The impact of flooding

Jim Boyce Insurance serving Charlotte, NC understands the impact of flooding.  

Life goes along with holidays and barbeque and everything seems wonderful, until a flood hits. Even a small flood with just a few inches of water can reek havoc on a home or business. Not only in costly repairs and replacements but in loss of work either for the individual who must take care of their home and family or in the business that can’t open because of the mess and health hazards. Flooding can occur from a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, heavy rains, a water main break or the impact of construction in a higher elevation impacting the water levels or even a tub overflowing.

Jim Boyce Insurances recommends a few steps to take to ensure that impact is lessened.

  1. Have a flood insurance policy to safeguard your home, possessions, work, and assets.
  2. Keep important documents, such as insurance policies in a secure, high location in plastic ziplock bags or offsite to protect them.    
  3. Plan ahead where to park your cars.
  4. Plan where you might evacuate.
  5. Have a reserve of bottled water and non-perishable food ready as well as candles and flashlights.

Our grandmothers were always ready with a well-stocked pantry and emergency items. Make sure you have medication, waterproof clothing and torches and plenty of batteries to hand. It may be useful to have a radio, mobile phone and battery-powered phone chargers available too.

If flood water is about to enter your home, turn off water, electricity and gas supplies. It is important to stop all of these utilities. You will be safer and so will your house. Move vulnerable people and pets out of harm’s way. Move valuable belongings upstairs. If there is time, move your valuable and necessary belongings upstairs. Unplug all electrical equipment

Talk to Jim Boyce Insurance serving  Charlotte, NC for all your flood insurance needs.

What Does RV Insurance Cover?

The type and amount of RV insurance that you need will depend on how you use your vehicle. Additionally, the policy you choose is going to determine what is covered. If you need help deciding what RV insurance policy is right for you, Jim Boyce Insurance serving Charlotte, NC can help. However, some basic information about these policies can also be found here. 

Basic RV Insurance Coverage 

Usually, a basic insurance package for your RV will include the following:

  • Liability coverage: This will pay for someone else’s property damage and medical bills if you cause an accident.
  • Comprehensive and collision coverage: This will help to cover any repairs for damages that occur to your RV in an accident that was your fault. Also, comprehensive insurance will replace the RV if it is stolen or provide the funds for repairs related to non-collision damage from things such as fire, vandalism and falling debris. 

Additional RV Options for Insurance Coverage 

There are usually add-ons that you can have applied to your RV insurance policy, depending on your specific needs. Some of the most common add-ons include:

  • Bodily injuries: If you are involved in an RV accident and incur thousands of dollars in medical expenses, your RV insurance can pick up the slack if you don’t have enough health insurance coverage. 
  • Valuables/belongings: Chances are you keep a number of items in your RV and if they are stolen or damaged, they can be paid for with this coverage option. 

You can speak with your insurance provider to find out the best options for your insurance policy. In fact, feel free to contact the staff at Jim Boyce Insurance serving Charlotte, NC to learn more about RV insurance options that are available today. 

What Types of Coverage is Included in Renters Insurance

While renting a home is not always considered a major commitment or investment, those that rent do often have personal assets inside the property. To ensure that that they are properly protected, Charlotte, NC area residents should always carry a full renters insurance policy when they rent a home. There are several types of coverage in a renter’s insurance policy that can make them a great option.   

Liability Coverage

The first type of coverage included in a renter’s policy is liability coverage. When you have a visitor to your home you are taking on a certain level of responsibility for them. If they happen to be injured while in your home, you could be found liable for their injuries or other damages. The renter’s policy will provide you with liability coverage to mitigate this risk.  

Personal Property

A renter’s insurance policy will also cover your personal property. If the home is vandalized, damaged by a storm, or robbed, you could lose your personal items. The renter’s insurance policy will provide you with reimbursement for your loss. If you have expensive personal items, which could include jewelry, and additional rider may be necessary.

Living Expenses

If the property is damaged and is temporarily inhabitable, the policy could provide you with reimbursement for living expenses. This will include giving you money to cover the housing costs associated with living in temporary housing.  

If you are in need of renter’s insurance, a great option would be to contact the Jim Boyce Insurance agency. The Jim Boyce Insurance agency is a leading consumer insurance agency that providers services to consumers all over the Charlotte, NC area. The company will be able to help you better understand your renter’s insurance needs and can provide you with a quote for a policy that gives you the necessary coverage.  

What’s the Difference Between a General and Commercial Car Insurance Policy?

If you use your car in any capacity in regards to your business, you may be wondering if a personal auto insurance policy is enough. A personal auto insurance policy will only cover but so much and commercial policies extend liability amounts due to business. You may be surprised that you need a commercial policy for your vehicle. If you’re in the Charlotte, NC area and aren’t sure if your personal policy is enough for your vehicle, Jim Boyce Insurance is here to guide you. Let’s review the key points for needing a commercial policy. 

Are you Commuting, or Using Your Vehicle to Provide Business Services?

If you you are driving out of town or other long distances regularly for your business, a commercial auto policy is needed. Other than your regular commute or personal drives, your car becomes a business necessity when you are using it to drive to more than one or two regular job sites. Also, consider that you are putting mileage and wear and tear on your vehicle as well as becoming at greater risks for accidents due to the constant use. In addition, if you are using your vehicle to transport goods- including doing deliveries for items purchased by your customers- a commercial auto insurance policy is in order. What about if you started a small, local car service and are using your vehicle to drive people to and fro. A commercial policy is a must because you now have more than one person to be liable for in the case of an accident! Many small businesses don’t that these points into consideration until it is too late.

Heavy Vehicles 

There are weight class considerations for vehicles that will make your car more likely to require a commercial policy. If you are driving something larger than a large SUV- including towing and semi-trucks or trailers- a commercial policy is in order. These vehicles have higher liability because of the damage they can cause and incur in an accident. Thus, special coverage is often required. 

 

What’s Yours and What’s Not When it Comes to Condo Insurance?

What many condo owners don’t understand is that condo insurance is different from home insurance. It’s also different from rental insurance.

Both you and your condo association will be responsible for different parts of where you live, and this concept can be confusing to some. Here’s what you need to know about who insures what when it comes to your condo:

The “Ins and Outs” of Condo Insurance

First, it’s important to note that your condo association is not responsible for what is inside your condo. That’s up to you, and it’s why you should have your own personal condo insurance policy.

For the most part, you are responsible for everything “walls in.” this generally includes all permanent fixtures, drywall, and all your belongings. Your condo association will be responsible for the physical structure of your condo, the property that your condo is on, and the common areas of your association.

With this in mind, as you search for a condo insurance  policy that will work for you, you’ll need to have one that covers the interior structures of your building and your personal property. You should also find a plan that accommodates for loss of use or additional living expenses should your condo be too damaged to reside in, medical payment coverage, loss assessment coverage, and coverage for personal liability.

Contact Jim Boyce Insurance

Are you a Charlotte, NC resident who is looking for condo insurance? Jim Boyce Insurance proudly serves the residents of Charlotte, NC. One of our knowledgeable insurance agents would be happy to speak with you about your condo insurance options and help you find a policy that works for you. Stop by our nearest agency location or call us at your earliest convenience to learn more.

Does My NC Home Insurance Policy Cover Water, Wind and Hail Damage?

Although inland, Charlotte and the larger Mecklenburg county are still affected by the strong thunderstorms and tornadoes spawned by Atlantic hurricanes. North Carolina home owner’s policies cover some common damage types from hurricanes and tropical storms, but not all. 

Water

Your home owner’s policy covers some water damage. It depends on how it occurs. These two examples illustrate the difference:

– If high winds tear a hole into your roof and water enters through it, a standard home owner’s policy covers the damage.
– If rising water from rain enters the home via seepage, only a flood insurance policy covers the damage.

Wind

In North Carolina, a standard home owner’s policy covers wind damage. Residents who have moved from Florida or coastal Texas can rejoice that they are no longer required to carry a separate wind insurance policy. If you own a home on a barrier island or the coast of NC, you may want to increase coverage.

Hail

Every year, hail causes about $1 billion in property and crop damage, states the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Despite its annual damages, in North Carolina, hail is covered by a standard home owner’s policy due to its unpredictable nature. Whether pea-sized or softball-sized hail hits your roof, it can cause damage. That ice pellet, after all, just did a more than 30,000 feet free fall at 70 miles per hour. 

Storm Ready

While you can add items like storm proof windows, storm doors, and a storm shelter to your home, you may still take on damage. Know what you can afford to spend on repairs. That should be the deciding factor for your deductible. Your deductible is the amount you must spend out-of-pocket on repairs before your policy’s coverage pays for anything. As one insurance expert explained, if your deductible is $1,000, but you don’t have that amount on hand in the bank, your deductible needs to be less.

Come by Jim Boyce Insurance of Charlotte, NC to review your home owner’s insurance coverage. We’ll help you make sure you can comfortably weather the east coast storm season.

Is It Time To Review Your Commercial Insurance Coverage?

Established business owners know that they can’t make assumptions. Fashions fade, technology becomes obsolete, and even laws change. No business owner can coast along on the way they did business in years past. Assuming your commercial insurance coverage is as good as it was years ago is just as serious a mistake. Legal requirements for minimum coverage may have changed since you last looked over your policy. Your insurance needs may have changed due to updated technology or an addition to your brick and mortar site. Here at Jim Boyce Insurance we have access to the most up-to-date commercial insurance coverage available that can protect you.

Did you know that there are several kinds of commercial insurance available in North Carolina? Not only is there standard commercial insurance that protects losses from fire or storm, but there is also commercial auto insurance, general liability, and several others. A Business Owners Package (called a BOP) rolls the various kinds of commercial insurance into a manageable combination. It might seem a little confusing at first, but with our help you’ll get it down quickly. So let us review and update your policy, and maybe you’ll find savings along the way as well. The peace of mind when you have sufficient coverage for your Charlotte, NC business is well worth the call.

Proudly serving the Charlotte, NC area, Jim Boyce Insurance has independent agents who can access the most recent insurance coverage policies and packages that will offer you the best protection at cost effective rates. We can discuss your specific needs for your unique business and get you all set up in no time. Protecting your business with solid insurance coverage will let you focus on running your business. Contact us today.

Is Flooding Covered on Your Basic Auto Policy?

There are a large number of things that are covered on your auto policy, there are also a large number of things that are not covered on your basic policy. The real key is to find out just what is covered. If you live in the Charlotte, NC area the agents with Jim Boyce Insurance can help you find out just what your policy covers.

For starters, almost no auto policy that is a basic policy is going to cover hurricane damage. The reason for this is that hurricanes are a relatively localized event. They do not happen in rural Idaho for instance so they would not need to be added to a basic policy that applies to car all over the country. If you are experiencing hurricanes, you are going to need to alter your coverage to reflect that.

Another factor that affects if flood damage is covered or not is how exactly the damage occurred; a good example of this is if you leave your window down and it is raining versus your car engine being bogged down by water that rose suddenly. The insurance company will take the time to investigate the damage and see just what caused it and if it was, in fact, avoidable or not.

The first step with flood damage is to get your car dried out immediately. The faster it gets dried out, the less damage there is overall. If you get your car dried out quickly you can avoid a total loss and work on just getting the existing damage repaired. If you live in the Charlotte, NC area, the agents with Jim Boyce Insurance can help answer all your questions and get your policy set up to cover all possible issues that might arise.

5 Smart Reasons to Install a Home Security System

In addition to protecting your home and family, installing a home security system could qualify you for a discount on your insurance premium. By discussing the benefits of a security system with your Jim Boyce Insurance agent in Charlotte, NC, you can decide if this is a viable option for you.  Here are just a few reasons to consider making this investment.

Personal Protection

A home security system can protect your family against thieves and intruders. A modern security system can alert you when intruders are on the property and dispatch authorities to your home for aid in stopping a burglary or intrusion.

Peace of Mind

As an elderly couple or single parent, you can have peace of mind that a security system will protect you from dangerous situations that arise. In the event of fire, intrusion or the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, your security system will notify the authorities to dispatch help to your home immediately to provide a means of escape.

Protection of Valuables

In many cases, burglars will bypass a home that has security system protection. Security cameras and an alarm system are often sufficient deterrents to thieves and intruders, making them valuable assets in safeguarding your valuables.

Remote Access to Property

Modern security systems provide you with remote access to your property, even from thousands of miles away. You can personally monitor your home via your laptop or smartphone daily as well as activate or deactivate your alarm system to suit your need.  

Reduction of Homeowners Insurance

A home security system could qualify you for a discount on your home insurance coverage. Depending on the features of your system, you may be eligible for a 10-20% reduction in your insurance premium.

Learn more about how a security system can benefit your home coverage by contacting Jim Boyce Insurance, Charlotte, NC. 

Getting a New Auto Insurance Policy After Totaling a Vehicle

When accidents happen, you may find yourself frustrated with the long process of getting back on the road. At Jim Boyce Insurance, our team of experienced auto insurance agents are available to help you to learn if you can get back into an auto insurance policy and what you can expect going forward. When a vehicle is totaled, that means the insurer decided the vehicle was too expensive to repair. The company may or may not help you replace that vehicle. However, you’ll need a new auto insurance plan for it.

What to Consider About Your New Plan

The new auto insurance policy you select will need to represent the new vehicle. You do not have to have the same plan, the same type of insurance, or the same coverage levels. However, you may notice a few bumps in the road to the process depending on the circumstances of your accident.

If you were found liable for the auto accident, that means that your insurance company may have had to pay a significant amount to total the vehicle and to cover any damage that occurred to other people’s vehicles or property. In some cases, this can lead to an increased level of risk to the insurer from providing you with a new policy. That may mean you will have a higher premium cost. You can often find policies that are affordable. And, in some cases, you may have restrictions such as an SR-22 put in place by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

What Should You Do?

The first step is always to get a new quote for auto insurance. Our team at Jim Boyce Insurance provides residents in Charlotte, NC and the surrounding area with comprehensive policies to meet most needs.