Complete Insurance Services, Inc.

Auto, Homeowners, Business, Medical & Life Insurance

Auto, Homeowners, Business
Medical & Life Insurance

Call: 248-682-1510

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Four Questions to Ask Tree Service Companies | Homeowner’s Insurance Keego Harbor

1) Are you insured? If they do damage to your home your insurance company can get reimbursed for the claim.
2) Will you haul away the limbs and wood? Sometimes the lowest price may not always include removal of the debris.
3) Are you familiar with my tree? Good to know what is going on and maybe you’re going to have more problems due to a certain type of disease or bugs.
4) What type of equipment do you have? Harnesses, bucket truck, hard hats, and newer equipment that can carry the debris without damage to your lawn.

We are also asked about whether or not a neighbor’s tree that falls on your property is the neighbor’s responsibility. The answer is based on “Negligence”. If a tree that is healthy falls due to an act of God such as a windstorm, your neighbor is not responsible for the damages. But if the tree is dead, and you have given your neighbor written notification that he should remove the tree before it hits your home, the neighbor can be responsible for your damages.

Do keep your tree branches away from your roof. If the branches touch the shingles, it can do damage to the roof. Be careful with the do it yourself approach. Many people get injured or die from being hit by the dropping of trees or the tree limbs. Windy conditions are to be avoided when you are dropping a tree. If you do it yourself, make sure you have leather boots, proper gloves, eye protection, and some ear plugs.

Also, do shop around. The last tree I had taken down, the first quote was around $1,400, and then it was $1,000 with a lot of pressure to do it now as the tree removal company was in the neighborhood. I told him I was in the insurance business and was in no hurry. He hung up on me. I ended with a better price of $800 including the removal of all debris. I paid by check when the job was finished.

John Linemeyer, CPCU

Complete Insurance Services, Inc. specializes in providing personalized insurance coverage that meets the needs of families and business. If you have questions about your homeowner’s insurance coverage, we can help!

We are an independent agency representing numerous insurance companies, so you get the best insurance coverage and protection at the most reasonable price. Whether you need homeowner’s insurance, auto insurance, life insurance, medical insurance, or business insurance coverage, Complete Insurance Services has a plan for everyone.

Call today for a Free no obligation quote!

Homeowners Coverage’s That You Should Know About

homeowners-coverage-keego-harbor-mi-insurance-services

Most clients know that jewelry insurance can be added to the Homeowners policy. Did you know that there is an optional coverage you can add called Agreed Amount? The purpose is to have the insurance company agree with the appraised value.

In the event the ring is lost, the insurance company cannot offer you less for your ring.

Sewer Back Up and Sump Pump Failure

This is one of our most common losses. The important question is how much coverage do you need? A finished basement needs to have a higher limit. This coverage applies both to the damage to the home and contents. Make sure you check the limit for these coverages.

Why is the dwelling limit so high?

The dwelling limit is high due to the cost to rebuild a home after a loss. We are not insuring your home for the Market Value. We insure a home for the cost to rebuild it new. Our values are going to be high. You should ask to see the valuation in order to see if the value is accurate. Most carriers will pay more than the dwelling limit if you add some type of guaranteed replacement cost endorsement. This is important as our values are an estimate. We try to determine the cost to rebuild your home, but are we correct?

Hail and Wind Damage to your roof, do we replace the entire roof, or just the part that is damaged?

Insurance companies are only obligated to put you back to where you were before the loss. They will limit your payment to the damaged portion of your roof. Will you get a new roof if only a portion of your roof sustains a loss? Probably not. You may be able to add coverage for undamaged siding or roofing to your Homeowners policy. This form limits coverage to replacing the undamaged sections only when siding or shingles are no longer available. Coverage does not include mismatching due to fading or weathering.

Ordinance and Law Coverage

An example of this is you have a home on the lake. You have a covered loss to the home which is destroyed and has to be rebuilt. If the local ordinances have changed since the home was built, now requiring the home to be rebuilt in a different spot. This ordinance ends up costing more to rebuild the home. Without Ordinance and Law Coverage, you will be paying for this increased cost yourself.

Power Surges

Yes, a direct hit by lightning is coverage on your Homeowners policy. But what about power surges that was not caused by a direct hit from lightening? Or what about brownouts where the current is reduced? You need to have Equipment Breakdown added to your home or your condo. This will include mechanical breakdown but does not include normal wear and tear of your equipment. Make sure you add this coverage.

Earthquake and Flood claims excluded but can be added

Flood or Surface Water losses excluded but a separate flood policy can be purchased. Especially if you have a man-made dam in your area. A new endorsement available is called Inland Flood. This form adds coverage to cover your home that is not subject to flooding, but you sustain an unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff of surface waters from any source including rainfall and ice melt. A walkout basement is a reason to consider adding this coverage.

Service Line Endorsement

This adds coverage for piping or wiring that provides services to your home. Must be underground. It can cover a leak, break, tear, rupture, collapse, or arcing from underground service lines. If you have an older home, you should consider this.

This is just a sample of some of the options you should know about. Talk to your agent to find out more.

John Linemeyer CPCU

If you have questions about your homeowner’s insurance coverage, Complete Insurance Services can help! We are an independent agency representing numerous insurance companies and specialize in providing personalized insurance coverage that meets the unique needs of families and businesses. Call us for a Free Quote and to learn more!

Umbrella Polices, Should I Have One? – Insurance Services Michigan

Umbrella-Policy-benefits-MI-Insurance-Services-Keego-Harbor

Due to the no fault changes effective 7-2-2020, we have been writing more Umbrella polices. The reason is that more drivers will no longer have the unlimited medical protection, and also the new reform allows for lawsuits, even in the event that the other driver is at fault.

The Umbrella is a true excess policy providing coverage over your personal homeowner’s insurance, auto insurance, and any other recreational vehicles you own.

It can cover your vacation home, rental properties, boats, and other exposures you own. The question I hear is what limit of coverage should I carry? Umbrella start at $1,000,000 limits and go as high as $10,000,000.

Lawsuit payout can be huge. We have paid out $3,000,000 on a $5,000,000 umbrella in our office. There was a case where $8,000,000 was awarded for a vertebra injury after a simple fall from a porch.

The Umbrella policy does require you to carry specific minimum amounts of coverage on your homeowners and auto policies before the Umbrella policy kicks in. Coverage on your Umbrella policy is worldwide. An Umbrella policy includes Personal Injury coverages. Non owned Watercraft liability is included.

Who should carry an Umbrella policy?

You should, if you want protection from lawsuits and have a home, auto, or recreation vehicles, a boat, or any rental property.

If you need personalized insurance coverage, call us for a Free Quote! 248-682-1510

Equipment Breakdown Coverage – Insurance Agency Keego Harbor

Equipment-Breakdown-Coverage-Insurance-Agency-Keego-Harbor

Protect the largest investments in your home with Equipment Breakdown Coverage from Auto-Owners Insurance.

As a homeowner, you depend on any number of mechanical and electrical equipment systems, from air conditioners and heating units to computers and major appliances. At Auto-Owners, we understand that any equipment failure is inconvenient, costly, and not always covered under the intended warranties. Simplify all of this, and give yourself peace of mind with Auto-Owners Equipment Breakdown Coverage.

Equipment Breakdown Coverage

Equipment Breakdown covers all of your important home systems and personal property due to loss by mechanical or electrical breakdown. The coverage is convenient and seamless — there are no separate warranty programs or fees to manage the systems you depend on most:

• Air-conditioning systems
• Compressors, pumps, engines
• Computers and other home electronics (e.g., televisions, audio systems)
• Electrical systems
• Furnaces
• Generators
• Home appliances (e.g., dishwashers, washing machines, electric dryers)
• Hot-water heaters
• Motors, fans, vacuum systems
• Refrigerators and freezers
• Security systems
• “Smart home” automation systems
• Swimming pool heating and filtration systems
• Lawn mower

LIMITS AND DEDUCTIBLES

Equipment Breakdown Coverage is offered on a per occurrence basis. A $500 deductible and a limit of $100,000 is available.

WHEN YOU MIGHT NEED EQUIPMENT BREAKDOWN COVERAGE

• Your property is hit with an artificially generated power surge. The boiler and water heater controls, security system and media equipment were damaged and need to be replaced. Amount of Loss: $18,300

• The relay on your dryer shorted, causing the unit to overheat. Due to the extent of damage, the unit could not be repaired and needs to be replaced. Amount of Loss: $1,250

• Your air conditioning system experienced an electrical short causing loss of cooling to the home. The air conditioning compressor needs to be replaced. Amount of Loss: $2,400

WHY AUTO-OWNERS?

• We offer more than just auto insurance – with our wide array of car, home, business, and life insurance products, you can look to Auto-Owners for all your insurance needs.

• Highest rating by national insurance company rating services such as A.M. Best, which ranks Auto-Owners among the highest in the industry with an A++ (Superior) rating.

• A national consumer magazine ranks Auto-Owners among the top companies for customer service at the time of a claim.

• Auto-Owners is among the largest insurance providers in the United States.

• Auto-Owners is an industry leader in controlling expenses, resulting in savings to our policyholders.

Note: The analysis of coverage is in general terms and is superseded in all respects by the Insuring Agreements, Endorsements, Exclusions, Terms and Conditions of the Policy. Some of the coverage mentioned in this material may not be applicable in all states or may have to be modified to conform to applicable state law. Some coverages may have been eliminated or modified since the printing of this material.
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Service Line Coverage

As a homeowner you’re responsible for the service lines that run from the curb to your home. When your service line is damaged it can be a very costly expense to repair or replace. From identifying the problem to excavation to repair, Service Line Coverage has you protected.

Are you protected from an unexpected leak, break, tear, rupture, collapse or arcing of a service line? Talk with your agent today to learn how this product protects your home by extending coverage to the following:

• Underground piping
• Wiring
• Valves
• Attached devices that connect your home to a public utility service provider or to a private system.

LIMITS AND DEDUCTIBLES

Service Line Coverage is offered on a per occurrence basis. A $500 deductible and limits of $10,000 or $15,000 are available.

WHEN YOU MIGHT NEED SERVICE LINE COVERAGE

• A tree root grew through a sewer pipe located on your property causing it to leak. The sewer line was 300 feet long and required a backhoe to dig up the damaged piping and replace it. The cost to replace the sewer line was $3,500 and the excavation cost totaled $8,100. Total Amount of Loss: $11,600

• An underground power line providing electrical service to the home significantly deteriorated over time and resulted in arcing, which interrupted electrical service to the home. The underground power line had to be excavated and replaced due to extensive damage discovered during the repair work. The cost to replace the power line was $2,500. The excavation costs totaled $5,300. Total Amount of Loss: $7,800

WHY AUTO-OWNERS?

• We offer more than just Auto insurance – with our wide array of Car, Home, Business and Life insurance products, you can look to Auto-Owners for all your insurance needs.

• Highest rating by national insurance company rating services such as A.M. Best, which ranks Auto-Owners among the highest in the industry with an A++ (Superior) rating.

• A national consumer magazine ranks Auto-Owners among the top companies for customer service at the time of a claim.

• Auto-Owners is a Fortune 500 company and is among the largest insurance providers in the United States.

Note: The analysis of coverage is in general terms and is superseded in all respects by the Insuring Agreements, Endorsements, Exclusions, Terms and Conditions of the Policy. Some of the coverage mentioned in this material may not be applicable in all states or may have to be modified to conform to applicable state law. Some coverages may have been eliminated or modified since the printing of this material.
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Have questions about equipment coverage? Complete Insurance Services can help! We are an independent agency representing numerous insurance companies and specialize in providing personalized insurance coverage that meets the unique needs of families and businesses. Call us to speak to with an experienced agent!

Motorcycle Insurance Update in Michigan

Motorcylcle-Insurance-Update-in-Michigan

The order of priority for covering motorcycles remains the same under the new No Fault changes in Michigan. This is for collecting medical payments when you are involved in an accident with a vehicle. You collect in the following order:

1) Insurer of the operator of the motor vehicle
2) Insurer of the operator of the motorcycle. (You auto policy.)
3) Insurer of the owner/registrant of the motorcycle.

The one change is if there is no auto policy to collect from; you now turn to the MACP with a $250,000 limit.

Here is the problem. If the policy involved in the order of priority is one that opts out of the PIP Medical Coverages, the motorcyclist will have to file a claim with the MACP with a $250,000 limit. Before this 7-2-2020 change, you always had Unlimited Medical benefits if you hit a car or truck. Also, the motorcyclist is now limited to the No-Fault benefits of the operator of the motor vehicle. It could be Unlimited, $500,000, $250,000, or $50,000. The motorcyclist will not be able to go against the MACP. The only recourse is to sue the at-fault driver for excess medical benefits beyond the coverage the driver selected.

This is why it is more important for you to select higher medical payment limits on your motorcycle policy. In 2018 more than 2,100 motorcyclists were injured and another 134 died in Michigan. Riding in Michigan is now like playing Russian Rolette. You never know what benefits you will have should you hit a car or a truck. The ability for you to collect lifetime medical benefits is dependent on the randomness of whether the vehicle involved in the crash had lifetime no-fault benefits.

Complete Insurance Services has been providing the best insurance protection at the most reasonable prices for over 20 years. As an independent agency representing numerous insurance companies, we specialize in providing personalized insurance coverage that meets the needs of families and business.

Our products include workers’ compensation insurance, auto insurance, business insurance, health insurance, life insurance and much more! Call us to speak with an experienced agent about your personalized insurance needs.

John Linemeyer CPCU

MACP Michigan Assigned Claims Plan formerly the Michigan Assigned Claims Facility.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Complete Insurance Services uses your basic business information and connects directly and instantly to our insurance carrier partners, Accident Fund Insurance Company of America and CompWest Insurance Company. We can immediately process your online quote, without the need for a middle man. In other words, your number and email won’t be given to dozens of insurance agents.

Go ahead and get your quote.

A little bit of information and a few minutes of your time gets you a workers’ compensation quote.

Get Your Quote for Workers’ Compensation Insurance Now

Protect Your Assets with a Personal Umbrella Policy

Even though you have insurance that protects your automobiles, your home or your “toys” (boats, motorcycles and seasonal locations), do you have insurance that protects your assets? Is protecting your family’s financial assets a priority for you?
Auto-Owners Insurance can help protect your assets with a personal umbrella policy.

WHAT IS A PERSONAL UMBRELLA POLICY?
A personal umbrella policy provides additional liability limits above your personal auto, homeowners and watercraft policies. It protects your assets from a liability suit and from paying out of pocket if there were a catastrophic liability claim. It also provides defense coverage, and in some cases may provide coverage when your other policies do not.

CLAIMS EXAMPLES
Here are two examples how a personal umbrella policy may help you:

Automobile: You are involved in an accident with another automobile where the passenger in the other vehicle sustained major injuries. You could be sued for $2 million in medical bills.

Social Media: Your teenager writes something on a social media site about another person in their school. The other teen’s parents sue for $3 million, because they feel the remarks are defaming and disparaging.

In both cases, your primary policy may pay on average only $250 – $500K, leaving the additional burden to you and your family. A personal umbrella can help ease that burden.

WHAT IS THE COST FOR A PERSONAL UMBRELLA POLICY, AND ARE THERE ANY DISCOUNTS?
A personal umbrella policy is affordable. If you have only one automobile and one home, $1 million in coverage may cost just $150 to $200 a year. Additional automobiles, recreational vehicles, watercraft and additional liability limits would cause the premium to increase.

We all love lower premiums and there is a way for you to save money with multi-policy discounts. When you insure your automobiles and home with Auto-Owners Insurance, you will receive a discount on your personal umbrella policy. Conversely, a personal umbrella policy will give you a discount on your automobile and homeowners policies.

Contact our agency for more information regarding an Auto-Owners Insurance personal umbrella policy and how it will help protect you and your family.

Car Rental Coverage – What’s up with this rental?

We frequently gets calls from customers wondering if their rental vehicle is covered by their auto insurance policy while on vacation. If you have an Auto-Owners personal auto policy, it has specific coverage provisions that address whether an accident in a rental vehicle is covered. Let’s look at a common example: You take a vacation to Las Vegas and rent a car. How does coverage extend from your car to a rented car while on vacation? Under an Auto-Owners personal auto policy, if you have comprehensive and collision coverage, it carries over to a rental vehicle. Liability coverage (coverage for another person’s medical bills or damage to another person’s property) extends only to the insured(s), a spouse, relatives who live with the insured, and anyone the insured gives permission to use the rental vehicle.

Physical damage coverage (coverage for the rental car if it is damaged or stolen) applies only to the insured(s), spouse and relatives who live with the insured. The broadest or best coverage from any vehicle on your policy extends to the rented vehicle. In other words, as long as one of the vehicles on your policy has both liability and physical damage coverage, the car rented on vacation will have those same coverages. If coverage can be extended to the rental vehicle it is not necessary to purchase the damage waiver from the rental car company. The Auto-Owners policy is broader than the industry when it comes to rented vehicles regarding what is covered. If you have questions on this coverage, please contact us. Keep in mind that it will be important to understand why the vehicle is being rented and who will be driving it, as these facts are important in determining if coverage will apply for a potential claim. And please make sure the leased vehicle is rented for your personal use, and not for business.

Show You Care: Pet Protection

We know you adore your pet, but if you haven’t set aside savings to cover veterinary costs for injuries or treatment, pet insurance may be a smart move.

Here are some advantages of pet insurance through Figo that could save you money:

  • You can visit any licensed veterinary practice, emergency hospital or specialist.
  • Figo will not discriminate against any breed or age of pet.
  • It covers the necessary medical exams and care needed.
  • Coverage frees you from financial stress when faced with decisions on veterinary care.
  • Figo’s Pet Cloud and mobile app offer easy access to vets, medical records and more!

By enabling you to authorize the medical treatment they need, pet insurance coverage could save – and extend – the life of your pet.

How to Save Time and Money With Your Insurance Audit

The word “audit” can increase a person’s heart rate and send butterflies racing to their stomach, but a commercial insurance premium audit should not be an occasion for worry.

The annual audit process ensures that you pay only for the exposure presented by your business operation. Informing our agency of changes to your business operation throughout the year can eliminate audit surprises.

When you receive a mail or phone audit request, or a physical audit scheduling letter, it confirms:

  • The date the information is needed by or the date of your appointment with the auditor
  • The policies being audited
  • The records you need to provide
  • The audit period

Be sure to let the auditor know if the date and time are inconvenient, so a mutually agreeable date and time may be arranged. Auto-Owners uses company auditors as well as third-party auditors for the audit process.

Good record-keeping practices and compiling the information prior to the audit has a large effect on the time required. A phone audit usually takes less than 15 minutes, and the typical physical audit less than one hour to complete. As the audit contact, you are not usually required to be present for the entire audit process.

Once an auditor has verified that the records are adequate to proceed, and has an understanding of your business operation, they will enter the required information into an audit worksheet. The auditor will need to discuss the job duties for each employee, laborer and uninsured subcontractor.

For a physical audit, it is normal for the auditor to discuss the results of the audit with you and to provide a copy of the audit worksheet for your records. The auditor may provide a copy to our agency as well.

Hopefully this information makes the word “audit” less intimidating and provides some understanding of the process. Contact our agency for any additional questions. We thank you for your business!

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Contact Information

Contact Information

Complete Insurance Services, Inc.
1717 Cass Lake Rd, Keego Harbor, MI 48320

Phone: (248) 682-1510
Fax: (248) 682-1703
contact@completeins.com