Enhancing Your Auto Coverage

Check Your Coverage Before You Hit the Road

One of the things I enjoy most about Erie's auto coverage is the wonderful coverage they already offer like Pet Protection built right into your policy.  The Rate Lock that locks in your auto rate regardless of losses, or rate hikes if you love pricing stability here it is folks.  And now we are in love with the Enhancement Endorsement at $30 per year this is a fabulous extension of coverage with diminishing deductibles should be on your radar. 

Cooler of snacks—check. Full tank of gas—check. Added Auto Enhancement Endorsement to your policy—huh?

Spring is a great time to take a vacation and get out on the open road. Wherever you’re headed—the beach, the mountains, or anywhere with sunshine—make sure you go prepared.

ERIE’s Auto Enhancement Endorsement* offers extra coverage to avoid sticky situations that could put a damper on your getaway. Let’s face it—road trips are no fun if you’re stuck in a repair shop after an accident.

The Auto Enhancement Endorsement is the ticket to help you out in such a pinch. It can cover emergency travel costs, up to $150 per person.  The endorsement also has other long-lasting features that are beneficial:

• Transportation expenses after a loss—ERIE will pay for up to seven additional days beyond the standard auto insurance policy if your car is in the shop after an accident.
• Higher coverage limits for personal effects, sound equipment and more.
• Diminishing deductible—reduced by $100 for each consecutive claims-free policy year that you’re insured, up to a maximum of $500.
• Deductible waiver—comprehensive or collision deductible is not applied if the accident involves your property that’s insured under an ERIE HomeProtector policy.

So give us a call before you hit the road, and make sure to buckle up! 317-534-5202

Heather Swank
Agent / Owner 
Brookson Insurance
317-534-5202
Heather@brooksoninsurance.com

Dont' Let a Tornado Topple You

Don’t Let a Tornado Topple You

Tornadoes are one of nature's most powerful and destructive forces; an F5, the strongest and most violent of tornadoes, can level almost any house and its occupants. Thankfully, F5 tornadoes are rare. Most are weaker and can be survived. And now is the time to prepare for them if you haven’t already. Tornadoes are most common from late winter through mid-summer.

Here’s what to do before and during a tornado:

·        Know where you can take shelter in the event of the storm. Practice a family tornado drill once a year.

·        Prepare by gathering emergency supplies, including nonperishable food, water, medication, batteries and flashlights. Keep the emergency kit packed and easily accessible.

·        Know the signs of a tornado: persistent winds, swirling dust or debris under a cloud base, loud continuous roar or rumble.

·        Know the difference and help your children understand the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning.

1.      Tornado Watch: Current weather conditions could create a tornado, so be on the lookout.

2.       Tornado Warning: A tornado has been sighted in the area. Seek shelter immediately and listen to the radio for further updates. A tornado warning is much more serious than a tornado watch.

·        If a tornado is likely or known, take shelter indoors, preferably in a basement or interior first-floor room or hallway.

·        Avoid windows and seek additional protection under large furniture or mattresses. This will protect you from flying debris.

·        After a tornado has struck, stay out of heavily damaged homes or buildings. Keep clear of downed power lines, broken glass and other debris. Avoid lighting matches and cigarettes due to possibly ruptured gas lines. Try to stay calm. Help will arrive.

And remember, be prepared financially, too, before a storm ever hits. Don’t let nature blow away what you’ve worked hard to build. If you’ve made improvements to your home or purchased large ticket items, let us know. We can ensure they are properly insured. We can also help you review your Erie Insurance homeowners policy anytime so you’re aware of the coverage limits and can adjust them as needed. Give us a call. 317-534-5202 Brookson Insurance LLC

Insuring For Life

Insurance poor is what you hear some people say these days about home, auto, and even life insurance.  The costs just keep raising and that is in fact the case when it comes to home insurance.  As I mentioned last week Indiana is in the middle of a volatile market change on the home side.  Auto and life not so much.  In fact, in most cases there is enough to be saved in packaging to offset the home increases we are seeing.

The insurance package for the average family should always be packaged for the most effective cost savings.  Our lead carrier offers a discount for home and auto and then another for life.  There are even payment options that offer discounts.  The less you spread out your payments the less you pay with most insurer's.

So what am I talking about Insuring For Life? It's not just a way to get you thinking about your life insurance.  It is a way to get you thinking about the "big picture" of insurance and the role it plays in your life. 

When you get your first house or condo, or your first car, your first life change all of these events are triggers to review your insurance.  The insurance in your life should grow same as you do, same as your family or businesses does.  Your exposure to loss gets higher with each new thing you have and this is a REAL reality.  The more you extend out your property or your things the more you extend out not only the chance of that property being damaged, but your liability for damage they may cause others. 

Let's quickly chat on liability most people just don't get it.  Well, on your auto it protects you from property damage and bodily injury you may cause someone else if you are at fault for an accident.  The liability on your home or tenant policy serves you as "personal liability" that would be things you are legally liable for that are not auto related.  If you are a tenant and catch your home or apartment home on fire you could be legally liable for the damages. 

With that insurance you carry on your car and home or living space you are protecting yourself from the loss of damage to your property and protecting your liability damage you may cause others.  It's a fully rounded out insurance package property damage and liability and you have them both on auto and on home or tenant coverage. 

This protects you from financial loss all the way around.  The same is true of life insurance.  Only 62% of the population carry life insurance and a good portion of that are under insured.  Most people say they can't afford life insurance that they have too much on their plate.  So who are you leaving all those bills with?  Who is going to pay for the cost of your burial if something happens?  Quick fact life insurance quite frankly is the most affordable insurance out there.  This is the one policy you can fit in.  Shop the others until you find enough savings to pay for life insurance.  Don't leave your protection unfinished.  This one is literally the worst to not have.  

So learning the basics of why you carry what you carry is sort of a pain to have to know.  The thing is as you grow through life so should the protection. If you set this protection properly then you will not suffer a financial loss from accidents you will be restored and that is the entire point of the coverage. 

Do not make the decision to go without it ever, for one that is barely legal in this state, for another it's just not worth the loss you could suffer.  Know what you have, know you have someone well versed in the insurance industry to guide and review for you.  Most of all know it is there to protect you.

Heather Swank
Brookson Insurance
317-534-5202
Heather@brooksoninsurance.com

What Is Going On With Home Deductibles????

Did you get a letter with your home renewal this year forcing you into a higher deductible or a % deductible for wind and hail damage?  Be aware this is happening all over Indiana.  This year make sure you review your renewal for any changes like this. 

There are some basic facts surrounding these changes.  I know rates have been enough, but these changing deductibles are an attempt to change the face of home insurance in Indiana.  Indiana has seen consistent storm damage for fifteen plus years.  Each hail event we have results in millions of dollars in damage not to even begin wind, lighting, and tornado damage.  Hurricanes are no longer the big boys of catastrophe claims in the US hail has become the mass producing damage maker.  It's because it hits every single day through storm season somewhere and now even beyond.  Late fall tornadoes, unexpected ice damage from harsh winters, and then right back into our storm season.

This has forced insurance carriers to raise pricing just to literally keep their heads above water.  On average in the US there are 12,000 hail events each year costing upwards of a billion dollars per year in damages.  Let me ask how many people have actually paid themselves out of pocket to replace their own roof on their home?  Yeah, it rarely if ever happens after so many years a storm blows in and poof a new roof.  The fact is most roofs being replaced should have been replaced by the homeowner well before that storm came along because of age and that is maintenance which is not the intention of the insurance policy to cover. 

It has become an expectation of the homeowner that the roof will always be replaced and that is just not anything you will ever have to do.  This cost, the cost of replacing worn out roofs that should have been replaced far before a stone of hail came along, that is why the cost of insurance is skyrocketing. Be prepared for changes, but also be aware not all carriers are making those changes.

When shopping ask is there a higher wind hail deductible?  Or is there a % deductible for wind hail.  The % deductibles are often 2% sometimes higher.  What that means is that whatever your home is insured for the "dwelling" your deductible would be 2% of that. So, if your dwelling is insured for 260,000 then your wind hail deductible would be $5,200. 

I know it seems as though the insurance world is a big evil machine when we pay our bills and never file claims, but it really is not.  Hey, I am an insurance agent and I still hate paying my premiums but I do so because I know I'm sharing risk so that when my time comes my claim will be paid. 

These storm patterns we experience now are only getting worse so buckle up it will keep getting more expensive and it will keep changing.  I'm a proud insurance agent who fully understands the product and grasps how beautiful it really is.  We all pay in and when a family experiences a fire and loses everything they had in life you see the product in action.  It's amazing life begins to rebuild and without insurance that would never happen.  A family could be financially devastated if they suffered a severe loss without it. 

I remember standing on a slab in Kansas City in 2001 after tornadoes blew through and more coming literally every night.  I am a former claims adjuster I was dispatched there for claim work for 4 weeks.  Standing on the slab of what had been a home 48 hours prior I saw an American flag stuck to the only remaining portion of a wall.  In that moment I knew I was in the right field and kept on working claims until each family had been taken care of.

Today I watch out for insured families. This change in home insurance pricing and deductibles is the most major change I have seen in my career.  My lead carrier Erie Insurance has chosen NOT to create higher deductibles for wind or hail, nor are they applying % deductible.  Your regular deductible is what it is.  If you experience anyone stressed about the forced higher deductibles pass my agency name along. 

Buckle up storms are upon us.  I'm here as always for any questions. 

Heather Swank
Brookson Insurance
317-534-5202
Heather@brooksoninsurance.com

What Matters Is You!

The insurance market these days can be so confusing it makes you want to sit still and not move your insurance.  Save this, bundle this, choose your own this.  Is it really smart to have me choosing my own insurance rate? Cute little lizard but does he supply good coverage and good service.  Everyone is trying to buy  your insurance dollars so what does it all mean?  Should it be only about the pricing?  Does my business, or my family even come into the insurance equation these days?

Being a consumer in this insurance market can certainly leave you in a tough spot not knowing if what you are buying is the quality your dollar deserves.  Here's some advice from our agency and it's not what you'd expect, but it's the right thing. 

Pricing should always be a concern.  If you have sat with the same insurance carrier and have seen your rates grow up every year.  Chances are if you have not had accidents or a ton of losses on your home or business you are in a good place to move and save some money.  Saving money is always important!

Here's the cautionary tale, there are some carriers who are marketing save this % with us, or pick your price.  Well, when you pick your price that means you are choosing to lower your protection in order to get there.  Make sure when you shop that you are shopping apples to apples with the coverage you had.  Also, any insurance agent should be giving you a review as well to make sure there aren't gaps in protection where you are.

Do not scale back protection at the cost of saving a few dollars in the end it will not be worth it if you suffer a loss.  Once gimmick some companies have been using on the homeowners side is to force you into higher deductibles to keep your rates lower.  Some people now have a 1,500 or 2,500 deductible just to get a lower rate, but keep in mind those funds come right out of your pocket at some point.  I have one client who pointed out well it will take me three years to recover that verses the savings it made me if I take a higher deductible.  Made perfect sense to me and I though well it's just not worth the higher deductible.  He'd rather pay $50 more a year to save $500 when a loss occurs.  I never really thought about that.

If you haven't quoted in years and you don't have an agent who does annual reviews to make sure your rate doesn't grow above what you have, then shopping is for sure worth your while.  Just don't be caught by all the gimmicks out there because it leads down a path of poorer coverage in most circumstances.  Keep apples to apples quoting and ask for the person quoting to review your insurance needs.

You hold all the cards when you go insurance shopping.  All the carriers would like to have your business so go in and get the best coverage at the best price you can find.  Don't settle should be your insurance shopping mantra!

As always we are available to you for any questions you have about coverage, regardless of whether or not you are our client.  We have a knowledge base we love to share regardless.  Check out our updates on Facebook for some tips on insurance and articles that offer some sound insurance advice. 

Brookson Insurance
"Good Things Happen Here"
Heather Swank
Owner / Agent
Heather@brooksoninsurance.com

Before The Storm

With winter storms we always prepare with bread, milk, even movies for the family to watch. We seem to forget the most important safety preparations. The overall safety of our homes and autos during these storms can make all of the difference when you are faced with a difficult situation.  And as always keep our number handy 317-534-5202.

Before the Winter Storm

Before the winter storm strikes, it’s important to know the weather terminology that may appear across the bottom of your television screen or on the local radio station.

• Winter Storm Watch: Severe winter weather may affect the surrounding area within the next 36 to 48 hours.
• Winter Storm Warning: Severe winter weather conditions are on the way or will begin within 24 hours. Take cover and be prepared.
• Blizzard Warning: Blinding snow and dangerous wind chills are expected for several hours. Sustained winds of 35 mph are expected to sweep the area. A traveler’s advisory is issued if driving conditions are expected to be dangerous or slow moving.

Here are some other tips to help you prepare for winter storms:

• Winterize your car long before the first snowfall hits. Winter weather is unpredictable and may surprise you early in the season. Prepare a disaster kit for your vehicle that includes:

• Shovel
• Sand
• Tow chain
• Jumper cables
• Screwdrivers, pliers and a knife
• Ice scraper and snow brush
• Spare change
• Blankets/sleeping bags
• Small can and waterproof matches for melting snow
• Windshield washer anti-freeze
• High calorie, non-perishable food items
• Warm clothes that can be layered
• Compass and map
• Cell phone and charger

• Winterize your trees and bushes by trimming long branches. The ice and wet snow that accumulates on branches can cause damage to your home, car or neighbors.
• Salt and shovel walkways often.
• Drain your pipes if you go on vacation or experience a power outage to prevent your pipes from freezing and bursting.
• Make certain that each family member has warm winter gear, including a winter coat, gloves, hat or scarf and water-resistant boots.
• Keep your gas tank full in the winter months to protect your fuel line from freezing.
• Have your cell phone charged.
• Stock an ample supply of logs that can be reached easily during a storm if you have a wood burning fireplace.

Contact Us!

317-534-5202 Brookson Insurance

If you haven’t scheduled an annual insurance review, Brookson Insurance today. We will review your risks and help you make important decisions about your auto, home, life or business insurance coverage.

Keeping your family safe is our #1 focus all throughout the year.