Disastrous events can shut down your business and freeze or reduce its bottom line. To get back to normal business operations as soon as possible following an unfortunate event that may occur in Blue Ridge, GA requires emergency planning. 

Identify the natural threats to your business. They will vary by location, and they may include snow and ice, flooding, windstorms and tornadoes. Have emergency supplies such as food, fresh water, first aid kit, generators, flashlights, batteries battery-operated commercial radios and NOAA weather radios on hand. 

Know the equipment, procedures and documents that you absolutely must have to run your business. Record descriptions and valuations for each piece of equipment and all the items that you need to operate. This documentation is essential if you ever have to make an insurance claim

Decide how payroll and accounting will be managed. Many businesses now get their bank statements and bills online. But also make sure that you have  copies offsite. Backing up also applies to W-2s and tax returns.

Know the phone numbers—especially the mobile ones—for your essential customers, contractors and suppliers. Ensure that employees know how to contact you and that they know where the emergency exits are located as well as the places of shelter. If you have any employees with disabilities, assign a capable co-worker to assist them. Practice your plan. 

Data breaches are also emergencies. Keep your computers updated with patches, use strong passwords, employ antivirus software and only open email from trusted sources. Review your insurance policy. Know what’s covered and what’s not. Add coverage if necessary. Contact the experts at The Insurance Mart so we can evaluate what you need to protect your business if the unexpected happens. 

 

 

The agents at The Insurance Mart serve Blue Ridge, GA and they know how important your health is. Getting through the technicalities of health insurance can be challenging, but two terms everyone should understand are co-pay and deductible. If you’ve ever used the service of a healthcare provider, you’ve heard one or both of these terms.

Your co-pay is what you pay at the time of service when you go in for a covered visit. Look in your health insurer’s patient manual for what co-pays are. For example, depending on your insurance, you might see a co-pay stated in dollar amounts for one, all or more of these covered services: visit your primary care physician, visit to a specialist, visit to the emergency room, hospital stay, diagnostic tests, ambulance, etc. You will also have to pay part of your prescription drug costs. 

Look at your patient manual again for what your deductible is. Most deductibles are stated for a year. They are what you will pay out-of-pocket before your health insurer steps in to pay the rest of your covered medical and hospital bills. Deductibles range from zero dollars to thousands of dollars annually.

As a general rule, it’s suggested that you choose a high-deductible plan if you have an HSA, are healthy or are financially able to pay the high deductible within a month. Select a no-deductible or lower deductible plan if you’re pregnant, plan to become pregnant or have young children or children who play sports. Also, choose this plan if you anticipate surgery such as hip or knee replacement or take an expensive drug. 

Contact us at The Insurance Agency. In serving Blue Ridge, GA, we will help you choose the health coverage that fits your needs. 

When it comes to looking after those you care about, life insurance is one of the best investment you’ll ever make. But who should consider life insurance? If you live in or around Blue Ridge, GA, The Insurance Mart can help you make this important decision. So no matter how old you are or your current family situation, here is what you need to know about who should consider life insurance. 

Family

Do you have family? Perhaps you’re married or you have children. In either situation, it’s best for you to have life insurance in order to help provide for your family after you have passed on. Your final expenses and medical bills can add up, so life insurance not only will pay for these expenses, but the money will go to help offer financial security for the next several years (or decades) following your passing. 

Debt

Even if you are not married and don’t have children if you have any kind of debt this debt will be passed on to others you are related to. Whether this is student loan payments or other expenses, there’s a good chance your siblings or parents may be forced to take on the debt. You don’t want them to pay for these expenses, so having life insurance will protect them. 

Life insurance is an important investment and it will help take care of your family should you pass on. Even if you are not married or have any children a life insurance policy can help take care of debts and other expenses that you may leave behind after you die. Whatever the situation may be, if you live in or around Blue Ridge, GA the team at The Insurance Mart can help you determine whether life insurance is right for you. 

The mountains of northern Georgia are becoming a popular place for people to have a secondary home or a vacation home. Coastal areas have those as well, and if you have one, you will need insurance just as you do for your primary residence. The Insurance Mart of Blue Ridge, GA can help you get the coverage you need for that vacation home.

Generally speaking, insurance is very similar to the protection you have on your primary residence. You can easily add another policy to cover your second home. That is the easy part, getting into the details is more complicated.

The cost for the policy itself is not much more expensive, but there is usually an added charge of between 10 and 20 percent for the secondary home policy.  Whether you use that property as a rental when you are not vacationing there also makes a difference as to the type of policy you will need. Renting it out just a few times a year, however, is different.

The biggest drawback and the biggest risk is the fact that vacation homes are usually not inhabited for long periods of time. There is no one there to notice a broken window, for instance, or no one there to call the fire department if needed, so that makes the risk greater for insurance companies. Rural isolation, as you might find in North Georgia, can also increase the risk. 

Call, visit online, or stop by  The Insurance Mart in Blue Ridge, GA to find the insurance coverage you need. Consider an umbrella policy to make sure you have your assets protected.  Fair rental income protection is also an option if you rent your property. This policy would replace lost income from tenting if your property is destroyed or damaged severely.

You know that you need recreational insurance but there are a few questions that require answers. Read on to get the FAQs about RV insurance!

1. What happens if I want to switch my policy after renewing my old one?

Refunds are rare with insurance premiums. It is best to shop around for potential plans weeks before your old policy expires if you are planning to change providers. Still, if you have found a better plan before your old recreational insurance policy expires in Blue Ridge GA, you may want to do the following:

• Wait until the time runs out on your freshly renewed plan before signing up for the new policy. Some assurance companies do not increase rates by much and would still be viable options even if you need to get a new quote;

• Obtain the new policy while keeping your old one. There is no special rule in Blue Ridge GA that prohibits you from having multiple RV insurance policies;

• Tell your old insurance company that you are thinking of leaving because of the high premiums. Sometimes, in efforts to keep your business, your old indemnity provider will offer you a lower rate.

2. Is the premium a solid amount all year long?

The good thing about recreational insurance is that you can reduce the amount that you pay per month when the vessel is parked. An agent from The Insurance Mart can tell you more about this possibility.

3. How much recreational insurance do I need?

The amount of recreational insurance you need depends on the following:

• State Minimums;

• Finance Company Requirements;

The state of Georgia requires all vehicle owners to obtain assurance policies that provide a minimum of $25,000 bodily injury coverage per person as well as $25,000 for property damage coverage per incident. Georgia also requires vehicle owners to have uninsured motorist coverage.

The agents at The Insurance Mart can help you find the recreational insurance plan that best fits your lifestyle. Call them today to get started with a quote!

You are probably familiar with many types of insurance, such as auto insurance, health insurance, and life insurance. But there are many other types of insurance that are just as valuable yet not as many people are familiar with them. Commercial insurance is one of those types of insurance, and here are some key facts about it, brought to you by The Insurance Mart serving the Blue Ridge, GA area.

Definition of commercial insurance

Commercial insurance is a type of auto insurance policy. It covers vehicles that are being used for business purposes rather than for personal driving.

Who needs commercial insurance

Many types of people need commercial insurance. For example, a business with vehicles being used for business purposes, whether that amounts to one vehicle or many, needs commercial insurance. There is some gray area these days when it comes to services like car sharing and ride services like Uber, as far as what commercial insurance is needed for vehicles like that. So it is wise for people using vehicles like that to stay informed and consult a qualified local insurance company.

What commercial insurance covers

As is true for personal auto insurance, commercial insurance covers numerous things. For example, if a person is using a vehicle covered by commercial insurance and that vehicle is in an accident, the commercial insurance policy can cover that, depending of course on the specifics of that accident. Commercial insurance can also cover issues like towing and loss of use. What it covers though depends on the specifics of the individual policy.

There are many more ins and outs of commercial insurance. If you would like to get more information, please feel free to contact The Insurance Mart serving the Blue Ridge, GA area.

Do you wonder if it is a good idea for you to secure lightning insurance for your home? In most instances, this is ideal and necessary. Read on for important details about Blue Ridge, GA area lightning protection.

Unplug Those Devices

If you know that a storm is coming, you will want to unplug your appliances or devices. This will prevent any damage from an electrical surge, which can go beyond damage to your electronics themselves. Avoid fires and more issues by taking this proactive measure.

Install Surge Protectors

You may not be at home to unplug your electronics every day in the instance of an impending storm. In such a scenario, it would be beneficial to have transient voltage surge protectors installed. They greatly limit the amount of voltage going to the electronics, keeping them relatively safe.

View Your Home Insurance Policy

If you live in a region in which there are many storms, there is some sort of risk of damage from lightning to your house and surrounding property. You will want to be prepared by having adequate insurance coverage.

You can take various precautionary measures to protect your home in the first place, from a threat such as lightning. However, when a natural disaster strikes on your property, you should have insurance coverage. Take a look at your current insurance policy, if you have one. There should be specific language detailing that the coverage is for that purpose. Not only will it pay out for damages to your house, but also you can arrange for your policy to cover any that occur to your electronics.

Do your research to determine if Blue Ridge, GA is at high risk of frequent lightning storms. Put your trust in a reliable insurance company like The Insurance Mart to assist you with any questions and concerns you may have about policies and what various terms mean.

 

Boat owners who live in the Blue Ridge, GA are can rely on the agents of The Insurance Mart if they need help deciding on the right boat insurance policy. It’s important to know what type of coverage works best for your boat according to its age, condition, and how you use it. Talking to a licensed agent will give you the information you need to make an informed choice.

Agreed Value and Actual Value Coverage

An "Agreed Value" policy pays the value you agreed on when you took out the policy. Partial loss claims can be filed if repairs are needed. An "Actual Value" policy will pay you the actual value of the boat based on resale value at the time. With an Actual Value policy, the amount will change as the boat gets older and depreciation begins to affect its resale price. 

Other Types of Coverage

There are other types of coverage you can include in a boat policy. They include liability, medical, environmental, hull and tow insurance among others. Liability and medical are essential forms of coverage if you carry passengers on your watercraft at any time. These types of coverage protect you from financial loss if anyone is ever injured while riding in your boat.

The agents at The Insurance Mart serve residents who live in or near Blue Ridge, GA and many of the surrounding communities. If you own a boat or are thinking about buying one, it’s important that you understand the types of insurance you will need to have in place before you put it in the water for the first time. Call and schedule an appointment with your insurance agent today so you have the answers you need!

Recreation insurance covers a variety of recreational vehicles from ATVs to RVs. Boats are also covered with a recreational insurance policy. However, the types of policies used to cover personal RVs or boats will be different than those used to cover a commercial boating operation. That is why it is important to get to know the knowledgeable agents at The Insurance Mart. They work with clients throughout the Blue Ridge, GA area and will be able to assist you will the best coverage available.

With a commercial recreation insurance policy, your company will be protected should the boats be damaged during a weather event, fire or other accident. They will also be covered if the boats are vandalized. A good policy will also provide liability coverage. This will protect you if a customer is injured and sues for medical expenses due to your company’s negligence. It will also provide coverage if you or an employee damages someone’s personal property while the boating company is operating. Any of these situations where the company is deemed liable for the accident can be significantly detrimental to the corporation. As a business owner, you have a lot of issues to deal with every day but the perils of operating a boating company can be significant. This is why it is important to carve out a little time to get the coverage you need.

The team at The Insurance Mart provides the best information that they can to their clients in the Blue Ridge, GA area so that they can make the best decisions for their companies. Visit their website to get started then come by their offices. They will answer any questions that you may have so that you have the best coverage for your business.

Commercial insurance comes in many varieties depending on the needs of a particular business. Business owners of restaurants are well-advised to work closely with their insurance agent at The Insurance Mart, serving Blue Ridge, GA and the surrounding area, in order to make sure there is adequate insurance coverage to protect the business and the owner’s interests.

The categories of commercial insurance that restaurant owners should consider include:

• Worker’s Compensation
• General Liability
• Commercial Vehicle Insurance
• Property and Casualty Insurance
• Product Liability
• Business Interruption Insurance
• Umbrella Insurance
• Key Person Insurance

Worker’s Compensation Insurance

This insurance is mandated by state law. Every employer in the state of Georgia must maintain worker’s compensation insurance. This insurance protects both the employees and the employers. The employees are guaranteed a certain level of insurance coverage and payments for medical expenses, injuries, or payment to the next of kin for an employee’s loss of life while on the job. The employers have limited liability in the amount of the coverage offered by worker’s compensation insurance.

General Liability

This type of insurance provides protection for customers if there is an accident.

Commercial Vehicle Insurance

If any vehicle is used for the business, such as making food deliveries or picking up stuff for the restaurant to use, it needs to have commercial vehicle insurance.

Property and Casualty Insurance

This insurance protects the company’s assets that include the building, equipment, inventory, and furniture.

Product Liability

This type of insurance covers any products sold.

Business Interruption Insurance

This insurance helps pay the bills if the business has to temporarily close due to unforeseen circumstances such as a natural disaster.

Umbrella Insurance

Umbrella insurance covers things that are not covered by other policies and extends the policy limits of other policies. Because of the risk of high settlement amounts or litigation awards, most businesses benefit from having umbrella coverage.

Key Person Insurance

If the business is heavily dependent on the efforts of a specific person or persons, they should have insurance so that their heirs can be able to withstand a sudden death or permanent disability of the key person, which negatively impacts the running of the business.

Conclusion

As a restaurant owner, it is best to have an insurance review with your agent at The Insurance Mart serving Blue Ridge, GA to make sure all your insurance coverage is adequate for your needs. Contact them today.