Custom motorcycles are a labor of love, reflecting your unique style and personality. Protecting these one-of-a-kind machines requires specialized insurance coverage. Here at Martin Insurance Team, providing motorcycle insurance to customers in the Evergreen Park, IL region, we want to teach you how to insure your custom motorcycle to ensure it stays safe on the road.

Assess Your Bike’s Value

Before securing insurance, determine the value of your custom motorcycle. Consider factors like custom parts, upgrades, and any sentimental value. This assessment will help you choose the proper coverage.

Choose the Right Coverage

Standard motorcycle insurance may not adequately cover your custom bike. Look for policies that offer "agreed value" or "stated value" coverage. These policies allow you to set a value for your motorcycle, ensuring you’re compensated appropriately in case of a total loss.

Document Customizations

Thoroughly document all customizations, modifications, and upgrades made to your motorcycle. Keep records of receipts, invoices, and photographs. This documentation will serve as crucial evidence when filing a claim.

Shop Around for Quotes

Insurance premiums for custom motorcycles can vary widely. Don’t settle for the first quote you receive. Shop around and compare rates from different insurers. Be sure to inquire about discounts for safety features and anti-theft devices.

Custom motorcycles deserve custom insurance. Assess your bike’s value, choose the right coverage, and document customizations meticulously. If you’re in the market for new motorcycle insurance in the greater Evergreen Park, IL area, regardless of whether it’s for a custom or standard motorcycle, the insurance agents at Martin Insurance Team would love to help you find the policy that is best suited for your needs. Call or email us to start the process of finding you a new motorcycle insurance policy. 

Who doesn’t love backyard barbecues, swimming pools, and playing in the park? Summer is four months of freedom from cold weather, accidents on slushy roads, and being bundled up in layers of clothes and coats. On the other hand, the heat causes severe and costly problems to your car. Here’s what Evergreen Park, IL’s Martin Insurance Team wants you to look out for with your auto.

Heat Doesn’t Always Make Things Expand

Did you know that heat will thin the motor oil in your car? As it circulates through the engine, it thins, leaving not enough oil to reach all the corners of your engine.

Did you also know that the heat causes your tires’ air pressure to increase? This could mean a blowout, which in turn could mean a wreck.

Here are other ways summer heat affects your auto.

Battery Trouble

The chemical processes inside a car battery are delayed in the summer heat. This means the battery won’t hold a charge even if it generates enough power. Additionally, battery fluids evaporate faster in summer. Check your battery regularly in all seasons.

The A/C

While it doesn’t impede the car’s operation, it does make the summer heat more bearable. If you find your a/c sluggish or not putting out enough cold air, by all means, get it checked. 

Windshield

You wouldn’t think the windshield would matter in the heat of August, but it definitely does. Anything can cause a crack to start, such as a stone or something flying through a bad storm. The problem comes when the heat causes that crack to expand. Get any windshield problems fixed immediately for safety.

We usually consider storms and icy winter roads when considering what could happen to our auto. Call or stop in Evergreen Park, IL to ask Martin Insurance Team for more information.

Auto insurance is mandatory in Illinois. All drivers must have a policy that meets or exceeds the state’s minimum liability coverage requirements. If you’re currently looking for an auto insurance policy in Evergreen Park, IL (or Florida in the Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, and Naples areas), be sure to contact us at Martin Insurance Team to learn more. In the meantime, check out how much auto insurance you’re required to attain in Illinois:

• Bodily Injury Liability: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. This coverage pays for injuries or death to another person if a driver is at fault in an accident.
• Property Damage Liability: $20,000 per accident. This coverage pays for damage to another person’s property that occurs in an accident where a driver is at fault. Usually, this means damage to another vehicle, but it can also cover buildings, utility poles, fences, and other structures.
• Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. This coverage pays for injuries to drivers and their passengers if they are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver who is at fault.

In addition to these minimums, Illinois requires at least $15,000 in uninsured motorist property damage coverage with a $250 deductible for hit-and-run accidents.

While these are the legal minimums, it’s often recommended that you carry more than the required amount of insurance to protect yourself financially. This is especially true for drivers with significant assets that could be at risk in a lawsuit.

Optional coverages that you might consider include collision coverage, which pays for damage to your own vehicle in an accident; comprehensive coverage, which pays for damage to your car from things like theft and natural disasters; and medical payments coverage, which pays for medical or funeral expenses for you or others riding in your vehicle regardless of who is at fault in an accident.

And remember, if you’re currently looking for an auto insurance policy in Evergreen Park, IL (or Florida in the Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, and Naples areas), be sure to contact us at Martin Insurance Team today!

Suppose you plan to travel from one location to another, whether for work, you may want to secure travel insurance. This coverage protects you from liability in the event of an accident or incident where there is damage to property or any cargo you may transport. Most truck transportation companies and owners secure this additional coverage to prevent losses from fire, theft, delays, or damage. Let the experts at Martin Insurance Team, serving Evergreen Park, IL, help you secure the coverage you need. 

Transportation Insurance Coverage

Consider this coverage if you have a commercial truck or a regular car and want added protection against physical damage and cargo losses. It’s additional insurance protection aside from liability. It can protect you when you experience unexpected events, such as an accident involving an animal or even falling objects and vandalism. 

Transportation insurance is a blanket of protection for the cargo and the vehicle in one package. Transportation insurance covers more than just trucks, however. It can cover vehicles and cargo that range from standard trucks to railway cars and boats. This insurance is also ideal for protecting employers from the negligent actions of employees on the road. 

Find Out More Today

The experts at Martin Insurance Team are ready to assist the residents of Evergreen Park, IL, and the surrounding areas in getting the insurance coverage they need to protect them from risk and liability. Call or stop by the office today to speak with one of our helpful agents. We can help determine the level of coverage you need and provide great options to help protect your cargo and assets while they move from one location to another. 

If you’re a truck driver in Evergreen Park, IL, you know an effective insurance plan is essential. But with all the different types of coverage available, it can be overwhelming to figure out which type of policy is best for you. Here the Martin Insurance Team provides an overview of the different types of insurance that truckers need to consider. 

Commercial Vehicle Insurance 

Commercial vehicle insurance is designed to protect truck drivers from losses caused by damage to their vehicles while they are on the road. This type of coverage typically includes property damage and liability protection, and most truck drivers are required to have at least a minimum level of commercial vehicle insurance to operate legally. 

Cargo Liability Insurance 

Cargo liability insurance helps protect against financial losses if goods or materials are damaged or destroyed while in transit. This type of coverage is especially important for those transporting valuable items such as electronics, jewelry, or antiques. It also covers any legal costs should a claim be made against the driver or company due to cargo damage. 

Non-Trucking Liability Insurance 

Non-trucking liability insurance provides coverage when a truck driver is not directly engaged in carrying goods or services for their business but still needs protection from potential liabilities arising from accidents or other unexpected events. This policy covers incidents such as vandalism, theft, fire, and personal injury claims related to non-business activities like driving home after work. 

Having adequate insurance coverage is essential for any truck driver in Evergreen Park, IL who wants peace of mind while on the road. Contact the Martin Insurance Team for more details.