General FAQs
When Harrington-Hoch Insurance Inc. is deciding whether or not to offer car insurance to a potential customer, we want to know about your previous driving record, whether they have any recent accidents or tickets, and what type of car will need to be insured.
Harrington-Hoch Insurance Inc. offers a variety of programs for different customers. Adults with good driving records will generally pay less for car insurance, than young drivers with traffic tickets. In order to determine which program you qualify for, Harrington-Hoch Insurance Inc. will need basic information about you.
In addition to your age, gender and driving experience, information about the car you drive, and your driving record, is also needed to determine a fair price. For example, a large luxury car costs more to repair or replace than a compact car. Also, someone in Richmond who commutes 30 miles each way is more likely to be in an accident, than someone who commutes via bus and only drives on weekends.
Car Insurance FAQs in Indiana
Often times the cost of repairing the damages to an older car is greater than its value. In these cases, your insurer will usually just “total” the car and give you a check for the car’s market value less than the deductible. Many people with older cars decide not to purchase any physical damage coverage.
Comprehensive provides coverage for mostly other direct physical damage losses you could incur, including theft. For example, damage to your car from a hailstorm will be covered under your comprehensive coverage.
The type of car you drive, the purpose the car serves, your driving record, and where the car is garaged can all affect how much your car insurance will cost you in Richmond, IN.
Even your marital status can affect your cost of insurance. Statistics show that married couples tend to have fewer and less costly accidents than those who are single.
Homeowners Insurance FAQs in Indiana
It’s not surprising to find quotes on homeowners insurance that vary by hundreds of dollars for the same coverage on the same home. When you shop, be careful to make sure each insurer is offering the same coverage.
Another way to lower the cost of your home insurance is to look for any discounts that you may qualify for. For example, many insurers will offer a discount when you place both your car and homeowners insurance with them. Other times, insurers offer discounts if there are deadbolt exterior locks on all your doors, or if your home has a security system. Be sure to ask Harrington-Hoch Insurance Inc. about any discounts that you may qualify for.
Another easy way to lower the cost of your homeowners insurance is to raise your deductible. Increasing your deductible from $250 to $500 will lower your premium, sometimes by as much as five or ten percent.
Below is a checklist of things you should consider when you purchase homeowners insurance:
- Determine the amount and type of insurance you will need. The coverage limit of your house should equal 100% of its replacement cost. If your policy limit is less than 80% of the replacement cost of your home, any payment from Harrington-Hoch Insurance Inc. will be less than the full cost to replace your home – you’ll have to pay the rest out of your own pocket. Also, decide if the personal property and personal liability limits are adequate for your needs.
- Decide which, if any, additional endorsements you want to add to your policy. For example, do you want the personal property replacement cost endorsement, an earthquake endorsement or a jewelry endorsement?
- Once you have decided on the coverage you want in your homeowners insurance policy, please consult us at Harrington-Hoch Insurance Inc. . Harrington-Hoch Insurance Inc. will be able to help you determine if there are any gaps in coverage that you might not have been aware of, explain the details of the policy’s exclusions and limitations, as well as recommend an insurance company that will live up to your expectations.
The home and other structures on the premises are protected on an “all risks” basis up to the policy limits. “All risks” means that unless the policy specifically excludes the manner in which your home is damaged or destroyed, there is coverage. The policy limit for the home is set by the policy owner at the time the insurance is purchased. The policy limit for the other structure is usually equal to 10% of the policy limit for the home.
Losses to your personal property are covered on a “named perils” basis. “Named perils” means that you have coverage only when your property is damaged or destroyed in the manner specifically described in the policy. The policy limit on the coverage is equal to 50% of the policy limit on the home. Limits for the coverage of additional expenses that the policy owner may incur, when the residence cannot be used because of an insured loss, is equal to 20% of the policy limit on the home.
The coverage limit on personal liability is determined by the policy owner at the time the policy is issued. The coverage limit on medical payments to others is usually set at $1000 per injured person.
Life Insurance FAQs in Indiana
Important factors include:
- Income sources and amounts other than salary earnings
- Whether or not you are married and, if so, what is your spouse’s earning capacity
- The number of individuals who are financially dependent upon you
- The amount of death benefits payable from social security and an employer-sponsored life insurance plan
- Whether any special life insurance needs exist – (mortgage repayment, education fund, estate planning need, etc.)
Calculating the correct amount of life insurance to buy in Indiana is not as simple as it appears. We recommend contacting Harrington-Hoch Insurance Inc. at: 765-962-9502 to help determine the right amount of coverage you need. As an independent agent, Harrington-Hoch Insurance Inc. has unbiased advisors that will help you avoid buying too much, show you appropriate and optional coverages for your need, and recommend a company that will best serve your interests in Indiana.
It is of utmost importance that the income-earning capacity of the primary breadwinner be fully protected, if possible, through the purchase of the required amount of life insurance. This should be done before purchasing life insurance for children or on a non-wage-earning spouse. Life insurance on a non-wage-earning spouse is often recommended for the purpose of paying for household services lost due to this individual’s death. In a dual-earning household, it is important to protect the income earning capacity of both spouses.
First, recognize that in any life insurance purchasing decision, two questions must be answered:
- “How much life insurance should I buy?”
- “What type of life insurance policy should I buy?”
The first question should always be initially resolved. For example, the amount of life insurance that you need may be so large that you can only afford it through the purchase of term insurance, since term insurance has a lower premium.
If your ability to pay life insurance premiums is such that you can afford the desired amount of life insurance under either type of policy, then it is appropriate to consider the second question – what type of policy to buy. Important factors affecting this decision include your income tax bracket, whether the need for life insurance is short-term or long-term (e.g., 20 years or longer), and the rate of return on alternative investments possessing similar risk.
Credit life insurance is frequently recommended in conjunction with taking out an installment loan when purchasing expensive appliances, a new car, or for debt consolidation.
Renters Insurance FAQs in Indiana
- Fire or lightning
- Windstorm or hail
- Explosions
- Riots
- Aircraft
- Vehicles
- Smoke
- Vandalism or malicious mischief
- Theft
- Falling objects
- Weight of ice, snow, or sleet
- Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam
- Freezing
- Sudden and accidental damage from artificially generated electrical current
- Volcanic eruptions (but this doesn’t include earthquake or tremors)
Renters insurance coverage applies to your personal property no matter where you are in the world. This means you’re covered when you are on vacation as well as at home.
Umbrella Insurance FAQs in Indiana
However, in our very litigious society, even individuals with modest incomes and assets are often subjects of large lawsuits. Since those with modest incomes are even less able to pay damages than a wealthy individual, Harrington-Hoch Insurance Inc. recognizes the need to provide coverage limits greater than what can be obtained from their homeowner insurance or car insurance policies.