Category: Insurance

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.

 

What is an RV?

A recreational vehicle or RV is a class of vehicle used for recreational activities. This can include trailers, campers, and motorhomes. There are three classes. Class A are vehicles up to 75-feet long similar to a luxury bus or motor coach. Class B vehicles are camper vans and travel trailers. Class C vehicles have an extended camper over the driving cab.

Finding the right insurance to go with your specific RV is what the Hart Insurance agents in Federal Way, WA do. Contact them for additional information to have your RV insured.

What Does RV Insurance Cover?

• Collision – helps pay to repair or replace your vehicle regardless of who is at fault in an accident.

• Comprehensive – if your RV is involved in an incident that causes damage to the vehicle, but it has not been in an accident, comprehensive insurance will cover it. For example, if your RV is damaged by vandalism, fire, or theft, you’ll be covered.

Liability Insurance Coverage

• Bodily injury – if you cause injuries to someone and they have medical bills as a result, you would have to pay the bills. With bodily liability coverage, your insurance would take over.

• Property damage – if you are deemed to be at fault when there is an accident involving your RV, you could be protected from paying out large amounts of money out-of-pocket.

• Lawsuits – if you are sued by a driver from an accident you caused, the cost for legal expenses could be covered.

Enjoy your time in your RV while you travel around the world. It will be easier than you think once you have the right kind of insurance coverage. Call the independent insurance agents in Federal Way, WA at Hart Insurance to get you started with your RV insurance coverage.

For people in the Federal Way, WA area, nothing is quite as nice as spending an afternoon on their very own boat. When you own a boat, you can have many great experiences, but also need to make sure that you are properly protecting your asset. One of the best ways to do this today is through a boat insurance policy. If you do not have boat insurance, a number of different things could occur. 

No Coverage for Losses

One of the biggest issues with not having boat insurance is that you will not receive any coverage for losses that you incur. When you have a boat insurance policy, you will receive coverage for a variety of losses including theft, boat accident damage, weather damage, or even vandalism. Since replacing or repairing a boat can be very expensive, having this type of coverage in place could prove to be quite advantageous. 

Lack of Liability Protection

An added benefit of having boat insurance is that you will receive liability protection. While boating is a generally safe activity, mistakes and accidents do happen from time to time. If you are at fault during one of these accidents, you could be held liable. Since the costs of a liability lawsuit and judgment can be significant, it is important that you have boat insurance in place to protect you from liability. 

If you have a boat in the Federal Way, WA area, it is very important that you keep it properly covered by insurance. When you are shopping for a new boat insurance policy, you should contact the team at Hart Insurance. The professionals at Hart Insurance are aware of the importance of carrying boat insurance and can ensure that you have the right coverage for your situation. 

Certainly, everyone has different needs when it comes to insurance. But you don’t want to find out when it’s too late that a certain kind of policy could have prevented a disaster in your life. 

Insurance is about protecting yourself based on the individual risks you face. If you live in Federal Way, WA, you probably have basic insurance for where you live and for your automobile through Hart Insurance. Most people don’t think twice about the limits on their policies, because even the minimum sounds like a lot.

A $1 Million Umbrella Policy Could Actually Benefit Almost Anyone

You might be thinking that you don’t own $1 million worth of assets, even if you pooled everything together and auctioned it off to the highest bidders. But if you end up on the wrong end of a lawsuit, whoever wins against you can get more than that.

As long as you still have the potential to earn money, you may end up being required to pay a very large judgment until it is paid off. You may be able to file bankruptcy at some point or discharge the judgment through another means, but that would mean destroying your own credit in order to get ours from under the judgment. A judgment can get large quickly, especially when there are not just damages but legal fees attached.

An Umbrella Policy Is Surprisingly Affordable

Your umbrella policy will not kick in until your other policies are exhausted. Because of that, umbrella policies are surprisingly inexpensive. You can get a large amount of coverage for a comparatively small amount of money.

If you are in Federal Way, WA and are considering whether you have enough protection, don’t hesitate to call Hart Insurance for a free quote.

Whether your pet enjoys the winter or they would rather curl up under a cozy blanket, the cold Federal Way, WA winters can be as rough on pets as it is on humans. When it comes to your pets, winter can be a dangerous time of the year. Here are three tips to keep your pet safe and healthy this winter.

Visit the Vet

It is especially important to take your pet to the vet for a checkup before the cold sets in. Having an exam before the temperatures drop will ensure your pet is healthy as well as give you an opportunity to talk with the vet about health and safety precautions for your pet during the winter, especially senior pets. At the same time, you schedule the vet appointment, be sure to contact Hart Insurance to update your pet insurance.

Avoid Long Exposure to the Cold

You’ll have to take your dog out for daily exercise and to use the bathroom, but it is important to not leave them exposed to the cold for long periods of time. Just like humans, exposure to freezing temperatures can lead to hyperthermia in pets as well. Be sure to cover your pet’s pads with socks to protect them from the ice and salt and if possible consider putting a sweater on your pet before going outside.

Protect Against Harmful Chemicals

With winter comes a higher risk of coming in contact with harmful toxins, including antifreeze. Be sure to keep pets off the driveway and out of the garage where there may be spots of antifreeze and/or other chemicals that may be fatal for your pet. A good tip to protect their paws from salt and ice melt products on the sidewalks is to apply petroleum jelly on their paws before going out. If you suspect your pet may have ingested harmful toxins, such as antifreeze, it is important to seek emergency treatment for the vet.

Pets need protection from extreme temperatures, which includes providing them with a warm, dry and draft-free shelter, plenty of food and a lot of clean water. Be sure to take precautions any time the temperature drops below freezing and keep in mind that if it’s too cold for you to go out, it’s probably too cold for your pet as well.

Residents of Federal Way, WA interested in learning more information about pet insurance should contact Hart Insurance.

Business owners in Federal Way, WA should review their commercial insurance coverage once every few years or if major changes occur in the size of their business or if equipment has recently been upgraded. The agents at Hart Insurance understand that businesses change over time and that reviewing a commercial policy is necessary to prevent financial loss. 

Unexpected Growth

Unexpected growth in terms of increased inventory and production can indicate that a review of your current commercial policy is needed to maintain financial security. A review may show areas where too much coverage is costly, while not enough coverage could lead to heavy financial losses if an event were to occur that made it impossible to maintain normal operations. An increase in orders due to new equipment or the introduction of a new product is also a sign of growth that should be evaluated.

Equipment and Assets

Replacing old equipment that is outdated or no longer works properly means an insurance review is necessary. New equipment is an investment in the business that needs to be protected. An increase in inventory or the materials that are needed for production are assets that can be extremely expensive to replace. Protecting them with the right type of insurance is essential.

Reviewing your commercial insurance policy should be considered if you have recently updated your equipment or experienced any type of growth. The agents at Hart Insurance are available to help business owners in the Federal Way, WA area go over their existing policies to determine if they are sufficient to protect their business from financial loss. Call and schedule your commercial insurance evaluation today!