Homeowners Insurance

Homes are the biggest financial investments most people make in their
lifetimes and it is important to protect them.

The standard Home Owners Policy has coverage for the structure of your home, your personal belongings, liability protection, and additional living expenses in the event you are temporarily unable to live at your home because of an insured disaster.

• Home Owners covers your home you own or are buying
• Renters insurance covers your personal property as well as liability coverage while you are renting your home 
   
• Dwelling fire covers your house if you rent it to someone else
   
• Condominium Insurance for condo owners it covers personal property, liability coverage, and some interior construction and improvements
   
• Liability covers you against lawsuits for bodily injury or property damage that you or family members cause to other people. The liability portion of your policy pays for both the cost of defending you in court and any court awards-up to the limit of your policy. You are also covered not just in your home, but anywhere in the world. Limits usually start at about $100,000. However, experts recommend that you purchase at least  $300,000 worth of protection.
   
• Umbrella - Some people may feel more comfortable with more liability protection. In this case they should purchase an umbrella or excess liability policy which provides broader coverage, including claims for libel and slander, as well as higher liability limits. These policies usually cost between $200-$350 for $1 million of additional liability protection

Ask about endorsements to expand your coverage if you have collections of firearms, collectables, art work, media or computer equipment, valuable jewelry, or home business property. You may also be interested in Refrigerated Property Coverage, Water Back Up and Sump Discharge or Overflow, and Flood Insurance

Auto Insurance

Automobile Coverage can be confusing, let us answer your questions and help you make the best decisions to protect vehicles. There are several parts to an automobile policy, liability coverage which includes (BI) Bodily Injury and (PD) Property Damage, and Physical Damage coverage which includes (OTC) Other Than Collision or Comprehensive and (COLL) Collision Coverage.

• (BI)Bodily Injury Coverage - Covers other peoples bodily injury or death for which you are responsible. It also provides for a legal defense if another party in the accident files a suit against you. It is mandatory in NC/b with minimum limits of $30,000/person $60,000/accident.
   
• (PD) Property Damage Liability - Covers you if your car damages someone else's property. Usually their car, but it could be a fence, a house or any other property damaged in an accident. It is mandatory in NC/b with minimum limit of $25,000/accident. You may want to look at higher coverage because a lot of cars on the road cost more than $25,000.
   
• (MED PAY) Medical Payments -  Covers you and your passengers, and the limits apply per person per accident.
   
• (OTC) Other Than Collision or Comprehensive Coverage - Covers your vehicle for damages resulting from incidents other than collision such as flood, fire, or animals.
   
• Collision - Covers damage to your car when your car hits, or is hit, by another vehicle, or other object. Pays to repair your vehicle less the deductible you choose.
   
• (UM/UIM)Combined Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage Bodily Injury amp; Property Damage Coverage - Covers you, members of your household and your passengers for injuries, damage or death caused by the negligence of a person with no insurance or insufficient insurance. It will pick up where the other person's insurance limits stop, up to your policy limits. In 2006 in NC 12% of drivers had no insurance and 76% had liability only.

You may also want to ask about Towing, Rental Reimbursement, Electronic Equipment, or an umbrella policy. Also, ask what you can do to lower your rates such as multi-car discounts, higher deductibles, and improving your credit score.

 

Commercial Insurance

The most common types of commercial insurance are property, liability, and worker's compensation.  In general, property insurance covers damages to your business property; Liability insurance covers damages to a third party; and worker's compensation covers on-the-job injuries to your employees.  Depending on your business, you may want specialized coverages such as the following.

• Business Auto
• Business Interruption Insurance
• Ordinance or Law Insurance
• Directors & Officers Liability Insurance

Each business is different with unique needs.  We, at the Gardner Group, understand that and are here to tailor a policy just for you.  We are an independent agency and quote many different companies to get the coverage that's best for your company.  Call us for an appointment to sit down and discuss your special business and how we can help you protect it.  We pride ourselves on our service and will be here for you if you ever have to file a claim.  We know your busy, so once the claim is filed, let us do the follow up and help get it resolved as soon as possible for you.