Commerce GA

Employer-Provided Life Insurance: Is it Enough?

Posted on by admin

If you live or work in the greater Commerce, GA area, you can count on the team at Commerce Insurance Agency. We’re proud to serve our friends and neighbors’ insurance needs. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment.

Take a Closer Look at Your Employer-Provided Life Insurance

Many corporations offer life insurance policies to their employees as part of an overall benefits package. If you have such a policy, you might wonder if it’s sufficient for your needs. To answer this question, you’ll need to check to see if the policy is transferrable. This means that if you leave the company, will your life insurance policy still be valid? If the answer is no, then you definitely need to consider a stand-alone policy.

When your life insurance policy will still be in force, even after you’ve left the company, the answer isn’t as clear-cut. If your policy level is tied to your salary or a percentage thereof, it’s likely enough to cover all of your needs. The best way to move forward is to sit down with a local agent. They’ll be able to discuss your overall needs with you, take a look at your employer-provided policy, and answer any questions you might have. Taking these steps will help you determine the overall amount of life insurance that you require and how much, if any, can be covered by your work policy. This will help you avoid a situation where you don’t have the appropriate protection in place.

Contact us today for help with all of your insurance needs!

The team here at Commerce Insurance Agency is pleased to provide insurance services to the Commerce, GA community. Let us help you find the right policy for your needs. Give us a call or stop by today.

Major Events That Could Destroy Your Home

Posted on by admin

Owning a home is a dream come true for many, but without homeowner’s insurance, dreams can quickly turn into nightmares. Many different events, from electrical fires to hurricanes and earthquakes, can destroy homes and even entire communities. Contact the Commerce Insurance Agency, serving the Commerce, GA metroplex, to explore home insurance options.

Keep in mind that standard homeowner’s insurance may not cover every event. For example, you may need to take out flood damage to cover damage caused by flooding. It’s crucial to read the fine print of any homeowner’s insurance plan or to speak with knowledgeable insurance agents who can break down the details and gaps in home insurance coverage.

Major Events That Could Destroy Your Home

Home Fires

House fires cause roughly $7 billion in damage per year, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Issues with heating, cooking, and electrical systems are the leading cause of house fires and over 350,000 homes will be affected by a fire in any given year. This makes it crucial to take out a home insurance policy that provides protection from home fires.

Weather Disasters Cause Immense Damage

The Washington Post reported that roughly 1 in 10 homes were affected by a weather event in 2021. Hurricanes and tornadoes may be the most famous and intimidating events, but simple storms can cause a lot of damage. High winds, hail, and heavy rain, among other factors, can all damage buildings.

Don’t Forget Crime

Break-ins, vandalism, and other property crimes cause a lot of damage per year. Indeed, more than a million home burglaries occur per year. In many cases, homes aren’t destroyed outright, but the damage can be immense, as can the costs of replacing stolen property. Fortunately, the right homeowner’s insurance policies can provide protection from property crimes.

Reach out to the Commerce Insurance Agency in Commerce, GA to learn about home insurance options.

Safe driving tips for new drivers

Posted on by admin

Driving safely is essential for anyone who takes the wheel, but it can be especially important for new drivers to practice safe driving habits here in the Commerce, GA area.

Here are some tips from us at Commerce Insurance Agency to help make sure you’re driving as safely as possible: 

1. Always Wear Your Seatbelt

This is a must for everyone in the car. Wearing a seatbelt doesn’t just keep you safe; it also prevents you from being fined by law enforcement if you’re pulled over or involved in an accident. 

2. Obey Traffic Laws

It can be easy to forget about traffic laws when you’re just starting out, but following them is essential for keeping everyone on the road safe. Make sure to obey speed limits and pay attention to traffic signals and signs. 

3. Avoid Distractions

Take your eyes off your phone while driving and focus on the road ahead. Don’t try multitasking and don’t let passengers distract you either. By avoiding distractions, you reduce your risk of getting into an accident or causing one yourself. 

4. Drive Defensively

Be aware of other drivers around you and anticipate their moves so that if something unexpected happens, you have time to react appropriately and safely. 

5. Check Your Blind Spots

Making sure all lanes are clear when turning or changing lanes is important at any time, but especially when you’re just starting out with less experience behind the wheel than more experienced drivers have had time to develop over years of driving experience.  

Keep Your Auto Insurance Updated

For more tips and for your insurance coverage, give us at Commerce Insurance Agency a call today. We are proud to serve the Commerce, GA area and would be happy to help you find the right policy for you.

What Types of Life Insurance are Available?

Posted on by admin

Life insurance can help you protect loved ones or even business partners in the event of your untimely passing. This type of insurance is an essential financial planning tool for almost anyone. If you want to learn more about life insurance coverage options, contact the experts at Commerce Insurance Agency, proudly serving the residents of Commerce, GA. 

Life Insurance Options

Individuals who want to secure a life insurance policy should know they have a few options. The most popular and beneficial is whole life insurance. Over time, it builds value you can borrow against after a specified time frame. This can be handy for retirement or unexpected emergencies in the future. 

Term life insurance is a policy with a flat rate payment plan for a specified time rather than a lifetime. You collect the designated amount on the policy if a death falls into the outlined incident scenarios. This policy expires after the specified term with no further borrowing options. 

Universal life insurance protects your policy for your entire lifetime. You need to ensure the payments are made up to date, and you are covered if your death falls within the terms and conditions of the policy. 

Other life insurance policies include senior, variable, and group life insurance. If you would like to know about these life insurance options, one of our professional team can assist you and get you covered. 

Reach Out To Us Today

We can assist you if you want to secure life insurance coverage for your family or business partner. Call or stop by Commerce Insurance Agency today and let us help you get access to a policy that works for your needs. The residents of Commerce, GA know they can count on us to protect the things that matter most. 

Why You Need Home Insurance

Posted on by admin

Owning a home means that you have a lot of different responsibilities. Many of these have to do with protecting your home. Getting home insurance is one of these responsibilities. Your lender and HOA will both require that you have this type of insurance. Even if you don’t have a lender or an HOA, you need this insurance to protect yourself and your home. When you need to get a home insurance policy, give us a call today at Commerce Insurance Agency in Commerce, GA to get started. 

Dwelling Protection

One of the types of coverage that is included in home insurance is dwelling protection. It protects the building from a host of risks that can cause it to be damaged. When you have home insurance, it protects against things like calamities, accidents, and specific disasters. These are risks that every home faces, and you need to be prepared for them by having home insurance.

When an event happens that damages your home, the home policy will pay for the necessary repairs. It can even pay for your home to be rebuilt if it’s destroyed.

Item Protection

When you have home insurance, it also protects the items that are inside it. You get coverage for all of your possessions in the home if they are ever damaged or destroyed by a covered event. This is a lot of coverage when you consider the cost of replacing everything. Without a home policy, you’d have to pay for everything that was ruined by yourself. Make sure that you have this coverage to protect your possessions as well as your home against expensive damage. 

Get Home Insurance 

To make sure that your home and everything in it is protected, call us at Commerce Insurance Agency in Commerce, GA to get started with a home policy. 

Leave a Loving Legacy for Your Family with Life Insurance

Posted on by admin

Regardless of your age, everyone needs life insurance protection. Fatal accidents and serious illnesses can happen to anyone at any time. The Commerce Insurance Agency, serving Commerce, GA and the surrounding areas, can provide this vital coverage.

Life insurance can provide peace of mind knowing that you have in place a loving legacy providing financial security for those you love.

Here are some additional reasons to purchase this insurance:

It provides guaranteed protection for those who depend on you. The policy acts as a financial safeguard. When you pass, the beneficiaries will receive a lump sum payment.

This policy acts as an income replacement. If your income were suddenly gone, it could put your family in distress.

This will help with the following:

  • Paying off the mortgage
  • Making health care and childcare more affordable
  • Any tuition costs can be paid
  • Household debts can be eliminated
  • Preserving a family business is now possible
  • This benefit is tax-free. Your beneficiaries will receive every dollar.
  • There is a cash value growth feature that is guaranteed to grow.

You can tailor a whole life policy to meet your individual needs. For an additional cost, you can obtain riders to purchase more protection without further underwriting. An experienced and knowledgeable agent can help you decide if an additional rider is right for you.

There is dividend potential with a whole-life policy. Although they are not guaranteed, when dividends are available, you can use them to offset the premium cost or take them in cash.

Contact Us Today

Don’t leave your family with an insecure financial future. The legacy of a life insurance benefit will see that their future is solid. Our team of insurance experts at Commerce Insurance Agency can provide a quote or answers to questions you may have about a life insurance policy for the benefit of your family. Give us a call if you are in the greater Commerce, GA region and we will be happy to help. 

Three signs that you need to make changes to your home insurance

Posted on by admin

Once you’ve purchased home insurance, you shouldn’t assume that the policy you’ve purchased will be adequate for your property indefinitely. Eventually, you may need to make changes to your coverage.

At Commerce Insurance Agency, we recommend that you update coverage on your home in Commerce, GA in certain situations.

The following are three signs that you need to make some changes to your home insurance policy. 

You have just had a swimming pool added to your property.

A swimming pool on your property can change your coverage needs in numerous ways.

With a swimming pool, you’ll probably want to invest in more liability coverage because swimming pools come along with some injury risk. 

After you’ve added a swimming pool, you may also want to increase the dwelling coverage you have on your policy.

There is a new canine member in your household.

In some cases, a new family dog could change your home insurance needs.

If you have a dog, there is a risk of dog bite injuries that you should consider. Make sure that your insurance company knows about your new pet so that you’re covered for such injuries. 

You’ve had a new room added to your home.

Additions to your home increase your square footage. They also increase the value of your home. Putting an addition on your home changes the replacement cost, so you’ll definitely want to discuss your addition with your home insurance provider. 

Give Us A Call

When you choose a home insurance policy, you should get quotes from a few providers on coverage for your home. We can offer you a quote on a home insurance policy for your property in Commerce, GA. Call us today at Commerce Insurance Agency to get started!

Why basic auto insurance may not be the right choice for you

Posted on by admin

At Commerce Insurance Agency in Commerce, GA, we are an independent insurance agency that is customer-centered. Our team is experienced in all facets of auto insurance and the requirements of the state of Georgia. We are here to help our customers to get the right insurance at the right price. 

Basic Auto Insurance & More

Basic auto insurance in Georgia is liability insurance in the amount of 25/50/25. The first person injured in a vehicle accident is covered by $25,000 in injury insurance, and the total for all injuries is $50,000. $25,000 is assigned for injury to property. This is a reasonable amount, but if it is a bad accident, involving hospital stays, this could be very much short of the actual expenses, and you could end up paying out of your pocket. 

When you lease a vehicle or have an auto loan, you are not going to be able to get away with having basic insurance. Your lender or the company leasing your vehicle to you is going to demand that you have insurance to protect the vehicle. This means having collision insurance and comprehensive insurance. 

Collision insurance covers your vehicle in an accident you are responsible for. It can help to pay for repairs or for the replacement of your vehicle if your vehicle is determined to be a total loss. 

Comprehensive insurance covers most other things that can damage your vehicle. Coverage includes theft and vandalism. It also covers a variety of weather events such as hail, ice, and high winds. If a deer runs into your vehicle, you are covered, and it includes glass coverage, which is very handy if a stone comes up and cracks your windshield. 

Give Us A Call

Contact Commerce Insurance Agency in Commerce, GA when you are in need of auto insurance information or coverage. 

Life Insurance FAQs

Posted on by admin

If you have questions about life insurance, you are in good company. Most people don’t know a lot about life insurance, which makes it difficult when it comes to make sure you have what you need. At Commerce Insurance Agency, serving the greater Commerce, GA community, we are a locally owned independent insurance agency that puts our customers’ needs first. 

Life Insurance FAQs

How much life insurance is enough?

There is no one amount of life insurance that is right for everyone. Life insurance needs to be personalized to you and your situation. If you are young and unmarried or retired on a fixed income, you will have different life insurance needs than someone who has a young family. The amount of life insurance you need is the amount that will keep your family financially secure if you are not there to provide your income. 

Can a life insurance policy be canceled?

Yes, life insurance policies can be canceled. The most common reason that a policy is canceled is the nonpayment of the premium. If you are going through financial difficulties, contact your insurance carrier and try to work out a deal that will allow you to keep your protection. Another reason for cancelation is not being truthful on your life insurance application. 

What is term life insurance?

Term life insurance is life insurance that has a term. It lasts for a predetermined amount of time and at the end of that time, the policy ends. When choosing term life insurance, make sure that the term is long enough to offer you protection when you need it most. 

Do I need life insurance after I retire?

If someone depends on your income to maintain their lifestyle, then yes, you do need life insurance after you retire. 

Give Us A Call

Contact Commerce Insurance Agency in Commerce, GA for all your life insurance needs and questions. We are here to help!

How proper tree maintenance can help protect your Commerce area home

Posted on by admin

Commerce Insurance Agency is here for the Commerce, GA community. If you have questions about the protection that your homeowner’s policy provides, we are here to help. Give us a call or come by our office today to learn more.

Protect your home from tree damage with proper maintenance practices

If your home is damaged by a tree, the cause of the incident can determine if the damage is covered by your homeowner’s policy. When it comes to tree damage, there are some instances that are typically covered and some that usually aren’t covered. 

For example, if lightning strikes a tree on your property and it falls and causes damage to your home, the damage will likely be covered. But, if the trees on your property aren’t properly maintained and a branch falls due to neglect and damages your home, it will be highly unlikely that your homeowner’s policy will cover that damage. And, if a neighbor’s tree falls onto your property, causing damage, your insurance carrier probably won’t cover the damage but will pursue coverage from your neighbor’s insurance company. 

Properly maintaining all of the trees on your property can help to ensure that any damage that they may cause due to unforeseen circumstances will be covered. No one wants to have to come out of pocket to pay for damage that can be easily avoided. This is especially true of tree damage because proper maintenance can prevent it from happening. 

Give us a call today

Commerce, GA area homeowners can rely on the Commerce Insurance Agency team for all of their insurance needs. Give us a call or stop by our office today to learn more about the home insurance policies that are available in our area.