How to Get Classic Car Insurance For Your Vehicle

Posted on May 25, 2022May 25, 2022 by admin

If you own a classic car, you know how rare it is to get car insurance for them. You can usually expect to find a gap in the coverage when you drive your car as a classic, but it’s still essential to have it in case of an accident. It would be best not to worry about getting classic car insurance for a newer car. 925 Partners serving at Jacksonville, FL can help if you’re stranded.

When Is Classic Car Insurance Not Needed?

Classic car insurance is not needed if you are only driving your classic car to a Classic Car Show or other activities where the vehicle is not being driven on public roads. However, it is a good idea to keep classic car insurance in your wallet all the time, just in case of an unforeseen event like a car accident or theft. Classic car insurance does not cover you if you ever sell the car. However, if you have the vehicle repaired, it might be best to have classic car insurance.

You also don’t need the insurance to drive a classic car, but it is a good idea to take out a policy if you keep the car for long periods. Classic car insurance is still a good idea, even if you drive it around the block. It provides cover against the possibility of damage. Consider having roadside assistance in place if you plan to keep the car for any time.

Who Should Get Classic Car Insurance?

You should get classic car insurance if you consider buying a classic car. Even though it is a collector’s item, it is still essential to have insurance to protect yourself whenever there’s an accident. You may find that collecting a certain car is more expensive than you expected or does not come with the same coverage as a new car. Classic car insurance can help protect you if you ever sell your car and cannot get enough coverage money for repairs. Consider getting classic car insurance if you plan to drive a more than 15 years old car.

The best classic car insurance policies will cover the cost of any maintenance required on the car and any necessary repairs due to accidents that have been caused by the car. The classic car insurance policies will also cover any additional costs of owning a vintage or classic cars, like licensing fees, registration fees, and insurance for the car’s accessories, like the engine and transmission. Some classic car insurance companies may even offer to finance the car, which can reduce the cost of the classic car insurance even further. The last thing you want is to unnecessarily spend a lot of money on classic car insurance. For help, call 925 Partners, a firm serving clients in Jacksonville, FL.

Is it time to get an umbrella policy for your business?

Posted on April 29, 2022May 3, 2022 by admin

Are you a business owner in the greater Jacksonville, FL area? The team here at 925 Partners is available to help you with all of your commercial insurance needs. Our team can help whether it’s time to upgrade your current policy or add an umbrella policy to your commercial insurance portfolio. Give us a call today to schedule a consultation.

Is it time for an umbrella policy for your business?

Protecting a business from loss, liability, or damage can feel impossible. While there’s no guarantee that the future will work out the way you want it to, it is possible to be prepared for the unexpected.

Umbrella insurance is an effective way to ensure that your business will be able to weather most storms and continue thriving into the future. When your primary commercial policy is exhausted due to policy limits, having an umbrella policy already in place can help to fill any gaps.

This type of policy is a secondary one that will come into play when your company experiences significant losses that exhaust the primary policy of record.

With an umbrella policy, you can continue to receive coverage and help to protect your company’s assets, inventory, and equipment. And depending on the way that your firm is structured, having the right umbrella policy in place can also help protect the company’s principals from personal liability. Find out more today!

You can count on us

925 Partners is proud to serve the business community of the greater Jacksonville, FL area. If it’s time to upgrade your company’s insurance, call us today. We can schedule a consultation to review your options and help your company get its coverage.

Should I Get Term or Permanent Life Insurance?

Posted on March 31, 2022April 5, 2022 by admin

There are two main types of life insurance: term and permanent. So, which one is right for you? Here’s a look at each.

Term life insurance is just what it sounds like: insurance that lasts for a fixed period, or “term.” It’s typically cheaper than permanent life insurance. It is a good option if you need coverage for a specific period, such as until your children finish college or you retire.

Pros of Term Life Insurance

Cheaper: Term insurance tends to be cheaper than permanent life insurance because it covers you for a set period and pays out only if you die during that term.
Flexibility: You can often buy term life insurance for 10- or 20-year periods, which makes it ideal if you don’t know how long you need to be insured.

On the other hand, permanent life insurance covers you for your entire lifetime. It’s more expensive than term life insurance, but it also has some valuable perks, such as cash value that grows over time. Here’s a quick look at the differences between term and permanent life insurance, as well as some of the pros of each:

Pros of Permanent Life Insurance

Coverage for Your Entire Lifetime: Unlike term insurance, permanent coverage is guaranteed to last as long as you remain insured.
Cash Value: If you purchase enough permanent coverage, you can build up a cash value that you can use for retirement or other financial needs.
More Investment Options: You can invest some of your permanent coverage’s cash value through its policy, allowing you to earn interest on it.

Term life insurance is cheaper and usually shorter-term, while permanent life insurance has a higher cost and covers you for your entire life. As a result of these factors, term life insurance is best if you know the exact period you need coverage for, while permanent life insurance is ideal if you want coverage until your retirement. Looking for life insurance in Jacksonville, FL? 925 Partners offers a variety of life insurance products that can help you meet your needs.

What’s Driving Auto Rates?

Posted on February 15, 2022February 15, 2022 by Sarah Lane

Auto insurers dealing with the “pandemic price”

Across seemingly every news outlet, it’s hard to escape reports of inflation and rising consumer prices.

And, like other goods and services across the economy, auto insurance rates are a part of the conversation. Currently, many carriers are raising prices to account for unexpected costs—but what’s driving those decisions?

You guessed it. It’s primarily pandemic related, but perhaps not in the ways you might think. As you have conversations with your clients about rising auto insurance costs, the following may help you better explain what’s driving rates to help them better understand the situation.

A return to “normal”

Of course, we’re hardly back to “normal” as the world continues to wrestle with the pandemic, but driving behavior, particularly vehicle miles traveled, has essentially “normalized” and returned to pre-pandemic levels.

At the outset of the pandemic, miles driven dropped, claims fell, and insurers issued refunds/credits, lowered rates, or both. As 2021 unfolded, driving behavior picked up as did claims frequency and, in turn, insurers’ costs.¹Most auto insurers subsequently found themselves underpriced.

Rising repair and replacement costs

For insurers the past predicts the future. Generally speaking, insurers review historical data and trends to set prices for future expected costs. The pandemic, however, upended expected repair and replacement costs in ways that were challenging to anticipate. Case in point: unpredictable pandemic-related supply chain disruptions and labor shortages have driven claims costs up substantially.²

In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that average expenditures for vehicle repairs have risen more than 4% over the last year, while used car and truck prices have skyrocketed by more than 40% over the same period.³

When you combine the uptick in vehicle miles driven and the related increase in claims with rising costs to cover those claims, carriers are paying a “pandemic price” that will affect rates throughout the auto insurance industry in the near term.

How agents can help

Knowledge is power, and while rate increases can be difficult for consumers to accept, as their trusted, expert adviser, you can provide valuable information and context to help your clients understand what’s driving these rate changes.

Consumers choose independent agents for their knowledge and guidance, and in challenging times like these, agents can help clear up confusion, provide expert counsel, and deliver the peace of mind consumers crave in uncertain times.

U.S. Federal Highway Administration, Vehicle Miles Traveled, Monthly Report: June 2021.
Insurance Information Institute, “Auto Insurance Rates Impacted By Labor Crunch, Supply Chain Disruptions,” June 2021.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, Table 2: July 2021.
Manheim, Used Vehicle Value Index: June 2021.

Article written by: Keith J. Mita, CIC CPCU AIC – Progressive Insurance Sr. Sales Representative – Personal Lines

How to check if your home or business is on a flood zone

Posted on February 7, 2022February 1, 2022 by admin

Flooding is a serious problem for home and business owners in Jacksonville, FL. The available flood insurance comes with a 30-day waiting period which might not be helpful if flooding occurs during the waiting period. One of the most common challenges among many homeowners is checking whether their property is in a flood zone. If this is your problem, you’re at the right place. This article will outline various ways you can use to check whether your property is in a flood zone or not.

Check the FEMA flood maps

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a tool that makes it easier to check whether your home is in a flood zone or not. The flood map shows critical information like floodways, zones and risk levels. The map labels specific areas around your property as areas of minimal flood hazard or annual chance of flood hazard.

Ask your flood insurance provider

Your flood insurance provider already knows your flood risk level. At 925 Partners we require your flood risk information when you buy flood insurance for the first time. In most cases, this information helps to determine your insurance rates.

Track changes in topography

With the growing economy, construction and changes in flood plains and topography, flood zone designations can change over time. If your home was marked as a low-risk flood area five years ago, the changes in your neighborhood could change for the worse. Check different projects in your area and assess how they affect flood risk levels.

Hire a professional

Reading maps is not enough to determine your flood risk, as they change regularly. Consider hiring a property expert to check the property using the right tools and expertise. It’s even more critical if you suspect you’re buying a property in a high-risk flood area. A licensed surveyor can advise you accordingly or get the home elevated above the flood level.

Need more information about flood insurance or flood risk levels in Jacksonville, FL? Contact 925 Partners for all your flood insurance needs, and we will be happy to help you.

Commercial Transportation Insurance FAQs

Posted on January 31, 2022February 1, 2022 by admin

Are you in the trucking business? While you are doing everything to navigate this line of business, you need commercial transportation insurance to cushion your business against numerous risks in this industry. Want to learn more about transportation insurance? Don’t worry, because 925 Partners of Jacksonville, FL got you covered when it comes to commercial insurance needs.

What is transportation insurance?

As mentioned, this insurance coverage covers small businesses and owner-operators in the trucking business. You don’t need to have a fleet of trucks to invest in transportation insurance. Even if you have one or two trucks, transportation insurance is pivotal for your business.

Generally, you need transportation insurance if you are:

An independent own-operator or truck driver
Commercial transport/logistics business
You operate in any business that has trucks, drivers, and transportation

From a single truck to a fleet of trucks, commercial transportation insurance is not only legally required but cushions your business against multiple risks.

What does transportation insurance cover?

Here are the areas covered by transportation insurance:

Physical damage: Like standard auto insurance, transportation insurance has collision and comprehensive coverages to protect your trucks against risks like accidents, fire, theft, and other hazards listed in your policy.
Liability coverage: Since trucks are heavy, the liability claims can be pretty significant if you are at fault for an accident. The liability insurance covers you when accused of property damage and bodily injury. It also covers you when sued.
Non-trucking coverage: Transportation coverage covers you when your trailer isn’t transporting goods. For instance, bobtail insurance covers the truck after goods have been delivered or when using the truck for personal reasons.

There are plenty of other areas covered by transportation insurance. To learn more about this coverage, please contact 925 Partners. Else, you can pass by our Jacksonville, FL offices to chat with one of our agents.

NFIP Flood Insurance Changes

Posted on January 3, 2022January 3, 2022 by Sarah Lane

Flood Risk Rating 2.0

925 Partners Insurance

Austin Williams, VP Personal Division

The National Flood program will start implementing its new Flood Risk Rating 2.0 starting on 10/01/2021 for new policies and 04/01/2022 or later as each policy comes up for renewal. While there are quite a few changes with this new rating system I have highlighted the biggest changes below:

How the rates are derived. FEMA will use both FEMA sourced data and other outside sources as well as the cost to rebuild, new rating variables, and flood frequency to calculate rates under Risk Rating 2.0. Each property has their own individual rate based on their flood risk. Prior to the change the address, value of home, or flood frequency were not used to calculate rates. Currently, policyholders with lower-valued homes are paying more than their share of the risk while policyholders with higher-valued homes are paying less than their share of the risk. Because Risk Rating 2.0 considers rebuilding costs, FEMA can equitably distribute premiums across all policyholders based on home value and a property’s unique flood risk.
Another big change is New Business with effective dates after 10/1/2021 will not require an Elevation Certificate, but if one is entered and more beneficial, it will be used. If the Elevation Certificate is not as beneficial as the information determined by FEMA, the policyholder will not be penalized, it will simply not be used. Prior to this change if the property was in a high-risk flood zone (A, AE, VE, V) then an elevation certificate was required to get flood coverage.
Rates will be calculated per thousand, opposed to per hundred previously, this means coverages will need to be in thousands.
No longer including basements, enclosures, and crawlspaces in the number of floors. Prior to this change a crawlspace was counted as a floor so rating was from the ground level. With this change, homes on a crawlspace or elevated enclosure could see premium reductions as they will now be rating from the next higher floor/actual first floor.
Prior claims variable applied at renewal of a policy, AFTER the first loss reported under Risk Rating 2.0.

While there are quite a few changes, some things are remaining unchanged:

Existing statutory limits on annual premium rate increases require that most rates not increase more than 18% per year.
The current flood maps will still be used in determining flood zone and if flood insurance will be mandatory for purchase with a mortgage.
FEMA will continue to offer premium discounts for pre-FIRM (homes built prior to the area being mapped for flood zones) subsidized and newly mapped properties.
Policyholders will still be able to transfer their discount to a new owner by assigning their flood insurance policy when their property changes ownership.
Discounts to policyholders in communities who participate in the Community Rating System will continue. Communities will continue to earn National Flood Insurance Program rate discounts of 5% – 45% based on the Community Rating System classification. These discounts are earned by the communities based on initiatives and being proactive in their flood plain management and vary by community. However, since Risk Rating 2.0 does not use flood zones to determine flood risk, the discount will be uniformly applied to all policies throughout the participating community, regardless of whether the structure is inside or outside of the Special Flood Hazard Area.

Quite a few home insurance carriers and other stand-alone private carriers offer flood insurance and those programs remained unchanged by the National Flood Program changes mentioned above. If you have further questions on how these changes will impact your home or business, please call/email us and talk to one of our flood insurance experts. We can be reached at 855-925-1200 or admin@925partners.com

What you need to know about classic car insurance

Posted on December 13, 2021December 8, 2021 by admin

At 925 Partners, we understand that classic cars are a lot more than just a hobby. If you are a classic car owner in the Jacksonville, FL area, we are here to help you with all of your insurance needs.

Classic car insurance: what you need to know

Classic car insurance policies differ from traditional car insurance policies in a number of ways. For instance, where you store your car can make a big difference in the type of coverage you need. How often and how far you drive your car can also change your insurance requirements. Someone who keeps their classic car in temperature-controlled storage and only drives it once or twice a year to classic car shows will have different needs than someone who has their car at home and drives it more frequently.

When it comes to classic cars, you will want to make sure that you have the right coverage for your vehicle as well as your unique situation. There is no reason to be overwhelmed by the process of selecting your policy and coverage levels, as our team is here to help! Find out more about the options available and how they can suit your needs today.

Rely on us for all of your classic car insurance needs

If you live in the greater Jacksonville, FL area and require classic car insurance, you can rely on the team at 925 Partners. We understand that a classic car is more than just a vehicle and we want to help you protect your asset. Give us a call or stop by our office today and meet with one of our helpful agents.

Who should buy umbrella insurance in Jacksonville, FL?

Posted on November 22, 2021December 8, 2021 by admin

Who should buy umbrella insurance in Jacksonville, FL?

Name: 925 Partners Insurance Agency
Address: 12735 Gran Bay Parkway, Suite 130-B, Jacksonville, FL, 32258
Telephone: 855-925-1200

Ever wondered why most of your standard home or auto policies have liability coverage? Our litigious society makes us vulnerable to lawsuits that are often too expensive to pay. Insurance companies in Jacksonville, FL are keen to ensure that policyholders have enough liability coverage to help pay for legal fees if they’re sued. That’s why 925 Partners recommend having umbrella insurance. So, who should buy umbrella insurance? Is it necessary? Read on to find out!

Car or boat owners

If you cause a car or boat accident, expenses can quickly skyrocket, especially if there are multiple people injured or multiple vehicles involved. Without enough liability to cover property damage and injuries, you may end up getting sued. With umbrella insurance, you don’t have to worry if your car or boat insurance is not enough, as the policy will pay the rest.

Parents

Being a parent in Jacksonville, FL, especially to young children, means dealing with cases of property damage and injuries. If your child hits another child or damages a neighbor’s property, you will be held accountable for the injuries or damages. It’s worse if you’re sued.

Business people

As a business person, you’re more likely to get sued by your customers or employees for various reasons, including injuries at the workplace. Commercial umbrella insurance can help pay for your defense fees if your liability coverage is not enough.

Dog owners

If your dog bites other people, you can be sued for the injuries. Fortunately, umbrella insurance can pay for the legal fees if your home insurance liability coverage is not enough to pay for everything.

There are so many reasons you may want to add an extra layer of liability protection to what you already have. If you need any help, feel free to contact 925 Partners, and our team will be happy to help.

Life insurance FAQs

Posted on October 15, 2021October 5, 2021 by admin

One of the most important things you can do for your family is to purchase life insurance. While you are with them, you are there to support them emotionally and financially. Life insurance extends that care after you are no longer there in person. If you have questions about life insurance, you are not the only one. Having an independent insurance agent who can answer your questions makes purchasing life insurance easier. At 925 Partners in Jacksonville, FL, we have a team of professionals who work to provide our clients with personalized service.

What type of life insurance should I buy?

Basically, there are two types of life insurance; term life, and whole life. Term life insurance is called term because it lasts for a specific number of years. At the end of the term, you may be able to extend your policy, but the rate will go up. Whole life insurance lasts for your entire life and it earns cash value. Term life is less expensive, but once it ends, if your health has deteriorated, you may no longer be able to buy life insurance. Both types have benefitts and negatives.

How much life insurance do I need?

This is a complex subject that doesn’t have just one answer. How much life insurance you need is particular to your situation and who depends on your wages. It also depends on what your income is.

Can anyone take out an insurance policy on me?

No, a stranger can not purchase life insurance for you. To purchase life insurance for someone, you must have an insurable interest.

Can I choose a child as a beneficiary?

You can choose anyone you want as the beneficiary, but be aware that a child will not be able to collect the money until they are of legal age in the state where they live.

Contact 925 Partners in Jacksonville, FL when you need information about life insurance.