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Twin Bridges Insurance Agency

1881 Western Avenue, Suite 210
Albany, NY 12203

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Common Overlooked Commercial Insurance Options

Every business is a bit different. With that, every form of commercial insurance should specifically fit the company like a glove. That is why a business owner needs to look into some of the more commonly overlooked commercial insurance options out there. At NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency, we’re here to assist you in finding the right commercial insurance options, whether you’re located in Albany, NY or in a neighboring community. 

Professional Liability Insurance

From time to time products and services do not live up to the established standard (often at no fault of your own). This kind of insurance protects you from lawsuits that may occur because of it. 

Property Insurance

You may lease your property and assume you don’t need this kind of coverage. Wrong. This is because property insurance covers not only the land your business is located, but also the equipment and goods inside the building. Chances are you’ve invested a great deal of time and money into the products and hardware found within the facility. So just because you don’t actually own the property doesn’t mean you shouldn’t invest in property insurance. 

Home Based Business Insurance

If you’re like many business owners, you started your company inside your home. However, your home owner’s insurance may not cover the loss of property and goods should something occur to your house. In order to protect your business assets in the event of a break in, flood, fire or other disaster, you need to invest in a home based business insurance. 

No matter the kind of business you run, at NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency, we want to help protect it. By assisting you in looking over the different kinds of commercial insurance, you’re business in and around Albany, NY will stand better protected, regardless of the industry you’re in. 

Inexpensive Ways to Increase Security Around Your Home

Security features around your home can help to protect your home against people who are looking to break into your home, vandalize your home or even steal packages from your doorstep. However, some security features can be costly. One question that we at NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency, serving the greater Albany, NY area, are often asked is whether or not there are inexpensive ways to increase security around the home. Here are a few of the best ways to increase security around your home for as cheap as possible. 

Add Flood Lights

Those breaking into a home love to lurk in the darkness. They are less likely to get caught. If there isn’t much lighting around your home, installing floodlights can help to illuminate the area around your home and keep burglars out. 

Install Motion Cameras

Another way to inexpensively beef up security around your home is to install motion cameras. The cameras will begin rolling only when motion is detected. Many thieves look for cameras and if they spot them, they move on and target a different home. 

Reinforce Entry Points

The last tip for inexpensively increasing security around your home is to reinforce your entry points. Thieves are more likely to enter through a door or window on the ground level. Reinforce these windows and doors with extra locks or locking mechanisms to make them harder to enter through. 

When you are increasing security around your home, it is also a great time to take a look at your homeowner’s insurance policy and see if changes need to be made. If you are looking to make changes to an existing policy or purchase a new one in the greater Albany, NY area, NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency would love to assist you. Call us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your home insurance needs. 

Insurance for Customized Vehicles

Most automobile insurance packages are designed to cover cars as they were manufactured. If you need to customize your vehicle for towing, handicap access, or other reasons, how does it affect your insurance policy?

Vehicles for Towing or Plowing

Winter in Albany, NY can bring heavy snows that challenge your shoveling skills. Attaching a snow plow to the front of your heavy-duty truck can help reduce your workload and keep your property clear in storm conditions. Or you may need to attach a trailer hitch to transport equipment or tow other vehicles.

Changing the function of your vehicle may affect your automobile policy in important ways.

  • Customizations can void warranties, leaving you on the hook for repairs or replacements.
  • You may need additional policies or riders to cover specialized equipment. Contact the insurance experts at NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency to make sure you have enough coverage.

Modifications for Handicap Access

Disabled drivers and passengers may need customizations to comfortably enter, exit, and operate their vehicles. How does this change their automobile insurance policies?

Per the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, insurance companies are not allowed to charge higher rates to disabled drivers. They can, however, charge more for vehicles that have been heavily modified. This justifies the increased cost of replacing custom installations if an accident occurs.

When meeting with an insurance agent, bring a list of modifications you’ve done to your vehicles. This will help the agent determine what coverage you may need.

Personality Accents

Some people use their cars to express their personality. Decorative elements like spoilers, hub caps, and window tinting generally does not affect automobile insurance policies. However, performance-based modifications might change your agreement. If you redesign your car for racing, off-roading, or another unusual activity, you may not qualify for a regular passenger policy. Talk to your insurance agent about specialized policies for these types of vehicles.

Do you own a customized vehicle in the Albany, NY area? NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency will help you find the right coverage for your car, no matter how you use it.

5 Things to Know About Retirement Insurance

Retirement insurance in Albany, NY may be a confusing term to many people, and this may be because it’s not discussed very often. Find out more about what you need to know from NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency before you make any more assumptions about it. 

Retirement Insurance Doesn’t Stand Alone (Normally)

Unlike health or auto insurance that stand on their own, retirement insurance is normally a part of an insurance package that is presented to an employee long before they ever get ready to leave their position.

Retirement Insurance Is Not Life Insurance 

This special form of insurance is designed to keep up with how you like to live your life, so you’re not dependent on social security as your sole source of support. As inflation continues to impact our market, retirees need to be ready to cover a number of daily living needs. 

Divorce Does Not Necessarily Affect Retirement Insurance 

If your spouse is on your retirement insurance but you get divorced, they may still be considered a part of your policy. Generally speaking, if your marriage spanned over several decades but ended close to the age of retirement, the terms of your policy are the same as if you had stayed married. 

Each Case Is Different 

Just like with other major forms of insurance, your case is dependent on your specific circumstances. This may include the length of your career, your total wealth, your retirement age, and your current lifestyle. 

Who You Work with Matters 

Talk to NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency to find out more about how retirement insurance works. Our staff understands it all and is ready to help you understand it too. Give us a call today if you live in Albany, NY and are looking for some answers. 

 

 

Common Mistakes When Insuring Your Business

At NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency, we’ve seen our Albany, NY customers make too many commercial insurance mistakes to count. That’s why we’re providing you with this in-depth look at some of the most common business insurance mistakes being made today.

Lacking Proper Vandalism Insurance

Vandalism is a common problem for many businesses and one that can be hard to pay for when it occurs. As a result, it is important to purchase high-quality vandalism insurance to protect your business from this serious problem.

Business Disruption Insurance

When your business suffers from a disruption of its services, this type of coverage helps cover your expenses until you start operating again. It isn’t inexpensive to get this type of insurance, but it is necessary if something serious breaks down.

Lacking Employment Practices Liability Insurance

This type of insurance, otherwise known as EPLI, protects you from serious employment claims. For example, if your employees sue you for wrongful termination, EPLI insurance will ensure that you don’t end up paying thousands or more in a lawsuit.

Hiring Multiple Agents

Anyone who has multiple policies from many different agents is making a huge mistake. You should try to avoid this kind of behavior as it can lead to coverage gaps or cost you hundreds of dollars more every month. Concentrate your commercial insurance with one agent.

Ignoring Cyber Liability

Do you have any type of presence on the internet, such as an online store? Then you need cyber liability. Getting hacked and costing your customers serious money will put you in a difficult, and expensive legal situation. Cyber liability insurance will protect you in this instance.

Don’t Make These Mistakes!

When you work with us at NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency, you can get the kind of high-quality commercial insurance that your Albany, NY firm deserves. We will help you not only avoid these mistakes but others like them. Let us help you succeed.

Things You Need to Know About Commercial Vehicle Insurance

If your business has commercial vehicles as part of a fleet, then you need to consider getting commercial vehicle insurance. The insurance will need to cover both your commercial vehicle and the driver, even if they are using their own vehicle for work. Their personal insurance is usually not enough to cover any incidents. To better protect your business in Albany, NY, you need to invest in commercial vehicle insurance. These are just a few things to consider when you are looking to purchase some through NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency. 

  • The lowest price doesn’t usually come with the best coverage. While looking for the lowest rate will help your bottom line in the present, if you ever need to use your commercial vehicle insurance, it will hurt you in the long run. You want to find the best policy at the lowest price and just because it is inexpensive doesn’t mean it is a good policy. 
  • Get the right insurance for your vehicles. There are many different types of insurance policies based on the type of vehicles you have and their use. Make sure you get a policy that meets your needs specifically. 
  • You should take the time to screen your drivers. Since you will be putting these people on your policy, in order to keep your costs low, you need to make sure you have reliable drivers. This means they should have a clean driving record. You should make it a standard to check these things before adding them to your policy. 

Now that you have a better idea of what to look for in a commercial vehicle insurance policy, you can start getting quotes. Contact NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency, serving Albany, NY, for your free quote and more information. 

Five tips on finding the right home insurance policy for your unique situation

Home insurance is a very important purchase that could have a huge impact on your financial future. 

The following are five things you can do when shopping around for insurance on a new home to ensure that you choose the right policy for your situation:

Discuss the issue with your real estate agent

As a professional in the real estate industry, your real estate agent can probably give you some helpful advice. Your real estate agent should know a lot about you by now, so he or she should have a good idea of what insurance policy you need.

Discuss the issue with the previous homeowner

Another great source of information on effective home insurance is the previous owner. If possible, discuss insurance options with the previous owner and ask about any special considerations you should take into account for insuring this particular home.

Work with an insurance provider of whom you’re already a customer

It’s always a good idea to bundle insurance together. If you already purchase auto insurance from a provider like NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency that also offer home insurance, check out their policy options. Not only can you enjoy a discount for bundled insurance, but you might find that the insurance provider goes out of the way for you out of thanks for your loyalty.

Do your research

There are many different home insurance policies out there. You can’t be sure that you’ve gotten the best one for your unique situation until you’re aware of all teh options.

Consider the risks that apply to your location

One of the most important things you think about is what natural disasters are most likely to cause damage to your new home in Albany, NY.

Bundled Auto Policies: Are They Right For You?

Albany, NY residents turn to NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency to cover multiple vehicles. Many are interested in bundled car policies and wonder how they work to save a family money.

The Nature Of Multi-Car Policies

People who own multiple vehicles, such as a father or a large family with multiple driving members, can typically bundle up to four cars on a single policy. Bundling will almost always save money on a policy, as insurance companies will lower the rate as a way of rewarding a customer’s loyalty. The actual rate will vary depending on multiple factors.

For example, newer and safer vehicles typically have cheaper insurance policies while older and more dangerous cars will have more expensive policies. Combining vehicles of varying ages and safety ratings will cause the rate value to increase or decrease in multiple ways.

Features That Help Decrease A Policy

Vehicles with safety features, like security alarms and anti-lock brakes, are typically less expensive to insure. This is especially true if you have a safe driving record and haven’t suffered from an accident during a calendar year. Improving a car’s safety features by installing new items can also help decrease a bundle policy price.

Other Insurance Options

Most companies will allow you to get comprehensive and collision coverage for each vehicle in your bundled package. These are crucial in case of an accident, as they can cover the cost of the replacement of each vehicle. For those who are bundling their policies with their teenage drivers, collision and comprehensive insurance can be crucial for protecting your investment.

Do You Want This Type Of Insurance?

If you are interested in this type of insurance and live in Albany, NY, please contact us at NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency. We will provide you with a quality policy that will save you money.

How Does Retirement Insurance Work?

Many people work with one company throughout their entire professional life, and one of the many benefits of this career path is the inclusion in their employer’s retirement plan and pension. Retirement insurance, the coverage additional to Social Security, is mainly associated with employment of one’s own or a spouse. Retirement insurance is one part of total insurance coverage that must be thoroughly understood and considered prior to the actual day of retirement. The insurance professionals at NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency are here to help our clients in the greater Albany, NY area understands it all. 

In addition to retirement, divorce and death of a spouse are the two most impactful events on retirement plans and insurance. It is unwise to assume that all claims to Retirement Insurance as null and void in the event of divorce. It is different in every case, and the main deciding factor is the length of the marriage. If the marriage spans decades and is ended close to retirement age, it is possible that the spouse may have a claim for the benefits of the Retirement Insurance. If the marriage has lasted one or two years, it is a lot less likely that the former spouse will be able to claim any of the benefits. 

Retirement Insurance can make a very large difference in the way that retirement is spent and how stable and secure it will be. As each case is different, it is important to meet with an insurance professional to understand what your benefits are and how to use them.

If you are located in the Albany, NY area and have questions, contact us at NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency to learn more about how we can help you to better understand how Retirement Insurance will affect you.

 

What Happens When You Lose Your Job and Your Life Insurance Isn’t Portable?

If you have a life insurance policy through your employer, you may think that you are set even if you leave or lose your job. However, this is something that may employers do not tell you about. According to NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency, if your policy is a non-portable policy, you may have to start all over with life insurance if you leave your job in Albany, NY or lose it for any reason. 

When a life insurance policy is not portable, that means you cannot take it with you if you are no longer employed with your company. The thing about enrolling in life insurance through your employer is that it is easy. Generally, if you enroll within your new hire window, you are approved with no questions asked. That means no matter what is going on with your health, you are covered. However, if you leave and need to get another policy, there is no automatic enrollment and over time, life insurance will get more and more expensive. If you change jobs several times over the course of 10 or 12 years, you will find out that most policies are not portable and the cost for each new policy is increasing every time. If you do not get offered life insurance at a new job, you will need to consider a personal policy that you can always keep with you no matter what happens, which may be the better option anyway. 

If you have recently lost your job and were not aware that you also lost your life insurance coverage, you may want to consider getting another life insurance plan that can better protect you and the ones you love. Contact NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency serving Albany, NY to learn more about your life insurance options.