Below are some of the more frequent questions we receive as an agency. If you have a specific question please do not hesitate to give us a call or email.
If you need to file a claim, make sure to call us first! Our team will help you determine if a claim should be filed and connect you with the insurance carrier to start the claims process. We will even follow up throughout the claim if needed.
Keep in mind, before filing a claim you’ll want to get an estimate of the damages before making permanent repairs. For home claims, consider calling a plumber or roofer to stop any issues that may cause permanent damage, like an active leak.
Call 888-885-4144 for our dedicated Claims Advocacy team to help walk you through this process, or use the online options here to notify us of your claim.
This entirely depends on what shipping companies you plan to work with and whether you’ll be pulling your own trailers or the shipping companies. One of my appointed carriers, Great West Casualty, has some really great coverages for trailer interchange agreements.
Under a trailer interchange agreement, the shipping company’s coverage must be equal to your company’s coverage, as Physical Damage coverage will not apply while someone else is using the trailer. Coverage can apply on an excess basis. The coverage chosen should ideally equal the value of all the shipping units in the insured’s possession. The limits should include empty containers currently being held to return later.
Great West has two additional features on this endorsement:
- Option 1: Trailers can be interchanged based on an oral as well as a written agreement.
- Option 2: Trailer Interchange coverage can be made to apply on an excess basis as opposed to the more traditional primary basis. There is no difference in premium for this feature.
When you’re coming up on your yearly commercial auto renewal, a good insurance broker is going to ask you to review your Power Units and determine whether the stated value for each power unit is accurate?
In a total loss/wrecked truck situation, the insurance company will look at your stated amount and the actual cash value of your vehicle and pay whichever is less. There is no benefit to your company to list the stated amount of your vehicle at a higher cost than its actually worth.
I recommend being as accurate as possible when putting a stated amount on your power unit. Take the time to check out websites like commercialtrucktrader.com or truckpaper.com to compare similar trucks. Consider the year, mileage, condition, and any upgrades you’ve made to the vehicle that year. Remember, if your stated amount was $50,000 last year, chances are the vehicle has depreciated and is worth a little less the following year. Don’t be afraid to reach out to manufacturers or truck dealerships to get their opinion of what they would value your truck at.
It’s important to the insurance quotes available to you. Underwriters look at your business’s loss history to see if your business is a good fit for their company. They want to see how much of a risk it would be to insure you. Your loss run affects the premium you could end up paying for your insurance.
Remember when dealing with internal claims & accidents within your company, one bad accident here or there doesn’t affect your rate as much as 6-7 small accidents. These underwriters want clarity on your commitment to safety, ensure you’re putting safe drivers behind the wheel, and ultimately a loss runs report of the last 5 years will give them a good gage on whether you’re doing that or not!
Yes, we recommend obtaining an estimate before filing a claim. Once you have your estimate, give us a call to discuss your options. We’ll also look at your policy with you to see if your estimate is above your deductible.
Every claim is unique, and many factors determine how long it will take. Giving your claims advocate all the necessary details and documentation will help keep your claim process moving smoothly.
This is not an easy answer. Different insurance companies will have different formulas on determining your insurance premium; one of which can be claim frequency and severity. It is our recommendation to discuss your specific claim with our claims manager to see if turning in a claim makes sense. However, all possible liability claims need to be turned in; as the insurance company needs to be put on notice.
An adjuster is a representative of the insurance company that helps settle a claim. They are not employed by us. We do not settle claims as this is done by the adjuster. However, we will assist in making sure a covered claim is paid fairly and promptly.
Many venues that are rented for special occasions such as weddings and graduation open houses require proof of coverage for up to $1,000,000 in liability insurance to cover property damage and bodily injury accidents that may occur during the event. Many Homeowners policies will provide coverage for these types of events. An excess / umbrella liability policy is also a good idea and will comply with the requirement for $1,000,000 in liability coverage.
If you are hosting an event where alcohol will be served, your homeowners policy will cover this “host liquor liability” as long as you do not charge money for the alcohol. If alcohol will be served it is recommended to transfer the liability by hiring a bartender or caterer who carries their own liquor liability coverage. If you do decide to have a cash bar or if the venue requires to be listed as an additional insured on your policy, we can provide you with a separate Special Event Liability policy to cover this exposure.
For specific events and how coverage would be afforded under your policy please contact us.
Scheduling involves placing specific items with a specific value on your homeowners insurance. It can also be called an “Inland Marine” policy. This allows coverage for items that may be leaving your premises and would then be lost or stolen. They can also be set at specific deductibles. The most common items to schedule are jewelry, bikes, cameras and fine arts.
Replacement cost is the amount it costs to rebuild a home or structure. This amount can also include demolition. This value can be significantly different than an appraisal. Reason being, the cost of materials to rebuild can outweigh a home or structure’s market value. When insuring a home or structure the insurance company needs to know the replacement cost. There are tools that our agents use to help approximate this value.
Yes, it is the State law for all owners of a vehicle to have auto insurance. It is your choice if you wish to insure for physical damage if there is not a lender involved.
Broad form collision allows you to not have to pay your deductible if you are not deemed at fault in an accident. There are also options to choose “regular” and “limited”. These options should be discussed with your agent.
All payments should be directed to the insurance company unless specifically stated by your representative. Please see our “billing” section if you wish to pay by phone or have a question on your billing account.
