Month: March 2017

What You Didn’t Know About Small Business Insurance

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

Business insurance has some hidden features which you may not have known existed.

Business insurance can protect your business and assets from covered damages. And aside from that, you may think of your policy as a rather dull piece of paper. But there may be a few surprises that your business insurance policy has up its sleeve. Here are a few things you likely didn’t know about small business insurance.

  1. Product Liability Protection for Spontaneous Products
    Whether your business sells shoes, toys, electronics, or baked goods, your business is liable for the physical injuries your products may cause. Liability complaints also have a possibility of arising from:
    • Design defect
    • Defective or lack of warning/instruction
    • Production flaw
  2. Cyber Liability for Data Breaches
    Businesses, large and small, all have a risk of being hacked. Cyber threats continue to grow, so it is smart to invest in cyber liability insurance.
    • First-party coverage: This can help pay for things like an investigation, notifying those customers affected, PR, and the crisis management after such an event.
    • Third-party coverage: This covers the legal costs if your business is sued by a customer whose information was stolen.
  3. Business Interruption for Closed Doors
    If there’s construction outside your business, your business may not receive the foot traffic it’s used to and may force you to shut your door. Business interruption can help you make up for these lost wages.

Your business insurance can cover your business, but it can also cover these aspects about which you may not have known. Business insurance can give you the peace of mind that you deserve when it comes to the covered damages. Contact the experts at Stromsoe Insurance Agency for all of your commercial insurance coverage needs.

What Every Californian Should Know About Earthquake Insurance

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

Earthquakes are catastrophic events that can destroy property and leave many injured–here is what you need to know about earthquake insurance.

How earthquakes occur. 

The surface of the earth is made up of giant land masses called tectonic plates which rest on top of the planet’s crust. Due to the convection currents of the mantle, these plates move slowly across the surface and rub up against each other. When two or more plates collide or separate, it creates vast amounts of energy, which propagates through the land. We feel this effect as an earthquake.

What homeowners insurance does not cover. 

Homeowners insurance does not cover earthquake-related damages. If your home is destroyed or damaged by an earthquake and you do not have earthquake insurance, you are likely going to have to pay out-of-pocket.
All policies have exclusions, and earthquake insurance is no exception. It does not cover damage to vehicles, the land around a home, or anything covered by a homeowners insurance policy.

What earthquake insurance covers.

Finding an earthquake insurance that is right for you depends on a few variables. What are these variables? One is the total cost it will take to completely rebuild your home and replace some of your belongings. It can cover things like furniture, musical instruments, clothing, medicine, and food. It also depends on the location of your home, and that region’s risk for earthquake damage.
With the addition of “Loss of Use Coverage,” you may be eligible to receive $100,000 in coverage without paying a deductible.

The proper earthquake insurance policy will ensure that your home is protected against the trembling crust of the earth. Contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency for all of your insurance needs today!

February 2017 Teammate Of The Month

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

Congratulations to our awesome teammate Crystal Pritchett!

Crystal has been awarded February 2017 Teammate of the Month for consistently going the extra mile for our incredible clients and our team.  We could not be more grateful and honored to have Crystal on our team!

If one of our team members has made your experience with our agency extraordinary or gone the extra mile for you and you would like to nominate them, please email Shannon Freeman at [email protected] today.

 

Your Boat Inspection Checklist

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

Before you make the final purchase of that boat you have had your eye on for some time now, make sure that you look over it to make sure it is not inoperable and flawed. 

Boat insurance can help financially protect your boat from any covered incidents, but you must first check to see that there are no impending disasters. Here is your boat inspection checklist.

  1. A quick inspection.
    Are there any unusual stress patterns that you see on the stem, chines, and strakes? These are the portions of your boat that will take the majority of the impacts.
  2. Remove outboard cowling.
    Look for any signs of leakage. If you look past the head gasket and see a dry white residue, it should raise red flags.
  3. Inspect the wiring.
    Wiring that has shrink-sealed butt connectors are a good sign. Bare wires and wires connected using electrical tape is disastrous and may lead to future issues.
  4. Open the hatches.
    When you open the hatches and inspect inside, there are there two things you don’t want your senses to pick up: the smell of ethanol (gas), or the sight of standing water.
  5. Check all fluids.
    The fluids determine how efficient your boat could be. If the fluids are leaking or corroding the engine, you should consider another boat.
  6. Feel the upholstery. 
    The upholstery should be as dry as bone. If you inspect the upholstery and find that it is damp and moist, it is most likely teeming with mold and all sorts of nasty algal growth.

When it comes to the longevity of your boat, a proper inspection can find discrepancies. To protect it from the risks of the open sea, a boat insurance policy can give you the peace of mind that you deserve. Contact the experts at Stromsoe Insurance Agency for all of your commercial insurance coverage needs.

Your Guide to Spring Cleaning

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

Spring marks a time in which most people get serious about cleaning for one day and participate in spring cleaning. 

The earth has come to a point in its orbit where the days get longer and warmer, and for many people across the nation, that means it’s time to clean! Spring cleaning is a day in which millions of Americans put on their latex gloves, cleaning apron, and an old shirt they got at a work event which is now dedicated to getting dirty, and meticulously clean their home. Here is your guide to spring cleaning.

  1. Ceiling fixtures. 
    Fixtures such as ceiling fans or lights collect dust and we normally forget to check these overhead. Take this time to dust these fixtures with a cloth or a vacuum with a brush nozzle.
  2. Walls.
    You may think that dust only covers horizontal surfaces, but you’d be wrong. A close look at a wall and we see that they are not perfectly smooth, they have ridges and crevices to which dust can attach. Dust also carries a charge and can stick statically to walls. Wash away the dust with a sponge and some dish soap.
  3. Floors.
    You can protect your floors from another year of wear and tear with the proper finishing. Use a floor cleaner that both cleans and shines to give your floor the preservation it needs.
  4. Fridge.
    Food spoils and leaves behind a foul odor. Take the time to remove everything in your fridge and give it a good wipe-down with soap and water. (You don’t want to use any tough cleaning chemicals as you run the risk of contaminating your food.)

A proper home insurance policy will ensure that your home is protected against covered damages. Contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency for all of your insurance needs today!