Can I go for a weekend drive under a classic car policy?

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Part of the pleasure owners receive from their classic cars is the experience of driving them, so the terms of your classic car insurance policy should reflect how you plan to drive it, whether that includes weekend driving or not. If you are considering obtaining a classic car policy, contact the BES & Associates Insurance team that serves the Walford, MD area, and we’ll create the policy that suits your driving preferences.

Classic Car Insurance

Among the main differences between classic cars and everyday vehicles is that insurance policies assume that everyday vehicles depreciate with age and mileage. Policies are priced based on those assumptions about vehicles. Classic cars, on the other hand, are insured based on their agreed value.

Related to that assumption is how the policies handle mileage. Classic car insurance is not intended for everyday vehicles and typically has an annual mileage limit. Despite the mileage limit, there is flexibility in calculating the limit based on how often and how far you drive your car, whether you trailer it to shows, and similar usage patterns.

Part of creating a classic car policy is to consider who you plan to drive the vehicle and develop an estimate of the miles driven per year. So, you can drive your classic car on weekends or any time you want, as long as you include those miles in the assumptions used when buying your policy.

Working with BES & Associates Insurance

Our goal at BES & Associates Insurance is to help you obtain the insurance that fits your needs, including classic car insurance. If you live in the Walford, MD area, call or visit us today to take care of all your insurance needs.

Umbrella Insurance: Signs Regular Insurance May Not Be Enough

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While standard insurance offers essential coverage, certain situations demand additional financial security. Enter umbrella insurance, an extra layer of protection for when your primary insurance falls short. Here are signs from BES & Associates Insurance, providing coverage to the greater Walford, MD area, that regular insurance might not be enough.

High-Value Assets

If you possess significant assets like a luxurious home, multiple properties, or substantial savings, standard insurance limits may leave you under-protected. Umbrella insurance steps in to safeguard your wealth when facing lawsuits or unforeseen events, ensuring comprehensive coverage.

Liability Risks

Standard liability coverage in home or auto policies may not fully shield you in severe accidents or lawsuits. Umbrella insurance becomes crucial in situations where you could be held responsible for damages exceeding primary insurance limits, offering added protection against costly legal proceedings.

Business and Professional Exposure

For business owners or professionals susceptible to lawsuits, umbrella insurance is a vital safety net. It extends coverage beyond primary insurance limits, protecting against legal expenses, settlements, and potential financial setbacks associated with liability claims.

Future Earning Potential

Consider umbrella insurance an investment in your future earning potential. If court-awarded damages surpass primary insurance limits, personal assets and future income may be at risk. Umbrella insurance acts as a safeguard, ensuring your financial well-being remains intact in the face of substantial liability claims.

Standard insurance forms the foundation of financial protection, but for those needing higher coverage limits, umbrella insurance is indispensable. Recognize the signs in your financial situation or lifestyle, and explore the benefits of this extra layer of security. If you can benefit from an umbrella insurance product, get coverage by calling BES & Associates Insurance, serving residents in the greater Walford, MD region.

Why Everyone Needs Flood Insurance

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When it comes to floods, many people don’t think much about them until they happen. That’s often when people find out that their home insurance doesn’t cover them against floods. This can be a terrible realization when people are left with all of the bills for the repairs needed. To avoid that situation, it’s important for all homeowners to have flood insurance. To get your coverage, call us at BES & Associates Insurance in Walford, MD. 

Flooding and Flood Zones

Flooding is most prevalent in areas that have been designated as flood zones. These often come with a rating for how many years average in between floods. Those who own homes within those zones are generally required to have flood insurance. If you live in a flood zone, you should never be without it. However, if you don’t live in a flood zone, you still need to have this insurance. Among all of the claims that come in for flood damage, about 20% of them are from non-flood areas that aren’t in a zone. There are many weather events that can cause this, and it can be extremely destructive to homes. 

The National Flood Insurance Program

This is a national program backed by the government that offers flood insurance. It’s guaranteed to cover your flood damage because of that backing and support. The program makes flood insurance available across the country, and it sets a flat price for the insurance. No matter where you get the coverage, the price will be that same set amount. If you don’t have this coverage, you run the risk of flood damage that will be hard to pay for. 

Get Your Flood Policy

Don’t be without this important insurance coverage. Call us at BES & Associates Insurance in Walford, MD to find out more. 

Can I change my policy coverage after an auto accident?

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Most people switch car insurance at least once in their lives. Most of the time, people change at the end of one term because they find a better rate. Rates change constantly, and some people even check rates at the end of every plan. 

You can change your insurance before waiting until your current plan expires, but you might want to think about whether it is a good idea. You don’t want to change plans and end up in a worse situation than when you started. At BES & Associates Insurance, we can help you explore your options for auto insurance in Walford, MD.

How Does an Accident Affect Your Auto Insurance?

Sometimes there is no effect on your insurance when you are in an accident. If you only have one accident, and it wasn’t your fault, there is likely no reason to worry. Even if you were at fault, you may be eligible for accident forgiveness through your insurance provider. Check with your agent right away if you are in an accident.

How Long Do Accidents Stay On My Record?

Insurance companies in Maryland usually look back through three years of your driving record. Your premium could go up after an accident, though, and an operating while intoxicated charge may cost even more. When you switch policies, you will have to honestly answer any questions about your driving record. Leaving out important information might be considered fraud, and you could lose your insurance and suffer other punishments. 

Don’t Make Any Hasty Decisions

At BES & Associates Insurance, we want to help you find the protection you need at prices you can afford.  If you drive in Walford, MD and want to compare your options, please call today.

Do I need commercial insurance if I use my personal vehicle for my small business?

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When you purchase commercial insurance at BES & Associates Insurance for your small business in Walford, MD, we help you make sure that you have the different kinds of coverage you need. That is why it is so important to have a full discussion with your agent about your business.

While your regular auto insurance covers you while you are going back and forth to work, you may need to have extra coverage if you are using your personal vehicle for work tasks.

What Kinds of Activities Does Commercial Auto Insurance Cover?

If you are involved in an accident while performing work-related duties, your insurance will probably not cover you for the accident. Here are some of the activities that will probably not be covered under your personal policy:

  • Making deliveries for your business.
  • Picking up supplies for your business during work hours.
  • Driving clients around during work hours as part of your service.
  • Other work-related duties where you use your vehicle.

Why Is Commercial Auto Insurance Important?

If your regular insurance does not cover you, your business will probably be liable for any damages from the accident. These may include auto repairs, medical bills, car rental, lost time from work, and any other expenses that are a direct result of the accident. 

Your business could be sued over the accident and may even face fines or other penalties for operating an improperly insured vehicle. A commercial auto insurance policy would protect your business from those kinds of negative consequences. 

If you are unsure whether you need extra protection, call BES & Associates Insurance today so we can answer your questions. Our job is to help you protect your Walford, MD business.

Do You Need Home Insurance in Maryland?

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The agents at BES & Associates Insurance serving the Walford, MD area realize that your home is more than likely one of the largest investments you and your family will make. This is the reason they want to help you protect yourself with a home insurance policy.

Do You Need Home Insurance in Maryland?

While the state of Maryland does not require homeowners to have a home insurance policy, most banks and mortgage companies do require you to have a policy until your mortgage is paid off. Even if you no longer owe money for your house, it is still imperative to have a home insurance policy to protect your home if disaster strikes.

What Does Home Insurance Cover?

Nearly all home insurance policies cover the structure of your house along with the contents inside. The contents inside can include not only your clothing and other personal belongings but your electronics, furniture, appliances, and more. This is so important if your home is destroyed by a fire or even a natural disaster. You never know what is going to happen in the future, which is the reason home insurance is so important.

For instance, if your house is vandalized or robbed, a home insurance policy will help you replace lost items and repair anything that is damaged. You can even secure a home insurance policy that will protect your house as well as other structures on your property, including fences, sheds, and garages.

Home insurance can also help you out if someone is injured at your home. It can help pay for their medical bills and keep you from dealing with a potential lawsuit.

Most insurance policies do not include floods or earthquakes, but you can add these to your home insurance policy if needed.

Contact Us Today

Call upon the experienced and knowledgeable home insurance agents at BES & Associates Insurance serving the Walford, MD area for all of your home insurance needs.

Tips to keep your classic car running like new

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Maintaining a classic car can be a challenge here in the Walford, MD area, but it’s well worth the effort. Keeping your classic car in great condition will not only make it look and feel great but also help it run better for longer. Here are some tips from us at BES & Associates Insurance to help keep your classic car running like new.

Tips to keep your classic car running like new

1. Regular Maintenance and Tune-ups:

Regular maintenance and tune-ups are essential for keeping your classic car in peak condition. Change the oil regularly and check all the filters, spark plugs, belts, tires, and lights to ensure they are all working properly. Any worn-out parts should be replaced immediately to prevent further damage or expensive repairs down the road. 

2. Cleaning & Waxing:

Make sure you clean and wax your classic car regularly to protect it from dirt, dust, and moisture that can lead to corrosion. Use a specialized cleaner for vintage cars and always use a high-quality wax that is suitable for your vehicle’s finish type. 

3. Storage:

When storing your classic car for extended periods of time, make sure you use either an indoor or outdoor storage facility designed specifically for automotive vehicles. This will provide the best environment for your vehicle since temperature fluctuations will cause metal components to expand and contract thus leading to accelerated wear over time. 

Keep Your Classic Car Insurance Updated

By following these tips on regular maintenance, cleaning & waxing, storage solutions, and using proper repair & replacement parts, you can ensure that your classic car will remain running like new for many years to come!

For more tips and to get coverage for your classic car, call us at BES & Associates Insurance today. We are proud to serve the Walford, MD area and would be happy to help.

What Is Umbrella Insurance?

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You may have a number of other types of insurance policies and wonder just what umbrella insurance is and whether you need it. Umbrella insurance adds coverage to policies that you already have. If you have a home and an auto policy, you could get an umbrella policy to boost your coverage from both of those policies. It’s a smart move to be better insurance with an umbrella policy. When you need more coverage, call us at BES & Associates Insurance in Walford, MD to find out more. 

Liability Coverage

You have liability coverage built into your home and auto policies. However, these policies often don’t have much of this coverage. This can leave you vulnerable to a lot of medical bills after a serious accident. Once your auto or home policy reaches its maximum, everything else is left for you to pay. That’s why you need umbrella insurance. It adds more liability coverage to both your auto and home policies. This leaves you much better protected in case of serious, expensive accidents. The amount of coverage that umbrella insurance comes with is extremely high. It’s unlikely to need more coverage than an umbrella policy provides. 

Save Money

When you have an umbrella policy, you get a lot of extra liability coverage for a small price. If you were to add more liability directly to your home and auto policies, it would cost you much more than getting an umbrella policy. When you have an accident, the home or auto policy is the first to come in. If there are still bills to pay, your umbrella policy will take care of those. This is valuable protection that also allows you to save money on your coverage. 

Get Your Umbrella Policy

If you’re interested in more liability coverage, give us a call at BES & Associates Insurance in Walford, MD. 

How Flood Insurance Works

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If you own a home, it’s always important to have flood insurance. Flood insurance protects you against the extreme amount of damage that a flood can do to a home. A flood can be devastating to any property it touches. It can ruin the building as well as all of the items that are inside it. If you don’t have flood insurance, it’s time to get it. When you want to know more about flood insurance or want to get started, call us at BES & Associates Insurance in Walford, MD. 

The National Flood Insurance Program

When you want flood insurance, those policies are backed and supported by the National Flood Insurance Program. This is a federal program that guarantees insurance and pays out in the event of a flood. Because it’s backed by this program, flood insurance will have the same price no matter where you get it. That makes it easy to get this insurance because you don’t have to shop around for it. 

Floods and Home Insurance

It’s common for people not to get flood insurance because they assume that their home insurance covers flooding. However, it doesn’t. If you only have a home policy and not a flood policy and a flood were to occur, none of the damage would be covered. With flood insurance, both the damage to the home and the loss of belongings would be covered by the policy. It’s never a good idea to go without this type of policy with the prevalence of flooding. Even if your area isn’t designated as a flood zone, a flood can still occur. 

Get Flood Insurance

When you don’t have flood coverage, it’s time to call us and find out more about these policies. Call us now at BES & Associates Insurance in Walford, MD. 

Common types of auto insurance coverage

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You are not required to carry anything but basic auto insurance in Waldorf, MD. That is not the right coverage for everyone, and it is important to be aware of all the options you have to protect yourself and your assets. Our team at BES & Associates Insurance works for our customers to make sure they understand all the auto insurance options that are available to them. 

Common types of auto insurance coverage

Liability coverage

Basic auto insurance required by the state of Maryland is liability coverage. This is insurance that covers injuries that may be sustained by people in a vehicle that you have an accident with when you are responsible for the accident. It also covers repairs to their vehicle, and it covers legal action they may take against you. 

Comprehensive coverage

Often referred to as non-collision coverage, this insurance covers your vehicle. What it covers are things other than a collision with another vehicle. It does, however, cover a collision with a deer. It also covers theft, vandalism, floods, a stone to the windshield, and damage from a variety of weather conditions. 

Collision coverage

When you are responsible for an accident or are the victim of a hit and run, this insurance will help to pay for your vehicle to be repaired or replaced. 

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

This insurance protects your vehicle if it is damaged by another driver who has no insurance or inadequate insurance.

Gap coverage

If you have a new car, and it gets totaled, your insurance may not pay you enough to pay off your car loan. This coverage fills the gap so that you don’t lose your vehicle and still owe money on it. 

Reach Out To Us

Contact BES & Associates Insurance in Waldorf, MD to discuss your auto insurance needs. 

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