can be so important. It helps to protect your income and assets against lawsuits by providing liability coverage in excess of your existing policies.

So for example, if someone slipped and fell in your driveway and wanted to sue you, or your dog gets loose and bites a neighbor's child, the same umbrella policy would kick in on top of your homeowner's policy. If you were responsible for damages caused by an accident while on your boat, or while operating your RV, again the umbrella policy would provide additional coverage.

Besides providing increased liability limits, a personal umbrella policy also provides coverage if you were sued for libel, slander, or defamation of character, and would even help to pay for defense costs which could save you thousands in legal fees. And one of the most attractive features of umbrella insurance is that it can be very inexpensive. To give you an idea, a $1 million umbrella policy can cost around [amount unclear].

Protecting what you've worked so hard for with an umbrella policy can be a very smart decision because you don't need to be a millionaire to be sued like one. Call us today to put a plan in place to protect you and your assets.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 1:28 — An illustrated coverage stack labels the homeowner layer $500,000 and the total with umbrella coverage $1.5 million. This is the recording's hypothetical illustration, not a quote or coverage guarantee.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

Let's face it, lawsuits are quite common today. If you accidentally injure someone or damage their property, you could be sued. And while your homeowners, property, and auto policies may provide substantial liability limits, juries can award sums that exceed those limits, leaving you with a gap in coverage. And the reality is that because you have substantial wealth, you are a more attractive target for liability lawsuits. That's why deciding on the right amount of umbrella insurance is a must.

A rule of thumb is to make sure you have an umbrella policy that covers all of your assets. Umbrella policies provide an additional layer of protection beyond your existing liability limits. For example, if you are responsible for damages caused by an accident while on your boat, or while operating your RV, or even if someone slipped and fell in your driveway, an umbrella policy can help cover any gaps in coverage.

An umbrella policy can also provide protection if you are sued for libel, slander, or defamation of character. Call us today to make sure you have the right umbrella policy to protect your family.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 0:14 — A diagram shows separate homeowner, boat, RV and auto policies, each labelled $500,000, beneath an axis marked $1 million and $2 million. It illustrates the possibility of losses exceeding underlying limits.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

In this brief video, we want to talk to you today about how you can protect yourself against the fastest growing crime in the US, and that is identity theft. The unfortunate reality is that every 3 seconds someone in the US is the victim of some sort of identity related crime. That means every single day there's 28,000 new victims of identity theft. Identity theft occurs whenever someone uses your personal information without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes.

And the unfortunate reality is that these perpetrators are becoming increasingly more sophisticated with each passing day. In fact, with just your name, address, social security number, and date of birth, your personal information can be used over and over to fraudulently open new lines of credit, seek medical attention, drain savings and retirement accounts, and even get a job or file false tax returns. So not only can these crimes be costly to your wallet, they can also be incredibly time consuming to resolve.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, it takes the average victim 175 hours to restore their lives after their identity is stolen. So what can you do to protect yourself against identity theft? First, you should think about shredding documents you throw away. Identity thieves love recycling your trash. But you can stop them in their tracks by using a cross cut shredder.

Shred everything with your name and address, such as statements and invoices, receipts, return address stickers, envelopes, catalogs, and especially pre-approved credit offers, credit card checks, and insurance-related materials. Next, you'll want to think smart about protecting your online account information and passwords. Encrypt emails and computer files that contain personal or account information. Make sure that your firewalls and antivirus and anti-spyware programs are up to date, and you'll always want to employ strong passwords that contain numbers, symbols, and characters.

Never use obvious passwords that include your date of birth, child's or pet's name, or mother's maiden name. And don't use the same password for online banking that you use for shopping or social networking sites. Also, make sure you avoid phishing scams. Phishing scams are typically emails that appear to be coming from legitimate sources, but direct you to dangerous websites where they might prompt you for your passwords, social security number, and other private information that can be used to steal your identity.

To protect yourself from phishing, don't click on any suspicious-looking emails, and do not click on the links in the email if you are not sure what they are or who they are from. Also, never email anyone your password or private information. No legitimate enterprise like your bank or university will ever ask for your password over email. A good way to manage your passwords is to sign up for one of the free password manager sites.

These password managers allow you to use one master password that will automatically log you into all of your saved websites. Next, you'll want to check your credit reports early and often. Be sure to review your credit reports from the three reporting agencies, TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax, twice a year. The best way to do this is to visit annualcreditreport.com, the government-mandated source for free credit reports. And our last tip is that you'll want to keep your social security number to yourself.

It takes surprisingly little effort to set up fraudulent accounts and establish false credit in someone else's name. In fact, sometimes only a social security number and address are required to do so. So even if you do everything on the list to protect yourself from identity theft, it can still happen. That's why most insurance carriers offer identity theft protection. Identity theft protection is an add-on to your existing homeowners or renters policy.

Identity theft protection can help speed up the recovery process in the event of identity theft, getting you back on the road to your normal life. It can help you notify all relevant parties, such as credit bureaus, banks, and other financial institutions, as well as help you walk through the legal process of restoring your credit and your finances. ID protection also includes monitoring of your credit files and public records for fraudulent activity in an effort to prevent ID theft from happening in the first place.

We hope this video has helped you to better understand the real risks of identity theft and provided some ideas about how you can best protect yourself. Call us today to learn more about how identity theft protection can provide great protection for you and your family.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

As your personal agent, it's our job to make it easy for you to understand your insurance options and to make sure that your coverages keep up with the changes in your life. For most people, there are going to be events in your life that impact your insurance needs. A change in marital status, the birth of a child, the purchase of a home, auto or boat, or even starting a new business.

This is why an annual insurance review can be an important part of your family's insurance planning, as it gives us a chance to review the changes in your life and allows me to make sure that you still have the coverage that fits. During our time together, we will review the details of your policies, identify any gaps or overlaps in your current coverages, and make sure that you have all the appropriate discounts applied to your account. So please, contact us today to schedule your annual review.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

In today's litigious society, even small mistakes can result in large lawsuits. That's why liability insurance is essential for most companies. The fact is, one out of every three small businesses will be sued at least once by a customer, an employee, a vendor, a competitor, or even a partner. Liability insurance protects the assets of your business when it is sued for something you or one of your employees did or didn't do to cause an injury to someone or property damage.

And for business owners, there's plenty of other risks that you should be aware of. From professional errors and omissions, to contract breaches, compliance failures, regulatory negligence, product or service liabilities, and even employment discrimination or wrongful termination. So what can you do to protect yourself and your business from a costly lawsuit? Answer is simple. Meet with a business insurance specialist. A business insurance specialist will take the time to understand the specifics of your business and review your current coverages for potential exclusions or limitations.

Even though reviewing your business insurance may not be on the top of your to-do list, it's important for you to have a solid plan in place to protect yourself from a lawsuit. For some companies, a general liability policy may be fine, and for others, a professional liability policy would be more appropriate. And for some businesses, you may decide to select both.

And if it's the case that you own your business equipment or real estate, you may want to consider a business owner's policy or what's also known as BOP. While BOP policies vary by provider, they usually include protection for any property your business owns in addition to general liability coverage. This means a BOP provides coverage for things like buildings, equipment, inventory, furniture and fixtures, as well as coverage for damaged computers and media and loss of accounts receivable records.

BOP policies also generally include loss of business income or business interruption insurance. This means if unexpected events cause your operations to be suspended due to a covered cause of loss, a BOP policy will help replace any loss of income to help you meet your continuing financial obligations such as rent or payroll. Deciding on the correct types and levels of insurance for your business is an important decision.

Call us today so that we can help you put a plan in place to make sure you and your business are protected.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

Every year, thousands of lawsuits are brought against small business owners resulting in millions of dollars in legal fees and settlements. A single lawsuit could cause serious financial strain for your business, or worse. And what if the unthinkable happens and your business is sued for an amount that exceeds your current limits and coverages? How would you protect yourself? The answer is with a commercial umbrella policy. A commercial umbrella policy can protect you by providing additional coverage above your primary limits and can provide broader insurance coverages.

For example, imagine you or one of your employees are found to be at fault in a serious auto accident while on company business, and the judgment against you exceeds the limits on your business auto policy, leaving you with a gap in coverage. With a commercial umbrella policy in place, you'd have additional protection on top of your existing limits. Or imagine a customer slips and falls at your place of business and seeks recourse against you for their injuries.

Without a commercial umbrella policy in place, you could be forced to come out of pocket to pay for legal fees, medical bills, and damages above the limits of your primary business insurance coverage. While it's impossible to protect your business from every risk, a commercial umbrella policy is a cost-effective way to give you peace of mind that a single accident or lawsuit won't derail your business. Call us today so that we can help you select the right commercial umbrella policy for your business.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 0:32 — A diagram labels general liability, commercial auto, product liability and professional liability at $500,000 each beneath an umbrella illustration. The diagram is an example; whether an actual umbrella attaches above any policy depends on its wording.
• 0:48 — A truck-accident example compares a $1,000,000 commercial auto limit with a $2 million settlement. A subsequent stacked graphic adds a commercial umbrella policy labelled $2 million limit. These are illustrative amounts from the recording.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

Without any warning, the Northridge earthquake of 1994 caused nearly $20 billion in damage, leaving more than 39,000 businesses scrambling to apply for a loan through the SBA. What a disaster! Thankfully, that day is a distant memory, but what's unsettling is that the experts say the probability of having an earthquake as large as the Northridge quake or larger in California over the next 30 years is greater than 99%. But it's not just California that faces the devastating risks of an earthquake.

In fact, nearly half of all Americans live in areas prone to earthquakes. And since 2009, earthquake activity has sharply increased due to man-made earthquakes in many parts of the country. And in Oklahoma, the seismic activity has skyrocketed. It's now 600 times greater now than it was in 2008. So you can see that danger is real, and in some areas it's almost inevitable. But are you prepared if your place of business was to be damaged or destroyed in an earthquake?

How would you pay the cost of rebuilding, or for any lost business income? Relying on the government is never a safe bet. A safer bet is investing in commercial earthquake insurance. A commercial earthquake policy would cover damage to your building and to your business property such as inventory in the event of an earthquake. But just like flood insurance, earthquake coverage is most often a separate policy that is purchased in addition to your commercial property policy.

As such, many business owners are caught by surprise when they realize that their existing coverage does NOT cover the damage that an earthquake created. Losing your business could have disastrous repercussions on your life. Commercial earthquake insurance can give you the peace of mind that your business is protected in the event of an earthquake. Call us today so we can help you decide if a commercial earthquake policy is right for you.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 0:22 — A California earthquake-probability map labels the Cascadia Subduction Zone and shows a colour scale for a 30-year probability of an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 or greater. Additional screenshots illustrate the discussion of induced seismic activity. The source material is historical, rather than a new forecast issued by this website.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

Did you know that almost 40% of small businesses will never reopen following a flood? Even only a few inches of water can cause damages costing tens of thousands of dollars, with the average claim exceeding $90,000. The fact is, most businesses aren't prepared to deal with the potential financial devastation that a flood can bring. Many business owners are caught by surprise when they realize their property insurance does not include coverage for the damage a flood creates.

And while it is true that there is a federal disaster relief program for damage sustained by flood, there is no guarantee that these funds will be there to help you. Those funds only become available in the event the President has declared a disaster, which may not be likely. On top of that, these funds are usually in the form of a loan, not a payoff.

So, rather than take a risk on the availability of government help, wouldn't you prefer to have a form of guaranteed protection in place? Commercial flood insurance covers damage to your building and its contents caused by flood, regardless of national disaster status. This includes losses resulting from water overflowing from rivers or streams, heavy or prolonged rain, storm surge, snow melt, blocked storm drainage systems, broken dams or levees, or other similar causes.

While businesses in high-risk flood areas are often required to purchase flood insurance, even businesses located in moderate to low flood risk zones should consider the extra protection commercial flood insurance provides. Call us today to find out if a commercial flood insurance policy is right for your business.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 0:18 — The footnote beneath the statement about an average claim exceeding $90,000 specifies “between 2011 and 2015.” This statistic is historical.
• 1:26 — The U.S. Flood Risk map is dated March 15, 2010. It labels broad regions below average, average, above average and high risk; it is not a current property-specific flood determination.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

No matter what kind of business you run, the reality is that if you make a mistake or your work doesn't measure up to your client's expectations, you could be sued. And in today's litigious society, even a small mistake could cause serious damage, costing you time, money, and more. That's why if your business provides professional services, or your business advises clients, you need professional liability insurance, otherwise known as Errors and Omissions or E&O.

Here's a list of some of the more common professions that need this type of protection. Professional liability insurance can protect you if your business is sued for negligence, even if you haven't made a mistake, by covering the cost of legal fees and settlement costs. With professional liability insurance in place, you'll have the peace of mind that an honest mistake or the actions of an unsatisfied customer won't derail your business.

Call us today to put a plan in place to make sure you are protected against the threat of a lawsuit.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 0:44 — An illustrative list names accountants, architects, dentists, engineers, attorneys, business advisers, financial advisers, insurance brokers, IT consultants, real estate agents, graphic designers, hair stylists, pharmacists and photographers as examples of professions discussed. The list is illustrative and does not determine anyone's coverage.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

Let me ask you a question. If you as the business owner got sued tomorrow, your personal assets would be covered by your general liability insurance, right? Wrong. It's a common misconception that there's a clear line between your personal assets and your business assets, but it's simply not true. Just ask the former owner of a daycare who recently got sued after he sold his business. The person he sold it to claimed false information was used about its profitability to seal the deal.

The buyer demanded to be reimbursed for all losses he incurred. The legal fees and settlement reached $675,000, and the general liability policy wouldn't touch the claim. Therefore, the seller's personal assets became fair game. What a nightmare, right? Unfortunately, there are thousands of stories like this from business owners and board members who assume their personal assets are not at risk because they have a general liability or umbrella policy.

But then the day comes when they get sued by a customer, employee, or a competitor and discover the horrible news that they're not covered. Yikes! And this is not just a concern for big public companies. While these lawsuits get the most attention, there are thousands of suits brought against private small businesses every year which correlate to millions of dollars in settlements and jury awards. These lawsuits can come in many forms, such as financial mismanagement, discrimination, harassment, negligence, and more. Even government regulators can sue you.

The threat of a lawsuit can hit you from anywhere. And unless you have D&O insurance, you are putting your personal assets at risk every day with every decision you make. D&O insurance is designed to protect your personal assets and those of your directors and officers from any alleged wrongdoing. A D&O policy provides protection against risks that are specifically excluded from your general liability, business owner, and umbrella policies. Call us today to make sure your personal assets are protected in the event your business is sued.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 2:00 — An on-screen warning says some D&O policies may not include protection for harassment and discrimination lawsuits. The warning is shown separately from the narration's summary of protection.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

Every day you read headlines about governments and businesses being hacked, emails compromised and customer data stolen. This is cybercrime. And while business owners may be aware of the dangers of these cybercriminals, most believe that their computer and IT systems are protected by passwords and firewalls, and that a privacy breach is covered under their business insurance. However, the fact is, most business insurance policies do not cover exposures in the event of a data breach.

And what you may not realize is that cyber attacks don't just happen to large corporations. In fact, small businesses continue to be the most victimized out of all companies by accounting for nearly half of all data breaches. You may think there is a small chance of a cyberattack affecting your business. But the reality is, data breaches can happen more easily than you may think.

Something as simple as a stolen computer, employee error, or even a lost piece of paper can trigger a cyberattack and result in huge costs for your business. It doesn't matter the size of your business or even the industry, no matter how careful you are, you are at risk. So what would happen if your business suffered from a cyberattack? The direct costs of a security breach for small businesses can exceed $50,000.

And this number doesn't include other costly common expenses such as lawsuits, legal fees, regulatory fines and penalties, or the damage to your reputation. So what can you do to protect yourself from these risks? The answer is Cyber Liability Insurance. Cyber liability insurance provides protections for the financial impact that follows in the case of a data breach, including corruption of data, business interruption, revenue loss, identity theft, and reputation recovery. Make sure you're protected before it's too late.

Call us today to put a plan in place to protect your business from the looming threat of a cyberattack.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

Did you know your business is three times more likely to face an employee lawsuit than a fire? Yet, while most businesses are protected in the event of a fire, only three out of ten have a plan in place to protect themselves from the much more prevalent threat of an employee-related lawsuit. The reality is, there's many types of employee lawsuits that can cripple your business. The most typical claims include wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation. But the threat to your business doesn't stop there.

Imagine a candidate for employment who feels as though their employment decision was made discriminatorily or without otherwise just consideration. They may choose to file a lawsuit and it could come months or even years after the fact. Whether or not a verdict is reached in your business's favor, the legal defense can be both expensive and time-consuming. On average, defense costs range anywhere from $80,000 to $150,000 and it's not uncommon for settlements to stretch all the way up to $1 million or more.

So how can you protect your business against this costly threat? By investing in Employment Practices Liability Insurance, or EPLI. With an EPLI policy, you can have the peace of mind that an employment-related lawsuit won't derail your business. These policies protect you by covering attorney fees, court costs, and settlement fees. When facing claims from wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and more. One thing to keep in mind is that your worker's compensation policy does not include coverage for this exposure.

Call us today to make sure your business is protected from the growing threat of an employment-related lawsuit.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 1:02 — The graph compares defence costs of $80,000–$150,000 with settlement costs labelled $1,000,000 or more. These are the recording's examples, not a prediction for a particular claim.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

Automatic transcript for review. Recognition errors may remain; it has not received a full listening review. Please ask Jay to clarify any insurance information.

Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

No matter what kind of business you run, even if it is running smoothly, there is a lot to think about. But have you ever thought about what would happen if a fire, storm, or theft forced your business to shut down? Without income, how would you pay for expenses like rent, interest, and vendor costs? And what about your payroll? How would you be able to pay and retain your staff without your expected revenue?

The fact is, 40% of businesses never reopen their doors following such a disaster, and of the remaining 60% that do, one in every four will fail within a year's time. So how can you protect yourself from this costly threat? The answer is business interruption insurance. Business interruption insurance provides coverage for lost revenue to cover fixed costs like rent and utilities, and other expenses incurred when a covered claim shuts down your business.

It can also provide coverage for your payroll, so that you will have the necessary funds available to pay your employees, even while your business is closed down. And in the event one of your key vendors is unable to make their deliveries to your business, business interruption insurance can cover the lost income from your inability to work.

The fact is, disaster can strike your business at any time, and if you are like most small businesses, a couple weeks without sales revenue would cause some real stress to your business. Worse, imagine if the disaster left your business out of operation for several months. With business interruption insurance, you will have the peace of mind that your business operations and income are protected against the threat of a disaster. Call us today to put a plan in place to protect your business income.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.

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Educational narration with illustrated scenes and on-screen headings. The visual notes and recorded closing notice below preserve additional information shown in the recording.

Do you have employees who occasionally use their personal vehicles for business errands? If yes, you'll need hired and non-owned commercial vehicle insurance to protect your business. That's right, even if it only happens occasionally, like when an employee is making a bank deposit for the business, or grabbing lunch for a staff meeting. Your business is at risk. Imagine this scenario. Your employee is running to the office supply store and is blinded by the morning sun and causes an accident with injuries, or even death.

Your company could be found liable and could face damaging lawsuits. The bottom line is that even when an employee is driving their own car, if they are doing business for the company, you need hired and non-owned commercial vehicle insurance to protect your business. And if it's the case that an employee has rented a vehicle for company business, hired and non-owned commercial vehicle insurance will provide protection in the event of an accident.

Keep in mind, however, that if an employee is consistently using their own vehicle to conduct company business, their vehicle should instead be registered under the business's commercial auto policy. And one last thing. It is important to note that hired non-owned coverage does not replace an employee's existing personal auto coverage. When an employee is driving for times other than work related duties, he or she should be insured under their own auto coverage. Do you have more questions about your commercial auto insurance needs?

Call us today and we will help you put a plan in place to protect your business.

Visual information shown in the recording

• 1:20 — A side-by-side graphic shows a commercial auto policy and a personal auto policy with the words “BOTH ARE REQUIRED.” The heading explains that hired/non-owned coverage does not replace an employee's existing personal auto coverage. This describes the recording's example; ask Jay about the applicable policy requirements.

Recorded closing notice

The information contained in this video is meant as general information only. It does not refer to any specific contract of insurance and does not modify any definitions expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. You should always speak to your insurance representative and read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages. If there is any conflict between this summary and the policy documents, the policy documents will control. Not all products and discounts are available in every state.

Archived educational recording. Examples, statistics, prices and eligibility may be dated or state-specific. Your policy wording and circumstances determine coverage; ask Jay about current information.