Here are some things to think about when it comes to carrying insurance as a couple. Use the topics in this article as a way to start a discussion about your insurance needs. We can then help you narrow down your options.

Auto Insurance

If you and your spouse have separate auto insurance policies, it may be wise to combine them. Get quotes from each of your carriers, and shop around to see if any others offer multivehicle discounts.

Keep in mind that it may not always make sense to bundle your car insurance policies.…

Hosting a party at your home can be a fun way to connect with your friends and family. However, it’s important to ensure that your guests will be safe and secure while you’re hosting them.

Here are some considerations for protecting guests and your home during a party:

• Slips and falls are the most common dangers in residential properties. To protect your guests, clear your driveway and make sure that rugs or cords don’t create tripping hazards.
• If you serve alcohol during a party, you can be held liable for a guest who becomes intoxicated and then drives home.

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When purchasing coverage for their home, too many policyholders often make the mistake of simply insuring it for the resale value. However, should a flood, storm or other event occur, they may find that the cost to rebuild far exceeds the original purchase price. This discrepancy can occur for a variety of reasons, including inflated construction costs following catastrophic events that impact multiple homes in a particular area.

To truly protect themselves, extended replacement coverage is essential. This form of coverage provides a benefit over and above the policy limits for replacing a damaged house.…

Unfortunately, many people wrongly assume that auto and umbrella insurance policies will provide reimbursement for all aspects of an accident on the road. Instead, both of these policies cover your own liability and provide compensation to others in the event that you are responsible for an accident. However, if another driver causes an accident and doesn’t have enough insurance coverage to compensate you, your own auto or umbrella policies may not be enough.

If another driver doesn’t have enough insurance coverage to pay for your medical bills, you could face extremely high costs or lengthy court battles.…

Vehicle technology seems to advance each year, as new features improve driver and passenger safety. The following are just a few driver-assist features to be aware of the next time you’re in the market for a new vehicle:

• Adaptive cruise control: This type of cruise control automatically speeds or slows down your car based on the actions of the vehicles in front of you. This tool can help reduce the likelihood and severity of rear-end collisions.
• Automatic braking: Automatic braking devices are designed to reduce the severity of high-speed collisions in the event of a lapse of driver attention.

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What do I give up by not using a licensed independent agent to purchase insurance?

The disadvantage of not using a licensed agent to purchase insurance is that the policyholder does not receive as much, or often any, personal service. A licensed agent with whom there is direct contact can be vital when purchasing a product and absolutely necessary when filing a claim. Without an agent to act as your personal advocate during the claims process, you are left to take care of the details on your own.…

Lightning storms are incredibly dangerous and more deadly than tornadoes, floods and hurricanes. When a storm is on the verge of striking your area, you need to know the steps to take in order to protect your family and home.

Use these tips to stay safe during a lightning storm:

• Seek shelter in an enclosed building, if possible.
• If you are in a car, stay inside and keep the windows securely rolled up.
• Do not use a small shed, pavilion or lean-to as shelter—they do not provide enough protection.

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Recreational vehicles (RVs) can be a fun way to see the country and spend time with your family. However, because they’re bigger and heavier than an average car, there are additional hazards that come with owning and operating an RV.

Many RV accidents can be avoided by following these helpful tips:

• Know the weight capacity of your RV.
• Perform a complete pre-trip inspection. Check the tire pressure, tread depth, headlights, tail lights, turn signals, belts, oil levels, hitch and other towing equipment, and windshield wipers before leaving.

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Recreational vehicles (RVs) can be a fun way to see the country and spend time with your family. However, because they’re bigger and heavier than an average car, there are additional hazards that come with owning and operating an RV.

Many RV accidents can be avoided by following these helpful tips:

• Know the weight capacity of your RV.
• Perform a complete pre-trip inspection. Check the tire pressure, tread depth, headlights, tail lights, turn signals, belts, oil levels, hitch and other towing equipment, and windshield wipers before leaving.

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Guaranteed asset protection, or gap insurance is an optional automobile coverage that helps you transfer the financial risk if you are involved in an auto accident and you owe more for your vehicle than the amount that it’s worth.

The average age of an insurance industry professional is 54, according to a study by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, as bringing in younger talent has proven to be difficult.

While brokerages struggle to recruit youthful brokers, family-run firms are enlisting their children and grandchildren to rise through the ranks to eventually take over the business.

Jeff Hackmeier, president of Jeff D. Hackmeier & Associates in Miami, says millennials are struggling to enter into the business because the field of employee benefits does not deliver instant gratification that the generation is often used to receiving.…

Achievement Recognition

Lowe – Tillson Insurance & Associates are honored to receive recognition from Rockville Economic Development, Inc. We Thank You!

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New risks could impact your commercial and business insurance

Commercial insurance is vital to your business welfare and will cover you in the event of most of the common events such as fire, theft and accidents. But how current is your business insurance when you consider rapid changes in the world we live in. Perhaps it is time to have another look at the status of your commercial and business insurance. Lowe-Tillson are experts in the areas of business insurance and can advise you regarding the effectiveness of your commercial policies in Bethesda, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Maryland or Rockville.…

Cyber Insurance is new territory in Rockville and Bethesda

Cyber insurance is often overlooked despite the fact that cybercrime is on the rise. Viruses, cyber-attacks, network security breaches and online fraud are just a few of the issues that face companies and carriers alike. What would happen to your business if you suffered a serious data breach, denial of service attack or if your computer systems are compromised due to cyber-crime? For many this is new territory despite the fact that cyber liability insurance has been around for almost a decade.…

Specialist Car Insurance Knowledge in Bethesda, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Maryland or Rockville

Whether you own a sedan in Bethesda, a pick-up in Frederick,  a SUV in Gaithersburg, a truck in Maryland or sports model in Rockville, one thing is certain, you need car insurance.  Some form of auto insurance required by law, but you need more than that to protect your financial interests. Driving a vehicle without car insurance is not only illegal, it is stupid.

Car insurance is not expensive and the risks are high.…

Workers comp and life insurance from a reliable source

Employers in Maryland are compelled by law to carry workers comp insurance. When you need to buy workers comp insurance you want to secure your cover from a carrier that offers competitive pricing, free safety services, efficient claims processing, fraud detection, reliability as well as financial strength.

Lowe-Tillson agency deals with top carriers across the state and the country. They provide insurance services to the businesses and people of Bethesda, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Maryland and Rockville.…

Personal, commercial and general liability insurance from a professional agent

Insurance is the only effective instrument to help you plan financially for life’s disasters and mishaps. We live in a risky world and there is always something that will happen and result in you suffering some form of loss. The only way to protect your assets and financial interests is with effective personal and commercial insurance.

If you work or live in Bethesda, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Maryland or Rockville you can get best value personal insurance and cost effective business insurance from Lowe-Tillson agency.…

Workers comp and life insurance from a reliable source

Employers in Maryland are compelled by law to carry workers comp insurance. When you need to buy workers comp insurance you want to secure your cover from a carrier that offers competitive pricing, free safety services, efficient claims processing, fraud detection, reliability as well as financial strength.

Lowe-Tillson agency deals with top carriers across the state and the country. They provide insurance services to the businesses and people of Bethesda, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Maryland and Rockville.…

Personal, commercial and general liability insurance from a professional agent

Insurance is the only effective instrument to help you plan financially for life’s disasters and mishaps. We live in a risky world and there is always something that will happen and result in you suffering some form of loss. The only way to protect your assets and financial interests is with effective personal and commercial insurance.

If you work or live in Bethesda, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Maryland or Rockville you can get best value personal insurance and cost effective business insurance from Lowe-Tillson agency.…

Is Home Care Included In Life Insurance?

If you have life insurance and are recovering from a surgery, or if you require 24hr professional medical assistance, you may have thought about the possibility of using life insurance to pay for the expenses involved with hiring a home care assistant.

The good news is that this is possible. You can use your life insurance policy to benefit from this kind of service, but only if you can use the insurance in combination with the following options:

• Viatical settlements
• Combination products
• Life settlements
• Accelerated death benefits

Now, the four options mentioned above don’t sound that great, since we are talking about the end of life period, but they surely are something you need to think about during your life as an adult.…

What Type Of Commercial Insurance Do You Need For Your Business?

There are very few better feelings in the world than the one you get when you see your business being born. Positive thoughts, pride and happiness are inundating your mind and soul and for a few days you feel as if you were walking on clouds.

But in the rush, hush and cheer of the moment, don’t forget one of the things that can make or break your business: the commercial insurance.…

Homeowners insurance that gives you proper coverage

It is important to have the right homeowners insurance protect your substantial real estate investment as well as your contents and valuables. Not all home insurance policies are the same and you need to know what you are covered for and what not.

For proper home insurance advice in Bethesda, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Maryland or Rockville you can contact Lowe-Tillson agency.  They will work closely with you and structure homeowners insurance to match your needs and your budget.…

General liability insurance is an important part of your risk management

General liability insurance covers you in the event of injury to another person or damage to that person’s property as a result of an accident or mishap involving your business. We live in a legally aggressive society and when an accident happens you could be at the wrong end of the barrel staring down an expensive law suit.

Lowe-Tillson provides professional insurance services and solutions to the people and businesses of Bethesda, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Maryland and Rockville.…

Workers comp and life insurance from a trusted source

Every business must have workers comp insurance to protect employees and employers in the event of a work related accident. The law requires employers to purchase workers comp insurance that provides an exclusive remedy for accidents at work, whether someone is at fault or not.

If you have a business in Bethesda, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Maryland or Rockville you can get workers comp insurance from an independent agency such as Lowe-Tillson. They know the ins and outs of workers comp and will assess your risks in order to evaluate your workers compensation needs.…

Auto and car insurance keeps you protected and mobile

Owning and driving a vehicle is big responsibility that should not be taken lightly. Apart from possible damage your safety and that of others is at stake. It does not matter whether you live or work in Bethesda, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Maryland, or Rockville, the state law requires you to hold a minimum level of auto insurance. Your minimum car insurance will include liability cover and uninsured driver protection. The rest is up to you and your insurance agent.…