How Does Dwelling Fire Insurance Differ From Homeowners or Condo Insurance Policies?

If you own a building, you may be required to carry dwelling fire insurance. Here at Advantage Insurance Network, serving the greater Cincinnati, OH area, we are often asked how dwelling fire insurance differs from homeowners or condo insurance policies. Here is what you need to know about the differences between them.

How Does Dwelling Fire Insurance Differ From Homeowners or Condo Insurance Policies?

If you own a dwelling building, such as a condo building or an apartment building, dwelling fire insurance is ideal for you. Dwelling fire insurance covers the structure of the entire building. On the flip side, homeowners or condo insurance policies are designed to cover a single structure and the belongings inside. 

A dwelling fire insurance policy does not cover any belongings inside. All of the tenants or residents that live inside of your building should have their own condo, homeowners or renters insurance policy to protect their belongings in the event of a fire. Your dwelling fire insurance policy does not cover their belongings, nor does it cover your belongings if you own a unit in the building. It simply covers the building itself. 

If you own a building with dwellings in it, and you want to protect the investment you made in the building, dwelling fire insurance can protect you in the event a fire breaks out. There are many factors that affect the price of a dwelling insurance policy, and as such, you should always take the time to get multiple quotes before settling on a dwelling fire insurance policy. If you are located in the greater Cincinnati, OH area, and are looking to obtain quotes for dwelling fire insurance, contact Advantage Insurance Network. They can help you find the right policy for your building at an affordable price. 

3 Tips for Buying Boaters Insurance in Cincinnati, OH

Do you love to spend time on your boat in the waterways, lakes and ponds of Cincinnati, OH? If so, there’s no question that you also need to put time and effort into protecting the boat you have invested in. One of the best ways for you to do this is by purchasing a boaters insurance policy with the help of Advantage Insurance Network. If you are ready to make this purchase, be sure to use the tips found here.

Compare Quotes

When it is time to purchase boaters insurance, be sure you take some time to compare quotes. In most cases, an agency will provide a quote to you at no charge. This means that you can get several quotes and compare them to find the one that best meets your needs and budget.

Bundle

Another important step in the process of purchasing boaters insurance is to consider bundling the policies. The fact is, if you already use an insurance company for homeowners insurance or car insurance, they can also provide you with this new policy. When you bundle your policies, you will be able to save a significant amount of money on premiums.

Work with a Reputable Agent

Another important step is to find and use the services of a reputable insurance agent when purchasing boaters insurance. They will be able to help you get a policy that meets your needs and your budget. In the long run, you will be glad that you used the services of a professional.

When it comes to buying boater’s insurance in Cincinnati, OH, there are more than a few factors that you have to consider. If you need help or guidance along the way, then consider using the services of Advantage Insurance Network serving the Cincinnati area and who can help you find the policy that best suits your needs.

Does my motorcycle insurance cover bike customizations?

Advantage Insurance Network of Cincinnati, OH wants you to fully understand your motorcycle insurance so you don’t experience any surprises if damage occurs to your bike. Many people don’t realize that insurance doesn’t cover customizations made after you obtain the insurance policy unless you specifically update the policy.

Modifying a Motorcycle Policy

When you buy insurance, you’re buying a policy to cover the motorcycle as it is at the time of purchase. Your agent bases your policy premiums on the value of your motorcycle at that time. So, any changes you make to the bike after obtaining the coverage you need to add to the policy or they won’t receive coverage.

Chopper Insurance

Some customizations completely alter the bike. A motorcycle that has undergone so many modifications that its design and shape have been altered receives the name “chopper.” A chopper generally features a long front fork and a low rear end. It may lack rear suspension. If you chopped your bike after purchasing motorcycle insurance, you need a different policy altogether. Ask us about chopper insurance. These bikes have their own policy type.

How the Policy Types Differ

Motorcycle insurance bases its premiums on factory standard models. An agent can consult a blue book to determine repair or replacement value.

Choppers require a custom policy because they’re custom bikes, sometimes altered from a factory model, sometimes built from a kit. No factory standard exists for a chopper. The agent cannot consult a blue book for a value for a one-of-a-kind vehicle. Choppers require an independent appraisal to determine actual value. The chopper policy provides custom coverage for a custom bike.

Before you can insure it, you’ll need to have the bike pass inspection by your state’s Department of Transportation or Motor Vehicles Bureau. Some states also require an annual safety test.

Contact Advantage Insurance Network of Cincinnati, OH to learn whether your bike needs a standard motorcycle policy or a chopper policy. We can help you obtain reliable coverage for your ride.

How to Choose a Beneficiary for your Life Insurance

The next step after purchasing a life insurance policy is to choose a beneficiary. Your beneficiary is the person (or persons) who will receive benefits from your policy after you’re gone. Beneficiaries can be relatives, friends, colleagues or charities. Here are a few tips on choosing a beneficiary for your life policy.

Children and Spouse

If you are married, you’ll probably want your spouse and kids to be your beneficiaries. It’s only natural to want to provide for these loved ones after you’re gone. With the proceeds from your life insurance policy, your family will have funds to pay daily expenses, monthly bills, personal needs, school needs and more. Life insurance benefits can give your family financial stability after you’re gone.

Aging Parents, Business Partner, Significant Other

Singles could choose aging parents, a significant other, business partners or favorite charities in Cincinnati OH as beneficiaries or divide the proceeds among any of these. Life benefits can supplement your parents’ pension in their retirement years, giving them extra income to cover their needs. In the case of a business partner, proceeds from your policy can help pay your share of expenses to keep the company going after your demise. Life proceeds can also help a significant other pay off any debts you accrued while living together such as car loan or mortgage.

Charity

Many people choose charities as their beneficiaries, dividing proceeds to support their favorite causes. You can designate the number of funds you want each charity to receive or divide proceeds equally between the charities you choose as beneficiaries.

A life insurance policy from Advantage Insurance Network can go a long ways towards helping loved ones upon your demise. For more information on life insurance policies and costs, contact Advantage Insurance Network, Cincinnati, OH.

Is Business Insurance Only for Large Companies?

Do you have a small business or a home-based business in Cincinnati, OH? Business insurance isn’t just for larger companies. Even a single person doing any kind of commercial activity can benefit from business insurance. Advantage Insurance Network offers business policies to suit even the smallest businesses.

Why Small Businesses Need Business Insurance

All business creates liability. You can sell small, handmade trinkets from home, or rent a small office space somewhere.

In all cases, you create risks just by engaging in any form of business activity. Those risks can cost you a great deal if you don’t protect yourself against them.

The risks your small business creates will depend on the type of business. Generally, if you’re selling someone a product or a service, you create the risk of that product or service causing harm in some way.

Even when the harm is negligible, someone may attempt to sue you for damages. This can happen no matter the size of your business.

In addition, your business also comes with assets. Even if all you’re using is some craft materials and a computer, you’ll want to protect those things.

For example, if someone steals your laptop, you may find yourself out of business for a little while. If a fire destroys your inventory, you’ll have to pay in time and money to replace it all.

For people working from home, you need to understand your home insurance may not cover anything business-related. Check with your home insurance policy if you’re running any business activities from your home or any other part of your property.

What Kind of Business Insurance Does Your Small Business Need

You need business insurance that will protect you, your equipment, and your finances if something untoward happens. Your business insurance needs will depend on what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. To find a business insurance package tailored to your small business in Cincinnati, OH, contact Advantage Insurance Network today.

How Can a Home Security System Can Lower Home Insurance Costs?

This blog looks at how installing a home security system can lower home insurance premiums while keeping the home owner safer. Insurance companies like Advantage Insurance Network in Cincinnati, OH favor ways of mitigating loss, a fancy way of saying preventing it. That leads them to offer discounts to those who take steps to prevent loss at their home.

You probably know that a smoke detector and fire extinguisher lower your home insurance costs. You can also lower your costs by installing a security system. Whether wired or wireless, a monitored home security system can produce a significant discount in home insurance premiums.

Add a home security system can also mean adding home automation. This also contributes to lower premiums. The installed sensors don’t just control the lights or temperature. They detect leaks of water or natural gas. This early detection adds a layer of protection by sending alerts to the homeowner’s mobile device when any home aspect veers from normal settings. This allows the homeowner to identify problems before they become claims. Leak detection sensors let them phone a plumber after remotely shutting down the water at the home.

It also adds to the home’s safety by offering safety aspects like being able to turn on the porch lights before you enter the driveway or having them automatically turn on at a specified time. You can unlock doors remotely, as well, which reduces your family’s vulnerability time.

If you live in a gated community, adding the security system saves you even more. The gate access adds an extra barrier of protection.

Join your neighborhood homeowners’ association (HOA). Its neighborhood watch adds to the security aspect of your home.

Call or come by Advantage Insurance Network in Cincinnati, OH to learn more home improvements that can save you money. We can help you have a safer and more affordable home.

Can I add an extra driver to my auto insurance?

Auto insurance protects you financially in the event of a car accident. If you have a relative who lives in the same address in Cincinnati, OH, you can add him or her to your auto insurance policy. If you intend to add someone else to your auto insurance or want to buy a car with your roommate, here are some scenarios you should consider.

Adding your roommate to your auto insurance policy

The car insurance should be under your name. However, it is important to discuss with your insurance agent about adding your roommate to your auto insurance policy as an operator because you live in the same address. In a situation where both of you have their own vehicles and you are likely to use each other’s vehicles, you should consult with your insurance agent to confirm whether the Advantage Insurance Network insurance policy coverage extends to other drivers. It is, however, crucial to understanding how it works before committing.

Can I add someone who doesn’t live in the same address?

Typically, people listed in a car insurance policy in Cincinnati, OH must be the registered owners of the car or related to the car owner. Therefore, you can keep your child who is in college in your car insurance policy. It may not be possible to add non-related drivers who don’t live in the same address in your car insurance policy. Your insurance agent will help you on the best way to handle a situation whereby you and a friend own a car together.

Other considerations

According to the Insurance Information Institute, regardless of who is driving a particular vehicle, the primary insurance is the auto insurance policy that covers that vehicle. In other words, the auto insurance policy is supposed to help cover for damages in case a covered vehicle is involved in an accident, even if it was being driven by your friend. Your friend’s auto insurance policy may also be used as a secondary coverage option.

It is important to understand the terms of your auto insurance before you buy a car with a friend or add someone else to your insurance policy. Talk to one of our Advantage Insurance Network agent to be sure that you, your friend, and the car are covered fully to avoid unnecessary expenses in the event of an accident.

 

Does Fire Insurance Protect Me?

Owning a home is a dream for many people. One of the most devastating things that could happen to a home would be if it is damaged by a fire. While most people have home insurance, many should also consider getting a fire insurance policy on top of the home insurance policy. For those that are in the Cincinnati, OH area, there are several advantages of investing in a larger fire insurance policy.

Ensures Full Coverage for Fire

One of the main reasons to get fire insurance in addition to your home insurance policy is that it will ensure that you get full coverage for fire damage on your policy. If you live in an area that is prone to fires or has a higher risk of fire hazards, you may not be covered for certain fires that could affect your home. However, if you invest in a fire insurance policy, this could end up being covered in included in your full policy.

Miscellaneous Costs

Another advantage of getting a fire insurance policy is that it can provide you with miscellaneous coverage as well. If your home is damaged by a fire, there are a number of other costs that you can incur. The costs of finding replacement housing and moving expenses can add up quickly. When you get a fire insurance policy in place, these costs could be included in your policy. 

If you own a home in the Cincinnati, OH area and are curious about whether or not you should get fire insurance, contacting the Advantage Insurance Network would be a great option. When you meet with the Advantage Insurance Network you will receive more insight into your fire insurance needs and will be able to get into a policy that properly protects you and your home. 

Do Helmet Laws Influence Motorcycle Insurance?

Riding a motorcycle in Cincinnati, OH is a fun experience but can be costly because of Ohio’s lack of mandatory helmet use. These types of laws have been found to increase and decrease your insurance in a variety of ways, which is why we at Advantage Insurance Network wanted to examine them right now.

Studies Show That Helmets Decrease Medical Costs

The Centers for Disease Control or CDC did a study that took a look at multiple motorcycle accidents with and without helmets. They found that people who wore a helmet suffered fewer injuries and, therefore, paid less medical bills. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration agreed and stated that riders wearing helmets would naturally have higher healthcare costs.

As A Result, Premiums Go Down

Motorcycle insurance companies took those recommendations to heart and started decreasing premiums in states where motorcycle helmets were mandatory. Conversely, they increased them in states where helmets were not required. These steps are designed to protect themselves while offering benefits to those who do wear helmets. Unfortunately, states have repealed these laws in the past and left their motorcycle riders with higher premiums.

Repealed Laws Can Increase Premiums

Michigan motorcycle riders were overjoyed when their state repealed their mandatory helmet laws and then angry when their premiums went up. They blamed the insurance companies, but the truth is, increasing these premiums is mandatory because it protects them from serious loss. Likewise, a decrease is also mandatory when helmet laws are signed into effect. You can’t have it both ways, it seems.

Learning More About Your Motorcycle Insurance

So if you live in Cincinnati, OH and want the lowest possible motorcycle insurance premiums, please contact us at Advantage Insurance Network today. We will work hard to decrease your motorcycle insurance premiums as much as possible and help you stay fully covered.

Does Boat Insurance Cover Damage As A Result Of Storms?

When it comes to protecting your investment, boat insurance is a necessary tool. Some boats can cost as much as a home, which is why coverage will give you peace of mind in case of an unforeseen event. When it comes to storms, however, coverage isn’t cut and dry. Make sure you know exactly what circumstances afford your insurance coverage. Not all policies will cover you during a storm or a hurricane. 

Know Your Policy

You make have to do some research before you find the type of boat coverage you need. Not all policies cover the same events, which is why you need to work with an insurance provider who will explain exactly what each product covers. Some may offer protection from storms and storm-related damage but don’t assume that every policy will cover those occurrences. Education is the key to being protected and avoiding a loss as a result of gaps in coverage. 

Working With A Great Provider

Finding an insurance provider who values their customers is the first step towards getting the protection you need. A reputable company such as Advantage Insurance Network will help you discover boat insurance products that will protect you and give you peace of mind. The serve the residents in and around the Cincinnati, OH area and would love to assist you with your boat insurance coverage need.

If you are a resident in or around Cincinnati, OH and would like more information about boat insurance coverage options, call or stop by Advantage Insurance Network. They have knowledgeable insurance agents who can answer your questions and get you started on your way to finding boat insurance coverage.