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  • Auto and Home Insurance for Unmarried Couples
    Sixty years ago, when the 1950 census data was released, it showed that eight in 10 households were occupied by married couples. Fifty years later, the 2000 census data showed that number had declined to just over 50%, signifying a sea change in the typical American household. Almost half of households were occupied by a single individual, roommates or unmarried couples (the 2010 census data is still in the process of being made public).
  • What to do Before, During and After Thunderstorms
    Before, During and After a Thunderstorm.
  • What You Need to Know About Shady Home Contractors, Remodeling & Hiring Day Laborers
    Ah, summertime, and the living is easy. Perfect for sitting in the shade out back with a cold drink. You may even decide this is the perfect time to finally add that deck, enlarge the patio for cookouts, or put in that new landscaping with a couple of strategically placed trees perfect for a comfortable hammock.
  • What Everyone Should Know About Insuring Property in Storage
    The other day while flipping through the channels I stumbled upon a reality show about people who bid on items in abandoned storage units- sometimes finding items valued in the tens of thousands of dollars. I thought of my family and friends who had storage units and the kinds of items they kept in there- and it ran the gamut from golf clubs to furniture to ski equipment.  According to the Self Storage Association, 10.8 million people in the US rent a self-storage unit. If you’re one of those 10.8 million people you should ask yourself, do I have insurance coverage for my property in storage?
  • Insuring Your Happily Ever After
    Getting married and embarking on a new life together is one of the most exciting experiences in two people’s lives. It’s a time of hope, promise, romance and … reality. Whether a couple is planning their wedding or deciding where to live, there are a lot of decisions to make before saying “I do,” especially when it comes to insurance.
  • Changing Your Address Means Changing Your Insurance
    May is National Moving Month and every year more than 40 million Americans will move, according to the American Moving and Storage Association. As you pack up your belongings and move across town or across the country, make sure you don’t forget to “pack” your insurance coverage.
  • Spring Forward: Spring Cleaning and Safety Updates
    Temperatures are getting warmer and now that it’s spring, it’s time for spring cleaning and making spring time repairs around the house. Taking care of our homes is important, so take a moment to understand how taking care of things around the house can impact your insurance.
  • A Little Less than Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: Insurance and Tax Issues with Nannies and Housekeepers
    With more and more families every year having both parents work full time, there has been an increasing need for help around the house with childcare and chores like cleaning, laundry and running errands. If you’re hiring household help it’s important to understand how having domestic workers (including nannies, housekeepers, caretakers, etc.) around your home can impact not only your insurance coverage- both your auto and your homeowners- but also how it could have tax implications for you. If you don’t understand these issues, the result could be something quite atrocious.
  • Congratulations Class of 2013: Now It’s Time to Graduate to Your Own Insurance!
    While every individual has unique needs, here are a few  insurance coverage options that all college grads should consider.
  • Summer Storm Recovery Tips
    Independent insurance agents not only advise clients about insurance, but they’re disaster readiness consultants. It is imperative to know what your risks are and what to do in the
    event of a hurricane. We recommend meeting with a Trusted Choice® independent insurance agent who can consult with you in assessing your risks and ensuring that you, your family and your home are prepared in the event of a disaster. Trusted Choice® offers many disaster-specific readiness and recovery tips for consumers.
  • Be Prepared for a Disaster
    Independent insurance agents not only advise clients about insurance, but they’re disaster readiness consultants. It is imperative to know what your risks are and what to do in the
    event of any natural disaster. We recommend meeting with a Trusted Choice® independent insurance agent who can consult with you in assessing your risks and ensuring that you, your family and your home are prepared in the event of a disaster. Trusted Choice® offers many disaster-specific readiness and recovery tips for consumers.
  • New Development, New Flood Risk
    One factor to consider when evaluating your risk of flooding is development and new construction in your area.
  • Landscape Ready: Utility Marking, Underground Septic & Sewer Back-Up
    Homeowners: Before you hit a gusher—and we aren't talking oil—get the 811 from Trusted Choice.
  • Avoid a Bracket Busting Claim: Insuring Special Events
    It’s time for March Madness! Are you planning a blowout that will make render an entirely new meaning to “bracket busting?” Has your neighborhood community center asked for a either a hold-harmless agreement or a damage deposit exceeding your current mortgage payment?

    Welcome to the world of personal event risk management!
  • Earth Day and Going “Green” with Your Homeowners Insurance
    "I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use the natural resources of our land; but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob, by wasteful use, the generations that come after us." – Theodore Roosevelt
    With Earth Day on April 22nd, Roosevelt’s call for responsible use of resources remains as relevant today as when he wrote it over a century ago, and many Americans are taking up the call as part of the “green” movement, particularly in the areas of construction and building. Whether you’re building a new home or are interested in retrofitting your home to be a “green” home, it’s important to recognize how taking these steps to make your home more environmentally friendly may require some special “green” insurance to protect them.
Insuring Your Happily Ever After
newlyweds.jpg
Getting married and embarking on a new life together is one of the most exciting experiences in two people’s lives. It’s a time of hope, promise, romance and … reality. Whether a couple is planning their wedding or deciding where to live, there are a lot of decisions to make before saying “I do,” especially when it comes to insurance.
 
Whether a walk down the aisle is in your future or you’re a newlywed, there are numerous insurance issues that come with being Mr. and Mrs. To keep them all straight, your Trusted Choice® independent insurance agent has these helpful tips on how getting married impacts your insurance. No wedding planner or over-priced flowers required.
 

Auto insurance

• Most auto insurers view marriage as an indication of greater responsibility – especially for men younger than 25 – so most  insurance companies offer lower premiums for married people.
 
• Getting hitched also means you can add your spouse and their car to your   auto insurance policy (or vice versa), which will likely lower your rate with a multi-vehicle discount.
 

Health Insurance

• Once you are married, most group  health insurance plans allow you to put your spouse on your plan – even if it’s outside the annual enrollment period. If you both are enrolled in group plans, analyze each of them based on your current and future health care needs.  One spouse’s plan my have a lower premium, but require a higher deductible. Also check each plan’s policy limits and rules about pre-existing conditions.
 
• If your new union includes new dependants, and you need to include them on your policy, you should contact your employer to add them to your policy. This can also be done outside the annual open enrollment period. If you have individual health insurance, you may need to prove the child or children’s insurability prior to adding them to the policy.
 

Life Insurance

• If you already have a  life insurance policy, you may want to update it so that your new spouse is the beneficiary. If you don’t have life insurance, tying the knot is a good time to get a policy. Life insurance provides you and your spouse with the peace of mind that you’re financially protected from the unexpected.
 

Homeowner’s/Renter’s Insurance

• Couples can save money on their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance once they are married for the simple reason that they’re under one roof instead of two. Couples who already live together, but have separate policies can get a joint policy after they tie the knot.
 
• Whether you’re moving in together or already cohabitating, chances are you’re going to receive wedding gifts. Be sure to update your home inventory and insurance policy to include these new items. If you don’t have an inventory, you should create one that includes everything of value that you and your spouse own. The Trusted Choice Mobile App includes a home inventory tool.
 
• It doesn’t matter if you’re the one who bought the engagement ring or you’re the one wearing it, you'll want that sparkler to be insured. Most homeowner’s and renter’s policies can be adjusted to include a personal property rider to cover the cost of replacing the ring.
 

Wedding Insurance

• Getting married usually means orchestrating a wedding or some sort of gathering for family and friends, and planning such a party comes with a hefty price tag. While couples make hundreds of decisions when planning their wedding – from finding a reception hall to choosing china – many don’t spend the time and money to get insurance for their big day. Wedding insurance policies are usually relatively inexpensive (about $125 to $275) and protect your big day from being spoiled by bad weather, illness/injury, or a missing officiant or vendor. Wedding insurance will also usually cover damage to or problems with your ceremony and/or reception sites that cause your wedding to be rescheduled.
 
Before you take your vows, make sure you have the right insurance to help you through good times and bad, in sickness and in health. Contact your Trusted Choice independent insurance agent with questions about your policy or if you need a new policy. Your agent is always happy to help newlyweds navigate their insurance – and you don’t even have to invite him or her to the wedding!
 

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127 South Peyton Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 800.221.7917
Fax: 703.683.7556
Email: Trusted.Choice@iiaba.net