How Much Commercial Insurance Coverage Do I Really Need?

Posted on August 17, 2016October 25, 2016 by agentinsure

When you begin to explore commercial insurance in Parkersburg, WV, there’s always the inevitable question of how much you actually need. How much is enough and how much is too much? This is going to vary for every business owner.

Identify Your Needs

The first thing you need to do is identify the basic needs of your business. What you have going on may be very different from other businesses throughout West Virginia. This means you have to look at such things as:

–           Property
–           Value of inventory
–           Number of employees
–           Industry you are in
–           Commercial vehicles owned

All of these are going to play into what kind of commercial insurance coverage you need and how much you need. The more time you take in order to identify the needs of your business, the easier it will be to obtain a commercial insurance policy that you can count on throughout the year. As your business grows and evolves, your policy is likely going to evolve as well. This will ensure that you are always able to file claims.

Get Expert Assistance

One wrong move when it comes to purchasing commercial insurance and you may not have the coverage that you need when you need it the most. It can be extremely difficult to calculate coverage in terms of how much liability you should have, and what types of coverage should be in place. This is why it is advantageous to work with an independent insurance agent. You can learn more about what is needed for the type of business that you have, and obtain quotes from different insurance companies so that you can learn about the true cost of a good policy.

5 Reasons to Buy Life Insurance

Posted on July 19, 2016October 25, 2016 by agentinsure

Life insurance is not about you. It is about making sure that your loved ones are taken care of when you are no longer around. Buying life insurance will be the best gift you could ever give your family. There are five reasons you should consider having life insurance.

1. Replace Your Income

Unfortunately, death can take anyone at any time. If you have an insurance policy, you can protect your family from having to cover your debts. If paying the mortgage or utilities was your job and you die prematurely, then your family will have to cover those bills. With life insurance, they could use that money as a replacement of your income.

2. Pay for Final Expenses

The average cost of funeral expenses can be an exorbitant amount. Caskets, by themselves, can cost between $2000 and $10,000. Keep your final expenses down by buying and maintaining life insurance.

3. Funding for College

Sending your kid to college is the best way to give them a proper education and a great start in life. But colleges are expensive. If something happens to you, your child may drown in college debts. Having a decent policy could help with books and tuition.

4. Pay off Estate Taxes

Estate taxes can be quite expensive and large assets may be lost if they are not paid within a certain amount of time.

5. Prevent Selling Your Company

If your partner dies suddenly, you may be left with more debt than the company can handle. You may have to file for bankruptcy and close your business. Having life insurance could allow you to pay for your partner’s obligations so you will not have to lose your business.

Serving Parkersburg, West Virginia, the independent agents at Curtis Miller Insurance are available to discuss open or new insurance policies.

Ready to take the boat out? Check your insurance policy first

Posted on June 30, 2016October 25, 2016 by agentinsure

Boating is a great way to spend time in the beautiful Parkersburg, WV area. If you have been out on the water every summer or you just bought a boat so you can start having fun, you need to make sure you’re ready before you head out. That can mean flares, a first aid kit, bottled water, and life jackets, but it also means a good insurance policy. Your boat needs to be protected, of course, and you also want to make sure the people in that boat have protection if you are involved in an accident. With the right boating insurance, you and your passengers will have financial protection for medical bills and other issues.

Big and small boats all need insurance, and you want to be covered whether you are on the water or you have your boat on a trailer or somewhere in dry dock. Some people look for policies that offer different types of coverage for the summer months than for the winter months, since the boat is generally at higher risk when it’s in use as opposed to when it is being stored. By working with a knowledgeable agent, you can get everything you need to know about a boat insurance policy that will work for you all year round.

Getting a policy through Curtis Miller Insurance can help you enjoy your summer even more, because you won’t have to worry about financial risk. Once you know you have the right policy, you can have some great peace of mind. If you ever have questions about your policy or need to make changes, you will also know who to call to get answers or have changes made, so you will always be ready to get your boat out onto the water.

4 Tips to Help Avoid Road Rage

Posted on May 2, 2016May 2, 2016 by agentinsure

Traffic in Parkersburg, WV is growing fast and the traffic volume is outgrowing the roads faster than expected. Unfortunately, with large volumes of traffic, comes traffic jams and accidents. Between the stop and go traffic, excess noise and impatient drivers, the result is often road rage. Road rage occurs when a driver becomes the victim of dangerous behaviors from another driver. Road rage can vary from being cutoff by another driver to being physically assaulted by an angry driver. So, what can you do to avoid road rage?

Common Causes of Road Rage
There is no way to predict why road rage may happen or when it may happen, but there are several reasons why drivers get frustrated with another driver, including:

Speeding
Tailgating
Using a cell phone while driving
Eating or doing other multitasking while driving
Slamming on the brakes
Not using a turn signal

How to Avoid Road Rage
Regardless of how cautious of a driver you are, there is a risk of inciting another drivers road rage. If you find yourself encountering an aggressive driver, first and most importantly, do not panic. Panicky drivers can ultimately end up driving erratically and worsen the situation. Instead, continue to follow all of the rules of the road. If the road raged driver remains aggressive, the following four tips may help you avoid a confrontation:

When driving in the left lane, drive with the flow of traffic or pull over to the right lane if you do not want to drive that fast, let those who are in a hurry pass you.
If you are being tailgated, when safe to do so, pull over to the other lane and let the tailgater pass.
If you accidentally cut another driver off and force them to hit their brakes or pull away to avoid an accident, make sure you show signs of apologies. This will help take some of the stress out of the situation.
Always use turn signals when changing lanes or making a turn.

Keep in mind that these are only a few suggestions of how to reduce the risk of road rage. It is important that you be aware of your surroundings and avoid driving too defensively and slow. Being a defensive driver is a good thing, but if you are overly cautious by driving too slow, it can block the flow of traffic, which may increase your stress, as well as the stress of other drivers.

Each time you get in your vehicle, the most important thing you can do is make sure you have sufficient insurance. Parkersburg, WV drivers contact Curtis Miller Insurance for a new insurance policy or to review your current policy.

How to pack your bathrooms

Posted on April 28, 2016May 2, 2016 by agentinsure

No matter if you hire a moving company or decide to do everything yourself, when you move it’s practically guaranteed that you’ll pack your bathrooms yourself. Most moving companies won’t want to touch anything liquid, making it next to impossible to get them to take most of what is in a typical bathroom. Fortunately, this isn’t a hard room to pack, if you follow these steps.

Use big boxes for your linens. These are relatively light, so it makes sense to use a big box and pack these items quickly. Only put cloth items into these boxes.
Separate your liquid items from everything else. Make one pile of lotions, shampoos, etc. and another of “dry” personal items such as make-up power and toothbrushes.
Pack the dry items in small cardboard boxes. These items tend to be relatively heavy, and their small size makes a large box of these items overwhelming to sort through later. Small boxes will be easier to unpack and deal with.
Pack wet items in plastic tubs. These items will most likely be getting to your new place in your personal vehicle, so make sure their box can’t leak if something breaks open and spills. Plastic totes are also easy to wash out later if something spills. Pack everything upright, and avoid making multiple layers, even if it means a lot of wasted space at the top of the box.
Leave a few essentials. A box of tissues and a roll of toilet paper can be used up to the last minute while you’re still in the house. Any left over will be greatly appreciated by the new residents, who will be struggling to look for toilet paper for a few days while they unpack.

As you’re packing, remember to give the agents at Curtis Miller Insurance a call. They’ll be able to help you save money on your new homeowner’s policy.

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Author: agentinsure