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Illinois Insurance Blog

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How Your Pet Could Influence Your Home Insurance Policy – and Not in a Good Way

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For many, the image of home ownership includes a beautiful yard, children playing, two cars, and often a pet or two. This idyllic scene is one of the reasons we invest in protection like home insurance. To safeguard our homes and families, many homeowners in the Deerfield, IL area rely on the professional team at STARS Insurance for all their home insurance needs.

How Your Pet Could Impact Your Home Insurance Policy

While these images of our homes are comforting, the pets in these scenes could potentially disrupt this tranquility. Specifically, dogs classified as aggressive and dangerous are often deemed high-risk by most insurance agencies. This could result in higher rates, refusal of coverage, or in some cases, the exclusion of coverage for certain pet-related incidents (e.g., dog bites).

That’s why talking to your agent is important, even before you get a pet. If you’re a homeowner in the greater Deerfield, IL area and have questions or would like to learn more about how pets can influence your home insurance policy, we can help. Working with knowledgeable and experienced agents can make a difference in protecting your home, family, and pets.

Contact STARS Insurance for Your Homeowners Insurance Solutions Today

Contact us to find out more and schedule an appointment today with our team at STARS Insurance for the protection you and your home need and deserve.

Does Watercraft Insurance Cover Onboard Valuables?

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Most watercraft owners keep a range of valuables onboard. Whether it’s a jet ski, a yacht, or any watercraft in between, chances are there are valuable personal items and electronic equipment that a watercraft owner wouldn’t want to see stolen or destroyed. However, watercraft are often vulnerable to various threats, ranging from theft and vandalism to natural disasters like storms. So, does watercraft insurance cover onboard valuables? Let’s find out.

Coverage for Personal Items

Most standard watercraft insurance policies, readily available through STARS Insurance serving Deerfield, IL, include some level of coverage for personal property. This typically covers items that are directly related to the operation and maintenance of the boat, such as safety gear, navigational aids, and sometimes fishing equipment. However, the coverage for personal valuables such as jewelry, electronics, or other expensive equipment might be limited or excluded altogether.

Limitations and Exclusions

The specifics can vary significantly from one policy to another. Generally, the insurer caps the amount it for personal items, which may not be sufficient to cover high-value goods. Certain items may be excluded unless specifically added to the policy through an endorsement.

Additional Coverage Options

For those needing more comprehensive protection for valuable personal items, purchasing additional coverage or a rider can be a good option. These add-ons can increase personal property limits and cover items not included under the standard policy. It’s essential to discuss these options with your insurance provider to ensure that all valuable items are adequately protected.

While watercraft insurance does offer some coverage for onboard valuables, it is often limited. Boat owners should carefully review their policies and consider additional coverage to protect their valuable personal items fully. Have questions? Contact STARS Insurance in Deerfield, IL, for help.

Three Reasons to Get Flood Insurance If You Live In a High Risk Area

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If you live in a high-risk flood area, having the right level of insurance for your needs is crucial. The professionals at STARS Insurance, serving Deerfield, IL, can help. While home insurance can assist you during the recovery after various disasters, it does not cover floods. If your home is at risk for flooding, you may need flood insurance. Below, we’ve listed several reasons to get flood insurance if you live in a high-risk flood area.

1. Flood Insurance Helps During Recovery After A Flood

After a flood, you may need to replace many belongings and perform extensive repairs to your home. If you don’t have the funds in savings to do this work, flood insurance can help. Flood insurance provides essential funds during the recovery after a flood to help repair your home and replace belongings.

2. Flood Insurance May Be Required By Your Mortgage Lender

Depending on where you live and your risk for floods, your mortgage lender may require this type of insurance. If you’re in the process of buying a home, your mortgage lender will inform you if this is a requirement for qualifying for a loan. If so, the professionals at STARS Insurance can help.

3. Flood Insurance Provides Peace of Mind

Flood insurance provides peace of mind during covered events. Floods are stressful, but they can be less stressful when you know you have insurance to help during the recovery. At STARS Insurance, serving Deerfield, IL, we can help you find a flood insurance policy that provides peace of mind. Call today to get started with an insurance policy. We can help you find the right type of insurance for your needs.

How Life Insurance Can Complement Retirement Planning in Deerfield, IL

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Planning for retirement should be exciting, not one that causes stress and fear of the unknown. Working with an insurance agency in Deerfield, IL, such as STARS Insurance, can help you learn more about how life insurance can complement the retirement planning process. By integrating life insurance into your existing retirement strategy, you can maintain financial stability and peace of mind as you transition into your next life phase.

Tax Advantages and Savings Options

Permanent life insurance policies may also come with a cash value component that increases over time. If you’re interested in diversifying your retirement income streams, you can do so by working with an agency that understands certain retirement and life insurance policies that are beneficial for you.

Covering Final Expenses

Your life insurance policy can help provide liquidity to equalize inheritances while also assisting in covering estate taxes. This can ensure your assets are divided fairly without dispute after your passing.

Providing Income Replacement for Dependents

A properly formulated life insurance policy will protect your loved ones and dependents from potential financial hardships if you pass away unexpectedly. A death benefit in your policy can help cover outstanding debts, living expenses, and even educational costs for your existing dependents. This can alleviate common worries associated with untimely deaths.

Understanding how life insurance can complement retirement planning in Deerfield, IL, is crucial anytime you’re preparing for retirement or thinking of your future from a financial perspective. The more prepared you are for your retirement regarding life insurance, the easier it will be for you to adjust to your new way of life without work. To learn more about retirement planning and selecting the right life insurance policy to complement your strategy, contact STARS Insurance for your quote and consultation today.

What to Do If Your Auto Insurance Is Nonrenewed

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If you’re a driver living in Illinois, one of your responsibilities is to purchase car insurance. Even the most careful driver can be involved in an auto accident. If you live in the Deerfield, IL area and have questions about car insurance, our team at STARS Insurance is ready to discuss your insurance options. We’ve been providing insurance services for clients in your area for over 15 years.

What to Do If Your Insurance Is Not Renewed

If you are notified that your car insurance policy has been canceled, and you did not initiate the cancellation, the insurance company must provide you with an explanation. According to the Illinois Department of Insurance, if your policy is discontinued before its expiration date, it is considered canceled; if it is discontinued as of the expiration date, that is a policy nonrenewal. Your policy can be rescinded (voided back to its beginning) if you didn’t disclose a driving violation when applying for the policy.

In writing, your insurance company must notify you of the reason for your policy nonrenewal. If you believe your insurance company didn’t follow the correct guidelines for canceling your insurance, you have a right to appeal the decision. To appeal the cancellation, you must send a written application to the Department of Insurance at least 20 days before your ppolicy expires

Call Us Today for Your Appointment

Consider your insurance policy an investment in your driving privileges. Our team at STARS Insurance is always ready to discuss your auto insurance needs. Residents of the Deerfield, IL, area can feel confident when they trust our team to provide their insurance needs. Call us for an appointment today, and let’s talk about insurance.

How Commercial Insurance Protects Your Business

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If you’re operating a business or planning to open one in the Deerfield, IL area and need a commercial insurance policy, STARS Insurance is here to help. We understand that running a business involves many aspects, and we want to help you achieve peace of mind. With the right coverage, you’ll know your business is protected, allowing you to focus on its growth and strength.

A commercial policy is an excellent way to safeguard your business. It provides coverage for your company’s assets and reduces claim risk from concerns like customer injuries. Having the proper support if something goes wrong is crucial, providing you with the guidance needed to overcome issues and incidents.

Our professional agents will collaborate with you to find the best commercial coverage for your needs. We can provide you with quotes from multiple insurers, answer your questions about them, and guide you toward the policy that will meet your needs. There’s no reason to settle for less when you can get more by working with one of our trusted agents. Your company deserves a quality insurance policy that keeps it safe, and we want to be a part of helping you find that.

Contact us today at STARS Insurance if you’re in the Deerfield, IL area and looking for a commercial insurance policy for your business. Whether you’ve been in business for years or you’re just getting started, we can help you get the right coverage for your needs. It’s important to keep your company moving forward and your customers happy, which is easier to do when you’re confident that you’re protected for the future.

Water Back Up Coverage in Home Insurance

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Understanding Water Backup Coverage for Homeowners Insurance

Water backup coverage is an optional addition to homeowners insurance that helps protect against damages caused by backed-up drains, sewers, or sump pumps. Generally, standard homeowners insurance policies do not cover these types of damages. This add-on to home insurance could be quite beneficial for homeowners in Deerfield, IL.

Inclusions in Water Backup Coverage

When your home suffers damages from water backing up through drains, sump pumps, or sewer lines, water backup coverage springs into action. Such damages can result in considerable harm to your property, including the destruction of floors, walls, furniture, and personal belongings. Without this coverage, you would be liable for the costs of repairs and replacements.

For instance, if your sump pump fails during a storm and your basement floods, this coverage would pay for water extraction, repairs to damaged property, and replacement of destroyed items. This coverage is also useful if tree roots or blockages cause sewer lines to back up into your home and damage the fixtures or appliances.

Exclusions in Water Backup Coverage

It is important to mention that water backup coverage does not cover flooding from external sources such as heavy rain or overflowing rivers. To safeguard against flood damage, a separate flood insurance policy is required. Additionally, damages due to poor maintenance or neglect of the plumbing system are not covered. Therefore, routine maintenance and inspection of sump pumps and drains are essential to avoid denied claims.

Water backup coverage can be crucial for homeowners, especially those with finished basements or older plumbing systems. If your property has a sump pump or experiences drainage problems, it is advisable to discuss your options with your home insurance provider.

Choose STARS Insurance for a Clearer Understanding of Insurance

STARS Insurance can be your reliable partner for all things insurance. We serve Deerfield, IL, and its surrounding areas. Contact us today, and let’s talk about insurance.

Essential Tips for Successful Boat/Watercraft Winterization

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Attentive owners polish their boats and watercraft and give them the necessary maintenance to prepare for the summer. Do you give your motorboat, Jet Ski, and other vessels the same love and attention before storing them for the winter? The pros at STARS Insurance in Deerfield, IL, have put together these tips to keep your boat safe during the colder months. 

Start by Checking the Owner’s Manual 

Manufacturers include specific instructions on winterizing your watercraft. Review the manuals for each vessel or PWC before putting together a winterization strategy.

Prepare the Motor

If you have an inboard engine, the owner’s manual probably directs you to add antifreeze and clear the cylinders. For outboard motors, you may need to drain the cooling system, store the motor in the specified position (usually vertically), and fog the engine with the appropriate anticorrosive oil. 

Add Fuel and Inspect Your Stern Drive

If you have one, inspect the stern drive for any signs of damage. Schedule any needed maintenance or repairs as part of the winterization process. Also, you’ll want to fill the fuel tank by adding a fuel stabilizer to prevent buildup. 

Drain the Bilge, Head, and Freshwater Systems

Remove any water from the bilge, fresh water system, and head. You can use a bilge pump to drain the bilge quickly. When draining your freshwater systems, remember to empty all sinks and toilets. You may need to flush the lines with antifreeze to prevent weather-related damage. Additionally, properly cleaning the toilet can prevent foul smells and bacterial accumulation. 

Don’t Forget to Winterize Your PWCs

Secure your personal watercraft with a snug cover that won’t blow away. Choose a cover that provides UV protection. Clean and dry your PWC to extend its useful life. Our team can also review your boat/watercraft insurance and ensure you’re covered for weather-related perils.

Contact STARS Insurance in Deerfield, IL, for more tips on protecting your boat and watercraft with the appropriate insurance policy!

Why You Need Flood Insurance Outside of Flood Zones

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The government designates numerous areas as flood zones where there’s a high probability of regular flooding events. However, floods can occur anywhere, not only in these zones. For this reason, every homeowner needs to have flood insurance. If you don’t have any flood insurance coverage yet, contact us at STARS Insurance in Deerfield, IL.

The Flood Zone Designation

Areas that regularly flood are designated as flood zones and assigned a frequency interval (like 10 years, 50 years, etc.) at which flooding is expected. These areas typically either have terrain that is conducive to flooding or are located near a body of water prone to flooding. While living in a designated flood zone requires you to have flood insurance, it’s important to remember that not all floods happen in flood zones. Unexpected floods cause damage to many homes. Approximately 20% of all flood claims come from areas outside designated zones.

Home Insurance and Flood Insurance

It would be best if you had distinct flood insurance because your home insurance policy does not cover flood damage. If your home gets flooded, causing severe damage to the house and personal belongings within, your homeowner’s insurance will not pay for it. Skipping out on flood insurance is not a good idea because you never know when a flood could strike. Due to climate change, many areas that don’t have a historical record of flooding are now experiencing it.

Get Your Flood Insurance Policy

To commence with acquiring flood insurance, give us a call at STARS Insurance in Deerfield, IL.

Term Life Vs. Whole Life Insurance

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When you have people who depend on you, it’s always important to have a life insurance policy in place. The type of life insurance policy you choose should depend on what you want from your policy and what you have budgeted for the premiums. This insurance has two main types: term life and whole life. They work very differently from each other, but they also have much in common. Both pay out a death benefit to the beneficiaries of the policy. Call us at STARS Insurance in Deerfield, IL, if you need either of these policy types.

Term Life Insurance

Term life is one important factor that people need to know about before getting this type of policy. These policies are in effect for a specific amount of time. After that time has elapsed, they expire. Many people don’t like taking on a policy that has an expiration date, but the trade-off is that these policies cost much less than whole life insurance. This type is highly affordable for most people and often comes with very long terms.

Whole Life Insurance

This type comes with no expiration date at all. It is good for as long as you choose to keep the policy. It’s more expensive, but many people like that it doesn’t expire and that it builds up a cash value. Over the years, it builds this value that you can later borrow against if you have the need to. This can lead to peace of mind, knowing emergency money is available if you ever need to access it.

Get Life Insurance

No matter which type you choose, it’s essential to have a policy in place. To learn more about which type of life insurance you need, call us at STARS Insurance in Deerfield, IL.