5 Things to Consider Doing This Spring

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Spring Activities to Consider in Salt Lake City, UtahSpring is in the air! Plants are starting to bloom, days are feeling longer and the weather is getting warmer. There are many things to be excited about when it comes to a new season. Our agency shares five things to consider doing this spring.

Plan a fun, local spring activity

Spring can be known for beautiful flowers. One of the best spring activities to do is to visit a tulip garden or your local arboretum. Visiting a tulip festival could be a family outing or a great date night with your partner. Your local arboretum can also allow out to see the season’s change. Plan a picnic or just enjoy a stroll in the park.

Change Out Your Wiper Blades on Your Car

Spring is a great time to change out your wiper blades. Your wiper blades have worked hard to keep your windshield clear of grit and grime on the roadways. If you need help changing out your blades many locally-owned auto parts stores can help. Changing them out usually only takes a minute and can keep you safe on the road if inclement weather strikes.

Consider Growing a Vegetable or Flower Garden

Growing a vegetable garden not only helps you save on groceries, but it gives you the satisfaction of growing your own food. Many people feel like vegetables from their garden taste better too. Flowers also provide many gardeners with joy. As a bonus, maintaining a garden can be relaxing and a great hobby to add to your lifestyle.

Choose a Day to Spring Clean Your Home

We all have heard about spring cleaning. Sometimes this is easier said than done. Spring cleaning doesn’t necessarily mean you have to commit a whole weekend to cleaning. You could start by doing one task only.

Consider one below:

  • Clean out your closet & donate clothes you haven’t worn in over 12 months.
  • Organize your pantry.
  • Vacuum out your car and wipe down the interior.
  • Dust your house including your blinds if you have them.
  • Clean out your fridge. Not only discarding bottles that may have expired, but actually wipe down drawers and shelves. Make it sparkle again!
  • Change your smoke detector batteries.
  • Organize your garage.

Are You Considering Buying a Used RV?

RVs are great for outdoor enthusiasts. If you are shopping for a used RV, be sure to look for water damage before making the purchase. RV’s are very susceptible to water damage. Truth is many manufacturers in the US don’t build the RVs with as much quality as they could.

Water damage is usually easy to spot or smell. If the RV smells musty or feels damp, this is a big indicator. Look for mineral stains or water stains on wood towards the floor, around skylights, and air conditioners or vents located on the roof. Also, go around the RV or trailer and push in on all the sides all the way around. If water has gotten into the walls, it could quickly rot the structural portions of the RV and will feel spongy. Pushing on the sides will identify any areas that may be compromised. An RV should be stiff and hard, if it flexes, it is possible there is water damage. This quick inspection could save you thousands in repairs.

We hope you enjoy your spring! If you ever have questions regarding your auto, home, boat, RV, or motorcycle insurance, be sure to reach out to us.

How to Obtain A License To Operate A Motorcycle

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Motorcycle Permit in Salt Lake City, UtahWith spring on the horizon, some of you may be finding yourselves thinking about getting a motorcycle license. After all, motorcycles offer great fuel economy, easy parking, and a unique driving experience.

For most people, your motorcycle journey will begin with some rider safety and operation courses. Knowing how to safely operate a motorcycle and the unique laws that may apply to you are important.

Operating a motorcycle in most states will require you to have a driver’s license and some will require a motorcycle permit. This permit will involve you passing an exam for motorcycle operation and a rider’s skill test. For those under the age of 18, you’ll also likely need your parent’s consent.

To find a class, you can search for your local DMV on the web and look there for motorcycle safety courses. Most states have adopted the Motorcycle Safety Foundations curriculum. The classes will take around 15 hours to complete and at the end, you will possibly find an insurance carrier who will give you a discount for completing the course.

Other common questions regarding the operation of a motorcycle include:

Am I required to have insurance? Not all states require motorcycle operators have insurance. It is highly recommended that you do carry insurance to not only protect yourself financially but also to provide insurance protection to those you may injure while operating a motorcycle.

Do I have to wear a helmet? Many states do not require helmets for all riders, however, some are also age-dependent. To find out which states have motorcycle helmet laws, visit the iihs.org website.

My motorcycle doesn’t go very fast, do I still need a permit?  If a motorcycle’s speedometer is listed as less than 60 MPH then it is possible that you do not need a motorcycle permit to operate this. Check with your local Department of Licensing to find out more.

Having motorcycle insurance is recommended. Typically the cost of a motorcycle insurance policy isn’t as expensive as an automobile policy. There are many factors that determine the cost of motorcycle insurance: where you live, your driving record, your age, and marital status, what type of motorcycle you own, whether you own a home, even your credit score can all have an impact on how much you’ll pay for insurance. The best way to find out what your premium will be is to ask a licensed agent in our office to provide you with some quotes from several of the top insurance companies.

Get Your Motorcycle Insurance Quote Today

Our licensed staff is ready to help you get multiple quotes for your Motorcycle Insurance. Because we’re an independent insurance agent we can shop from multiple insurance companies to help you find the right coverage at the right price.

What Discounts Are Available For Bundling Your Insurance?

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Bundle Home & Auto in Salt Lake City, UTA surprising number of people simply choose to use the same insurance company as their parents which means that oftentimes there’s a lack of insurance shopping. Moreover, it seems that the only time some customers look further afield is when they’re shopping about for lower rates. These shoppers can end up with their car insured with one company, their home policy with another, and so forth.

From this comes a tangle of insurance companies, policies, bills, and an endless onslaught of mail. In short, it can lead to quite a headache for policyholders and insurance companies alike.

Insurance companies offer discounts as an incentive for their customers to bundle multiple insurance products together.  These bundle discounts help to lock-in customers with the insurance company which oftentimes extends the amount of time those policyholders stay with that company.  And fortunately, these bundle discounts are additive. This means that you’ll often save more money with each additional type of insurance policy you purchase from the same company.

Bundling Home and Auto Insurance

One of the easiest and most common ways to save money on insurance is by bundling your home and auto insurance with one company. On average, this bundling option can save you anywhere from 10 – 20% on your overall premium.  When adding a life or umbrella policy to that auto and home bundle, it isn’t uncommon for that bundle discount to get as high as 35%.

How can insurance companies afford this?

These deep discounts can result in a significant reduction in premiums for insurers.  So how can they afford to discount these policies so much?  In short, economies of scale kick in since, overall, they’re making more money from each bundled customer. The alternative would be to write more customers with only one type of insurance policy which would require additional time, effort, and staffing. The benefit to insurers of offering significant bundle discounts more than outweighs the expenses associated with trying to write more single policy customers.

The best way to take advantage of these bundle discounts is to contact a licensed agent in our office.  We can assist you with assessing your insurance needs and provide you with some quotes from several of the top insurance companies.

Get A Quote For All Of Your Insurance Policies Today

Our licensed staff is ready to help you get multiple quotes for your auto, home, life and other insurance products.  Because we’re an independent insurance agent we can shop from multiple insurance companies to help you find the right coverage at the right price.

Maximize Your Auto Insurance Savings With These Discounts

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Auto Insurance Discount in Salt Lake City, UtahWhen it comes to auto insurance it seems like all we hear about is discounts. But what discounts are there and who is eligible for them? Let’s take a closer look.

  • Bundle Discounts: Bundling multiple policies like auto and home or auto and renters with the same insurance carrier can save you some money. The logic is that the more policies you have, the longer you will stay insured with the carrier.
  • Multi-vehicle Discount: If you insure more than one car on the same policy, you’re eligible for a discount. Any car is eligible for the discount if it is on the same policy.
  • Teen Driver Discount: Teen drivers are expensive to insure, there is no way around it. Fortunately, some carriers are more forgiving and give you a discount if they’re on your policy.
  • Good Student: The logic is that a smart student makes a smart driver. If your student driver maintains a 3.0 or better GPA, you may be eligible for a discount. This is great for parents needing to motivate their children.
  • Safe driver (accident-free): Many major insurance carriers will award safe driving discounts to drivers who have been accident-free for several years. The criteria vary between insurance carriers.
  • Military: Active and veteran military members are often eligible for discounted auto insurance. Ask your insurance agent to see if you qualify.
  • Early quote/signing: If you are looking to change insurance carriers or upgrade your auto insurance, getting a quote (and signing up) before your current policy has expired may get you a discount. You may need to get a quote within a certain number of days before your policy expiration, so check with your agent.
  • Paid-in-full: You’ll see the discount reflected in the price when you are presented with your options for paying your auto insurance policy. Paying off the policy in full will cost you a little less than paying every month.
  • Paperless: Don’t want to get a paper statement? Great, you get a discount. Most major insurance carriers offer discounts for customers who choose to do automatic billing and receive emails rather than paper statements.
  • Auto-Pay: When you opt for automatic payments for your insurance whether by credit card, checking draft, or debit, you can earn a discount.
  • Loyalty: Staying with the same insurance carrier year over year could earn you a discount for every loyalty milestone you hit. Typically, these rewards not only include a discount on the cost of your policy, but they can also include accident forgiveness.
  • Tracking Devices: Many companies now offer tracking devices for your vehicle. If you’re okay with your insurance company monitoring your driving behavior, you can earn a discount.

More important than insurance savings is having the right protection. That’s why it is important to reach out to a licensed agent in our office to review your coverage. Getting the cheapest policy isn’t always the best decision if you have assets to protect. Insurance quotes take just a few minutes but the right advice and consultation about the right coverage can save you a lifetime of hardship.

Snowmobile Insurance Coverage & Common Questions

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Snowmobile Insurance Coverage & Common Questions in Salt Lake City, UtahRiding a snowmobile, or snow machine is an exhilarating experience. Riding a snowmobile across an ungroomed open field with powder snow flying away can be memorable but comes with its share of risks.

Regardless of whether you enjoy sledding fast, slowly in a group, in steep terrain or in poor conditions, it is important to protect you, your passengers, your sled and yourself from injury or damage.

Some of the common snowmobile insurance coverage options can include:

  • Comprehensive & Collision Coverage: Comprehensive coverage will protect your snowmobile from theft, vandalism, fire, or a collision with an animal. Collision coverage will provide coverage for the sled from incidents where it is damaged from colliding with another object (such as a tree or fence) or another vehicle.
  • Bodily Injury Coverage: Provides medical coverage to pay for 3rd parties where you are found to be at-fault for an accident.
  • Property Damage: Provides coverage to pay for property damage you cause if you are found to be at-fault for a covered loss.
  • Medical Payments: Different from Bodily Injury coverage, this one is for you or your passenger’s medical bills.
  • Custom Parts & Equipment: Covers parts that did not come factory installed on your sled. This can include things like custom paint and cargo racks.

Most asked questions about snowmobile insurance

  1. How much does snowmobile insurance cost? Snowmobile insurance premiums are calculated by algorithms that use factors such as your age, the type of vehicle being insured, your previous loss history and your gender.
  2. Is snowmobile insurance required? Depends. If you are using the vehicle on privately owned land such as a farm and you do not have a loan on the vehicle, you likely do not need to insure it. If you are using the vehicle on public lands or roads, then you will need to have liability insurance. If you have a loan on the vehicle, you will be required by the lienholder to carry full coverage.
  3. How do I get a snowmobile insurance quote? We can provide you with a snowmobile insurance quote in just a few minutes. Furthermore, you can purchase coverage right over the phone so you can get out and enjoy the outdoors without having to worry about being properly covered.

Call an agent in our office today to discuss your insurance needs. As an independent insurance agency, we represent the top names in insurance and can quote multiple insurance companies so you get the best discounts and coverage.