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Making an Auto Insurance Claim? Here’s What to Expect

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If you’ve been in a car accident, it can be hard to figure out what to take care of first. After your immediate health and safety needs are met, the next step is to call your insurance agency. Great Michigan Insurance is proud to serve the Marshall, MI area. Here, we’ll discuss what you can expect when you make an auto insurance claim. 

First, you’ll need to provide the details of the accident to your insurer. If you have a police report, your insurance provider will likely ask for a copy. They’ll also likely want to see photos of the damage, if possible. Your insurance agent may also ask you questions about the weather at the time of the accident and the time of day that the accident occurred. 

Next, your insurance agent will discuss whether you’d like to file an insurance claim. It’s important to note that just because you called your insurance company does not mean that you have to move forward with filing a claim. You can simply get more information from your insurance agent to help you decide whether to proceed. 

If you decide to file a claim, your insurance company will usually send an adjuster to take a look at the damage to your vehicle. They’ll also provide an estimate that will help determine how much your insurance company will contribute toward your car repairs. 

Great Michigan Insurance: We’re Here for You. 

At Great Michigan Insurance, we’re proud to serve the Marshall, MI area. Contact us today to learn more about our auto insurance options—we look forward to getting to know you!

Inherited a Business: Did I Inherit the Insurance?

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Understanding Commercial Insurance for New Business Owners

Let’s say you’ve been working with a company for an extended period. Perhaps you’re related to the owner, you’ve been taken under their wing, or they’ve seen your potential and groomed you to be their successor. Over time, you’ve grown to know the business inside out, and now you’re about to take the reins. But what about insurance?

The Pre-Existing Insurance Settings

If the former owner were diligent, they would have added your name to the policy before the business was handed over to you. If they’ve passed away, you should review the policy to ensure your name is registered. If the previous owner is still alive but has retired, they may still technically own the property while you manage the operations. It’s essential to update all the stakeholders before proceeding.

Transition of Liability

It’s important to note that now all liability falls into your hands. You could be held accountable for your employee’s negligence, and your workers’ compensation coverage might change. Be sure to stay updated about what workers’ compensation will cover for your employees, and make sure you have ample liability insurance as the ownership transitions to you.

Professional Insurance Guidance with Great Michigan Insurance

If you’re in the Marshall, MI, area and need any assistance with commercial insurance, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Great Michigan Insurance. Our helpful and knowledgeable agents will guide you, ensuring your new venture starts its journey toward success on a solid footing.

Home insurance riders you may want to consider

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Home insurance covers many things, including fire, vandalism, and windstorms. It does not, however, cover everything that can happen, and it does have some limits on certain types of coverage. Our team at Great Michigan Insurance in Marshall, MI, gets to know our customers and their needs, and we will recommend a rider or endorsement for your home policy if it is something we think you need. 

Valuables coverage

When it comes to covering your personal property, you have options. You can choose the current value or the replacement cost. When it comes to things like collectibles, jewelry, art, and antiques, there are limits on your policy about how much they will cover in those categories. If you have more than a very minimal amount of jewelry, you will find your coverage inadequate. Getting a jewelry rider is necessary to ensure your possessions are covered. This can also be true for electronics, cameras, stamps, coins, etc. 

Identity theft

Identity theft has become a more common occurrence in recent years, and it can cost you money and time to restore your financial reputation. With identity theft coverage, your insurance will help to restore some of the money that may have been spent on legal fees and other costs associated with identity theft. 

Water or sewer backup

When there is a problem with water coming into the home from a backed-up sewer or a sump pump, this insurance will help pay to repair the damage caused and move the water or sewage. This is an issue that can cause a lot of damage and anxiety. 

When you have questions about your home coverage, call our experienced team at Great Michigan Insurance in Marshall, MI, today. 

Protect Your Fortress Against the Unexpected with Umbrella Insurance in Marshall, MI

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If you’ve ever had to file an insurance claim that exceeded the limits of your policy, you probably already know how vital umbrella insurance can be for avoiding out-of-pocket expenses. 

Having umbrella insurance can provide policyholders with financial benefits, a sense of well-being, and peace of mind when they know their interests and assets are safe in the event of a covered loss.

Insurance professionals at Great Michigan Insurance in Marshall, MI, can help you choose an umbrella insurance policy to supplement existing home, auto, and liability policies. 

Unexpected Financial Storms Can Wreck Havoc – Protect Your Fortress with Umbrella Insurance

Natural disasters, severe thunderstorms, fires, floods, and water leaks are all examples of unexpected events that can cause financial storms in your life and devastate your finances – if you don’t have the right amount of insurance protection. 

Marshall area residents looking to secure their financial future and add protection for their most essential assets can get umbrella insurance. Umbrella insurance is a form of add-on insurance that can extend the limits of existing policies.

Savvy homeowners who are saving for their future invest in umbrella insurance as a part of a financial planning strategy that includes home, auto, and liability insurance as a comprehensive solution for protecting their most important assets. 

If you have questions about the benefits of umbrella insurance or want to get a quote, licensed insurance professionals can help. Talk to a trusted agent to learn how umbrella insurance can help you recover from life’s unexpected mishaps, including accidents, legal liability claims, and other covered incidents where your policy coverage can offset out-of-pocket costs. 

Contact a licensed insurance agent at Great Michigan Insurance to add extended coverage to your insurance policies today! 

Condos Make Up a Lot of First-Time Home Purchases: Here’s How Insurance Helps

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At Great Michigan Insurance in Marshall, MI, condo owners can get protection for their new home. With so many first-time homeowners opting for this type of house, finding a great policy that will keep you safe is more important than ever. Here’s what you need to know about its protection.

Dwelling Support 

A typical condo insurance policy can help protect your dwelling, along with alterations, improvements, alliances, and fixtures. While they don’t cover things like flood or earthquake damage, they help ensure that your overall structure is protected and safe from damage. 

Personal Property Help 

Keep your property safe, including your clothing, furniture, appliances, and other items to ensure that you’re safe. This step will help ensure that your property loss isn’t too severe and can minimize how much you spend to replace any items. 

Loss of Use Protection 

Loss of use coverage can help if you need to relocate after something temporarily affects your home. For example, if a serious fire damages your house, you might need to use this coverage to pay for hotel rooms while your condo gets repaired.

Other Payment Options 

Here are a few other payment options to consider:

  • Medical payments for if someone gets hurt on your property 
  • Personal liability help if you get sued for any issue on your home 
  • Flood insurance that protects your condo from serious issues 
  • Umbrella protection in case you need more liability support 
  • New for Old protection that helps you replace your possessions with new ones
  • Valuable item blanket coverage that extends your protection costs 
  • Scheduled personal property helps to add extra protection for other items

Get the Policy You Need

At Great Michigan Insurance, we can help Marshall, MI, condo owners get the protection necessary to ensure that you get protected. Please don’t hesitate to contact us immediately for the support you need to get the help required to keep your investment safe from serious loss risks.

Life Insurance vs. Final Expense Insurance in Marshall, MI

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Living in the town of Marshall, MI can sometimes feel like you’ve stepped into the scene of a picturesque postcard. Residents of Marshall who want to protect the financial security of their loved ones often get life insurance to shield their loved ones in the event of their untimely passing. 

Choosing the right life insurance policy can be tricky as there are a wide variety of options and similar options available, including final expense insurance. 

The insurance professionals at Great Michigan Insurance can help Marshall, MI residents make an informed decision about getting a life insurance policy. 

Life Insurance vs. Final Expense Insurance

Life insurance offers a comprehensive insurance solution that generally provides a lump-sum payout or death benefit upon the policyholder’s passing. Your loved ones can use payouts from your life insurance policy to cover the costs of mortgage payments, education costs, and other daily expenses in your absence. 

Many people refer to final expense insurance as "burial insurance" as it is tailored to cover the costs of funeral and burial expenses. While final expense insurance helps your loved ones cover funeral costs, these policies don’t typically have extended coverages for daily living expenses and outstanding bills. 

Michigan Life Insurance Quotes

Choosing between a term life, whole life, or final expense insurance policy can be challenging if you don’t understand the differences between these policy types. Choosing a life insurance policy is easier when you have the knowledge and support of caring insurance agents. 

Talk to a knowledgeable agent at Great Michigan Insurance in Marshall, MI, who can walk you through the steps of choosing the best policy for you. Licensed agents will help you choose a policy that meets your budget and personal needs. 

Contact an agent today! 

Required Auto Insurance in Michigan

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When you own a vehicle in Michigan, there are specific types of auto insurance coverage that you’re required to have. You may also want to get additional coverage to protect you against a wider range of risks you run as a driver. In Michigan, it’s required that you get auto insurance before you can register your car or truck. When you need auto insurance, you can call Great Michigan Insurance in Marshall, MI to learn more about these policies. 

No-Fault Insurance in Michigan

Michigan is classified as a no-fault state when it comes to auto accidents. When you have an accident, your no-fault insurance will pay for your medical expenses, lost wages, and funeral costs when needed. These expenses are covered no matter who was at fault in the accident. However, this type of insurance doesn’t cover your vehicle’s damages. You need to add extra coverage to have your own vehicle protected. The policy is required to have a certain amount of coverage for one injured person from an accident and another amount for everyone in the accident who was injured. It’s also required to have a small amount of property damage coverage.

Other Coverage

Property protection service pays for damage that your vehicle does to other property types. This includes buildings, fences, landscaping, etc. This coverage has a large amount of coverage and can pay for even serious damage that you do. Personal injury protection is another type of Michigan auto insurance. It pays for lost wages, medical bills, etc., for other people, such as your passengers. 

Get Auto Insurance in Michigan

If you’re a Michigan driver and need auto insurance or want to switch to a new policy, call us at Great Michigan Insurance in Marshall, MI. 

Why your home business needs commercial insurance?

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Running your business out of your home has become a popular option. It allows a lot more flexibility and saves the cost of buying or renting a business location. Even though it is located in your home, home insurance is not designed to protect a business, just your home. Great Michigan Insurance in Marshall, MI provides our customers with the right home and commercial insurance to ensure they are protected from all the hazards that can happen. 

Property insurance

Yes, your home does have property insurance, but it is not designed to protect a home business. Commercial property insurance combines building coverage with content coverage to cover all aspects of your business. You may get minimal coverage from your home insurance. Still, to protect everything you need to carry out your business, you must have commercial insurance to protect your raw materials, inventory, and everything you use to carry on your business. 

Liability coverage

If you have customers or clients who visit your home to do business, they will not be covered for injury by your home insurance. You need to have commercial liability insurance to offer the amount of coverage you need. 

Auto insurance

Personal auto insurance does not cover the business use of your own vehicle. If you need to visit clients or customers or deliver products, this is considered business use of your vehicle, and if you have an accident, you won’t be covered. 

Business interruption insurance

If something happens to stop you from being able to do business, how will you pay your bills? This insurance helps a company to be able to meet its obligations until it can get back to doing business. 

Contact Great Michigan Insurance in Marshall, MI when you need to discuss how to protect your business and your home. 

Common Home Insurance Exclusions: Understanding What’s Not Covered

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Many homeowners in Marshall, MI are surprised to learn that there are several common exclusions in their home insurance policies. These exclusions mean your insurance company may not cover certain events, damages, or losses. Great Michigan Insurance explains some of the most common home insurance exclusions so you can understand what your policy won’t cover.

1. Flooding

One of the most common exclusions in a home insurance policy is flooding. If the Kalamazoo or other nearby rivers overflow or a heavy rainstorm causes flooding in your basement, you’ll need a separate flood insurance policy to cover the loss.

2. Earthquake

Another exclusion in your home insurance policy is damage caused by an earthquake. In Michigan, the risk of an earthquake is low, but still, it’s not non-existent.

3. High-Value Items

If you have expensive jewelry, art, or other valuable items, you might be surprised that they are not fully covered under your standard home insurance policy.

4. Infestations and Pest Damages

Another exclusion in your home insurance policy might be damages caused by a pest infestation. While a bug or rodent infestation can cause significant damage to your home, most policies do not cover it.

Home insurance policies are essential to protecting your family and your assets in Marshall, MI. However, it’s critical to understand what’s not covered so that you can target your insurance coverage to meet your needs. By knowing which events, damages, or losses are excluded from your policy, you can take steps to protect yourself fully. If you have questions about what your home insurance policy covers – and doesn’t cover, contact Great Michigan Insurance. We can review your policy together and find any gaps you need to cover.

Who should get umbrella insurance?

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Umbrella insurance from Great Michigan Insurance offers additional protection beyond your existing home, auto, and other liability policies here in the Marshall, MI area. It provides an extra layer of financial protection against claims or lawsuits resulting from car accidents, injuries on your property, libel or slander, and more. 

Who should get umbrella insurance? 

Anyone with significant assets should consider getting umbrella insurance because it can help protect you in a catastrophic lawsuit or judgment against you. Even if you already have a substantial amount of home and auto insurance coverage, an umbrella policy will provide even greater protection for your assets if needed. 

Additionally, anyone who spends much time around water, such as boaters and people who own pools, should strongly consider an umbrella policy. Water-related activities can result in expensive lawsuits if someone gets injured, so having an additional layer of protection from an umbrella policy is essential to consider. 

Overall, anyone with significant assets to protect or those involved in water-related activities should definitely look into getting umbrella insurance. It is relatively inexpensive but provides excellent protection in the event of a serious legal issue that could cause financial ruin without it. You don’t want to get sued over your existing policies and be caught having to pay the difference. 

For more information, or if you want to explore a policy that meets your needs and your budget, call us at Great Michigan Insurance today. We are proud to serve the Marshall, MI area, and it would be our pleasure to help you find the right umbrella policy for you. So don’t wait! Call us today!