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What You and Your Teen Should Know About Auto Insurance

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There’s nothing like seeing the impact having a new teen driver has on your auto insurance premiums. At Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance, we hear from plenty of Portland, ME area families entering the stressful early days of driving. Here’s what you and your new teen driver should know about these initial car insurance rates.

They Are Not Permanent

Like many challenging aspects of life, new teen driver rates are not forever. They are a part of the "show me" stage, where it is up to the teens to demonstrate they are good, responsible drivers. Over the next few years, they will likely settle in.

You Can Impact Them

Teens may be able to qualify for good student discounts, and being accident- and citation-free is crucial in those early years. Emphasize safe, defensive driving techniques and eliminate distracted driving.

Choose The Right Car

Sure, your teen will want that sporty little car, but that may not be the right choice. Select a more sensible car with a proven safety record for these first few years. This will likely impact rates.

High teenage driver insurance rates don’t have to be eternal, and you and your teen driver can impact them. Just know that with some patience and safe driving, this too shall pass.

It may also help to compare rates. Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance serves families throughout the Portland, ME area with a full line of personal insurance, including automobile insurance. If you have a teen driver, we encourage you to contact us for a quote.

Safe driving is critical to keeping car insurance rates low, particularly when a new teen driver is involved.

Understanding Home Appraisal and Its Role in Home Insurance

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Home appraisal is a critical part of the home-buying process, but did you know it can also plays a significant role in your home insurance? Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance, serving the greater Portland, ME, area, wants to help you understand how appraisals impact your insurance coverage.

What Is a Home Appraisal?

A home appraisal is a professional assessment of your property’s market value conducted by a licensed appraiser. They consider factors like your home’s condition, size, location, and recent comparable property sales to determine its fair market value.

The Connection to Home Insurance:

  1. Setting Coverage Limits: The appraised value is different than the insurance amount. Insurers use rebuilding cost to determine the appropriate coverage limits for your home insurance policy. That can be more or less than the market value. You want to be sure you have enough coverage to rebuild or repair your home in case of damage or loss.
  2. Avoid Being Underinsured: You might underestimate your home’s replacement cost without an accurate replacement cost estimate. In the event of a claim, this could leave you with insufficient coverage to fully recover your losses.
  3. Premium Calculations: Your home appraisal can document factors that influence your insurance premiums. For example, a new roof, heating system or other update that can reduce your insurance cost.  It can also flag repairs or updates that need to be made, which can increase costs.

Using Your Home Appraisal for Insurance:

  1. Share It with Your Agent: Provide a copy of your home appraisal if they ask for it. Depending on other information that’s available, they may not need it.
  2. Consider Special Coverage: If your home has unique features or high-value items, consider customizing your policy that provide additional coverage beyond standard limits.
  3. A Home Appraisal is Not an Insurance Inspection: after they write your policy, your insurance company will inspect your home. That’s different than a real estate appraisal or a pre-purchase inspection. Here’s what to expect from an insurance inspection.

If you have questions about a home appraisal or home insurance, contact Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance, serving the Portland, ME area at 207-799-5541.

Tips to safely drive in the snow

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It’s that time of year again – the cold weather is settling in, and the snow is starting to fall. For many, this means bundling up and staying inside as much as possible. But for some, it means dusting off the snow shovel and hitting the road. If you’re someone who chooses to drive in the snow, be sure to follow these tips to stay safe!

1. Make sure your car is adequately prepared for winter weather. This includes checking the tires, windshield wipers, and headlights to ensure they are all working properly and clear of any snow or ice buildup.

2. Drive slowly and carefully, especially on hills and curves. This will help you maintain better control over your vehicle and give other drivers plenty of time and space to react to your presence on the road.

3. Keep a safe distance from other cars, and use your brakes sparingly. This will not only help you avoid accidents, but it will also help preserve your car’s brake pads if you need to come to a sudden stop.

4. If you get stuck in the snow, don’t panic – there are several steps you can take to get yourself out. First, clear any snow or ice from your wheels using a shovel or other tools if necessary. Next, try gently rocking your car back and forth to work the snow out from underneath your tires. And lastly, if these steps don’t work, consider calling a tow truck to help you get back on the road.

If you have questions about driving in the snow or how to protect yourself with auto insurance, call Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance today. We proudly serve the Portland, ME area.

What are the benefits of having commercial insurance in Maine?

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Those that are in the Portland, ME area will find that there are plenty of local amenities and a strong local economy. Due to this, Portland can also be a good place to start a small business. If you are going to start a company here, you should get a quality commercial insurance policy. There are several benefits that come when you get this type of insurance coverage here. 

Coverage Gives Important Protection

A key advantage of having commercial insurance in this area is that it will give you very important coverages. With a commercial insurance policy, you can receive property coverage, liability protection, and other forms of protection that are curtailed to your business needs. In a situation where you experience a loss, the commercial insurance policy will prove to be very valuable and could keep your business solvent.

Coverage is Required by Many Stakeholders

Another reason that you may want to get a commercial insurance policy is that it is often required by many different stakeholders. If you would like to lease a commercial space, purchase a building with a mortgage, take out a business loan, or even raise capital, any stakeholder is going to want you to have commercial insurance. This is almost always a requirement under our legal documents as it can help to protect your organization and protects another party’s investment.

As you are shopping for commercial insurance in the Portland, ME area, it is important that you speak with someone that you can trust and help guide your decision. Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance is a great company to contact when you are looking for a new policy. Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance will be able to help you personalize a policy to ensure you are properly protected. 

What is a Home Insurance Inventory and Why Do I Need One?

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Portland, ME is a great place to live. Friendly neighbors, farm to table dining and safety make it a popular choice for families and retirees.

Even in a safe place like Maine, bad things can happen. If something happens to your home, you want to be confident that your  insurance will help get life back to normal. When it comes to home insurance, you want to know that your agent is on your side. The team at Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance has been committed to you since 1933.

When you file a home insurance claim, your insurance company needs to know what you lost. Then they pay you to replace it. Imagine after a tragedy trying to remember everything you had in your home. It’s overwhelming.

You can avoid stress and helplessness by preparing a home inventory. This creates a record of all the rooms in your home and what was in them. You can do it with a video, computer spreadsheet or on paper. Either way, aim for as much backup information as possible. Recording details like model numbers and receipts are a good start. Store the inventory in a safe place, and back it up in the cloud or in your safe deposit box.

Are you buying a home or condo in the Portland, ME area? Are you  considering changing insurance companies?  Call an experienced Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance agent at 207-799-5541.

We are independent agents. That means we offer you lots of choices from a wide variety of insurance companies. We will help you find the best value for the coverage you need. We’re independent and committed to you.

Natural Disaster Prep for Your Businesses

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Natural disasters are on the rise, putting business owners at risk of suffering damage or loss of business property. A big disaster can literally put you out of business.

If you own a business in Maine, your customers and employees depend on you to prepare for the worst. Commercial insurance from Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance is one way to protect your business from disaster damage. Here are a few other ways to prep your small business for natural disasters.

Employee Disaster Readiness

  • Develop a plan for your employees, so they will know what to do in the event of a disaster.
  • Make sure that employees know who to contact and how to reach key personnel when needed.
  • Create an evacuation plan that employees can easily follow if they have to escape in a hurry.
  • Update new employees on disaster readiness so everyone is well-informed on what’s expected of them if disaster strikes.

Communicating with Clients after a Disaster

If your customers can’t reach you after a disaster, they may find someone else who can help. Don’t jeopardize your business. Have a plan to continue your operations, and let your customers know where to find you.

  • Have a plan in place to communicate with key clients after a disaster.
  • If your building is severely damaged, you may need to open a temporary location to continue operations. Thinking about possible options before disaster strikes can save valuable time following a disaster.

Protecting Essential Data after a Disaster

Make sure your primary data is backed up digitally to prevent loss in a disaster. This includes financial records, employee and customer information, and any other critical data you need to keep your business running. Cloud backup is the safest, most secure means of protecting essential data from natural disasters.

Commercial Insurance Coverage

Purchase adequate commercial insurance for your building, business equipment, and inventory. Just as important, be sure you have business interruption coverage. Many businesses have enough insurance to replace what they lose, but not enough to recover lost earnings. This can cause your business to fail.

Maine Business Insurance

For information on commercial insurance coverage and costs, contact Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance in South Portland, ME. We offer a choice of Maine’s top business insurance companies. We can help you find the right fit for your business. We’re independent and committed to you.

How to Insure A Maine Home Owned by a Trust

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Many home owners in Maine transfer some of their property to a living or  family trust.  Trusts can be a useful estate planning tool. Once they were used only by the wealthy. Today, people of all financial means place property in trusts.

Trusts are legal documents. Your attorney can explain if a trust is a good solution for you. They can also help you establish a trust.

Insuring Property in a Trust

How can you insure real estate owned by a trust? It depends on the use of the property. Is it your primary home? A vacation home? Does someone who’s not a trustee live in the home? Is the property owned by a family trust, and used by several relatives?

Each insurer has different requirements for trust-owned property. An experienced insurance agent can help you find the right insurance solution. Independent insurance agents offer a choice of several insurance companies.

Some insurance companies use special policy endorsements for trusts. Others simply add trusts as an “additional insured” on the policy.

Are you living in a trust-owned property in Southern Maine? Are you a trustee? If so, contact Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance in South Portland at 207-799-5541. We offer a choice of Maine’s preferred property insurance companies. We’re independent and committed to you.

Does Commercial Insurance Cover Portable Business Equipment?

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Commercial insurance protects a company or business owner from losses to buildings or equipment necessary for the operations. However, many Maine businesses rely on portable equipment to operate. So, does commercial coverage offer protection for essential portable equipment when it’s off the premises?

Coverage for Portable Equipment

Commercial insurance covers equipment, inventory and supplies located on the premises of the covered location. However, this may not extend to things that leave the premises. If you bring property to job sites or customer locations, portable equipment insurance may be necessary to prevent gaps and losses.

Portable equipment coverage is sometimes called an Inland Marine Floater. This coverage will protect electronic equipment and other contractor related items required to perform daily work-related tasks. Before selecting additional insurance, speak with an agent about current and future needs, and find out what options are currently available to get a complete layer of protection.

Protect Your Equipment on Job Sites

Considering a purchase of portable equipment for your business? Talk to an agent from an insurance company who can outline what steps are necessary to get comprehensive coverage. Although some protection may be offered by standard commercial insurance, navigating portable insurance coverage may be necessary.

If your business is located in Southern Maine,  contact Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance in South Portland at 207-799-5541. We offer straightforward solutions from some of Maine’s top business insurance companies. That allows you to choose insurance that matches your business needs and provide you with peace of mind.

Getting the right combination of insurance to cover a business can be tricky. Don’t risk gaps and issues that could spell disaster. Consult with an agent from Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance to get the coverage necessary to protect a business in Portland, ME and throughout the state.

What Structures Besides the Home Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?

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Your home insurance covers far more than the home itself and its contents. If you read your homeowners policy from Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance of Portland, ME carefully, you’ll spot a section called “other structures.”

What are other structures?

Other structures refer to any buildings on your property that are not directly attached to the home. Those include fences, sheds, detached garages, workshops, etc. It also includes your backyard gazebo, and the pool house, if you are fortunate to have a pool.

Similar to the policy section that covers your home’s contents, the other structures section describes your coverage and its limits. Your other structures will be covered for a percentage of the replacement value of your home. It is typically ten percent of the value. That is not per structure, but for all other structures as a whole.

That means if your insured home value is $300,000 and your other structures coverage provides ten percent coverage, you have $30,000 of coverage for your workshop, fences, detached garage, and other buildings.

Other structures coverage is automatically included, whether or not you have any outbuildings. That’s so that you don’t have to call your insurance agent if you add a shed or build a small detached garage. “Other Structures” can’t be removed from a homeowners policy, and there’s no additional charge for the coverage.

Also, you are covered for the same perils as named in your home’s coverage. If your house has coverage for wind or hurricane damage, so do your other structures.

Call us at Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance in South Portland, ME at 207-799-5541 to learn more about other structures insurance. You can add to your coverage so your workshop or fences are fully insured.

Commercial Insurance to Protect Your Small Business

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Small business owners are the heart of the American economy. Maybe you are not big enough to be listed on the Dow Jones Index, but your enterprise is what drives Main Street in towns across Maine. However, you should not get complacent. Small businesses are susceptible to lawsuits, workers compensation claims and other situations that they cannot handle as readily as large corporations. It is imperative that you have protection for these times.

To keep your business safe in times of adversity, you should consider comprehensive commercial insurance. Contact us at Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance to speak with one of our agents today.

Following are examples of commercial insurance that many small businesses in the Portland, ME region find beneficial, along with some factors used to decide which, and how much, insurance to purchase.

Liability

These policies can protect you when held liable for harm done to another.

A customer or supplier who comes into contact with your business may get injured or sick for example. You will then need funds to take care of medical bills or legal fees. Liability policies can help defray certain of these costs.

Commercial Auto

If your business uses vehicles to transport things or people, then you will probably need some commercial auto insurance.

It is best not to rely on your personal auto insurance, even if you do use your everyday car for these purposes. Commercial auto insurance policies usually cover situations that your personal auto insurance will not.

Errors and Omissions

It is imperative that professionals, such as lawyers, accountants, and others who work independently, have error and omissions insurance. These policies help individuals who provide services and dispense advice when they are charged with negligence.

As you never know when a client may be dissatisfied with your work, it is best to have adequate errors and omissions insurance in place at all times.

Factors to Consider Before Choosing a Policy:

  • Annual revenue

  • Location

  • Number of employees

  • Rent

Get More Information Today

Contact Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance today to learn more about specific commercial insurance policies in the Portland, ME area and beyond.