Wood Burning Stoves

'Tis the Season

Wood burning stoves have become an increasingly popular, especially after the extreme weather we saw last year in Michigan. If you are considering installing a wood or pellet stove, or already have one, here are a few safety tips:

• Always, always, always have a professional install your stove!
• Keep sufficient clearance between the stove and any combustible materials.
• Make sure your wood stove has a UL label.
• Do not vent your stove through the same duct work as any other heating appliance.
• Clean your chimney and stove pipe at least once per year.
• Only burn dry, seasoned wood.
• Do not start your fire with gas, oil, or any other flammable fluids.
• Clean your stove regularly and dispose of ash outside, away from the house.
• And of course, contact your local independent insurance agent to inform him/her of your new stove!

information gathered from insurance information institute

Is there coverage for my dirt bike on my home insurance policy?

Do you have a Polaris or Kubota UTV? How about a dirt bike or four wheeler? If you do, the next questions you should be asking yourself is 'does my policy cover this'?

Physical Damage:
If you want to make sure your recreational vehicle is covered for physical damage, the best answer is to just schedule it on your homeowners policy. This will ensure you get the proper value for your vehicle and provide coverage for additional perils not normally included.

Liability:
Most policies include recreational vehicle liability while you are on your own property, however it is usually excluded off premises. Even if you don't want to cover the vehicle for physical damage you should still purchase the recreational vehicle liability endorsement.

15 Auto Insurance Discounts

How can I lower my car insurance premiums?

Make sure you are cashing in on the discounts you deserve!  We have compiled a list of common discounts available on car insurance policies.

 

Multi policy discounts:

Cash in on discounts for insuring your home, auto, umbrella, life, disability, long term care, etc. all at the same company. The discounts you receive on your home/auto insurance could pay for an entire life or umbrella policy and still save you money!

Go Green: Get a discount for going paperless.

Home Ownership:

Even if you don't insure your home with the same company as your car, you can still get a discount for owning your home.

Pay in full:

There is a significant discount for paying your policy in full if you can afford to do so.

Storage coverage: 

Don't drive one of your vehicles in the winter? Put your vehicle in storage coverage while it is laid up for the winter.

Vehicle safety devices:

Air bags, anti lock breaks, anti theft devices, auto recovery systems (i.e. OnStar), and even daytime running lights can all be provide discounts on your auto policy.

Student away at school:

Available for people who have a child on their policy who is at college without a vehicle.

Good student discount:

Good grades= cheaper auto insurance.

Teen driver monitoring device:

Your kids might not like this one, but there is a discount available if you install a teen driver monitoring device in your child's vehicle. The savings on your auto could more than pay for installing the device.

Loss free discount:

Your loss history stays with you for 3 years.  Consult your agent before turning in claims, sometimes it's not worth while to turn in that $100 claim if you could lose your claim free discount for 3 years.

Coordinating health insurance:

Ask your health carrier if they pay for auto related accidents. If they do, you can get a discount on your auto insurance.

Group memberships:

Being a member of a credit union, professional association, alumni association, gym, or local volunteer group can get you another discount.

Education:

Some companies give a discount if you have a high school diploma, some college education, bachelors degree, and post graduate degrees.

Driver's safety course:

Do you have to take a driver's safety course for work? Or maybe you took a class to get out of a traffic ticket? Send your agent the completion certificate to get a discount on your auto insurance.

Low mileage:

If you move, switch jobs, or retire make sure to let your insurance agent know. You can get a discount if you now commute 5 miles to work instead of 30.

 

 

 

Loan/Lease GAP coverage

What is GAP coverage?

 

Buying a new car this holiday season? If you are, this may be a good time to review the coverage limits on your auto policy. One coverage that you should look into if you are purchasing a brand new vehicle is GAP coverage. 

You've probably heard that your car depreciates in value as soon as you drive it off the lot. Well, what if a week after you drive your brand new car off the lot you get into a wreck and total your car? You could be left holding the bill for the difference in the depreciated value of the car and the money you still owe on your auto loan. That is where GAP coverage will fill the gap between the depreciated value of the vehicle and the amount you still owe on the loan.

Sometimes GAP coverage is included in your loan or lease agreement. It is a fairly inexpensive additional coverage that could wind up saving you a couple thousand dollars, so it is worth checking into!

Rental Car Coverage

Should I buy rental car insurance?

Does my auto insurance provide coverage for a rental car? We get this question a lot at Mason Insurance Agency. Unfortunately, this question is not followed by a simple yes or no answer.

Typically, a personal auto policy will extend coverage equal to what you have on your vehicle. For instance, if you have collision coverage on one of your vehicles then collision coverage is extended to the rental car. However, there are some significant gaps in coverage that you should take into consideration:

•  Loss of use: should you damage your rental car, you could be left responsible for the income lost while the rental car was in the shop and could not be rented out.
• Diminutive value: you could also be responsible for the difference in value of the vehicle pre-accident, and the diminished value after you damaged it. 

Some insurance carriers offer endorsements to cover these gaps in coverage. The best answer is to speak with your insurance agent before making a decision not to purchase insurance from the rental car agency.

Personal Umbrella

What does a personal umbrella policy cover?

 If you are ever faced with a lawsuit, even if groundless, false, or fraudulent, chances are you are going to wish you had an umbrella policy to foot your defence costs.  Personal umbrella policies provide excess liability coverage for bodily injury, personal injury, and property damage lawsuits beyond the limits of your individual insurance policies. 

Umbrella policies provide an emense amount of coverage, starting at $1 million of protection.  Even with this much protection umbrella policies are typically inexpensive, starting at about $130 per year depending on your underlying policies. On top of that, some carriers offer discounts on your home and auto policies to lower the cost even further.

Feel free to email us with questions or visit our website to inquire about a quote.

MCCA - Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association

What is the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA)?

Have you ever looked at your auto insurance policy and notice a fee at the bottom for the MCCA? If you have, there are probably a couple of questions that popped into your head. The first question you most likely asked yourself is 'What the heck is the MCCA?' followed very quickly by '...and why is it costing me $186.00 per vehicle?'. 

The MCCA is a private non profit association created by the Michigan State Legislature that provides unlimited lifetime medical benefits for auto related accidents. Private insurance companies are reimbursed for personal injury protection (PIP) claims in excess of $530,000. Visit the MCCA's website for more information.

Currently, Michigan is the only state to offer unlimited lifetime medical benefits for PIP claims, with New York coming in second with a benefit cap of $50,000. MIC  Government officials are working hard in Lansing to reform Michigan no fault insurance. You can read more about no fault reform at the Michigan Insurance Coalition's  website.