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The consumer market today is all about choice and having options. Whatever we're buying, we like to have the biggest selection to choose from-- whether it's a department store or a restaurant menu, we like choice! Why should it be any different with our insurance? After all, protecting our homes, future and family is far more important than picking out shoes or something to eat!This brings me to today's topic-- captive agents versus independent agents. Insurance is a very personal matter-- needs vary from individual to individual and family to family. Insurance companies are all different. Each company has a specific target niche they are very comfortable and competitive with. Many companies factor in the same rating variables, such as age of roof, vicinity of fire station/hydrant, claims history, age of home, and more, but they don't all weigh each factor the same.There is a company out there that has a great rate for you with great benefits and coverage.Ask...

Time to Honor Dad   With summer drawing near and the weather warming up, Indiana’s neighborhoods come alive with the sights and sounds of the season: lawnmowers, power tools and backyard barbecues, to name a few.   For many people, those things all bring to mind one specific person: Dad. And since Father’s Day is just around the corner, we at Wilkinson Insurance Agency thought we’d give you some gift ideas - and some fun history trivia, too!   The history of Father’s Day Marked on the third Sunday of June in the United States (and in many other countries), Father’s Day was first celebrated in 1910 to complement Mother’s Day. According to Wikipedia, the day was created by Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Wash., who wanted to honor her father, Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart.   Although Dodd originally suggested her father’s birthday in early June, she had not provided organizers with enough time to arrange the event - and the celebration was delayed until the third...

Like most people, you probably own certain things you can't bear the thought of losing. Items you cherish and are very hard or impossible to replace. If you have a homeowner's or even a renter's insurance policy, you know they can be very helpful for covering the loss or damages to both your home and personal property. Some items, however, are only covered up to set limits as written in your policy. Nearly every company has "special limits" for certain types of items, although the limits vary from company to company. Some common items might include: jewelry, watches and furs antiques musical instruments art collections precious metals silverware and china autographed items one-of-a-kind or rare items So, look around your home and take an inventory of items that are precious and valuable to you and have a talk with your agent to discuss the best way to insure them. Adding a scheduled property endorsement, or rider, is usually the best way to insure items that fall under special limits. Keep in mind you...

Umbrellas or PCL's (Personal Catastrophe Liability) What is umbrella insurance? What exactly does it do? Glad you asked! Most people are pretty familiar with the liability coverage on their auto insurance policy. If you cause damage to someone else with a motorized vehicle, you are at fault and considered liable for the damages. Your insurance company pays for the damage up to the limits afforded by your policy. Pretty simple. Well, your homeowner's policy or even a renter's policy offers liability protection too! In fact, any situation that doesn't involve an auto, boat or any motorized vehicle, would be covered under your homeowner's policy. If your dog bites someone or you hit someone with a golf ball on the course, you can be sued for damages. Many people don't realize their insurance covers liability, not just property. But, what happens when the damages you cause exceed the limits you have on either policy? You are still liable for the damages after all. This leaves you at risk of losing your...

Is it flood or is it not? One of the most confusing areas of a homeowner's insurance policy has to do with covering water damage. Is it covered or excluded??? No traditional homeowner's policy offers any protection for flood insurance yet there is protection for water damage but it depends on the cause.  Without over-simplifying it, if water is purposely brought into the home (ie. plumbing) then any resulting damage is typically covered. If a pipe freezes or your water heater leaks and damages your carpet, for example, most homeowner's policies cover this.  It's important to keep in mind, insurance usually covers the cost to repair the damages only.  Suppose your water heater tank leaks and ruins your kitchen floor.  Your policy will cover the cost to replace your kitchen floor, but not necessarily the cost of a brand new water heater. Sump pump failure A similar optional coverage for homeowner's is called "water & sewer drain backup".  There are some instances, say, if you...

Burning down the house! Luckily, most of us have never experienced a house fire, but they happen and more often than you think. Numerous things can cause house fires but we want to warn you of a device almost every home has that can be dangerous...the laundry dryer!  Yes, dryer fires account for more than 15,000 home fires each year. This blog is focused on some of the steps you can take to prevent fires from occurring in your home. First and foremost, always get into a habit of cleaning your lint trap. Dryer lint is extremely flammable and if care isn't taken to clean the lint trap regularly, heat can cause the lint to ignite. Secondly, make sure the exhaust hoses are free from kinks and there's no build up of lint inside. Also, make sure you keep clear the area around your dryer.  Socks and other small articles of clothing can easily fall behind or under the dryer and be a possible hazard. This...