What should you focus on when buying home insurance?

Shopping for homeowners insurance might not be as fun as shopping for the home itself. Many Buford, GA homeowners often focus on insurance prices and fail to balance between price and value. Insurance can be complicated, with many terms and things to think about. At Town & Country Insurance, we can help you with professional insurance advice so that you can make informed decisions regarding home insurance. Here are a few things to focus on when buying home insurance.

Know the amount of insurance you need

Each home insurance policy is different. Your home insurance policy cannot be the same as your neighbor, simply because you are in the same area or bought the same type of house. A lot has to be put into consideration when putting up your policy. Such considerations include:

  • Whether the insurance provider is offering actual cash value or replacement costs
  • Your coverage limits
  • The perils covered and those that are excluded

Know your insurability before shopping

Buying insurance is not just about filling and signing forms. Your insurance provider will ask several questions to know whether you are eligible for insurance or not. They also ask questions to see whether your insurance needs to meet their insurance regulations. Knowing your insurability gives you a better chance to know what to focus on and what not to.

Save save save with deductibles!

When buying insurance, you can save money if you have a higher deductible in your policy. Your insurance company will give discounts and continue increasing these discounts as these deductibles increases. You can compare these discounts from different providers and choose the company with the best deal.

As a first time home insurance buyer, you need to be aware of your coverage, to know the amount of insurance you need and use that as a guide when making a claim. If you still need help to determine your coverage, Town & Country Insurance can help you. Visit our website or office at Buford, GA and meet our expert insurance advisors.

 

Does a Georgia business need commercial insurance?

One dream that some people have is to eventually start and open their own business. Those that are in the Buford, GA area should consider starting a company in this town. There are many economic benefits in this area that offer a lot of opportunities. When you are looking to start a company in this area, it is important to fully consider your insurance needs. There are many reasons why someone needs to have commercial insurance when starting a company.

Provides Protection From Liability

One important reason why a business should get commercial insurance is that it can provide protection from liability. There is a lot of liability risk that goes along with owning a business. If you have a customer that gets sick or hurt when using your product or service, you could be deemed liable. A full commercial insurance policy will give you coverage to protect against this risk.

Covers Assets From Losses

Starting any type of company will come with an initial investment. This investment is often used to buy inventory and other assets. These assets are often the building blocks of the company and losing them could be devastating. Since the risk of theft, fire, and other negative situations are always present, you need to protect against them as much as possible. The best way to do this is by getting a full commercial insurance policy. 

Those that need to have commercial insurance in the Buford, GA area should call Town & Country Insurance as soon as they can. When they call Town & Country Insurance for their commercial insurance needs, they will quickly find that the company offers great guidance and support. This will help to ensure that you get into a policy that gives the right level of coverage. 

Required Recreational Vehicle Insurance in Georgia

With so much to see and do in Georgia, an RV road trip is sure to be an unforgettable experience. For stress-free travels, make sure you have adequate RV insurance to protect you against breakdowns and accidents. At Town & Country Insurance in Buford, GA, we’ll ensure you have the right insurance coverage to meet Georgia requirements and your personal travel needs.

Mandatory RV Insurance in Georgia

By law, Georgia requires RV drivers to carry minimum liability insurance to pay for injuries or damage to others in accidents they cause. If you cause an accident that sends another driver to the hospital or totals his car, your liability coverage will help pay for his medical bills and loss of property so you don’t suffer financial loss.   

As RVs can cause a lot of damage in an accident, you’d do well to obtain more than just minimum coverage to protect your assets against serious accidents you may cause.

Additional Coverage

Liability RV insurance is mandatory in Georgia to protect other drivers. Additional coverage in the form of collision, comprehensive or uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) to protect your vehicle against accidental damage is optional.  

Collision insurance pays for repairs to your RV if you collide into another vehicle or object such as a tree or wall.

Comprehensive insurance covers damage caused by non-collision accidents such as falling objects, hail or striking an animal on the road. If your RV is stolen, comprehensive coverage will compensate you for its current market value.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage helps pay for your medical expenses or RV damage if you’re hit by a driver with insufficient or no insurance coverage, which is more common than people imagine.  

For more information about RV insurance and the protection, it has to offer, call or visit us at Town & Country Insurance in Buford, GA.

Prepare for the Unexpected with Life Insurance

Life insurance from Town & Country Insurance in Buford, GA can be an investment in your family’s future. You can’t predict when you’ll pass on. You can, however, prepare for unforeseen events by purchasing a life insurance policy today. Here’s how life insurance can help you prepare for the unexpected.

Financial Security

When the time comes, life benefits can provide your family with financial security to carry on after you’re gone. Life benefits can be used to replace lost income, pay off a mortgage or other debts, cover medical expenses, pay for childcare or cover the cost of your children’s college.

If you’re the primary breadwinner in your family, your unexpected demise could leave your spouse and children in dire straits financially. Life benefits will enable your family to maintain the lifestyle they’re used to until your spouse can make provisions for the future.

Support for Aging Parents

In today’s economy, it’s often difficult for seniors to make ends meet after retirement. Your support could be crucial to your parent’s daily living. If you were to unexpectedly pass on, life benefits can continue that support after you’re gone. Your parents can use these benefits to help pay the bills, cover medical costs, start a new business or supplement their retirement.  

Fund a Business Venture

If you’ve started a business with a partner, life benefits can help your partner continue the venture upon your untimely demise. Life benefits can help replace the income you would have invested in the business to help keep your dream alive.

You never know when a fatal accident or illness will result in your unexpected demise. That’s why it’s important to prepare in advance. To learn more about the benefits of purchasing a life insurance policy, contact Town & Country Insurance in Buford, GA.

What New Homeowners Should Know About Home Insurance

Being a new homeowner is one of the most exciting steps you will take in your life. However, there’s a lot for new homeowners to learn, including understanding home insurance.  If you need home insurance in Buford, GA, Town & Country Insurance can guide you through the process. 

Types of Coverage

  • Dwelling coverage: your home
  • Other property: Other structures (shed, barn, etc.)
  • Personal property: valuables inside your home
  • Liability: Covers expenses if someone is injured on your property
  • Additional living expenses: living expenses if your home is uninhabitable 

Know Your Lender’s Requirements

Be sure to check your lender’s home insurance policy and get adequate coverage. Most lenders will require you to purchase home insurance before you close on your home, and not getting the proper coverage can cost a lot of time and headaches. 

Replacement Cost vs Market Value

Replacement cost is what it would cost you to replace your home. Market value is what your home is appraised for in the current market. Most policies offer 125% of the replacement cost.

Know the Exclusions

Most policies will exclude certain types of damage or causes of damage. It’s important to know what these are. You don’t want to file a claim for something that isn’t covered. You may also want to purchase extra coverage to cover exclusions. 

Check the CLUE Report

CLUE stands for Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Report. It’s basically a history of any claims made on your home, even before you owned it. This will likely be taken into account by the insurance company when giving you an insurance quote. If multiple claims have been filed on the home, you may pay higher rates. A CLUE report can give you this information going into purchasing insurance so that you aren’t unpleasantly surprised when you receive a quote. 

If you need home insurance, call us at Town & Country Insurance in Buford, GA. Our agents will explain everything you need to know about home insurance and help you get the coverage you need. 

 

 

How Does My Commercial Insurance Coverage Work When Employees Use Their Own Vehicles?

Business owners in the greater Buford, GA area can rely on the professional agents at Town & Country Insurance to help them meet all of their commercial insurance needs. We understand that it can sometimes be tricky to navigate the world of commercial insurance. There are a lot of options and it isn’t always clear exactly what the appropriate coverage may be. This is especially true when it comes to employees using their own vehicles for company business. Our agents are here to review the relevant information with you today.

What You Need to Know About Employees’ Vehicle Use

Most insurance policies operate on an "excess" basis when it comes to non-owned vehicles. This means that if your employee is involved in an accident, in their own vehicle, while on company business, their insurance will provide the primary coverage. Anything covered that is in excess of their policy is then the responsibility of the company. You can avoid this problem by requiring your employees to carry an appropriate level of coverage on their own policy. It also makes sense to have an enforced policy in place that stipulates who is and is not permitted to drive their personal vehicle for work-related tasks. We also recommend that if your business model calls for the use of employee-owned vehicles that you consider an umbrella policy to cover the increased liability exposure. 

If you are a business owner in the greater Buford, GA area and want to make sure that you have the commercial insurance coverage you need, give us a call. The team at Town & Country Insurance is here to help you find the commercial insurance policy that is right for your needs. Call or stop by today!

What Does Recreational Insurance Actually Cover?

Recreation is something that we can all benefit from greatly but not many people know what recreational insurance is. For the most part, this type of policy is going to be geared toward those vehicles and recreational vehicles that are used to recreate. For those in the Buford, GA area, the agents with Town & Country Insurance can help you to find the right recreational policy for you.

Recreational insurance or recreational vehicle insurance is something that anyone that vacations frequently or that has recreational vehicles can benefit from greatly. This can mean off-road vehicles, boats, ATVs, and even RVs in some cases. This is a supplemental policy that can be added to your already existing policies and that can help to greatly improve your overall insurance coverage. A recreational policy can cover property damage, medical payments, personal injury, bodily injury and more.

This type of policy is not required but it can make a big difference in the way that you are covered should something happen when you are out enjoying your recreational vehicles. You can get this type of coverage to help keep your recreational vehicles covered without having to take out a full policy for each recreational vehicle. If you are considering this type of coverage, you should take the time to talk with an agent about what it covers, about what it can do for you, and about how you might benefit from this type of coverage.

Not all policy holders are going to need a full recreational policy and may be able to cover their vehicles on other policies but it is at the very least a good thing to consider. For those in the Buford, GA area, the agents with Town & Country Insurance can help you to get your policy straight.

Can You Purchase More Than One Life Insurance Policy?

If you have loved ones to care for, or who you would like to provide financial security for in the event of your unexpected passing, you can protect them with a life insurance policy. However, you may be wondering if you can purchase more than one life insurance policy to give them extra protection.

Purchasing More Than One Life Insurance Policy

If you are interested in providing additional coverage for a loved one, you may, in fact, choose to get an additional policy. You can purchase as many policies as you would like, but make sure that you understand the limitations of the policy before you make a purchase. Not all life insurance providers and policies are identical, so it is important to work with a licensed insurance agent to help you navigate the process. They can outline your needs and suggest options that work for your situation.

Purchasing Life Insurance

The process of finding life insurance can be tricky. You will want to have the help of an experienced agent who knows how to figures out how much life insurance you need as well as help you submit the necessary documentation. They will also be able to handle a claim if the need arises. If you are a resident living in or around the Buford, GA area, you can depend on the life insurance agents at Town & Country Insurance to give you the one on one service you need to protect your loved ones in the future. 

Searching for life insurance doesn’t have to be a challenge. With the assistance of the agents at Town & Country Insurance, serving the residents of Buford, GA, you can get the coverage you need without all of the obstacles. 

First Time Homebuyers: What You Need to Know Before Purchasing Home Insurance

If you are purchasing your first home, you will also need to purchase your first home insurance policy. Since you have never purchased a policy before, you may be unsure of what you need to do or consider before making a purchase. Town & Country Insurance, serving Buford, GA, wants to help you with this purchase. Here are a few important things you need to know before purchasing home insurance for your new home. 

The Importance of Obtaining Quotes Before Buying

Prior to purchasing your first home insurance policy, it is important to get quotes from different companies. Many people assume that all homeowners insurance plans are the same and are similar in price. This is not true. Obtaining quotes allows you to see what different companies have to offer and what the price is for the products that they offer. 

What is Covered and Excluded Under Your Insurance Policy

Another important factor to consider when purchasing your first home insurance policy is to find out what is covered and excluded. Not every event is covered under your insurance policy. For example, flooding caused when a river overflows its banks are typically not covered under your policy unless you purchase a flood add-on policy. 

How to Get an Adequate Coverage Level

Lastly, take the time to ensure you have adequate coverage for not only your new house but all the items stored inside, including electronics, furniture, and jewelry. A great insurance agent can help you calculate what coverage level is right for you. 

Purchasing your first home insurance policy does not have to be a scary or stressful experience. Here at Town & Country Insurance, serving the greater Buford, GA. area, we are here to help you. We can explain home insurance policies to you, answer any questions you have and help determine an adequate coverage level for you. Call us now to get started. 

 

Artists and business insurance

As an artist, you may run your operation out of your home, or out of a studio. Often artists do not have a set location, but they may still need insurance. Town & Country Insurance of Buford, GA is here to help you find the right policy for your arts and crafts business. 

Liability coverage is always an issue and is the minimum you should have. This can include liability for your home, studio, and for when you are doing your art on location. If you were performing somewhere or selling hour art somewhere, you could get liability coverage for that as well.

Often the materials used for your art, especially if used for business, are excluded from your homeowners’ policy. This is where business insurance comes in. Your business insurance can cover things like musical instruments, or whatever tools you need to make your art. It could include cameras for a photographer, for example. It can also cover your supplies, and in many cases even completed work.

There may be some exclusions, so it is good to go over all these issues with a qualified agent.  You may choose from different liability levels and property amounts to get the coverage you feel you need.  Some trade shows require proof of insurance to sell your art, and we can provide that certificate as part of your coverage.

Call or visit Town & Country Insurance of Buford, GA today to learn more about getting insurance for your arts and crafts business. Each business is different, and artists do have some special cases, so it can get complicated. We can help you sort it all out and get a good policy that will protect your art and give you peace of mind, so you can get back to making art.