3 Things to Consider When Looking at Business Insurance Companies

Here is an excerpt from a new blog post at GreggMarcus.com:

“For many business owners, their business is their livelihood.” Gregg S. Marcus, a Long Island Insurance Executive. “Businesses must be protected, from the employees to the building structure the business is housed in.” Choosing the right insurance company can be a daunting task. Here are some things to consider when making this big decision:

1. Accessibility & Stability
Having an insurance company with a physical location near your business is important. If you choose an insurer that is not based locally, make sure that they are registered to sell insurance in your state. Has the insurance company been in business a long time? Check their reputation: ask for references from happy customers, and ask those customers for additional references.

To read this post in it's entirety, click here to visit the Gregg Marcus official website.

HOW TO: Save Money On Your Driving Expenses

Here is an excerpt from a new blog post at GreggMarcus.com:

A car’s upkeep doesn’t need to break the bank. By making a few changes, you could save hundreds or more over the course of the year. In this post, Gregg S. Marcus, a Long Island Insurance Executive shares litter changes that you can make to shave down the cost of your driving expenses.

Maintenance
Always follow the maintenance schedule that is recommended for your car. If you are diligent with maintenance, you will avoid paying for unnecessary service such as a transmission fluid change.

Gasoline
Every time you rev your engine, your gas consumption increases drastically. This can lead to a decrease in your vehicles fuel economy by as much as two miles per gallon. With prices so high, it makes sense to stay at the speed limit and avoid passing on the highway. Also avoid leaving your car idling for a long period of time.

To read this post in it's entirety, click here to visit the Gregg Marcus official website.

Preparing Your Car for the Colder Weather

Here is an excerpt from a new blog post at GreggMarcus.com:

We’ve already had our first snow of the season and we are less than a month away from the official start of winter. As a Long Island Insurance Executive, Gregg S. Marcus wants to make you’re your car is prepared for this change in weather. The colder temperatures can be rough on any automobile, although newer models are designed to withstand the colder weather. Here are some tips to help keep your car in the best shape for the winter months ahead:

Check the oil
When the outside temperature drops, it will also affect the internal temperature of the car’s engine. If you live where temperatures can go below freezing you should switch to a thinner less viscous oil then you use during the summer months. Refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual for specific information for your particular car.

Check the battery
A car battery can die at any time without notice. Exceptionally cold temperatures can reduce a car battery’s life by up to 50 percent.

To read this post in it's entirety, click here to visit the Gregg Marcus official website.

FAQ: What is the Difference between Workers’ Compensation and Disability Insurance?

Here is an excerpt from a new blog post at GreggMarcus.com:

“This is a question that a lot of people, including many small employers, don’t know the answer to,” says Gregg S. Marcus, a Long Island Insurance Executive. “Many are under the impression that disability insurance and workers’ compensation are the same thing. Although they are similar in benefits, there are fundamental differences.” By understanding the differentiation between the two, you will be more prepared in the case of a major financial loss due to inability to work because of injury.

Workers’ Compensation
Essentially, workers compensation insurance is a "no fault" claim. This means that in exchange for an employee's waiver of the right to file a suit against an employer, the employee's medical expenses are paid by the employer's insurance company until the situation is resolved and the employee returns to work.

To read this post in it's entirety, click here to visit the Gregg Marcus official website.

3 Ways to Accelerate Your Auto Claim and Repairs

Here is an excerpt from a new blog post at GreggMarcus.com:

Being in a car accident is the last thing anyone wants to go through. It can be a stressful experience, but the auto claim process does not need to be. The faster your claim is reported and repairs are resolved, the faster you can get back on the road and put the accident behind you. In this post, Gregg S. Marcus, a Long Island Insurance Executive,  shares three things you can do to accelerate your auto claim and the repair process when working with your insurer.

Report the accident immediately
Whether you or the other driver is at fault, you will need to report the accident to your insurance company. This helps your insurer get a head start on the claim. The quicker the paperwork gets started, the quicker it will be reolved. Many insurance companies allow you to report a claim online or using a Smartphone app. You can also call your agent on the phone to report the claim. Your insurance card will contain the name and phone number of your insurance agent in case of emergency.

To read this post in it's entirety, click here to visit the Gregg Marcus official website.

Essentials in any Travel Insurance Policy

Here is an excerpt from a new blog post at GreggMarcus.com:

Travel insurance is a vital part of any travel plans, helping to ensure your safety, wellbeing and financial security if things go wrong. A travel insurance policy not only protects you while you are away but also before you leave. If you are planning to travel abroad or even domestically, it is important to think ahead and protect yourself before leaving. In this post, Gregg S. Marcus, a Long Island Insurance Executive, discusses the importance of travel insurance and the most important features of any travel insurance policy. 

Many say that travel insurance is unnecessary, as it is included within your own medical, auto or home insurance or via certain credit cards. This is simply untrue. While some travel insurance coverage may be included with these policies, they may not reimburse when travels need to cancel or interrupt a trip or a close family member becomes ill. There is also no obligation on the part of airlines, cruise lines, hotel or tour operators to reimburse non-refundable deposits or pre-payments if travelers need to cancel their trips due to a natural disaster. Below are important features of any good travel insurance policy:

To read this post in it's entirety, click here to visit the Gregg Marcus official website.

HOW TO: Properly Insure your Business

Here is an excerpt from a new blog post at GreggMarcus.com:

There are risks in any endeavor and a business is no different. According to the Insurance Information Institute, 25% of businesses that close their doors due to disaster never open them again. The process of selecting the proper insurance for your business may be daunting, but it is of the utmost importance! “Before you officially start your business, you must be covered,” says Gregg S. Marcus, a Long Island Insurance Executive, “If a disaster does strike your business, you won’t be able to rebuild without preparation.”

The most common type of package policy for business owners is the business owner's policy or BOP. BOPs often include property insurance, vehicle coverage, liability insurance, flood insurance, business interruption insurance, and crime insurance. Depending on the type of business you own, you may need to purchase additional coverage.

To read this post in it's entirety, click here to visit the Gregg Marcus official website.

Road Rules to Keep Your Teen Driver Safe

Here is an excerpt from a new blog post at GreggMarcus.com:

Did you know that one in five teenage drivers is involved in a crash within their first year of driving? Also, nearly half of the fatal crashes involving 16-year old drivers were single vehicle crashes. Many of these involved teens using their cell phones while driving. These statistics are very scary, especially for parents of teen drivers. It is always important to give your newly licensed teen driver a few safety rules to follow whenever they hit the road, so you can feel secure turning over the keys. Gregg S. Marcus, a Long Island Insurance Executive  shares some driving tips to keep your teen driver safe on the road:

Buckle up!
Seat belts saved nearly 13,000 lives in 2009, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Remind your teenager again and again how important that single little click can be. Statistics show that seat belt usage is lowest among teenagers, even though seat belts continue to be proven as the No. 1 life-saving device in accidents. Make sure your teen wears a seatbelt at all times, and set a good example by always wearing yours.

To read this post in it's entirety, click here to visit the Gregg Marcus official website.

Losses Not Covered By Automotive Collision Insurance

Here is an excerpt from a new blog post at GreggMarcus.com:

Collision is an optional component of an automobile insurance policy. It is purchased to cover damage to or destruction of an automobile. This coverage applies when there is damage to a vehicle caused by a crash with another vehicle, or object, or even with the road or roadbed. Collision is basically set aside to deal with the cost of repairing your own car, so the scope of exactly what it covers is limited. Gregg S. Marcus, a Long Island Insurance Executive  explains what losses would not be covered by collision.

The scope of what collision coverage takes care of is limited. Here are some circumstances where collision would NOT apply:

Damage to other party’s vehicle
The loss to another party’s car is covered by your liability coverage and not under collision. If it is alleged that you are responsible, your insurance carrier investigates the facts of the crash through statements from all drivers, passengers and witnesses, an on-scene investigation of the accident location, inspection of the damages to all vehicles and any other unique elements of the event. When all the facts are in, your adjuster contacts the other party’s adjuster, and each of them presents the case, on behalf of their “insured”, to the other.

To read this post in it's entirety, click here to visit the Gregg Marcus official website.

FAQ: What Benefits am I Entitled to with Workers Compensation?

Here is an excerpt from a new blog post at GreggMarcus.com:

Workers’ compensation is a benefits package offered to workers who are injured or made sick as a result of their occupational duties. The law also covers an illness that is deemed to be an “occupational disease”. In New York, all private-sector workers are eligible for workers’ compensation, regardless of whether they are full time, Gregg Marcus, a Long Island Insurance Executive, explains what benefits you may be entitled to in case of injury or illness on the job. Benefits offered to an injured worker in New York are broken into five categories: Cash benefits, Supplemental Benefits, Social Security Benefits, Medical Benefits and Death Benefits:

1. Cash Benefits
Claimants who are totally or partially disabled and unable to work for more than seven days can receive cash benefits. The amount that a worker receives is based on his/her average weekly wage for the previous year. The following formula is used to calculate benefits:

2/3 x average weekly wage x % of disability = weekly benefit

To read this post in it's entirety, click here to visit the Gregg Marcus official website.

Insurance and Your Credit Score

Here is an excerpt from a new blog post at GreggMarcus.com:

Did you pay all your bills on-time this month? If not, this could cause an increase when your premium is renewed. Most insurers are now basing the cost of your policy on your past credit history. Missing as little as two payments on credit cards or other financial obligations could lead to your insurance premium possibly doubling. In this post, Gregg S. Marcus, a Long Island Insurance Executive  explains how your credit score can affect your insurance rates.

A credit-based insurance score, also known as an insurance score, is a snapshot of a consumer's insurance risk picture at a particular point in time based on information contained in a consumer's credit report. Many people wonder “What does my credit score have to do with my insurance policy?” The answer may surprise you! Insurance companies feel that if you are not responsible with your money, then you are more than likely not going to be responsible on the road.

To read this post in it's entirety, click here to visit the Gregg Marcus official website.

The Importance of Vacation Home Insurance

Here is an excerpt from a new blog post at GreggMarcus.com:

If you considering a vacation home, it is important to remember that this home also needs to be insured at the same level (or higher) than your primary residence. In this post, Gregg S. Marcus, a Long Island Insurance Executive lists the important reasons to insure a second home.

Similar to standard homeowner’s insurance, vacation home insurance protects your second home and possessions kept there against the following named perils :Storm damage (snow, rain, hail, wind, tornadoes, etc.), fire, lightning, burglary and vandalism. Vacation home insurance also offers liability insurance to cover incidents such as a slip-and-fall accident, dog bite or other accident happening on your property. If your vacation home resides in an area with threats of severe weather or history of earthquakes, you will need to add additional perils such as flood and earthquake insurance.

To read this post in it's entirety, click here to visit the Gregg Marcus official website.

FAQ: What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage and Who Needs It?

Here is an excerpt from a new blog post at GreggMarcus.com:

The Insurance Research Council estimates that one of every 20 motorists on the road in New York is uninsured. The declining state of the economy has led many drivers to stop paying for their car insurance. In this post, Gregg S. Marcus, a Long Island Insurance Executive  answers this common question about Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage.

Uninsured Motorist coverage protects motorists and their passengers from other drivers who drive illegally without insurance. New York state law requires all motor vehicle insurance policies include uninsured motorist coverage. Every motor vehicle registered in the state must carry personal injury liability insurance with coverage amounts of at least:

1. For one person injured in an accident: $25,000
2. For all of the persons injured in an accident: $50,000
3. For property damage in an accident: $10,000

If a driver fails to keep this amount of coverage, they will be underinsured.

To read this post in it's entirety, click here to visit the Gregg Marcus official website.