GUARDIAN INSURANCE

lunes, 25 de septiembre de 2017

5 Questions to ask before choosing your Auto Insurance

After taking driving lessons and passing your driving test, you've reached the next stage when you finally have your own car. Before you can drive on the road, auto insurance is top of your to-do list. But looking for an auto insurance company can be a hard topic if you haven't done it before and aren't sure what to look for. Your coverage should reflect your needs, priorities and budget. You’ll want to evaluate how you use your car, what risks you face and what options you want from an insurer before you compare policies and insurers.

To help you on your quest to find the best auto insurance, at GUARDIAN INSURANCE AGENCY located in Fairburn, Lagrange and Norcross, we give you five questions to find out which car insurance is right for you:

1. What type of Car do you drive?

Insurers have a lot of data, and they know in precise detail what types of cars, makes and models are more or less likely to incur claims. A flashy sports car with a powerful engine may be more likely to be stolen and cost a lot for body work than a mid-sized sedan and your insurance will be priced accordingly. By the same token, you may receive discounts if your car has the latest safety features and a good safety record.

2. What is your risk assessment?

The insurance rate you're offered is based on several factors that comprise how much of a "risk" you pose to the company that is, how likely it is that you'll be making a claim. The more of a risk you pose, the higher your rate will be. Companies use data such as your age, sex, driving record, criminal record, credit rating, where you live and where you park to determine your risk.

3. Who else will be Driving the Car?

Generally, your car insurance will cover other occasional drivers. However, if other drivers live with you and use your car whether a spouse, a teen driver or a housemate, they should be listed on your policy.

4. What are your Legal Obligations?

Nearly every state requires that you carry minimum liability coverage for your car. At the very least, you need to make sure your policy complies with state mandates. However, the levels of required coverage are generally pretty low. To be safe, you’ll probably want additional liability coverage and keep in mind, if you are involved in a serious accident, you may be sued for a large sum of money.

5. Is your Car Financed or Leased?

If you still owe money on your car or have to return it in good condition when a lease expires, you’ll likely be required to insure the car for its full value and even for any gap between what you owe and the car’s market value. Collision and comprehensive will cover damage to your car up to its value and supplemental gap insurance will cover the rest.

Remember that a car insurance policy may help protect your wallet, your vehicle and even offer peace of mind. Contact us for more Information, At GUARDIAN INSURANCE AGENCY located in Fairburn, Lagrange and Norcross, we can help you choose the coverage that's right for your needs.

For more Information contact us: (706) 884-5006 or (770) 969-5666

Please visit us: www.go-guardian.com

lunes, 18 de septiembre de 2017

Is a Hurricane covered by Homeowners Insurance?

If you live in an area that is susceptible to hurricanes, you likely have certain emergency plans in place. But to know what type of insurance you may need to provide coverage for the kinds of damages a hurricane can cause, you should analyze the area where you live, the types of damages your home may suffer, the limitations that your policy may have in place and the amount of coverage you want to have.

At GUARDIAN INSURANCE AGENCY located in Fairburn, Lagrange and Norcross, we show you some things to consider when it comes to hurricanes and insurance owners:

1. Hurricane damage caused by wind:

Wind is typically among the perils covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy. However, some policies partially or completely exclude wind-related damage. It's important to read your home insurance policy or contact your insurance agent to learn if and how your home's structure, as well as your belongings, may be covered against a hurricane's winds.

Be sure to review the amount of coverage you have in place and make any necessary adjustments to help ensure your limits are in line with the potential cost of repairing or rebuilding your home.

2. Hurricane damage caused by flood:

Private homeowners insurance policies typically do not cover flood damage. That exclusion also pertains to flooding brought on by or as a result of a hurricane. You may be able to purchase a separate flood insurance policy through the National Flood Insurance Program to help cover such damage.

However, if a hurricane's wind damages your roof, and rain gets in as a result, you may find that homeowners insurance offers some protection if your policy includes coverage for wind.

Remember that a Home insurance policy may help protect your wallet, your House and even offer peace of mind. Contact us for more Information, At GUARDIAN INSURANCE AGENCY located in Fairburn, Lagrange and Norcross we can help you to find the best Renters or Homeowners Insurance!For more Information contact us: (706) 884-5006 or (770) 969-5666

Please visit us: www.go-guardian.com

lunes, 11 de septiembre de 2017

4 Ways to Prepare for a Hurricane

Hurricanes are not only a concern for those whose homes are in the path of one, but for relatives and friends who may worry about those in the storm’s path, and getting your family and your home ready for hurricane season isn’t as easy as just closing the door and taking off.

But whether it’s because we downplay the risks of a hurricane, we haven’t experienced a hurricane before, or we have simply become overwhelmed at the thought, some of us may tend to put those preparations off, waiting until the skies cloud up and weather warnings are deployed. Preparedness is essential for dealing with the physical challenges of hurricane season, and it will help you and your family keep peace of mind.

At GUARDIAN INSURANCE AGENCY located in Fairburn, Lagrange and Norcross, we give you four tips to make sure you and your family are protected if your home is threatened by a hurricane:

1. Ensure that your house insurance is up to date: Hurricane season is not the time to buy flood insurance since it's either unavailable or expensive. Most regular home insurance does not include flood coverage in the policy, so you'll have to buy this separately. Just in case the hurricane does do major damage to your home, this will ensure that you’ll be ready and able to rebuild once it’s all over.

2. Buy enough food and water to last a few days: Canned food is the only kind acceptable for an event such as a hurricane; check the expiration dates to make sure the food is fresh. Always have these supplies on hand so that you can respond whenever an emergency arises.

- Water, one gallon per person per day (three-day minimum)

- Food, a three-day supply of no-cook foods

- Flashlights, with extra batteries

- Hand-crank or battery-powered radio, with extra batteries

- NOAA weather radio

- First-aid kit

- Cell phone charger, inverter or solar charger

- Supply of plywood, for temporary storm shutters

- Fill up the bathtub if you decide to stay home. An average bathtub full of water holds enough water for about three days. It also makes it possible to flush the toilet using a bucket.

- There is a lot of water in the hot water heater of your home. An average 150-liter water heater has enough water to keep a single person alive for a month. See here for details.

3. Make an Emergency plan:

- Develop an evacuation plan: Identify a location where family will meet within your neighborhood, and a second one immediately outside of it, the agency says. Contact local officials to identify community evacuation routes, and then do a test run.

- Create a family communication plan: Designate an out-of-area contact that household members can each notify when they’re safe. Program this contact and other emergency numbers into cellphones, and create a paper version to keep handy.

- Make special plans for special needs: (Older family members, those with disabilities, infants, pets, etc.)

4. Make plans to better fortify your home:

There are affordable methods and products that can help minimize hurricane damage, including:

- Bracing garage doors

- Installing storm shutters on windows and sliding glass doors

- Applying wood adhesive where the roof deck and rafters intersect

- Applying a peel-and-stick water barrier to roof deck joints

Please visit us: www.go-guardian.com

lunes, 28 de agosto de 2017

What to do in case of Flood

At GUARDIAN INSURANCE AGENCY located in Fairburn, Lagrange and Norcross, we give you some tips that can help protect you and your family in case of flood:

1. Flood watches are issued when rain is heavy enough to cause rivers to overflow.

2. Flood warnings describe the severity of the situation and indicate when and where the flood will begin.

3. Flash flood watches are issued when heavy rain is occurring or is expected to occur.

4. Flash flood warnings are issued when flooding is occurring suddenly. In the event of flash flooding, move immediately to high ground.

5. Educate your family and yourself about your community's flood warnings.

6. Develop a plan for you and your family to communicate if you are separated when a flood comes.

7. If you are moving into a new home, apartment or business location, make sure you have adequate insurance coverage. Your bank, local officials or insurance representative can inform you if your location is at risk of flooding.

8. Flood insurance is excluded under homeowners and renters policies, but it is covered under the comprehensive section of standard automobile insurance policies and some coverage is available for floods under special commercial insurance policies.

9. Flood insurance for homeowners, renters and businesses is administered through the federal government and can be purchased from an insurance agent.

10. Flood insurance is only available where the local government has adopted adequate flood plain management regulations under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Most communities participate in the program.

11. Flood insurance covers direct physical losses from floods and losses resulting from flood-related erosion caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels and accompanied by a severe storm, flash flood, abnormal tide surge or a similar situation which results in flooding. Flood insurance also may cover mudslides.

12.Coverage for the structure and contents of the home are sold separately. Buildings are covered for replacement cost but content coverage is available on an actual cash value basis only.

13. Maintain a supply of emergency materials: plywood, plastic sheeting, nails, hammer, shovels, sandbags, flashlight, batteries, battery-operated radio, first aid kit, medication, sturdy shoes, emergency food and water, cash and credit cards.

14. Install a system to prevent flood water from backing up in sewer drains.

15. Locate switches to turn off gas, electricity and water.

16. Make a home inventory listing all of your possessions to help facilitate the claim filing process if your belongings are damaged or destroyed.

Please visit us: www.go-guardian.com

viernes, 18 de agosto de 2017

6 Elements that determine your Car Insurance Premiums

Car insurance rates are carefully thought-out calculations, believe it or not, they aren't arbitrary numbers made up by auto insurance providers.

Using your personal information and company claim data, car insurance companies use their own algorithms to make a calculation on how much you could cost the insurer. The riskier you appear, the more you will pay for car insurance. The safer you seem, the less you'll pay.

At GUARDIAN INSURANCE AGENCY located in Fairburn, Lagrange and Norcross, we want to give you five elements that affect and determine your car insurance premiums:

1. Driving experience:

Inexperienced drivers pose more risk. Anyone who hasn't driven a car is automatically a higher risk to car insurance companies, whether you're 16 or 50 years of age.

Teens are the biggest category of inexperienced drivers and also pay the most because their age and inexperience are a double whammy. A 40-year-old getting a license is thought to be more mature and conservative than a 16-year old behind the wheel and receives a lower rate.

The more years you have under your belt, the better. Even better for your wallet is if you have been licensed for many years and have a clean driving record. That combo will get you better rates, plus discounts for being a good driver.

2. Vehicle type:

Car insurance providers often develop vehicle safety ratings by collecting a large amount of data from customer claims and analyzing industry safety reports, and they offer discounts to customers who drive safer vehicles.

The opposite can apply for dangerous, flashy rides. Some insurers increase premiums for cars more susceptible to damage, occupant injury, or theft, and they lower rates for those that fare better than the norm on those measures.

3. How often, and how far, you drive:

Insurers also want to know why you're driving your car. A vehicle used to commute to school or work poses more of a risk than the car you only take out of the garage once a week. Personal use of a vehicle costs less than business use, since those using their car for business purposes have a higher chance of being in an accident due to increase driving time.

People who use their car for business and long-distance commuting normally pay more than those who drive less. The more miles you drive in a year, the higher the chances of a crash - regardless of how safe a driver you are.

4. Where you live:

Generally, due to higher rates of vandalism, theft, and crashes, urban drivers pay more for car insurance than do those in small towns or rural areas.

5. Your driving record:

How safe of a driver you are is really important to your car insurance company because your behavior on the road directly affects your risk to an insurer. Drivers with a clean driver's history qualify for better rates and also are eligible for a good/safe driver discount.

Drivers who cause crashes generally must pay more than those who have gone crash-free for several years.

6. Your credit history:

It has been shown certain credit information can be predictive of future insurance claims. Where applicable, many insurance companies use credit history to help determine the cost of car insurance. Maintaining good credit can have a positive impact on the cost of your car insurance.

Your credit rating and history may also affect how an insurance company allows you to pay for your policy. Since statistics have shown that customers with low credit scores are more likely to miss a payment, insurers may ask you to pay a large percentage of the policy up front. Customers with very poor credit scores may be required to pay the entire 6 or 12 month premium upfront in order for the policy to be issued.

lunes, 14 de agosto de 2017

All that you need to know about Homeowners Insurance

Homeowners insurance provides financial protection against disasters. A standard policy insures the home itself and the things you keep in it.

Homeowners insurance covers both damage to your property and your liability or legal responsibility for any injuries and property damage you or members of your family cause to other people. This includes damage caused by household pets.

At GUARDIAN INSURANCE AGENCY located in Fairburn, Lagrange and Norcross, we give you the information that you need to know about Homeowners Insurance:

Most standard homeowners insurance policies include four essential types of coverage:

1. Coverage for the structure of your home:

Your homeowners policy pays to repair or rebuild your home if it is damaged or destroyed by fire, hurricane, hail, lightning or other disasters listed in your policy. It will not pay for damage caused by a flood, earthquake or routine wear and tear. When purchasing coverage for the structure of your home, remember this simple guideline: Purchase enough coverage to rebuild your home.

2. Coverage for your personal belongings:

Your furniture, clothes, sports equipment and other personal items are covered if they are stolen or destroyed by fire, hurricane or other insured disasters. The coverage is generally 50 to 70 percent of the insurance on the structure of your home. The best way to determine if this is enough coverage is to conduct a home inventory.

Expensive items like jewelry, art, collectibles and silverware are covered, but there are usually dollar limits if they are stolen. To insure these items to their full value, purchase a special personal property endorsement or floater and insure the item for its officially appraised value.

3. Liability protection:

Liability covers you against lawsuits for bodily injury or property damage that you or family members cause to other people. It also pays for damage caused by your pets.

The liability portion of your policy pays for both the cost of defending you in court and any court awards—up to the limit stated in your policy documents.

Your policy also provides no-fault medical coverage, so if a friend or neighbor is injured in your home, he or she can simply submit medical bills to your insurance company. This way, expenses are paid without a liability claim being filed against you. It does not, however, pay the medical bills for your own family or your pet.

4. Additional living expenses if you are temporarily unable to live in your home because of an insured disaster:

Additional living expenses pay the additional costs of living away from home if you cannot live there due to damage from an insured disaster. It covers hotel bills, restaurant meals and other costs, over and above your usual living expenses, incurred while your home is being rebuilt.

Please visit us: www.go-guardian.com

lunes, 7 de agosto de 2017

How to choose the right Car Insurance for College Students

For many teens, heading off to college is an exciting time, it means living on their own, making new friends, and dealing with adult situations, one such situation is making sure your car insurance is the right option.

It is possible to get a good car insurance plan if you're a college student. You just have to know how to look and what to look for. Far beyond simply signing up for the plan that is the cheapest, you may find and make the most out of specific discounts that you may not have even known about until now. Not only is it important to get car insurance at the right price, but it's also a good idea to find the right plan to meet your needs.

At GUARDIAN INSURANCE AGENCY located in Fairburn, Lagrange and Norcross, we give some tips for college students to consider before choosing the right car insurance:

1. Think about how much driving you will be doing:

Whether you're going to college or commuting, you may want to increase your coverage or decrease it. If you're leaving your car parked at parents' home while you live on campus, you may be able to save them a few extra dollars. According to the Insurance Information Institute, if your college is at least 100 miles away from home, your parents may qualify for the "resident student" discount. This discount could lower your car insurance bill by as much as 30 percent per month.

On the other hand, going to college may cause you to reconsider your coverage choices. If your daily commute is going to get longer, now may be the best time to revisit your coverage limits to make sure you're well-insured in case of an accident.

Collision coverage may be a good idea if you'll be driving to and from class, for example. It may help pay to repair your car if it's damaged in an accident with another vehicle or object.

2. Check Out the Campus Security:

If you're taking your car to school, think about where it will be parked. If it's most often parked outside, for example, consider comprehensive coverage. It may help pay to replace your car if it's stolen or repair it if it's damaged by things like hail or vandalism.

It's always a good idea to research local crime statistics before taking up temporary residence. This gives you a good idea of what to expect, as well as how to prepare for life in your new surroundings. If you're going away to college and bringing your car to a location with a higher crime rate, talk to a car insurance agency about protection that covers you in the event of theft. It may also be a good time to purchase an anti-theft device for your car. Doing so may not only cut back on the likelihood of your stuff being stolen, but it might also land you a discount.

3. Good grades benefits:

Those who know about the savings offered to teenage drivers with good grades will be happy to find out that the discount doesn't stop when you graduate high school. Most insurance companies continue to offer good grade benefits to students up to age 25. If you continue to get good grades in your higher education studies, you could still see a discount on your car insurance bill.

There isn’t a one perfect car insurance recommendation for college students. Each student has his or her own individual needs, which in turn can affect the amount of coverage needed and the dollar amount of the premium.

For more Information contact us: (706) 884-5006 or (770) 969-5666

Please visit us: www.go-guardian.com