Posts

What do I need to do before riding my motorcycle for the first time?

Image
You’ve had the urge to ride since you put your motorcycle in storage last Fall. Spring has arrived and riding season is within reach. Don’t let the excitement to ride get the best of you. Go through our checklist and make sure you’re officially ready to ride when it’s go time. 1. Take a safety course   If you haven’t taken a motorcycle safety course now is the time. Motorcycle safety courses are often offered locally and could lead to discounts on your motorcycle insurance. Courses are also a great opportunity to practice your safe riding skills. 2. Register your motorcycle Make sure to register your motorcycle license plate. If you have previously registered your bike, make sure the registration is up to date. 3. Inspect your motorcycle Before you take off check the belt, chain, horn, blinkers, head light and break light are working properly. Are your tires at proper pressure? Check the fluids and fill up your gas tank. 4. Get riding gear   Are you wearing prope
Post a Comment
Read more

The Right Coverage for Your Mobile Home

Image
Whether you use your mobile home as a vacation spot, a rental property or a primary residence, you need homeowner’s insurance specifically designed for its needs. Typical structures covered are mobile, manufactured or modular homes situated in a mobile home park or on another property, as well as sheds, garages or other structures that you own and include on the policy. Mobile home insurance covers damage to your home and its contents from events such as fire, wind, hail, theft, vandalism, broken pipes and other perils as named in your policy. If your home is rendered uninhabitable from a covered loss, you might also be insured for alternative housing and living expenses while your insured property is being restored. If you wish to cover sewage or drain backups, your Trusted Choice ®  Independent Insurance Agent can advise you on how to add that to your mobile homeowners insurance policy. You might also be able to cover your home while it is being moved to a different
Post a Comment
Read more

5 Benefits of Roadside Assistance

Image
Roadside Assistance, or towing as it is often referred to, is one insurance coverage you will wish you had opted in for as you shell out cash to get towed off the side of the road. Having roadside assistance coverage has many benefits; including being reimbursed the money you just paid the tow company. Here are our top 5 benefits of Roadside Assistance: Get Reimbursed Every policy is written differently. Same is true for companies. For example, some companies supply a toll-free number to a contracted roadside assistance company and there is no out of pocket expense. Other companies offer a reimbursement plan where the out of pocket expense is typically reimbursed within 7-10 business days. 24-Hour Services Some of our companies as well as the Nation Safe Driver Roadside Assistance Program, offer around the clock emergency towing to a destination you choose, emergency roadside service in the U.S. and Canada, emergency battery service, and emergency supply delivery.
23 comments
Read more

Should I buy the “loss damage waiver” (insurance) for my rental car?

Image
This is a question that most insurance offices get on a regular basis and unfortunately you will find many different answers so I thought it would be helpful to break down some of the reasons that this is a complicated question and how to help you answer, “Should I buy the insurance?” First, I want to clarify that you are not actually buying insurance for the rental vehicle. In actuality you are paying the rental company to waive their rights to come against you for any losses they sustain due to damages to their vehicle. It is often called insurance, even by the rental car companies, but if you read the fine print you will find that it is in fact a waiver. Think about it, in order to sell insurance in the state of Michigan, you need to be licensed, they are assuredly not licensing all the counter people at the rental car companies. In Michigan rental vehicles are typically included in the definition of non-owned auto and therefore are usually covered under both Liability
1 comment
Read more

10 Tips to Stay Warm

Image
The chill is in the air. While you are busy carving pumpkins, getting together your Halloween costume and taking trips to an apple orchard remember these cold weather tips to stay warm. 1. Wear a hat Don’t skip out on the winter gear. Keep heat in by wearing a hat, scarf and gloves. Send an extra pair of mittens to school with your kids. 2. Layer Up Wear an extra layer of clothing before stepping out in the cold or turning up the heat. 3. Block drafts There are several DIY ideas to block drafts. Remember to block drafts on the basement door if you have one. 4. Program your thermostat Stay warm on a schedule and save money by setting your thermostat. Home sweet home will be warm and toasty when you get home from work. You’ll save money on your heating bill too. 5. Update your car emergency kit As the seasons change it’s a good idea to restock and change items in your emergency kit. Here is the CDC’s recommendations and checklists for winter weather. We
Post a Comment
Read more

My Fire, Your Fence

Image
Often when we think of home fires, we think of damage to the house, but home fires frequently occur in detached structures and even in outdoor spaces with no buildings in the immediate area. Fires can start in junk heaps, leaf piles, wood stacks, trash cans and wooded areas. If you leave tires, oil pans, paints or other flammable items outdoors, you could be creating a fire hazard. Even mulch spread around your home or fence can be a ready fuel source. Fires can start from wafting ash or embers from a fireplace or fire pit, a cigarette butt, a lightning strike, or even spontaneous combustion. In fact, heaped mulch and grasses, such as straw and hay, build considerable internal heat, as do bagged oiled rags. If you are composting, holding mulch or grass for later use, or saving cloths soaked with gasoline or oils, keep other flammable items far from these to reduce the likelihood of combustion. If you have planned well enough to keep your own house and structures saf
Post a Comment
Read more

How can I lower my motorcycle insurance cost?

Image
As local agents we are here to make sure you receive the best coverage for you and hopefully save you money while doing so. Saving money is such a great feeling! Here are some tips on how you can lower the cost of your motorcycle insurance: Ask your agent about motorcycle insurance discounts There are multiple motorcycle insurance discounts available such as: multi-policy discount, claims free discount, loyalty discount, and anti-lock brakes. Ask an agent if you qualify. Look at your billing and payment options Many insurance carriers offer multiple payment options and some of them can save you money. Have you considered automatic payments and/or paperless billing? Where do you park your motorcycle? Do you park your motorcycle in a lockable structure such as a garage? This can affect your rate because most theft and vandalism occur when a motorcycle is parked outside. Have you taken a motorcycle training or safety course? We mentioned motorcycle insurance di
Post a Comment
Read more