Why business insurance matters in Minnesota

The weather out here in Plymouth, MN can be rough. It’s not the fiercest Midwestern city, we get nice warm Summers, but with average temperatures below zero in the colder months, you have to be prepared for what the weather can do to your business if you’re not careful. Anchor Insurance Agency LLP can help you to get the policy that you need to protect your business come what may.

Consider simple liability, for instance. What’s the example insurers always use when discussing the importance of liability coverage? Somebody is coming into your store or walking on your property, and they slip on some ice. For a lot of people, this is just an example. They don’t get snow in most areas of California and Florida, but snow and ice are a constant concern for folks in the Midwest.

Commercial insurance is designed to protect the physical assets of your business, everything contained within your building. It’s not uncommon for the weather to do a serious number on this property. A bad storm or a leaky roof can do a lot of damage to a business in Plymouth, MN. Weather damages to your business may not be inevitable, but they are not exactly unlikely, and ensuring that you have adequate insurance is about having a backup plan, against the one-in-a-million unlikely events as well as the more predictable threats.

If you’re not happy with your current policy, or you’re looking to insure a new business, give Anchor Insurance Agency LLP a call and see if they have a plan that works for you. Having adequate insurance is more important in Plymouth than it is almost anywhere else.

Driving Without Auto Insurance Is Dangerous Indeed

Minnesotans are pretty smart indeed, however, even some of the residents of this great state fail to follow all the rules. Yes, some of the drivers in Plymouth MN and the surrounding areas get on the road without their automobile insurance at times. Here are some of the reasons people take the risk of driving without insurance: 

  • a need to get to work
  • not enough funds to acquire insurance
  • legal issues that would prevent the acquisition of insurance
  • a need to get to another important entity, such as medical treatment

No matter what the reason you have been driving around without car insurance, make this the day that you stop. The need for car insurance has not been mandated as a punitive gesture toward drivers and their carefree lifestyle.

The most urgent need for car insurance in a civil society is because people are involved in car accidents every day. These calamities are not foreseen. They just happen. When people who are involved in car accidents cannot go to work, they need to be financially supported:

  • Cars need to be replaced
  • Limbs need to be reconstructed
  • Lives need to be sustained

All of the above takes money to accomplish. If it were not for car insurance that money would have to be supplied from the government – the taxpayers – you. Is it your fault that a driver was distracted and collided with another vehicle when you were home resting peacefully in your bed? Of course, it isn’t your fault. So why should you have to pay for the accident?

The staffers and agents at Anchor Insurance Agency LLP provide the anchor of insurance to hold you in your place despite what may happen on the road. Call today to find out how to acquire great automobile insurance today at 763-473-4090. 

 

Reasons for insurance in Plymouth MN

A small town like Plymouth, MN would make you think that some insurance policies aren’t necessary, but unfortunately, you would be wrong. Insurance is meant to protect against the unpredictable and even though Plymouth doesn’t have a large population, there is still plenty of unpredictability residents must face as they go about their everyday lives. Below are some of the reasons for why you may need insurance in Plymouth, MN, namely with a broker who knows the local area like Anchor Insurance Agency LLP and can really speak to their client’s needs.

AUTO INSURANCE PROTECTION

This is arguably the most important type of insurance policy someone in Plymouth MN should have. It will cover their vehicle while they drive on the road, not only protecting them from accidents they are responsible for but from other drivers as well. And sometimes, it’s just the fault of the weather in Minnesota, which is regularly inclement, causing cars to slide off the road or into each other when there is a particularly large stretch of ice. Without a good auto insurance policy, you could be paying for damage to someone else’s vehicle or medical care out of your own pocket.

HOME INSURANCE

Having insurance on your home in Plymouth, MN is also critical, due in part to the weather as well. Heavy snows can lead to roofs collapsing, pipes freezing and bursting, trees falling on homes. There is also always the threat of fire that has to be protected against through an insurance policy, so having that in place is critical. To figure out what home insurance policy is right for you to talk to your local broker and make sure you are fully covered, so you don’t end up homeless.

Should You Add Your Teen Driver to Your Policy Before or After They Get Their License

For those that have teen drivers, it is difficult to know if you should add them to your policy before or after they get their license. There is no simple answer to the question however, and it should be taken on a case by case basis. Drivers that live in or near Plymouth, MN can talk with agents from Anchor Insurance Agency LLP for more information.

Taking this question in a case by case method is the best approach. For some states, it might be required that you insure your teen driver when they only have permits, in other areas, it might not be required. A good rule of thumb is to consider how much your permit driver will be behind the wheel before getting their license. In some states, graduated licensing laws require that the permit holder logs a specific amount of hours before their being given the license.

In these cases, it might be beneficial to add a permit driver to your policy. Unless your permit driver is going to add hundreds of dollars in premiums each month, it is generally going to be a good idea to add them to your policy. Another factor to keep in mind is that in most cases, you are not going to be able to get your license unless you can prove you are insured so you may want to add your driver before getting their license.

For those that are over 21 and are insured, your permit driver is likely to be covered, even if they are not named if they are driving with you in the car and you are insured. If you are in the Plymouth, MN area, the agents with Anchor Insurance Agency LLP can help.

Doing an Inventory of Your Belongings in Your Home

It is great that you have home insurance, but if you have a claim such as if there is ever a theft or disaster like a fire involving your belongings, it is extremely helpful to have adequate documentation that indicates what belongings you have. A home inventory serves that purpose, and here is how to complete that. These tips come to you courtesy of Anchor Insurance Agency LLP serving Plymouth, MN.

Make a detailed list

Create a list of all of the items in your home. This can be a handwritten list or one that you type on your computer. If you type it, print it out, so you have a hard copy. Generating this list can be overwhelming, especially if you have a larger home or many items. Inventory one room at a time, or start by listing your higher-value items. By dividing the list completion task into smaller tasks, the process will not be as daunting.

Take photos and videos

In addition to the list you generate, taking photos and videos of your belongings is a great way to document what items you own. Make sure the images you capture are close up enough to the items that anyone viewing the images could see enough detail. Label each photo or video, briefly listing what the item is plus purchase date and value.

Keep it in a safe place

Once you have completed your home inventory, keep your list of items plus photos, videos and any other documentation in a safe place. Keep at least one copy of your inventory away from your house, because if it were destroyed or stolen in a home disaster or burglary situation, you would still have a copy of the inventory at an offsite location.

If you need more information about a home inventory, please contact Anchor Insurance Agency LLP serving Plymouth, MN. We are happy to help.

What Does Actual Cash Value Mean in Relation to Home Insurance Claims?

When a home insurance company is providing you with money to replace goods that you have lost, they base the value of these items on the actual cash value. There are a number of reasons why you may have items that are damaged or missing. There may have been a fire in your home or your home may have been burglarized. Regardless of why, learning what actual cash value means can help you determine how an insurance company values your belongings and determines how much to pay you after you file a claim.

Actual cash value means how much it will cost to replace the items, or how much similar items sell for. For example, if you paid $500 for a couch two or three years ago, that couch is no longer worth $500. You could easily buy a two to three-year-old sofa for $200 to $300. As such, the actual cash value of your sofa would be the $200 to $300. Ultimately, this helps to ensure you get the same item that you had.

If you have valuable belongings in your home, such as expensive jewelry, art work or antiques, you may want to have each of these items appraised and covered separately from your home insurance policy. This helps to ensure that you receive the full value of these items.

If you are in the market for a new home insurance policy in the greater Plymouth, MN area, visit Anchor Insurance Agency LLP. We can help you determine how much coverage you need and put together a policy that fully protects you. Call us today for a free quote or visit our office to allow us to start drawing a policy up for you.