Do You Need Special Event Insurance?

It doesn’t matter if you’re throwing a huge Christmas party for your employees at the Snow Hill Manor or hosting a fundraising gala for the community at The Loft Ballroom, your primary focus is probably on planning the event. However, your main focus should be on whether or not you’re covered if someone decides to sue your business in Laurel, Maryland. Any type of special event, including trade shows, fundraisers, holiday parties and even weddings, may require that you have special event insurance to ensure you are protected.

How Does It Work?

Special event insurance is a short-term policy that is offered by many insurance carriers. It simply protects your business if a liability issue crops up. For examples, let’s say that you were hosting a fundraiser at a hotel ballroom. You hire a catering company for a very fancy dinner. Unfortunately, a fire erupts in the hotels’ ballroom kitchen. You are financially responsible for the damages that the fire causes. Luckily, with special event insurance coverage, you are safe and protected.

What Is Covered?

This will usually depend on the specific type of event that you are throwing, but in general, these coverages are available:

  • General Liability

  • Slip and Fall Accident Coverage.

  • Liquor Liability.

  • Property Damage Coverage.

  • Cancelation Coverage (in case the event must be canceled)

Special event insurance can be tricky because it will only cover losses that are specifically outlined in your insurance policy. Therefore, you need to make sure that you fully understand what’s covered and what isn’t before committing to a policy. Get in touch with one of our independent commercial insurance agents today to obtain quotes on special event insurance or any other type of business insurance that you may need. We’re dedicated to ensuring your business in Laurel is a success and that means having accurate insurance protection.

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4 Tips for Dealing with a Sinking Foundation

Crazy changes in weather over the last few years has caused many Laurel property owners to have to deal with sinking foundations. Here are four DO's and DON'T tips for dealing with a sinking foundation.

DO Determine Whether or Not You Actually Have a Problem

Finding out whether or not you actually have a foundation problem is the first step to getting it fixed. If the door jams inside your home do not close tightly or there are cracks in your interior walls, there is a good chance you have a foundation issue. Other signs include cracking porch, driveway, or patio concrete.

DO Test Your Foundation Yourself Before Calling a Contractor

You can easily test your foundation yourself before spending the money to call out a contractor. Take a very large screwdriver and scrape along the foundation concrete of your home. If it chips or flakes, you most likely have a problem. If you aren't able to do any damage, your home might be fine.

DO Call a Licensed Contractor for a Professional Opinion

If your walls are cracking and your foundation seems to be chipping, it is important to call a licensed contractor for a professional opinion. There are many certified professionals in Laurel and across Maryland to help you determine whether or not you have a sinking foundation problem.

DON'T Expect Your Homeowners Insurance to Pay Up

Repairs to a sinking foundation can easily run into tens of thousands of dollars in extreme cases. Some people feel that their homeowners insurance policy will cover the cost of fixing the damage. However, many Maryland policies specifically exclude damage caused sinking foundations and the subsequent repairs. However, contacting your local Laurel insurance agent is ultimately the best way to find out whether your specific situation is covered.

Ready Yourself:Teenager Driving

Blessing of the cars in your local church warns the world your teenager has keys in hand and has a learners permit. Now the village of Laurel Maryland has become your eyes because your baby is driving. How to protect your teenager becomes your major source of worry. But first and foremost becomes getting the vehicle insured and your teenager to understand they are never alone in the car. Never! I now know where the North Laurel Community Center is. McDonald’s and Starbuck trips have become my new hobbies.

Checking in with local agents for this new adventure in parenting I find changes to my car insurance are required by law. My teenager has suddenly become defined as a liability. As always it cost money. To my relief using an approved driver’s school gives a discount to the added cost. Local agents helped me understand the requirements with my new addition to my car insurance. No talking on the cell phone while driving. No passengers other than family and who is mentoring your driving. No driving 12 AM to 5 AM unless you have a job, volunteered, are on a sports team or went to a school sanctioned activity. How in the heck do you check if they are on the cell phone while driving? If I call I put them in violation. That makes me the driving mentor until my baby is fully licensed.

Talking to local agents have relieved my fears. I know which routes have the most accidents, how to make my teenager understand that the police are about law, and that they answer to the community as well as me. Visit your local insurance agent and bring your teenager. It is nice to not be alone in this parenting activity.

The Difference Between Captive and Independent Agents

We love the freedom to travel in America. Here in Washington, we know how popular travel is first-hand. The National Museum of History alone gets almost 8 million visitors per year. The National Air and Space Museum adds about another 7 million, while the Lincoln Memorial plays host to just over 6 million visitors. Estimates put total visitors coming into our area at about 20 million annually. Those of us who live in the Washington region can attest to the large amount of visitors based on traffic alone. Travel on any of the area interstates during rush hour and you may think those estimates low. But the ability to travel freely and maintain our independence in this country helps make it great.

It is why we enjoy being an independent insurance agency. While captive agencies can only choose from the particular company they represent, independent agencies have the opportunity to get quotes from multiple carriers. This puts captive carriers in a position of offering limited choices while independent agencies have a wider range of insurance products to choose from. This can be a significant advantage to consumers when searching for the best in life insurance, car insurance and homeowners insurance.

When you get life insurance from an independent agency, you can choose from a variety of products and prices. This freedom of choice allows you the ability to better select the right policy for you and your current situation. Now, you can get these comparative quotes for life insurance right online. Simply fill out our online form and you’ll be presented with a variety of choices.

Finding your best choice in life insurance is easier than ever with a visit to our website. Get the coverage you need affordably, when you contact us for your insurance needs. We are a Washington area independent agency working for you!