Why Do You Need Insurance for Your Business?

If you are like most business owners, you watch every penny that you spend. However, you need to spend some money in order to make some. There are some things that you shouldn’t skimp on. This includes insurance for your business. 

Unsure if you need business insurance? Here are some reasons why you do. 

Property and casualty insurance covers any damage to your business, both in your office and the building that it is in. It also covers the items that you use to run your business, from your computer, furniture, and any special tools that you need. It may also you if you ever need to shut down, for any reason. 

Liability insurance is necessary in case anyone gets hurt in your place of business. It will also cover injuries that occur when you are out meeting clients. Liability is also used in case you ever find yourself facing a lawsuit. 

That being said, you are legally obligated to have insurance for your business. You can’t open a business without it. If you don’t have any, you could face fines and penalties. Your business may also get shut down. 

Though you may not worry about insurance due to the cost, you really need to have at least something. If not, you could be forced to shut your doors. What would happen if someone fell and broke her leg while visiting your business? Could you afford her medical bills, on top of the bad publicity? 

If you want to make sure that your business is properly insured, don’t hesitate to contact us today at E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in Bloomfield, NJ. We would be glad to show you what we offer. 

Three Renovations That Can Impact Your Homeowner’s Insurance

Renovating your Bloomfield, NJ home is an extremely exciting event, as you get the chance to customize your home based on your personality and preferences. However, before you get started with the renovation, you need to take a few things into consideration. This includes how the renovations may affect your homeowner’s insurance. This is where E.S.T.I.R. Inc. comes in. We can help ensure you are adequately covered moving forward. 

Adding an Addition

Additional space is necessary for a number of instances, such as for a business venture or a new member of the family. When you add a room to your home, the square footage of the house will increase. The same is true of the replacement value of the property.

As a result, if a disaster were to strike, your home insurance policy would need to have already been updated with this new addition. This ensures that the full value of your property is taken into consideration.

Replacing the Roof

While it can be rather expensive to undergo a roof replacement project, it may be able to help you save on your insurance premiums. A new roof will offer more structural integrity and protection against the elements. The updated roof is likely to hold up better in the event of a fire, inclement weather, or other peril.

Because the roof is improved, your insurance company needs to know to ensure the proper value of the home is accounted for and to offer potential discounts for the renovation.

Installing a Pool

Swimming pools can offer relaxation, entertainment, and more. However, insurance companies view them as a liability risk. This is because you are likely to be financially responsible for expenses incurred as a result of someone injuring themselves while utilizing your swimming pool.

Therefore, it is important to speak to your insurance agent to find out what kind of impact a swimming pool can have on your home insurance. 

If you plan on partaking in any home renovations in Bloomfield, NJ, speak to an agent at E.S.T.I.R. Inc. for assistance in adjusting your home insurance policy. 

Why You Need Comprehensive Auto Insurance

When searching for automobile insurance, you may be confused by all of the terms, and what they cover. The most basic plans only cover liability, which will cover medical bills. It doesn’t cover any repairs to your vehicles.

If you want more protection, you may want comprehensive automobile insurance. Here are some reasons why you should. 

Your loan may require it. If you have to take a loan out to purchase your vehicle, they may require comprehensive insurance. They want to make sure that they aren’t going to lose money on your vehicle if something happens to it. 

You may want to have comprehensive insurance if you can’t afford to replace your vehicle. If your vehicle is a high-end vehicle, you are going to want comprehensive insurance, so you don’t have to replace it if something happens. 

Comprehensive insurance covers damage that may occur that is not due to a car accident. It covers damage due to vandalism, theft, and even rodents. It covers weather damage, such as hail, floods, and fire. If you live in an area where accidents with deer are common, you may want comprehensive insurance to cover the cost of repairs. 

If you are trying to figure out how much insurance you need, you may not have a choice. Your lender may require comprehensive insurance. You may also want to think about it if your vehicle is more expensive than most. You aren’t going to want to have to take out a loan in order to fix your vehicle. 

If you want to make sure that you are fully protected, don’t hesitate to contact us today at E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in Bloomfield, NJ.

Why You Need Contractors Insurance

If you are a contractor who works in a type of business that requires a lot of work in other businesses’ properties or people’s homes, you should look into what type of contractor’s insurance you need. It is really important to do this, especially in case you are involved in an accident that causes harm to yourself or others. Contractors insurance is important for individual contractors to look into, but also the businesses who employ them.

E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in Bloomfield, NJ is proud to offer contractors insurance. Because it can be such a minefield, our agents gladly walk you through your insurance options and our quotes. 

Types of contractors insurance

Depending on the nature of your business or the service you do, you will need certain types of contractor insurance. We list a couple of the most common ones below for you:

Personal liability insurance/Umbrella insurance

Personal liability insurance is useful in case you cause someone else bodily harm or damage their property. Personal liability insurance enables you to cover any costs endured by individuals or companies.

Umbrella insurance is usually the most comprehensive type of insurance when it comes to liability, as it covers liability in most situations.

Workers’ compensation insurance

If you are not a contractor yourself, but employ others (or perhaps you are both), you should look into workers’ compensation insurance, which is usually mandatory as soon as you hire one employee. This covers the company in case the contractor is involved in an accident on the work floor and covers their costs if they need time to recover.

To look into contractors insurance today, call E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in Bloomfield, NJ or request a quote here. 

Commercial insurance for you and your business

As a business owner, you are probably used to the paperwork and issues you have to deal with daily. While sorting out proper insurance might seem like another one, it can give you a lot of peace of mind if you know you have the right one for your business. 

E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in Bloomfield, NJ can help you make sure that you have the right commercial insurance, and discuss different quotes and options with you. 

Types of commercial insurance

Different situations can require different types of commercial insurance. Some of these include:

  • You have a company car that either you or your employees use. For this, you need commercial auto insurance, which in some cases should be fairly comprehensive, just like auto insurance for personal cars you may drive. 
  • You run a call center from an office building, or perhaps you run a dog sitting company from a hall. Either way, if you own property that you use for your business, you must look into business property insurance to cover any incidents. This could be from an employee hurting themselves on the property to large-scale issues such as a natural disaster causing damage to the property. 
  • If your employees do get hurt while they are at work to the extent that they can’t work, you need to continue paying them. So this doesn’t come out of your pocket, and the employee doesn’t lose out while they can’t work. You can cover both of you via workers’ compensation insurance. 

If you want to discuss the above and other commercial insurance options, give E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in Bloomfield, NJ a call and we can talk to you about this. 

Why You Need Homeowner’s Insurance in New Jersey

Homeowners in Bloomfield, NJ should be well aware of the necessity of having homeowner’s insurance to protect their most valuable investment (their home). E.S.T.I.R. Inc. encourages anyone in the New Jersey area to look into homeowner’s insurance and find a plan and an agent that will assist you with the entire process. 

Homeownership comes with a plethora of responsibilities, and insurance acts as additional protection and support when you need it most. In New Jersey, the weather can get a bit unpredictable and your home may become damaged in a severe storm. Insurance protects your home from any weather-related damage. 

If your home is destroyed in a natural disaster or weather-related incident, a quality insurance policy can cover the costs of repairing or rebuilding it. 

Imagine your home getting destroyed and you are not only left to pick up the pieces, but you also have to take on the financial burden of repairing or rebuilding and finding somewhere to stay in the meantime. It’s too much stress to even fathom; another great reason to simply invest in homeowner’s insurance and not even give it a second thought.

Another reason is your personal property within the home – this can all be covered by an insurance policy. 

Think of all your clothing, electronics, furniture, and everything that means something to you in your home. If your home gets broken into or your personal property is somehow damaged or ruined, your insurance can often cover the costs here as well. 

Home insurance protects you in an endless number of "What If" situations. They may never happen, but if they do, you’ll be so glad you invested in a quality insurance plan. 

Contact the team at E.S.T.I.R. Inc. for full-coverage insurance plans in Bloomfield, NJ.

Who should get auto coverage in New Jersey?

Most people in the Bloomfield, NJ area are going to find that vehicle ownership is a good idea. With a car, you will have an easier time getting around the community and handling your personal responsibilities. If you are going to look for a vehicle in this area, spending time assessing your insurance needs is also important. There are various situations when getting this coverage will be necessary.

When Driving a Car

If you intend to drive a car on a public road when you are in this area of New Jersey, you are going to need to have auto insurance protection. This state requires that all motorists continue to carry liability insurance protection when they go out on a public road. With this support, you will have protection and coverage if you cause damage in a collision. If you don’t carry it, you will still be responsible for damages and will be in violation of state law.

When Financing a Vehicle

You also need to get this coverage if you want to finance your vehicle. Taking out auto loans is a good idea for a lot of vehicle owners. When you decide to take out a loan to buy a vehicle, you need to understand your insurance requirements. Most of the time, you will need a full plan with comprehensive coverage. 

Any vehicle owner in the Bloomfield, NJ area will want to know that they have the right auto coverage in place. If you want to get an insurance plan in this area, you would benefit greatly by calling the team with E.S.T.I.R. Inc. The insurance team with E.S.T.I.R. Inc. understands the benefits of this coverage and can help you identify your needs. This will be a great first step when it comes to building your next auto insurance plan. 

Will Sub-Contractors Get Coverage Under My Contractor Insurance Policy?

Sub-contractors are critical to the success of any construction project. Contractors will bring in sub-contractors to help make their lives easier. These professionals can help finish Bloomfield, NJ projects with more speed, high levels of quality, and great execution all around. They also need insurance, but questions may arise as to whether your contractor’s insurance policy covers them? Will your contractor’s insurance policy provide subcontractor coverage? Let us take a closer look.

Coverage for Subcontractors

When looking at a standard contractor’s insurance policy, typically coverage has its limits. You will not usually see sub-contracts getting coverage. Insurance is usually only extended to you and your full-time employees in the event of an accident or claim of a covered loss.

There are things you can do though to ensure your sub-contractors get coverage. When buying your insurance policy, you can extend your contractor’s insurance policy to cover them. This will carry an increase in your premium but will allow you to freely bring in each sub-contractor and protect them on the job.  

The other option is that you will need to require each subcontractor you hire to carry their insurance. In this instance, you just want verification they have insurance before they begin work.  

Conclusion

You need to have a sound awareness of what your contractor’s insurance policy covers. If you have a large-scale project in Bloomfield, NJ do not let your insurance get in the way. Take action now and begin to better understand the state of sub-contractors on your insurance policy. Work with our team at E.S.T.I.R. Inc. starting today to nail down your insurance needs.  

How New Jersey Business Owners Can Alter Their Commercial Insurance Policies For Remote Workers

E.S.T.I.R. Inc. is an independent insurance agency. We offer coverage to the Bloomfield, NJ community and the surrounding areas. We strive to ensure that our clients are protected when an emergency situation arises. Through working with multiple carriers, we are able to offer our clients multiple options.

How New Jersey Business Owners Are Impacted By Remote Workers

Commercial insurance helps your business continue to function. There are several risks associated with operating a business. Commercial insurance protects your business if your inventory is stolen or vandalized. Your property is also covered if it is damaged due to a fire or natural disaster. Liability coverage is another important part of your policy. You are covered if one of your customers is injured while they are visiting your establishment. You can also add business interruption coverage that gives you a safety net if your business has to shut down for a few months.

Over the last couple of years, research shows that remote working opportunities continue to rise. Perhaps you have added the ability to work remotely to your Bloomfield, NJ business. Worker’s compensation protects your business if one of your employees is injured in the workforce. Remote workers are eligible for worker’s compensation, as long as they are contracted, employees. Make sure that your remote employees are working in a safe environment. If necessary, you may ask for pictures of their home office.

Cyber-attacks are a major threat to the online workforce. Hackers are constantly looking for ways to infiltrate networks and corrupt data. Cyber liability coverage protects your business if you suffer a data breach that leads to your customers or employees having their personal information stolen. If your employees are using business equipment while working from home, commercial property insurance covers any damages.

E.S.T.I.R. Inc. Will Help You Protect Your Investment

Visit our website to learn more information about commercial insurance.  

Required Auto Insurance for New Jersey

While every state has its own mandated coverage minimums for auto insurance, New Jersey’s laws are unique. The state allows for residents to have one of two different kinds of insurance policies. These are the basic policy and the standard policy. This can make it a bit more complicated to choose your auto insurance policy, but you can talk to an insurance agent about the choice. Just give us a call at E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in Bloomfield, NJ.

The Basic Policy

If you choose a basic policy, it will have smaller minimums than the standard policy. With a basic policy, you don’t have any bodily injury liability coverage, but there is some available if you want to add it to the policy. The basic policy has a small amount for property damage liability, paying for the damage you to do other people’s property. With a basic policy, you can’t add anything to this amount. There is a set amount in a basic policy for personal injury protection. This is payment for any injuries that you receive in an accident. This amount can’t be added to. Uninsured motorist coverage is not available with the basic policy. There is also no collision or comprehensive coverage, though it’s possible to get this added to the policy.

The Standard Policy

One of the biggest differences between a basic policy and a standard policy is that the standard policy allows you to add coverage onto the state-mandated minimums. A standard policy has bodily injury liability coverage for one person who is injured in an accident and a higher amount available for all those who are injured. You can add to this coverage as much as you see fit. Standard policies also have a small amount of property damage liability, and you can add to that as well. Uninsured motorist coverage isn’t required, but it is available if you want it. Comprehensive and collision coverage are also not required but available. 

Cover Your Vehicle

To get your auto policy, call us at E.S.T.I.R. Inc. in Bloomfield, NJ.