HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE
Your home is the center of your daily life, and likely your most valuable asset. When your home is damaged or destroyed, you need your claim settled by an insurance company that understands this simple fact. Francis Family Insurance Agency can help you find the homeowner’s insurance that will best meet your needs and provide the most valuable combination of tailored coverage, quality service and fair pricing.
What you need to know about homeowners insurance
Whether you own or rent, insuring the place you call home can help protect you financially if you suffer a loss due to fire, theft, vandalism, or other covered events. It will also cover you in the event someone is injured while on your property and wins a legal judgment against you.
Homeowners policies differ by which losses are covered, which coverages you choose, and what type of residence you own. You choose which policy is best for you, whether it’s a comprehensive policy that cover losses such as fire, hail, smoke, falling objects, vandalism and theft of personal property, or whether it’s a policy that covers only specified losses.
Whether you’re a home or condo owner, a renter, or a landlord, Francis Family Insurance Agency will work with you to find a home insurance policy that fits your needs. We specialize in making it easy to choose the insurance coverage that gives you the best value for the best price.
Your home insurance policy is most often made up of the specific options you choose, so how much you'll pay for your policy depends on:
What you select. Oftentimes homeowners insurance options are priced individually, so how much you'll pay for your policy depends on what coverages you buy. How much you want to cover. Higher deductibles usually lower your premium price by shifting part of the loss payment to you. For example, if you had a $500 deductible, you would be responsible for paying the first $500 of the covered loss. Where you set your limits. You may choose to set higher limits than the recommended amount if appropriate to your situation and needs. Worried you aren’t completely covered? Consider an umbrella insurance policy that extends your coverage.
The Right Coverage. The Right Price. The Right Value
The amount you pay for your homeowners insurance depends on many factors. Think of your personal housing situation, and the assets you want to protect.
Protection for Your Home
Property or Dwelling Coverage typically pays to repair or rebuild your home if it’s damaged or destroyed by an insured event like a kitchen fire or windstorm.
Protection for You and Other People
Personal Liability Coverage applies if someone is injured or their property is damaged and you are to blame. The coverage generally applies anywhere in the world.
When choosing your liability coverage limits, consider things like how much money you make and the assets you own. Your personal liability coverage should be high enough to protect your assets if you are sued.
Medical Coverage
This covers medical expenses for guests if they are injured on your property, and in certain cases covers people who are injured off of your property. It does not cover health care costs for you or other members of your household.
Additional Living Expenses
If you can’t live in your home because of a covered loss, your home insurance policy will pay additional living expenses—commonly for up to 24 months—while damage is assessed and your home is repaired or rebuilt.
Protection for Your Belongings
Your home is filled with furniture, clothes, electronics and other items that mean a lot to you. Personal Property Insurance helps replace these items if they are lost, stolen or destroyed as a result of a covered loss.
Scheduled Personal Property Coverage
If you have special possessions such as jewelry, art, antiques or collectibles you may want to talk to your agent about this additional coverage. It provides broader coverage for specific items.
If You Rent Out Your Home
Landlords may have the option to buy optional liability coverage for the risks posed by tenant-occupied dwellings. Visit our Landlord Protection Insurance page for more information.
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The right auto insurance policy can help get you back on the road quickly if your car is damaged or destroyed by accident, fire, theft, or other covered event. Your policy may also provide protection against medical and legal expenses resulting from injury, loss of life, or property damage caused by an accident involving your vehicle.
An auto insurance policy is a contract between you and an insurance company. You pay a premium, and in exchange, the insurance company promises to pay for specific car-related financial losses during the term of the policy. Work with us to determine the best coverage for you.
Insurance for cars, trucks, boats and more!
Based in Grand Blanc, our team understands the auto insurance needs of our customers. Auto insurance requirements vary by state. In Michigan, to drive you must carry:
No-fault Coverage – to pay you and your passengers for medical and related expenses caused by injuries from a car accident, regardless of who is at fault, or Both liability and no-fault coverage.
Even in states where coverage isn’t required, drivers must, by law, be able to pay for losses they cause others. Having insurance is the simplest way for most people to comply. To finance a car, it is usually necessary to have insurance which covers damage to your vehicle. This includes:
Collision Insurance: Collision insurance coverage pays for damage caused to your vehicle in an automobile accident.
- Standard collision coverage will pay for any repairs up to the fair market value of your car. Collision coverage usually also comes with an insurance deductible. It’s the amount of money you pay toward repairs before your collision insurance kicks in. The higher the deductible you’re willing to pay, the less the collision coverage will cost.
Comprehensive Insurance (Other than Collision): Comprehensive insurance covers damage done to your car in some way other than a collision, such as if it were stolen or vandalized. Flood, hurricane, theft, windshield damage and fire are also events usually covered by comprehensive car insurance. Like collision, comprehensive will pay up to the fair market value of your car (less your insurance deductible). And although it’s not legally required by any state, you will probably need it if your car is financed.
AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE
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BUSINESS OWNERS INSURANCE
Business owner’s policy (BOP):
- Often, BOP’s will include business interruption insurance, property insurance, vehicle coverage, liability insurance, and crime insurance.
General Liability Insurance:
- Every business, even if home-based, needs to have liability insurance. The policy provides both defense and damages if you, your employees or your products or services cause or are alleged to have caused Bodily Injury or Property Damage to a third party.
Commercial Auto Insurance:
- Commercial Auto Insurance protects a company’s vehicles. You can protect vehicles that carry employees, products or equipment. With commercial auto insurance you can insure your work cars, SUVs, vans and trucks from damage and collisions. If you do not have company vehicles, but employees drive their own cars on company business you should have non-owned auto liability to protect the company in case the employee does not have insurance or has inadequate coverage.
Property Insurance:
- If you own your building or have business personal property, including office equipment, computers, inventory or tools you should consider purchasing a policy that will protect you if you have a fire, vandalism, theft, smoke damage etc. You may also want to consider business interruption/loss of earning insurance as part of the policy to protect your earnings if the business is unable to operate.
Worker’s Compensation:
- Worker’s compensation provides insurance to employees who are injured on the job. This type of insurance provides wage replacement and medical benefits to those who are injured while working. In exchange for these benefits, the employee gives up his rights to sue his employer for the incident. As a business owner, it is very important to have worker’s compensation insurance because it protects yourself and your company from legal complications. State laws will vary, but all require you to have workers compensation if you have W2 employees. Penalties for non-compliance can be very stiff.
Commercial Umbrella Insurance:
- Commercial umbrella coverage is a supplement to commercial general liability insurance. It provides added protection from gaps or exclusions in commercial general liability insurance. Commercial general liability insurance has a self-insured retention clause requiring extra coverage for losses the commercial general liability insurance policy doesn’t cover. The most common reason for using commercial umbrella coverage is as a monetary extension for commercial general liability insurance.
Commercial Umbrella Insurance:
- Commercial umbrella coverage is a supplement to commercial general liability insurance. It provides added protection from gaps or exclusions in commercial general liability insurance. Commercial general liability insurance has a self-insured retention clause requiring extra coverage for losses the commercial general liability insurance policy doesn’t cover. The most common reason for using commercial umbrella coverage is as a monetary extension for commercial general liability insurance.
Directors and Officers Insurance:
- This type of insurance protects the directors anf officers of a company against their actions that affect the profitability or operations of the company. If a director or officer of your company, as a direct result of their actions on the job, finds him or herself in a legal situation, this type of insurance can cover costs or damages lost as a result of a lawsuit.
Flood insurance covers direct physical loss caused by “flood.” In simple terms, a flood is an excess of water on land that is normally dry.
FLOOD INSURANCE
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What is insured under Building Property coverage:
The insured building and its foundation. The electrical and plumbing systems. Central air-conditioning equipment, furnaces, and water heaters. Refrigerators, cooking stoves, and built-in appliances such as dishwashers. Permanently installed carpeting over an unfinished floor. Permanently installed paneling, wallboard, bookcases, and cabinets. Window blinds. A detached garage; detached buildings require a separate Building Property policy. Debris removal.
What is insured under Personal Property coverage:
Personal belongings such as clothing, furniture, and electronic equipment. Curtains. Portable and window air conditioners. Portable microwave ovens and portable dishwashers. Clothes washers and dryers. Food freezers and the food in them. Certain valuable items such as original artwork and furs (up to $2,500).
What is not insured under either Building Property or Personal Property coverage:
Damage caused by moisture, mildew, or mold that could have been avoided by the property owner. Currency, precious metals, and valuable papers such as stock certificates. Property and belongings outside of a building such as trees, plants, wells, septic systems, walks, decks, patios, fences, seawalls, hot tubs, and swimming pools. Living expenses such as temporary housing. Financial losses caused by business interruption or loss of use of insured property. Most self-propelled vehicles such as cars, including their parts.
To really feel secure about protecting your assets and your future, you may need the extra level of protection provided by a personal umbrella liability insurance policy.
UMBRELLA INSURANCE
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Umberlla Liability Insurance Starts When the Others Stop
Once the liability limits are exhausted on your home, auto, or other policy, your umbrella policy takes over and provides a second layer of protection of at least $1,000,000. Higher limits may also be available. Talk with Francis Family Insurance to determine the right amount of coverage for your needs.
Broad Coverage
An umbrella insurance policy also pays some claims not covered by your home, auto, or other underlying insurance. The policy covers not just you, but your spouse and all family members living in your household, anywhere in the world. Legal defense fees are also paid.
Having the right life insurance is pivotal in planning for the future of you and your loved ones. Life insurance can help you fulfill promises you’ve made your family when you are gone.
Don’t leave the future of you and your loved ones to chance. The Francis Family Insurance Agency Inc can help you find the right life insurance coverage for you, and help ensure that your policy continually meets your needs.
Life changes – so should your policy
For each of our neighbors in Michigan, the right life insurance will be unique for you and dependent on your personal and financial needs. As your life changes, your life insurance coverage may need to change in order to adapt to your current needs. Some life transformations that may require a policy “tune-up” and our help at include:
You recently married or divorced
You have a new child or grandchild
You have opened or expanded a business
Your health or your spouse’s health has deteriorated
You are providing care or financial assistance to a parent
Your child or grandchild requires assistance or long-term care
You recently purchased a new home
You are planning for a child or grandchild’s education
You are concerned about retirement income
You have refinanced your home mortgage in the past six months
You or your spouse recently received an inheritance
You have a sizable estate
You have a new child or grandchild
You have opened or expanded a business
Your health or your spouse’s health has deteriorated
You are providing care or financial assistance to a parent
Your child or grandchild requires assistance or long-term care
You recently purchased a new home
You are planning for a child or grandchild’s education
You are concerned about retirement income
You have refinanced your home mortgage in the past six months
You or your spouse recently received an inheritance
You have a sizable estate
There are several different types of life insurance products available – the most common include:
Term Life Insurance
Term life insurance provides protection for a specified period of time. If you do not currently have life insurance, term can be a good place to start. It’s generally less expensive than permanent (whole) life insurance, and is available in varying time periods with fixed premiums from a one year (annual renewable term) to 20-year (level term) period. Furthermore, term life insurance is sometimes convertible to permanent coverage, providing you with flexibility as your needs change.
Whole Life Insurance
Whole life insurance is a form of permanent life insurance that remains in force for your entire lifetime, provided premiums are paid as specified in the policy. Whole life insurance can be an investment opportunity, as many whole life insurance policies also build cash value over time.
Universal Life Insurance
Universal life is a form of permanent life insurance characterized by its flexible premiums, face amounts and unbundled pricing structure. Universal life can build cash value, which earns an interest rate that may adjust periodically, but is usually guaranteed not to fall below a certain percentage.
LIFE INSURANCE