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How Umbrella Insurance Works

Posted on June 28, 2020June 28, 2020 by agentinsure

Umbrella insurance is also known as catastrophic insurance. Liability claims and damages can easily exceed the limits of your primary policy, which can truly create a financial catastrophe. At Keslar Insurance Agency in Newmarket, NH, we offer umbrella policies to provide the coverage you need if the worst happens.

What Is Umbrella Insurance?

Umbrella insurance functions as a secondary personal liability policy. All insurance policies have coverage limits. The limits of your primary policy are designed to cover most claims. If your financial liability exceeds the coverage limits, you are left to pay the difference. This can put your assets and your financial future at risk. An umbrella policy provides coverage when your primary policy limit is exceeded and covers the difference up to its coverage limit.

Coverage Limits

Umbrella insurance requires you to have certain coverage limits on your primary policies, but that still may not be enough in certain circumstances. A multi-car pileup or an accident where someone is permanently injured can easily exceed coverage limits. This is when umbrella insurance kicks in. Most umbrella policies are sold in increments of a million dollars, beginning at one million and going up to five million.

What Umbrella Insurance Covers

Most umbrella policies will cover you and the members of your household. It will cover claims that exceed your auto, home, and watercraft or recreational vehicle policies up to its coverage limit. Umbrella coverage may cover things not included in your primary policies as well.

In most cases, umbrella insurance won’t cover damage to your property or your medical bills. It doesn’t cover damage inflicted intentionally, or claims related to a business you own. However, it does provide you with excess liability protection, usually worldwide.

At Keslar Insurance Agency, we know the risks residents of Newmarket, NH face. Accidents can be very costly, and you can quickly lose everything you’ve worked for. If you want the extra peace of mind that comes with an umbrella policy, contact us today to get started.

Flood insurance: How much should you buy?

Posted on May 31, 2020May 31, 2020 by agentinsure

When calculating your flood insurance coverage limits and premiums, you should heavily consider the value of the property as well as the severity of floods in your area. At Keslar Insurance Agency, we don’t just help you buy insurance but also guide you on how much coverage is adequate for you based on the information you provide. Just like any home insurance policy in Newmarket, NH, and the surrounding communities, flood insurance requires you to have enough coverage to rebuild your home in case of floods.

Concentrate on the main peril–flooding

For you to file a claim on flood insurance, your insurance provider must ascertain that it is indeed floods that caused the damage in your home. Flood insurance concentrates on two main areas:

The structure of your home
Your personal property inside the house

The structure of your home

In most cases, floods affect the contents of the home. If your home has an upper floor, chances of the upper floor being affected are close to zero; therefore, you can concentrate on the value of contents on the ground floor. If your home is a bungalow, where all the rooms are under one floor, then you may need to purchase flood insurance based on the whole value of the property. That means you pay more than another homeowner with a two-story building.

High risk or low risk

You also need to determine whether you live in a high risk or low-risk area. High-risk areas have a higher chance of flooding every year than low-risk regions. Assess the level of risk in your area from the NFIP before making a final decision. If your area is undetermined, you can still buy flood insurance based on the value of your personal belongings in the home.

To determine how much flood insurance is adequate for your home, it requires your personal input, but if you still need help, Keslar Insurance Agency in Newmarket, NH is here to help. Feel free to call or visit our website for more information.

Do Condo Associations Provide Insurance?

Posted on April 28, 2020April 28, 2020 by agentinsure

Just about all condos are run by a condominium association. Usually consisting of an elected group of people who live in the community, this association oversees the upkeep of the general areas and helps enforce any rules that may be in place. If you live in a condo, your HOA fee typically covers the condo association’s activities (particularly when it comes to upkeep and maintenance). But what about insurance?

At Keslar Insurance Agency, we are meeting an increasing amount of condo owners because of the modern movement toward more practical living situations. With this, we’ve also met a lot of people who aren’t quite sure whether their condo association provides insurance or not. The answer? It’s complicated.

The truth is that every condo community is different, and some do indeed provide full condo insurance for each unit as covered by the HOA fee. That said, this is not the case for most. Local laws also vary, and in Newmarket, NH, condo associations are not required to provide insurance for individual condo owners.

For the insurance that is included in your HOA condo fee, it typically only covers any common areas or shared spaces throughout the community (like pool areas, parking lots, parklets, halls, and stairways, etc.). In some instances, it may also cover some things in your unit deemed beyond your control. This could include damage caused by faulty wiring or construction done before you got there or damage caused by a maintenance crew there to work on the public areas. Even so, it’s essential to read your HOA contract and any attached insurance policy thoroughly in order to understand the nuances of what it may or may not cover.

If you’re like most condo owners, though, you will need your own separate policy for your individual unit and everything in it. We provide a range of coverage options at Keslar Insurance Agency for Newmarket, NH area condo owners. Give us a call at your convenience to learn more.

10 things you absolutely need to know about life insurance

Posted on March 30, 2020March 30, 2020 by agentinsure

One of the pillars of personal finance, deserving of consideration in every home, is life insurance. While facing the reality of our demise is often a difficult task, the well-being of our loved ones after our passing is a crucial matter that cannot be overlooked. Acquiring a life insurance policy simplifies this decision and reduces uncertainty about the future. Here are a few things you need to know about life insurance

If you have loved ones depending on you financially, life insurance is essential. Life becomes difficult on dependents upon your demise. It is vital to address these concerns with your insurance agent. At Keslar Insurance Agency, we analyze each client individually to come up with a policy that meets their concerns.
Life Insurance is about financial obligation alone. Life insurance provides the policyholder and their loved ones peace of mind. The demise of the breadwinner weighs heavily on his dependents. Such concerns as school fees, unpaid medical bills, or funeral expenses may be a significant burden on your loved ones. Do not let the worries of the future prevent you from enjoying life in Newmarket, NH.
Life insurance is a contract. Benefits are paid only to those who are affected by your demise.
This policy is a risk management tool.
Life insurance has two broad categories, term and permanent. Term insurance is paid based on the insured dying with a particular of time say 10, 20, or 30 years. Our agents at Keslar Insurance Agency will advise on whether to take up the term or permanent insurance policy based on your circumstances.
The cost of life insurance varies based on the insurance company.
Determining your optimal life insurance policy is not difficult. Our insurance agents will work closely with you to come up with a policy that meets your needs.
It is alright to seek help in preparing for your death.
Always ask about your options when you need to cancel an insurance policy.
Familiarize yourself with major insurance terms.

Please feel free to contact our insurance agents at Keslar Insurance in Newmarket, NH for further information.

Is It Time to Update Your Auto Insurance?

Posted on February 28, 2020February 28, 2020 by agentinsure

Lifestyle changes affect many aspects of our lives to include insurance coverage. The auto insurance policy you purchased last year may have provided you with adequate coverage at that time, but is it still current today? By reviewing your policy annually, you’ll know if your coverage needs tweaking or is up to date. At Keslar Insurance Agency in Newmarket, NH, we can help you update your policy to ensure you’re getting the protection you need. Here are a few signs that it may be time to update your policy.

New Drivers

If you have new people driving your car regularly, such as your teen or spouse, you’ll need to update your policy to add them to your insurance. This ensures they’ll get full protection from your coverage. As teens are generally inexperienced drivers, you may want to add or increase certain types of coverage such as liability or collision to protect your vehicle and others against accidents your teen may cause.

New Vehicle

A change in vehicles is a good time to update auto insurance. Your coverage should be enough to protect the value of your new car. If you took out a loan for your new vehicle, your lender may require you to have extra coverage such as collision, comprehensive, and uninsured motorist to protect his investment.

New Location

Moving to a new location could prompt you to update your auto insurance, especially if your car is at greater risk of theft or damage. If your new home doesn’t have an enclosed garage, your vehicle is more susceptible to damage from inclement weather, falling objects, etc., when parked in the driveway or street. You may want to add or increase your comprehensive coverage to cover this risk.

To update your auto insurance or purchase a new policy, call or visit Keslar Insurance Agency in Newmarket, NH.

Does Your Commercial Policy Have the Business Interruption Coverage You Need?

Posted on January 28, 2020January 28, 2020 by agentinsure

Owning a successful business in the Newmarket, NH area requires a lot of hard work. The team at Keslar Insurance Agency is proud to serve the commercial insurance needs of our friends and family, and we look forward to working with you too. Our team understands the importance of business continuity, and that’s why we recommend that our commercial clients have sufficient business interruption coverage.

Is Your Commercial Policy Providing the Coverage You Need??

Commercial coverage is often thought of as a way to protect property and equipment, but there are several features available that enhance your protection. If your business is rendered inoperable due to a covered event, business interruption insurance can kick in to help you weather the storm. When a company is kicked offline, it can cause a domino effect. Cash flow can be disrupted, and costs for repairs and replacements can cause a severe dent in profits. With the proper coverage, your business can be kept alive while you work to get everything fixed.

Whether your premises is damaged and becomes uninhabitable, or your equipment is damaged and isn’t working, the right commercial policy will help you get back up and running while protecting your business at the same time. Don’t let an unexpected tragedy run your business into the ground; review your commercial policy today to ensure that it provides the protection you need. Life can throw a lot of curveballs our way, and having robust insurance coverage is one way to keep your business going through thick and thin.

Keslar Insurance Agency is here to answer all of your commercial insurance questions. It is our goal to provide the business owners in the greater Newmarket, NH area with the protection that they need. Contact our offices to speak with an agent and get a quote.

How to Prepare Your Home for Winter

Posted on December 17, 2019December 17, 2019 by agentinsure

Preparing your home for winter in Newmarket, NH is vital for staying warm and protecting it. By being proactive, you can lower energy bills and increase the lifespan and efficiency of the home’s components.

Check Your Heating System: Take the time to change your filters and have it looked at by a reputable HVAC contractor.
Seal Exterior Wood: The wood trim on the exterior of the house should be protected from the elements. Replacing trim can be expensive, so it’s best to make sure it doesn’t rot, to begin with.
Check Drainage: Make sure soil around the foundation hasn’t settled because this can create areas for water to pool. Be sure the water is going to move away from the home.
Clean Gutters: Once the leaves are off the trees, then you need to clean the gutters. When the gutters back up, it can overflow into the home.
Clean the Chimney: Have the fireplace inspected before you start to build fires for the winter. Now is the time to get new firewood and make sure that the firewood isn’t rotten.
Test Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors: Winter is a typical time for house fires. Carbon monoxide can also be a big issue because the house is closed up. Check the detectors or consider getting some if your home is not equipped.
Shut Down the Sprinkler System: Your sprinkler system should be shut down, and many systems require the lines to be blown out. The outside water faucet is not protected from the elements so it can freeze during winter. Take the time to do a necessary drain of the line.
Check the Trees: Make sure trees are healthy, so they don’t fall on your home or your neighbor’s home during a winter storm.
Be Sure Your Home Insurance Is Up to Date: Now is as good a time as any to check to make sure your home insurance in Newmarket, NH will cover any winter storms. An agent at Keslar Insurance Agency can help update your policy if needed.