Author: admin

How Can Illinois Umbrella Insurance Cover You During a Lawsuit?

Posted on by admin

Coverage for lawsuits and liabilities is the exact reason that umbrella insurance exists. Unfortunately, the world we live in is now a world of liabilities. A slip and fall can derail your financial future, if you don’t have umbrella insurance.

At Green Family Insurance Inc., we want to make sure that Illinois residents are protected from these problems in life. We can help you to design the umbrella insurance policy you need to feel secure against every legal threat.

What Does Umbrella Insurance Cover?

Umbrella insurance covers you for liabilities that occur for which you are responsible and did not intentionally cause. This insurance can provide protection when home or auto insurance liability coverages are capped out.

An umbrella insurance policy can also provide protection against libel, slander, defamation, and false arrests or imprisonment. If these problems happened and someone else is responsible for that damage, you can file suit against them to recoup your financial losses and suffering.

Umbrella insurance is always liability insurance. It will protect you when you are being held liable for a problem.

What Lawsuits Does Umbrella Insurance Provide Protection From?

Umbrella insurance provides protection against certain lawsuits on their own, and when your home, auto, or renters’ insurance doesn’t cover your damages.

The kinds of lawsuits that umbrella insurance covers include:

• Slander – spoken statements
• Libel – written statements
• False arrests or imprisonment
• Malicious or false prosecutions
• Mental anguish
• Other liabilities

It can also cover you for lawsuits related to home or auto accidents. If you have a slip and fall at your home, your renter’s or home insurance liability coverage will pay for that. If you have a car accident you are sued for, you will probably need insurance beyond what your policy provides. An umbrella insurance policy will cover any amounts above those coverage limits.

Protect Yourself With Umbrella Insurance

You can protect yourself from lawsuits with umbrella insurance. At Green Family Insurance Inc., we want Illinois residents to sleep better knowing they are covered when accidents happen. Call us today for a quote on umbrella insurance.

What Homeowners Need To Know About Flood Insurance

Posted on by admin

Your home is probably one of your biggest investments. Protecting your home against unforeseen disasters is crucial to your family’s financial stability and security. At Green Family Insurance Inc, serving Illinois, we make it easy for you to choose insurance products with confidence. If you are looking for information on flood insurance, we are here to help. 

Is Flood Insurance Included in Home Insurance?

This is an important question. Many homeowners assume that flood insurance coverage is included in their homeowner’s policy. In most cases, flood insurance is an entirely separate type of insurance product. It is important to read your home insurance policy carefully. If flood insurance is not included, it may be wise to add this coverage. 

Why Is Flood Insurance Not Included?

Flood insurance coverage amounts are determined based on very specific flood risks. These flood risks can vary greatly from one area to another. This is why it is very difficult to create a one size fits all type of insurance coverage to bundle into a home insurance policy. 

How Do I Add Flood Insurance?

If you are interested in adding flood insurance, the first thing you should do is contact your current home insurance company. In many cases, your home insurance provider will be able to guide you on the steps needed to add flood coverage to your existing policy. 

An insurance representative will most likely need to evaluate your property to ensure you get the right type of coverage. Each property will be different so it is important that your property be evaluated. 

If you would like to learn more about our services, please contact us at Green Family Insurance Inc. serving Illinois. We will be happy to answer your questions concerning flood insurance or any other insurance products. 

Items Covered by Condo Insurance

Posted on by admin

Condo insurance can sometimes be confused with homeowners insurance due to both policies acting as property coverage. While homeowners insurance protects the internal and external structure of homes, condo insurance only protects the interior of a condo unit. To break it down further, Green Family Insurance Inc. discusses what condo insurance within Illinois covers.

Personal Property

Condo insurance covers personal belongings, with examples of these items being clothing, furniture, and electronics. When covered perils such as fire, theft, or vandalism occur, condo insurance helps you cover your repair and replacement costs when these disasters lead to property damage.

Building Property

The interior structure of your unit also falls under condo insurance, with examples of areas protected being your floors, tiling, and walls. In addition to this, fixtures such as sinks, bookcases, and cabinetry are also covered when faulty electrical systems or fires damage them. Condo insurance ensures that you get compensation for fixing these items or when you need replacement costs.

Loss of Use

If your condo is rendered uninhabitable due to significant damage, condo insurance will help you pay for your additional living expenses. These can be your hotel fees, meal costs, and transportation expenses until your condo is fixed.

Personal Liability

Personal liability is another item covered by condo insurance that helps you pay for your lawsuit costs when sued for property damage and bodily injury. In addition to paying for your legal fees and damages, condo insurance ensures that you cover any medical costs arising from guest injuries. It also provides compensation for repair and replacement fees when a guest’s property is damaged.

Loss Assessment

When you are required to contribute to shared losses after perils destroy areas such as swimming pools, condo insurance ensures that you are covered during such events. It helps you offset any loss assessment that condo owners incur, allowing you to reduce your financial setbacks.

To ensure your condo is protected from disasters, consider reaching out to Green Family Insurance Inc. today. We provide condo coverage suited to Illinois property owners.

Health insurance terms you should know before choosing your coverage

Posted on by admin

Choosing health insurance is never easy, but understanding some terminology you might encounter can make it easier to understand. The choice you make determines the coverage you will have for the next 12 months. A wrong choice could be difficult to live with. At Green Family Insurance Inc. in Illinois, we are an independently owned insurance agency. Our passion is helping our customers to find the insurance products they need.  

Here are a few of the health terms you should understand:

  • Deductible– The deductible is the amount you will need to pay every year before your health care starts to pay for services. High deductible health insurance policies are more affordable than lower deductible policies, but they can leave you with very little coverage for routine services. 
  • HSA– An HSA is a health saving account. This allows you to save an amount each year, determined by the IRS, tax-free toward your health care expenses. It is the perfect complement to a high deductible health insurance policy. 
  • Copay– A copay is your portion of any covered service. Once the deductible is met, and the health insurance starts covering services. 
  • Out-of-pocket limit- This is the most you will pay for health care services in any given year. This is an important figure, especially if you have a catastrophic illness that requires an extended stay in the hospital. Just a few days with tests can run you many thousands of dollars. 
  • Network– The network is a group of health care providers who have contracted with a health insurance plan to provide services to its members at an agreed-upon price. Most healthcare plans have their own network. Making sure the one you choose includes your doctor is an important part of choosing your health insurance plan. 

Contact Green Family Insurance Inc. in Illinois with your health insurance questions. 

Why should I get life insurance in Illinois?

Posted on by admin

Anyone that lives in Illinois will have different personal insurance needs. A type of insurance that all people need to think about getting is life insurance. There are a lot of reasons why someone here should obtain a life insurance plan in this state. 

Insurance Gives Financial Protection to Dependants

People here will need to have life insurance because it can give financial support to those who rely on you. When there are people that rely on your income for living expenses, you need to make sure that they have financial protection in the event you passed away. Even if you do not have specific dependents, ensuring that your loved ones can handle end-of-life expenses is also important. When you get life insurance, you can create a plan that will protect your loved ones’ needs.

Insurance Can Add to a Financial Plan

It would be best if you also considered getting life insurance to add to your financial and investment plan. Investing and planning for your future is essential. A great way that anyone can do this is with a whole life insurance plan. While this type of life insurance, you will receive an investment benefit on top of your life insurance benefit. This makes it a good conservative investment option that people should consider. 

Picking a life insurance plan in Illinois is a big decision. When you are looking for a new life insurance plan here, it would be wise to speak with the team at Green Family Insurance Inc. When you call Green Family Insurance Inc., you can learn a lot about the different life insurance options that you have. We can also give you the guidance needed to build a plan that is ideal for your situation. 

What’s the Minimum Auto Insurance Required in Illinois?

Posted on by admin

Are you a new driver, or have you recently moved to Illinois and want to know what’s required to drive your vehicle on the roads? Then you’ll need to learn about the minimum auto insurance requirements of the state. Talk to an insurance agent at Green Family Insurance Inc. of Illinois to determine what should be your next step. 

Get an Auto Insurance Policy 

You’ll need to obtain insurance coverage from an insurance company or independent agency. The minimum required automobile insurance in Illinois is liability coverage. This protects you in the instance you cause an accident and damage someone’s property and/or hurt them. Note that you won’t have coverage for yourself and your own vehicle with this type of policy. 

Parts of Liability Coverage 

There are two parts when it comes to auto liability coverage – bodily injury and property damage liability. With bodily injury, there is a minimum coverage amount in place for each injured person and each accident. With property damage, there’s also a certain minimum coverage amount for damage during each accident. You might also have coverage for bodily injury to uninsured motorists. Be sure to find out if the agency offers this and if it’s recommended for you.

Carry Proof

When you have auto insurance, you must carry proof in your vehicle. A law officer may ask to see this at some point, and you also need to have registration available to show them. 

Don’t let auto insurance become a hassle. Set up an appointment to sit down and discuss policy options with an agent at Green Family Insurance Inc. of Illinois, and you’ll be pleased with the results.

How commercial insurance can save a small business

Posted on by admin

The backbone of the American economy is small businesses. They are defined by the small business administration as businesses with less than 500 employees. Small businesses are responsible for two-thirds of the jobs in this country. 98% of businesses in Illinois are classified as small businesses. Owning a small business can be a dream come true or a nightmare depending on how many risks you face and how well you are protected. At Green Family Insurance Inc., we strive to provide Illinois businesses with the coverage they need to survive and thrive. 

If your small business is hit by a fire, a theft, or a devastating storm, you may not be able to continue to do business in the location where your business is today. It might be a total loss, or it may need a lot of repairs. That can take time. Time your business may not have. If you have commercial property insurance, it protects the building where you are operating and all the things you need to operate. Your commercial insurance can help you get a temporary location and help replace and repair what you need to carry on. 

During the time a covered peril puts you out of business, commercial business interruption insurance can make sure that you don’t have to let your staff go and you can pay your operating expenses. Not every peril is covered, so read your policy carefully. 

Commercial liability insurance can save your small business if you are sued by someone injured while visiting your place of business or by a product or service you provide. Additionally, it can help with the legal expenses that defending yourself can entail. Every small business is vulnerable to legal action. 

Contact Green Family Insurance Inc. for all your Illinois commercial insurance needs.

How divorce affects your home insurance

Posted on by admin

Divorce raises many questions that can leave you more frustrated, sad, stressed, and confused. One of the main questions is what happens to your homeowner’s insurance policy and whether you will change ownership after the divorce or not. Fortunately, you don’t need to make any significant changes if you live in your Illinois home after the divorce as the primary policyholder.

If your spouse is leaving with some belongings, changes will have to be made.

If the court ordered a split of the family property, you might need to make changes to your contents coverage and remove the items departing with your spouse. Your Illinois insurance company will also need to adjust your rates accordingly. At Green Family Insurance Inc., we specifically go through your entire policy and ensure that it is correctly updated.

Your rates may go up.

Your rates could go up based on the discounts you received before the divorce. For instance, if you and your partner received discounts for combining multiple policies for auto and home, you may end up losing the discount if you buy a separate policy and fail to bundle again.

You can unlist your spouse if you are the primary policyholder.

If you want to remove your ex-spouse from your policy, you can do so by providing the divorce decree to your insurance company. However, if the court requires the two of you to live in the same house, it’s best to keep the coverage the way it is.

You cannot make any changes to the policy if you are not the primary policyholder.

If your spouse was the primary policyholder, you might want to request them to remove their names and make you the primary policyholder. If that seems impossible, you can still keep them and make the payments on their behalf.

If you are separating from your spouse, take your time, and learn the changes that need to be made. Our agents at Green Family Insurance Inc. are also available and willing to help. Feel free to ask any questions. We are only a call away!

What Is Renters Insurance and What Does It Cover?

Posted on by admin

Renters insurance is very similar to home insurance, but its purpose is to fit the needs of people renting a property – an apartment, house, condo, or anything else. This type of insurance is an important type of financial protection for any renter. Green Family Insurance Inc., serving clients from Illinois, has prepared a list of things covered by standard renters insurance: 

  • Personal property coverage. Renters insurance covers all costs to replace your personal belongings if they were destroyed or stolen. Personal belongings may include electronics, furniture, clothing, jewelry, computer equipment, and appliances. It even covers the property that was not even in your home. For example, if your laptop was stolen while you are on vacation, it will be replaced by your renter’s insurance. 
  • Personal liability and medical expenses. If someone is injured in your rented condo, apartment, or house, your policy will cover medical bills costs. If an injured person decides to sue you, liability coverage will also pay for legal expenses. 
  • Loss-of-use coverage. If your rented property becomes uninhabitable for some reason, renters insurance will cover the costs of your temporary place to live. For example, if your apartment is damaged by fire and needs to be repaired, your renter’s insurance will pay for your stay in a hotel, as well as for your meals. This type of coverage will even pay for your gas if you have to drive more to work. 

Renters insurance is important to have if you rent a condo, apartment, house, or any other residential property type. If you are currently looking for a perfect policy and do not know where to start, Green Family Insurance Inc., serving clients in Illinois, is ready to help. Do not hesitate to give us a call to talk to one of our insurance agents, who will answer all of your questions. 

 

What is Umbrella Insurance?

Posted on by admin

You know you need auto insurance to stay legal on the roads in Illinois. And you already likely have homeowners insurance to cover you against the unknown. But do you have enough insurance to protect your family fully? Our team at Green Family Insurance Inc. is here to help you understand how umbrella insurance can give you the peace of mind you need. Keep reading to learn more.

What is Umbrella Insurance?

To put it simply, umbrella insurance is a special type of policy that extends above your existing auto and property insurance liability. This means that if you’re in a severe car accident that you’re responsible for, someone is injured at your home, or there’s another issue that spurs a liability lawsuit, you have the additional protection you need.

Why Is Umbrella Insurance Important?

In today’s society, filing a lawsuit is one of the first things people think to do when injured. If someone has a legitimate or even a false claim against you, it could end up having a huge impact on your financial wellness. With an umbrella policy, you can always ensure you have enough coverage if a situation arises.

Who Needs Umbrella Insurance?

The truth is that anyone who owns a home or has significant assets should consider umbrella insurance. But the need goes much further than that. Those who have businesses, are parents of teenage drivers, or have an extended amount of risk exposure should consider this policy type.

Illinois Umbrella Policies from Green Family Insurance Inc.

Purchasing an umbrella policy is simple. All you have to do is meet with your trusted insurance agency, review your current policies, and answer a few questions. Are you ready to ensure your family is fully protected with umbrella insurance in Illinois? Please contact our team at Green Family Insurance Inc. to schedule your appointment.