Frequently Asked Questions

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Technically, no. Depending on your policy and the pay plan you select, you may be able to make a payment late without danger of lapse. Remember, every insurance transaction is time-stamped and dated – in order to avoid cancellation, your payments must be posted by 12:01am (often confused with “mid-night”) on the due date. Always ask, rather than assume. Call your agent for advice on your payment situation.

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Teens are automatically insured under your policy while they are learning to drive – as long as they are following the rules of their permit. Once they have qualified for their driver’s license and permitted to drive alone, they should be added to your policy. The rates will be much more affordable if they are driving a vehicle that does not require collision and/or comprehensive. Those coverages are affected more substantially by young drivers. Don’t forget to ask about discounts for teen driver programs and good grades!

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The state requires limits of 20,000/40,000, but by today’s standards, that could be too low. If you or someone driving your vehicle causes an accident and is found liable for damages, you could be forced to liquidate assets in order to satisfy a judgment amount above the limits of liability on your policy. We usually recommend limits of 100,000 or above as adequate protection.

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Not usually. A replacement cost policy guarantees to “re-build” your home, with all new materials, in the event of a covered loss. The dollar amount needed to rebuild is usually not the same as the market value. For example, we don’t need to “re-build” your land, so you don’t insure it - yet the value of your land and your location affect your market value.

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That depends on what caused the water damage. Flooding (ground water seeping through your foundation) is never covered by homeowners insurance. You need to purchase a flood policy for that if you are located in a flood zone. Damage from water that backs up through sewers or drains or from your sump pump is covered if you have “water back-up” coverage on your policy – make sure you ask. Damage from other water sources – appliances, water pipes, etc. may or may not be covered depending on why the damage occurred. Keep in mind – insurance coverage is intended to cover “sudden & accidental” damage. Damage that occurs over a long period of time or “warranty” type incidents are not going to fall under the criteria of a covered loss.

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Your homeowner policy would cover items like your jewelry, furs & other valuables depending on the type of loss and the value of the item. Most policies have some built-in limits for certain types of personal property. You should check with your agent to see if you have adequate coverage or if you should consider adding a rider for one or more of your valuables.