Shield Insurance Agency Blog

Welcome to the Shield Insurance Agency Blog. 

Here you will find a ton of articles on each of these topics: Auto Insurance, Boat/Watercraft Insurance, Business Insurance, Flood Insurance, Health Insurance, Home Insurance, Insurance, Life Insurance, Michigan Auto Insurance Reform, Recreational Insurance, Renters Insurance, RV Insurance, Things To Do At Home, Umbrella Insurance, and even a list of the Shield Agency Weekly Gift Card Winners,

If you have any suggestions for content, please drop us an email.

Ways To Keep Your Auto Insurance Premium Down

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Shield Insurance Blog | Auto Insurance Premium | Start a Quote Today!

Auto Insurance is something we must all have and how much we pay is different from person to person. Although we each pay something different there are ways to help keep your premium lower.

Here are a few examples:

Control your speed- every speeding ticket you get raises your insurance rates. Never drink and drive- getting a ticket for drinking and driving will greatly increase your premium. For many companies, it affects your premium longer than a normal speeding ticket and some companies may not even accept your policy.

Take advantage of discounts- Most companies offer discounts for different things. Using email, shopping at Spartan stores, having home and auto together, multiple cars, and being claims-free are just a few examples of discounts.

Talk to your agent to see if you qualify for any discounts. Double-check your coverage- Make sure the coverage you have fits your vehicle. For example, if you have a really old car with full coverage maybe look at increasing the deductibles or removing the full coverage altogether.

These are just a few examples of steps you can take to help save money on your auto insurance premium.

Auto Insurance Premium

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How Much Vehicle Coverage Do You Really Need?

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Shield Insurance Blog | Vehicle Coverage | Auto Insurance | Start A Quote Today

This is a question that I have been asked often and while I can list all the amazing coverages offered to you, the answer really depends on your personal needs and assets.

Let’s start with PLPD coverage only. As most people know, PLPD (Personal Liability, Property Damage) is the minimum coverage needed to drive your vehicle on the road legally.  Yet, what a lot of people don’t realize is that PLPD has so many different coverage options on its own.

The dreaded state minimum requirement for Bodily Injury Liability Limits is $20,000 per person up to $40,000 per accident.

If someone else were to be injured in an auto accident that was your fault (or worse, a whole family with multiple kids), that is the coverage you have to offer. That doesn’t mean that the injured person can stop suing you for money after $20,000 or $40,000, it just means that you are on your own to pay anything over that. So you could be paying tens to hundreds of thousands out of your own pocket!

The saddest thing about this incredibly LOW coverage is that better coverage is CHEAP!!! I have seen someone with 1 vehicle & 1 driver have the state minimum and to upgrade to $100,000 per person up to $300,000 per accident was only $25 more for a whole 6-month policy. That’s less than $5 extra a month for more than QUADRUPLE the coverage!

Vehicle Coverage

Then there’s Full Coverage, which means comprehensive (~acts of God coverage) and collision coverage added to PLPD. This is where it all depends on where you are at financially and what your vehicle is worth.

My husband and I do not have loans on our vehicles. Mine is an old beater van that isn’t worth much.  According to Kelley Blue Book, (www.kbb.com) the actual cash value is only $1,500.  Based on this, it wasn’t worth paying the higher premium for full coverage when that is all the money I would get if it was a total loss in an accident.

Now, my husband’s truck, on the other hand, is worth closer to $6000 actual cash value, and if that truck were to be totaled tomorrow, I would not have a spare $6000 to throw at another vehicle. If I did have enough cash handy to purchase a new/used vehicle tomorrow, I would take off the full coverage (but I don’t) so that truck will stay on full coverage until I do.

It was worth my time and effort to figure out what our vehicles were worth, that way I am insured correctly and not paying more premium than I should!

submitted by Melissa

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Insurance for your Home-Based Business – To Have or Not to Have?

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Shield Insurance Blog | Home-Based Business | Business Insurance | Start A Quote

Having a home-based business is a booming trend these days.  Who wouldn’t want to work from home (in their slippers if they want), be their own boss, and avoid the traffic and corporate office hassles?  Just a couple of examples are Pampered Chef, Tastefully Simple, Lu-La-Roe, Photography, Real Estate Sales and so many more. Most home-based business owners have homeowners insurance and assume they are completely covered for whatever goes on inside their homes.  This could not be more wrong!  It is important to talk to your insurance agent about what actually is covered & what is excluded since most business exposures in the home/on-premises are excluded.  Also, operating your business from home without telling your insurance company could also void your entire homeowner’s insurance policy and result in a claim being denied. So how will you know if you need a separate insurance policy for your business?  Answer these questions and talk to your agent:

  • Do I have clients come to my home?
  • Do I keep inventory or supplies in my home or in an off-site location?
  • Do I have client or employee records on my computer?
  • If I had to close my business due to damage to my home would I lose income?

Having the right coverage for these and many more scenarios is key to a successful and financially responsible business.  Why leave yourself financially responsible for lawsuits or issues related to data loss? There are so many options available for the right coverage for your small business!  Give us a call and talk to one of our commercial experts today & protect your investment!

-Tammy

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Why You Should Buy Term Life Insurance

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This Blog is about life insurance. I honestly don’t understand why people don’t buy more term life insurance. It’s so dang cheap!!! And so so smart!! And for the people that have life insurance through their employer, I can guarantee you that it’s not nearly enough!!!

Some people do get more voluntary life insurance through their employer which is sometimes portable, but most employers don’t offer that and even if they do, most employees don’t buy it!

So if you have a policy through your employer and you get sick and lose your job, then what? Well, you can’t buy a different policy since you’re sick, so you’re just outta luck!

I keep hearing stories of people dying and their family having to scrounge money together for a cheap funeral… can’t afford even an obituary…. can’t even rent a casket…. stories like that…. C’mon, man! Take better care of the ones you love!!! That doesn’t even address lost wages or other future financial plans that are now demolished…. Take care of your loved ones!!

This stuff costs SO little! And the younger and healthier you are, the cheaper it is. So your best bet is to get a policy that lasts 30 years while you’re in your 20’s. How much coverage should you purchase? Well, Dave Ramsey says to get a policy for about 10 times what you earn in a year, but for most people, that just seems like too much! Most people end up getting $250 or $500K. If a healthy 25-year-old guy buys a $250K plan that lasts for 30 years, it could cost as low as $18 a month or $215/year with that price locked in for the whole 30 years. That’s so cheap for great peace of mind!!

So buy this stuff… take care of your loved ones!!!

Thanks and have a great, SAFE day!

Andy

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O’ Christmas Tree Don’t Burn Down On Me!

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‘Tis the season, the busy Christmas season. All of us are busy decorating our homes, buying gifts, and preparing to spend time with family and friends.

For some of us, myself included, decorating our homes for the Christmas season is a longstanding tradition. Based on data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), an estimated 240 home fires involving Christmas trees and another 150 home fires involving holiday lights and other decorative lighting occur each year. Together, these fires result in 21 deaths and $25.2 million in direct property damage.

Here are some tips to protect your Christmas Tree:

  • Keep the tree watered
  • Choose a freshly cut tree. You can tell if the tree has been cut for a long time by bouncing the trunk on the ground. If needles fall off the tree, it’s been sitting too long and will be a fire hazard.
  • Do not place your tree near a heat register or heat source like a fireplace.
  • Do not block doorways or exits.
  • Turn the lights off when you leave or go to bed.
  • Test the lights to be sure they are all working to prevent and electrical short.
  • Do not overload your electrical outlets.
  • Do not connect more than 3 strands of lights together, unless the package says that it is safe.
  • If you have an artificial tree, choose one that is fire resistant. This may not always mean the tree can not catch fire, but if it does, it will be more easily extinguished.

Taking just a few extra steps and precautions will help protect your home and family this time of year. We hope that you all have a safe and blessed Christmas Season!

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Halloween Safety

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If a survey asked what the most celebrated holiday in the fall season is, the answer would most likely be Halloween. Every year on this day, kids dress up in the most unimaginable characters walking around town with their parents getting candy from decorated houses, attending Halloween parties, or meeting up and going through haunted houses or haunted corn mazes.

If your house is one of the “popular” houses to go to, you’ll want to make sure your house and yard are safe and hospitable for Halloween. Before trick or treaters come to your doorstep take the necessary precautions to decrease your chances of having an unfortunate accident happen.

The following list are some pointers in making sure your house is a harmless place for kids and parents!

Clean up for Halloween Safety.

As much as we would like kids to just walk on the sidewalk and not all over our yard, that is not going to happen on Halloween! Make sure to clean up your entire yard free of debris such as tools and toys. Even take precautions against natural elements such as tree roots, plants, and gaps in your sidewalk, put yard light on, and block off hazardous areas.

Watch out for pets.

Most owners know if their pets are friendly or if they do NOT invite strangers close to their homes. If you are going to offer goodies to trick or treaters, make sure you have your pet in a secure place in your home. You would not want your dog or cat to get loose and bite a little kid or parent-even if they are just thinking they’re protecting you.

Be respectful.

Parents and kids should treat the houses they go to, as they would want their home to be treated. It’s easy to get caught up in the “Halloween” mood and want to celebrate this holiday with tricks and pranks. Just remember, vandalism is a crime. Plus, you wouldn’t want other people to be harmed by your mischief.

At Shield Insurance Agency, we hope you have a safe but enjoyable Halloween, with no tricks and lots of treats!

Let Halloween Safety be your number one priority!

Visit our Shield Agency Blog for some more great Halloween Articles!

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Halloween Driving Tips For Safety

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Halloween Driving Tips

At a glance: Help protect trick-or-treaters by following these Halloween driving tips, or on the night your community hosts Halloween activities.

Be especially careful between 4 and 8 p.m., when most severe vehicle/young pedestrian collisions happen.

  • Drive slowly, and don’t pass stopped vehicles. The driver might be dropping off children.
  • Park your mobile phone. Avoid distractions by waiting until you’ve stopped to call, text, or surf.
  • Watch for children darting into the street. Kids can cross the street anywhere, and most young pedestrian deaths happen at spots other than intersections.
  • Yield to young pedestrians. Children might not stop, either because they don’t see your vehicle approaching or don’t know how to safely cross the street.
  • Communicate with other drivers. Always use your turn signals. And if you have to pull over to drop off or pick up your kids, turn on your hazard lights.

And, to keep your own trick-or-treaters safe on Halloween:

Teach them how to safely cross streets. They should look both ways and cross only at corners and crosswalks.

Consider indoor community Halloween programs for younger kids. Some communities also offer to help you inspect your kids’ treats to make sure they’re safe to eat.

Brighten them up. Give them flashlights and glow sticks, and/or use reflective tape on their costumes, so drivers can see them.

BROUGHT to you by PROGRESSIVE

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“Fall” Into The Season and Fix Up The House

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Shield Insurance Blog | Fix Up The House | Home Insurance

Here are a few things that we should be thinking about, with the snow right around the corner, to help you fix up the house.

Gutters: If they are filled with leaves and debris, the backed-up water will begin seeping into your home if it has nowhere to go. It’s recommended that we always clean them out every fall and spring. 

Tree Limbs: Make sure that all tree limbs are trimmed higher and away from the home or power lines, when they get covered with snow they will become very heavy and will break and could cause damages.

Windows:  Clean, store, and replace the screens with storm windows, this will make a huge difference when it comes to your heating bill for the season.

Ceiling Fans:  Hot air rises, so if your ceiling fans are able to have their rotation reversed, be sure to do so to help bring that warmer air back down toward you. It could help you save money on heating costs by not wasting the hot air at the ceiling. 

Smoke & CO2 detectors: Be sure to change out your batteries, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. 

Heater Filter: Change out your heater filter, this should be done every 90 days without pets and every 60 days with pets. 

Outdoor furniture: Clean it and store it away so it doesn’t get wrecked from the winter elements.

Faucets & Hoses:  Drain all garden hoses and disconnect the outside spigots. Shut off all exterior faucets. Store everything in a dry place. 

Also, remember any liquids that you may have that are in your shed or garage may freeze, be sure to find a home for them in a cool dry place that isn’t in the frigid temperatures. 

I know that these are only a few of the tasks that we have to do before winter, to fix up the house, but I hope this helps get you started on the right foot. 

I hope you have

Have a wonderful Autumn season. 

Dawn

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If In An Auto Accident: Who ya gonna call? Where ya gonna tow?

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Auto Accident | Shield Insurance Agency Blog | Start A Quote Today!

What would you do?

Have you ever thought about who you want to fix your car and who you want to tow it if you were in an auto accident?

77% of auto accidents occur within 15 miles of your house.  So, it would be a good idea to figure out who you want working on your vehicle before the accident happens instead of trying to figure it out while on the side of the road.  If you have full coverage, many insurance companies will have a preferred vendor list. However, you’re going to have the freedom to choose any reputable repair shop.

This is especially important if you don’t have full coverage and/or no towing coverage.  You wouldn’t want to pay for your broken car towed home then end up with another bill to tow it to a repair shop.

— Joe

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Pet Insurance: Do you have it?

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Pet Insurance | Shield Self-Quoting Portal | Shield Insurance Agency

Having a pet is just as common as having a child in today’s society yet we only get health coverage for one of them. I’m sure we all know which one it is, but why is it that way?

Studies show on average the number of pet-owning households in America is 84.6 million yet only 10 % of dog owners and 5% of cat owners have health insurance for their pets. This is shocking to me considering the cost of a vet bill nowadays! Is this lack of coverage due to a lack of knowledge that there even is such a policy available for your pets? OR is it due to a lack of desire to spend money on another insurance policy? Whichever reason it is hoped this blog will change your mind and save your pockets.

I’m going to explain what pet insurance is and how it can benefit you to have it. This article is close to me – because I have two dogs – and two cats – and Vet visits can get pricey!

What is pet insurance?

Pet insurance is a lot like health insurance in the sense that there is still a deductible and a co-pay along with premiums and a maximum payout, there is also no coverage for pre-existing conditions and no waiting periods. Much like health insurance, you will get to choose to pay an annual deductible for the policy year or a per-incident deductible that is paid at each appointment, there is also a co-pay, the percentage you pay after the deductible is met. The remaining percentage of covered expenses will be taken care of by the pet insurance company. You will choose from 5 types of maximum payout options

  • Maximum payout by the incident – Max amount the insurance will reimburse you for each new illness or injury, Once you reach the limit you will no longer receive money to cover it.
  • Maximum annual pay out- This is the max amount of money the insurance company will reimburse you every year, once you receive the max amount you will not receive any more money for the policy year.
  • Maximum lifetime pay. The max amount the insurance company will reimburse you in your pet’s lifetime. Once you receive the max amount your pet will no longer be insured.
  • Maximum payout per body system- Max amount the insurance company will reimburse for a body system. Such as the digestive, musculoskeletal, and nervous systems. Once you reach this limit for a body system you will not be reimbursed for any more injuries or illnesses that relate to that system.
  • The maximum payout due to predetermined benefit structure- The insurance company will reimburse based on a predetermined listed fee structure that can be determined with your pet insurance carrier.

Some pet insurance companies use only ONE type of maximum payout structure whereas others use a combination of the payout structure.

Your monthly or annual premium (the amount you pay) will be determined by many factors such as medical coverage you select, your pet’s breed/species, age, the co-pay, and the deductible, and also where you live. After all, this is finalized just like health insurance there will be a waiting period before the coverage is activated and usable.

Although Pet insurance is very similar in requirements and coverage to insurance for a human, there are two very big differences between the two. The number one difference is that pet insurance is a reimbursement program which means you pay the veterinary bill and then file a claim with the pet insurance company for reimbursement. Second there is not a network of vets that you can only use, you are free to use any licensed veterinarian in the U.S! (Sometimes out of the US as well)

Still skeptical on why you should get pet insurance? Well here is an example of how having it could save you money! My fiance and I have a one-year-old cat named Nina who got a hematoma in her ear, which means her ear basically formed a bubble of a bunch of blood.

We had to make an emergency vet visit to drain the hematoma where we were charged $300, after originally being told $900, for the lowest price option possible for them to simply take a needle and drain her ear of blood. If we would have had pet insurance we would have gotten a large portion of that reimbursed instead of an unexpected expense!

Can you imagine more than one emergency visit a year at that price on top of a regular vet visit bills?! In the end, having your pets covered by your insurance could save you thousands of dollars in vet fees and keep you and your pets safe in the case of an emergency situation, like a hematoma in your cat’s ear.

-TJ

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