Courtesy of iii.org You may have read the recent story featured in the I.I.I. Daily about raccoon damage and homeowners insurance. The gist: raccoons got into a house and caused $80,000 worth of damage. The homeowners were surprised to learn that their insurance wouldn’t cover any of it. So what’s the deal with animal damage and insurance? Homeowners insurance Let’s start with the easy stuff. If your dog Fido rips through your couch or pees all over the wall, you’re out of luck. Standard homeowners policies won’t cover any damage to your house or personal property caused by a pet. And”pet” is a pretty broad term. Doesn’t matter if it’s a Shih Tzu or a Clydesdale horse, pets are any animal you own. What about animals that aren’t pets, like deer or birds or – God forbid – rats? That’s where things get interesting. Building damage: You probably aren’t covered for any damage to the building caused by birds, rodents, insects, or vermin. There also probably won’t be …
Family & Business Liability Insurance-Need to Know
Courtesy of iii.org One might think that family-owned and operated businesses would be relatively immune from employee lawsuits, but that's not the case according to a recent Gen Re article. The reasons family-owned businesses get sued include: most family owned businesses employ at least one non-relative; the non-relative is likely to be first to be fired when the business is struggling; and family members are reluctant to discipline each other for bad workplace behavior, especially if the family patriarch is the one misbehaving. The article gives several examples of lawsuits against family businesses and the awards paid out, concluding that a family-owned business would benefit from including employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) as a part of its insurance package. According to GenRe: These workplace scenarios and settlement amounts mirror those we see for all businesses. Discrimination and sexual harassment - as well as wrongful termination, violations of …
Looking to Lower Your Car Insurance?
Courtesy of iii.org One of the best ways to keep your auto insurance costs down is to have a good driving record. Listed below are other things you can do to lower your insurance costs. 1. Shop around Prices vary from company to company, so it pays to shop around. Get at least three price quotes. You can call companies directly or access information on the Internet. Your state insurance department may also provide comparisons of prices charged by major insurers. You buy insurance to protect you financially and provide peace of mind. It’s important to pick a company that is financially stable. Check the financial health of insurance companies with rating companies such as A.M. Best (www.ambest.com) and Standard & Poor’s (www.standardandpoors.com/ratings) and consult consumer magazines. Get quotes from different types of insurance companies. Some sell through their own agents. These agencies have the same name as the insurance company. Some sell through independent agents …