Do Motorcyclists Have to Wear a Helmet in Kissimmee, FL?

Florida is an excellent state for motorcycle enthusiasts with miles of open roads that hug the coastline and year-round warm temperatures. You may have noticed some motorcyclists are wearing helmets, while others aren’t wearing them. If you’re considering purchasing a motorcycle to join them but are uncertain of the laws, the Familia Insurance Agency can help you understand the type of coverage you need in the Kissimmee, FL area. The agency knows all the latest regulations regarding motorcycles and can help you ride free and still stay covered in case of an accident. 

Motorcyclists and Helmets for Riders Under 21

All riders need coverage to drive a motor vehicle in Florida. Helmet rules in the state aren’t as straight forward and have changed over the past few years. Florida doesn’t participate completely with Federal motorcycle safety laws, but it does require all riders under 21 years of age to wear a helmet regardless of their insurance coverage. The same rule applies to riders of mopeds under the age of 16. 

Motorcyclists, Helmets, and Insurance for Riders Over 21

If you’re 21 or older, the state allows an exception to helmet regulations. With proof of insurance, motorcyclists can ride without protective headgear. All persons riding a motorcycle regardless of their headgear requirements must wear protective eyewear.  

The Familia Insurance Agency wants to protect your freedom and your financial health in the event of an accident. We can help you get the minimum coverage to ride helmet-free. For clients under 21, our agents can get them started with coverage so they can start enjoying the feel of the road under their feet and wind brushing their faces. Contact one of our agents today to find the right coverage for your new motorcycle. 

Boat Regulations to Keep You Safe Year Round.

There are few days in Kissimmee, FL that locals cannot enjoy the waterways. The weather is typically fair and the waters are calm and inviting more often than not. This does not mean that boaters in Florida can relax too much. At Familia Insurance Agency we want you to be safe out on the water so here are some reminders on boat regulations and safety tips for staying safe year-round. 

Florida Boat Regulations for Safety

  • Stay Sober — Drunk boating, like drunk driving, is deadly and illegal. If you are the captain of the ship do not drink. 
  • Check the Weather Forecasts — This falls under the reckless and careless operation section. You are responsible for your due diligence when it comes to exploring the waterways. Do not get caught in a dangerous situation because you did not check the weather before boarding. 
  • Know the Signs — Waterways do not have the same signs, traffic laws, and safety features as roadways. There are specific flags and symbols that indicate that there are people just under the water in some areas, other signs mean no wake, and other signs indicate weeds or debris in an area. It is your responsibility to know this before you drive a boat. 

Familia Insurance Agency serves Kissimmee, FL with quality insurance services for boaters in the area. We want all of our clients and boaters in Florida to be safe as they enjoy our state’s natural resources. If you would like to learn more about boater safety or if it has been a while since your last class then it is a good idea to take Florida boater safety refresher. 

What Does Umbrella Insurance Cover?

For some, your typical insurance is just not enough to cover what you want it to. For those individuals, that need more coverage, umbrella insurance may be what you need. For those that are near the Kissimmee, FL area, the agents with Familia Insurance Agency can help you find the policy that is going to work best for you and your existing policies.

So, what does umbrella insurance cover? Umbrella insurance is something that is very special and that can be applied to just about any coverage that you want. What your umbrella policy covers depends namely on what you place the umbrella policy on. If you are buying an umbrella policy for your car insurance policy for example it may function as a supplementary liability policy. if you take an umbrella policy out on your home insurance it may serve to get you a bigger settlement for your contents.

If you are looking to take out an umbrella policy you may want to speak with an insurance agent so that you can find out more about what an umbrella policy may cover, about what sort of umbrella coverage you may want to take out, and about what you might want to apply that sort of coverage to. An umbrella policy is not right for all people and you should take the time to see if this is the coverage that is going to be right for you or if there are other coverages that might work better for your particular needs.

For those that live near the Kissimmee, FL area, the agents with Familia Insurance Agency can help you to find the policy, and the policy type that is going to work best for you and for your particular insurance needs and coverage wishes.  

Do I still need flood insurance even if I don’t live in Flood zone area?

Many homeowners and condo renters in Kissimmee, FL do not know that their homeowners, renters or condo insurance does not cover floods. This universal natural disaster can occur anywhere in Florida, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). That is to mean that your home is never completely safe from floods even if it has not been marked as a flood zoned area.

At Familia Insurance agency, we recommend all homeowners and condo renters to buy flood insurance to protect your valuables. Damage by floods can completely render you homeless and rebuilding from scratch may take quite some time.

Why you need flood insurance

It takes only one inch of water to cause damages worth $25,000 in your home based on a report from FEMA. You may live thousands of miles from the flood zones, or your area may be low risk, but that does not mean that there aren’t any risks. In fact, about 20 percent of flood insurance claims typically come from homes and properties outside high risk. So, as much as high-risk areas need flood insurance so are low-risk areas.

Estimations may go wrong

Well, the sad truth is that floods can happen anywhere. Every now and then maps do change, which means that your area won’t be a low risk forever. Weather patterns are also unpredictable. We have seen meteorologists fail terribly in giving accurate weather results. Therefore, instead of panicking searching how far floods can get, your nearest insurance agency can help you get a policy.

Whenever there is rain, there is always a possibility of floods. Keep in mind that there is a 30-day waiting period for your insurance policy to take effect. You don’t want to risk and wait 30 days. Let Familia Insurance Agency in Kissimmee, FL help with all the info you need to get a suitable package for flood insurance. 

What Does Condo Insurance Cover?

If you’re wondering what kind of insurance to get to protect your dream condo, we can help. At Familia Insurance Agency in Kissimmee, FL, we offer individual condo insurance coverage to protect your newly acquired investment. Condo insurance can protect you, your condo and your personal goods from disasters that can deplete your finances. Here’s a closer look at what condo insurance covers.

Personal Liability  

If you plan to entertain in your Florida condo, liability coverage is a must. Personal liability coverage protects you against accidents a visitor may have while on your property. If one of your guests slips and falls during a party and breaks his arm, liability coverage will cover his medical bills so you don’t have to dip into your savings to do so.

Dwelling Protection  

Dwelling (building) protection covers the cost of repairs to the inside of your condo such as walls, built-in shelving, fixtures, flooring, etc., if your unit gets damaged in a disaster that’s covered by your policy such as fire, storm damage or water damage from broken pipes. If your investment is important to you, you’ll protect it with building coverage.

Personal Property Coverage

Your personal goods are just as important as your unit, especially if it took you a while to collect them. Personal property coverage protects your stuff to include clothing, furniture, electronics, appliances, artwork, jewelry and more. If these goods are stolen, vandalized or damaged in a covered peril, personal property insurance will help pay for repair or replacement costs, depending on the coverage on your policy.

Actual cash value coverage covers the cost of your goods minus deprecation. Replacement cost coverage will replace your goods without taking off for depreciation.

To learn more about condo insurance and the benefits it has to offer, contact Familia Insurance Agency in Kissimmee, FL.

Commercial Insurance is Smart Business Management

Smart business is easier to manage and commercial insurance fits with this nicely.  Profits are the focus for business owners and the insurance plans can be a part of the business success. Asset protection is smart for personal protection and business planning.  These talks should be nice and comforting as you choose to build relationships with a provider that wants to help you succeed. Contacting Familia Insurance Agency could help you with smart business management for general liability, commercial umbrella insurance, and business property insurance. The company is experienced serving Kissimmee, FL and the trained staff can be there for your business discussions about commercial insurance.  

Business owners that plan for success already have a lead for best practices.  The smartest of business management is to see the success you want for your business. This includes plans for growth, workers comp, and successful profits that come out of your efforts to build your business.  Sales planning may be for product sales or services, with both providing even more opportunities for profits and successes. Do you offer any services with your products?  Maybe you could, and maybe that new work offering is what gets your growth to that take-home income that satisfies you personally. 

Confidently get your business insurance lined up and make it a point to build a strong relationship with a company such as Familia Insurance Agency. This could the best business management to align your business with the goals for success. Serving Kissimmee, FL, the insurance company is able to celebrate your successful planning as a business. Contact Familia Insurance or go online at http://www.familiainsuranceagency.com for more information about commercial insurance for your successful business.  The experienced staff is ready to answer your questions and go through some options for you. 

Is Renter’s Insurance Beneficial For Short Leases?

For those that are renting for short periods of time, traditional renter precautions may seem silly, but they can be beneficial in certain cases. For those that live in the Kissimmee, FL area, the agents with Familia Insurance Agency can help you determine what type of coverage you need and if you are going to be fully covered.

Traditionally, leases are carried out in year-long intervals with potential breaks and reductions in cost for longer leases or for larger deposits up front. There are some leases however that are in several months long, a month-long, or even in week terms. These leases are usually for people that are not intending to stay in the place for long or are in between a more permanent arrangement. For longer leases, renters insurance is certainly a very beneficial type of insurance to have. For shorter leases, you may not think you need renters insurance but it can still be beneficial.

With shorter leases, you can still see the need for renters insurance. A fire, disaster, or other major damages have no time limit and do not care that you are only in a six-month lease, a renters policy is always a good idea. Especially if you have many possessions or have something that is worth a great deal of money. For those that do have a rental property, you can get a rental policy that reflects the short duration of your lease or you can simply change or end the renter policy when your lease is up.

For those that live in the Kissimmee, FL area, the agents with Familia Insurance Agency can help you find a policy that is going to work for you and that is going to cover all your bases.  

Preparing Your Business for Hurricaine Season

Hurricane season is six long months in Kissimmee, FL. Starting prior to the beginning of the season will let you approach it proactively for your business.

Make a Go Bag

The first item on your agenda is for the safety of yourself and your family members, as we do at Familia Insurance Agency. Make a go bag and load it with three days of non-perishable food items, a handheld can opener, a first aid kit, and a portable radio. You may want to include your laptop or tablet too. Pack flashlights with extra batteries and your smartphone or tablet charger. You will need one gallon of water per person for three days and pet food for your cat or dog. Pack your personal items such as toothbrush and hairbrush and some extra clothes and blankets. It’s also a good idea to have cash on hand in the case of no electricity and no debit card readers available.

Before the Storm

Take a tour around your business building in Kissimmee, FL Cut back any tree limbs that overhang your roof or are near the windows. Secure or take inside any outside items that could damage your building. Close storm shutters and board up the windows just prior to evacuating. If you have a generator for your business, test it to make sure it runs okay. Review how to shut off all of your utilities including the gas main, electrical panel, and the water valve. Finally, fill your car all the way up with gas.

After the Storm

After the storm has passed, remove your boards from the windows and turn the utilities back on if it is safe to do so. Inspect your property and building for damages and make a list of any damages. Take photos of the damages to aid in your commercial insurance claim when you file with your agency.

At Familia Insurance Agency, we can help you to navigate the waters of commercial insurance in the case of a storm. We are happy to help you over the phone or in person in our office to find the level of business insurance you need.

What does renters insurance cover?

Renters insurance is, no doubt, one of the most overlooked but valuable pieces of financial protection you can get as a renter. In the last few years, renting has been on a significant increase but a survey by Nationwide in 2014 revealed that 56 percent of renters who fall between the ages of twenty-five an thirty-five do not have renters insurance. However, this may be a result of the various renter’s insurance myths or just the fact that most renters do not understand what they stand to benefit and what exactly a renters insurance covers. So what does a renters insurance cover?

Personal property

With a comprehensive policy, a renters insurance will cover costs that go into replacing your personal belongings like electronics, furniture, jewelry, clothing, and appliances. With a basic renters insurance, you will be reimbursed for the loss of property in case of disasters like fire and lightning, explosions, windstorm and hail, riots, theft, vandalism, volcanic eruptions and much more.

Personal liability and medical bills

A good renters insurance from a reputable firm like Familia Insurance Agency covers costs that you may incur in situations where a visitor is injured while at your apartment. This also includes cases where your dog or cat bites them. In such instances, your policy ought to include medical coverage that covers injuries without a lawsuit getting involved. For more information, feel free to contact Familia Insurance Agency with its offices in Kissimmee FL

Temporary living expenses

In some cases, your residence may be damaged to a point it is not habitable anymore and you are forced to look for alternative means. In such a case, a good renter’s insurance policy ought to cover the costs of a temporary place of residence. This may include full compensation right from hotel bills to food costs.
Apart from these, a renters insurance may also cover other losses you may not have expected like credit card forgery and other items stored elsewhere as long as they were part of the cover. 

 

3 Reasons You Should Review Your RV Insurance Annually

It’s important that you do everything you can to protect your RV in Kissimmee, FL. Part of that means having a comprehensive insurance policy on it. At Familia Insurance Agency, independent insurance agents can help you to review your policy on an annual basis.

The first reason to review is to ensure you have the lowest price. Premiums may go up or down based on various factors. If your policy has gone up, you may want to compare rates from other insurance companies. This is where your agent can help you with comparisons so you’re not spending more than what is absolutely necessary.

The second reason to review is to decide if you still have sufficient protection on your policy. If you plan on being on the road in your RV over the next year, you want to know that if there is an accident, the insurance company will cover the majority of the damages. Otherwise, a claim could be denied.

The third reason is to fill any gaps in your coverage that you may have recently noticed. For example, if you have filed a claim and was told that you don’t have coverage against theft, a broken windshield or something else, you may want to add the coverage within your policy. This way, your RV is protected not only in Kissimmee, FL but anywhere else you may take it within the country.

By reviewing your RV insurance annually, you can always count on your policy to protect you in the event that something happens.

Our independent insurance agents at Familia Insurance Agency can work with you. Let us review your existing policy and offer you recommendations on where you can add or delete coverage to ensure you have an affordable policy that will keep you sufficiently protected throughout the year.