What Does Condo Insurance Cover?

If you live in a condo, you’ll likely become familiar with two types of insurance: HO-6 or condo insurance and the condo association’s master policy. With a condominium, you are only responsible for the belongings within your unit or on private outdoor space and the walls within the home. Common areas such as elevators, gym, pool, lobby, and any other space shared with your neighbors will be covered under the condo association’s policy.

Although you’ll contribute towards the cost of the association’s policy through your dues, you are only responsible for having separate insurance for your personal unit. Bogden Insurance Agency in Berlin, CT offers you this guide to navigate condo insurance.

What Does Condo Insurance Cover?

In addition to covering your personal belongings, individual condo insurance also provides protection for a slew of other incidents and situations. For example, your policy will include liability coverage that will protect you from paying medical bills, legal fees, and other costs associated with a visitor or guest injuring themselves while inside your condo.

Additionally, your condo insurance policy is likely to include loss of use coverage, meaning that if your home is uninhabitable due to a covered incident, you’ll receive monetary assistance to live elsewhere up to your policy max. If your home is deemed a total loss, your condo insurance policy will include information on how much money the insurance company will contribute towards rebuilding your home. This coverage varies and could be set to the price paid for the condo when you purchased it, the expected value today, and more so be sure to speak with your insurance provider about which option is best for you.

At Bogden Insurance Agency in Berlin, CT we are committed to providing you with transparent and trustworthy service. Whether you are looking for condo insurance, auto insurance, or another type, we look forward to earning your business for years to come.

 

In-Depth Breakdown Of Auto Insurance Policies

Bogden Insurance Agency serves the Berlin, CT community and its surrounding areas. For over 10 years, we have helped our clients obtain coverage and protect what matters most. We are confident that we can help you find the coverage you’re looking for. We proudly serve as an independent agency. Working with multiple carriers across the East Coast allows us to offer our clients flexible coverage options.

In-Depth Breakdown Of Auto Insurance Policies

Auto insurance covers you as you travel around Berlin, CT and beyond. Operating a car can be dangerous at times due to the uncertain nature of road conditions, as well as the other drivers on the road. The policy covers your car if you are involved in an accident. Auto insurance assists with the necessary repairs to your vehicle. You are also covered if your vehicle accidentally hits someone and causes damage. Liability coverage also covers any medical treatment for an injured passenger. Comprehensive coverage protects you if your car is stolen or damaged due to a natural disaster or fire. You are also covered if your car accidentally hits a deer or some other animal while you’re on the road and damages occur.

While looking over your policy, you adjust it based on your unique needs. If you installed a custom engine, consider modified auto coverage. This type of coverage protects your vehicle against potential damages based on its new value. If you’re using your personal vehicle to perform work-related tasks, add commercial auto coverage. Another option to consider adding to your policy is uninsured motorist coverage. This type of coverage protects you if your car is hit by a driver who does not have coverage.

Bogden Insurance Agency Will Help You Protect Your Assets

Contact us today to learn more information about auto insurance.  

Is Commercial Insurance Required in CT?

Not every state requires the same type or amount of commercial insurance. Specific to Connecticut, businesses are required to carry two different kinds – workers’ compensation insurance and commercial auto insurance. As the name implies, workers’ compensation helps pay medical bills associated with workplace injuries and illnesses along with lost wages incurred while the employee is recovering.

In Connecticut, any business with employees – full-time or part-time – is required to have workers’ compensation insurance. However, if it is a household employee that works fewer than 26 hours per week, workers’ compensation insurance is not mandated. Any business owned vehicle must be covered by commercial auto insurance that protects against financial loss if an auto accident occurs. Although not required, if your employees use their personal vehicles for work purposes then hired and non-owned auto insurance should be utilized as personal auto policies exclude business use. 

In addition to workers’ compensation and commercial auto insurance policies, CT business owners may want to consider professional liability insurance and cyber liability insurance. Professional liability insurance, otherwise known as errors and omissions insurance, helps to protect professional services and covers lawsuits over late, erroneous, or undelivered work. Conversely, cyber liability insurance helps to cover the monetary damages and losses associated with data breaches and cyber attacks. 

Owning a business is the epitome of the American dream and it is important to protect your livelihood. At Bogden Insurance Agency in Berlin, CT our friendly and knowledgeable team of insurance professionals are ready and willing to assist with all your commercial insurance needs. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment to learn more about how we can help you. 

What You Need To Know About Home Insurance

To properly protect the investment you have made in your home, you will need the proper home insurance in place. At Bogden Insurance Agency we provide solid insurance information so that you can always feel great about your insurance choices in Berlin, CT and the surrounding areas. Keep reading to learn more. 

Why Do I Need Home Insurance?

Home insurance is often required by mortgage companies if a home is being financed. Even if a home is not being financed, though, home insurance is the only way to truly protect the investment you have made. If your home is damaged because of fire, natural disaster, or burglary, you will be left without a place to live and responsible for repairs or replacement of your home. A solid home insurance policy protects you from this. 

What Does Home Insurance Cover?

Each home insurance policy can be customized to suit your particular needs, but in general, most policies will provide the following type of coverage:

  • Property damage- Property damage can happen due to fire, natural disaster, or burglary. When this happens, you can be left vulnerable. This type of coverage will pay for repairs or replacement of your lost property. 
  • Liability coverage- If someone is injured on your property or within your home, you will be the one held responsible for the expenses that are incurred. This can be devastating for you and your family if medical bills are extensive or if legal fees result. Liability coverage will pay these expenses for you. 

If you would like to learn more about home insurance, or any of our other insurance products, please contact us at Bogden Insurance Agency, serving Berlin, CT, and the surrounding areas. 

What are the Benefits of Umbrella Insurance?

Just like an umbrella protects you from rain, umbrella insurance can rescue you during rainy days. You may have car, auto and home insurance, but these coverages can only do so much when faced with significant liability claims. Unfortunately, when your typical liabilities run out, your personal assets are usually at stake. Luckily, investing in umbrella insurance from Bogden Insurance Agency in Berlin, CT offers you extra liability protection. The other benefits include:

Protects your assets

Given the ubiquitous nature of lawsuits, umbrella insurance protects your assets and future income when sued. Imagine someone coming to claim your hard-earned assets? It can be frustrating and dispiriting. For this reason, you need umbrella insurance to protect your assets when faced with significant liability claims.  

Provides broader coverage

Umbrella insurance not only gives you high coverage but also gives you broader coverage. What does this mean? Umbrella insurance cushions you against liabilities that aren’t covered by other conventional liability coverages. For instance, umbrella insurance covers libel, slander, false arrest, and malicious prosecution — liabilities not covered by other insurance policies.

Additionally, umbrella insurance doesn’t have geographical limitations. It can cover you beyond America as long as your policy is up-to-date.

It’s affordable

Umbrella insurance gives high liability coverage, but it’s surprisingly affordable. Since it rides on other existing coverages, this makes umbrella insurance more affordable than you think.

Peace of mind

When you have umbrella insurance, you don’t have to spend sleepless nights thinking of who is coming for your assets. With umbrella insurance, you don’t have to worry because it protects your assets and future.

Buy umbrella insurance in Berlin, CT

Ready to enjoy the benefits of umbrella insurance? Why don’t you get in touch with Bogden Insurance Agency? We understand how valuable your assets are, and that’s why we provide comprehensive umbrella insurance to protect what matters to you most.

5 Tips for New Condo Owners

Have you recently moved into a new Berlin, CT condo? Congratulations! Here are a few tips to protect your investment. 

Get to know your HOA’s master condo insurance policy. 

A master condo policy will determine what kind of coverage you’ll want to acquire for your condo policy. Review yours to discover which type of dwelling or building property the HOA carries. There are all-in or all-inclusive policies that cover the common areas and external structures of your building and all items installed in your unit, including appliances, lighting fixtures, cabinetry, and more. These policies are excellent, but you are just as likely to discover single entity or bare walls coverage, which would only take responsibility for part of the internal structure of your unit, leaving you to pay out of pocket for any damage that occurs. 

Create or update your home inventory. 

Make use of your moving process to document your possessions to determine the coverage you need accurately. Plus, if you need to make a claim, you’ll have documentation on hand to recover your losses faster and more completely.  Take photos or videos of your belongings as you unpack and consider using a home inventory app to make it easier to store and update your inventory. 

Learn about ‘scheduling’ items. 

Many of us have at least one high-value item in our homes. For you, this might be artwork, jewelry, luxury clothing, electronics, or firearms. Whatever it is, make sure you include that in your inventory and talk to your insurance agent about possibly getting additional coverage to protect more expensive items. 

Look Beyond Basic Condo Insurance. 

You may need to consider additional coverage. Some likely options include flood insurance and water backup coverage. If you are a snowbird, you might want to discuss vacancy coverage for the months you are away from your home. The best way to determine your needs is to call or stop by the Bogden Insurance Agency today. 

When Should I Update my Auto Insurance?

As our lives change, so do our insurance needs. Unfortunately, many motorists in Berlin, CT, don’t bother to update their auto insurance. Reviewing your car insurance ensures you pay the right amount of premiums, gives you peace of mind, and makes the claim process hassle-free.

But when should I review my auto insurance? While everyone’s auto insurance needs are different, you should update your auto insurance at least once a year. However, when the below situations occur, you should inform your insurance agent immediately. 

You have a new driver in the household

A few months ago, when you purchased auto insurance from Bogden Insurance Agency, you were the sole driver of your car. But now circumstances have changed, and you want to let your teenage daughter or son drive your car. 

While letting your teenage child drive your car is the right step towards achieving automotive freedom, you need to update your policy to avoid a nightmare when they cause an accident. Teenagers are deemed risky drivers, and thus, you should give your agent a call to update your policy.

You have converted your vehicle to a business vehicle

Suppose you have opened a new business. And because you are trying to figure things out, you start running business errands using your car. Whereas this is the optimal use of resources, you need to upgrade personal auto insurance to commercial auto insurance.

Purchasing commercial auto insurance is not only a mandatory requirement in Connecticut but also ensures you get compensation when your business vehicle is involved in an accident.

You are moving to another state

When you are moving from your current state to another, you need to update your auto insurance. Why? Different states have diverse auto insurance requirements. Given this reality, you need to inform your insurer when moving to another state to ensure you conform to the new state’s requirements. 

Need more information on updating your auto insurance? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Bogden Insurance Agency for more insights. Besides, you can visit our Berlin, CT offices to talk to one of our agents. 

Why you need commercial insurance for your home business

Home businesses have become increasingly popular. About 50% of small businesses in the United States are classified as home businesses. Having your business in your home is both cost-effective and convenient. However, when it comes to insurance, you should check with your insurance agent. How your carrier views home businesses may surprise you. At Bogden Insurance Agency in Berlin, CT, we are here to answer those important insurance questions you may have about your home business. 

Property insurance

You have property insurance on your home to protect both the building and your contents. Depending on the type of home business that you have, you may have more than just a few pieces of office equipment to protect from loss or damage. Home insurance may cover your office and a limited amount for things like a desk or a copier, but if you have records and inventory that you store at home, you could find that your home insurance is not going to give you the amount of protection you need. 

Liability insurance

Home insurance offers you protection from legal action taken against you by someone who is injured by you or a family member. As a business owner, you are even more vulnerable to getting sued by a client or a vendor. If someone is visiting you at your home on business, you may find out your home insurance does not cover these injuries. They are also likely not to cover a dissatisfied customer who sues you. 

Auto insurance

When you use your personal vehicle for business, your auto insurance may opt not to cover you. You should talk to your insurance agent about commercial auto insurance. 

If you have or are considering having a home business, talk to Bogden Insurance Agency in Berlin, CT about the best way to make sure you have insurance coverage. 

How Much Coverage Do I Need to Carry to Protect My Home?

When it comes to protecting your home, you can’t have too much coverage, or can you? Many people think that, adding coverage amounts that far exceed the value of your home, will allow you to have a bigger cash out if something happens to your home. But actually, that is not true.

Insurance laws do not allow people to collect insurance claim payouts for more than the home is actually worth. Therefore, it is wise to stay within the limits of the value of your home if you sold it today and not to exceed that. That being said, there are instances when you need extra insurance for certain circumstances such as floods or complete loss of the home that would require you to exceed the base value.

How much is enough? That depends on the actual value of your home, plus the amount you have invested in it if it is not included in the potential sales price. Of course, there are many other factors to take into account. That’s when you need an expert.

Who Can You Trust?

Bogden Insurance Agency serves the Berlin CT area and they are experienced at advising people on how much insurance to get to make sure your home is covered, no matter what disaster comes your way. They can also advise homeowners on other types of insurance such as flood, fire, and auto insurance.

Protecting your investment is their primary goal and they treat every customer like family!

They can share information with you about the appropriate amount of insurance, as well as the types of insurance coverage you need to be sure your home is protected, no matter what comes your way in the future. 

See Bogden Insurance Agency if you’re looking for homeowner’s insurance in the Berlin, CT area. They can help you prepare for anything!

Debunking Renters’ Insurance Myths in Connecticut

When you are a renter in Connecticut, you have valuables and risks as well as any homeowner does. The solution for that is renters’ insurance. Yet many renters in Connecticut don’t get insurance because they convince themselves that it’s not worth the bother.

At Bogden Insurance Agency, we want renters in Berlin, CT to feel secure about their home and their belongings, like anybody else would. We can help you debunk those myths and help you to feel more informed about what your renters’ insurance would really cover.

You Have Valuables

Just because you don’t own your home or have a mortgage, doesn’t mean that you don’t have contents worthy of insurance protection. You have valuables. If you have a phone and a laptop, you have contents that would financially impair you if they were damaged or stolen.

Your furniture has a value as well, even if you don’t think it’s worth anything. These valuables are worthy of renters’ insurance.

You Can Cover Problems at Home

You might be able to cover damages at home if a problem crops up, but why do that if you don’t have to. That is what insurance is for. If there is a liability in your home, such as an accident or injury to someone else, your renters’ insurance will pay for that.

At the same time, if you lose or damage belongings when you are not at home, your renters’ insurance will cover that as well. If you are traveling for example, and your laptop gets stolen, renters’ insurance will cover that.

It’s Too Expensive

It really isn’t. You will complain more about your food bill than you will your insurance bill on this one. It will never hurt for you to crunch the numbers here. Renters’ insurance will always be less expensive than a new laptop or medical payments for an accident in your home.

Get a Quote

At Bogden Insurance Agency, we know that when you are a renter in Berlin, CT, your valuables are valuable. So is your income. You can’t risk a big medical claim any more than the average homeowner can. Call us for a quote for renters’ insurance today.