Three things to remember when you purchase health insurance in Georgia

Health insurance is an essential product to have in Blue Ridge, GA. It’s important that you’re able to cover the costs of health care you need if you become ill. The Insurance Mart can help you with your health insurance needs.

The following are three things to remember when you purchase health insurance in Georgia. 

Some health insurance policies limit you to a certain network of doctors.

If you enroll in a plan involving a network like an HMO or a PPO, you will probably be limited to a certain network of health care providers. It’s important to evaluate this network and make sure there is a health care provider in it that is easily accessible to you and that offers the health care treatments you may need in the future. 

You’ll have to pay your deductible before your insurance policy kicks in.

It’s important to pay attention to the deductible amounts on your policy. You’re responsible for paying the deductible amount in many situations before your health insurance will take over to cover costs.

Therefore, your deductible amounts need to be low enough that you can afford to pay them if you get sick. 

Open enrollment for health insurance coverage runs between November and December each year.

Providers of health insurance generally adhere to the open enrollment period. Enrolling in a health insurance plan during this period makes it easier for you to get a lower cost policy thanks to government subsidies. 

The open enrollment period generally extends from the beginning of November until the beginning of December each year. It’s possible to purchase health insurance during other periods of the year, but enrolling in a plan during this period is the simplest and most cost-effective way to get insured. 

Find the health insurance solution for yourself and your family with the help of The Insurance Mart. We offer assistance to families in Blue Ridge, GA looking for health insurance solutions. 

How much life insurance is enough

Life insurance is how you offer protection to your loved ones if you pass away. The money from a life insurance policy can make a difference in what their lives will be like going forward. You want to make sure that nothing changes financially for them if you are no longer with them. Talking to the experienced agents at The Insurance Mart in Blue Ridge, GA can help you to decide how much life insurance is enough. 

Life insurance is not something that needs to be purchased all at once however when you are young and healthy the rates will be much more reasonable. You will also likely have insurance provided by your employer but while that adds to your safety net, it ends with your employment or you the rate to continue it may be higher than it needs to be. 

Determining how much life insurance is enough depends on a few factors. 

  • What is your age?
  • Who is dependent on you? 
  • How much debt do you have? 
  • Are your final expenses taken care of? 

If you are young and healthy and have no dependents, you won’t need to carry a lot of life insurance. However, since term insurance is good for a term of up to 30 years, it is a good time to purchase life insurance with a view to the future. 

Once you have dependents, its time to make sure that you have the recommended amount of coverage. Experts suggest seven to ten times your annual income in life insurance. If you have young children, this is not as much coverage as it sounds like and you may want to consider more. 

Deciding how much life insurance depends on your lifestyle and the needs of your survivors. Talking to a trusted independent insurance agent like The Insurance Mart in Blue Ridge, GA is a good way to start. Give our office a call to set up an appointment for a no-obligation quote. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Secondary Dwelling Insurance.

Blue Ridge, GA is a remarkable area that attracts people from all over the region to its mountain views and literal blue ridge peaks. The area has much to boast and many people have their second home or rental property in the area because tourism is booming year-round. The Insurance Mart serves the community and the surrounding areas with quality comprehensive secondary dwelling or rental insurance to protect your investment. Here are a few common questions about this type of coverage. 

FAQs About Secondary Dwelling or Rental Insurance:

  • Do I have to have additional insurance if I rent out my second home to visitors?  No, legally you do not have to carry any type of home insurance in the state of Georgia. If you have a mortgage there are likely insurance requirements to be met though. 
  • How does rental insurance protect my renters and me? Your home can be an asset or a liability. If something goes wrong in your main dwelling then you have to be accountable for yourself and start from scratch if you do not have insurance. When you are renting your place out and something goes wrong you may find yourself in worse financial trouble because of lawsuits. Your secondary dwelling could put your main home at risk if someone is hurt on the property. Having insurance protects you and your renters so you can rest easy at night. 
  • What is covered in secondary dwelling insurance? Each policy is different but secondary dwelling insurance is much like regular home insurance except some additions may be added to take into account guests. Remember that flood insurance is an add on and typically not part of any home insurance policy. 

If you have a secondary dwelling in or around scenic Blue Ridge, GA, give us a call at The Insurance Mart to discuss your secondary dwelling and rental insurance options. 

What are the benefits of recreational insurance?

When you are in the Blue Ridge, GA area, there will be plenty of great opportunities to spend outside. Due to this, getting a recreational toy could be a great personal investment. When you are looking to get a recreational toy, it is also important that you consider all of your insurance needs. There are several benefits that come when you get a recreational insurance policy.

Protection for Liability

One of the benefits that come when you get a recreational insurance policy is you will receive protection for liability. Whenever you use your recreational toy, there is always going to be a risk that you could cause an accident. If this happens, you will need to pay for damages. When you get an insurance policy in place, you will receive protection against your liability risk to ensure you are covered for damages you cause.

Protection for Recreational Toy

While a recreational toy can provide you with a lot of fun experiences, it is also an important asset that you need to keep covered by insurance. When you get a full insurance policy, you are also going to receive protection to repair or replace your toy. This will prove to be very helpful in the event that your recreational toy is damaged in an accident or stolen. 

If you are an owner of a recreational toy in the Blue Ridge, GA area, you should call the team at The Insurance Mart to discuss your insurance needs. It is clearly very beneficial for someone to get insurance for their recreational toys. The team at The Insurance Mart can help you to better determine what your insurance needs are. Based on this assessment, they can help you to choose a policy that offers the protection you need. 

What Is Commercial Insurance?

Your business is, in many ways, your life. You likely spend more time building up your business, connecting with clients, and looking for ways to help it grow than just about anything else. Because not only you but your employees rely on it for the income you need to do what you can to protect it. This includes investing in commercial insurance. There are all kinds of commercial insurance options available to you, but what exactly is commercial insurance? Here at The Insurance Mart, it is our goal to do what we can to help educate you on all things insurance, including commercial insurance. So, if you live around Blue Bridge, GA and run your own business, here is what you need to know about what commercial insurance is. 

What Is Commercial Insurance?

Commercial insurance is designed to protect your business in every form. There is commercial insurance for your property and your vehicles. There is insurance to protect the goods you’ve produced, the stock you have on hand, and even to protect payroll if the business has to shut down for any period of time. 

Protect Your Business With Commercial Insurance

While you can do your very best to forecast the future, you can’t predict it. Because of this, you need to do what you can to protect your business. One of the best ways to do this is through commercial insurance. There is no limit to the kinds of commercial insurance options out there, which can make it a challenge to select what is perfect for you. So instead of guessing what might work it is a good idea to give our staff here at The Insurance Mart a call. We proudly serve greater Blue Bridge, GA, so if you’re ready and want to learn more, give us a call today. 

What is a home inventory and why do I need one

Blue Ridge, GA refers to itself as “Georgia’s Coolest town” and no one can question that it is a great place to call home. Sadly, even in the coolest place, things happen that can damage your home. It is not something that anyone likes to think about but it is a reality. Filing a claim is not something anyone looks forward to but there are some things that can make it less of a hassle. A home inventory is one of those things. The Insurance Mart wants to make sure that you understand that they are there for you through all the times of your life.

A home inventory is a record of all of your possessions. In some cases that may be very minimal but more likely, you have lots of things that you own and may only use seasonally or rarely and that you never think about. There are several different ways that you can go about creating an inventory. The more traditional approach is to use paper and pen to write down the items that are in each room. This can be supplemented with photos to add additional verification. Don’t forget closets, the basement, and attic. 

If you are able to do the inventory digitally that is another option. No matter which way you opt to create your inventory you need to make it as detailed as possible and also include as much backup info as possible in the form of invoices or receipts. Once your inventory is complete it should be stored in a safe place like a safety deposit box or possibly in the cloud. You want it to be easily accessible if the need arises. 

When you are ready to talk about your home insurance, The Insurance Mart in Blue Ridge, GA is there to discuss your needs with you. Stop by the office or give us a call for a no-obligation quote.

Can Auto Insurance Coverage Be Reduced While Financing?

If you are currently paying for auto insurance, you may have a situation where you need to adjust the level of coverage that is in place. In most cases, this is easily accomplished with either a phone call or a consultation with the insurance agent in person. Situations change when it comes to auto insurance, so having flexibility makes keeping coverage that suits current needs ideally. 

Auto Insurance Changes

Auto insurance coverage and premiums can change over the course of the term. The best way to make those changes is to call the agent and explain your situation so they can help identify what type of coverage and adjustment works best for a situation. Those who are currently in the market for top quality, flexible coverage in the Blue Ridge, GA area, should reach out to the agents at  The Insurance Mart for more details about the auto insurance coverage options they offer. Their agents work closely with the customers to ensure they are getting the right coverage and have all the information they need to make an informed decision. 

Top Quality Auto Coverage

Having reliable auto insurance in place is the best way to protect your investment and protect you from liability while out on the open road. In addition, having an agent to help you make adjustments to the policy as necessary will also help keep protection levels ideal. Get the coverage you need as well as top-rated customer service that will make the process of purchasing and changing coverage simple and convenient. 

Those who are in the market for good auto insurance coverage should call or stop by The Insurance Mart, serving the resident of Blue Ridge, GA to find out more details. 

Three big advantages of term life insurance

One of the biggest decisions that those who are on the market for life insurance needs to make is whether to by term life insurance or whole life insurance. There are numerous advantages to the term life insurance plans available from The Insurance Mart that Blue Ridge, GA consumers need to be aware of. 

The following are three big advantages of term life insurance. 

The premiums are more affordable.

Term life insurance is generally the most affordable insurance option. This makes it perfect for young families. Term life insurance protection applies for a given period of time, but it does not accumulate value over time. This factor makes it less expensive and ideal for younger families who are less concerned with long term savings and more concerned with immediate coverage should there be an unexpected death. 

Term life insurance policies are more simple.

In general, a term life insurance is simpler and more easy to understand than a more complex whole life insurance policy. There are only three decisions that need to be handled by the holder of a life insurance policy. They include the amount of coverage to buy, the length of time of the coverage, and the company they buy from. Of course, the policyholder also has to designate their beneficiaries. 

Federal income taxes will not come out of a term life insurance death benefit.

There are tax advantages to term life insurance. If you need life insurance coverage but owe the IRS money, you’ll be happy to know that federal income taxes cannot apply on a term life insurance death benefit. 

If you’re interested in a term life insurance policy in Blue Ridge, GA, we’re here to help. Contact us at The Insurance Mart and we’ll provide you with more information. 

 

 

 

As the property owner, can I use secondary dwelling and rental insurance to rent out my second residence when I’m not there?

You may live in Blue Ridge, GA and have a secondary residence there too, or your second home may be somewhere else. Regardless, if you don’t spend much time at the second house, you may be thinking about making extra money by renting it out. 

Renting out your primary home– short term or a regular thing?

When you think about what kind of insurance to buy for your main property, you need to consider whether you want to make it a regular thing or if you are just doing this as something special.

You may be able to just add onto your existing policy if this is a rare occasion, but otherwise, you will need to talk with The Insurance Mart about business insurance, because regular homeowners insurance doesn’t cover what happens when you are operating as a business.

Second-home rentals

The same principle applies when you are using your second home as a regular rental. To protect your property, you will need to make sure you have landlord insurance. It will not only protect your physical property, but it will also give you important liability protection for when your renters and their guests are on your property. 

You may want to make sure your tenants also know they need to get renters insurance to protect their personal belongings. You can make that a condition of the lease. 

If you live in or around Blue Ridge, GA, we can help you figure out what kind of insurance coverage you need based on your plans. If you are interested in purchasing a policy or if you just have questions, feel free to call The Insurance Mart today. 

What Types of Businesses Need Commercial Insurance?

Most businesses need insurance. After all, even the most successful ones come with a variety of risks. All it takes is one big liability claim to send a once-successful venture into financial ruin. So if you own or run a business in Georgia, you should consider getting the protection of commercial insurance (also known as business insurance). 

At The Insurance Mart, located in Blue Ridge, GA, we help prevent local business owners across the region from having to pay for claims out of their own pockets. But what types of businesses actually need commercial insurance?

Most Businesses Need Commercial Insurance

If you have a store or offer any sort of in-person service to customers, you definitely need commercial insurance (slip and fall claims are very real!) Likewise, any services performed that affect property (such as construction, home cleaning, maintenance, etc.) need coverage.

Because the risks are even greater for food and beverage operations, these businesses will need specialized commercial restaurant insurance. 

What About Personal Businesses or Self-Employed People?

If you’re the only employee in your business, it’s easy to think you don’t need any kind of insurance. While it’s true that a big commercial policy will not be the right fit for you, that doesn’t mean you’re without risk. Give us a call to discuss the specifics of your business and what kind of coverage needs you may have. 

What Does Georgia Law Say?

Georgia business owners are only required under state law to have workers compensation insurance if they have three employees or more. Full commercial or business insurance is not required, but it is recommended. 

It’s also worth pointing out that all business-owned vehicles in Georgia are required to have commercial insurance. If you drive a personal vehicle for work, you should look into hired and non-owned auto insurance, which is similar. While separate from your regular business insurance policy, a commercial policy will cover you in situations that a regular auto policy may not. For example, if you are transporting some materials for your business and those materials accidentally cause damage, regular auto insurance most likely isn’t going to cut it. 

To learn more about how your business can benefit from commercial insurance, call the experts at The Insurance Mart or come visit us at our Blue Ridge, GA offices.