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Gill Insurance Advisors Blog

Don’t Make These Common Commercial Insurance Mistakes

At Gill Insurance Agency, we provide insurance policies for many Plainfield, IN businesses. Unfortunately, however, many of our customers make the following coverage mistakes that impact their bottom line.

Mistake One – Picking the Cheapest Policy 

When you’re covering your business, you shouldn’t skimp out on your insurance policy. Yes, it might save you $1,000 a year if you get a policy that is $100 less per month than a better coverage option. However, you might find yourself with lapses in your policy that cause serious financial troubles. 

Mistake Two – Underinsuring Yourself 

This mistake is often connected to the first but may be separate in some circumstances. For example, you might get a high-value policy to find that it isn’t suitable for your business needs. You may need to upgrade to a more comprehensive policy designed for larger companies like yours. 

Mistake Three – Buying Too Much Insurance 

While it might seem tempting to insure your company for more than it is worth, your policy will never pay more than that. So, if you get insurance for $1 million and your company is only worth $250,000, you might be surprised to find that you won’t get that $1 million. 

Mistake Four – Not Understanding Your Insurance Options 

Insurance companies often provide various commercial options that help cover you and ensure that you are safe. For example, a Business Owners Policy can cover things like your property, liability, and interruption coverage. That kind of protection is critical. 

Speak With Your Agent Today 

If you want commercial insurance from Gill Insurance Agency to protect your Plainfield, IN business, please don’t hesitate to contact us right away to learn more. Our team will help you better understand your policies and give you the insight that you need.

What Does Auto Insurance Cover?

Choosing auto insurance can be very confusing yet vital. You need to ensure you are choosing adequate coverage that will protect you when something happens. As Gill Insurance Agency of Plainfield, IN explains, here is what auto insurance covers.

Bodily Injury Liability

This type of coverage offers you protection when you accidentally hurt someone in an accident. It helps cover their medical expenses, including things like doctor visits, prescriptions, and ambulance rides. In addition, if the injured party decides to sue you for damages, this coverage can help pay those legal fees.

Property Damage Liability

Property damage liability helps cover repairs to a third party’s property if you damage it in an accident. It can be a house, car, fence, mailbox, or store. However, note that repair to your vehicle is not covered in this scenario, and you will need a separate policy for that.

Collision Coverage

This type of coverage helps cover repairs to your vehicles due to a collision with another car or object. It also helps cover an accident involving your vehicle alone, such as a rollover accident. If your vehicle is too damaged to be repaired, this cover will help replace it.

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coverage helps pay to repair or replace your vehicle when exposed to various risks other than collisions. Such risks include fire, damage, vandalism, theft, and falling objects like trees or hail.

Insured/ Underinsured Insurance

You may find yourself in an accident where the negligent driver lacks sufficient insurance or is uninsured. In such cases, this coverage can help pay for medical expenses and repairs to your vehicle, preventing you from a financial loss.

If you own a car in Plainfield, IN, and you need to know of the available coverage at your disposal, feel free to contact Gill Insurance Agency. We have experienced agents ready to answer your questions and help you choose the right policy for your car.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Roof Damage?

After a severe storm rolls through Plainfield, IN, some homeowners are left to deal with the damage. Dealing with storm damage can leave homeowners frustrated as they deal with roof damage and getting their insurance claim approved. Some roof damage is covered by standard insurance policies, while other situations may lead to a denied claim. Continue reading to learn more about the roof damage and your homeowner’s insurance coverage. 

If needed, the experts at Gill Insurance Agency can help you with your insurance coverage and explain the different situations when roof damage is covered. 

Does My Homeowners Insurance Policy Cover Roof Damage?

The best way to determine if your homeowner’s insurance covers roof damage is to take the time to read the entire policy. Typically, homeowners insurance considers how the roof was damaged before approving or denying a claim. Generally, roof damage is covered as long as it was not damaged because of neglect or lack of maintenance. Some policies have exclusions, which do not cover roof damage caused by wind or hail. 

What If There is a Leak In My Roof? 

When you discover a roof leak, you must first take the steps necessary to minimize future damage to the roof and your items inside the home. Then call a contractor out to determine the cause of the leak. Finally, if some covered damage caused the leak, call your insurance company. They will send out an adjuster to look at the roof and determine if your policy covers the damage. 

Dealing with roof damage and trying to get it covered can be a challenging process for many Plainfield, IN homeowners. To reduce the hassle associated with roof damage, call our experts at Gill Insurance Agency. We can help you determine what is covered and provide you with the best insurance policy for your needs. 

Who Needs Life Insurance in Plainfield, IN?

While the reality is that not everyone needs life insurance, it will be costly if you fail to invest in life insurance, yet you need it. If you are in Plainfield, IN, and wondering whether life insurance is an investment worth considering, here is a brief guide from Gill Insurance Agency to help you decide whether you need life insurance.

If you are young

Most people assume that if I am in my twenty-something, why do I need life insurance, yet I am single, and the chances of dying are low? It will be a mistake to think that you don’t need life insurance because you are young. In fact, it’s advisable to start life insurance while young because it’s cheaper. 

If you are in your 20s or early 30s, buying home insurance now will pay off in the long term. 

You have dependents

Do you have dependents that rely on your income? While you may not have children or a spouse, you could be having aging parents or siblings that depend on your income while alive. If you would like to safeguard the financial stability of your dependents even when you die, you need life insurance. This investment supplements your income when you are long gone, helping your dependents meet their financial obligations. 

You have debts

Assume you have a 30-year home mortgage? What would happen if you die in 15 years? Your loved ones will have to face the financial burden of the debt you leave behind. However, when you invest in life insurance, the proceeds can be used to pay off your debts.

You are in business

If you name your business partner as a death beneficiary, life insurance will help them navigate in your absence. 

Now that you have an idea about who needs life insurance, it’s time to purchase coverage from Gill Insurance Agency serving Plainfield, IN, and its environs. Please contact us today for a personalized quote.

What is a business owners policy?

A business owner’s policy (BOP) refers to the commercial insurance that includes the four most typical policies available. It saves the business owner money by providing these four policies at a reduced rate. You can obtain this type of policy from Gill Insurance Agency of Plainfield, IN to protect your business.

The typical BOP includes liability, named perils, property damage, and business interruption coverages. Like other insurance policies, you can add other coverage to the BOP. This means if you own a dry cleaning business, you can add your inland marine policy to the BOP. Although it begins as a bundle of four policies, you can add to it. If you purchased each policy separately, you would have to pay full price.

Your coverage remains the same as if you purchased each separately. There’s no reduction in the amount of protection. You still get the same coverage.

  • Liability: If someone becomes injured while visiting your business or incurs an illness from exposures occurring at your business, your liability policy covers you. It also pays for court costs and settlements if you get sued because of a faulty product or if you libel or slander a person or organization.
  • Named Perils: The BOP provides coverage from damages caused by named perils such as a tornado, snow, fire, and hail damage. Each policy differs in the named perils included. Some states exempt certain perils. You may find that Florida or Texas do not include hurricanes, but this depends on the agency and policy.
  • Property Damage: This type of coverage occurs when your business incurs damage from an event that is not a named peril or you damage another individual or organization’s property.
  • Business Interruption: This policy type protects you from loss of income during an event that interrupts your ability to do business as usual. This includes named perils, so if a fire caused your business to close for a week, the BI coverage pays you for the income lost.

Contact Gill Insurance Agency serving Plainfield IN, for more information on BOPs. We can help you insure your business for less.

What Does Home Insurance not cover?

Home insurance is designed to protect your home from a variety of perils. You choose the amount of liability coverage and the deductible. Your peace of mind comes from knowing you are safe. It would be great if home insurance covered everything that could damage your home, but unfortunately, it doesn’t. Knowing the exclusions on your policy is vital. Always read your policy. It is just a good thing to do. At Gill Insurance Agency in Plainfield, IN, we don’t believe in one size fits all. We believe your insurance policy should be customized to fit your needs. 

Floods

Floods cause billions of dollars in damage every year across every state in the union. It is hard to imagine one of the most common hazards homes face isn’t covered by home insurance, but that is the case. The good news is flood insurance is offered by the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) and by private insurance carriers and is something you can purchase if your home is in an area where flooding might pose a danger. 

Earthquakes and other land movements

Not quite as common as floods, earth movements are also not covered by home insurance. Land movements include earthquakes, mudslides, and sinkholes. All of these can hit with little or no warning and cause devastating damage. You can also purchase an additional policy to cover this potential issue. 

Owner neglect

Your insurance carrier has the expectation you will maintain your home. This includes replacing your roof when it ages out and treating your home for pests like carpenter ants and termites before they do major damage. 

Having the right home insurance gives you security. You can supplement your policy to cover excluded items if you are aware of them. Talk to us at Gill Insurance Agency in Plainfield, IN about your home insurance needs, and let us make sure you have the right coverage. 

Why Do You Need Car Insurance?

As a skilled and experienced driver who has not had an incident for more than ten years in Plainfield, IN, you might be wondering why you need car insurance. However, as Gill Insurance Agency will tell you, you never know when you will be involved in an accident, which means that you should always remain covered. Besides adhering to state insurance regulations, there are other instances where you will benefit from having car insurance. 

Peace of Mind

As an experienced driver, you might feel as though you are safe while driving on the roads. However, not everyone is experienced, which means that other drivers are likely to hit your car. In such instances, especially those involving underinsured drivers, you will be able to cater for your repairs and other necessary expenses that are likely to occur.

Supplement Your Health Insurance

What many people don’t know is that car insurance can help in supplementing health insurance policies. There are some accidents that your health insurance will not cover. For instance, dental injuries sustained during the accident might not be covered. Instead of paying from your cash savings, car insurance will come in handy and pay everything that your health policy has not paid. 

Save Time and Hassle

When an accident happens, you are likely to be involved in negotiations and many discussions with other drivers and property owners. You will be spending much of your time that you could be using productively. However, with car insurance, you will not be involved in time-wasting negotiations. Your insurance provider will take charge of everything, including the legal issues that will probably ensue.

Gill Insurance Agency has seen many auto owners take the simple route of avoiding car insurance in Plainfield, IN, after which they have painfully paid for. To avoid being in such situations, make an effort to have your car insurance ready at any given time. Reach out to us for more information.

When is the right time to buy life insurance

If you ask ten different people the right time to buy life insurance, you will get ten different answers. The perfect answer would be that the right time to buy life insurance is before you need it. Another good answer would be when the time is right for you. At Gill Insurance Agency in Plainfield, IN, we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to life insurance. We get to know our customers so that we can tailor their insurance to their particular needs. As independent agents, we can offer insurance products at better prices from some top carriers in the business.

When you can afford it

One of the best times to buy life insurance is when it is most affordable. That is when you are young and have good health. You can choose whole life, which provides protection for your entire life while earning dividends that increase its value and allow you to borrow against the value if you ever need to. 

When you need it most

When you have a family, you need life insurance to protect them if something happens to you. Having to live without your income would be a hardship for most families. If you have young children, your need increases even more. When you think about how much life insurance you might need at this point in your life, it may seem pretty overwhelming. Term life insurance has a set term of years it covers you, and it provides protection at the most reasonable price. If you have to replace 10 or more years of your income, it can be a considerable amount of life insurance. 

If you live in or near Plainfield, IN, Gill Insurance Agency is here to help you with all your life insurance needs. 

3 Tips to Preparing Your Small Business against Disasters

With natural disasters on the rise all across the country, it’s only natural for Indiana business owners to be concerned about their enterprise’s safety. At Gill Insurance Agency, we offer commercial insurance packages to protect small businesses against disaster damage. If you own a small business in Plainfield, IN, here are a few ways you can protect it against disasters.

Identify Your Assets

Make a list of your business assets such as your office, warehouse, business equipment, furniture, products, etc., so you’ll have a clear idea of what you need to protect. Then consider ways to protect these assets in the event of disaster damage.

Commercial policies in Indiana provide numerous coverage types to protect your assets against disasters. Property coverage, for example, protects your business location, equipment, and inventory. Business interruption coverage protects you against loss of revenue and payroll if your business has to shut down due to disaster damage. This helps safeguard your business finances.

Assess Your Risks

Next, consider what disasters pose a risk to your business. Indiana is prone to such natural disasters as rainstorms, blizzards, windstorms, wildfires, and tornadoes. When purchasing your commercial policy, make sure it covers those disasters that pose a greater risk to your company.

Create a Disaster Prep Plan

Create a disaster preparation plan, so your employees know what to do in the event of a disaster. Assign different tasks to supervisors to cover different aspects of your business operations, create evacuation routes for your employees and customers and establish a means of communicating with employees, customers, and suppliers during and after a disaster. You can also establish a temporary headquarters in case your main location is compromised due to disaster damage.

To purchase commercial coverage to protect your Plainfield, IN business against disasters, contact Gill Insurance Agency today.

Auto Insurance Requirements in Indiana

When people think of Indiana, they may think of the Indianapolis 500 race. Still, as a regular driver of a motor vehicle, you will want to follow the requirements and laws for auto insurance in Indiana.

Liability Insurance

The agents at the Gill Insurance Agency in Plainfield, IN understand the state requirements for auto insurance. Under Indiana law, all drivers must have at least bodily injury and property damage liability insurance. This type of policy will cover any injuries sustained by others involved in an accident that is determined to be your fault and will cover any property damaged in the accident.

Indiana law also requires each motorist to obtain an uninsured and underinsured insurance policy. This type of policy will cover medical payments for injuries sustained in a crash with someone who doesn’t have insurance or who has very little and will also cover property damage. In other words, if you or your passengers are injured due to an accident with someone with no insurance, your medical bills will be paid.

Comprehensive Insurance

Comprehensive insurance is important to have, not only for your peace of mind but for the bank or other lender that loaned you the money for your vehicle. This type of policy will cover your vehicle if it is damaged or destroyed by a natural disaster, fire, or vandalism. It will also cover your vehicle if it is stolen.

Collision Insurance

This part of your auto insurance policy will cover damages to your vehicle whether you collide with another car or if you collide with an object, such as a telephone pole.

To determine the best auto insurance coverage for you and your vehicle, call upon the agents at the Gill Insurance Agency in Plainfield, IN for an appointment or quote today!

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