Oh, the great American road trip. Whether you are driving across the country, making a trip to visit our beautiful National Parks or simply just exploring different areas in your state, it is important to pack the right items on your road trip.

Basic safety and materials to have:

While you should always store papers like a copy of your car insurance and license and registration in your vehicle, you should also carry a first aid kit and a roadside emergency kit.

Other items:

• Flashlight
• Spare tire with useful tools+ make sure someone in the car knows how to change it
• Owner’s Manual

Personal Items to pack:

It’s really nice and sometimes imperative to have the following items packed.

• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Water bottle
• Car Phone Charger
• Hand sanitizer or wipes
• Car cooler with snacks
• Popular road trip snacks: sunflower seeds, trail mix, jerky, hard candy or suckers or granola bars. Mints and gum are great too.
• Anti-inflammatory medication
• UV window shade
• Thermos
• Blanket or pillow
• Cash
• Lip Balm/ChapStick
• Notebook, pen or pencil
• Napkins or a roll of paper towels. A roll of toilet paper doesn’t hurt either!

 Consider a Roadside Assistance Policy

Roadside Assistance can be added to your car insurance policy and is available from most insurance companies. It can also act as a standalone insurance policy. Roadside assistance can help you if you become stranded from a variety of things including but not limited to:

1. Flat Tires
2. Dead Battery
3. Run Out of Gas
4. Lock Yourself Out or Lose Your Keys
5. Disabled Vehicle
6. Towing if Vehicle Can’t Be Repaired Quickly
7. Winching if stuck in mud, snow or sand

We hope your summer road trip is a blast and that this article helps you prepare for your trip as well as stay safe on the road. If you have questions about your insurance, contact us before you leave!

With summer upon us, many of you will be getting your boats out or maybe even buying a new one. When it comes to insuring your boat, you don’t want a policy that is the least expensive – you want the right coverage. Boating season is so much fun and being on the water carries a certain risk. When you’re shopping for boat insurance, be sure that your policy includes three specific, and sometimes optional coverages:

1. On-Water Towing: If you’re out on the water and you boat breaks down or runs out of gas, this coverage will cover the cost of: getting you gas, soft un-groundings, towing your boat back into shore, jump starts and more. Don’t go without this coverage. Getting your boat towed on the water can be expensive.
2. Wreckage Removal: If your boat sinks, and it is required by law to remove it, this coverage pays up to the liability limits of your policy to bring your boat to the surface and remove it from the water.
3. Fuel Spill Cleanup: If you boat sinks or simply leaks fuel into the water, this coverage pays to clean up the fuel. The amount paid depends on your liability limits on your policy. Be sure you get enough liability insurance.

Owning a boat is a great adventure and the memories built on them are second to none! Give yourself the peace of mind by purchasing a boat insurance policy that not only protects you, but also protects those around you and your passengers. Many optional coverages exist and we can assist you in understanding what each of them means and find the right insurance policy for you.

Riding a scooter or moped isn’t only fun, but you look great riding one. The benefits of using a scooter to get around aren’t only limited to fun, fuel economy and ease of parking. Insurance is cheap too!

There are many situations where you may wonder if you even need insurance on a moped – I mean, what is the worst that can happen, right? Well, the same risks that exist with driving a vehicle exist on scooters as well, so insurance is always required when riding one.

Here are three claims scenarios where having scooter or moped insurance policy would benefit you:

1. You driving along with your scooter, it starts to rain and you lose control of your moped while going around a corner. While you fall off and manage to avoid injury, your scooter slides up onto the curb and hits a bystander. You would be liable for “failure to maintain control of your vehicle” and be liable for the injured parties medical bills. The same thing that happens in car accidents.
2. You’re driving around a friend who is visiting you from out of town. The two of you pile onto your Vespa and cruise the town. After a stop at a pub, you think you’re okay to drive. On the way home, you’re driving and rear-end a stopped vehicle. You and your friend are injured and you’re now liable for your friend’s medical bills and potentially lost wages.
3. You decide to take your moped on a cruise out to the countryside. Unbeknownst to you, you forget to fill up the tank and run out of gas in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately, you purchased a roadside assistance policy and call your insurance company for a fill-up.

Driving a scooter is fun and insuring one isn’t expensive when compared to an auto insurance policy. It is important not only for you to protect your financial future, but to protect those that are around you as well, including any passengers. Be smart, protect yourself with a scooter or moped insurance policy.

Ah, boating. Whether you enjoy taking your boat out for a ride, waterskiing or fishing, boats bring joy and relaxation. Like any vehicle, there comes risks with operating a boat and understanding your insurance coverage is crucial. While having a conversation with your local insurance agent can clarify any of your questions, we’ll share the five most common boating claims and the insurance that can cover it.

But first, you may want to know what some boat insurance coverages are. Coverages may include collision, property damage, liability, towing and assistance and comprehensive coverage. If you have a small watercraft, talk to your agent to see if your home insurance provides any coverage and if that makes sense for your situation.

Boat insurance cost varies for each individual such as your boat’s value, size, year, how you plan to use it and how much insurance coverage you want.

5 Common Boating Claims

Injury – Need Bodily Injury Liability Coverage

Injuries on the water are common.  If you caused somebody to get hurt in another boat or one of your passengers were injured, there are insurance coverage options. Bodily injury liability can cover medical bills, lost income, pain & suffering and legal expenses. Be sure you know how much you are covered for. Also, if you plan to use your boat for waterskiing or wakeboarding, talk to your agent about the specifics of your coverage for passengers if they were to get hurt while skiing.

How to lower your risk for a boating insurance injury:

• Take a boating safety class.
• Always have a life jacket for everyone on the boat. Be sure they fit the proper requirements.
• Be a defensive driver. Always be aware of your surroundings when driving your boat.
• Never drink and drive.

Hitting an underwater object – Need Collision Insurance Coverage

This potentially could cause major damage to your boat. Many boat claims come from hitting a rock or other submerged object you can’t see in the water.

How to lower your risk:

• If your boat has a depth sounder, always pay attention to it while driving.
• Follow the proper path for marked channels & be aware of water hazard markers.

Theft or Vandalized– Need Comprehensive Insurance Coverage

Comprehensive coverage will cover if your boat is stolen. It may or may not cover the items inside your boat. Talk to your agent about the details of your insurance policy.

Weather Damage – Check with Your Local Agent

Depending on where you plan to boat, there are always chances of a wind storm, lightning or hurricane. Speak with your agent to know if your boat is covered from any storm damage, as well as flood damage.

Accident with another boat or object– Need Collision Coverage

This may be covered with your standard boat insurance policy. Talk with your local insurance agent to go over specific scenarios where coverage may vary.

Many additional boat insurance options exist. We have policies that will cover your personal items while on the water such as fishing equipment and wakeboards. Want to be sure you get the right boat insurance policy? Call our licensed agents at Trucordia. We’ll find ways to save you money & help explain your insurance coverage so you know exactly what you are covered for.

Check if the website it secure.

A simple way to check is to look for the lock symbol in the left corner of the search browser. Any website where you are putting in your credit card information or personal information should have this.

If shopping online, are you using websites you are familiar with?

While Googling something like “Best DSLR camera” is fine, when it comes to making a purchase, it should be from a reputable company. Watch out for paid advertisements from unknown sellers.  If you’re unfamiliar with the company, you could even Google the company to see what comes up. You may learn they have poor reviews. This could save you a headache. It could also be the opposite where it’s a new company & have helped hundreds of people. Regardless, buy from a reputable company or do your research first. Shopping local is always a good bet.

Never click on links in your email from an unknown person.

Many times your email will sift through the “junk mail” and place it directly in your junk folder. Other times, scammers will try to be tricky by sending email from familiar names of either a person you know or a known institution. Always look at the email address from the sender. Most likely it’s a fake email address. If a link is included in the email, never click on it.

Other tips:

Check your bank statements every month.

Your bank can do a great job monitoring and may even catch fraudulent charges before they happen. However, it’s important to check your bank statements every month to ensure every charge is correct.

Reach out to your insurance agent.

While your banking institutions and credit card issuers do offer some protection against fraudulent charges to your accounts, did you know that your homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance plan may offer additional protection if your identity is stolen? In addition to your own diligence, your homeowners, condo or renters insurance policies can offer some extra protection. For a small yearly fee (typically less than $40 per year) your insurance policy may cover expenses related to court fees, loan reapplication fees (if denied due to identity theft), notary fees and more. Some insurance plans may also include access to an identity theft counselor, someone to assist with reporting fraudulent activity and to act as a liaison to the major credit report bureaus on your behalf. Identity theft plans will vary by carrier and state, so be sure to ask your agent about plans available.

If you have questions about your home, condo or renters insurance, contact Trucordia. Our agents can review your current coverage or provide a quote on a new insurance policy. Contact us today!