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Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702

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Insurance Blog

Evaluating Your Auto Insurance Needs in Pennsylvania: When to Update Your Coverage

As your life evolves, so do your auto insurance needs. For residents of Wilkes-Barre, PA, staying on top of these changes is crucial for maintaining adequate protection. The Shay Agency is here to help guide you through the process of evaluating and updating your coverage to suit your current circumstances.

Life Events That May Impact Your Auto Insurance

Many life events can trigger the need to reassess your auto insurance coverage. Some common examples include:

  1. Purchasing a New Vehicle: If you’ve recently bought a new car, updating your insurance policy to reflect the change is essential. You may need to adjust your coverage levels or consider adding optional coverages, such as GAP insurance, for better protection.

  2. Adding a Driver: Whether you have a new teen driver or another family member joining your household, adding them to your policy is a must. An experienced agent can help you understand the implications of adding a driver and recommend any necessary adjustments to your coverage.

  3. Moving to a New Location: Relocating within Wilkes-Barre, PA, or beyond may affect your insurance premiums and coverage needs. Different neighborhoods or states can have varying risk factors, impacting your rates and coverage requirements.

  4. Significant Mileage Changes: If you’ve changed jobs, retired, or started working from home, your daily commute may have changed significantly. Updating your policy to reflect these changes can ensure you’re not overpaying for coverage or lacking the necessary protection.

Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, but you don’t have to navigate them alone. We are here to support you through every stage of life, offering guidance and expertise in adjusting your auto insurance coverage to suit your evolving needs.

Are you experiencing life changes that may impact your auto insurance needs? Contact The Shay Agency today to schedule a policy review with our experienced agents. We’ll help you find the right coverage to protect you, no matter what life throws your way.

Reasons Home Insurance is Important

If you are a homeowner, it is imperative that you have home insurance in place. The agents at the Shay Agency, serving the Wilkes-Barre, PA area, want you to know and understand how vital home insurance is since we never know when tragedy will strike.

Reasons Home Insurance is Important

A home insurance policy can help protect your house from any type of cataclysmic event. These types of events can include natural disasters, such as tornadoes and earthquakes, as well as fires or even acts of vandalism.

If your home is burglarized, a home insurance policy can help you with any damage from such an incident and replace stolen items. This is due to the fact that home insurance covers not only the structure of your house but the contents as well. This can include your furniture, clothing, other personal belongings, appliances, and more.

Some insurance policies will also include any outbuildings on your property. Decks, garages, and sheds are just three examples of the type of outbuildings a home insurance policy can include.

Home insurance can also protect you from a lawsuit if a visitor to your home is injured while they are on your property. Your policy can help pay for their medical bills and any lost wages that they suffer due to their injury.

An adequate amount of home insurance will also provide you with peace of mind and knowing that the largest investment you will probably make in your lifetime is protected adequately.

Contact The Shay Agency

To get your home insurance policy started today, call one of the agents at the Shay Agency serving the Wilkes-Barre, PA area to assist you!

Five things you need to know about life insurance

You can have more than one beneficiary.

Most people believe you are only allowed to have one beneficiary. Contrary to that belief, you can have as many beneficiaries as you would like. The only limit to that is minors. Life insurance policies will not pay out to minors. If children are involved, setting up a trust fund for them is recommended.

Cash value policies vary between insurance companies

Some life insurance policies start low at a younger age and then get bigger as you age. Other life insurance policies increase slowly over time. Talk to your insurance provider to see what type of life insurance policy you have.

There are different types of life insurance policies.

There are two different types of life insurance policies. You need to ensure you get the right policy for your needs. The first type of life insurance is called term life insurance and has an expiration date. It ends on a specific date or when you die, whichever comes first. The second type of life insurance is permanent or cash-value life insurance. Permanent life insurance ends when you die and doesn’t have an end date.

Purchasing online doesn’t always mean cheaper.

Many people purchase their life insurance policy online, thinking it is cheaper. In reality, it is about the same cost. Talking with an insurance agent to ensure you get the coverage you need is a good idea.

Research your options

There are many options available. It would be best to research the costs and coverage types before buying your insurance policy.

Contact The Shay Agency

At The Shay Agency, we can help you find the right life insurance policy to suit your needs in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Is Auto Insurance Required in Pennsylvania?

The auto insurance agents at the Shay Agency serve the Wilkes-Barre, PA area and want drivers to be aware of the minimum amount of auto insurance coverage they need to have in Pennsylvania.

Minimum Amount of Coverage in Pennsylvania

Under Pennsylvania State laws, all vehicles must be registered, and the owner must have a minimum amount of auto insurance. This includes a minimum amount of bodily injury liability coverage and a minimum amount of property damage insurance. Each driver should also have first-party benefits along with uninsured motorist coverage and uninsured motorist coverage. Drivers can request to be able to drive without uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage and may be granted that exemption.

Other Auto Insurance Options

There are many other auto insurance coverage options that drivers can choose from:

Comprehensive Coverage

If you own a vehicle, having comprehensive auto insurance coverage in place is a good idea. This is because you never know what may happen in the future, such as a natural disaster. If your vehicle is destroyed or damaged by a tornado or other natural weather event, you will want to have it replaced or repaired immediately. This type of insurance will help you achieve that. Comprehensive insurance coverage will also assist you in replacing your vehicle, repairing fire damage, vandalism, or if it is stolen.

Collison Insurance

Collision insurance is a great coverage to have because you never know when you are going to collide with another vehicle or a stationary object .Your lender may require both collision and comprehensive coverage if you still owe money for your vehicle.

Contact Us

To ensure that you have the appropriate amount of auto insurance coverage, contact the experienced and knowledgeable auto insurance agencies at the Shay Agency in the Wilkes-Barre, PA area today!

Will commercial insurance cover the vehicles I use for business?

As a business owner, you may have vehicles that play a part in the operation of your business. As a result, you’ll need insurance coverage specifically designed for company vehicles or vehicles used for business purposes. Standard car insurance isn’t designed to provide coverage for vehicles used for business operations. The Shay Agency helps business owners get the coverage they need to successfully and legally run all business areas. Pennsylvania and New York business owners who use vehicles for their day-to-day operations should consider commercial auto insurance.

What is Commercial Insurance?

Commercial insurance is insurance designed to protect your business assets and provide liability protection for any number of business-related things. Business or commercial insurance can protect your property, employees, and company vehicles if you have them. This insurance will also provide legal protection for your business in terms of both bodily injury and property damage lawsuits. Commercial insurance can also provide other forms of protection to meet your business’s unique needs.

Will Commercial Insurance Cover the Vehicles I use for Business?

Yes. Commercial auto insurance is designed to provide coverage for the vehicles you drive for business purposes. A standard auto insurance policy will not cover the vehicles you drive for business purposes. Commercial auto insurance is designed to meet the needs of businesses. As a result, the limits and provisions of commercial auto insurance have a wider range to accommodate the needs of vehicles driven for business use. A business vehicle is often used to meet customers, haul goods, products, supplies, and tools. A business vehicle can also be used for business travel and more. If you have questions regarding commercial auto insurance, call us. We’d be happy to discuss the benefits of commercial auto insurance.

Different types of auto insurance available

When you think about auto insurance, it is easy to think about the minimum requirements that most states have in place. The type of auto insurance that is required at a minimum is liability insurance. Although liability is a part of auto insurance coverage, other types of auto insurance are also available. So the question is, what types of auto insurance coverage are available?

Liability coverage

This is the type of coverage required to have a licensed driver in most states. Liability insurance covers other people if you are in an accident and are at fault. If you damage other people’s property or someone is injured due to your driving, it can help pay for medical bills, damage replacement costs, and in the event of a lawsuit.

Comprehensive and collision coverage

Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your vehicle in the case of natural disasters, vandalism, theft, and anything that isn’t a collision with another car.

Collision insurance helps pay for damage to your vehicle related to an accident with another car.

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage

Sometimes, when you get into an accident, the other driver either doesn’t have enough insurance to cover the damages or does not have insurance coverage. This is where uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage comes in. If the other driver is at fault but doesn’t have the right amount of liability insurance, then your insurance coverage takes care of the damage done by the driver at fault.

Medical payments coverage

Medical payment coverage helps pay for some of your medical costs if you are injured in a car accident. Unlike liability insurance, this coverage type will help pay for medical expenses for you, whether you are at fault or not.

Contact Us

Contact us at The Shay Agency in Wilkes-Barre, PA for more information about auto insurance policies.

Tips for getting your home ready for winter

With cold winds whipping across the state and the days getting shorter, it is time to start thinking of how to prepare your home for winter. At The Shay Agency in Wilkes-Barre, PA, we are independent insurance agents that put the needs of our customers first. We will find you the right policy for the right price. 

Preparing for snow

Snow is one of the beauties of winter, but it also poses various hazards that you need to be prepared for. With yearly averages of more than 40 inches, having a snow blower can be very helpful. Making sure it is tuned up should be done before the first snowfall. Time to pick up a bag of salt and sand to keep your walkways from being a slip-and-fall hazard. 

Make sure your home is warm.

Getting a furnace cleaning and tune-up is even more important this year than ever. You want your furnace to be as efficient as possible. If you have a fireplace, this is also the time to get your chimney cleaned so that you can enjoy a warm fire crackling on the hearth. 

A safe home

In the cold weather, you spend more time indoors, and it is a good idea to make sure that your smoke and carbon monoxide are working and that the backup batteries are fresh. 

Plug the holes

It is time to ensure you are not losing your precious heat. Adding an extra layer of insulation to your attic is the first step. Check the fit of all your windows and doors, and use caulk and weather stripping to plug the leaks. 

Contact The Shay Agency in Wilkes-Barre, PA when you need to change or review your home insurance policy. We will give you the benefit of our years of experience. 

Protect Your Livelihood with Commercial Insurance

Are you a business owner in Wilkes-Barre, PA? Have you got insurance to protect your most important asset? The Shay Agency can provide you with a quote or answer any questions you may have.

Why Commercial Insurance?

Commercial insurance, or business insurance as it is more commonly known, protects your business financially from risks such as customer or employee injuries, client lawsuits, property damage, theft, or other unexpected events.

Even though a business owner’s policy and a commercial package policy both protect businesses, there is a difference. A BOP (business owners’ policy) is a bundled package of different coverage for companies with small to medium-sized risks. A CCP (commercial package policy) is tailored to the specific needs and risks of the business.

Most commercial leases require business liability insurance. It is important for Pennsylvania businesses to have this protection against third-party risks. A commercial general liability policy will protect a business from financial loss in the event you are responsible for property damage, or personal or advertising injury caused by your service, employees, or your business operations.

Commercial property coverage will protect your company’s physical assets from vandalism, theft, weather events, fire, explosions, or burst pipes. Floods and earthquakes usually are not covered by commercial property insurance unless added to the policy.

Common commercial insurance packages include liability, workers, and property. The types of policies issued depend on the business.

Things to look for when choosing a commercial insurance carrier:

  • Note the premiums and look at the inclusions
  • Compare carrier ratings
  • Compare policy limits
  • Make sure the policy provides commercial property coverage
  • How much is the deductible?

Get The Right Coverage Today

Don’t let your most valuable asset remain unprotected. Contact the insurance professionals at The Shay Agency in Wilkes-Barre, PA to receive the answers you need today.

Three reasons why minimum motorcycle insurance levels are often inadequate

Motorcycle owners in Wilkes-Barre, PA and the surrounding communities can rely on The Shay Agency for all their insurance needs. When it comes to this type of insurance, the mandated minimums are sometimes inadequate. If you have questions about which motorcycle policy is right for you, give us a call or come by the office.

Three reasons why it’s a good idea to increase your motorcycle protection

A basic motorcycle may be all that you need, but there are many reasons why it may be a good idea to increase your policy levels. Here are 3 to consider when choosing your policy. There are many different bike policies available that can provide the robust coverage that you want and need. 

  1. Medical expense coverage – unfortunately, serious motorcycle accidents often cause serious injuries. If you want to ensure that you have coverage for possible medical expenses, a higher limit will provide that protection.
  2. Theft and vandalism – many motorcycle policies don’t cover theft or vandalism. This is something that can make a lot of bike owners question the completeness of a basic policy. 
  3. Liability – no one wants to come out of pocket for liability due to an accident. With the proper liability coverage in your motorcycle policy, you can protect yourself from personal financial obligations.

We are here to answer your questions about motorcycle insurance!

The Shay Agency is here to help motorcycle owners in the Wilkes-Barre, PA area with their insurance needs. If you have questions about the level of protection that’s right for you, we can help. Please stop by our office or give us a call today and let us help you determine which policy is right for you.

Three reasons why flood insurance is so essential

At The Shay Agency, we encourage homeowners in Wilkes-Barre, PA to invest in flood insurance. There are many reasons why homeowners need to invest in this important type of insurance coverage.

The following are three reasons why flood insurance is so essential. 

Flood coverage is not typically included in standard home insurance policies.

Property owners must realize that a standard home insurance policy won’t include flood coverage. This makes it especially important to invest in flood insurance coverage to protect the value of your property. 

Flood damage can destroy your property.

Property owners need to understand how devastating flood damage can be. If your area experiences a natural disaster that leads to extensive flooding, your home could be destroyed.

With flood insurance, you can protect the value of your property and avoid too much financial risk as a property owner resulting from situations that involve flooding and water damage. 

Many properties are at risk of flood damage.

Regardless of the area of the country in which your property is located, you’re likely to have some risk of flood damage that you need to consider when it comes to insuring your property.

Your property could experience flood damage even if you’re not in an area officially designated as a flood zone. That’s why it’s always best to invest in flood insurance to be cautious and protect yourself against flood risk.    

At The Shay Agency, we can come to your assistance if you’re looking for flood insurance coverage in the Wilkes-Barre, PA area. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our policies or to get a quote on a flood insurance policy.