Your Personal Policies

As your independent insurance agent, we are here to help.  We would like to help you fully understand the importance of insurance, specific areas of coverage, and your personal policies so you can make the best decision about your coverage based on your unique needs.  This starts with understanding your existing insurance policies.  Are you appropriately covered?  Make sure you understand key risk areas that may not be part of your standard Homeowners or Auto policy and where you may benefit from additional coverage.

A great way to start is to ask yourself the following key questions about your existing policies.  If anything has changed, contact our customer care team to help you make sure you are appropriately covered!

Key Coverage Questions

  • Are all vehicles that you own, lease, or have available for your regular use listed correctly on your policy?
  • Are all vehicles listed on your policy titled to you or your spouse?
  • Do all drivers listed on your policy reside in your household (unless enrolled in school full time)?
  • Are any of the vehicles garaged in another location (example – kids at college)?
  • Are you interested in higher liability limits?
  • Do any residents of the household participate in a ride-sharing program?
  • Are all insured properties deeded to you or your spouse?
  • Is your property vacant or rented to someone else? Please contact our office if you own or purchase additional properties.
  • Have you installed any security measures that could be eligible for a premium discount?
  • Are your scheduled items up to date with current values?  Do you need to schedule newly purchased items?
  • Have you made any changes to your home, such as a renovation project or additions that may affect the value? It is important that the coverage amount on your home be reviewed regularly and adjusted as needed. Replacement cost is determined using a replacement cost estimator and information provided by you.

  • Do you own ATVs, boats, motorcycles, personal watercraft, golf carts, RVs, campers? These items are typically not covered on a standard home or auto policy.  If you own one of these items, and are unsure if coverage is afforded, please contact us to discuss
  • Do you have a personal umbrella insurance policy? Umbrella insurance policies are available, important, and inexpensive.
  • If you currently have an umbrella policy with our agency, please remember to fill out the personal umbrella questionnaire and send us any coverage pages for exposures we do not insure.

Understanding Policy Limitations

Ride Sharing

Your personal auto insurance policy will not afford any coverage while driving for UBER/LYFT or any ride share company.  Your personal auto policy coverage ceases once you log into your UBER/LYFT ride share program app.

Identity Theft

In today’s world, it is important to know that personal identity theft coverage can be added by endorsement to most homeowner’s policies.  The premium and limits for this additional coverage varies by company.

Personal Injury Liability

Coverage for false arrest, malicious prosecution, wrongful eviction, slander, libel, inappropriate social media or violation of right to privacy varies by company.

Flood Insurance

Standard homeowners and property & casualty policies do not protect against losses caused by flooding or rising water. Flood insurance may be purchased at any time; however, there is a 30-day waiting period after you have applied for and paid the premium before a policy is effective.

Backup of Sewers & Drains

The damage resulting from backed-up sewers or drains is not covered under standard homeowner policies. This coverage may be added by endorsement for a minimal charge. If your basement is finished, do you have enough coverage?

Earthquake Coverage

A standard homeowner policy does not cover damage which results from an earthquake or earth movement.  A disaster of this nature threatens to afflict major damage to the entire structure of your home or property – you could be faced with an uninsured loss that could be financially devastating.  Coverage for such a loss can be added to your homeowner policy by attaching an earthquake coverage endorsement.

Valuable Items/ Collectibles

There are specific limitations on coverage amounts regarding jewelry, guns, furs, silver and silverware, money, etc.  These items may be insured for an amount greater than the policy limits by “scheduling” each item.

Rented Vehicles

“Loss of use”  is a fee a rental car company may charge you for the loss of the use of their vehicle during the time it is being repaired from an accident.  “Diminished value” may be charged, which is the difference in the value of the car before and after the damage. While your personal insurance will cover physical damage to the vehicle, coverage of these fees will vary by state, rental car company and individual insurance company policy language.

Mold

A standard homeowners policy may exclude or limit coverage for damage to your property caused by mold.

Keeping You Safe

It appears that the judgments, which are currently being rendered in today’s courts, with regard to personal liability, are growing at such a rate that they can easily exhaust one’s policy limits – both automobile and homeowners.  As a result, we suggest liability limits of no less than $300,000 – on personal automobile and homeowners policies, however, higher limits are available.

With the litigious atmosphere of today’s society, it is more important than ever to consider the amount of liability coverage of your automobile and homeowner policies.  A personal umbrella policy is an excess liability policy that gives coverage over and above the limits of the homeowner’s personal liability and automobile liability limits.  This coverage is relatively inexpensive and is available in $1,000,000 increments.

 

Have a personal umbrella policy with us?

Don’t forget to update the information we have on file.  Click here to fill out our personal umbrella questionnaire.

Other Coverage Areas to Understand

  • The difference between replacement cost coverage and actual cash value (ACV) coverage
  • Optional policy deductibles
  • Optional liability coverage limits
  • And available credits for auto/homeowner coverage  
  • Life insurance options

Please refer to your specific policy language for a correct interpretation of coverage exclusions, restrictions, and limitations.

Let’s Talk

From your safety to your wellness, Walsh Duffield is here to help. Custom, tailored solutions are finally within your reach – let’s start a conversation.

Call Us Today

Talk to a Walsh Duffield
Representative.

800.853.3820

Contact Us Online

Send Walsh Duffield
an email.

Email Us
Please note, coverage cannot be bound or amended without written verification by an agency representative.