518-608-5797 Facebook Twitter Linkedin Google+ YouTube Blog

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?

mobile-callClick to Call
Twin Bridges Insurance Agency

1881 Western Avenue, Suite 210
Albany, NY 12203

google-mapGet Directions
Family in automobile

What is universal life insurance?

Time to boost your life insurance? You might want to consider universal life insurance, a type of life insurance that provides coverage for your entire life and can also earn you money while doing so.

The good news? Plenty of insurance companies in the Albany, NY area offer universal life insurance policies. And you can shop online for these policies, which gives you the opportunity to compare rates from competing life insurance companies without leaving your computer screen.

Before you shop for this specialized life insurance policy, it’s important to understand what it is. Much like whole life insurance policies, this type of policy provides coverage for the insured’s entire life. Unlike term life insurance, universal insurance won’t expire as long as you continue to make your regular payments on time. When you die, your insurance policy will provide payouts to your beneficiaries.

Universal life insurance policies differ in one key way, though: In such policies, you’ll regularly set aside dollars to invest. The face value of your policy, then, can increase or decrease over your life as the investments behind it rise or fall. When you die, your beneficiaries might receive the face value of your policy or the face value and additional cash from the investment account attached to the policy.

Because this form of insurance offers more benefits, it generally costs more than does basic term life insurance. Because of this, it’s especially important to shop around when looking for a universal policy. Doing this is the best way to guarantee that you’ll pay the lowest rates possible for this life insurance protection.

Shopping for life insurance used to be a chore. It required you to call several different insurers to ask individually about their rates. Today, though, you can shop entirely online, something that will save you valuable time.

What is hired and non owned auto liability insurance?

When you are looking at auto insurance coverage that may be available to address your concerns and goals, it is important to understand the different options that are available. Auto liability insurance can include hired and non-owned policies that address a variety of different concerns when you are not the owner of a particular vehicle.

What is the Policy?

A hired and non-owned auto liability insurance policy is a type of plan that addresses specific concerns when you consistently borrow or rent a vehicle. The policy is designed to protect against liability concerns if you are involved in an accident while driving a car that you do not own. Depending on the situation and the number of days that you use the vehicle, you may or may not need to purchase a separate policy to address your specific liability concerns.

When to Purchase the Plan

As a general rule, it is best to purchase the plan if you rent a car for more than 10 days in a year or if you consistently borrow a vehicle from a friend or family member. While borrowing a car once or twice may not require additional coverage, using the car several times can mean that the owner’s policy will not cover you or may offer only limited protection.

If you are driving a company car, then you may also want to consider the plan as a solution to help pay for damages if you get into an accident.

When you do not own a car that you are driving, it is usually best to purchase a policy that is specifically designed to address all of your concerns regarding liability and damages to the vehicle. Contact us to speak to an agent for more details today.

How does my driving record affect my insurance premium?

You need auto insurance if you want to drive legally. Problem is, you have accidents and speeding tickets in your past. Your driving record is far from perfect. This means one thing: Your insurance premium will be higher.

Before deciding what to charge, auto insurers will take a careful look at your driving record, looking for past accidents and speeding violations. The reason? They’re searching for those drivers who are the riskiest, the ones most likely to get into future accidents.

These risky drivers cost insurers more money than do drivers with clean driving records. When drivers get into accidents, they often call on their insurance providers to cover the costs of repairing their cars and, at times, the damaged vehicles of other drivers. This cuts into the yearly profits that auto insurers make.

To cover themselves, auto insurers charge drivers with bad driving records higher premiums. This way, insurers still benefit financially from providing insurance to these risky motorists.

Where does this leave you? First, you have to be ready to pay a higher insurance premium. That’s simply the cost of having a checkered driving record. If you want to change this, start compiling a better driving record immediately. This means no more accidents and no more speeding tickets.

Secondly, shop around. This is the best way for motorists with spotty driving records to land the best insurance costs. Fortunately, it’s easier than ever for consumers to shop for auto insurance. You can instantly compare quotes from competing insurance companies online, a process that takes just minutes.

For instance, you can use this Web site to shop around for the lowest insurance rates. Simply enter your basic information and location and hit "return." You’ll soon see rates from several insurers. And some of these rates might be more affordable than you’d think.

Where can I find homeowners insurance that allows ownership of exotic pets?

Owning a pet means that you are responsible for any actions that relate to your pet in Albany, NY. The problem with certain pets is that you may discover that your homeowner’s insurance policy will not cover any injuries or damages caused by your beloved animal. Exotic pets are particularly challenging and may prevent you from obtaining an appropriate homeowner’s insurance policy.

Specialized Insurance

In many cases, your homeowner’s insurance policy will exclude any damages or injuries that are caused by exotic pets. That is why it is necessary to consider alternative solutions.

You may need to purchase or add specialized insurance to your homeowner’s policy if you own an exotic pet, particularly a dangerous pet. For example, if you own a tiger, then you may need coverage to protect against injuries and damages that your large cat causes. Specialized insurance may be available, depending on the exotic animal.

Comparing Options

Even though many pets may be excluded from a policy, it is possible that some animals are not. For example, a policy may exclude tigers, but might protect against liability if you own a parrot or a snake.

The type of animal and the situation can play a role in your options. Comparing a variety of policies can also provide the opportunity to find a plan that is appropriate for your needs and goals. Some insurers may cover your pet, even if it is a dangerous animal and there is a high risk of problems.

Taking measures to protect your house can seem challenging if you have exotic pets. Depending on the policy and your goals, the options that are available can vary. Contact us to speak to an agent to learn more about your options and coverage plans.