Is Washington a No-Fault State for Auto Insurance?

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The state of Washington is an “at-fault” state. This means that the court determines who is the person at-fault, for causing an accident, and makes that party responsible. There is a legal requirement in the state of Washington for anyone operating a vehicle within the state to have auto insurance that is at least a bare minimum.

Shared Fault

Sometimes an accident is caused by the fault of more than one person. In such a case, the court will decide of what percentage is each party’s fault and divide the fault up between all the parties that the court decides had some part in causing an accident.

These types of accidents are the ones that typically are heavily disputed. Assigning fault is somewhat of an arbitrary decision. Some facts and decisions about them can be rule-based; however, much of the final determination may come down to a matter of a judge’s opinion.

The Advantages of No-Fault Insurance

No-fault insurance does not require a determination to be made by the court regarding who caused the accident. The insurance provides coverage for the insured party, up to the limits of the policy, regardless of who is at fault. If there is other insurance available to help pay for the claim, then the insurance company will seek reimbursement from the other insurance company.

Ask your agent at Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc, serving Lynnwood, WA and the surrounding area, to give you good advice about no-fault coverage.

Even though there is no legal requirement to carry no-fault insurance in the state of Washington it may still be a wise decision to have it for protection if the driver causing the accident is operating the vehicle illegally without insurance or is underinsured.

Contact your agent at Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc in Lynnwood, WA to get an auto insurance review and a quote for no-fault auto insurance.

Renovating Your Home in 2020? Don’t Forget to Update Your Insurance

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The New Year often brings changes to people’s lives. If upgrading your home is one of those changes, make sure to update your insurance accordingly. Home renovations can alter your current home insurance coverage. By updating your home insurance policy from Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc in Lynnwood, WA, you can continue to receive the protection you need.

How do home renovations affect your home insurance?

Increase Home Value

Major home renovations like a kitchen remodel or a new patio can increase your home’s value. A substantial increase in home value could make your current dwelling coverage insufficient to protect your property. Your dwelling insurance should be enough to cover the cost of replacing your home in the event it’s totally destroyed in a catastrophe. By assessing the value of your home after the renovations are done, you’ll know if you need to increase your dwelling coverage to fully protect your property.

Alter Coverage

Home renovations will need to be added to your home insurance in order to be protected against unforeseen perils. Home renovations will alter your current dwelling coverage, making it necessary to update your policy.

Reduce Insurance Costs

Some home renovations such as upgrading your plumbing or electrical systems, installing energy-efficient windows or installing a new security system can help reduce your home insurance costs. A new plumbing and electrical system will reduce your risk of water and fire damage. A new security system can protect your home against theft, vandalism, and intrusion. By enhancing your home’s safety and security, you could qualify for a discount on your home insurance.

If home renovations are on your agenda for 2020, contact Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc in Lynnwood, WA about updating your home insurance to maintain optimal coverage. We look forward to meeting your home insurance needs.

Does My Home Insurance Cover Storm Damage?

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Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc offers homeowners insurance to residents of Lynnwood, WA. The coverage they provide covers a wide range of damages that are caused by storms. There are certain natural events that are not covered by your traditional home insurance policy. These events must be covered by a specific type of policy that is written for that unique form of damage.

Know What Your Home Insurance Covers

When you purchase your home and sign up for new homeowner insurance, it’s essential that you talk to your insurance agent to determine what type of insurance policies you need to be fully protected from financial disaster caused by a storm or other weather event. By working with your insurance agent, you can find the information you need so you can purchase the right types of insurance.

Hurricane and Flood Insurance

Homes that are in hurricane zones or floodplains will require specific policies that are written for those particular events. If you live in a floodplain but have not purchased flood insurance, your home will not be fully protected against water damage from storms or large amounts of precipitation. The same is true if you live in a hurricane zone. If your home receives damage caused by a hurricane-related storm, your home won’t be covered if you don’t have the right policy in place.

Homeowners who live in or near Lynnwood, WA are encouraged to call the agents of Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc. when they decide to upgrade their existing homeowners’ insurance or purchase a new policy altogether. By calling their office, you can find out what types of home insurance are needed to cover weather-related events in your area.

Does My Home Business Need Commercial Insurance?

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These days everyone is looking to boost their income. One popular way to do this in Lynnwood, WA is through a home-based business. Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc encourages this spirit of entrepreneurship by extending our expertise to help home business owners understand commercial insurance and why it’s important. 

Does A Home Business Need Commercial Insurance?

Yes. It’s easy to assume that your regular home insurance would cover your business assets, but the truth is a standard home policy rarely provides enough. Sometimes, homeowner’s policies specifically exclude use as business insurance. This also goes for vehicles being used in majority business operations.

How Much Insurance Does A Home Business Need?

That depends on the business you run. Sometimes your insurance agent could find a rider or extension to add to your existing home policy to cover your business assets. In other cases, purchasing a wholly separate commercial liability policy might be your best option. When considering your options, you and your agent should look into the typical equipment you use and the common risk factors your business might experience. Coverages you might need include:

  • Personal property such as furniture and computers
  • Physical inventory of goods
  • Liability for injury and product faults
  • Business interruption

How Do I Find The Right Insurance For My Home Business?

If you operate in and around the Lynnwood, WA area, the agents at Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc are on hand to discuss your options. We work with you to discuss your individual insurance needs to find the policy that fits you and your business. Whether you’re just starting up or have been established in the community for years, let us make sure your home business is insured for the future. 

What is the difference between collision and comprehensive auto insurance

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When you own an auto in most states you are required to carry liability insurance. This protects other motorists and their vehicles from you. It will cover medical expenses and property damage. However, it will not cover your vehicle. Other types of coverage are available including collision and comprehensive that you can opt to carry or if you have a car loan, you may be required to carry. Many people don’t understand the difference between collision and comprehensive auto insurance. Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc in Lynnwood, WA has the information you need to understand the different coverage options. 

Collision

When your vehicle makes contact with another vehicle it can sustain a lot of damage. It may even be deemed totaled. If you want to repair or replace your damaged vehicle and you were at fault, you need to pay for it yourself.  Unless you have lots of money, this could be a hardship. Collision coverage would pay for this up to the limit of your policy.

Comprehensive

Comprehensive coverage is sometimes referred to as non-collision insurance. It protects your vehicle for damage that results from something other than a collision with another vehicle. If your vehicle is damaged by a fire, by hail, by a tree falling onto it, by a large animal or if it is stolen, these are the kinds of things that comprehensive insurance will cover. Glass coverage is also usually included with your comprehensive policy. For most perils, there will be a deductible with glass coverage being the exception.  With a good comprehensive policy, if your vehicle is stolen, you will be able to replace it. 

As you can see, collision and comprehensive coverage are very different though both protect your vehicle. If you live near Lynnwood, WA why not call or visit Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc. to discuss your auto insurance needs. 

 

Back to school season is a great time to review your home insurance policy

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Now that the kids are back in school you may have breathed a sigh of relief. With a little more time to yourself, it’s time a good time to tackle those chores that you may have put off over the summer. Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc recommends that all of our clients in the greater Lynnwood, WA area review their home insurance policies at least once a year, and what better time than now? 

Why we recommend an annual policy review to our clients

A lot can change in a year: you can make a significant improvement to your home, make some large purchases, or see the dynamics of your neighborhood change. The policy that fit your needs to a tee last year may now be inadequate. It makes sense to sit down with your local agent and undergo a comprehensive review of all of your policies on a regular basis. Whether you need to increase your coverage levels, or you want to make sure that you are protected against certain events, now is a good time to take action. Along with fluctuations in home values, replacement costs vary over time.  And it always makes sense to do a review of your inventory lists to ensure that they are complete and up to date. Don’t wait until you have a covered event to discover your home policy hasn’t kept pace with your life. 

Has your family made any major improvements to your home or has it just been a while since you’ve had a comprehensive review of your Lynnwood, WA are homeowner’s policy? Contact Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc today and learn more about why we recommend an annual review for all of your policies.

How much commercial insurance do you need?

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Commercial insurance works to protect your business in Lynnwood, WA from financial ruin in the instance of the unexpected happening. You should understand the tenets of a good assurance plan before you need to take advantage of its benefits. Unfortunately, though, many business owners do not give enough credence to commercial insurance and, thus, find themselves in a bind when tragedy strikes and policy limits leave them with outstanding balances. 

The agents at Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc work to get your company fully protected so that you are ready when the unthinkable manifests. Read on to learn about commercial insurance policy limits and how much assurance your business may need!

What are commercial insurance policy limits?

Your business assurance plan in Lynnwood, WA is not absolute. Just as with a car insurance policy that imposes maximum limits for payouts, so also does your commercial indemnity plan. The amount of compensation you receive from your policy after tragedy strikes largely depend on your premium. Those who pay higher amounts for coverage may find that their policy pays for more damages that those who pay the bare minimum in premium amounts every month. 

Bigger, however, is not always better. Some business owners find that they do not have the protection they need even with high monthly premiums. It is important, then, to discuss the nature of your business with a specialist from Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc to ensure that your indemnity plan is the right one for your situation. 

How much commercial insurance do you need?

The amount of business assurance your company needs depends on the type of business that you carry out during the day. Those with retail companies may find that they need more coverage for incidents because of the flow of customers throughout the workday. Meanwhile, those with Internet-based companies may not need as much assurance in the way of physical liability. It may be essential, however, to have an indemnity plan that pays for lawsuits related to intellectual property. 

An agent at Sound Choice can help you navigate the way of commercial insurance. Call them today for a consultation and to get started with a quote!

Does Auto Insurance Cover the Other Driver’s Passengers?

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Your auto policy is in place to protect you, your passengers, and other drivers, but does it also protect the passengers of the person that you are involved in an accident with? For those that live in the Lynnwood, WA area, the agents with Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc can help you to find out just what your policy covers and what you need to add to your coverage.

When it comes to the passengers in the other driver’s car, in most cases they will have to sue or make a claim against the insurance of the driver in the car that they were a passenger. In some cases, your insurance will cover the deductible for the other driver’s policy which will then pay out to the passenger. For the most part, the only person that is responsible for the cost of the passenger is the driver of the car that they are riding in. You can add more or less coverage for your passengers. Many insurance companies will pay your passenger the minimum liability which in most states is about $10,000.

It is important also to note that if you have full coverage insurance your passengers may be entitled to more than the minimum liability coverage amount. You can customize the amount of coverage depending on how often you have passengers and other factors as well. If you have passengers that are in your car at the time of an accident, your insurance is going to cover their costs in most cases which means that your insurance is going to be liable only for your passengers. For those in the Lynnwood, WA area, the agents with Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc can help you to find the right policy for you and for your passengers.  

How to Keep Your Home Safe While on Vacation

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It’s summer and time to travel the world. But, before purchasing the plane tickets and reserving the villa you will be staying at your desired location, you better keep your home safe while on vacation. The data information shows July and August are the busiest months of the year for homes to be burglarized and the majority of the homeowners were away on vacation at the time of the break-in. 

Precautions Inside The Home

To deter burglars from targeting your home, set timers for your interior lighting and television to go on periodically throughout the day and night. It’s the best approach to showing potential stalkers that someone appears to home at the time of their inquiry. Home invasion burglaries are crimes of fortunate opportunity with a zero chance of getting caught by the authorities.

If you have an automatic home security system, alert the company that you will be away from home on vacation for an extended period of time. This will give them ample time to assign an employee to monitor all activity from inside the home. However, to accomplish this, you must set the security system before leaving on your vacation.

Don’t Let Your Mail Pile Up Outside

A clear sign for burglars that no one is home is having your mail and delivery packages pile up on your front porch or inside the mailbox. This is one of the first signs burglars look for when canvassing neighborhoods as unattended homes are ideal to strike first. Your best option is having a neighbor collect your mail or alert the post office that you’re temporary stopping delivery until you return from your vacation. 

Keep a Low Profile on Social Media 

Never self-promote or advertise an upcoming vacation on your favorite social media sites. Plus, check all of your recent posts to make sure that you haven’t inadvertently placed your street address in the text. If so, then edit or remove the post altogether. Providing this information makes your home an easy target for burglars who are trying to gain access to online searches. 

Before leaving Lynnwood, WA on vacation, contact Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc on suggestions to keeping your home safe while you’re away. 

An Introduction to Classic Car Insurance

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Your dream car might be brand-new, but for many, it’s a classic from the early days of automotive. Model Ts or an old school Packard prove popular to some. Others prefer a 1950s roadster or 1960s muscle car. These vehicles, known as antique or classic cars, require classic car insurance. Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc of Lynnwood, WA wants you to understand the special requirements of this necessary auto insurance policy.

This insurance type covers vehicles built 30 years ago or more. Since their owners tend to not use these cars for regular use, the policies to cover them cover limited mileage and other conditions.

  • Driving the vehicle: The owner is covered to drive the collectible car to car shows, in parades and other special, limited uses. Policies limit annual mileage to 1,000 to 5,000 miles.
  • Storing the vehicle: These policies require the owner to store the classic car in a fully enclosed, locked garage.
  • Value of the vehicle: Ask which type of coverage you’re buying. An agreed-value policy pays the full amount on the policy if the car gets totaled, less deductible. A stated value policy interprets the vehicle value at the time of the accident/claim.
  • Condition of the vehicle: It is easier to insure a classic car in excellent condition than one in good or poor condition. You can still get insurance while restoring an older vehicle.

Get the classic car coverage your vehicle needs. Call or visit Sound Choice Insurance Agency Inc of Lynnwood, WA to learn more and find the right classic car policy for your vehicle. We can help you obtain the coverage you need.