Top 10 ways to honor a veteran on Veterans Day

/0 Comments/in /by
Top 10 ways to honor a veteran on Veterans Day
Americans celebrate Memorial Day in the spring and Veterans Day in the fall. While it can be easy to confuse the two holidays, Memorial Day is set aside to honor American’s war dead; Veterans Day is intended to honor the service of all U.S. veterans, both living and dead.
In fact, celebrations surrounding Veterans Day often place a special emphasis on thanking all living U.S. military veterans who have or are currently serving in any U.S. armed service. And it’s the perfect time for all Americans to show appreciation for their service.
The best way to thank a military U.S. veteran for his or her service depends on the individual and his or her needs. But the most important thing is to do something to show your gratitude.
Here are 10 ideas to get you thinking about how to be grateful for veterans on November 11.
  1. Raise. Display the American flag in your yard to demonstrate your support of veterans everywhere.
  2. Listen. Strike up a conversation with a disabled or homeless veteran and be an active listener as you hear about their experience.
  3. Speak. Simply say, “Thank you” to veterans you see.
  4. Reach out. Contact a disabled or homeless veteran whom you know and spend some quality time together.
  5. Support. Send a donation to organizations that support the special needs of veterans.
  6. Find. Trace your ancestry and identify how many veterans are in your family.
  7. Write. Send a letter to someone who’s currently serving in the military.
  8. Visit. Visit a disabled veteran in his or her home or a homeless veteran on the street.
  9. Learn. Educate yourself on the challenges veterans face when retiring from service to rejoin civilian life.
  10. Share. Use your social media to help celebrate Veteran’s Day and acknowledge the service of all veterans.
To learn more ways to honor a veteran on November 11, visit http://www.wallawalla.va.gov/Misc/Honor_Veteran.asp.
To all our American heroes, we at Howard Webb Insurance thank you for your service to our country. Howard was a WWII veteran and always supported our veterans in every way he could.  We continue that tradition to this day and ask you to do the same.
Did you know?Veteran’s Day is always celebrated on November 11, regardless of the day of the week. It’s also a federal holiday, so federal government employees take the day off on Monday if the 11thfalls on a Sunday, and they take the day off on Friday if the 11thfalls on a Saturday.
Contact Us!
At Howard Webb Insurance we can work with you to make sure you’ve got the coverage you need, while at the same time using all possible credits and discounts to make that coverage affordable. Just give us a call at 765-644-8847 or send us a note at hwsm@hotmail.com.  We want to help you meet your goals, and make sure what’s important to you is protected!
Content provided by Safeco Insurance

 

Truck Insurance Myths Debunked

/0 Comments/in /by
Truck Insurance Myths Debunked
By Mike Miller, product marketing director, Progressive
Your truck is the backbone that keeps your business up and running. But when it comes to insuring your truck, it can be difficult to distinguish insurance facts from myths. And buying insurance without knowing the facts might cost you big bucks in damages or downtime.
We’ve compiled a number of truck insurance myths and facts. Use them to make sure you have the right insurance coverage for your truck.
Myth: If you’re on a motor carrier policy, you’re covered.
Fact: Motor carrier policies often provide only liability coverage to owner-operator vehicles on lease, so you need to have your own physical damage coverage. Plus, the motor carrier policy only covers you when you’re driving for work or are under dispatch. So if you have a claim when you’re on a non-business or personal errand, it likely won’t be covered. A non-trucking liability and physical damage policy can protect you andyour truck.
Myth: You should have a separate cargo insurance policy.
Fact: Consider adding your cargo insurance as an endorsement on your vehicle policy instead of carrying cargo coverage with a different carrier. If you’re in an accident that damages both your truck and cargo, you won’t need to waste time waiting dealing with two separate companies for your claims. Plus, a cargo endorsement can be less expensive than carrying a separate policy, and one policy means paying just one bill instead of two.
Myth: Downtime following a truck accident is annoying, but won’t significantly affect your bottom line.
Fact: If your truck is out of commission for 30 days, your business could only have a 50 percent chance of survival.Make sure that your insurance company will provide a rental vehicle or downtime payments to help you get back on the road quickly following a claim.
Myth: It’s cheaper to cancel your insurance for stored vehicles if you have a seasonal business.
Fact: Not necessarily. If you cancel your insurance policy, your stored vehicles won’t be protected. A Comprehensive-only policy provides coverage for businesses that don’t need liability coverage during certain months, but want basic protection against incidents like vandalism, fire, theft, falling tree branches, and hail. This is ideal for vehicles that sit for long periods during the off-season.
Plus, a Comprehensive-only policy provides continuous insurance. If you drop your insurance completely, you may pay significantly more to get a new policy when your peak season rolls around because most insurance companies want to see proof of continuous coverage prior to offering their best rate.
Myth: All commercial insurance companies provide help with state and federal filings.
Fact: Some insurers won’t cover vehicles that require filings, while others simply don’t have the capability to help you get the filings your business needs. Progressive can leverage its truck insurance expertise to provide its customers with filings assistance.
Myth: All insurance companies offer 24/7 service.
Fact: Many insurance companies are only available during regular office hours, which can make filing a claim, adding a vehicle to yourpolicy, obtaining a Certificate of Insurance,and paying bills inconvenient. Before you buy, check with your insurance company to make sure they’re available when you need them.
Wonder if one of your perceptions about truck insurance is myth or fact? Talk to a local independent agent. He or she can answer those questions and help you determine which coverages are right for you.
For more information about trucking insurance, please contact our trucking expert, Kris Zinszer at Howard Webb Insurance.
Ph: 765-644-8847

 

Sinking Boat Insurance Myths

/0 Comments/in /by
Sinking Boat Insurance Myths
You don’t believe in the Loch Ness Monster. You don’t believe your friend caught Jaws fishing off the Florida coast. So why do most boaters believe boat insurance covers them wherever they go?
Progressive surveyed more than 1,000 boat owners. It uncovered a few insurance myths floating around. Here’s a sample of the findings and the facts behind each:
Myth: Everyone pays more for insurance because of the hurricanes from a couple of years ago.
Reality: Even though it’s believed by 74 percent of respondents, it isn’t true. Boat insurers generally price policies based on claims in each state. For example, Ohio customers won’t pay more for insurance because of hurricanes in Florida.
Myth: Boat insurance covers me anywhere I decide to go boating.
Reality: Seventy-six percent of respondents believed this one. The reality is some insurers only provide coverage where the boat is used most. Insurers may limit coverage to 100 nautical miles of your home port. Progressive provides coverage virtually anywhere you decide to go in the continental U.S. and Canada.
Myth: I’ll get a better insurance rate if I buy from the same company that insures my home or car.
Reality: Buying more than one product from the same insurance company doesn’t mean you get the best rate – even though 45 percent of respondents thought so. Boaters can save by shopping around and combining specialized policies from different companies.
“It’s important to understand what’s available,” said Dominic Mediate of Progressive. “You want to be properly protected in case your boat is stolen, you get into an accident or contents are damaged. We’re separating fact from fiction so boaters can make the best insurance decisions possible.”

 

For more information about boat insurance, contact Howard Webb Insurance at 765-644-8847 or kris@howardwebbins.com

Tips For Protecting Boats And Motorcycles

/0 Comments/in /by
Tips For Protecting Boats And Motorcycles
Before you take your motorcycle on the road or put your boat on the water, it may pay to be certain your insurance is ship-shape.
Motorcycles and boats are often significant investments, and the right insurance policy can help protect them. Here are a few tips, courtesy of Howard Webb Insurance.
  • Evaluate your specific needs. Insuring a boat or a motorcycle is different than insuring your car or home. A specialized motorcycle policy, for instance, can provide coverage for custom paint jobs and aftermarket equipment that might not be covered if the bike were just added to a generic auto policy.
  • Similarly, a specialized boat policy could cover things like the cost to replace lost or damaged fishing gear and costly services such as emergency on-water towing and fuel-spill cleanup. You probably wouldn’t get this coverage by adding a boat to a homeowner’s policy.
  • Consult with an independent agency – like Howard Webb Insurance.. Unlike “captive” agents who represent only one company, independent insurance agents and brokers are licensed insurance professionals who represent several companies. They can offer you a variety of coverage’s, review and evaluate your policies, suggest new coverage options that meet your changing needs and answer your questions.
“An independent insurance agent or broker can make sure you have the specialized coverage you need to protect your boat or bike,” said Jim Lloyd, of the Progressive Group of Insurance Companies. “Some insurance companies provide only bare-bones protection for your boat or motorcycle by simply adding it onto your existing auto or homeowner’s policy, but independent agents and brokers can review and evaluate your needs to help match you with the company that will provide you with the combination of specialized coverage, service and price that’s best for you.”
To learn more about .Boat and Motorcycle insurance, contact Howard Webb Insurance.
 
Howard Webb Insurance
765-644-8847

 

UNINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE

/0 Comments/in /by

UNINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE

 

 IS IT WORTH THE COST?

Do you know anyone that has this story to tell? ………..  They were driving on their way to work and listening to their drive time radio when out of nowhere BAM, Crush, Crash. They are hit in the side. They are not hurt so they pull out their cell phone and call the police to notify them about the accident and check on the damage. When they get out of their car, they and the other driver start to go through the steps for handling the accident. As they are doing that, the police arrive. Usually, the police will separate the different parties and get their statements about the accident.  In this case, the other vehicle pulled out from a blind alley and hit them in the door, so the other driver failed to yield and is at fault for the accident.  The police officer comes back to you and gives you the necessary information about the other driver and their insurance company. Both cars are drivable so after the paperwork is completed everyone drives away.

Here comes the problem……

The next day you contact the other driver’s insurance company to file a claim only to find out that their insurance has lapsed and they have no coverage.  Not knowing what else to do, you call your insurance agent and are informed that you chose to have only liability and property damage coverage since your car is ten years old, meaning you do not have full coverage on the car. Now your day has just gotten worse because the damage to your car is $2900.00 and the other driver has no insurance and you do not have full coverage so you figure that you are stuck with the bill to fix your car.

Remember the other driver has no insurance and your insurance doesn’t provide ANY coverage for you or your car. In comes the knight in shining armor, when your insurance agent reminds you that you have full UNINSURED and UNDERINSURED MOTORISTS COVERAGE,  Your car will be fixed and your medical bills paid!!!! Tragedy averted!

You say that you didn’t even realize you had the coverage. What does it include? How much do I pay for it. You can buy three different coverage’s for your protection.
1. Uninsured bodily injury
2. Underinsured bodily injury
3. UninsuredUnderinsured property damage

The bodily injury coverage protects you if the other party doesn’t have insurance or has insurance but not enough to cover all of your medical bills resulting from the accident. The property damage covers the repair of your car.  It is very rare to add one of these but not all three and many companies will not allow you to get just one. And it is very inexpensive often costing less than $5 per month for full uninsured and underinsured coverage.

There is one very important caveat for this type of insurance that I must make very clear.. If you are hit by a driver that leaves the seen of the accident, then uninsured/underinsured coverage will not pay the damages. You must be able to prove that the other driver had no insurance.

At Howard Webb Insurance we include this coverage on every quote we provide as we feel it is very important for every driver to have this coverage.  Keep in mind that if you do not have this coverage and you are seriously injured in an accident, it will be your responsibility to pay for all damages. And for me, I do not want to face large medical bills that someone else caused and have no one to turn to for help.

For more information check our http://www.howardwebbins.com or call us at 765-644-8847

PERSONAL ITEMS ARE OFTEN NOT INSURED PROPERLY – ARE YOURS?

/0 Comments/in /by
Many people don’t think that they need additional insurance on specific items if they have homeowners or renters insurance. Under most homeowners insurance, there is very limited coverage for ATVs, boats, antiques, coins, art and guns to name a few.
Here is a question for you. How many of us really believe that our house of apartment is going to burn down or be blown away in a storm?  If we are truthful, the answer is very few of us.
There are many homes that have antiques that have been passed down through three, four and even five generations. The family thinks it came from great, great aunt Mary but that is all they know. Because it is old and looks like a piece of junk, they presume that it has no real value. The truth of the story is that it is an item that is 120 years old and even in its present condition is worth $13,000.00. Here is the problem. When a loss occurs and this item is completely destroyed, it is very difficult to verify that they owned the authentic item, let alone establishing the true value. Getting affidavits from friends and relatives stating that they have seen the item in their house is not that difficult. But the hard part is yet to come.   How does the insurance company know that it indeed was an antique worth $13,000.00? It could have been a reproduction that was made ten years ago and is only worth $2,000.00. That is a large differential to be left to chance.
The way to avoid this problem  is to add the antique on to your existing policy with an antique rider. In order to do this, the piece will need to be appraised by someone recognized as true antique appraiser. This may cost $150.00 or more, but you now have established a value that is hard to dispute. By adding the antique onto your policy you also have broader coverage for the piece and you have a definitive amount of coverage in place for the piece.
What about artwork hanging on your wall passed down through generations? It could be a piece from pre-civil war days and worth a great deal of money. Again, we asked the question how do establish value after a loss occurs.
Many, many Americans have guns in their home that are quite valuable. Some may be newer that your father gave you thirty years ago. Or it may be one like my grandmother had in her house. It was a single shoot 22 with an eight sided barrel. I don’t know who ended up with the rifle but they definitely need to insure it as a scheduled item on their homeowners policy.

The point of this story is that you need to establish value before a loss occurs and then make sure that the item is properly insured. In all these cases, the same procedure applies:
1,) Take photos or video to prove the item existed
2.) Get a written appraisal from a respected industry expert.
3.) Add the item to your list of scheduled property on your insurance policy.

As always, plan for the worst and live for the best.  For more information contact us at.

Howard Webb Insurance and Real Estate Inc.
765-644-8847

To Claim or Not to Claim – That is the Question

/0 Comments/in /by

Why do we carry insurance?…… A Good Question!

Most people would tell you they have insurance for the peace of mind it provides when a loss occurs. With any significant losses this is certainly true. However, when it comes to smaller losses, people need to rethink their use of insurance …… Specifically, when to turn in a small claim and when not to.

Now, if you ask insurance companies if you should turn in a small loss, they will tell you that they are there to provide coverage when you have a claim, so turn it in.  While it is true that they are there to provide coverage, the turning in of a small loss can have very unpleasant repercussions.

When it comes to smaller claims we suggest a different approach which means not turning in every small claim.

But you say…. That is why I pay for insurance! 

And it is… but you don’t want to pay more than you have to for that coverage.  There are companies who offer accident forgiveness where they will overlook a single claim. But typically that type of coverage is only offered at an additional expense paid throughout the claim free period leading up to a forgiven claim.  Given that most of us are not willing to pay more each month for something that may never happen, here is some important information to consider. 
Did you know that when you turn in a claim, your insurance company will apply the claim on your record even if you do not receive any compensation for the claim! For example, you have a minor accident in your car where you back into a tree at the neighbors house damaging your bumper.  You immediately call your insurance agent and report the incident to make sure you are covered.  After getting estimates for the damage, you find out the repair will be $496.00 but your deductible is $500.  You will have to pay the $496 yourself since it is less than your deductible but the claim will be put on your insurance record.  Now fast forward 6 months and you have a significant accident causing $9,000 of damage to your car and you are at fault.  The insurance company takes care of the damage for you, but to your surprise, a few weeks later you receive a letter from your insurance company notifying you of a huge rate increase or worse yet, a notice of cancellation of your policy.  The cause of this problem was not the significant accident, it was that you turned in two claims in a short period and one of those was very small.  

So how do you avoid this situation?!?!

First…. when you have a smaller loss, you need to get repair estimates BEFORE you turn in the claim to your insurance company.  Let me digress for a moment on the importance of understanding how your insurance agent/company handle claims. 
While we cannot speak for how the large direct insurance companies like Geico, Progressive, State Farm, etc… are required to operate, we do know that many insurance companies require their direct agents to report the incident immediately upon being notified by you even if you later decide you do not want to turn it in.  With an independent agent, like the Howard Webb Agency, you can notify us of the incident and also indicate that you do not want it turned into the insurance company until you have had time to get estimates.  You have met all of your obligations but nothing is on your permanent record until YOU decide it should be. 
This leads us to the BIG question…. When do you turn in a claim to your insurance company?

There is no magical formula to tell you when to turn in a claim and when not to.  Much of that decision rests on how comfortable you are taking care of a minor loss on your own with the understanding that you will save that money many times over in the future with lower premiums and how many losses you have had in the past. Let’s look at a final example. You have an $800 lightning loss to electronics in your home.  You have a $500 deductible so do you turn in the claim and get $300 in compensation or do you pay for it yourself?  Well if this is the only loss in a 5 year period you are likely ok.  But let’s say that a few months later you have a hail/wind loss to your roof of $6,700.  this is a large loss and you definitely want to turn this one in.  if you had not turned in the small claim a few months back, you would be ok.  But you did so the rates go up and up and up and there is nothing that you can do about it until the losses fall off your record.   
Tough decisions to be sure, but at least if you understand how the insurance companies operate, you can make the right decision when a loss occurs. 
One last note that. It is very well understood that if you have younger (<25) drivers on your auto policy you need to do everything reasonably possible to not turn in any claims unless they are very significant. Why?? If your auto insurance is cancelled by the insurer and you have young drivers on your policy, it may well cost you a small fortune to get new insurance… 
As always, give us a call with questions, we are here to help. Good Luck out there.
Howard Webb Insurance and Real Estate
765-644-8847

Protect Your Belongings – A SIMPLE PERSONAL INSURANCE HOME INVENTORY SYSTEM

/0 Comments/in /by

 
WHY HAVE AN INVENTORY OF YOUR PERSONAL BELONGINGS FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES?
 
You have insurance for your personal belongings so your covered right?
 
You come home from vacation and find your home has been burglarized. A quick call to your insurance agent should solve that.  But then the dreaded questions come……
 
‘What did you lose? Can you send a list of items and their values?  Do you have receipts  or other proof that you have these expensive items?’
 
With a simple inventory system, you are covered with ease.
 
Being like most people, we forget what we have and when we bought the item.                  

In the past people were asked to make a list of everything they lost in a flood, fire or theft. After a loss occurs, it is very difficult to recreate everything that was lost by memory. With today’s technology it is so much easier.

This simple inventory method uses the camera on your cellphone to record exactly what you have. The easiest way is to record a video of your different rooms along with a verbal description of what is in each room. Showing your different appliances, tools, furniture, knickknacks and assorted belongings. 
 
One exception…  This doesn’t include clothing. Clothing is  something the insurance companies are not very strict on requiring proof when it comes to an insurance loss unless is a high value item. Everyone has shirt, pants, coats, sweaters and more. The only exception would be a piece of clothing that was expensive. An example might be $2,000.00 fur trimmed coat.
 

THE FINAL STEP IS VERY, VERY ,VERY IMPORTANT———
YOU NEED TO DOWNLOAD THE PICTURES TO A THUMB DRIVE, PORTABLE HARD DRIVE, THE CLOUD OR TO SOME OTHER LOCATION WHERE THEY WILL BE SAFE FROM FIRE, THEFT AND LOSS.  DO NOT STORE THE PICTURES IN YOUR HOUSE.

With this simple video in hand, it is very hard for an insurance company to question what you owned when you have pictures of the items. There are some caveats here with regard to expensive jewelry, watches, furs, guns, coins, stamps and other high value items.  In many of these cases, your insurance policy will have low limits on those types of items, maybe as low as $1,000. Next week we will look at different ways to protect these high value items inexpensively.
 
For more information, call us at 765-644-8847 or find us at Howard Webb Insurance.
 
 

Are You Protecting Your Coin and Stamp Collection TODAY! – Be Sure!

/0 Comments/in /by

Coins and stamps can be a great source of value but so often our customers have collected these items over the years and have not paid attention to the total value of their collection. This is such an easy trap to fall into given the long, long time involved for these types of collections.

Collectors know there is value in there collection but they may have never taken the time to formulate what the total value of their collection is or itemize the collection to show its contents.

Now the scary part. If you own a home or are renting and have homeowners insurance or renters insurance you may think that you have coverage for these collections under these policies. Because they assume these things are covered, many people never bother to contact their insurance agent and discuss the need for insuring their collections. Under a homeowners or renters policy, there is limited coverage and the very real possibility that when a loss occurs there will be heartbreak because of the limited coverage will often not cover the true value of the collection.

Did you know that you can insure your collection for very little additional cost on the above mention policies. Not only can you insure them, but the coverage you receive is very, very broad and in many cases covers just about anything that happens to the collection. It is not difficult to insure them and it only takes a minute or two. One thing you will need is for a professional to do a written appraisal to establish the total value. With this in hand, you are armed to defend your collection from loss.

What if you don’t currently have a homeowners or renters policy? The good news is that you can insure these items under what is called an Inland Marine insurance policy for a reasonable price.

Don’t believe the myth that no one knows that I have this collection. Too many times we have seen where a seemingly innocent showing of a collection at a coin sale or among friends can turn into the wrong person finding out about the collection. Even if no one knows today, the problem is that someone may find out tomorrow.

Don’t court tragedy. For just a few dollars a year you can avoid the heartbreak of losing a collection worth $10,000.00, $20,000.00 or more. Contact http://www.howardwebbins.com or 765-644-8847 for a free consultation to protect your collection.

Welcome To Our New Blog!

/6 Comments/in /by

Howard Webb Insurance & Real Estate Agency has been serving Anderson and Madison County Indiana since 1950. We have long experience in both of these important disciplines. We will be writing about the insurance and real estate issues of our day as well as topics about Anderson and Madison County Indiana. Please visit our web site Howard Webb Insurance.