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

Is Your Commercial Insurance Enough Right Now?

Most American’s have not seen a health emergency at this level in their lifetime. In fact, the last time anything comparable happened in the United States was in 1918. Many businesses did not expect the sudden crash to their clientele and to say most were unprepared is an understatement. After all, we know to prepare for storms, floods, even power outages in those cold winter months, but not a global pandemic that shut down much of the economy. At Martin Insurance Team we have been there for our clients through this new form of a storm, and we will continue to help businesses’ thrive in and around Evergreen Park, IL. Now may be a good time to ask yourself if your commercial insurance is enough right now, and how can you improve it to protect yourself if this particular event ever happens again. 

Business Interruption Insurance May Not Cover Virus and Pandemic Closures. 

Many business owners across Colorado are discovering that their business interruption insurance does not include, or specifically excludes loss or closure due to a virus or pandemic. The reasons vary but the main one is that pandemic coverage is rarely underwritten, or considered when purchasing commercial insurance. 

Colorado Division of Insurance spokesman Vince Plymell stated that “This particular insurance coverage is being discussed in all states right now, as well as at the Federal level”. We are all navigating these new waters carefully and pandemic specific insurance will likely be a clear add on in future policies. 

Contact us at Martin Insurance Team to learn more about the exact coverage you need to protect your commercial assets in a pandemic, flood, storm, or other occurrences. We are also happy to discuss your current policy and find out if your commercial insurance will be enough. As we recover from this pandemic there will likely be changed to the wording of policies to clearly include or exclude events such as these. We serve Evergreen Park, IL. 

 

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 Is Cyber Insurance?

All business owners in the Evergreen Park, IL area likely know that they need to have some form of business or commercial insurance. While commercial insurance has been around for a long time, unique challenges for organizations continue to develop. Today, many business owners would also benefit from getting cyber insurance. This form of insurance provides a unique set of insurance protections that likely are not covered by a traditional commercial policy. 

Provides Liability Related to Data Breaches

Data breaches seem to be in the news on a daily basis. Major organizations can spend a significant amount of money correcting these breaches after they have occurred. For smaller organizations, the cost of these data breaches could be substantial from a liability perspective. When you have cyber insurance, you will have specific liability coverage against these situations. 

Covers Variety of Expenses

When you do have cyber insurance, the coverage will handle a wide variety of expenses that are related to a data breach. To start, it will cover all legal expenses, settlement, and judgment expenses that could have occurred as a result of the data breach. Additionally, the policy will provide coverage for other related expenses as well, which can be quite expensive. These can include, but are not limited to, expenses related to notifying customers of the data breach, helping to recover any lost or compromised data, and helping to restore information and credit of impacted customers. 

Businesses in the Evergreen Park, IL area need to carefully consider their cyber insurance needs. Those that would like to learn more should contact the Martin Insurance Team. The insurance professionals at the Martin Insurance Team can help anyone get into a cyber insurance policy that provides the company with these unique protections and benefits in the digital age. 

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. 

Why Every Business Absolutely Must Have General Liability Insurance

Are you a business owner? Are you ready for some startling statistics? Forbes says that around 36% to 53% of the small businesses in America are going to face a lawsuit each year. At any point in time, 90% of all small businesses in the USA are involved in litigation. Americans are some of the most litigious people on the planet. If you own a business, the question is not if you will be sued but when you will be sued.

Risk of Workers Suing

As long as you are not negligent, the risks from on-the-job accidents that can cause serious injury and/or death is why you need to have workers’ compensation insurance. It is the law that you must have this type of commercial insurance if you have just one employee.

Risk of Clients, Customers, and Strangers Suing

This risk is more severe because usually, you do not know about the problem until after it arises. If a clumsy customer falls down at your business, even if it is their fault, you may have exposure to a lawsuit.

This is why, even though it is not a legal requirement to have general liability insurance for your business; still, you must have it. A business owner would have to be crazy not to carry general liability insurance and risk everything they own.

General liability insurance is one of the most important types of insurance for a business. It is the foundation upon which all other insurance coverage is built. Work closely with your agent at Martin Insurance Team, serving Evergreen Park, IL, and the surrounding area, to make sure your coverage is adequate.

Your agent will conduct a thorough commercial insurance review and make suggestions of what level of general liability insurance is appropriate for your business as well as suggest other commercial insurance that goes along well with it to increase your protection from other risks.

Contact your agent at Martin Insurance Team in Evergreen Park, IL to get a quote for general liability insurance and for all your other commercial insurance needs.