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Searching for Commercial Vehicle Insurance?

When looking into insuring a company car, van, or pickup, you will find commercial vehicle insurance and regular auto insurance are entirely different animals. But although the products available differ greatly, the basic principles apply when it comes to finding the best policy for a particular small business – be it auto insurance for a private, or commercial vehicle.

A commercial vehicle insurance policy normally is required when a van or pickup truck is used in a trade or occupation to earn an income.  Be careful: most personal auto policies exclude business use for these types of vehicles!  A private passenger auto can be insured on either a personal auto policy or a commercial auto policy.  The difference is commerical policies usually are higher priced due to the business usage. Most insurance companies do not allow personal insurance on a vehicle that is used by employees.

As long as this is understood, finding a product that works best for an individual company’s needs should be fairly simple. In the same way that the Internet holds many of the answers when it comes to finding affordable private vehicle insurance, the same can be true when looking for the most fitting commercial vehicle insurance. It’s a great starting place, and many businesses can learn the basics with a simple search and compare website. 

Research Online

Many auto insurance providers also offer commercial vehicle insurance, but going there in person could take much longer than doing some basic research online.  This is because commercial vehicle insurance quotes can take much longer to prepare than quotes for regular car insurance. Therefore, consider searching online first to become educated about business vehicle insurance policies and companies, but understand that receiving expert advice is very important before making a purchasing decision.

Seek Advice Before Buying Insurance for Your Commercial Vehicle

For people who are new or inexperienced in buying commercial vehicle insurance, it is especially wise to seek advice from others who have gone through the same process. This will help to give an idea about how the application process works, which product is best, and also things to look out for or hidden traps NOT to fall into.

The claim process, for example, should be quick and easy – so choosing the right policy shouldn’t just come down to price. If an insurance company is slow and cumbersome, this boils down to money lost from any potential business.

An insurance expert can also give advice for those who are unsure of which company to pick for their commercial vehicle insurance, and will be able to help compare various quotes to find the best and most suited for an individual business. However, make sure the insurance agent is not tied to a single company who will pressure them to recommend their policies over others.

Check Out All the Insurance Options

Depending on the company and the number and types of vehicles a business owner wants to insure, there may be more options or deals available, so look out for that. Companies are also known to offer discounts for particular business models or vehicle usage, so be sure to get multiple quotes covering multiple insurance brands before making that important final decision. 

Make Insurance Competition Work for You

A knowledgable insurance agent offering a variety of competing insurance companies is well positioned to recommend the right coverage for your commercial vehicle at the best price. That's why American Insuring Group offers policies from several competing carriers. We're well-positioned to find you the right policy at the right price. 

Contact Us today for a free, no-hassle consultation.

Your Stock is the Life-Blood of Your Business

Many businesses are dependent on their stock; without inventory, there can be no sales, and without sales, there is no income, so insuring one's inventory can be critically important. Depending on the type of business, a wide array of products and quality stock could be at risk from unforeseen disasters such as fires or flooding. So, it makes good sense to take out a commercial property insurance policy covering the entire range of your inventory. 

Keeping Up-to-date: Time to Reassess?

And that is precisely what many businesses do; however, not all of them properly reassess their needs when renewing these policies. Has your stock changed in any way? Is there more of it? Less? New products? Has the business grown since the policy was initialized? It’s wise to keep track of what an individual property insurance policy actually covers, and keep it up-to-date as your business grows and changes.

For example, a business originally set up to repair electrical items may have more recently found an ideal niche for selling electrical items to customers. The original policy that was set up would have been sufficient at the time, and was suitable to cover the spare parts the business needed to make repairs, but now it has a much larger inventory of products which it is also selling, which may not be covered under the original policy.

In much the same way, a business could change the way it conducts its services. The original commercial property insurance policy could have been set up just to cover a shop and its products within. But since that time, the business could have started doing home deliveries, in which case the products in-transit en-route to the customer are not covered by the out-of-date policy.

Be Vigilant With Your Inventory Insurance

The lesson here is to always check the small print. Businesses should regularly be aware of any changes they make to their business and be aware if it affects their policy in any way. This also includes things like seasonal changes – businesses may stockpile before Christmas or Easter. Insurance policies should cover these stock rises at specific times of the year. 

Contact the Insurer - Get the Right Insurance for Your Commercial Property

If a business decides it does not have sufficient coverage, or there is a liability gap somewhere in the policy, they should first contact their insurer. It’s very possible the insurer could adjust the policy with little or no hassle, without any complicated papers to fill in.

If, however, the insurance company is unable to cover any changes to a business, the best course of action would be to search for a new commercial property insurance policy covering all the new needs of the business in question. It’s very important to make sure these types of property insurance policies are sufficient for the specific needs or your business. 

Need Help With Your Commercial Property Insurance?

Please call or email us any time for help. We'll guide you through the options and help you find the perfect business insurance coverage to meet your needs.

What is Commercial Property Insurance?

In a nutshell, it’s a type of insurance policy used to cover a commercial property, which spans a broad spectrum of business environments and situations.

Commercial property insurance protects a property in much the same way as domestic property insurance would, and financially protects against perils including fire, natural disaster, and theft, paying out for any losses or damages to the property.

Commercial property insurance is widely available and most commercial properties will carry it, including most manufacturers, restaurants, retailers, charities and non-profit organizations, and service-oriented businesses. In addition, these businesses are usually able to write off the cost of their commercial property premiums as expenses.

Additional Commercial Property Insurance Policies

There are many more additional coverage plans available to purchase for a business property, meaning owners can generally tailor these packages to suit their individual business needs. The most common are:

Boiler and Machinery Insurance

This type of insurance is also referred to as “equipment breakdown” or sometimes “mechanical breakdown coverage”. It provides cover in the event of an accidental breakdown of machinery, boilers, and equipment, and will pay for any repairs or replacements needed, as well as reimbursing for property damage; an example of this would be fire damage to computers.

Debris Removal Insurance

This covers the cost of clearing up debris from a property after a fire, tornado, or flood. For example, in the worst case scenario, a property has been burnt to the ground, leaving a pile of ash and debris which has to be cleared up before any more steps can be taken – this costs money. Property insurance will cover the cost of rebuilding, but debris removal is a whole other ball game.

Builder's Risk Insurance

This type of coverage will protect a property while it is being constructed, from things such as wind or storm damage. Partially-constructed buildings are particularly vulnerable to weather conditions so it is wise to take out a builder’s risk insurance policy.

Glass Insurance

This covers any broken windows or plate glass windows, shop displays etc.

Inland Marine Insurance

Inland marine insurance is used to cover property in transit and property on business premises that does not belong to the business owner; for instance, fire damage in a dry cleaning business.

Business Interruption Insurance

This type of insurance will cover any lost income a business faces when it is unable to operate due to property damage, or loss. For instance, a flood could halt a business for two months – business interruption insurance would pay for rent, taxes, salaries and net profits during that time.

Ordinance or Law Insurance

Ordinance or law insurance will cover demolition and rebuilding costs once a building has been partially destroyed. The general rule is, if more than 50 per cent of a business needs to be rebuilt, it should first be demolished and then rebuilt, staying true to current building codes. Standard commercial property insurance will only cover the cost of replacing the building, and does not cover upgrades.

Tenant's Insurance

Tenant’s insurance is common for commercial leases. Renter’s commercial policies usually cover any damages to improvements made to a rental space, along with any damages caused to the building from employee negligence.

Crime Insurance

This type of insurance will cover robbery of money, burglary, theft, stock, securities and fixtures from outsiders and business employees.

Fidelity Bonds

A bond company can cover any losses caused in the unlikely event of a bonded employee's theft of business money and/or property.

Commercial Insurance Questions?

We're happy to help you with all your insurance needs for both business and home. Should you have questions about the right Commercial Property Insurance for your business, please contact us.

Fire Prevention Month

October is known as fire prevention month. Why? Because homeowners in cooler climates like those common to Reading, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Allentown, PA are beginning to fire up their heating systems, including space heaters. Not only that, but the holiday season is right around the corner, starting with lighting at Halloween, and then extensive kitchen use at Thanksgiving, and continuing through Christmas and New Year’s Eve. 

Candles Burning Brightly

Candles are beautiful when lit, but care should be taken avoid turning that beauty into an event resulting in a homeowners insurance claim.  Candles start over 15,000 fires in the U.S. annually. The top 5 days for candle fires are: Christmas, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Day, Halloween, and December 23.  

Fire Safety - How Safe is Your Home?

How knowledgeable are you and your family about fire safety? The National Fire Prevention Association lists 28 things homeowners should know to help prevent home fires. We know you need homeowners insurance, but we hope you never have to use it. Therefore, please learn and follow our simple fire safety guidelines to avoid home fires. 

Homeowners: Get Your Valuable Free Fire Prevention Report

Our free report explains:

• 15 cooking and candle safety tips
• 9 Christmas decoration safety tips
• 4 general fire safety tips

To receive your free report, courtesy of PuroClean, click here.

Want the guaranteed lowest prices on high-quality, affordable homeowner’s insurance? We quote many competing home insurance companies and guarantee the best deal on homeowners insurance, as well as insurance for your car, life, health, or business.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote, or click for an > instant homeowner’s insurance quote.

New Technologies Lead to Faster Cleanup and Recovery

The bad news – you need to contact your Pennsylvania homeowners insurance agent because your home got hit by major water damage. The good news – today’s technology makes it possible to quickly restore damaged carpet, padding, drywall and more. That’s also good news in terms of costs for Pennsylvania homeowners insurance from Reading to Allentown, Harrisburg to Philadelphia, and Lancaster to Erie!

Dry it Quickly to Avoid Replacement Costs

When water damage occurs, your goal should be to dry your property and all contents as quickly as possible. In the past, restoration experts had few options, often resulting in removing and discarding damaged drywall, carpeting, and padding and replacing them at great expense. Since then, the science of drying has taken major leaps forward, so these items can often be completely restored quickly and at a much lower cost.

Homeowners: Get Your Valuable Free Report and Learn How to Recover Quickly from Water Damage

Our free report will explain:

• How damaged carpet, padding, and drywall can be completely restored
• The powerful water extraction techniques that can save you money and get you back into your home quickly

To receive your free report, courtesy of PuroClean, click here.

American Insuring Group offers the guaranteed lowest prices on high-quality, affordable homeowner’s insurance by quoting lots of competing home insurance companies. We guarantee the best deal on homeowners insurance, as well as insurance for your car, life, health, or business.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote, or click for an > instant homeowner’s insurance quote.

Who Saves You More on Car Insurance, the GEICO Gecko or the American Insuring Group Eagle?

We eat geckos for lunch at American Insuring Group Ltd!  What we mean is, we can quote from over 25 competing insurance companies (6 for auto insurance alone) with one call, so we will out-perform any single-choice auto insurance brand - guaranteed. That goes not only for car insurance, but truck, RV, motorcycle, and van insurance from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, Lancaster to Allentown, and points in between and beyond.

One Car Insurance Choice vs. Many Competing Choices

Would you buy groceries from a store offering only one brand of cereal or coffee?  Then why call a "one company only" car insurance company like GEICO, State Farm, or others? 

Get the American Insuring Group Advantage

We specialize in the most comprehensive and most competitive motorcycle, RV, truck, van and car insurance quotes anywhere in Pennsylvania, from Reading PA in Berks county, to Philadelphia, Lancaster, Allentown and the Lehigh Valley, to Harrisburg, York, Pittsburgh, Erie, and points in between.  So why call GEICO for cheap car insurance when you can get a more affordable car insurance comparison from multiple companies with one call? 

At American Insuring Group LTD, we will show you how to save on truck, van and car insurance in ways that GEICO only dream about.  Call today because the eagle has landed on savings from American Insuring Group Ltd.

Call us at 1-800-943-2198 or click here for an Instant Online Car Insurance Quote.

The storm season is here, and it pays to be prepared with the right homeowners insurance policy. Homeowners insurance is designed to protect you from severe financial loss when your house is damaged. Major home damage in Reading PA, Berks County, Lancaster, Allentown, Philadelphia and other parts of the eastern U.S. often occurs due to flooding.  Fortunately, today’s technologies can restore your home to pre-flooding condition, especially if you act quickly when water damage occurs.

Do you know what to do or who to call when major storm damage occurs? Be sure to contact your homeowners insurance agent as soon as possible, and to take plenty of photos of the damage.  Remember to watch for fallen power lines and standing water that may be electrically charged. Plumbing, roofing, and electrical systems and appliances should all be checked by a qualified professional.  For more information, request our free report.

Get Your Valuable Free Report: What to Do After the Storm

In addition to providing helpful details on what to check and who to call, your free homeowner’s report will explain:

• 2 things you can do to speed your insurance claims process
• How to protect yourself against contractor scams after the storm
• The key plumbing, roofing, and electrical items to check for when assessing damage

To receive your free report, courtesy of PuroClean, click here.

American Insuring Group is proud to offer you the guaranteed lowest prices on high-quality, affordable homeowner’s insurance from a multitude of competing home insurance carriers. With over 25 competing brands of insurance, we guarantee the best deal on homeowners insurance, as well as insurance for your car, life, health, or business. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote, or click for an > instant homeowner’s insurance quote.

We purchase homeowners insurance to protect our homes, and for the peace of mind that house insurance protection can bring. But what can we do when mold builds up in our home, and how can we prevent it in the first place?

Homeowners in Pennsylvania, and in eastern and southeastern states in general, tend to live in humid climates with plentiful rainfall. This combination makes these homes more susceptible to moisture and mold buildup, especially in older homes with porous foundations.  Therefore, homeowners must take extra care to watch for signs of moisture and mold, and to act quickly to resolve such problems before they become a serious health threat.

Is Mold in My Home, and What Can I Do?

Simply put, if you can see it or smell it, then you have mold, and should take immediate action to remove it.  The first step is to find and eliminate the water source.  Then the mold must be cleaned with a detergent solution and all materials must be thoroughly dried. Depending on the scope of the problem, professional help may be required, which may be covered under your homeowner’s insurance policy (contact us for details).

Get Your Free Report on Eliminating Mold in the Home

Our free homeowner’s report will show you:

• 4 Ways to Stop Water Buildup in the Home
• 4 Tips for Keeping Your Home Dry and Humidity Low
• 3 Keys to Eliminating Mold

To receive your free report, click here.

American Insuring Group specializes in affordable homeowners insurance from high-quality carriers. We offer over 25 competing brands of insurance to guarantee the best deal on the right insurance for your home, car, life, health, or business. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote, or click for our > instant homeowners insurance quote.

Many PA Homeowners Caught Without Flood Insurance Protection

Many homeowners throughout Berks County, Lancaster County, and elsewhere in Pennsylvania experienced surprising homeowners insurance claims in 2011 due to flooding. Sadly, many lacked proper flood insurance resulting in denied claims and financial hardships that could have easily been avoided.  From Reading PA to Allentown, from Lancaster to Erie, and Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, homeowners were caught uninsured, underinsured, and unprotected against flooding.

Over-the-ground flooding can cause severe property damage and often presents unique challenges to homeowners as they attempt to restore their homes and property, with or without the benefit of flood insurance coverage on their homeowner’s policy.

Flood Plains and Homeowners Flood Insurance – Don’t Be Fooled

As many Pennsylvania homeowners came to realize in 2011, flooding can occur outside of so-called flood plains, so acquiring flood insurance even if you are outside a flood plain can be the difference between financial protection and financial disaster when a surprise flood occurs. Hurricanes, tropical storms, and even thunderstorms can cause extensive flooding even hundreds of miles from the coast.

Property damage specialists at PuroClean offer the following tips for coping with a flood, minimizing property damage, and insuring a speeding recovery:

1. Get professional flood cleanup help quickly
2. Remove all water, mud, and sludge
3. Remove and properly dispose of contaminated porous materials (including carpet, padding, drywall, paper, cardboard, insulation, and particle board furniture)
4. Sanitize semi-porous materials (structural wood, solid wood furniture)
5. Use professional-strength EPA-approved products to sanitize the remaining salvageable structure, fixtures, and contents
6. Professionally and thoroughly dry the structure as quickly as possible using dehumidifiers and high-capacity air movers
7. Install one or more air scrubbers to remove harmful airborne particulates
8. Perform any needed repairs

To download PuroClean’s factsheet on recovering from over-the-ground flooding, click here. 

Avoid a Financial Upheaval by Adding Flood Insurance Protection to Your Homeowners Insurance Policy

Remember, a flood can cause a major upheaval in the lives of any homeowner. Be sure to carry the proper flood insurance on your Pennsylvania homeowners insurance policy. Then, whether you hail from Reading or Lancaster, Philadelphia or Allentown, Pittsburgh or Erie, you will be grateful that you had the foresight to plan ahead.  Your family will thank you as well.

Need flood insurance for your home in Pennsylvania or elsewhere? Contact the commercial and homeowners flood insurance experts at American Insuring Group near Reading PA.  We’ll make sure you’re covered with the right homeowners flood insurance to get your home and property restored quickly and thoroughly. Click the Contact link above, or call us at (800) 947.1270 or (610) 775-3848.

With the average homeowners insurance policy renewal premium rising by as much as 25% or more, most home insurance buyers are asking themselves how to pay less for a house insurance policy.

Big Storms, Big Damage, and Rising Homeowners Insurance Costs

Recent home insurance claims in Berks County, Reading, Allentown, Philadelphia, Lancaster, Harrisburg and elsewhere in Pennsylvania are paralleling the number of catastrophic storms to hit the U.S. recently. Homeowners insurance companies are filing for and receiving greater and greater premium increases for their policyholders.  The pricing trend will likely continue for the next couple of years. As a result, smart homeowners will be looking for ways to reduce their rising house insurance costs.

Act Now to Jump Start Your Homeowners Insurance Savings

A smart way to begin is by calling American Insuring Group for a homeowners insurance rate comparison based on over 2 dozen Insurance companies we represent.  Our professional staff will begin by getting quotes from these companies for the exact level of insurance protection you now carry.  Then our agents will ask some in-depth questions about your home's construction and other factors to make sure your house insurance policy covers your home for its full reconstruction cost. That’s key, because if your house burns down or is destroyed by a storm you need to be covered for the cost to rebuild it on your property, which is typically more than the cost to purchase a similar used home in your area.

After we find you the best homeowners Insurance policy quote from our long list of companies, we’ll ask additional questions to make sure you have the right home insurance coverage for your particular needs and lifestyle.

Let the Insurance Savings Begin!

Next, we’ll show you all the ways we can save you big bucks on your house insurance, INCLUDING:

• UP TO A 15% DISCOUNT FOR INSURING YOUR AUTO AND HOME WITH THE SAME COMPANY
• UP TO A 25% DISCOUNT FOR INCREASING YOUR HOME INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE
• UP TO A 15% DISCOUNT FOR HAVING A CENTRAL ALARM OR SPRINKLER SYSTEM
• UP TO A 10% DISCOUNT FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION
• UP TO A 30% DISCOUNT FOR BEING CLAIM FREE
• UP TO A 10% DISCOUNT FOR LONGEVITY WITH THE SAME INSURANCE COMPANY
• UP TO 20% DISCOUNT FOR UPDATING MECHANICALS

At American Insuring Group LTD, the BIG BUCKS savings run on and on and on!  Call today for your Homeowners Insurance quote today.  Remember our pledge: "If we can't save you money on your insurance, dinner is on US!"  That applies to your house insurance policy regardless of where you live, from Reading to Lancaster, from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, or Erie to Allentown.

Call us at 1800-943-2198 and start saving big bucks today.