What To Do For Car Care In The Colder Months

When you live in Rochester, Minnesota, there are going to be a lot of weather concerns as you drive in the colder months. You may be dealing with snow, ice, sleet, and more. By preparing your car now, you can ensure that your car is ready for the winter. You will also be more comfortable as you drive.

Speaking of comfort, you want to make sure that the heating and ventilation within your car is working properly. This means you may want to bring your car in a shop to have the HVAC looked at. Interior comfort is important and you want to be warm as you drive around. It is also important that your defrosting system works as it should.

Have your tires looked at as well. You will want to check tire pressure as the weather starts to get colder. It is also a good idea to look at the tread to ensure that there is enough to grab the roads when there is ice and snow out there.

Colder weather can be hard on batteries and you will want to check the connections to make sure that they are clean and corrosion-free. It has been more than three years since you last replaced the battery, you may want to explore getting a new one.

You should also have your brakes checked as well. The last thing you want is to slide across the ice because your brakes are not in the best of conditions.

Call us at Safechoice Insurance Agency today and learn how we can help you find affordable auto insurance in Rochester, Minnesota. We can help you prepare for the fall months, answer questions you have about coverage, and obtain quotes on your behalf from some of the top insurance companies licensed to issue policies in the state.

 

Roommates and Renters Insurance – 3 Tips

Having a roommate is a great way to cut expenses. But how does sharing an apartment or house with another person affect your insurance coverage? Here are three tips for understanding roommates and renters insurance.

Tip #1: Have the Discussion

It is important to discuss renters insurance with your roommate from the beginning and decide how to handle the process. Many people wrongly believe that only one of the tenants needs to have a policy in force for everybody in the household to be covered. It is also important to discuss the amount of coverage needed for both personal property and liability. By taking the time to make sure all parties have the right amount of insurance coverage, you can rest assured that you both will be taken care of if there is ever a claim.

Tip #2: Consider Separate Policies

Many renters insurance carriers allow two unrelated adults to be on one policy together. However, this can cause a problem if you every have a falling out or one roommate relocates. In addition, if two parties are on the same policy, they will both have to sign in order to cash any future claims checks. This is why it is important to consider having separate policies. This way, each roommate has adequate coverage to meet his or her needs without being completely tied to each other.

Tip #3: Understand What is Actually Covered

When it comes to roommate and renters insurance, it is important to understand what is actually covered. Instances where a bad roommate destroys or steals your personal property are often considered intentional acts—something that is usually excluded from coverage.

Learn more about renters insurance coverage and having a roommate. Contact our team at Safechoice Insurance Agency today for more details.

3 Facts About Renters Insurance You Might Not Know

Are you a little unsure as to whether or not you need to have a renters insurance policy? Many tenants wrongly skip coverage because they aren’t exactly knowledgeable what this type of policy entails. Here are three facts about renters insurance that you might not know.

It Covers a Wide Range of Scenarios

Many renters forget to think about the wide range of incidents that can happen at their new apartment. Of course, a fire breaking out or a thief breaking in are two of the most obvious scenarios. But what if your luggage is stolen while you are on vacation? Or the UPS guy trips over a rug at your home and becomes injured? What if your sweet dog suddenly becomes frightened and bites a visitor to your home? All of these incidents may be covered under your renters insurance policy.

It is Incredibly Affordable

Most tenants automatically assume that renters insurance is expensive to carry. The truth is that the average cost of a policy nationwide is between one and two hundred dollars per year or only a few dollars a month when divided up into payments. In addition, many auto insurance companies even offer a substantial discount for those who carry both types of policies with them. This makes the final cost to have both policy types together nearly the same as what you are currently paying for just auto insurance coverage alone.

(Note: Discounts and policy premiums vary depending on your personal circumstances. It is important to speak directly with your agent to determine whether or not you qualify for a lower rate.)

It Might Be a Requirement

Many business savvy landlords and property management companies are now requiring tenants to purchase renters insurance policies and show proof of coverage at the time they sign their leases. Why? They know that if an incident happens, many renters wrongly assume that their landlord will pick up the tab for damaged or stolen personal goods. By making sure these renters know that the landlord is not responsible for their items from the moment they move in, they can help fend off a future dispute that could even go as far as court.

The purpose of renters insurance is to be an additional layer of protection against the unexpected. By keeping these three facts in mind, you can now decide whether or not this type of coverage is right for you.

To learn more about renters insurance or to receive a no-obligation quote, please contact our knowledgeable team at Safechoice Insurance Agency today.

 

Extend the Life of Your Vehicle with These Easy Tips

Keeping your car running smoothing requires regular attention to little details. You don’t need to be a mechanic or spend hours under your car’s hood to extend its life. You do, however, have to see to the little things: regular maintenance and proper insurance. Here are a few tips from Safechoice Insurance Agency on how to extend the life of your vehicle.

How To Keep Your Car Going

Cars are often retired to the scrapyard when there’s a major failure, such as a blown piston or dead transmission. These large issues arise when little details are neglected over weeks, months, and years. Taking a few simple steps can keep your car going strong. To extend the life of your car, take time to do the following:

  • keep your tires properly inflated
  • have your oil changed regularly
  • put up a sunshade when you park

The third tip, using a sunshade, is especially important during the afternoon. When the sun’s high in the sky, its rays will damage an interior, causing it to fade over time. A sunshade will reduce the damage that the sun causes to your car’s cabin.

How To Keep Yourself Insured

If you’re hoping to drive your car for thousands and thousands of miles, you’ll want to make sure you’re properly insured when you’re on the road. The level of auto insurance that you need will depend on your personal situation, driving habits, and your car. The best way to determine how much insurance you should carry is by talking with an independent insurance agent. An independent agent can compare the different policies that are available in Minnesota and help you choose the one that provides the best coverage at the lowest price.

If you live or own a car in Rochester, MN, Safechoice Insurance Agency can help you find an auto insurance policy. We have independent insurance agents who are ready to assist you. To speak with one, give our office a call.

 

What Is The Cost Of Health Insurance?

With the affordable care act in place, many people want to know what the cost of health insurance is. When you live in Rochester, MN, there are various factors that go into the calculation of a policy for you and your family.

The Affordable Care Act has reduced the cost of health insurance for many people. If you have not been able to get group health coverage through an employer or association, you will want to look at an individual policy.

Some of the factors that go into a policy include:

-The insurance company you chose to work with
-The level of coverage wanted
-Pre-existing conditions
-Use of tobacco
-Age of insured

One of the best things to do is call and work with one of our independent insurance agents so we can talk to you more about what your options for health coverage are. No plan can exclude you from coverage if you have a pre-existing condition anymore and this is a good thing.

The cost of health insurance may be more expensive in Rochester than it is in other parts of the country, though it may also be more affordable. We will calculate the cost of insurance by getting quotes from multiple insurance companies. This will allow us to make comparisons and show you how changing some coverage can help to keep a policy affordable.

There are all sorts of options to help you obtain health insurance in Minnesota while making it affordable. Our goal is to help everyone get insured so you have the health protection needed.

Make the call today and let one of our agents work with you on health insurance. We can find a policy for you and the whole family and get quotes from multiple companies so you can compare more effectively.

 

URL Slug

/cost-of-health-insurance

 

Affordable Health Insurance: How To Find A Policy

When you’re looking for a health insurance policy in Rochester, MN, you have options. One of your top focuses should be on finding affordable coverage, but not to the point where you don’t have the needed protection.

You want to look at coverage in terms of your preventative care, sick care, and prescriptions. For example, if you have a pre-existing condition the insurance companies cannot deny you coverage. However, it may require a lot of prescriptions to keep the coverage under control and that is when you want to make sure prescriptions are going to be affordable.

If you cannot get under a group plan or a group plan is too expensive, you have the ability to go the individual route, and this can be arranged for families as well.

The best way to find a policy is to work with one of our independent insurance agents. The benefit to working with us is that we work with many of the top health insurance companies who are licensed in the state of Minnesota. We can tell you what they each offer and obtain quotes so you can focus on the overall affordability of a policy.

There are HMOs, PPOs, and health savings accounts to explore. Even within a single company, there could be various coverage levels. You will want to look at the overall cost for health insurance, not just the premium. This means looking at co-pays and deductibles to determine what your total out of pocket expense for healthcare is over the course of a year.

You don’t have to make any decisions on your own. We have educated agents to help you every step of the way. We can answer questions you have and obtain quotes to be able to make informed decisions about your healthcare coverage.

URL Slug

/affordable-health-insurance-find-a-policy

 

The Versatility of Whole Life Insurance

Most insurance is pretty straight forward. However, Whole life insurance offers more benefits than just paying in the event of the insured’s death. Whole life policies can build value through the years and that value can be tapped into for a variety of reasons.

Some young families will purchase a whole life policy for a child and use the value to help pay for college. Others will tap into the value of a whole life policy to help finance the down payment on a house or to take advantage of a business opportunity. It is a financial asset that can come in very handy in an emergency.

The cash value of a policy is also versatile in the fact that it can still provide coverage even if you have tapped into its value. Policy loans are available at attractive rates that allow you to borrow against it. If death would occur while the loan is still unpaid, the loan amount would be deducted from the proceeds.

Whole life insurance is a good choice for those who may have difficulty saving money. It provides valuable life insurance protection while having an element of “forced savings”.

If you live in the Rochester, MN area and are interested in learning more about the versatility of whole life insurance, contact us at Safechoice Insurance Agency. We are an independent insurance agency with access to multiple insurance providers. This gives us the opportunity to shop around for the best coverage at an excellent price. You can compare homeowners and auto insurance rates right online. Visit our website and answer a few questions to get your quote.

For life insurance questions and quotes contact us. Remember, one of the major factors in life insurance pricing is age, so it may never be cheaper. Contact Safechoice Insurance Agency.

SLUG: /whole-life-ins-versatility

Life Insurance: Is It Necessary?

Life insurance is not required like auto and health insurance, but it is still a good idea to have. There are many types of life insurance and it can provide your family with protection in the event of your death. It is not a necessity for you, but the benefit that is left behind may be a necessity for your spouse and your children.

There are going to be expenses that occur when you die. There are not only funeral costs, but also living expenses that must be dealt with. If you are no longer around to provide income, it can be hard for your family to cover the mortgage, debt, and many other expenses. The death benefit can provide this financial assistance.

It’s important to figure out how much you need. Some questions you may want to ask include:

– How much family income do you provide?
– Are children’s college tuition costs taken care of?
– How much would my spouse be left with?
– What are the estate taxes to be paid?

All of these questions and more have to be considered when you shop for life insurance. Our independent agents can help you determine what kind of coverage you need. This way you can obtain a policy and have the protection for your family. If you should pass before your family members you know that they are taken care of, at least financially.

Many people believe life insurance is for them. It’s not; it’s for those you leave behind. Depending upon where you are in life, there will be different considerations to make with a life insurance policy.

You want the best protection you can in Rochester, MN and we’re here to help. Call and talk to an agent today so we can talk to you more about the options that exist.

URL Slug

/life-insurance-is-it-necessary

 

What Are The Options With Auto Insurance?

When you are searching for auto insurance in Rochester, MN it’s important to know about all of your options. The state of Minnesota requires a minimum level of coverage under liability, which provides protection for personal injuries as well as property damage.

Minnesota requires the liability coverage as well as PIP (Personal Injury Protection), underinsured coverage, as well as uninsured. You can also explore the optional coverage of collision and comprehensive.

By working with an independent insurance agent, we’re able to work with you on all of the different options. It can be overwhelming to find a policy in Rochester because the different companies all like to show you different forms of coverage.

You want to have not only what’s required by the state, but also some additional protection. This can end up saving you money in the long run because if you are involved in an accident or something else happens to your car, you want to be able to file a claim.

The coverage can be more affordable than you think. To double the liability coverage, it may only be a little more a month and it can provide you with peace of mind knowing that the coverage is in place.

The best thing to do is call and let our agents help. We work with all of the top insurance companies who are licensed in Minnesota. This makes it easier to determine what your options are and to get quotes in order to make more accurate comparisons.

Call and talk to one of our agents today. We will go over the required elements of auto insurance as well as the options in order to build a great policy for you. We can then get quotes to help you find the most affordable policy.

 

 

URL Slug

/options-with-auto-insurance

 

 

When Making the Safe Choice is the Right Choice

There are times when you just can’t afford take risks. When it comes to surgery and health related procedures, people come from all over the world to visit the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. In fact, three presidents have traveled here, including Reagan, Ford and George H.W. Bush. Yes, there are times when you can’t take a chance.

Going into business, however, seems to always have its risks. Business owners try to minimize those risks, coming up with a solid business plan and adequate financing to get through the tough spots. A good marketing plan, long hours and hard work will help make a business successful, but again, there are no guarantees.

Businesses are at risk from competitors, a change in the market or technology, and from losses due to theft or storm damage. Businesses are also in constant danger from liability risks. This is where a solid loss prevention and business insurance program can help. It is also when making the Safechoice is making the right choice.

Safechoice Insurance Agency serves Rochester businesses and families with access to a variety of insurance providers. This ability to get quotes is a result of our status as an independent agency serving the 55901 zip code area. If you own a business or live in the Rochester area, you are invited to visit our website. There, you can get a comparative quote on your homeowners or auto insurance. Once you see how we can save you money, you’ll want to discuss your business insurance with us.

You take enough risks by being in business for yourself. Make sure you are protected adequately from events that can stop you in your tracks. Contact Safechoice Insurance Agency today and see why the Safechoice is the right choice.