The Independent Agent—America’s Best Kept Secret

What makes someone an independent insurance agent? What does it matter to individuals and businesses? What are the benefits? Are there any drawbacks?

An Independent Agent, or in our case, an Independent Agency, is an agency that is not bound to a single company. For example, Copple Insurance Agency has contracts with many companies, including but not limited to: the Cincinnati Insurance Companies, CNA, General Casualty, Bituminous, Progressive, Met Life, and so on.

Having a multitude of companies to choose from is a huge benefit for our customers! We are not forced to sell from only one company. This allows us to choose the right company for each situation.  By giving us a few pieces of information, we can give multiple quotes on each line of insurance, and select the policy that has the right coverage at the best value.

Being an Independent Agency, we strive to provide stellar customer service. Our clients know that when they need us, we’ll be there. They also know that when they call in, they will be talking with a real person that cares about them.  We also strive to create a lasting relationship with our clients. In fact, we would rather call them our friends and partners. So, our friends know that they can count on us to be honest, dependable, and caring for them. You don’t have to take our word for it though, click HERE to see what they are saying about us online!

We are a one-stop-shop; we can take care of your Homeowner’s, Automobile, Personal Umbrella, Boats, Aircraft, and Valuable Property insurance. We can also take care of all of your business’s insurance too: Property, General Liability, Commercial Umbrella, Worker’s Compensation, Commercial Auto, Inland Marine, Professional Liability, Bonds, and more! Just think about how convenient it could be having all your insurance with the same agency you know and trust!

As Independent Agents, we take a consultative approach to insurance. We believe insurance is not a commodity, and needs to be respected for the intricate creature it is. That’s why we explain what we're selling, because an informed buyer is the best buyer. We are committed to selling you only what you need, and have years of experience in finding coverage gaps and other potential pitfalls. We also offer risk management through the companies we represent and in-house methods. Everything we do is to create a better experience for our friends and partners.

If you've never heard of an independent agent, that’s because we don’t have multitudes of television, radio, online, billboard, and print advertisements constantly reminding you.The independent agent typically relies heavily on word-of-mouth to find him or her new clients. 

So if you’re not already with an independent agency, consider giving one a chance the next time you’re looking for insurance. You might just be pleasantly surprised what your hometown-agency can offer. If you are already with one, tell a friend—let them know what they've been missing!

Note from the Author (Nov. 14, 2014): After two years of work, we've entirely redesigned our website! Using SquareSpace, we were able to import this blog and we are continuing our blog there. To find the current version of this article and our new articles, click HERE.

How to Make a Winter Emergency Kit

Winter weather is already here for most of us, and with it comes a host of additional risks while driving. With Christmas and New Year's just around the corner, you should consider keeping some extra emergency items in your car for winter emergencies. The following list was compiled to be an ideal emergency kit that can keep you prepared for almost any winter-related problem:

• Rock salt (to melt ice)
• Sand or kitty-litter (for traction)
• Snow shovel
• Ice scrapers
• A blanket
• An extra, warm outfit 
• Battery-powered radio (so you don't have to waste your car's battery/gas for the radio)
• Non-perishable snack foods 
• LED Flashlight (very bright with low-energy consumption)
• Extra batteries
• Water
• Booster/jumper cables
• Tow rope
• Emergency flares
• Matches
• Pocket knife/Swiss Army knife
• First-Aid kit
• Solar-Powered USB charger (it can rest on your car's dash and recharge your phone for emergency calls) 

We recommend finding an old backpack or duffle bag to keep all of these items in. While we hope you don't ever have to use it, we know these things will come in handy if you do! Stay safe out there!

Note from the Author (Nov. 14, 2014): After two years of work, we've entirely redesigned our website! Using SquareSpace, we were able to import this blog and we are continuing our blog there. To find the current version of this article and our new articles, click HERE.

Those Sneaky Sublimits

The property in your home is insured for a set amount of personal property. However, did you know that just because you have X amount of dollars of insurance on that property, other limits apply in the event of a loss? Find out what sublimits are, and how they can affect your settlement come claim time!

Sublimits are in all standard homeowners' policies, and are applied by category.  These sublimits come into play when there is a loss on personal property. There is a sublimit assigned to different categories of items (see below), and they limit coverage of that category to the amount selected for the sublimit. 

The following is a non-exclusive list containing many of the probable coverages that may be subject to a sublimit:

• Money, Bank Notes, Gold, Silver, Platinum

• Securities, Deeds, Passports, Tickets, Stamps

• Watercraft & Equipment

• Musical Instruments

• Trailers (non-watercraft)

• Jewelry, Watches, and Furs

• Firearms & Equipment

• Silverware & Goldware

• Trees, Shrubs, & Other Plants (subject to a % of Coverage A, and a per-item limit)

• Fire Department Service Charge

• Grave Markers

• Land Stabilization

• Ordinance or Law

• Refrigerated Products

• Electronic Media

• Fire Extinguisher Recharge/Replacement

• Increased Day Care Expense

• Computer Records

• Fungi/Wet Rot/Dry Rot/Bacteria Coverage

• Damage to Property of Others

The total sublimit of each category ranges from insurer to insurer. Some insurers will allow you to change the sublimits, some will not. The typical range of the sublimit is from $500-$5000, but there are exceptions, and ways to increase the amount past that. Depending on the insurer, some of the aforementioned coverages might be simply excluded altogether. 

Example Claim-Scenarios Involving Sublimits

Let's say (tragically) your house and all of your belongings burnt down. Let's also say you had a fine watch collection worth $50K. Almost all policies have a sublimit on jewelry/watches, and your policy (for this example) had a sublimit of $5K. You probably have other jewelry and your spouse or children may have watches and jewelry as well. That's an unpaid loss of over $45K.

Another example (and this one is a more intricate one) is the sublimit for your trees, plants, and shrubs. This coverage has a total limit of (typically) 10% of your Coverage A (the total value of your home). So if you have your home insured for $150K, you have a total coverage of $15K. Another sublimit is typically applied as a per-item limit, so for this example, your per-item limit is $500. Now if a fire engulfs your yard, replacing any of your rare plants/shrubs or re-planting your 20+ year old trees can get expensive, very fast. For example, a four-foot tall blue spruce can cost over $600 a piece! So you're looking at only being able to afford to replant saplings, and only up to the $15K total limit.

How Do I Make Sure I'm Properly Covered?

As I mentioned above, some insurers will allow you to increase the amount of the sublimit. Unless you have a large collection, or one or many high-value pieces, simply increasing the sublimit for that category will adequately cover you. If your insurer won't allow you to increase the sublimit to an adequate level, (which is often the case if you have a sizable amount) you can schedule your property. By scheduling your property, you can individually insure your high-valued items to properly cover them.

Another caveat to being properly covered is knowing whether or not your personal property is insured for Replacement Cost or Actual Cash Value. The difference between Replacement Cost and Actual Cash Value valuations can be the difference of hundreds or thousands of dollars. 

Note from the Author (Nov. 14, 2014): After two years of work, we've entirely redesigned our website! Using SquareSpace, we were able to import this blog and we are continuing our blog there. To find the current version of this article and our new articles, click HERE.