Understanding Auto Insurance Coverage

Understand your auto coverage before you need it What do you mean my insurance doesn’t cover that? What do you mean I’m not covered? These aren’t questions you want to be asking after you’ve filed a claim. As your Farmers agent, it’s my goal to help you understand the auto coverage you have so you can be sure it’s what you want. States vary in what insurance they require drivers to carry; most require at least liability coverage with minimum limits. Here’s a brief review of the primary types of coverage that may be in your policy. Take a look at it, and then give me a call. We can get together and review your current coverage so you can see whether it’s what you want or if you want to make changes. Liability Bodily injury — covers the expenses associated with other people’s injuries or death such as medical expenses, loss of income and pain and suffering cause by you or someone driving your car with your permission, up to a limit chosen by you. Most states require drivers to carry a minimum amount of bodily injury coverage but you may want to consider buying more: If you’re found at fault in a serious accident you could be sued, and higher limits of liability coverage could help protect your assets. Property damage liability — pays for damage up to a limit chosen by you that you or someone driving your vehicle with your permission may cause to someone else’s property such as damage to someone else’s vehicle, but it also includes damage to lamp posts, telephone poles, fences, buildings or other structures your vehicle hits. Medical Payments or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) — pays for medical bills and funeral expenses for you or a passenger injured in an accident while riding in your vehicle, up to a limit chosen by you. It may also cover you or a family member who is a passenger injured in someone else’s vehicle or a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. Collision — pays for the damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another vehicle, object or as a result of flipping over. This coverage is typically required if your vehicle is leased or if you have an outstanding loan on the vehicle. Comprehensive — helps protect your investment in your vehicle by covering damage resulting from many different kinds of perils including fire, theft, falling objects, riots, storms, earthquakes, floods, and collision with a bird or animal. Like collision coverage, comprehensive coverage generally includes a deductible that you select. This coverage is normally required if your vehicle is leased or if you have an outstanding loan on the vehicle. Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage — subject to a limit selected by you, covers injury to you, your family members and your passengers in an accident with a motorist who has no insurance, or a motorist who lacks enough coverage to compensate for the damage caused, or a hit-and-run driver. It also covers you and your family members injured as a pedestrian. Coverage typically includes payment of medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering. Uninsured Motorist Property Damage — covers damage to your insured vehicle caused by an uninsured, underinsured, or hit-and-run driver. I’m here to help Auto insurance can be confusing and difficult to understand so call me and we can review your coverage and discuss your concerns or questions so you can make an informed decision about what’s appropriate for your situation. It also will give us the opportunity to see whether you might be eligible for any of the discounts Farmers offers. Call me today.  Marianne Hobbs Insurance Agency 602.547.1970.

The Best Gift You Can Give Your Family!

The many uses of life insurance

Most of us buy life insurance to replace the loss of income that would occur should we die or to create an estate for our loved ones, but there are many other reasons:

• People depend on you — you have an aging parent or disabled relative who depends on you for support
• Retirement needs — your retirement savings and pension won’t be enough to support your family
• Estate planning — you have a large estate and expect to owe estate taxes
• Joint debt — you have a substantial joint financial obligation, such as a personal loan for which another person would be legally responsible after your death

If you own a business you may wish to consider life insurance for:

• Key person — life insurance can be used to help protect a business from the loss of income and profits caused by the death of a key employee
• Business continuation — life insurance can be used to help fund a buy/sell agreement or stock redemption plan to enable a partner or group of employees to buy the business interest of a deceased partner
• Business loans — insurance on a key employee or business owner can be used to pay off or help pay down the debts of a business in the event of that individual’s death

Prepare for the unexpected
I can help you analyze your individual situation so you can determine your life insurance requirements and be sure your coverage is appropriate for your needs and your family.

Life insurance issued by Farmers New World Life Insurance Company, Mercer Island, WA 98040.
Products and features may not be available in all states and may vary by state.

Most Common Types Of Water Damage At Home

Did You Know?

.....You are THREE TIMES as likely to have a water loss than ANY other type of event?

Most common causes of indoor water disasters are:

• BROKEN PIPES
• SPRINKLER SYSTEM
• BROKEN WASHING MACHINE HOSE
• HOT WATER HEATER MALFUNCTIONS
• BROKEN AUTOMATIC ICE MAKER LINE
• TOILET BOWL CRACKS/OVERFLOWS
• CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER LEAKS

Most common causes of outdoor water disasters are:

• FLOODING DUE TO WEATHER
• WATER MAIN BREAKS
• WIND DRIVEN RAIN
• GROUND WATER/SEEPAGE 

Now you know what to check both inside and outside your home to protect against water loss.

Your precious items-Make sure they're covered

Your precious items
Make sure they're covered

Do you own valuable personal possessions such as jewelry, furs, antiques, art, coin collections, and the like? Do you understand how to insure them? Many people think their homeowners insurance covers the full cost of all of their belongings. This may not be the case: Most homeowners insurance policies cover your house and most of its contents but usually contain limits on certain items and often for certain causes of loss.


Add a ‘scheduled floater’ 
Scheduled Items Floater coverage is designed to cover your valuable property that may be excluded or which has been greatly limited in your homeowners or renters coverage. Such property may include:

• Jewelry
• Paintings, sculpture, and other works of art
• Cameras, musical instruments and firearms
• Antiques
• Collectibles
• Silverware, goldware, and other high value precious metalware

Can't always prevent
Can prepare
We can't always prevent a loss but we can try to prepare. It's always better to discover you don't have enough insurance for your artwork, jewelry or other unique valuables before you suffer a loss. Call me — I can tell you what coverage is provided for valuables under your current policy, whether there are special lower limits, when those special limits may apply, and whether certain types of causes of loss are covered. Then you can think about your valuables and decide if you have the coverage you want for your belongings.

In Arizona call Marianne Hobbs Insurance Agency: 602.547.1970

Coverage is not available in all states.

Oldies But Goodies

Oldies but goodies

Baby boomers, with their growing interest in classic cars, know there's a big difference between the vehicles they collect and the ones they drive every day. Yet not all collectors insure their collectibles and everyday vehicles differently. This could potentially leave collectors in a financial bind should they need to file a claim.

Old vs. classic
Typically, antique and classic cars are more than 30 years old and have special needs that differ from traditional vehicles. Unlike regular-use vehicles that are on the road every day, antique and classic cars typically are used for limited pleasure driving, car shows and club events.

Special vehicles, special coverage
From classics to modifieds, including muscle cars, exotics, replicars, woodies, kit cars and other types of collectibles, Farmers offers collectible auto insurance packages designed to meet your special needs.

Multi-vehicle discount — You may be eligible to receive a discount when you insure more than one collectible car.

Agreed Value Coverage — Prior to issuing your policy, you and I will discuss the coverage you want and decide on an "agreed value" for your vehicle. In the event that there is a total loss to your vehicle, the "agreed value" is the amount you will receive without subtracting a deductible.

Other collectibles
Let's get together — I want to help you understand your car's potential worth so you can be sure you have the type of coverage you want. And I can give you information on other types of specialty insurance, such as policies for boats, RVs, motorcycles and snowmobiles.
Policy discounts vary by state.

In Arizona call Marianne Hobbs Insurance Agency: 602 547.1970