Insurance

Why it is Important to Consider Umbrella Insurance

Posted on by AgentInsure

You may have heard of umbrella insurance in the past. It is a beneficial form of insurance, but you may not exactly know what it is or how it can protect you and your home. At Runnels Insurance, we’re here to help you and all your Brandon, FL insurance needs. 

What Does Umbrella Insurance Cover

Umbrella insurance is also known as an excess liability coverage. This means it goes above and beyond the regular coverage of your standard policy. For example, if someone is injured on your property and takes out a lawsuit against you, the umbrella insurance coverage will kick in here.  It can also help you if someone attempts to slander your name or if you are falsely arrested. 

Why Is it Important?

Umbrella insurance kicks in at different times when you need it the most. For starters, if you are found liable and need to pay additional damages than the umbrella insurance policy will cover it. It will also help cover a legal defense, regardless of the result. 

This form of insurance also just doesn’t cover your home. It is called umbrella because many different elements fall under it. Beyond your home, your car, retirement accounts, checking account and investments are all protected. This way, in the event of a lawsuit you won’t have your other investment and retirement accounts gone after. This keeps you, your retirement and your children financially secure. 

At Runnels Insurance, we want to make sure you are properly educated on all the different insurance options out there. This includes umbrella insurance. So, whether you live in Brandon, FL or the surrounding communities, give us a call and we’ll make sure you have all the insights and information to make an accurate investment into the right insurance policies. 

How to plan a safe motorcycle trip

Posted on by AgentInsure
Runnels Insurance serving Brandon, FL  understands the motorcycle enthusiast.
 
There’s nothing better than hopping on your hog and feeling the wind against your face unless of course, it’s a vacation trip of several days that you can just ghost from your mundane life and go feel the road. 
 
But a road trip on a motorcycle takes a bit more care and planning than a car trip to make a safe and enjoyable trip.

Motorcycle checkup is a must.

Do a general checkup on your bike, it’s better to take it to a shop before you go than end up being stranded (Oil, Lights, Tires, Controls, Brake Fluids.).

Check the Weather

Leaf peeping in the North may look pretty and sound fun, but remember wet leaves on road can cause you to skid or flip. Be aware of the weather, time of year and location you plan to tour. Although you can’t choose the weather for the entire trip, try to be mindful and adapt to the bad weather.

Get a comfortable, waterproof, motorcycle riding suit.

Nothing is worse on a bike than being wet and cold. If you take a long enough trip, it’s a given you’ll end up with some bad weather than you need to endure. Not only is it miserable, it’s unsafe. When you are physically cold and wet, you lose the ability to think straight.

Attach luggage to your motorcycle.

Backpacks are great for short distances, but the long distance they wear you out. Luggage racks are a must for long trips. Create a packing list and remember “less is more”. Remember you can always buy an extra t-shirt on the road.

Contact Runnels Insurance serving Brandon, FL.

Is Flood Insurance Included in Home Insurance?

Posted on by AgentInsure

Home insurance is something that all homeowners need to have in some capacity or other. For those that own a home, insurance is something that helps to protect your property, helps to protect your actual home, and helps to protect your guests and yourself should they become injured. For those that live in the Brandon, FL area, the agents with Runnels Insurance can help you to find the perfect policy to protect your home.

Your home policy covers a great deal, fire, damage from storms, theft, and more. It does not, however, cover flood. Since not all homes are located near bodies of water or in areas where floods are common or even possible, it is not covered in policies on average. For those that do live near water or in areas where the flood is common, you want to take out an extra flood policy that will be added to your policy and that will help to cover any damage that may occur due to flooding.

For those that do not live near water and have never had a flood, flood insurance is not something that you are going to necessarily need and therefore you can often get away with not adding it to your current home policy. Flood insurance is something that many can benefit from and if you feel that you might need flood insurance, you should speak with an agent about how much coverage you may need and what type of coverage you may need as well.

For those that live in the Brandon, FL area, the agents with Runnels Insurance can help you to find the right flood coverage and can help you find any other supplemental coverage policies that you may need to keep your home safe from any possible event.  

What is Whole and Term Life Insurance

Posted on by AgentInsure

There are two main types of life insurance coverage that you can choose from when you are ready to buy life insurance. Both Whole and Term Life insurance has many benefits. Deciding what you may need can be a little confusing, but the Brandon, FL associates at Runnels Insurance would like to help you sort out the differences so that you can make an informed decision.

Whole Life Insurance

Whole life insurance is guaranteed to pay out as long as the premiums are paid. When an insurer dies, the beneficiaries will receive the death benefits. Whole life also:

  • Covers your entire life
  • Has higher premiums than term life insurance
  • Pays the cash value of the policy
  • Takes up to 15 years to accumulate cash value
  • May not have to take a medical exam

Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance allows for coverage under a fixed-rate system of payments for a specific amount of time. It is not guaranteed and after the term is up, you will need to either cancel coverage or renegotiate coverage with a new contract.

  • Will pay only if you die during the term
  • Less expensive than whole life insurance
  • Can use it as temporary life insurance
  • Must renew after the term over
  • May be able to convert it to whole life
  • Pays death benefits, but not cash value like whole life coverage

Things to Consider When Choosing Life Insurance

Whether you decide to go with term life or whole life, there are few considerations you may want to keep in mind.

  • Your age and the age of your children
  • Financial needs and budget size
  • Funeral expenses
  • Health care expenses, if any
  • Any debts, including mortgage, auto, or student loans

The knowledgeable insurance agents in Brandon, FL at Runnels Insurance are available to you navigate the process. Stop by our offices today to get started on a whole or term life insurance policy today.

Is Extra Insurance Necessary When Renting Out a Room?

Posted on by AgentInsure

Renting out a portion of your home is easier than ever, thanks to roommate-finding websites and smartphone apps. Whether leasing a room or a finished basement, having roommates is a great financial practice. Some homeowners profit from it.

Renting is usually a pleasant experience as long as the proper precautions are taken insurance-wise. The average rental price in Florida is $1,002 per month. This is something Brandon, FL homeowners enjoy taking advantage of.

You already have typical home insurance, but do you need to supplement that for roommates? Runnels insurance offers various coverage options that boost typical property insurance. Their representatives can find the ideal insurance policy to fit your lifestyle.

If you rent out a room in your house, you might not be properly covered in the following instances.

– A tenant causes significant damage to your home

– An injury is suffered by a tenant

– A neighboring home sustains damage as a result of the actions of a tenant

Before choosing your homeowner’s insurance, check if there are any provisions to protect you in any of these instances. It is possible there are none. Even if you don’t plan on renting your home now, it could happen in the future. The perplexing nature of a homeowner’s policies is exactly why the representatives of Runnels Insurance exist. They can consult with you to design the ideal policy for you as a landlord.

Property insurance only covers the home and the property of the owner. The tenant’s valuable property is covered through renters insurance. If you are not properly covered, Runnels Insurance can help you design a policy that fits you perfectly.  Do this even if you are renting your property out short-term on websites like Air BnB. Remember, there is no such thing as being over-prepared when it comes to protecting your valuable property.

Homeowners Insurance in Brandon, FL

Posted on by AgentInsure

Homeowners insurance protects an owner from property damages and guest accidents with compensation for repair, replacement, and medical costs.

Florida homeowners can protect their home and their finances from unexpected risk incidences, with an insurance policy. Homeowners insurance agreements cover a residence, personal contents, as a well as visiting guests during a disaster, accident, or theft event.

When natural disaster strikes, homeowners insurance coverage compensates an owner for repairs to the structure of a building, as well as replacement of its contents.

If a guest slips and falls on a property, the owner is responsible for liability stemming from injury, treatment expenses, and legal fees. Sign on to a homeowners insurance policy, and protect yourself from extenuating medical and lost wage expenses associated with a negligence claim.

Avoid the hassle of paying out-of-pocket expenses for property repairs or bodily injury of a guest, with a homeowners insurance policy. Homeowners insurance policies are indemnity agreements that protect an owner from liability and other costly obligations.

Standard Homeowners insurance policy offerings include:

Comprehensive Coverage – protects a homeowner from repair and replacement of property after a risk event.

Individual Coverage – insures against debt obligations so that beneficiaries do not assume responsibility for a property mortgage or other outstanding monies owed in case of a serious accident or death.

Packaged Indemnity Agreements – real and personal property coverage against theft or damage of value.

Combined Life Coverage – comprehensive life and homeowners insurance covers expenses associated with costs arising from property and personal property losses, or liability.

A home is a valuable investment property. Protect yourself and your property from disaster and liability with homeowners insurance.

Request the details to homeowners insurance products offered by your insurance broker. Insurance coverage deductibles, claims processing schedules, grace periods, and terms and conditions to homeowners insurance agreements may vary.

To find out more about homeowners insurance in Brandon, FL, and obtain a quote, contact Runnels Insurance.

Are Florida’s Highways Really That Dangerous?

Posted on by AgentInsure

Anyone who’s driven in Florida knows that the twisty, winding highways can get a bit confusing and that there are plenty of very, very bad drivers in the state. But, is Florida as dangerous as it’s said to be? Let’s look at the facts:

  • Your chances of dying in a car accident in FL are about one in eight thousand if you are in a moving vehicle

2013 saw 2,407 accident-related fatalities for just under twenty million residents. This puts the odds at around one in eight thousand if you are in a car. This places Florida as the 20th most dangerous state for drivers, right between Kansas and Missouri.

  • Pedestrians run a one in thirty thousand risks of being killed in an accident

That number sounds favorite in comparison to the above-listed statistic, right? Only 660 fatalities compared to 2,407? However, this is where Florida ranks absolute worst in the nation. Pedestrians are more likely to be killed in an accident in Florida than in any other state, by far.

So the rumors are true, not so much in that you are likely to be killed behind the wheel in a city like Brandon, FL, but rather, that you are more likely in FL than anywhere else to be involved in an accident that kills or seriously injures a pedestrian.

If you drive in Brandon, it’s especially important to make sure that you have adequate liability coverage. No matter how good a driver you may be, you cannot possibly account for every risk you will meet out on the road. With a solid insurance policy, you’ll be ready come what may.

Is Extra Insurance Necessary When Renting Out a Room?

Posted on by AgentInsure

Renting out a portion of your home is easier than ever, thanks to roommate-finding websites and smartphone apps. Whether leasing a room or a finished basement, having roommates is a great financial practice. Some homeowners profit from it.

Renting is usually a pleasant experience as long as the proper precautions are taken insurance-wise. The average rental price in Florida is $1,002 per month. This is something Brandon, FL homeowners enjoy taking advantage of.

You already have typical home insurance, but do you need to supplement that for roommates? Runnels insurance offers various coverage options that boost typical property insurance. Their representatives can find the ideal insurance policy to fit your lifestyle.

If you rent out a room in your house you might not be properly covered in the following instances.

– A tenant causes significant damage to your home

– An injury is suffered by a tenant

– A neighboring home sustains damage as a result of the actions of a tenant

Before choosing your homeowner’s insurance, check if there are any provisions to protect you in any of these instances. It is possible there are none. Even if you don’t plan on renting your home now, it could happen in the future. The perplexing nature of a homeowner’s policies is exactly why the representatives of Runnels Insurance exist. They can consult with you to design the ideal policy for you as a landlord.

Property insurance only covers the home and the property of the owner. The tenant’s valuable property is covered through renters insurance. If you are not properly covered, Runnels Insurance can help you design a policy that fits you perfectly.  Do this even if you are renting your property out short-term on websites like Air BnB. Remember, there is no such thing as being over-prepared when it comes to protecting your valuable property.

Why Everybody Needs to Have Auto Insurance

Posted on by AgentInsure

Most jurisdictions in the United States require car insurance. But why? Is it really necessary? These are questions that many people have asked since laws requiring car insurance became commonplace. A little research results in the conclusion that yes, car insurance is really necessary. Laws requiring auto insurance have been passed nearly everywhere in the Unites States for good reason. Such laws protect people from financial difficulties caused by an accident with an uninsured driver. Of course, such accidents still happen. However, they have become much less common since laws requiring car insurance were passed.

Auto insurance laws

Auto insurance laws vary from state to state, and can be quite complex. However, you don’t have to figure them out all on your own. Your insurance agent, such as Runnels Insurance of Brandon, FL, can help you get a policy which follows all applicable regulations. Thankfully, there are some similarities between the car insurance laws of most states. For example, most states require liability coverage. Liability coverage ensures that you (or at least your insurance) are able to pay for any damages to property or injuries caused by an accident in which you are involved. Some states require that your insurance also include coverage for your own injuries. States that require this kind of coverage are often referred to as “no-fault” states. The failure to buy the appropriate auto insurance can result in fines, your car getting impounded, and even imprisonment.

Auto Insurance is required by lenders

Not only do state governments require auto insurance, all banks that do car loans require auto insurance as well. This is because their loan is essentially an investment, and they want insurance protecting that investment. While state governments require liability and sometimes personal injury protection insurance, banks require insurance that covers damages to the vehicle.

4 Ways To Improve Your Home Insurance In Brandon

Posted on by AgentInsure

When you live in Brandon, it is important that you take the time to explore your homeowner’s insurance policy. There may be various ways for you to make improvements on the policy. This can deliver greater peace of mind throughout the entire year. All it takes is working with the right insurance professional.

Compare Rates

Once a year, you should take the time to compare rates with different insurance companies. There may be a more affordable premium available to you. By getting quotes, you can explore coverage, company reputation, as well as annual premiums to determine whether you have the best policy in place.

Explore the Add-Ons

There are various forms of home insurance add-ons that you may be able to add to your current policy. This can provide you with additional protection in the event that something happens to your home. Such things include additional liability, higher valuation on your belongings, as well as flood insurance.

Learn About Common Claims

It’s important to know about some of the most common claims that occur in Florida. This way, you can ensure that you have the coverage in all areas. Otherwise, you could be in a situation where you file a claim and have denied because you didn’t have sufficient coverage against whatever took place in or around your home.

Work with an Agent

A lot can be said about working with an independent insurance agent. You can learn more about your options and how to get the coverage you need for your home when you work with an insurance professional. This way, you can eliminate the guesswork that you have been dealing with in the past.

Learn more about home insurance and the best way to protect your house and family by contacting an independent insurance agent at Runnels Insurance today.