Why You Need to Consider Personal Umbrella Insurance

Given our litigious society, there’s always the risk of being sued. If you’re held to be legally liable for injuries or property damage in an amount in excess of your liability insurance policy limits, anything above those limits might have to be paid out-of-pocket. Not only does that impact your present financial situation, but it can also negatively affect your future earnings. With personal umbrella coverage, you’re giving yourself an extra tier of insurance coverage over and above your standard policy limits that protects your personal assets. Umbrella insurance doesn’t just cover your car either. It operates as an extra layer of protection on your homeowner’s insurance too. 

Don’t Ignore the Protection

Your umbrella insurance would be triggered when you reach your limits on your underlying insurance coverage. That’s when your umbrella coverage starts working for you. You’ll have that extra coverage shielding everything that you own. There’s no reason for you and your family not to have it.

Protection Against Unforeseeable Events

All it takes is for the pizza delivery kid to fall from a loose step at your home or a few seconds of inattentive driving. Those are potentially catastrophic risks that you want to be insured for.  They might be unforeseeable to you, but they happen every day. A jury’s award could be staggering and financially devastating. HighPointe Insurance Services LLC is available to help families in the entire Overland Park, KS area. Email us, call us, or stop in for a cup of coffee. We’re pleased to discuss your individual situation and provide you with your options for an additional line of defense. 

 

 

Why Commercial Insurance is Important to Your Business

Commercial insurance can be extremely important to your business. But have you ever wondered why? Let HighPointe Insurance Services LLC, serving the greater Overland Park, KS area, tell you why.

Commercial insurance is an important part of any business because it protects against so many elements of the business. The exact types of coverage you will need vary based on the type of business you own. If you own the building you are doing business in, you need commercial building insurance. If you own vehicles for your employees or yourself to use during the course of business, you need commercial auto insurance. And if you own property, such as supplies or items to sell, you need commercial belongings insurance.

If you did not have commercial insurance, your business could be shelling out hundreds or thousands of dollars when something unexpected happens. If your building is damaged by wind, you may have to pay for that. If an employee crashes a car, you may have to pay for that. If your belongings are stolen, you may have to pay for that. When you have the right insurance policy in place, you do not have to pay anything but your deductible for all of these expenses, helping to save your business from costly, unexpected expenses.

Do you currently not have a commercial insurance policy in place? Or are you unsure if your coverage levels are set appropriately? Give HighPointe Insurance Services LLC, serving the greater Overland Park, KS area, a ring today. We would love to help you determine what coverage levels you need and then present you with the best plans for your needs.

3 Ways to Protect Your Home During the Winter Months

The winter months can get extremely cold in Overland Park, KS, especially in January. With the potential for severe weather, it’s important that homeowners take measures to protect their home so that they avoid home insurance claims. At High Point Insurance Services, we’ve put together a list that includes three ways you can protect your home during the winter months.  

Take Measures to Protect Your Pipes  

One of the most common problems for owners during the winter is frozen water pipes. Many homeowners fail to take measure to ensure their pipes don’t freeze. A frozen pipe can be expensive to contend with in Overland Park, KS, so it’s best to avoid them. While the temperatures are still mild, you should have your pipes insulated so that they can stave off cold weather. Additionally, when temperatures drop below freezing in January, leave one or two faucets dripping to continue the flow of water.  

Winterize Your Home  

Winterizing your home is another measure you can take to protect your home from winter problems. The process of winterizing your home includes weatherstripping your windows and doors, cleaning gutters and spouts, and insulating your water heater from the cold. Although this list is a good start, it doesn’t cover every aspect of winterizing. If you need more tips, don’t hesitate to ask one of our staff members at High Point Insurance Services.  

Prevent Ice Dam Damage to Your Roof  

Another common problem many homeowners face during the winter months is ice dams. Ice dams can lead to significant roof damage, which may result in an insurance claim. To prevent ice dams, make sure your roof is in tip-top shape before the winter weather begins. You should also ensure that your gutters don’t interfere with ice, snow, or sleet running off your roof.  

The winter months are just around the corner, and our team at High Point Insurance Services wants to make sure you are protected. You can protect your home by purchasing home insurance and by taking steps to protect your home from severe winter weather. If you are in the market for home insurance, give us a call today.  

 

Getting the Specialty Commercial Insurance You Need

There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all commercial insurance policy. If you want to get the most out of your HighPointe Insurance Services LLC package, then you need to take the time to talk with an agent and work out precisely what it is that you need from your insurance plan before you’ll have peace of mind.

If you’re buying car insurance, you can walk into the agency and say "Give me whatever policy will ensure that I don’t get in trouble if I’m pulled over by the cops." You have to be a little more hands on than that when it comes to building a commercial policy that works for you. An insurance company will tend to keep experts on hand who understand the industries with which they’re dealing, but nobody knows your field better than you do. If you need to make sure that you have a robust workers compensation policy, if you want to insure a fleet of delivery vehicles, then you need to talk with the agent about that in order to get a policy that is specially built to your needs. Put simply: If you know the risks you’re taking, then your insurance provider will know which policies will cover them.

Here are three key points to getting the insurance policy that you need:

  1. The most important question you can ask is "Do you have something to cover that?"
  2. Make sure that your provider knows what kind of equipment you’re using and what kind of work you’re doing, down to the fine details.
  3. If there’s something that you’re worried might bump your rates up, then that’s something that you’d much rather have covered by your insurance provider than out of your own pocket.

As long as you’re thorough in making your needs clear to your insurance provider, then they should be able to walk you through the process of building the package that you need.

Safety First With Summer Boating

The days are getting longer and it is warming up outside! If you live near water, then you probably cannot wait until you can get your boat out for some lazy and fun-filled days. Before you get out there on the water, though, be sure to put safety first and make sure your boat is ready to go. You can do that by following some easy steps. Use our tips to get started.

  • Check your fire extinguishers and life jackets on board. You want to make sure you have plenty of life jackets on board and that they are in good condition. Replace or buy any that you need. Also, be sure to check your fire extinguisher. This should be done once per year so summer is the perfect time. Hopefully you never need to use these but these are needed on any boat for safety precautions.
  • Get a tune up and de-winterize your boat. Get your boat ready for the summer with a proper tune up as well as de-winterizing the boat for warmer weather. Both of these actions can prepare your boat for summer and also help you identify any potential safety issues that you may need to address before taking the boat out. Get these two things done at the beginning of the season every year so you always know that your boat is ready to go for all of the summer activities.

Being safe is more than just prepping your boat for summer fun. It is also important to have a great boat policy on your boat. If you want to take a look at your current policy or want to look at a new one, please feel free to contact us at HighPointe Insurance Services LLC today. We will be happy to help you.

Why Motorcycle Insurance is Important

As a motorcycle rider, you should take care and show caution every time you are on the road. You should think about your life, your bike, and the lives of others. Motorcycle insurance is a great way to protect you against loss if you are in an accident. There are several reasons it is important for bike riders to secure and maintain motorcycle insurance.

Medical Bills Can Pile Up

If you are involved in a collision, motorcycle insurance may cover most, if not all, of your medical bills. You may even need additional treatment beyond an initial hospital visit. Having coverage could give you piece of mind in an unfortunate event.

Injury to Others

If others are injured in an accident that is your fault, you will have to compensate those involved. With a qualified policy, your insurance may be able to pay the cost.

Total Loss Policies

If your motorcycle is damaged due to an accident, it may cost more to fix it than it is worth. Total loss coverage could get you the cost of a replacement or the actual cash value of your bike.

Property Damage

Your bike is precious to you and you are going to want to get right back out on the open road after an accident. If you don’t have the means to fix it, it may be months before you can ride your motorcycle again. Being covered may get your bike repaired quickly and efficiently.

Collision Coverage

You could add collision coverage as part of your policy. Collision insurance can help you if you are in an accident and have to cover the cost of another persons’ property or their vehicle. This comes in handy if the accident is determined to be your fault.

HighPointe Insurance Services LLC are independent insurance agents serving Overland Park, Kansas. You can visit them and get more information about motorcycle insurance as well as auto, home, and commercial insurance policies.

ATV Tips For First Timers

Owning an ATV for the first time can bring a lot of joy. When you live in Overland Park, there are things that you should know and tips that you should keep in mind to ensure your safety and keep your ATV safe at the same time.

Learn How to Ride

Be sure you know how to ride your ATV so that you are safe on it as can be. Depending upon where you live and how old you are, there may be various safety courses that you can take that will teach you more about the fundamentals of driving so that you can exercise more caution.

File the Necessary Paperwork

Some paperwork needs to be filed with the state, and this includes a permit. You will also want to consider ATV insurance so that you have some kind of recourse in the event that there is damage to the vehicle or even theft.

Be Safe

Be safe at all times. You want to make sure that you are wearing a quality motorcycle helmet, and that you have gloves and goggles on each time you ride. Until you have mastered level services, avoid mountains, mud flats, and anywhere else. It may also be wise to invest in additional protection, including a chest protector and knee guards.

Lock it Up

ATVs are commonly stolen, and you want to make sure that yours isn’t. Whenever possible, you should lock it up inside of a garage or shed. If you have to leave it outdoors, purchase a heavy-duty metal chain and tied to something sturdy on your property.

Call and talk to our independent insurance agent at HighPointe Insurance Services LLC where we can talk to you more about ATVs and how to get the necessary insurance so that you are safe, trails and everywhere else.

 

How To Make A Difference In Your Community

You can make a big difference in your community now and throughout the year. You may not realize it, but there are a lot of people who are homeless, less fortunate, and lonely – and what you do can have a profound effect on their lives.

Below are 10 ways you can make a difference.

  1. Donate to a charity of your choosing
  2. Collect non-perishable food items for a local food bank
  3. Put food on the table for a family in need
  4. Spend time with a lonely person by volunteering with Meals on Wheels
  5. Volunteer at a nursing home and spread joy
  6. Donate old coats and clothing to a clothing recycler
  7. Visit the VA to see how you can make a difference in the lives of local veterans
  8. Volunteer to build homes or work in a soup kitchen
  9. Adopt a pet instead of going into a pet store
  10. Donate blood at the hospital or a local blood bank

All of these are ways you can make a difference – and as you can tell, many of them don’t require you to spend any money. You should always look inside your community before donating elsewhere. This ensures you are taking care of your own.

There may be some alarming statistics you weren’t aware of – like more than half of the residents of nursing homes never get visitors from loved ones. A little of your time can go a long way to bringing a smile to someone’s face.

HighPointe Insurance Services LLC agents are standing by, waiting to help you find the right insurance. We’re in the community, which is a great way to support Overland Park local businesses, too. Call today and we can answer any questions you may have and get quotes to help you find an affordable policy.