Author: AgentInsure

What is an Umbrella Insurance Policy?

Umbrella Insurance policy offers extra liability coverage exceeding the limits of home, auto, or watercraft insurance. It is an additional layer of security to those facing the risk of being sued for injuries caused to others or damage to other people’s property. The added liability cover is most useful to individuals who have lots of property or expensive property and thus have a more significant risk of being sued.

The policy acts as a fail-safe for your assets and savings. When a policyholder is sued for damages exceeding the liability of home or car insurance, the policy caters to the amounts still owed. In Federal Way, WA, Hart Insurance agents are available for consultations on favorable prices that assure you of a cover that suits your needs.

Who should buy an Umbrella Insurance Policy?

Are you a home or auto owner? Are you running a business? Umbrella insurance is for you!

Umbrella insurance coverage is mainly purchased by individuals who own property, people with significant savings, or people whose area of work involves dangerous activities that may result in injuries. Hart Insurance agents will advise you on a policy that best suits your area of concern.

Other areas that require this policy are individuals whose line of work faces the risk of lawsuits. This could be such as businesses involving a review of products, volunteer work, working in boards of non-profit organizations, among others. Umbrella insurance pays for your legal fees in case you lose a lawsuit or lawyer fees in case you win.

In Federal Way, WA, our insurance agents will help you compare quotes of different insurance carriers to ensure that they get value for your money. Our agents are customer-centric and professional and will only refer you to reputable insurance carriers and offer you a favorable quote.

 

In order to get classic car insurance in Federal Way, WA, your car has to qualify. Since classic cars appreciate instead of depreciate, classic car insurance is a bit different.

To qualify for this coverage, your car must meet one of these definitions. A classic car is 10 to 24 years old and also has a historic interest, such as being a muscle car or hot rod. Your car can also be considered an antique, which is more than 25 years old and has historic interest. Even if it’s a classic car but is more than 25 years old, it’s an antique for insurance purposes. You may find different definitions of antique but it only matters for insurance purposes. If you are unsure if your vehicle qualifies then contact an agent at Hart Insurance.

Your vehicle may not qualify if it’s a daily-use vehicle, it’s a commercial-use vehicle, it’s an off-road or recreational vehicle, or it’s a motorcycle with performance modifications.

There must be other conditions for your classic or antique car in Federal Way, WA. The vehicle will need to be used on a limited basis. The car will usually need to be restored, maintained, or preserved in the original condition or you must be undergoing restoration. You may be denied classic car insurance if the vehicle isn’t in excellent condition. You are also going to be required to store your car within an enclosed building in a safe space. These enclosed buildings include car condos, storage units, or private garages. Depending on the storage type, driveways, parking garages, or carports may be considered. Insurance may only be given to you as the driver if you haven’t had an infraction within the last three years. These infractions can include speed violations, reckless driving, or alcohol-related offenses.

Contact Hart Insurance to get a quote on classic car insurance. 

With winter fast approaching, you’re probably making plans to store your RV until the snow thaws and you can hit the road again next spring. Even in storage, however, your RV needs insurance protection to keep it safe from the unexpected. Rather than paying for full insurance protection during winter or canceling your policy, consider what off-season RV insurance coverage from Hart Insurance in Federal Way, WA has to offer. Here are a few good reasons to maintain off-season RV insurance for your valuable RV investment.

Theft or Vandalism

There’s always the risk of your RV being broken into, stolen or vandalized while in storage. Without insurance coverage, you could suffer a substantial loss. Rather than canceling your policy altogether, you can alter your RV coverage to maintain property protection against such perils as theft, vandalism, fire, storm damage or another unforeseen disaster. You’ll have greater peace of mind that your vehicle is protected from harm with this coverage.

Liability

When on the road, you need high liability coverage to protect you against serious accidents. During the off-season, however, you can save money by lowering liability to minimum limits. This way you’ll still have some protection without having to pay full premium prices.

Discounts

By maintaining some RV insurance year-round, you could qualify for a discount on your policy. This can offset the cost of protecting your vehicle during the off-season. If the weather clears before spring and you get the opportunity to use your RV for a special occasion, you’ll have coverage in place for the day or weekend without having to scramble to reinstate your policy. Off-season RV insurance offers a viable solution to protecting your RV during winter and saving money on your policy.

To learn more about off-season RV insurance protection, contact Hart Insurance in Federal Way, WA today.

Boat ownership can be a great way to add some adventure and fun into your life. Making sure that your boat is properly insured will help the fun last even longer. Here at Hart Insurance, we want to make sure that you understand boating insurance and how it applies to you in Federal Way, WA and surrounding areas. Here are a few things you should keep in mind when considering boat insurance. 

Your Homeowner’s Policy Isn’t Enough

Many boat owners are under the impression that their homeowner’s insurance will cover their boat. This is often not the case. Homeowner’s insurance will cover a boat that is housed on your property, but usually, this is only for small boats with no engine or very small engines. Larger, more expensive boats most definitely need their own policy. 

How Is Boat Insurance Different?

Boat insurance is different from home and auto insurance in a few ways and similar in many ways. The similarities lie in the fact that boat insurance will cover liability in case someone is injured on your boat, and it will provide comprehensive coverage in the event that the boat is damaged or stolen. One nice difference in boat insurance, though, is that you have the option of deferring coverage for time periods in which the boat is not being used. This is very handy and can save you money since most people only use their boats some of the time. 

You should keep in mind that some policies cite that when the boat is out of the water it is no longer covered under the boat insurance policy. If the boat is attached to your car it might be covered under your car insurance. If it is housed at your home, it would be covered, to some degree, under your homeowner’s policy. Be sure to discuss these details in depth with a trained insurance specialist at Hart Insurance now serving Federal Way, WA and surrounding areas. 

Do you have enough coverage with your current commercial insurance? If you’re worried that your Federal Way, WA business would suffer in case of a true emergency, maybe an umbrella insurance policy is just the kind of additional coverage you need.

Insurance providers like Hart Insurance offer extra protection for your business. Read on to learn how umbrella insurance can be of use to you where your business is concerned.

What Commercial Umbrella Insurance Covers

It’s important to distinguish personal umbrella insurance from that which is meant specifically for commercial coverage. While a personal umbrella policy can cover any assets outside of your business, you need a commercial policy to ensure any aspect of your business.

Commercial umbrella coverage can extend the limits of your general liability, employer’s liability, and commercial auto insurance policies. That is to say, if you have these underlying policies, and your needs exceed their payout limit, a commercial umbrella policy can kick in.

Since liability lawsuits and worker’s compensation cases can be costly on your business, an umbrella is necessary for the protection of your assets.

What Umbrella Insurance Won’t Cover

Umbrella coverage can only protect some aspects of your business. It cannot supplement certain types of policies.

For instance, if you have professional liability insurance (such as malpractice insurance for doctors), you can’t use an umbrella policy to supplement it.

Also, you cannot use umbrella insurance to supplement a commercial property claim. So in other words, if your place of business was broken into, your umbrella insurance cannot supplement your commercial property liability policy.

Keep In Mind

You should remember that commercial umbrella insurance is only a type of supplementary coverage. As great as it is in general, it cannot protect your business on its own. For instance, you can’t use an umbrella policy to pay out in a general liability claim if you don’t have general liability insurance in the first place.

Simply put, umbrella insurance expands your coverage, rather than offering you primary coverage outright.

Ready For Additional Protection?

Your business is a valuable asset. Contact Hart Insurance to explore how umbrella insurance can expand and protect it. We are happy to answer any questions or give you a quote based on your Federal Way, WA business and its supplementary needs.

There are many myths out there about pet insurance, that cause pet owners not to purchase it. The decision to go without pet insurance can leave owners facing large medical bills they cannot afford. If you would like to learn more about pet insurance and live in the Federal Way, WA, area reaches out to a specialist at Hart Insurance today. 

Myth 1: My pet is young so it does not need insurance.

So many new pet owners end up paying thousands in out-of-pocket expenses because they believe young pets do not need insurance; however,  this could not be further from the truth. Young pets often have more frequent and costly claims as they tend to eat objects that harm them as well as run around and jump off furniture causing injuries. In addition, enrolling your pet early will make it less likely that they develop a condition that would be considered an uncovered pre-existing condition if you try to insure them later in life. 

Myth 2: The claims process is too burdensome. 

Many people avoid pet insurance because they have heard the claims process involves a lot of paperwork. The fact of the matter is that many pet insurers have moved to automated online claim submission systems. It is important before you purchase your policy to speak with your agent at Hart Insurance to make sure the insurer you choose has a claim process that works for you. 

Myth 3: I have some extra money set aside for pet emergencies. 

Many people have a small fund set aside for their pets health needs. However, pet owners do not realize how quickly the bills can add up after a few surgeries. Or if your pet develops a lifetime condition that needs to be managed, the extra savings can quickly be depleted and owners find themselves going into debt to care for the pet. 

If you are a pet owner living in the Federal Way, WA area and would like to learn more about insuring your pet, please call to set up an appointment today.

 

 

Owning and driving a car on a daily basis is a necessity for many people in the Federal Way, WA area. While most people need some form of car, there are car lovers that choose to invest in classic cars. Not only can these be a good mode of transportation, but they are also a collector’s item that can appreciate in value. If you do own a classic car, you will want to make sure that it is properly covered by classic car insurance. 

Liability Coverage

When most people think of classic cars they envision old cars sitting in a garage or showroom. While they may not be driven as much as other cars, those that have a classic car still need to make sure that they have the right type and level of liability insurance protection. With classic car insurance, you will need to the same liability coverage as you would need with any other type of car that you take out on the open road.

Property Coverage

With a classic car insurance policy, you will need to spend time carefully considering the amount of coverage you have for a loss. Since a classic car can be harder to define in value, it is important to work to get the right level of coverage. Otherwise, you may not have enough coverage if your car is stolen or damaged. 

If you have a classic car and want to keep it safe and protected, having classic car insurance is clearly a necessity. For those that are in the Federal Way, WA area, contacting the Hart Insurance company will be very beneficial. The Hart Insurance Company excels in helping people to get into a classic car insurance policy that protects their prized possession and gives all coverage necessary. 

From a safety standpoint, your brakes are likely the most important part of your vehicle. Sudden brake failure while on the road can result in a catastrophic accident that can cause thousands of dollars in damage and possible horrific injuries and even death to you or your passengers. How can you tell if your brakes need repairing? Hart Insurance, serving Federal Way, WA is pleased to explain.

Clearly, if your check brake light comes on brake failure is likely imminent. The safest thing to do in that case is to pull over to the side of the road and call an auto club like AAA to give you a tow to the nearest service center.

Noises that occur when you brake are also a sign of brake trouble. A grinding noise, for instance, is a sign of worn brake pads. You might also have low brake fluid. If your vehicle pulls to one side when you brake, you may have a stuck caliper. The caliber is the part of your brake assembly to which the brake pad is attached.

Warped rotors can cause unusual vibrations when you brake. Brake rotors are the part that your brake pads clamp down on when you apply the brake.

If you brake pedal goes all the way to the floor before your vehicle begins to slow down, you likely have a problem with the brake line, such as a leak.

If any of these situations occur, you need to take your vehicle in to have the brakes repaired as soon as possible. One way to prevent brake problems on the road is to have them checked during scheduled maintenance.

For any questions concerning auto insurance, feel free to contact Hart Insurance, serving Federal Way, WA.