Biggest Dangers on the Road for Modern Drivers

Each year, more than five million car accidents occur in the United States. If you spend a lot of time on the road, there’s a good chance that you could end up in a wreck at some point. If you have the right auto insurance plans, however, the damage might be covered. Either way, it’s still important to understand the dangers modern drivers face. If you live in or near Winter Garden, FL, contact Abney Insurance to explore auto insurance policy options.

Biggest Dangers on the Road for Modern Drivers

Other Drivers

There’s no way around it: other drivers are a major risk. You can be the perfect driver, always following the law and driving defensively. Yet if another driver breaks the law or is reckless, they could hit you. Further, these days you also have to worry about AI drivers. While in theory, people are always supposed to be in control, some drivers are letting AI take over.

The Weather

Bad weather can cause many different issues. Rain can reduce visibility and make the roads more slippery. Ice can cause people to lose control of their vehicle. When driving in poor weather, it’s best to take things slow.

Road Debris

While local authorities may work to keep roads clear, the simple fact is that there are so many miles of road that it’s hard to keep everything clear. Among other things, road debris, such as broken-off car parts and nails, can pop tires and cause people to lose control. Make sure you always keep an eye out for debris on the roads.

Schedule A Consultation Today

If you want to learn more about the dangers of driving or are considering auto insurance policies, feel free to get in touch. Abney Insurance serves Winter Garden, FL, and other communities nearby, and our agents would be glad to help.

Four Things to Know about Commercial Insurance

Commercial insurance is essential when owning a business. Also known as business insurance, it protects you, your business, and your employees. While there are basic commercial insurance options in Winter Garden FL, you can add more depending on your type of business, number of employees, and so on. The more you know about commercial insurance, the better decisions you can make about obtaining commercial insurance in Winter Garden FL.

Four Things to Know about Commercial Insurance

  • Know Which Employees Are Covered

Considering workers’ compensation insurance in Florida, most companies are mandatorily required to carry this commercial insurance. In today’s world, you may have temporary employees, full-time and part-time in-house employees, or remote-work-from-home employees. Knowing which type of employees need coverage helps you avoid penalties.

  • Commercial Vehicle Insurance Requirements

If your business uses commercial vehicles for transportation or delivery, you need to be aware of the limits. They are $10,000 in personal injury and $10,000 in property damage liability. If you have passengers in the vehicle or transport hazardous materials, you are required to have more than these basic limits. Additionally, you can choose more coverage optionally for other specific business needs.

 

  • Commercial Health Insurance

Florida’s law does not require a business to offer health insurance. However, the "Employee Health Care Access Act" provides the availability of commercial health insurance for small business owners for their employees. ERISA, COBRA, and ACA  are federal organizations that also guide employee health benefits.

  • Extreme Weather Insurance for Businesses

Florida is known for hurricanes. However, there is no explicit coverage for hurricane damage. Instead, businesses piece together a patchwork policy with Abney Insurance.

Abney Insurance assisst in creating coverage for extreme weather or other commercial insurance needs Email us , or visit the website for a free quote.

Understanding the Timing for Home Insurance When Buying a House

When buying a new house in Winter Garden, FL, one of the critical steps you will need to take is acquiring home insurance. Here’s a look at when in the home-buying process you’d likely do this.

When to Shop for Home Insurance

You can begin shopping for home insurance once you have a signed contract to purchase a house. You don’t have to start immediately, and might not if you’re more focused on a home inspection and survey. It’s important to not delay shopping for insurance too long, however.

Contacting an insurance agent with enough time before your closing date ensures that you’ll be able to shop around. Asking an agent to check policies for you is the easiest way to find the right coverages and premiums for your new house. It doesn’t take an agent too long to do this, but they may need a few days if there are specific questions or issues that arise (e.g. if the home was built using unusual construction methods).

If you’re still unsure when to start looking for insurance, consider contacting us at Abney Insurance once your property survey is ordered. This should be enough time to find a policy, is usually a lull in what needs to be done, and lets you first take care of the most pressing matters.

Get a Binder Before Closing

At closing, you’ll need to provide a “binder,” This is simply a document that shows you have insurance in place. It’s something your insurance agent can provide you with. While agents can get binders in a single day most of the time, plan on taking care of this several days before closing. That way, you’ll have some wiggle room in case something happens.

Have Questions? Consult With Us

If you’re purchasing a house in Winter Garden, FL, contact us at Abney Insurance. One of our agents will be happy to help you find insurance for your new house — and congratulations!

Does Auto Insurance Cover Upgrades and Cosmetic Repairs?

When our team at Abney Insurance speaks with car owners in Winter Garden, FL, we hear from folks who have all sorts of cars. From classic cars to modified vehicles, we know how important it is to have coverage that serves your needs not only as a vehicle owner but as someone who owns your specific kind of automobile. Sometimes, you may have a car or other vehicle in your garage that doesn’t fit the standard auto insurance coverage. 

Alternatively, you might have questions about whether your current policy has the level of coverage you need to meet your goals as a car owner such as making modifications or repairs that alter the function or style of your car. In these cases, it pays to speak with an agent at our office to determine what policies might be available to fit your preferences. Until you do that, we can only provide general guidance about what auto insurance policies may cover without going into detail about what your policy in particular can offer.

Does Auto Insurance Cover Upgrades and Cosmetic Repairs?

When you want to upgrade or repair your vehicle for purely aesthetic reasons, a typical auto insurance policy will probably not be able to help you cover those costs. Sometimes, when you modify a vehicle, it makes it ineligible for standard auto insurance coverage. The good news is that there are policies that might be more appropriate in that case to use like classic car insurance. Classic car insurance may be a better fit if you have a modified vehicle. Custom vehicle insurance may also be a good option if you modify your car with custom paintwork or other unique modifications.

For more information, call Abney Insurance in Winter Garden, FL!

How many kinds of commercial insurance do I need for my small business?

What kind of insurance your small business needs depends on several factors such as what you do, whether you have employees, and whether you provide a product or a service. Abney Insurance can help you figure out which protections your Winter Garden, FL small business needs.

Commercial Insurance Coverage Options

We will talk to you first about a Business Owner’s Policy(BOP). A BOP combines multiple kinds of insurance in one policy. When you bundle insurance, you can save money and make the entire process smoother.

General liability insurance is vital for a small business. It provides coverage against financial loss when someone claims property damage or physical injury from your business.

Commercial property insurance will protect your building and much of what you keep in it from fire, smoke, vandalism, and other listed events.

Product liability insurance will protect you if one of the products you make injures someone.

Professional liability insurance (also known as Errors & Omissions Coverage) will protect you if someone makes a claim against you because of the services you provide as a licensed professional. This type of coverage is important for medical and legal professionals, accountants, contractors, and other individuals who depend on their licenses.

The federal government requires every business with employees to protect them. You will need workers’ compensation, unemployment, and disability insurance to protect your workers.

Temporary business closure insurance can help you pay the bills when your business is closed through no fault of your own.

If you work from a home base, you may need home-based business insurance. This will protect your equipment and other assets in your home. 

Schedule A Consultation Today

If you have a small business in Winter Garden, FL, you need protection from all the things that could happen. Call Abney Insurance today so we can help you create an individualized policy.

4 Tips to Back Up a Home Insurance Claim

When you have home insurance, it’s a relief knowing that damage or loss to your home is covered. Filing a claim is easy when you work with your insurance representative at Abney Insurance serving Winter Garden, FL. Still, you can make the process of filing a home insurance claim even easier with these four tips for backing up your claim.

4 Tips to Back Up a Home Insurance Claim

1. Submit Receipts

Your insurance provider will want to give you accurate compensation for your loss or damage. Submitting original purchase receipts with your claim establishes value. Whenever you purchase anything that’s covered by your home insurance, keep the receipt. One great way to do this is to photograph the original receipt and file it in a dedicated folder on your PC or cloud storage folder.

2. Document With Photos

It’s helpful if you can submit photos that prove ownership, damage, or loss, too. For instance, when you have a kitchen remodel, photograph the new space, including sink fixtures, appliances, tile, and so on. Then, if something happens years later, you’ll have these photos available to show the original condition of your home.

3. Obtain 3rd Party Reports

If a loss included a burglary or something similar, be sure to get a copy of the police report. Submit this with your claim to help establish the details of the loss and a 3rd party’s objective backup.

4. Know Your Policy

When you get your home insurance policy, read through it carefully so you understand your coverage. You may have coverage for more than you realize. Also, the policy will explain in detail how to submit a claim and what to expect.

For more information and support for filing a home insurance claim, contact Abney Insurance serving Winter Garden, FL. We’re here to help.

What Is Umbrella Insurance?

If you own a home and a vehicle, you likely already have a home policy and an auto policy. These are needed for many reasons, and each offers several different kinds of protection. One of these types is liability coverage. Getting more liability coverage is necessary for many people, and it’s as easy as getting an umbrella policy. If you’re interested in getting an umbrella policy, call us at All-Tex Insurance in Granbury, TX.

More Liability Coverage

The liability coverage that you have in your home and auto policies is there to protect you financially in case someone else is injured in an accident. However, you may not have much of this coverage in those policies. When you want more, it may seem like a good idea to add more directly to each of these policies. However, this can be highly expensive. A much less expensive option is to get an umbrella policy. These come with reasonable prices and add an enormous amount of liability coverage onto both of those policies at once. Not only do you get more peace of mind from having better coverage, but you also save money. 

Paying the Overage

When you have home and auto insurance, the appropriate policy will pay out after an accident to take care of expenses like medical bills for the injured party. However, when your liability coverage maxes out, it won’t pay anymore – even if there are still medical bills owed. That’s where your umbrella policy would come in. It would take those overages and pay them so you don’t have to pay them out of pocket. It comes with extremely high maximum payouts so a serious accident can be paid for. 

Get an Umbrella Policy

When you want more liability coverage through an umbrella policy, call us at All-Tex Insurance in Granbury, TX. 

Is Auto Insurance Required in Florida?

Our auto insurance agents at Abney Insurance serving the Winter Garden, FL area want you and your vehicle to be adequately protected before you hit the streets. The best way to do this is to have an auto insurance policy that works well for you and your situation.

Is Auto Insurance Required in Florida?

Yes, auto insurance is required in Florida as it is in most of the 50 states across the country. Florida law mandates that all drivers maintain a minimum amount of auto liability insurance coverage to legally operate a vehicle. The minimum coverage includes personal injury protection (PIP) with a minimum of $10,000 in medical benefits and $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL).

This type of coverage is imperative to have in place since it will protect you and your passengers as well as other drivers on the road in the event of an accident. If you do not have at least the minimum amount of auto insurance in place, you can end up with penalties, such as fines, as well as a driver’s license suspension and even vehicle impoundment.

Auto Insurance Coverage Options

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

This type of insurance will come in handy if you are ever involved in an accident with a driver who has no insurance or does not have enough to cover the damages to your vehicle and injuries to you and your passengers.

Comprehensive Insurance

Comprehensive insurance is very important to have in place, especially if you still owe money for your vehicle. This is because it will help you repair or replace your car, truck, or SUV if your vehicle is damaged by a natural disaster, and act of vandalism, or a fire. It can also help you replace your vehicle if it is stolen.

Collision Insurance

This type of insurance may also be required by a lender if you still owe money on your vehicle since it will help repair your vehicle if you collide with another vehicle or a stationary object.

Contact Us Today

To create the best auto insurance policy for you and your vehicle, you can contact the experienced and trustworthy auto insurance agents at Abney Insurance serving the Winter Garden, FL area today!

Essential insurance policies every business owner should have

Every business owner here in the Winter Garden, FL area should prioritize the safety of their company and the security of their employees. One of the best ways to do this is by investing in essential insurance policies from us at Abney Insurance that help protect the business from costly liabilities.

Here are some of the most important insurance policies for business owners to consider: 

1. Commercial Property Insurance:

Protects your business from losses due to fire, theft, and vandalism. It also covers damages caused by natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes. 

2. General Liability Insurance:

Covers your business if a third party sues you for property damage or bodily injury. It also protects against financial losses related to advertising errors and product recalls. 

3. Professional Liability Insurance (Errors and Omissions):

These policies cover legal costs if you are accused of negligence or mistakes in the professional services you provide. This includes malpractice, copyright infringement, or other errors and omissions related to your professional services. 

4. Commercial Auto Insurance:

If you use cars or trucks for business purposes, this insurance policy helps cover costs associated with accidents, injuries, property damage, medical bills, and more resulting from a car accident involving one of your vehicles. 

5. Workers’ Compensation Insurance:

This coverage pays for medical expenses if an employee becomes ill or injured while working on behalf of your company. It also covers lost wages and salary reimbursements while they are unable to work due to their illness or injury. 

Reach Out To Us

For more information, give us at Abney Insurance a call today. We serve the Winter Garden, FL with pride and would be happy to help you put together the right portfolio of coverage to ensure your business is protected.

Are Broken Windows Covered By Home Insurance Policies?

The windows in your home can get damaged in a number of different ways. A child throwing a ball can hit the window, a rock can fly up and damage the window, or a potential thief can break the window attempting to break into your home. One of the questions that we at Abney Insurance, serving the greater Winter Garden, FL area, are often asked is whether broken windows are covered by home insurance policies. 

Are Broken Windows Covered By Home Insurance Policies?

Whether or not broken windows are covered by a home insurance policy depends on the specifics of the policy and the cause of the damage. In general, most standard home insurance policies provide coverage for broken windows if the damage is the result of a covered peril, such as a storm, vandalism, or a fallen tree limb.

However, if the window is broken due to wear and tear, neglect, or intentional damage, it may not be covered under the policy. Additionally, if the damage is caused by a flood or earthquake, which are typically excluded from standard home insurance policies, the broken window may not be covered.

Reach Out To Us!

Broken or damaged windows may be covered by home insurance policies if the window is broken or damaged by a covered event. Here at Abney Insurance, serving the greater Winter Garden, FL region, we are committed to helping you to understand your policy and what is and is not covered. If you have any questions about an existing policy or are looking to purchase a new home insurance policy, our team would love the opportunity to help you. Call us today to get started.