Yard Sales can be Risky Endeavours Without Enough Coverage
Yard Sales Can Be Risky Endeavours Without Enough CoverageOne of the favorite rituals of the spring season is the yard sale. Homeowners, here in South Riding Virginia 20152 like everywhere else, love them because they change cleaning from a dreaded chore into a profitable enterprise. However, the whole experience can quickly turn into a nightmare should someone slip and fall, and you are considered legally liable. That’s why it is necessary to know exactly what your homeowner's insurance covers before you tag the first piece of merchandise. (
www.south-riding-insurance.com)
The standard homeowner's policy provides you with $100,000 liability coverage for bodily injury or property damage that you or your family members cause to other people. This coverage extends to both the cost of defending you in court and any judgments against you, up to the limit of your policy. We, here at NOVA Insurance Group (
www.loudoun-insurance.com), we feel $300,000 to $500,000 is a more adequate limit in Loudoun & Fairfax counties.
Another feature of the liability protection provided by your homeowner's insurance is the no-fault medical coverage. This is designed to permit a person who is injured on your property to submit their medical bills directly to your insurance company, eliminating the need for a lawsuit. Most policies include between $1,000 to $5,000 worth of no-fault medical coverage.
Of course, we live in a society that loves any opportunity to sue, so it may be wise to add to your liability protection. As a first step you can increase the amount of liability coverage provided by your homeowner's policy to $300,000 or $500,000. For additional protection, you need an umbrella or excess liability policy. This type of coverage typically costs between $200 to $350 per year for $1,000,000 of additional liability protection.
The Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) offers the following list of points you should consider about insuring your yard sale:
One-Time Event - Yard sales that are one-time events for the sole purpose of selling unwanted personal items are usually covered under a standard homeowner's policy. However, it is important to have enough coverage, so be sure to check with your insurance agent.
Frequent Yard Sales - If you plan to have frequent yard sales, you should purchase a separate policy for business liability, or an in-home business policy.
Charity Fund Raiser- If the purpose of the sale is to raise money for a charity; you will probably be covered under your homeowner's insurance policy. But it's also a good idea to contact the charity to see what type of insurance protection they can extend you.
Labels: Fairfax Homeowners insurance, Fairfax Property Insurance, Loudoun homeowners insurance, Loudoun Property Insurance, South Riding homeowners insurance, South-Riding property insurance
Ways to Reduce Your Motorcycle Premiums
Ways to Reduce Your Motorcycle PremiumsBuying insurance coverage for your motorcycle can be expensive as bikes present a higher risk than automobiles. They’re more susceptible to accidents caused by bad weather and poor road conditions. They are also less visible to other drivers, and less stable than cars. Want a competitive quote; contact us at
www.loudoun-insurance.com or at NOVA Insurance Group (tel: 703-263-7800). We're centrally located at the Chantilly (20151), Fairfax County / South Riding (20152), Loudoun County border.
In spite of this, you want to be sure you have sufficient coverage for your bike, because you‘ve likely invested a lot of money in it. To help you find the best coverage for the best rates, the Insurance Information Institute offers the following tips:
Get seasonal coverage - Most bikers aren’t road warriors who consistently ride their bikes all year long. If you store your bike for several months out of the year, there's no need to fully insure it. Many insurers offer seasonal policies that cover your bike for six to nine month periods of actual usage.
Take a motorcycle-safety course - Some states require these courses before they'll issue a motorcycle license. Even if your home state doesn’t require it, you may be eligible for a 10 to 15 percent discount on your policy for completing one. Before signing up for a program, it’s a good idea to contact your insurer. Some companies only recognize certain programs. If you've been riding for a while, you might be able to get a discount for taking a refresher course.
Increase deductibles - A deductible is the amount of money you have to pay before the coverage kicks in. The higher your deductible, the lower your premiums. When choosing a deductible, make sure you can afford to pay out-of-pocket for any costs that are incurred before your insurance kicks in.
Ask about multiple bike discounts - If you've got more than one bike, or live with someone else who rides, you can usually get a discount. Likewise, it might be worthwhile to insure your motorcycle with the same company that covers your car. Call us at NOVA Insurance Group (
www.south-riding-insurance.com) 703-263-7800.
Install anti-theft devices - If you financed your bike, you've probably taken out comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive protects against theft, fire, and other damages not caused by an accident. Some companies offer a discount on comprehensive coverage if you utilize an anti-theft device.
Maintain a good driving record - Insurance companies analyze your driving history to determine rates. How you drive a car usually indicates how you'll ride a motorcycle. If you've only recently obtained a driver's license, you might want to wait a year or two before getting a motorcycle. If you maintain a good driving record, your rates will be lower once you're considered an "experienced" driver.
Ride with a group - Membership in a motorcycle club, such as the American Motorcycle Association, BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, Harley Owners Group or Retreads can also save you some money on your the insurance premium.
Labels: Fairfax Insurance, fairfax-motorcycle-insurance, Loudoun Insurance, loudoun-motorcycle-insurance, South Riding Insurance 20152, south-riding-motorcycles
U.S. Coast Guard Safety Initiative Asks You to Boat Responsibly
U.S. Coast Guard Safety Initiative Asks You to Boat ResponsiblyAs boating season approaches, the U.S. Coast Guard is once again expressing concern over the continuing increase in boating fatalities and injuries, and plans to step up its safety education for boaters. Statistics show that for the second consecutive year boating fatalities increased (710 deaths in 2006) as did the number of reported injuries. The reports also reveal some other disturbing facts:
Two-thirds of all fatalities were due to drowning and 90 percent of the victims were not wearing a life jacket. Simply put, over 50% of boating deaths could have been prevented if the victims had worn a life jacket.
Alcohol was the leading contributing factor in approximately one-fifth of all boating fatalities.
About 70 percent of all boating fatalities occurred on boats where the operator had not received boating safety instruction.
The most reported type of accident was a collision with another vessel. (Talk to
www.south-riding-insurance or
www.loudoun-insurance.com for a comprehensive Boat Insurance Policy). However, capsizing and falls overboard are the most reported types of fatal accidents and accounted for the vast majority (59 percent) of all boating fatalities.
Overall, operator inattention, carelessness/reckless operation, excessive speed and passenger/skier behavior are the leading contributing factors of all reported accidents.
Here are some simple tips boat owners and their passengers can take to insure their safety while enjoying recreational boating:
Wear your life jacket - As evidenced above, wearing a life jacket is the single most important thing you can do to ensure your safety on the water. And it doesn't matter how great of a swimmer you are, you should still wear a life jacket!
Take boating safety courses - Boat owners, operators and passengers should complete courses offered by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and others. The Coast Guard Auxiliary encourages everyone who might be put in a position of having to take command due to incapacity of the owner/operator to take a basic safety course. Here at NOVA Insurance Group, we can provide you some additional info. materials.
America’s Boating Course (ABC) is a new electronic, basic boating course produced through a partnership between the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the United States Power Squadrons®. It’s available online at
www.AmericasBoatingCourse.com and on CD-ROM.
Get a free Vessel Safety Check - Boat owners are encouraged to take advantage of free safety checks offered by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. It’s your best way to learn about potential problems that might put you in violation of state or federal laws, or — worse — create danger for you or your passengers on the water. Vessel Examiners issue no citations. And there are no penalties for not successfully completing a Vessel Safety Check.
Don't drink and boat - In the marine environment — motion, vibration, engine noise, sun, wind, and spray intensify the effect of alcohol and drugs. These “stressors” cause fatigue — and dramatically affect a boat operator’s coordination, judgment, vision, and reaction time.
Levels of blood alcohol or medications that would have little impact on land can potentially cause a much greater degree of impairment for the operator of a boat. So never boat under the influence!
The complete 2006 Boating Statistics report is available from the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Auxiliary and Boating at
http://www.uscgboating.org/statistics/boating_statistics_2006.pdf.
Labels: Boat-Insurance, Fairfax-Boat-Insurance, Fairfax-Boats, Loudoun-Boat-Insurance, Loudoun-Boats, South-Riding-Boat-Insurance, Virginia-Boat-Insurance
