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Twin Bridges Insurance Agency

1881 Western Avenue, Suite 210
Albany, NY 12203

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Make Sure Everyone Can See at Your Halloween Party

Decorations set the tone for a Halloween party. Without dim areas, cobwebs and jack-o-lanterns just wouldn’t be the same. Decorations, however, should never create a safety hazard — no matter how good they look. If you’re hosting a Halloween party this October, we have a few suggestions that will help prevent accidents at your get-together.

Make Sure Everyone Can See

When decorating for Halloween, it’s important to make sure everyone can see. When people can’t see, they trip over objects, fall down steps and otherwise injure themselves. To reduce the likelihood of an accident, you can:

  • leave lights on in main areas, such as where food is being served
  • decorate with holiday-themed lights
  • make sure there’s nothing for people to trip over in poorly lit areas

Leaving parts of your home well-lit doesn’t need to detract from your decorations. For instance, you can add a Halloween flair to your dining area with ghost-shaped cookies and an orange cake, without dimming any lights in the area.

Make Sure You’re Insured

Even when safety is kept in mind, accidents can still happen. Before people start arriving for your party, you should make sure you’re protected with liability coverage. Often included in home insurance policies, liability coverage provides protection when you’re found responsible for a covered incident.

If you don’t have enough liability coverage, and you live in Albany, NY, contact us at NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency. We’ve helped many homeowners in the area find the coverage they need, and our independent insurance agents can help you find a new home insurance policy quickly. Just make sure to send us a message before your party starts, so we can get you covered in time.

 

 

Life Insurance Myths Uncovered In Albany, NY

There are a lot of life insurance myths that you need to uncover in Albany, New York. This will give you more confidence as you shop for a policy knowing that it is going to provide you with sufficient protection.

Life Insurance is for Older People

Somewhere along the line, a myth developed that life insurance is only for older people. This is not accurate at all. You want to make sure that you are protecting your family regardless of what your age is – and therefore having a policy even in your 30s and 40s can be extremely beneficial.

Health is Critical

While health does play a role within life-insurance, it is not going to be the difference between being able to get a policy or not. Plenty of insurance companies will offer a policy even if you have a serious illness. However, the coverage may be lower and premiums may be higher.

Employer-Provided Polices are Enough

It is great if your employer provides you with a life insurance policy. However, you need to know what kind of coverage you have, it may only be one or two times your salary. Additionally, it may only be a term policy and may disappear once you leave the company, leaving you with no coverage at all.

Most Affordable Policies are Online

There is a myth that the most affordable policies are found online only. While there are some affordable premium prices available online, you have to look at what is going to work best for you. It’s a good idea to make some comparisons between the quotes that you get from multiple companies.

At NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency, we look forward to helping you find an affordable life insurance policy that you can count on. Call today and speak to one of our agents for individual assistance.

 

Albany Summers: Protect Your Pet

Albany summers can get very hot. When you are in upstate New York, you may have several pets or just one. Either way, you want to make sure that your pet is well protected against all of the heat during the summer months.

The heat can get significant, and even if your pets are inside, you want to make sure that they have access to plenty of cool water. This will keep them well hydrated. As another way to keep them hydrated, you can mix wet food into their otherwise dry food to sneak in some additional water.

Take a look at their gums from time to time. If their guns are slimy, they are healthy. If they are very dry, it is generally a sign that they are overheating.

When you take your pets outside, make sure they have access to water, and shade. Try to give them exercise in the morning and evening hours so that they are not out in the middle of the day.

Take a trip to the pet store and look at what they offer for protecting the feet of your pets. The paw pads can be very sensitive to hot concrete and therefore you want to offer some kind of protection. They make booties, pads, and various other things. Choose something that your pets can actually walk in comfortably.

Summers in Albany also means more bugs, including mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks. Make an appointment with the vet in order to get your pet on preventative medication. You may also want to take that time to talk to the vet about other things that you can do to protect your pet based upon the breed.

Call us at NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency today to learn more about how we can protect your pets and your family. We’re here to help you find affordable home policies in Albany.

 

 

Taking the Long Way Home: Practice Driving with Your Teen

As your children get older, they will get to a point where they want to get out and about with their friends. Until they get their driver’s license, you’ll be the one toting your teen and his friends around town. After he gets his permit, though, it becomes time to start letting him get in plenty of practice before he starts venturing out on their own. If your teen already has his permit, make sure you start taking the long way home and let him drive. The more practice he has, the safer he’ll be as a teen driver. Here’s a look at two other tips you can follow to make sure your teen stays safe on the road.

Understand all knobs, switches, and buttons

Many newer cars these days have more than a just a few buttons, knobs, and switches, and unfortunately, many people drive cars for years without knowing how to control all of their car’s features. You should make sure to set aside time for showing your teen what each button does. From understanding how the windshield wipers work to being able to work parking and fog lights, the more your teen understands the car’s safety features, the safer he’ll be as a driver. 

Perform regular maintenance

Whether it be you or your teen driver having regular maintenance performed on his car, it’s important that it gets done. Without regular maintenance, the engine will likely sputter and the tires and wheels will be unsafe to drive on. 

For more tips on keeping your teen safe when behind the wheel, contact NY Twin Bridges Insurance agency today. 

How To Shop For Life Insurance In New York

Millions of people call New York their home. There are many large cities and even smaller ones that offer a quieter way of life. Regardless of what city or town you call your home, it’s important to know how to shop for life insurance.

There are several terms you want to familiarize yourself with in order to know more about the insurance.

Award: The amount of the life insurance policy when it is paid to a beneficiary

Term life: Survivor benefits are paid for a specific term

Whole life: Survivor benefits are paid regardless of a term and there is a cash value

Term life policies are the least expensive and there is no cash value if you stop making the payments. The term is only valid for a certain number of years and this is a term that you have to identify early on.

If you choose whole life (or universal), you will have the protection for life as long as you can maintain the payments.

There’s a lot to decide and when you get online quotes; it can help you understand the costs as well as make some comparisons. You have to decide between term and whole life insurance in New York and decide on the company to go with as well.

We have insurance agents to help you with all of these decisions. You want to have a policy that is able to protect your loved ones. In the event of your death, you want to make sure you have the financial protection to cover them.

Let us help you get online quotes so that you can make comparisons and weigh the pros and cons between the different types of insurance that is available.

 

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Is Cyber Security Insurance Worth it?

Many businesses approach cyber security in a nonchalant manner in Albany, New York, mostly because managers think that the likelihood of getting hacked is slim to none, so they think they don’t need this type of business insurance. The truth is data breaches are common and the costs are phenomenal. Price Waterhouse Coopers estimates that companies average about 135 incidents each year, but they surveyed many companies that were not aware of a breach until notified by the FBI. Data incidents are happening more frequently, and some businesses are not aware of the threats.

How Data Breaches Impact Your Business
Data breaches reach beyond the IT department in many companies; the potential for risks are increased. If you consider the fact that networks allow users to access information on your network, the problem grows larger. Data breaches, even those resulting from minor operations disruptions, result in costs associated with:

•    Loss in productivity
•    Rebuilding your brand 
•    Fees for failing to comply with government regulations
•    Forensics used to track and remove the threat

In fact, Price Waterhouse Coopers estimates that the average cost to a company recovering from a cyber-attack is about $415,000. Fortunately, purchasing data breach insurance will help your organization save money when it comes to getting your business back operational.

Protect Your Business by Aligning with an Independent Agent
Independent agents offer a vastly different service from captive insurance agents, or agents who typically represent one company and offer limited services. If your business is concerned about the potential for cyber threats, contacting our local office is your first step to taking the necessary measures to ensure you are protected. After a thorough assessment of your business needs, our agents may be able to help you protect your business from cyber threats, threats to your property due to weather, and car accident in Albany, New York.

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The Benefits of Working with an Independent Agent vs. A Captive Agent

Whether you operate a small business or a large organization, getting the most for your money is always important. Since your business needs business insurance, it makes sense to understand what options you have available when you purchase business insurance, primarily whether to purchase your insurance from an independent agent or a captive agent.

Understanding the Difference between an Independent and a Captive Agent
Many people do not recognize a difference between the companies they choose to purchase their business insurance from within Watervliet, New York. An independent insurance agent works for an agency that sells insurance products for many different insurance companies. A captive insurance agent sells limited products and services associated with only their brand. 

You Get Competitive Rates by Working with an Independent Agent
As a result of captive agents selling products and services created and priced by their business exclusively, your business doesn’t always get the best rate when you request insurance quotes. The quote you get is the established rate the company determined was fair for the product. 
Fortunately, with an independent insurance agent you get a competitive rate. Independent agents search the market for the best value for your business based on your needs. 

You Get Excellent Customer Service with an Independent Agent
For businesses, purchasing insurance means you need a working relationship with your insurance agent. Employee changes, changes affecting policy limits, and adding additional insurance products require communicating with your insurance agent on a regular basis. Independent insurance agents provide quality customer service during the sale and while maintaining your account; you are not simply an account, but a valued customer.

Ensure your business with the variety of insurance products offered by independent agents. By purchasing from them, you can get quotes, competitive rates, and quality service that lasts the duration of your working relationship.

 

 

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Home Insurance: Dealing With Car Damage On Your Property

Saratoga Springs, New York is at the top of the state and is a relatively affluent area. There are many benefits to living in the area, including a full change of seasons throughout the year. Home prices are higher than the state average, though there are many events to enjoy for residents as well.

Home insurance is important to have and it’s possible to save by shopping around. The best thing to do is not wait until there is a loss to find out if you have the necessary type of insurance on your home. If your car is hit while it is sitting on your property, you want to be confident that you can file a claim and have it covered.

Enough coverage should be purchased so you have the ability to replace what is insured. This means that you want to look at “replacement” coverage over and “actual cash value” policy. While the latter is cheaper, it could result in you not being able to repair your car as needed – and this could be a problem.

Car damage on your property can be as a result of a tree hitting your car in Saratoga Springs or even another car slamming into the back of it. You cannot anticipate what is going to happen, but you can ensure you have the right coverage on your home.

We have agents to help you with home insurance and to deal with the car damage if and when it occurs. You need to think about what is on your property at all times and then determine the coverage that will protect it all. We are here to answer questions that you may have. We can then help you to find the most affordable policy by searching for quotes from different companies.

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3 Reasons You Pay More When You Don’t Shop Around for Car Insurance

It’s common knowledge that you can save money by shopping around for car insurance, but many people fail to do so. They either choose to remain with their existing insurance company or they opt for a national brand because they think these insurance companies are trustworthy. Unfortunately, foregoing shopping around for insurance costs you more than time.

Low and Moderate Income Drivers Charged More
The Consumer Federation of America conducted a study where they found that many people within low-income zip codes were charged more for auto insurance policies. In fact, basic insurance coverage was often priced over $500 in low and moderate income zip codes. For individuals and businesses purchasing insurance in this zip code, failing to shop around will cost you extra money on your car insurance policy.

Ignoring that Insurance Companies Rate Based on Occupation
Although many people do not know it, insurance companies may price their insurance policies based on education level and occupation. An individual with a high school education paid 41% more on their annual cost of insurance compared to an executive with the same policy, with one of the major insurance carriers. When you shop around you can avoid these practices by choosing to purchase your insurance from independent agents who get quotes for you from many different companies. 

Failing to Maximize Discounts
Although insurance companies offer very similar products, not all insurance companies are created equal. Many insurance companies offer discounts for a multitude of different scenarios for drivers, failing to maximize your discounts means you pay more for your business and auto insurance.

Do not pay more for car insurance when you do not have to in Watervliet, New York. You can call an independent insurance agent and get the best insurance for your budget, today.

 

 

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Why Minivans Are Great Options for Your Fleet

For businesses, keeping costs low is a priority in Albany, New York. Whether the focus is on labor costs or operating costs, the more money you have remaining in your business the better you are competitively. Fortunately, you can purchase minivans for your fleet to keep costs low for your business.

Minivans are Cheaper to Insure
Minivans continue to be one of the vehicles that top insurance companies’ lists of inexpensive cars to insure. A recent study showed that two Toyota Sienna minivans were the cheapest cars to insure with the average annual insurance rate of $1,111 and $1,114. Additionally, family-oriented crossovers and some SUVs were cheaper to insure than other cars. A lower annual premium makes minivans a cost saver when it comes to your business fleet.

Minivans are Fuel Efficient
Saving fuel costs for your fleet will not only help you improve your bottom line, but it will also help you go further. Fortunately, minivans have proven to be fuel efficient. With some minivans realizing ranges of 31 highway miles per gallon. With a fuel efficient minivan, you can make more business trips without venturing to the gas station.

Minivans are Safe
Safety is a big issue for many businesses. Employees responsible for conducting business transactions away from their work facilities must have reliable transportation while doing so. Minivans are notoriously safe. They provide your employees with the ability to handle and control the vehicle with ease, reducing the potential for danger when facing bumper-to-bumper traffic. Investing in a fleet of minivans will help your business reduce the costs of insurance by eliminating risks for your employee and others on the road.

Whether you are a business or an individual with a learners permit in Albany, New York, independent agents provide you with the great rates on your car insurance. Contact an agent to get the answers to your questions about the best coverage for you.
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