Allied Insurance: A Good Partner for Your Insurance Needs

Posted under Auto Insurance, Commercial Insurance, Homeowner’s Insurance.

When you insure your belongings with Allied Insurance, you’ll have the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’ve made the right choice. PlatinumOne Insurance Agency is a full service insurance agency representing individuals, families and businesses in the Kansas City area. We have the flexibility to choose the insurance company that best serves your individual needs. Having choices is our advantage and it benefits our customers. We may choose Allied for a number of reasons, including:

  • Cost savings discounts
  • Allied coverage form
  • Full year auto coverage
  • ID theft protection
  • Quality customer service

Allied offers a number of unique products that help us provide the best possible combination of coverage, price and service.

  • Complete line of power sports insurance: Boats, RV, ATV, motorcycles and more
  • The Allied extras for insurance: A single deductible – pay just one deductible for a covered claim when both your home and auto are affected by the same event.
  • Bonus airbag replacement – If your airbag deploys accidentally, we’ll pay to get you a new one.
  • Bonus emergency lockout coverage – We’ll cover locksmith charges if you’re locked out of your home or car.

Allied offers insurance for almost all business and industries. Today, thousands of companies large and small choose Allied for protection from fire, accidents, natural disasters, theft and other threats. Allied Insurance cares about the safety of your employees and customers. They offer convenient, user-friendly online safety training and other loss control resources to help lower your risk of accidents and unfortunate incidents at your business.

We partner with companies that not only offer competitive pricing, but also bring the value added services our client’s desire.

How Important Is It To Insure Your Vacant Home?

Posted under Uncategorized.

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Under most insurance policies, when a property has been vacant for more than 60 consecutive days before a loss or damage occurs, there is NO COVERAGE for vandalism and other losses. PlatinumOne Insurance Agency, offers options that can help protect your property whether you own a vacant home, condo or other eligible residential property. Do you need a quote on your Home Insurance? Call us today.

Criminals watch your home and know when your home is vacant or when you are on vacation.  Vacant homes also create a liability risk if children play in or around your home and you are not there to provide proper maintenance.

If you leave your home vacant, there are some insurance issues to consider:

  1. Most homeowner’s policies exclude vacant property.
  2. Call us today to arrange proper coverage for your vacant home.
  3. Consider adding security and additional lighting to make it look like someone is living in the home.
  4. Make arrangements to have the lawn and the outside of your home maintained while you are away.

Your policy may exclude losses for vacant property if you don’t endorse coverage. Call our office  if you are thinking of leaving your home vacant for any long period of time to determine what you need to do to ensure you are protected in the event of a burglary or unexpected incident. At PlatinumOne Insurance Agency, we take the risk out of buying insurance.

Renters Insurance

Posted under Uncategorized.

If you are a renter, then you need to read this article. Typically, the owner of the building is responsible for any loss to the building. The building owner or landlord is not responsible for your personal belongings. PlatinumOne Insurance Agency can also provide you with the option of quoting your renters and auto.

Kansas Renters insurance is a homeowner’s policy for non-homeowners. It covers loss of your personal property, such as clothes, furniture, computers etc. It covers losses due to theft, fire, wind and many other events that might cause damage to your personal property. A renter’s policy can also pick up coverage for your temporary living expenses while repairs are made if your rented home is damaged. If you think about it, the cost to replace your clothing, furniture, stereo, pots and pans, linens, sporting goods and computer could be a lot of money.

You can also design the renter’s policy to provide liability coverage, should you cause injury to a third party. In some cases landlords require such coverage. PlatinumOne Insurance Agency has access to many different insurers who offer this coverage. The quoting process takes very little time.

A renter’s policy can go a long way toward protecting you financially if you suffer misfortune. Best of all, you don’t have to own your home to qualify for protection. Kansas Renters insurance is very affordable, and can be designed to meet your individual needs.

It’s Time to Winterize Your Home

Posted under Uncategorized.

iStock_000016395160XSmall-150x150Winter has hit us hard. It time to shop for new winter clothes, time to consider how to protect your home from the winter conditions that are fast approaching. PlatinumOne Insurance Agency offers these ideas for your review. With temperatures falling and meteorologists predicting a colder than normal winter, the easiest and most cost efficient way to keep your home’s heat inside, while keeping your heating bill respectable, is to add fresh insulation to your attic, ceilings, basement, and walls.

Good Time For An Insurance Check Up

Let PlatinumOne Insurance Agency can provide you with an insurance check-up to make sure you have the best possible coverage. We have access to a number of different markets and can save you even more if you combine your home and auto together.

Prepare For Winter

Have an emergency kit ready; an emergency kit is simply a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.  Include the following: water, flash lights and batteries, first aid kit, whistles to signal for help, basic tools, manual can opener, small supply of food, radio, candles, lighter, blankets and rope.

The following is a checklist for what homeowners ought to be doing when prepping for the cold season. Stick to it, and you’re sure to have a warmer and more relaxed winter experience (scraping and digging out your car notwithstanding).

  • Reverse ceiling fan rotation
  • Inspect your furnace and replace filters
  • Insulate water pipes
  • Turn off all outside water and sprinklers
  • Clean wood stoves and chimney’s
  • Install window insulators
  • Store summer tools and prep winter ones
  • Get a programmable thermostat
  • Make sure you caulk or repair and replace any siding that is failing
  • Stock up on emergency supplies
  • It’s always wise to provide an outside air supply for combustion appliances like gas stoves and furnaces. You may need a professional to check this for you
  • Make sure your recreation vehicles get the same care as your home
  • Seal cracks in windows, doors, foundations, and ducts
  • Replace batteries in smoke detectors
  • Clean gutters
  • Add insulation where needed
  • Check for leaks in gutters, windows and roofs
  • Cut shrubs away from your home

 

PlatinumOne Insurance Agency will make sure you are protected against winter claims, with the right combination of insurance coverage and pricing. We offer competitive home and auto premiums and broad coverage for your home and business. Contact us today for a quote.

2014 Personal Insurance Guide

Posted under Commercial Insurance, Homeowner’s Insurance, Life Insurance, Safety, Uncategorized.

When was the last time you reviewed your insurance coverage? The start of a New Year is a great time to review your personal insurance. Most of us know that major life events can make it necessary to update our personal insurance coverage. But did you know that even subtle changes can have an impact on your financial needs and plans?  Call PlatinumOne Insurance Agency, and we can help you find the right combination of coverage and price.

Insurance “To Do” List

  • Review my insurance to make sure I have the right coverage
  • Take the time to read my insurance policies
  • Consider increasing my umbrella coverage
  • Check my credit score
  • Get a quote for earthquake insurance
  • Consider an alarm system
  • Clean my gutters
  • Have I replaced all the batteries in my smoke detectors?
  • Does my independent agent have all my correct information, including new phone number, address, and newly purchased property?
  • Consider increasing my auto deductibles on my older vehicles
  • Make sure I have identity theft insurance
  • Combine my auto and home insurance to save money
  • Complete a home inventory to ensure my property values are correct
  • Do I have enough life insurance?
  • Do I need life insurance for my spouse?
  • Have there been any of the following changes in my life situations?
    • Bought  a new car or sold a car
    • Changed your marital status
    • Bought a boat, RV or ATV
    • Change of address
    • Welcomed a new baby into the family
    • Major inheritance
    • Have a new teen driver in the family
    • New purchase of guns, jewelry or art
    • Child headed off to college
    • Child over the age of 26
    • Purchased second home
    • Plan foreign travel
    • Started a home based business
    • Retirement
    • I now drive my personal car for work

Please call PlatinumOne Insurance Agency today if you need to make any changes in your insurance program.

 

Be Safe While Driving Your Motorcycle

Posted under Auto Insurance, Commercial Insurance, Homeowner’s Insurance, Safety.

Many of us love to ride the highways on our motorcycles. Taking a ride with family and friends on a fresh crisp weekend is pure joy.  But as we all know, safety must be a primary concern. Here are a few tips from PlatinumOne Insurance Agency:

  • Have an annual insurance review. We can help you find the right combination of coverage and price, and we provide outstanding customer service.
  • Wear a Helmet. A motorcycle rider not wearing a helmet is 40 percent more likely to sustain a fatal head injury in a crash than a rider with a helmet.  A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study reports that, “Helmets saved 1,483 motorcyclists lives in 2009, and 732 more could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets.”  Buy a full-face helmet for the best protection for your head and eyes.
  • Wear other protective gear as well; heavy leather or synthetic gloves, long pants and jacket, and over-the-ankle leather boots.  Leathers can keep you warm and protected.
  • More than 90 percent of riders involved in accidents haven’t taken a formal motorcycle driving course. Get to know your bike’s capabilities, like how it performs on a curve or slick roads, and you’ll become a much safer rider. Errors like over-braking, driving too fast and under-cornering are major factors in most solo mishaps.
  • Driving impaired is more deadly for cyclers than other drivers. In fact, more than half of all motorcycle deaths occur when the rider has been drinking.
  • Service your bike to make sure it is working correctly.

Have a great time on your bike, be safe and call us with any questions.

 

Keep your Home and Person Safe This Holiday

Posted under Homeowner’s Insurance, Life Insurance, Safety.

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Black Friday is over and that means we are in the middle of the Holiday Season. During the next 30 days, we will all be busy shopping, eating out and traveling. PlatinumOne Insurance Agency can help make sure all your new gifts are properly insured, call us today. This is especially true if you have purchased jewelry, guns or art. It is best to call us to make sure it is properly covered under your homeowners insurance policy

Please keep these safety tips in mind, so that you can enjoy the season without incident:

Shopping Safety Tips

  • Always be aware of your surroundings.
  • Put your shopping bags in your trunk.
  • NEVER leave car doors unlocked or windows open.
  • ALWAYS park in lighted areas. Do NOT park in remote areas.
  • Shop with a friend.
  • Keep receipts in your wallet or purse.
  • Avoid carrying large amounts of cash.
  • As you return to your car, make sure to keep your car key in your hand.
  • If you make expensive purchases like jewelry or guns, call our office as we may need to add these to your policy.

Christmas Tree Safety (provided by the NFPA)

  • Make sure the tree is at least four feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights.
  • Make sure the tree is not blocking any exit or door.
  • Add water to the tree stand daily.
  • Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.
  • Only used approved lights.
  • Connect no more than three strands of mini string sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs
  • Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections.

Home Safety Tips

If you are planning to vacation during the holiday, here are few ideas to consider:

  • Get a security system.
  • Trim landscaping that is too close to your house.
  • Don’t advertise your vacation on social media.
  • Cancel mail and other deliveries.
  • Leave lights on when gone.
  • Have a neighbor check on your home.
  • Always lock your garden sheds and garages.
  • Use a variable light timer to activate lights inside your home.
  • Lock all doors and windows.
  • If you gone, arrange for your lawn to be mowed.
  • Have adequate exterior lighting

Have a safe and happy holiday season. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you in 2014.

Holiday Party Planning & Safety

Posted under Commercial Insurance, Homeowner’s Insurance, Safety.

Holidays are especially dangerous times because many people celebrate by over-drinking, making themselves susceptible to alcohol-related troubles. Almost 40 percent of all holiday traffic fatalities involve alcohol. Due to the safety, dangers and liabilities involved, companies and individuals alike are coming to the realization that there are ways to organize a fun, yet safe party that will prevent people from becoming the next alcohol- or drug-related statistic. With the growth of social media, that last thing you want is a picture of yourself dancing on the table posted on YouTube, Facebook or LinkedIn.

Here are a few tips to consider:

  • Limit alcohol use. If your event is at a restaurant, limit complimentary drinks to one or two per person.
  • Consider serving wine rather than hard alcohol.
  • Using a caterer or restaurant for your party can limit your personal and/or company liability.
  • Don’t make your party mandatory.
  • Don’t allow people to mix drinks on their own.
  • Make it clear that no drug use will be tolerated.
  • Offer rides home to anyone who you think needs it.
  • Have cab numbers on hand. If someone should not be driving and they insist on going home, call a cab for them instead of allowing them to take the risk of driving home.
  • Have a good selection of food and non- alcohol drinks available.

Remember to all PlatinumOne Insurance for a complete insurance review. We can assist you in making sure your business insurance provides the right combination of coverage and pricing. Have a great time, be safe and Happy Holiday.

Do I need to Prepare For Winter Driving?

Posted under Auto Insurance, Commercial Insurance, News and Announcements, Safety.

Winter is fast approaching and that should remind you to think about two things. First, now is a good time to review your auto insurance program and second, it is time to start thinking about how driving conditions may change in the next number of months. It might be heavy rain, snow and or even fog, being prepared can help get you safely to your destination.

Call PlatinumOne Insurance Agency today and let us complete a review of your auto insurance program. There are a number of ways to save money on your insurance, including:

  • Safe driver discounts
  • Discounts by combining home and auto policies
  • Discounts for insuring more than one vehicle with the same company
  • Vehicle safety equipment discounts
    • Anti-lock braking systems, Air bags, Automatic seat belts, Anti-theft systems

Now that we have helped you find the best combination of coverage and price, let’s prepare for winter. Winter weather changes almost daily and road conditions can create serious concerns and worries. There are some things you can do to prepare yourself for winter driving:

  1. Know the road conditions before you travel.
  2. Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
  3. Use all-weather or studded tires.
  4. Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.
  5. Make certain your tires are properly inflated.
  6. Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
  7. Keep an emergency kit in your trunk.
  8. Drive below the speed limit in hazardous conditions.
  9. Winterize your car with fresh antifreeze, a good battery, operating exhaust system and oil that will withstand the rigors of cold weather.
  10. If possible, avoid driving until the roads are safe and passable. You don’t want to slide off the road, and road crews don’t want to plow around disabled vehicles.
  11. Do a thorough pre-trip inspection of your vehicle paying special attention to your tires, brakes, windshield wipers, and windshield wiper fluid.
  12. Allow extra room between vehicles.
  13. Brake early, brake slowly, brake correctly, and never slam on the brakes.
  14. Let someone know where you’ll be going and when you expect to arrive or return. Tell them to call authorities for help if you don’t get back or check in within an hour of your estimate.

Keeping up with car maintenance year-round is important, but it carries added significance in the winter to prevent becoming stranded. As always, try to time your routine maintenance ahead of long-distance travel. Putting off service today can turn into an expensive problem down the road. We, at PlatinumOne Insurance Agency will help you keep that dream alive by getting you the best Auto Insurance that you and your car deserves. There is no greater feeling than driving down the road with ease. Just leave your worries with us and we will take care of the res

Healthy Living Has Benefits

Posted under Benefits of Being Independent, Life Insurance, News and Announcements, Safety, Uncategorized.

There is no question that a healthy life style makes you healthier in general. Statistics show that the healthier you are the fewer health issue you will have. Developing a healthy lifestyle can be accomplished by considering the following:

Eating out the right way Everyone likes to eat out. However, people who eat out more often tend to have increased risks for serious health issues over time. It is not eating out that causes these issues, but rather the types of foods consumed when eating out. So, here are a few simple tips on eating healthy while eating out:

  • Stay away from fast food.
  • Drink lots of water rather than ordering soda.
  • Ask if smaller portions are available or whether you can share entrees with a companion. If smaller portions aren’t available, ask for a to-go box when you order and place half the entrée in the box to eat later.
  • Order an appetizer-sized portion or a side dish instead of an entrée.
  • Ask for salad dressing to be served “on the side” so you can add only as much as you want.
  • Eat slowly. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get the message from your stomach that you are no longer hungry

Get Regular Exercise One great way to stay healthy is to exercise daily. Take a walk, run, bike, or hike. The more fit you are, the lower your life insurance premiums will be.

Quit Smoking If you smoke, quit. Life insurance companies judge smoking as a critical risk factor in determining your premium.

Get Rest Try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night.

Get your annual flu shot October or November is the best time to get vaccinated, but you can still get vaccinated in December or later. Flu season can start as early as October and last as late as May.

Go Fishing Make fish a bigger part of your diet.

Eat a Banana People whose diets are rich in potassium may be less prone to high blood pressure.

Remember these are not in the healthy food group:  Whipped toppings, cookies, gravy, saturated fats, spreads of all kinds, and juice that is not made 100% from fruit.

Eat healthy, live long!