One of the biggest decisions that those who are on the market for life insurance needs to make is whether to by term life insurance or whole life insurance. There are numerous advantages to the term life insurance plans available from The Insurance Mart that Blue Ridge, GA consumers need to be aware of. 

The following are three big advantages of term life insurance. 

The premiums are more affordable.

Term life insurance is generally the most affordable insurance option. This makes it perfect for young families. Term life insurance protection applies for a given period of time, but it does not accumulate value over time. This factor makes it less expensive and ideal for younger families who are less concerned with long term savings and more concerned with immediate coverage should there be an unexpected death. 

Term life insurance policies are more simple.

In general, a term life insurance is simpler and more easy to understand than a more complex whole life insurance policy. There are only three decisions that need to be handled by the holder of a life insurance policy. They include the amount of coverage to buy, the length of time of the coverage, and the company they buy from. Of course, the policyholder also has to designate their beneficiaries. 

Federal income taxes will not come out of a term life insurance death benefit.

There are tax advantages to term life insurance. If you need life insurance coverage but owe the IRS money, you’ll be happy to know that federal income taxes cannot apply on a term life insurance death benefit. 

If you’re interested in a term life insurance policy in Blue Ridge, GA, we’re here to help. Contact us at The Insurance Mart and we’ll provide you with more information. 

 

 

 

Most businesses need insurance. After all, even the most successful ones come with a variety of risks. All it takes is one big liability claim to send a once-successful venture into financial ruin. So if you own or run a business in Georgia, you should consider getting the protection of commercial insurance (also known as business insurance). 

At The Insurance Mart, located in Blue Ridge, GA, we help prevent local business owners across the region from having to pay for claims out of their own pockets. But what types of businesses actually need commercial insurance?

Most Businesses Need Commercial Insurance

If you have a store or offer any sort of in-person service to customers, you definitely need commercial insurance (slip and fall claims are very real!) Likewise, any services performed that affect property (such as construction, home cleaning, maintenance, etc.) need coverage.

Because the risks are even greater for food and beverage operations, these businesses will need specialized commercial restaurant insurance. 

What About Personal Businesses or Self-Employed People?

If you’re the only employee in your business, it’s easy to think you don’t need any kind of insurance. While it’s true that a big commercial policy will not be the right fit for you, that doesn’t mean you’re without risk. Give us a call to discuss the specifics of your business and what kind of coverage needs you may have. 

What Does Georgia Law Say?

Georgia business owners are only required under state law to have workers compensation insurance if they have three employees or more. Full commercial or business insurance is not required, but it is recommended. 

It’s also worth pointing out that all business-owned vehicles in Georgia are required to have commercial insurance. If you drive a personal vehicle for work, you should look into hired and non-owned auto insurance, which is similar. While separate from your regular business insurance policy, a commercial policy will cover you in situations that a regular auto policy may not. For example, if you are transporting some materials for your business and those materials accidentally cause damage, regular auto insurance most likely isn’t going to cut it. 

To learn more about how your business can benefit from commercial insurance, call the experts at The Insurance Mart or come visit us at our Blue Ridge, GA offices.

Health insurance has benefits for everyone, regardless of whether a person is sick or well. As a healthy person, it may be difficult to understand the benefits of paying for something that you don’t get to use much. However, the benefits are many. It can create peace of mind in the event of some unexpected and unfortunate sickness or accident that requires medical care. It can also help with the cost of routine health visits as well as other preventative medical priorities.

What Does Health Insurance Cover

Health insurance typically covers doctor and emergency room visits, in addition to specialist treatments. Most insurance holders typically pay a small preset portion of the cost of these visits int the form of a co-pay. In essence, health insurance protects you from pricey medical costs. You pay less for covered in-network healthcare, even before you meet your deductible. The Insurance Mart of Blue Ridge GA can walk you through all the benefits that investing in health insurance can provide for you. 

Three Undeniable Benefits

Three benefits distinguish themselves when it comes to health insurance. First and foremost, health insurance allows you to see a doctor instead of visiting the emergency room every time you have a health issue. Often, people without health insurance use the emergency room to address their health issues because they don’t have health insurance and can’t see a doctor. Secondly, health insurance allows you o practice preventative care. Routine health visits to your doctor help keep you well and prevent illnesses. The uninsured usually wait until they get sick to address a health issue. This can be quite costly. Last of all, health insurance gives you access to better rates for healthcare. The uninsured pay the most for healthcare because they don’t have insurance to bring the cost down. Health insurance gives you access to some of the best negotiated rates. 

Call The Insurance Mart of Blue Ridge, GA to discuss all of your healthcare options. A qualified agent can help you find health insurance best suited for your finances and lifestyle.

 

Most people understand that life insurance is a wise investment. Life insurance helps your family deal with the expenses of your funeral and helps with adjusting to life without your income. What most people do not realize is that your life insurance needs change with time. You may have purchased a policy when you were younger that will not be sufficient today. Updating your life insurance occasionally is a great way to make sure your family is sufficiently protected. The Insurance Mart serving Blue Ridge, GA is committed to helping you make the best insurance choices. Keep reading to learn reasons why you should update your life insurance. 

You’ve Gotten Married

Getting married is one of the main reasons people need to update life insurance. Your financial obligations upon marriage change drastically. You are now responsible for a spouse and possibly children. You should make sure that your life insurance policy will provide for your family. 

Your Income Has Changed

If you have recently experienced a job promotion or some other income altering event, then you should consider updating your insurance. A different income means that your standard of living could be changing as well. Most people opt for providing a life insurance policy for their family that will enable their family to maintain their standard of living even after that extra income is gone. 

Your Policy Is Old

If you purchased your policy some time ago, then updating is a good idea. Your old policy would have been based on much information that could have changed by now. Speaking with a trained insurance specialist at The Insurance Mart is a great way to find out if your insurance policy needs to be updated. The Insurance Mart is now serving Blue Ridge, GA as well as surrounding areas. 

Recreational insurance in Blue Ridge, GA, will cover a number of vehicles. Some of the things that recreational insurance can cover include boats of 50 feet or less, personal watercraft, motorhomes, off-road craft, travel trailers, and fifth wheels. Your homeowner’s insurance may have some coverage for these items but it makes sense to get a policy designed to cover your specific vehicle.

Each recreational vehicle has its own unique insurance needs but there are some standard coverages you want to have that give you more protection than just your home insurance limits. Insuring an RV, for example, is mandatory and, depending on whether you financed it or not, you may even need to purchase more coverage.

Those who have boats and other kinds of personal watercraft may want to make sure they have proper liability coverage. Motorhomes, travel trailers and off-road crafts should not only have liability insurance but you want to look at comprehensive, collision, and vacation liability insurance in order to protect your assets.

There is also a number of additional insurance options to modify coverage, such as roadside assistance, medical payments coverage accessory, custom parts, and equipment insurance, and towing and emergency service coverage. If you are insuring an RV, you may also want coverage to protect your belongings stored in the RV, such as contents coverage. An agent at The Insurance Mart can help you determine the right policy to suit your needs. If you aren’t sure about needing coverage for the entire year when you aren’t using recreational vehicles, speak with your agent about storage options, which could suspend certain coverages such as collision coverage during months you aren’t using your vehicles. This way you are still protected in the case of theft or other damage.

Contact The Insurance Mart, serving Blue Ridge, GA, to get a quote on recreational insurance. 

Disastrous events can shut down your business and freeze or reduce its bottom line. To get back to normal business operations as soon as possible following an unfortunate event that may occur in Blue Ridge, GA requires emergency planning. 

Identify the natural threats to your business. They will vary by location, and they may include snow and ice, flooding, windstorms and tornadoes. Have emergency supplies such as food, fresh water, first aid kit, generators, flashlights, batteries battery-operated commercial radios and NOAA weather radios on hand. 

Know the equipment, procedures and documents that you absolutely must have to run your business. Record descriptions and valuations for each piece of equipment and all the items that you need to operate. This documentation is essential if you ever have to make an insurance claim

Decide how payroll and accounting will be managed. Many businesses now get their bank statements and bills online. But also make sure that you have  copies offsite. Backing up also applies to W-2s and tax returns.

Know the phone numbers—especially the mobile ones—for your essential customers, contractors and suppliers. Ensure that employees know how to contact you and that they know where the emergency exits are located as well as the places of shelter. If you have any employees with disabilities, assign a capable co-worker to assist them. Practice your plan. 

Data breaches are also emergencies. Keep your computers updated with patches, use strong passwords, employ antivirus software and only open email from trusted sources. Review your insurance policy. Know what’s covered and what’s not. Add coverage if necessary. Contact the experts at The Insurance Mart so we can evaluate what you need to protect your business if the unexpected happens. 

 

 

The agents at The Insurance Mart serve Blue Ridge, GA and they know how important your health is. Getting through the technicalities of health insurance can be challenging, but two terms everyone should understand are co-pay and deductible. If you’ve ever used the service of a healthcare provider, you’ve heard one or both of these terms.

Your co-pay is what you pay at the time of service when you go in for a covered visit. Look in your health insurer’s patient manual for what co-pays are. For example, depending on your insurance, you might see a co-pay stated in dollar amounts for one, all or more of these covered services: visit your primary care physician, visit to a specialist, visit to the emergency room, hospital stay, diagnostic tests, ambulance, etc. You will also have to pay part of your prescription drug costs. 

Look at your patient manual again for what your deductible is. Most deductibles are stated for a year. They are what you will pay out-of-pocket before your health insurer steps in to pay the rest of your covered medical and hospital bills. Deductibles range from zero dollars to thousands of dollars annually.

As a general rule, it’s suggested that you choose a high-deductible plan if you have an HSA, are healthy or are financially able to pay the high deductible within a month. Select a no-deductible or lower deductible plan if you’re pregnant, plan to become pregnant or have young children or children who play sports. Also, choose this plan if you anticipate surgery such as hip or knee replacement or take an expensive drug. 

Contact us at The Insurance Agency. In serving Blue Ridge, GA, we will help you choose the health coverage that fits your needs. 

When it comes to looking after those you care about, life insurance is one of the best investment you’ll ever make. But who should consider life insurance? If you live in or around Blue Ridge, GA, The Insurance Mart can help you make this important decision. So no matter how old you are or your current family situation, here is what you need to know about who should consider life insurance. 

Family

Do you have family? Perhaps you’re married or you have children. In either situation, it’s best for you to have life insurance in order to help provide for your family after you have passed on. Your final expenses and medical bills can add up, so life insurance not only will pay for these expenses, but the money will go to help offer financial security for the next several years (or decades) following your passing. 

Debt

Even if you are not married and don’t have children if you have any kind of debt this debt will be passed on to others you are related to. Whether this is student loan payments or other expenses, there’s a good chance your siblings or parents may be forced to take on the debt. You don’t want them to pay for these expenses, so having life insurance will protect them. 

Life insurance is an important investment and it will help take care of your family should you pass on. Even if you are not married or have any children a life insurance policy can help take care of debts and other expenses that you may leave behind after you die. Whatever the situation may be, if you live in or around Blue Ridge, GA the team at The Insurance Mart can help you determine whether life insurance is right for you. 

The mountains of northern Georgia are becoming a popular place for people to have a secondary home or a vacation home. Coastal areas have those as well, and if you have one, you will need insurance just as you do for your primary residence. The Insurance Mart of Blue Ridge, GA can help you get the coverage you need for that vacation home.

Generally speaking, insurance is very similar to the protection you have on your primary residence. You can easily add another policy to cover your second home. That is the easy part, getting into the details is more complicated.

The cost for the policy itself is not much more expensive, but there is usually an added charge of between 10 and 20 percent for the secondary home policy.  Whether you use that property as a rental when you are not vacationing there also makes a difference as to the type of policy you will need. Renting it out just a few times a year, however, is different.

The biggest drawback and the biggest risk is the fact that vacation homes are usually not inhabited for long periods of time. There is no one there to notice a broken window, for instance, or no one there to call the fire department if needed, so that makes the risk greater for insurance companies. Rural isolation, as you might find in North Georgia, can also increase the risk. 

Call, visit online, or stop by  The Insurance Mart in Blue Ridge, GA to find the insurance coverage you need. Consider an umbrella policy to make sure you have your assets protected.  Fair rental income protection is also an option if you rent your property. This policy would replace lost income from tenting if your property is destroyed or damaged severely.

You know that you need recreational insurance but there are a few questions that require answers. Read on to get the FAQs about RV insurance!

1. What happens if I want to switch my policy after renewing my old one?

Refunds are rare with insurance premiums. It is best to shop around for potential plans weeks before your old policy expires if you are planning to change providers. Still, if you have found a better plan before your old recreational insurance policy expires in Blue Ridge GA, you may want to do the following:

• Wait until the time runs out on your freshly renewed plan before signing up for the new policy. Some assurance companies do not increase rates by much and would still be viable options even if you need to get a new quote;

• Obtain the new policy while keeping your old one. There is no special rule in Blue Ridge GA that prohibits you from having multiple RV insurance policies;

• Tell your old insurance company that you are thinking of leaving because of the high premiums. Sometimes, in efforts to keep your business, your old indemnity provider will offer you a lower rate.

2. Is the premium a solid amount all year long?

The good thing about recreational insurance is that you can reduce the amount that you pay per month when the vessel is parked. An agent from The Insurance Mart can tell you more about this possibility.

3. How much recreational insurance do I need?

The amount of recreational insurance you need depends on the following:

• State Minimums;

• Finance Company Requirements;

The state of Georgia requires all vehicle owners to obtain assurance policies that provide a minimum of $25,000 bodily injury coverage per person as well as $25,000 for property damage coverage per incident. Georgia also requires vehicle owners to have uninsured motorist coverage.

The agents at The Insurance Mart can help you find the recreational insurance plan that best fits your lifestyle. Call them today to get started with a quote!