How to Determine How Much Life Insurance You Need

Life insurance is something that differs from policy to policy and from policy holder as well. You may need significantly less coverage than someone else and knowing how to determine how much coverage you need is a great start. For those that live in or around the Chester, NJ area, the agents with The Insurance Outfit can help you set your policy needs.

The best place to start is to consider who is going to be cashing out the policy when you pass. This is going to give you a good idea of how much you want to take out. You also need to remember that the more coverage, the higher the monthly premium. After you consider your beneficiary you also need to think about what the policy is going to pay.

If you want a policy that is going to cover the costs of raising your children to adulthood you are going to need significantly more than you would if you were only worrying about paying for burial expenses. Similarly, if you have a large amount of debt that your family is going to be responsible for when you pass you want to make sure the policy covers it.

The biggest issue that you want to keep in mind is what is going to be done with the policy when you pass. Most people tend to take out policies that are around $10,000 to $25,000 as these cover comfortably the final expenses of one person. If you do have children or dependent family that you are thinking about, you may want a larger policy to help take care of them.

If you have questions and you live in the Chester, NJ area, the agents with The Insurance Outfit can answer all your questions.  

Boating, Drinking and Insurance Coverage

The purpose of boating insurance is very similar to car insurance. It provide coverage and financial recovery when the vehicle is damaged, stolen, or involved in causing damage to people or someone else’s property. Policies consider all types of contingencies, even disasters and unforeseen circumstances. However, one thing that insurance policies don’t typically pay for is damage caused when someone breaks a law.

Drinking alcohol has long been a favorite pastime when boating. Being on the water seems to be equated immediately with recreation and having fun. However, a boat is a licensed vehicle, regardless of being on the water instead of a road. And enough laws and restrictions have been passed in most states, making it clear that getting into a boating accident when drunk opens a person up to both criminal and civil actions. When a boating accident does occur and local authorities determine that driving the boat under the influence was a contributing factor, and insurer is eventually going to get a copy of the police and accident report.

Most insurance policies for boating, just like those for operating a car, have language in them preventing coverage when someone is the cause of damage due to a misdemeanor or felony. And the courts are very clear and unsympathetic in most states: ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it. The problem is, no one thinks about these complications when already on a boating trip for the day or weekend. Then the drinking starts and a problem occurs. Boaters are doing themselves a big favor taking the time to understand liabilities and exceptions to coverage before getting on the water. If in the Chester, NJ area, stop in with the Insurance Outfit. Their agents can point out exactly what happens with boat coverage versus a law violation in clear English.

Protecting your RV when it counts

Many people don’t have an idea as to what rv insurance is. As an example of how RV insurance works, let’s consider some accidents or trouble you could encounter with your RV on a vacation. RV insurance could potentially cover in several ways.

If you have uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage and another driver collides with you but is not insured, your insurance company will pay for your damages. The amount of compensation you receive will depend on the amount of damage, your deductible amount, and the limits set on your policy.

If you are at fault for an accident, the other driver will file a claim with your insurance company.  Your insurer will pay the claim up to the limits of your liability . You will pay the costs of any damages, injuries, legal fees or judgments out of pocket beyond the limits set on your policy. 

If your RV is disabled after a crash and has to be towed, your insurance will cover some or all of the costs of towing. 

If your RV is stolen, an animal causes damage to your RV, or it is damaged in a hail storm, your comprehensive insurance would provide coverage for your losses, after your deductible and up to the limits you’ve selected in your policy.

The Insurance Outfit of a company is often times what separates one insurer from another. A companies ability to be reliable and professional give to the relationship between the client. Among all things insurance is almost as necessary as the reason an individual bought the rv. All in all getting rv insurance could be the difference between "oh no" and "it’s ok, I have insurance".

3 Questions You Should Ask When Purchasing Motorcycle Insurance

At the Insurance Outfit, we understand how important your motorcycle is to you. As a result of that, we want to make sure that you have the right type and amount of motorcycle insurance on your bike before you hit the road. The following are three questions you should ask before you secure a motorcycle insurance policy with any company.

Question #1. Is this insurance for classic motorcycles or sports motorcycles?

There are different types of motorcycle insurance coverage options, and these polices serve very different purposes. It’s critical that you ask the insurance agent providing you the quote what they are quoting you. If you have a classic motorcycle, you want to make sure you get insurance coverage for that type of motorcycle; otherwise, you could pay more for your coverage.

Question #2: What is the average price to replace you motorcycle?

When you know the replacement value of your motorcycle, you can easily determine how much insurance you will need to cover your motorcycle in the event of a loss. Beyond the minimum insurance required in New Jersey, you can increase your limits to ensure that you cover customized components on your motorcycle.

Question #3. Do you use replacement value or cash value when reimbursing customers?

Replacement value is essentially the market value of your motorcycle, while cash value is the market value minus depreciation. Of course, it’s in your best interest to choose an insurance company that gives you the option to choose replacement value over actual cash value. If you don’t ask, and the insurance company uses actual cash value, you may receive a check that significantly less than you anticipated following a loss.

If you have questions about getting motorcycle insurance in and around Chester, NJ, then we have answers. We help thousands of customers protect their motorcycles both on and off the road. Don’t hesitate to give us a call so that we can give you a quote, or visit us online.

 

Updating Your Life Insurance Plan

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Financial planning includes life insurance as one of the core elements every person should have in place to take care of their needs and that of their loved ones, both in the near term and long-term future. So, no surprise, people secure a plan through an insurance provider, agree upon a premium, and then maintain their plan over time. And, in most cases, people start of with term life insurance because the primary goal is just to have a solid safety net in place in case the unexpected occurs. Again, the approach follows sound financial advice.

However, over time a person’s live changes. They secure better and better income, their life matures and broadens with different changes, and people begin to realize that the long-term planning for the future is now becoming retirement planning for the mid-term and not so far off future. However, without updating a life insurance plan in place, their coverage is not keeping up with their life changes. Term life is a good basic tool for getting started with financial protection, but it doesn’t do anything for one’s long-term future and retirement. This is where a other options provide better alternatives.

A number of alternative life insurance plans provides both safety coverage as well as the ability to build savings for one’s later years. This is an ideal way to have the benefits of both worlds,

For those in the Bourbannais, IL area the Insurance Outfit and their expert staff can help guide clients and consumers on what’s available, the differences between life insurance plans, and the benefits offered for long-term financial planning. Don’t let your current plan drop you off when later life support is needed the most. Plan for the future while protecting the present with an upgraded plan.

Keep Safe This Spring on Your Bike

The weather is becoming more pleasant across the nation this means more pedestrians and bike riders on the streets. Both parties must increase their awareness of each other to keep safe.  Getting out and enjoying the weather by choosing your bike for transportation or leisure riding is a great way to burn extra calories and increase overall health, as long as safety comes first.  

Tips For Bike Safety

  • One of the main things to increase safety is increased visibility.  Ever wonder why construction crews choose orange for the cones and vests? It was not a fashion choice; research proved that orange stands out among other colors when it comes to catching the eye. Further research proved that movement and flashing light will draw the eye. This means every reflector, and moving light on a bike as well as the colors were chosen to wear can increase biker safety.  
  • Area awareness for all parties is vital. Both vehicle drivers and bike riders need to be aware of their surroundings. Many accidents are caused by a person simply not paying enough attention. Taking a few seconds before a ride to remind yourself to be intentionally aware may save your life. 
  • Stay in the designated areas when biking. Many New Jersey cities have biking lanes and areas; it is important for riders to stay in their lanes and drivers to be aware of the lanes to avoid a collision. 

At The Insurance Outfit, we serve Chester NJ and the surrounding areas with all of the insurance needs. Keeping safe is vital to enjoying the best spring and summer this year, and we have your back if something does go wrong.

Track Down Your Motorcycle in the Event of Theft

Motorcycles are much easier to steal than any other major vehicle. If you own one in Chester, you need to protect it at all cost. Of course, in some instances it simply isn’t possible to avoid this. However, if you protect your vehicle and cover all of the bases, it is possible to track down your motorcycle in the event of theft. The first step you need to take is look into the different kinds of motorcycle insurance offered by The Insurance Outfit. 

GPS

After you have established a protective barrier with motorcycle insurance for your bike, you need to take the next step and purchase a GPS for the motorcycle. If the motorcycle is ever stolen, you are able to monitor the bike’s movement. Less than 30 percent of all stolen motorcycles are tracked down as most are sent to chop shops. Due to this, time is short, so the faster you can track it down the better your chance of finding the motorcycle is. GPS gives you this opportunity. 

Contact the Police

As soon as you realize your motorcycle has been stolen, you need to contact the police. When the police arrive on the scene, make sure to provide the GPS information. This way, the police can track down the stolen vehicle. You need to remember never to track down the stolen motorcycle on your own. You don’t know who took the bike or what they might be capable of, so it is always best to practice safety and to contact the police. 

Contact Your Insurance

After you have contacted the police and have given them the GPS information, make sure to notify The Insurance Outfit if you have motorcycle insurance through them. The sooner you have a police report on file the better. 

Things you should know about inland boating

Boating is frequently treated as similar to driving a motor vehicle, including requirements for insurance and licenses and rules for operating boats. And just like there are different rules and expectations for driving big trucks versus small cars as well as in a small town versus on the highway, there are different rules for different boating scenarios.

There are rules about what types of boats can be used where.

Boating on a lake or river in comparison to the ocean is different because of the types of boats that can be used. Space is limited, so the size of the boat is typically governed by the size of the body of water, including its depth. This is to ensure the safety of everyone at that body of water, including you and your passengers. Before you take your boat inland boating, make sure you’re taking it to a location that’s permitted.

There are rules about when you can use your boat.

Once you find a location you can take your boat based on its size and speed, make sure you check the rules for when you can use the boat. Some public boating locations are limited by time of year or time of day. Boating regulations are typically very public, so it shouldn’t be a problem to find out when you can use your boat at a river or on a lake.

You aren’t the only one on the water.

The most important thing to remember is that you aren’t the only one on the water. There may be other boaters or even swimmers at a boating location. Rules about boating often consider others at the lake or river in order to keep everyone safe.

For more information about boating insurance, contact The Insurance Outfit today.

Advantages of Independent Insurance Agents

Buying insurance is one of the most important purchases you will make in your lifetime. Choosing the correct coverage and policy is essential to making you feel safe and secure. In Chester, New Jersey, independent insurance agents at The Insurance Outfit can give you peace of mind. They are licensed professionals that research multiple policies to find what is best for you based on your particular needs.

  • More Options. Captive agents, agents that work for a single insurance company, have limited options they can offer when it comes to policy rates and plans. One advantage of obtaining an independent agent is that they can research many different policies. The agents will make inquiries from a multitude of companies and give you a chance to choose from a variety of insurance options.
  • Stay on Budget. Another advantage of selecting independent agents is that they will be able to help you save money. They can surf through different insurance company’s’ policies and show you a list of policies that contain the lowest prices that offer comparable coverages.
  • Fair Advice. A further benefit of having an independent agent is that they are fair and open-minded. They will not steer you toward one insurance company or another. They are there to ensure that you receive the best quality service and find the coverage that matches your needs.
  • Personal Service. One more asset to choosing independent insurance agents is the quality of service. The agents can help process claims without strict protocols that other insurance companies have to work with. They can make sure that you have not been taken advantage of and that you receive a fair settlement in the event of a loss.

The Insurance Outfit is independent insurance agency in Chester, New Jersey that maintains access to many insurance companies. The agents are available to help you decide the best program that is right for you.

 

5 Activities Your Kids Can Do Indoors This Winter

There are a lot of activities you can do with your kids this winter…indoors. When it’s just too cold in New Jersey to play outside, you have to make some plans. Otherwise, you could end up with some very bored kids…and this is never a good thing.

#1: Play Dough

Salt dough can be made very easily. The cool thing about this dough is that it can be baked. This means your kids’ creations can go in the oven and stay around forever. You can add coloring to the dough to get as creative as you want.

#2: Music Band

Allow the kids to form their own band. If you don’t have instruments, you can make them. Fill some paper towel rolls with beans and seal off the edges and pull pots and pans out with wooden spoons.

#3: Yoga

Let the kids stretch and get their exercise in. Yoga is low impact and can be a lot of fun. Plus, there are instructional videos that you can stream on the Internet.

#4: Stories

Break out some of your favorite holiday stories to read to the kids. Or, you can let their creative juices flow by having them write and illustrate a new holiday story. Let all the kids contribute to it.

#5: Arts & Crafts

Boost the imagination of your kids by bringing out some arts and craft supplies. If you can’t make a snowman outside, maybe you can have some styrofoam balls to make an indoor snowman – and you don’t have to worry about him melting.

At The Insurance Outfit, we’re here to keep your family safe by finding a policy that works well with your needs. Your homeowner’s insurance policy can provide you with peace of mind in Chester. Call now to learn more.