Why did my rates go up?
This is a question we are hearing more often than usual right now. If you haven’t had any tickets or accidents, rate increases can seem unfair.
There are many reasons for price increases such as supply chain disruptions, staffing shortages, inflation, more claims being turned in and courts awarding higher payouts on liability claims.
Why am I being canceled?
In addition to raising rates, insurance companies are canceling more customers than usual. A single ticket or claim can trigger a cancellation—especially if you have only one or two years tenure with them or your policy has canceled in the past.
Here are some things you can do for your own risk management.
Keep your home maintained to prevent water leaks and other losses.
Consider installing a burglar and fire alarm.
Drive defensively and follow the laws. Ask us about telematics that reward you for good driving.
Encourage young drivers in your household to take driver’s education and maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA.
Ask about higher auto liability. Companies may give a better rate if you have higher limits.
Checking your credit yearly may help you identify any discrepancies in your report.
Do not let your insurance cancel. Companies are increasingly declining to reinstate. If they do agree to reinstate, they may require payment in full.
How can we help?
In response to these challenges, we are making diligent efforts to check for credits you qualify for and making sure you understand the coverages you have selected. Just like the tides ebb and flow, this too shall pass. In the meantime, please reach out anytime with any questions or concerns.
Do I Need Boat Insurance?
Boat insurance is not required by law in Washington. However, boat insurance is often a good idea, even if it’s not required by law. At Hart Insurance in Federal Way, WA, we offer boat insurance.
When Boat Insurance is Required
Boat insurance is only required by law in two states, Utah and Arkansas, so it’s not legally required in Washington. However, if you have a lien on your boat, your lender will likely require you to have boat insurance. Lenders often require full coverage insurance, which protects their investment.
Marinas will sometimes require boat insurance as well, particularly liability insurance. This protects the marina and other boaters.
Considering Risk Tolerance
Assuming that you aren’t required to have boat insurance by a lender or marina, do you still need it? Is it worth the cost?
To decide the answer, you’ll need to think about your risk tolerance. Can you afford to replace your boat if it’s damaged in an accident? Can you afford salvage or tow costs if your boat is damaged? Can you afford to repair someone else’s boat if it’s damaged in an accident with your boat?
If you answered no to these questions, you need boat insurance because you have a low-risk tolerance.
What Type of Boat Insurance Do I Need?
Liability coverage will protect your finances if your boat damages another boat or property, like a marina or dock. The general recommendation is $1,000,000 in liability coverage. However, you may need more coverage if you have a fast, powerful boat.
Lenders often require collision and comprehensive coverage. Collison coverage will cover the costs of repairing or replacing your boat if it’s damaged in an accident. Comprehensive coverage covers damage that occurs when you aren’t on the water.
Boat Insurance from Hart Insurance
If you want boat insurance in Federal Way, WA, contact us at Hart Insurance. We offer various insurance options, including boat insurance, to meet your insurance needs.
Who needs umbrella insurance in Washington?
All people living in the Federal Way, WA area must take their personal liability risks seriously. Even those who are careful and cautious could potentially cause an accident that results in damages. As this is an ongoing risk, having insurance is always a good idea. A way that this risk can be mitigated is by getting an umbrella insurance plan. There are various situations when someone here will need to get a proper umbrella insurance policy.
When Trying to Cover More Situations
One situation when someone will need to have umbrella insurance is when they are trying to protect against as many risks as possible. A big advantage of an umbrella insurance plan is that it offers very broad coverage. This can include coverage against liability risks that are not protected by home or auto plans. When you get an umbrella insurance policy, you will have support for many additional risks, which can offer peace of mind.
Additional Liability Coverage
An advantage of umbrella insurance is that it can provide you with additional liability coverage. While you will have liability coverage through home or auto insurance, it will always have a limit. When you have a full umbrella insurance plan in place, you will get additional coverage that will be on top of any existing plans that you have.
Having an umbrella insurance plan is very important for anyone who is in the Federal Way, WA area. When you are looking for a new plan in this region, it would be a great idea to call our team with Hart Insurance. When you do call our professionals with Hart Insurance, you can be assured that you build a proper plan that will offer you liability coverage in a wide range of situations.
Four problems you can avoid with pet insurance
Buying pet insurance is important. As a pet owner, you need to be able to pay for veterinary care when your pet needs it. Hart Insurance offers pet insurance to consumers in Washington.
The following are four problems you can avoid with pet insurance.
Being unable to pay for veterinary care for your pet
It’s heartbreaking not to have enough money to get your pet’s veterinary care. With pet insurance, veterinary care can be made more affordable for you. This allows you to save your pet’s life with veterinary care in many situations.
Facing financial hardship when your pet gets sick
Even if you have the money for the veterinary care that you need, paying for vet care could lead to financial hardship. Veterinary procedures involving surgery or certain medications can be very costly and challenging for many pet owners to afford.
Stressing out over pet health
Pet insurance gives pet owners more peace of mind. If you don’t have pet insurance covering veterinary expenses, you may experience stress as you worry about your pet’s health.
Losing savings when your pet gets sick
If your pet gets sick, you might have to dig into your hard-earned savings to pay for veterinary care. With pet insurance, you can protect your savings and pay for the vet care you need without losing the funds you’ve worked so hard to save up.
Are you a pet owner in Washington who is looking for a pet insurance policy? At Hart Insurance, we can provide you with a quote on a pet insurance policy. Get in touch with us today to learn more.
How Classic Car Insurance Differs From Traditional Auto Insurance
Car insurance comes in many different forms. From primary liability to comprehensive, there’s a coverage type out there for any situation. However, when you own a classic car in Federal Way, WA, the coverage provided by a traditional car insurance policy likely doesn’t account for every aspect of your vehicle. This is where classic car insurance comes in. If you’re looking to fully protect your pride and joy, the insurance professionals here at Hart Insurance can help.
Why You Need Classic Car Insurance Instead
Traditional auto insurance is excellent for a modern, commonly owned car. Still, when you have a pristinely restored 1958 Chevrolet Corvette you like to take out on the weekend, this type of insurance just doesn’t cut it. Should an accident occur on the road or a natural disaster strike at home, the standard policy is unlikely to cover the full extent of the car. This is because the cost of replacement parts, bodywork, and paint aren’t accurately accounted for in the vehicle’s valuation.
With a policy designed specifically for classic cars, the value of the car (and, therefore, its coverage) is set through a discussion between the agent and the owner, which accounts for all of the time and effort put into restoring and maintaining a classic. This can be the difference between getting what a standard insurance provider thinks the car is worth and its actually worth.
Protect Your Ride Today With Help From Hart Insurance
Insuring your classic car doesn’t need to be a hassle. At Hart Insurance, we’ll do the heavy lifting for you, comparing all of your options from the top companies in the country so you can focus on enjoying your ride. For more information, contact our offices in Federal Way, WA today!
Updating Your Home Insurance After Remodeling
Most people don’t realize they need to update their home insurance after remodeling or renovating. Those two activities may make their Washington home more valuable. How much coverage do you need?
Determining the Updated Value of Your Home
When you started homeowner insurance with Hart Insurance, your insurance agent did a home valuation to obtain its current cost to rebuild. There is usually an inflation factor built in to homeowner renewals, but now that you renovated your home, you may have increased its value. Unless you contact us to update the valuation, your policy may not have kept up with the new value and today’s increased inflation.
If you added value to your home with an updated HVAC, additional square footage, decking, etc. you need to update your home policy to be sure there is enough coverage.
Contact Hart Insurance to Update Your Home Policy
At Hart Insurance, we don’t want you caught off guard by a claim when holding an outdated insurance policy on your Washington home. Let us help you update it. If you read this before you begin remodeling or renovations, contact us to plan your update in advance.
Why Is It So Important to Properly Maintain Your Tires?
Here at Hart Insurance, we provide auto insurance products to individuals in the greater Federal Way, WA area. While insurance is there to cover you in case of an accident, we hope that you will never have to use it. One way to minimize your chance of being involved in an accident is to maintain your tires properly. Read on to learn why this is so important.
Why Is It So Important to Properly Maintain Your Tires?
Your tires are one of the most important parts of your vehicle. They help your car to grip the road. If your tires are not adequately cared for, your vehicle may slide when coming to a stop, have trouble gripping the road when wet, or even blow out while driving, making a vehicle extremely hard to control.
What Steps Should You Take to Maintain Your Tires Properly?
There are many steps you should take to maintain your tires properly. This includes ensuring your tires are always inflated to the correct PSI per your owner’s manual. You should also inspect your tires regularly, looking for signs of wear or damage. Lastly, always have your tires replaced when the tread starts to wear.
Properly maintaining your tires is one of the best tips to help reduce the chances of being involved in an auto accident. However, no matter what steps you take, you cannot completely prevent an accident from occurring. This is why it is so important to have auto insurance that protects you in case of an accident. Hart Insurance, serving the greater Federal Way, WA area, would love to help you with your auto insurance needs. Reach out to us today to get started.
What Does RV Insurance Cover?
If you recently purchased an RV (recreational Vehicle), you will need to ensure that you have the appropriate amount of RV insurance in place to protect your investment.
According to the experienced RV insurance agents at Hart Insurance serving the Federal Way, WA area, you must have at least liability insurance on your RV before legally having it on the road in Washington. This applies to your RV if it has its own engine, such as a motorhome. If you have a pull-behind trailer or other types of RV, you are not required to have liability insurance, but it is a good idea. If it comes loose from your vehicle, it can cause an accident, so liability insurance will still come in handy to pay for any property damage or injuries caused by the accident.
Uninsured and Underinsured RV Insurance
In addition to liability insurance, you can also obtain uninsured or underinsured coverage. This will help you if you become involved in an accident with someone who does not have the appropriate amount of insurance to cover damages to your RV.
Comprehensive and Collision Insurance Coverage
Comprehensive insurance coverage will assist you in paying for repairs or the replacement of your RV if it is damaged or destroyed by a fire, an act of vandalism, or a natural disaster. This type of coverage can also assist you in replacing your RV if it is stolen.
Collision insurance will help you pay for repairs to your RV if you collide with another vehicle or even a stationary object.
A lender may require both collision and comprehensive coverage if you still owe money for the purchase of your RV.
Call For a Quote!
To obtain adequate insurance for your RV, contact the experienced and knowledgeable RV insurance agents at Hart Insurance serving the Federal Way, WA area today to get your policy started!
Three Signs You Should Upgrade Your Boat Insurance
If you’re a boating enthusiast in or around Federal Way, WA, you already know from experience how important the right boat insurance is. But you should never assume that just because a particular policy was a perfect fit for you years ago that it still is.
Many circumstances could call for a boat insurance upgrade, and we at Hart Insurance can help you figure them out. The following are just a few examples.
1. You’ve recently moved
Laws and other factors that could affect the appropriateness of your policy vary from state to state. So if you’ve recently relocated to Washington from out of state, it’s time to reevaluate your boat insurance situation. However, in-state moves resulting in changing needs or lifestyle circumstances should also trigger a policy review.
2. You’ve upgraded your boat
Whether or not a particular boat insurance policy is a good fit for someone has much to do with the boat itself. Factors like the age, estimated value, and motor type associated with the boat will naturally affect coverage. Upgrades can also be, so any updates to your boat should inspire you to revisit your insurance policy.
3. You’re not protected from uninsured boaters
Don’t simply assume that all states require boaters to carry insurance on their boats because many – Washington included – do not. And even if they do, there’s no guarantee you will never have a collision with an uninsured boater. So if your existing policy doesn’t protect you from uninsured boaters, you should upgrade as soon as possible.
Adequately insuring your boat is as important as ensuring your home, health, or auto insurance policies are thorough enough. So if it’s been a while since your last upgrade, contact us at Hart Insurance to ensure you’re adequately covered.
Exploring The Different Types of Risks Covered by An Umbrella Insurance Policy
Hart Insurance in Federal Way, WA offers umbrella insurance policies to help protect you and your family from potential risks. Our umbrella insurance policies cover certain liabilities that may exceed other coverage limits and can provide additional financial support during times of need. This guide will give you an overview of the risks umbrella insurance covers while giving a more detailed overview of the most common risks, helping you make an informed decision about your insurance needs.
What Risks Do Umbrella Insurance Policies Cover?
Umbrella insurance policies cover the following:
- Bodily injury liabilities stemming from accidents
- Personal injury liabilities due to slander or libel
- Property damage resulting from an accident
- Legal fees associated with defending against a lawsuit
- Coverage for incidents that are not covered under your primary home and auto insurance policies
- Liability protection for rental properties and boats owned by the policyholder
Property Damage Liability
Property damage liability coverage is one of the most critical coverages provided by umbrella insurance policies. This coverage helps protect policyholders if they are found legally responsible for any damage to another person’s property. The coverage can help pay for repairs, replacement costs, and associated legal fees.
Bodily Injury Liability
Bodily Injury Liability is coverage for costs that arise from injuries caused to other people in an accident. This type of insurance kicks in when the limits of a homeowner’s or auto insurance policy have been exhausted. It can help protect individuals and businesses from costly lawsuits.
Contact Us Today
Hart Insurance serving Federal Way, WA can provide you with the coverage and peace of mind that you deserve with umbrella insurance policy options. Contact us today to learn more.
