Author: zapierzzz

The final segment in our video series about what insurance a small business actually needs.

Bad Luck Case #5
We review the need for Employment Practices Liability Insurance.

Bad Luck Case #6
A Key Man Life Insurance Policy would have been very helpful, giving the business valuable time to recover from the loss.

Call Independent Insurance Counselors in Alvin TX at (281) 331-3131

In June 2021, the following question was asked, “Why is my homeowners premium going up?” There are many issues creating the premium increases. Since Independent Insurance Counselors is located near the coast, a large portion of our homeowners insurance clients are located in tier one. That means their homes are located in a county like Brazoria or Galveston County that borders the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, the windstorm peril greatly affects the insurance premium for homes in first and also second-tier counties like Harris and Fort Bend.
So let’s start with the windstorm peril. The majority of insurance companies buy insurance to protect themselves from catastrophic losses. It’s called reinsurance, and reinsurance is a major expense to the insurance companies. Since the reinsurance cost is passed on to the consumer, the reinsurance cost is a major factor regarding your homeowners premium rate.
Now let’s look at the hurricane history for the United States over the past 10 years. The first five years, from 2011 through 2015, we had an average of two major hurricanes per year. The loss history was low. As a result, the cost of reinsurance became very cheap, and your homeowners premium should have dropped a few years ago. Unfortunately, the next five years, we were not as lucky. 2017 was the most costly property damage hurricane season ever. And not to be outdone, 2020 set a record with 30 named storms, including 13 hurricanes, with 12 of the hurricanes making landfall.
Think about it. Louisiana was hit by five hurricanes in 2020. While the entire East and Gulf Coast only average two major storms annually from 2011 through 2015. The catastrophic losses went way up, and the reinsurance rates and your homeowners rates followed. The bottom line is the homeowners product is not as profitable to the insurance companies as it was five years ago. And with the recent freeze, 2021 is not looking very profitable to the carriers either.
Another big factor is COVID-19. All of the shutdowns have created a shortage of construction supplies. You used to be able to get a sheet of OSB for $7. I bought a sheet in March. It was 37 bucks. The point is the cost of the building materials has caused the replacement cost of your home to go higher.
For instance, our office was working on a commercial account that had a small building. The renewal was in four months. Prior to quoting the insurance, we ran a replacement cost estimator. The client liked our proposal but wanted to wait until their renewal date for us to bind the new coverage. So close to the renewal date, another replacement cost estimator was done. The replacement value had gone up over 6% in only four months. As a result, if in a year, your insured value goes up, let’s say 15%, you should expect your premium to go up 15% too.
So if you’re expiring policy is $2,000, and your insured value goes up 15%, a $300 minimum increase should be expected on your renewal to adjust for the increased replacement cost. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to stabilize your premium and weather this storm. And if you need assistance, contact us at your convenience and take care.

Call Independent Insurance Counselors in Alvin TX at (281) 331-3131

As we continue our series of business insurance examples…

See how Bad Luck Case #3 might have been improved with a Property Insurance Policy that included Debris Removal Coverage, along with Business Income Insurance.

Bad Luck Case #4 reveals a very real need for Cyber Liability Insurance with Data Ransom Coverage

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Hey, this is Michael Lansford with Independent Insurance Counselors. We’re going to be giving you answers to the most frequently asked questions we receive about insurance through videos. Message us with your question and we’ll answer you back. Take care and have an awesome day.

Call Independent Insurance Counselors in Alvin TX at (281) 331-3131

What insurance does a small business actually need?
Much of a business’s success depends on how well it can overcome obstacles.

Independent Insurance Counselors is here to help guide you through the perils that you likely don’t anticipate.

Bad Luck Case #1
In this example, the hefty legal and judgment costs would have been covered by Hired and Non-Owned Auto Liability Insurance, up to purchased policy limits.

Bad Luck Case #2
ACME had Worker’s Compensation Insurance that covered Julie’s expenses, but not Colleen’s. The state identified that ACME had misclassified Colleen, which led to hefty penalties and judgments for medical costs and damages.

Call Independent Insurance Counselors in Alvin TX at (281) 331-3131

Do you have any questions about homeowners insurance coverages? We’d be happy to help!

Call Independent Insurance Counselors in Alvin TX at (281) 331-3131

Can you guess 5 main reasons we see families needlessly suffer financial devastation? Watch and find out!

Call Independent Insurance Counselors in Alvin TX at (281) 331-3131

Don’t let what happened to the Mackey Family happen to yours.

Call Independent Insurance Counselors in Alvin TX at (281) 331-3131

Finding the best service providers in town can be frustrating. That no longer needs to be the case, because Independent Insurance Counselors has a listing of other local businesses that have been highly recommended by our valued customers!

Call Independent Insurance Counselors in Alvin TX at (281) 331-3131

At Independent Insurance Counselors, we believe you deserve top quality service… Period. That’s why we’re committed to giving you the best of us. We’ll always make sure you have the right coverage, the right discounts, and can take comfort in knowing the things that matter most to you are protected. We also believe in giving back! As Agents of Change in our community, we’re dedicated to helping others live well and thrive!

Call Independent Insurance Counselors in Alvin TX at (281) 331-3131