Exploring The Differences Between Short Term and Long Term Disability Insurance

For over 20 years, Martin Insurance Team has served the Evergreen Park, IL community. We have established relationships with over 15 national and regional insurance companies to help our clients find the policy that suits their needs. We are committed to providing our clients with excellent customer service.

Short Term Disability Insurance vs Long Term Disability Insurance

At Martin Insurance Team, we believe that disability insurance is an important asset that we recommend all of our clients in the Evergreen Park, IL community should consider purchasing. Having disability insurance coverage protects you in the event that you are unable to work. You may choose to purchase short term disability insurance or long term disability insurance. Before you purchase a policy, it’s important that you research the differences between short term and long term disability. To assist you through the process, here is a guide that compares short term and long term disability insurance.

Time Frame

Short term disability benefits often last for several weeks and may extend to a few months in serious cases. You may start receiving short term benefits within two weeks after you have purchased the coverage. You can receive long term disability benefits for a few years, or you can purchase a policy that stretches until you reach retirement age. You should start receiving long term disability benefits after a few months.

Common Reasons To Purchase Both Policies

Short term disability insurance often covers ailments such as muscle strains and sprains. Childbirth is often covered under short term disability insurance as well. Long term disability insurance covers long term issues such as being diagnosed with cancer or mental health trauma.

Let Martin Insurance Team Assist You!

The agents at Martin Insurance Team will work with you to find the right disability insurance policy for your situation. Visit our website to learn more information.

Motorcycle Insurance for Every Season

You enjoy taking your motorcycle out on the open road. The tires connect with the asphalt and the scenery flashes past as you cruise the highways and little-known roadways. Your bike brings you joy and you connect with others who share your passion for the open road. In a way, your vehicle says a lot about who you are and what you value. Put simply, it’s vital to protect your bike and the way of life it represents.

Martin Insurance Team knows how important your motorcycle is to you. That’s why they offer motorcycle insurance to protect you, your passengers, and others you may encounter in the event that the unexpected happens. Carrying insurance provides peace of mind for drivers, and Evergreen Park, IL residents must obtain a policy to be in compliance with state law. Keeping a current insurance policy with a trusted provider makes the biking experience worry-free.

But what about in the Illinois winter, when few bikers plan to test their machines on the icy, snow-covered roads? Many Evergreen Park, IL motorcyclists store their vehicles for the cold season, keeping their bikes in a garage, shed, or storage unit for the duration. 

If you’re not planning to operate your vehicle in the winter, shouldn’t you remove your insurance policy? Not necessarily! 

Just because a motorcycle won’t be driven doesn’t mean its coverage needs to disappear. After all, a bike can be stolen out of a garage during any season. Additionally, damage to the vehicle can occur if stacked boxes fall on the chassis or if a water leak rusts the frame.

Speak with your Martin Insurance Team agent to determine the best motorcycle insurance for your needs. Consider the importance of maintaining insurance during the offseason to protect your vehicle from the risks your prized possession may encounter in storage. Secure your bike for the long run– you’ll have confidence that your vehicle is protected in every season.

When Do I Need Transportation Insurance?

Transportation insurance, which covers property and goods being transported from point A to point B, across air, land, and sea, is a question of necessity, and that question is the same as just about any other form of insurance: Can you afford to cover the losses yourself should something go wrong?

If you regularly ship goods, then the chances of something happening, sooner or later, are basically guaranteed. You might get lucky and go for years without a single incident, but it’s probably going to happen eventually. Extreme weather, lost shipments, truck accidents. Eventually, some goods are going to be lost along the way. When that happens you can either eat the costs yourself or call your insurer.

Transportation insurance is such a basic precaution that even small-time sellers on sites like eBay and Etsy will generally purchase shipping insurance to make sure that what they’re mailing either gets there or gets replaced. So of course, it stands to reason that any business dealing in the shipping of large and bulk goods should practice the same precautions. In many cases, we’re shipping thousands or millions of dollars worth of cargo at a time. Leaving that product unprotected is asking for trouble.

If you run a shipping or transportation-based company in Evergreen Park, IL, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t do everything that you can do to make sure that your ends are covered in the event of a loss. That’s what Martin Insurance Team is here for. If you have people waiting to get their cargo in one piece, give Martin Insurance Team a call and see what they can do for your business in Evergreen Park, IL.

Covid-19 Update

To all of our valued Martin Insurance Team clients and friends:

We hope you are doing well, and staying safe. Please feel free to call us with any concerns, or if we can assist you in any way. If you find yourself having an issue with your payments, contact us. We will do whatever we can for you, to get through this unprecedented time.

We do strongly suggest handling any transactions via the phone at 708-330-4404 or email gina@martininsuranceteam.com.


Our office will continue to be working remotely. We appreciate everyone’s patience, as some of our carriers are also working remotely. Occasionally the wait times for assistance may be longer than usual. We are all in this together. Stay safe, and stay home.

Regards,

Kevin Martin
Martin Insurance Team

5 Home Insurance Questions to Ask Your Agent

When you’re buying a home, or even if you already own one, your home insurance policy is very important. You’ll want to make sure it’s the right one for your needs and provides you with the proper level of coverage. You’ll also want to consider updating it periodically, as your needs and life situation change or you make improvements and additions to your Evergreen Park, IL area home. Here are five of the most important questions you should ask your insurance agent when you reach out to us at the Martin Insurance Team.

1. Why should I get insurance if I don’t have a mortgage?

2. How do I know what policy limits I should get?

3. When should I updated or change my policy?

4. What kinds of events are excluded from my policy?

5. Is my home in an area that needs policy riders or additional coverage types?

Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions, and keep asking until you get answers you understand. Insurance agents are dedicated to helping their clients find the right coverage that will meet their needs. To protect your interest in your home, it’s vital to get a good policy. You don’t have to settle for less.

By asking your insurance agent plenty of questions, you can find out more about your options and the type of policy you should be getting. Having a little too much coverage is better than not having enough, but you also don’t want to overdo it. That’s where we come in. By reaching out to us today at Martin Insurance Team, we can help you and all our Evergreen Park, IL area clients get the home insurance policy that’s right for them. That means good protection, along with the peace of mind for the present and the future, as well.

What Does Landlord Liability Insurance Cover? | Evergreen Park IL | Martin Insurance Team

Are you a property owner that is currently renting and wants to know about the advantages of different types of landlord liability insurance in Evergreen Park, IL? Martin Insurance Team offers a variety of different property insurance including landlord liability in the Evergreen Park, IL area. Landlord insurance usually includes two types of protection: property and liability. Either type of insurance is intended to protect, you, the property owner and manager from any type of financial loss.

Landlord Property Protection

Property protection is related to things that are related to the dwelling being damaged by natural disasters or weather and other types of losses which can include detached structures like your fences, garage, sheds, and carport. If your tenant maintains the lawn and the lawnmower is damaged, some insurance may cover this but not things like a personal bike or a DVD player that was out in the garage. 

Many times these types of losses will have a deductible. Due to this, some landlords also consider an umbrella policy to cover any additional financial loss not covered. 

Landlord Liability

This is more about an accident happening that may be due to your negligence such as not maintaining stairs or concrete and the tenant slips. You may have medical, legal and other costs to cover. 

Additional Landlord Property Considerations

Additional things that landlords may want to consider in landlord property insurance is vandalism protection, burglary protection, and optional coverage of appliances that you may include in the rental. 

If your property goes under construction due to damage to your property, additional coverage for updating building codes or insurance while it’s under construction is something to consider. 

If you have any more questions about landlord property insurance in Evergreen Park, IL, give our staff at Martin Insurance Team a call today.

 

Why Do I Need A Personal Umbrella Policy

The words "Into every life some rain must fall" comes from the lyrics to a song but they truly define life. Not every day in your life is going to be filled with sunshine, Bad things happen even to good people and when the rain comes, having an umbrella can help to keep you dry. Umbrella insurance works pretty much the same way when it comes to protecting your finances. At Martin Insurance Team in Evergreen Park, IL, we understand all kinds of insurance and we are happy to help you to understand why you need personal umbrella insurance.  

In the simplest terms, if you have any assets at all, you can benefit from a personal umbrella policy. When you own a home or a car, there is the potential that someone may decide to sue you for an injury that they may have received. Home insurance and auto insurance have specific limits on the amount of liability coverage that they provide. As judgments get bigger and bigger,  the potential that it may go beyond the limits of the individual policy increase.

If someone is awarded an amount that exceeds the limit of your policy, you are responsible personally for the remainder. This could mean losing some or all of your assets. You have worked too hard to get where you are to let this happen. An umbrella policy is excess liability insurance. When you have reached the limit of your policy, the umbrella policy will kick it. Most umbrella policies are from one to five million. As you can see, an umbrella policy is not a luxury, it is a necessary protection. 

The Martin Insurance Team in Evergreen Park, IL is ready and willing to help you decide if you need a personal umbrella policy. Stop by our office or give us a call to get a no-obligation quote. 

What type of insurance policies does a restaurant need to carry?

Opening a restaurant in the Evergreen Park, IL area is an exciting opportunity. As a restaurant owner, it is critical that you have a comprehensive insurance package in place. The agents at the Martin Insurance Team would be happy to discuss your specific restaurants’ needs to make sure you have all the appropriate coverages in place. 

General Liability 

General liability is one of the most critical policies a restaurant carries. General liability will protect you in the event a third party is injured while at your restaurant. Types of claims can range from a slip and fall to a claim that a customer suffered from food poisoning. 

Property insurance 

For a restaurant that relies on costly kitchen equipment, it is critical to carry a comprehensive property insurance policy. A property policy can protect you in the event your property and equipment is damaged in a fire or even stolen. 

Workers Compensation 

Depending on the number of employees you have, workers’ compensation may be required by law. Even if it is not required, you may want to consider purchasing it for protection. A workers’ compensation policy will protect you in the event an employee is injured as a result of their job duties. 

Liquor Liability 

Liquor liability is an essential coverage if you serve alcohol at your establishment. Liquor Liability will protect your business in the event someone has too much to drink and hurts another person either at your restaurant or after they leave. 

Food spoilage insurance 

As a restaurant owner, you know how high the cost of your food supplies can be. A food spoilage policy can help cover the cost of the food in the event there is a power outage or your fridge breaks down, and you need to throw your food supply out.

If you have questions about insurance policies for your restaurant, reach out to an agent at the Martin Insurance team today. We proudly serve the Evergreen Park, IL area. 

Benefits of Getting Transportation Insurance

The transportation industry is a very important one as it helps to ensure that a product is delivered from a manufacturer to a customer. To ensure that this is able to happen, all people and companies rely on the transportation industry. For those that are in the transportation industry, having insurance in place to protect these products is very important. For transportation companies in the Evergreen Park, IL area, there are several benefits that come with transportation insurance.

Cargo Liability

One unique benefit that comes with having transportation insurance is that you will receive liability coverage for the cargo that you are transporting. Depending on the products that you are shipping, you could be handling assets worth a lot of money. When you have transportation insurance, you will receive coverage in the event the cargo is damaged, stolen, or vandalized. Most customers of a transportation company will want to make sure that you have this coverage in place.

Auto Liability

A transportation insurance policy will also provide you wtih standard auto liability insurance. When you are driving a truck, you are going to need to have auto liability insurnace at all times in order to comply with state laws. The transportation insurance policy will include this coverage to ensure that you are in compliance with state laws and covered for auto accident liability. 

If you want to get a transportation service in the Evergreen Park, IL area, it is important to discuss your needs and options with a professional. The insurance professionals at the Martin Insurance Team could provide you with a wide variety of different services to ensure you are able to get into a great policy. The Martin Insurance Team will be able to answer all of your questions and help you build a great transportation insurance policy. 

Keep on Truckin’ With Insurance Protection

Truckers have expanded needs for insurance because they need to protect their truck, the contents being hauled, their business, and themselves. To be sure you have adequate trucking insurance, it is important to work closely with your agent at Martin Insurance Team serving Evergreen Park, IL. The agents are specialists in trucking insurance with many years of experience in supporting truckers and the trucking industry.

Trucking Insurance Needs

Here is an overview of the main components of adequate trucking insurance that include all the categories of insurance to consider.

Truck Insurance

The first part of comprehensive trucking insurance is the protection of the truck itself. Replacement cost is the best protection for commercial vehicle insurance.  Road service and towing coverage are good to have as well. 

Hauling Coverage

Insurance of the contents being hauled is based on the value of the contents. Hauling coverage insurance is based on the value of the content being transported. This may be up to a certain limit that is sufficient for the average value of each haul or adjustable coverage based on the specific value of each shipment.

Business Interruption 

This protection helps provide money to cover expenses when the truck cannot operate because of circumstances beyond the control of the truck owner. Trip cancellation may be caused by inclement weather and this may be part of the risk that is mitigated by having business interruption insurance.

Truck Drivers 

Independent operators may need other types of insurance such as health insurance and key person life insurance to have adequate coverage for all the risk to the truck drivers themselves. Make sure any valuable personal property that is taken along on road trips, such as laptops or smartphones are also covered.

Work with your agent at Martin Insurance Team in Evergreen Park, IL to get a comprehensive trucking insurance review and a quote for adequate insurance coverage that is sufficient for your needs.