Extend Your Vehicle’s Life With These Easy 3 Tips

There are two important aspects of caring for a vehicle: maintenance and insurance. Maintaining your car will extend its life, and properly insuring it will ensure that you’re protected if something happens on the road. At Martin Insurance Team LTD, we have collected a few tips for the former, and our independent insurance agents can help you with the latter.

Properly Maintaining Your Car

Although large repairs grab people’s attention, auto maintenance rarely involves a major repair. Instead, maintaining a vehicle requires regular attention to small things, like the oil level and tire’s air pressure. You can extend the life of your vehicle by taking time to see after these details. Be sure to:

  • keep your tires properly inflated
  • fill up the gas tank before the it’s empty
  • have your oil changed according to the schedule outlined in your car’s owner’s manual

The last item, getting your oil changed at the suggested intervals, is especially important. During an oil change, most mechanics look at all the other fluids in your car. If you forgo an oil change, they won’t have a chance to look at the other fluids, and one of the fluids could become low.

Properly Insure Your Car

The easiest way to take care of your insurance needs is to contact an independent insurance agency, like ours. Through our website or over the phone, we can help you assess your coverage needs and find a policy that provides robust protection without high premiums. Because we’re an independent agency, we can compare the premiums on every policy in Palos Heights, IL and show you the most competitive options.

We’ve served many drivers in Palos Heights and other parts of Illinois, and we’d be happy to serve you. To get started with your auto insurance needs, log on our website or give us a call.

 

3 Ways to Protect Your Home Against Water Damage

Every year, water damage accounts for many of insurance claims that homeowners throughout Illinois file. In a large number of claims, the source of the water damage is within the home – and quite preventable. Here are three ways you can reduce the likelihood that you’ll have water damage in your home this year.

Protect Your Home Against Water Damage

Protecting your home against water damage mainly involves guarding against potential leaks. To prevent leaks and minimize the damage they cause, you can:

  • familiarize yourself with your home’s main water supply, and find out how to shut it off
  • check your appliance’s water supply lines monthly for cracks or breaks
  • re-caulk your showers and bathtubs every six months

Checking lines only takes a few minutes, but re-caulking showers and bathtubs can be a project. You only have to do this once in a while, though, and it’s an important way to prevent water from leaking and causing serious damage to your home.

Find Insurance with Water Damage Coverage

Many homeowners assume that their insurance policy includes coverage for water damage, because many policies do include this coverage. Not all policies protect against water damage and among those that do, some have deductibles that make filing a water damage claim impractical.

If you’d like a homeowners insurance policy that provides adequate protection against water damage, contact us at Martin Insurance Team. Serving Palos Heights, IL, homeowners insurance agents at our office have helped many homeowners in the area find insurance policies that include water damage coverage. They’d be happy to help you shop around for a good policy, too. Since we only have independent insurance agents, you can trust our agents to find the most robust and affordable policies available. To speak with an agent, call our office today.

 

How To Buy Life Insurance In Palos Heights

Buying life insurance in Palos Heights, Illinois is one of the most important things that you can do. It protects you and your family in the event of your death.

There are several things that you need to know about buying a policy.

  1. Know your options – Various types of life insurance are out there. This includes term life, whole life, and universal life policies. Each one offers various pros and cons that you will want to explore. Term life for example can range between 5-30 years, while whole and universal life is designed to check you for your entire life. Whole life can also provide you with retirement benefits down the road.
  2. Determine the award amount – The award amount is the amount given to your beneficiaries upon your death. You can keep it simple with approximately $50,000, or go all the way up to $1 million. You will need to determine how much your family needs to cover such expenses as college, debt, home, and more.
  3. Ask questions – Ask questions about life insurance from your insurance agent. Get guidance so that you can make responsible decisions about the best policy for you and your needs. Don’t be shy to ask for pros and cons about whole versus universal life, and gain a full understanding about what it is that you are ready to buy.
  4. Compare quotes – Compare quotes from multiple life insurance companies. While many different companies offer term, whole, and universal policies, the price can vary dramatically and you want to get the best possible price so that it works within your budget while protecting you at the same time.

Call us at the Martin Insurance Team to learn more about life insurance. We can get you quotes to find an affordable policy.

 

Auto Insurance: Safety Tips for Summer Driving

Summer driving conditions can bring an entirely different set of dangers than any other time of year in Illinois. Whether drivers are dealing with soaring temperatures or summer road trip traffic jams, there is plenty to distract even the most careful and aware drivers while on the road this summer. Protect yourself and your loved ones while on the road with comprehensive and affordable auto insurance coverage from your local, in dependent agents at Martin Insurance Team.

Summer Road Trip Safety

Before you head out on the road this summer it is important to make sure your car is in the best shape possible. Take the time to give your car a little TLC with some much needed car care maintenance. After a harsh winter season your car needs to be checked for possible dangers before making a long trip. Check your tires for wear, fill all fluids, replace spark plugs as needed and check all hoses and belts for any issues.

Once your car is ready for the road you’ll need total insurance coverage before embarking on your big road trip. With the help of the independent agents at Martin Insurance Team you can easily compare quotes online from multiple national providers to find the coverage you need at a price that fits your budget. 

Start Comparing Quotes Today

Don’t get caught without the right level of auto insurance coverage when you need it the most this summer. Instead, visit Martin Insurance Team online today to start comparing quotes from top national providers online in just minutes. Our team of experienced agents are ready to help you through every step of the insurance buying process to make sure you and your family have a safe and happy summer travel season. 

 

Tips To Buying Life Insurance In Palos Heights

Buying life insurance is something to consider in Palos Heights. It allows you to have the coverage for yourself in the event of your death. The benefit will then go to the family members you have designated as dependents so that they have the money to go on.

The money that your family can receive as a result of life insurance can be used for burial expenses, living expenses, paying off debt, sending kids to college, and more.

When you buy life insurance in Illinois, there are tips to follow to ensure you get the best policy possible for the money.

  • Compare the difference between term, whole, and universal life insurance policies.
  •  Decide what amount you want for the policy as you want to provide sufficient coverage for your loved ones.
  •  Make comparisons between policies between several different life insurance companies as the offerings and costs can vary dramatically.
  • Work with an independent agent to ensure all of your questions are answered sufficiently.

When you work with an independent agent at Martin Insurance Team, we will make comparisons on your behalf so you have all of the most relevant information at your fingertips. We can also help to figure out what amount your policy should be written for based upon present and future goals as well as your budget.

There are many options out there and you want the best policy that you can afford. By following a few basic tips, you can ensure you have a life insurance policy that will work best for you as well as the rest of your family.

Call and talk to one of the agents at the Martin Insurance Team today. We will help you to find a life insurance policy that works best for you in Palos Heights, Illinois.

 

3 Insurance Mistakes Small Businesses Make That Cost Money

that nearly 20,000 people call home. Businesses in Evergreen Park, Illinois seem like fixtures in the neighborhood, losing any one of them can truly impact the local community. To improve how you operate your business and save money, avoid these common mistakes many business owners make that cost them money. 

Purchasing Inexpensive Insurance to Remain Compliant
Although the costs of being in business continue to rise, you do not want to purchase the cheapest insurance offered to you. Inexpensive business insurance does not provide businesses with all the coverage, so if there is ever a loss, the business owner may not be prepared to cover the costs the basic insurance fails to cover. 

Ignoring Simple Strategies Businesses Use to Reduce the Cost of Insurance Coverage
Taking on a basic policy is not the only way businesses can save on insurance costs. In fact, a basic insurance policy may cost your business in the long run. Instead, look for other ways to save money, such as reducing the risks associated with your business, reducing deductibles, and purchasing your insurance from a local agency with great rates, like our insurance agency in Evergreen Park.

Failing to Understand the Insurance Policy
Too many business owners, the insurance policy may seem like it is written in another language. The jargon and the way the coverage descriptions are written, make it hard for many people to understand; however, that is not an excuse to discard your policy without reading it. The more you know about coverage, the more insurance coverage is available to you when you have a loss. 

In order to save money for your business, and have the best protections in Evergreen Park, contact our local agency to get quotes for insurance for your business. We can provide you with detail coverage options that will meet all of your business needs.

3 Reasons Your Business Needs Security Breach Protection

Chicago is a major city in the United States, and as such, it is a potential target for people attempting to do harmful things to residents and businesses. With such proximity to Chicago, Evergreen Park, Illinois is vulnerable. Businesses must take actions to ensure they are protected if they are impacted by cyber attacks and data breaches. The following are three reasons your business needs security breach protection.

Helps Your Business Recover after an Attack
Operating expenses are hard to keep fluid in regular day-to-day operations for some businesses. Imagine if you were stricken by a cyber-attack, how would you get the money to restore your business? Most business owners would borrow the money, but this exposes them even further. The best solution is to have data breach protection in place. Data breach protections help business owners return to normal operations after facing breaches with their electronics.

Coverage for Consultants Help Prevent Future Attacks
Many security breach coverage options provide small businesses with the ability to speak to a consultant. These consultants have years of experience with reducing the instance of having hackers attack hardware. If your business ever experiences an attack, employ the services of a consultant, so that you can reduce the chances of it happening again in the future.

Protect Sensitive Information
Whether you have business intelligence stored in your system or customer contact information, that information must be protected at all times. Competitors or hackers having access to this information can be disastrous for your company if you get sued. Services included in some data breach protection plans help you proactively secure your data before anything happens to your business.

If you are interested in learning more about the possibilities for data breach protection, do not hesitate to give us a call. Our suite of business insurance makes it possible to have comprehensive insurance coverage at one local agency. Call us today to get a quote on various business insurance products to reduce your exposure to damage from many types of insurance loss.

Can I Get Quotes For Home Insurance?

Evergreen Park is a large village in Illinois with a lot to offer its residents. There are many parks, historic landmarks that date back to the early 1800s, and much more. The economy is booming and many people choose to stay within the area for work, contributing to the local economy and making it stronger.

When you are ready to buy home insurance or even switch to another policy, it’s a good idea to work with an agency. We have independent agents to help you throughout the whole process.

You can get quotes on what home insurance will cost you in Evergreen Park so you know how much insurance is actually going to cost. It’s important to make comparisons between the different companies so you know who is offering what and avoid paying more than what is necessary.

When you get quotes on insurance, it can also help you to determine the level of coverage you can afford. Almost anything can happen to your home in Illinois and you want to be prepared against it all. This includes looking at coverage for:

– Personal injuries

– Fire

– Theft

– Flood

Since you don’t know what could happen, you want a policy that is going to cover it all. This way, if something happens, you can file a claim and be confident that it will be paid. It will reduce the amount of money out of your pocket and your home can be repaired and various items can be replaced.

Start working with our independent agents today. We can get quotes for you in Evergreen Park so you know the coverage options and how much the various insurance companies are going to charge. We’re a home insurance agency you can rely on to give you the necessary details.

home insuranceagency

Carpet Damage: Will Home Insurance Cover It?

Evergreen Park, Illinois is a village with close to 20,000 residents. It has had a number of notable people, including athletes, singer-songwriters, and authors. There are many things to do within the area, including art galleries and museums, which is one of the many reasons residents choose to call this village home.

When you live in Evergreen Park and you are ready to shop for home insurance, you want a policy that’s cheap while still providing you with protection.

Carpet damage can happen at any time. It could become damaged as a result of a fire, grow mold because of a flood, or even start to tear apart because of foundation problems. When something happens, you want the home insurance company to cover the repairs and replacement because carpet is not cheap.

Your home in Evergreen Park can be protected against a lot. It’s all a matter of finding a policy that has the coverage levels you need. It’s important to read the fine print of a policy to see when carpet damage is and isn’t covered. Things like normal wear and tear and pet stains won’t be covered. However, there may be other instances when it won’t be covered as well and it’s always important to know these things ahead of time.

Instead of finding out what isn’t covered after you file a claim in Illinois, you can make sure you have a premium policy to begin with. We have agents to walk you through the process of finding coverage and getting quotes so you can make comparisons and get a cheap policy whenever possible.

We are independent agents and therefore work with multiple companies in the country. Contact us today so we can help you find the policy needed to stay protected in Evergreen Park.

2 Reasons to Invest In an Antique Car

If you're a sucker for all things antique, then you've likely thought a time or two about buying an antique car.  In fact, there's a good possibility that you already own one.  And while some people might think that it's a waste of money to invest in a car that you don't drive very often, the truth is, there are many advantages to owing an antique car.  Here's a quick look at the two top reasons to invest in an older car in Evergreen Park, Illinois.

They make for a great hobby

Investing and collecting antique cars is a great hobby to have.  Best of all, it's a hobby that provides a great return on your investment.  Think about it.  Any money that you invest in the cars can be gained back if you ever go to sell them.  Even better is that there are many fun activities for you and your family to partake in, including antique car shows, classic car races and more. 

Insurance is cheap

Just like any other car that you drive on the road, you're going to need insurance on your antique cars, but fortunately, classic car insurance isn't very expensive at all.  You can likely insure a collectible car for well under $200 a year, but this will depend on the exact car that you have, your driving record, and the insurance company that you purchase your policy through. 

 

If you decide to invest in one or more antique cars, it's important that you have insurance on them as soon as the titles are switched over into your name.  If you would like more information on classic car insurance, please don't hesitate to contact one of our reputable insurance agents today.