Knowing Your Network Restrictions in Health Insurance

Familiarizing yourself with your health insurance network isn’t just essential; it empowers you. Reviewing your plan’s provider directory and clarifying any doubts with your insurance company regarding whether a provider is in-network is of significant importance, especially if you reside around Chandler, AZ. Understanding these restrictions gives you control and empowers you to make informed decisions about your healthcare.

In-Network Providers

In-network providers are medical centers, doctors, and healthcare facilities with a negotiated contract to provide medical and clinical services. Using in-network providers can result in lower costs, as insurance companies offer better coverage and reduced co-pays or co-insurance rates for these services. Upon visiting an in-network provider, you will benefit from pre-negotiated rates and find that the insurance plan covers most of the cost.

Out-of-Network Providers

Out-of-network providers have not entered into a contract with your insurance company. Visiting these providers might incur a higher cost. Insurance plans typically cover a smaller portion of the expenses when you seek care from out-of-network providers. As a result, you may end up paying most or all of the bill, which can be significantly higher than in-network rates. It’s essential to verify whether a provider is in-network before scheduling appointments or undergoing treatments to avoid unexpected costs.

Exceptions and Emergencies

Most health insurance plans have provisions for emergencies where network restrictions may be waived. Your insurance may cover the costs if you need immediate medical attention and can’t reach an in-network provider. However, this is generally limited to emergencies. For non-emergency care, it’s still best to seek services within the network when possible.

San Marcos Insurance Group Is at Your Service

San Marcos Insurance Group is here for you when you need insurance information. Our services are available in Chandler, AZ locations and surrounding areas. Contact us today.

Ways Entrepreneurs Can Manage Risks

If you’re an entrepreneur looking to control risks, you know that you must often contend with them day in and day out. However, it is possible to mitigate some risks with the right commercial insurance policies. If you need assistance choosing the correct commercial insurance policy, consider contacting San Marcos Insurance Group, serving Chandler, AZ, and beyond.

Build Up Reserves

It’s beneficial to set aside some money for emergencies whenever possible. For example, if a significant piece of equipment breaks down requiring repair, you can tap into these reserves. This approach allows you to return to work more swiftly.

Obtain Commercial Insurance

If any event damages your business property or equipment, such as a fire, your livelihood could be at risk. However, with the right insurance policies, you can reduce financial risks and ensure coverage for various scenarios.

Ultimately, selecting the right commercial insurance policies is among the best methods of reducing risks. It is advisable to speak with a home insurance agent to understand what is and is not covered by any specific policy.

Maintain a Streamlined Invoicing System

Many businesses and entrepreneurs lose money when funds slip through the cracks. For instance, forgetting to bill a client or cash a check can lead to losses. To succeed in the market, managing your invoicing system and keeping everything in order is crucial.

Keep Your Books in Order

It’s not just invoices that need attention. Keeping your accounts and books in order is equally important. Cleaning things up later can be far more challenging than simply keeping your books tidy from the start.

If you need help choosing a commercial insurance policy, contact San Marcos Insurance Group, serving Chandler, AZ, and other communities.

Ways Entrepreneurs Can Manage Risks

If you’re an entrepreneur looking to control risks, you know that you must often contend with them day in and day out. However, it is possible to mitigate some risks with the right commercial insurance policies. If you need assistance choosing the correct commercial insurance policy, consider contacting San Marcos Insurance Group, serving Chandler, AZ, and beyond.

Build Up Reserves

It’s beneficial to set aside some money for emergencies whenever possible. For example, if a significant piece of equipment breaks down requiring repair, you can tap into these reserves. This approach allows you to return to work more swiftly.

Obtain Commercial Insurance

If any event damages your business property or equipment, such as a fire, your livelihood could be at risk. However, with the right insurance policies, you can reduce financial risks and ensure coverage for various scenarios.

Ultimately, selecting the right commercial insurance policies is among the best methods of reducing risks. It is advisable to speak with a home insurance agent to understand what is and is not covered by any specific policy.

Maintain a Streamlined Invoicing System

Many businesses and entrepreneurs lose money when funds slip through the cracks. For instance, forgetting to bill a client or cash a check can lead to losses. To succeed in the market, managing your invoicing system and keeping everything in order is crucial.

Keep Your Books in Order

It’s not just invoices that need attention. Keeping your accounts and books in order is equally important. Cleaning things up later can be far more challenging than simply keeping your books tidy from the start.

If you need help choosing a commercial insurance policy, contact San Marcos Insurance Group, serving Chandler, AZ, and other communities.

Do I Need Home Insurance? If so, Why?

Did you know that approximately 93% of American homeowners possess some home insurance? Although home insurance isn’t legally required in many states, unlike car insurance, your lender likely requires it if you have a mortgage. Let’s delve deeper into why. If you require assistance in Chandler, AZ, consider reaching out to San Marcos Insurance Group.

Why a Lender Requires Home Insurance

When you secure a mortgage, you’re essentially taking out a protected loan. Your property, purchased with the mortgage, serves as the collateral. Thus, in cases of delayed or missed loan payments, the lender can seize the property to settle the remaining balance. Any surplus amount after covering the debts, referred to as "excess proceeds," goes back to the property owner in Arizona.

Mortgages are generally less costly than credit cards, personal loans, and various other debt forms. This is largely because the loan is backed by a high-value property, reducing the lender’s risks. However, if a home gets damaged by a storm or fire, the property’s value diminishes, increasing the lender’s risks. Consequently, lenders necessitate that a home insurance policy safeguard the property.

The Consequences of Cancelling Home Insurance

Canceling or ceasing the payment for home insurance on a property can result in the mortgage lender procuring an insurance policy and billing the property owner. The terms of this insurance policy may not be beneficial from the property owner’s perspective. Therefore, working with an insurance agent to select a plan is often more advantageous. If you need help in Chandler, AZ, the San Marcos Insurance Group is ready to assist you.

Auto Insurance Because There Is No Such Thing as Being Too Safe

The state of Arizona is renowned for its open highways and beautiful climate. Unfortunately, those two factors are also likely contributors to more than 100,000 accidents in Arizona each year. The good news is that there is also protection and help when we become involved in one of those accidents, which is why so many people from around Chandler, AZ, turn to the trusted and professional team at the San Marcos Insurance Group for all their auto insurance needs. Auto accidents will happen, but auto insurance can help.

There Is No Such Thing as Being Too Safe On the Road

Do you try to avoid rush hour traffic when you drive? Do you prefer to drive in the slow lane on the freeway? Do you always check your mirrors one (or three) too many times before changing lanes? That’s okay because there is no such thing as being too safe when you drive. After all, that is also why you want auto insurance, right? Accidents happen, but sometimes safety is as much about preparation as action, and insurance is how you plan ahead before getting behind the wheel. Why? Because you can never be too safe.

For All Your Auto Insurance Needs in Chandler

If you are looking for auto insurance and are a driver in or around the beautiful and scenic Chandler, AZ, area, then the friendly and professional team of agents at the San Marcos Insurance Group is here to help. Want to learn more about auto insurance, coverage options, or choosing the right deductible? Let us help you take the guesswork out of insurance and help you find the right auto insurance for you and your vehicle today at the San Marcos Insurance Group because we can never be too safe on the road.

What is the Difference Between an HMO and a PPO?

Health insurance can be confusing for first-time buyers living in Chandler, AZ. Most insurers require you to choose between an HMO and a PPO, yet you may not understand what these terms mean or how they affect your access to medical care. San Marcos Insurance Group can help explain the differences and direct you toward a policy that meets your needs.

The Size of Your Healthcare Network

HMO is an acronym for Health Maintenance Organization, while PPO stands for Preferred Provider Organization. Choosing between the two isn’t complicated when you understand the differences. Both involve a network of healthcare providers. The main differences between those options are the size of the provider network, the flexibility of coverage, payments for in-network and out-of-network doctors, and monthly premium payments.

HMO plans generally have lower costs for patients. In exchange for the lower cost, you have a smaller network of providers and must stay within the network to get medical care. Most insurers also require you to select a primary care provider who can refer you to a specialist when needed. These plans only pay for care within the network except when you have an emergency.

PPO plans typically have higher monthly premiums in exchange for flexibility. You can see a provider outside the network, but co-pays are generally higher. Most don’t require you to choose a primary care provider. You can also see specialists at any time without a referral.

Which Plan is Better for Me?

An HMO may be the best option if you are on a tight budget. However, if you already have a doctor you like, you may prefer a PPO. The San Marcos Insurance Group staff serving Chandler, AZ, can help determine which health plan is best for you. Contact us today for an appointment.

Do You Need Commercial Insurance for Your Home Business?

Running a business from your home in Chandler, AZ can reduce overhead, let you work from home, and keep startup costs low. It’s still important to make sure your business is insured, though. Here’s a look at whether your home business should be protected by commercial insurance.

Evaluating Your Homeowners Insurance Coverage

Homeowners insurance policies sometimes provide based coverage for home-based businesses. Not all policies do, however, and coverage can be quite limited when provided. It might apply to basic equipment like a printer, computer, minimal inventory, and some liability lawsuits. 

If your business only has basic needs and you can access coverage through homeowners insurance, additional commercial insurance might not be necessary. We at San Marcos Insurance Group can help you evaluate your homeowner’s policy coverage.

The Importance of Commercial Insurance

If you can’t get adequate coverage through a homeowners policy, you should probably get commercial insurance for your home business. 

Plan on purchasing commercial insurance if your homeowner’s policy doesn’t provide any coverage, if your business has major assets, or if major liabilities come with your work. You could also need commercial insurance if your business has any particular risks, such as product risk if you sell potentially dangerous products.

Ready to Safeguard Your Home Business?

If you’re operating a business from your home in Chandler, AZ, don’t wait to find out the hard way that your insurance coverage is inadequate. Contact us at San Marcos Insurance Group, and we’ll help you ensure your business is properly covered. We can assist with adequately covered homeowners insurance and many other types of policies.

Choosing Value Level in Auto Insurance

When you insure your new-to-you vehicle in Chandler, AZ, you probably want the quickest option so you can hit the road. At San Marcos Insurance Group, we want to explain why it’s best to take the time to create a custom policy instead of choosing the state minimum package.

What State Minimum Insurance Covers

Arizona requires every driver to carry liability insurance to cover property damage and bodily injury. That coverage protects the other drivers on the road but does not damage your vehicle or cause injuries.

Choosing Full Coverage

When you purchase auto insurance with collision and comprehensive coverage, it protects you from financial loss if your vehicle is totaled or damaged. Collision coverage protects you from financial loss due to a single—or multi-vehicle accident.

Choosing Your Valuation Method

Choosing the correct valuation method ensures that your insurance covers you fully. Actual cash value won’t pay for a new car even if you totaled a new car because it uses the depreciated value of the vehicle. Fair market value improves the amount you get from a claim, but agreed-upon value provides the best payout. Stated value uses the value you state, but you must provide documentation to prove it. You choose which valuation method to use when you purchase your insurance policy. For stated value, you will also provide documentation of the vehicle’s value.

Contact Us Today

Call San Marcos Insurance Group in Chandler, AZ for a custom policy that fully protects you financially no matter what might happen to your vehicle. Let us help you design a policy that works for you!

Tips for making your home safer

Safety in your home begins both inside and outside. Ensuring that you and your family not only feel safe and secure but are safe and secure is vital to your peace of mind. At San Marcos Insurance Group in Chandler, AZ, we provide the coverage you need to keep your home safe from all the financial dangers that exist. 

Tips for outdoor safety

Keeping your home safe from dangers on the outside starts with a home security system. You have no excuse these days for not having one since they are affordable and easy to install. Combined with motion detector lights that cover the entire exterior of your home, this provides the best option. Keeping the shrubbery away from the front of your home is another safety tip that eliminates hiding places. Use the locks that your home has on windows and doors. 

To keep the home safe for visitors, ensure that all walkways are in good repair and avoid trip hazards. 

Indoor safety tips

Safety is just as important inside your home. Falls are one of the most common causes of death and injuries in the home. This means clearing clutter from halls and stairs and making sure that you have adequate lighting. Don’t use throw rugs, which can slip, and keep any extension cords out of the way of foot traffic. 

Keep any poisons, including cleaning solutions, laundry detergent, and weed killers, out of reach of children and pets. Also, keep medication under lock and key and out of reach of curious children. 

When you are ready to change or discuss your home insurance, San Marcos Insurance Group in Chandler, AZ, can provide the service you require. As independent insurance agents, we can offer more choices and competitive rates. 

Determine When to Upgrade Your Health Insurance Policy

Unexpected medical problems can be burdensome. One way to ensure that you receive the care you need is by determining when to upgrade your health insurance policy. Review the suggestions below. Then, contact an agent who serves Chandler, AZ.

Standard Procedures

Compile a list of the standard health procedures you need. Compare the information you record with your health insurance policy’s coverage. If any of the procedures aren’t currently covered by your policy, it may be a good time to upgrade. 

Recurring Issues

Consider the recurring health issues that have led to you needing to be seen by a medical professional. If these medical problems are likely to continue, consider how much coverage you currently have.

It may be in your best interest to upgrade your health insurance policy. Doing so will give you the coverage you need when it is time to be treated by a medical practitioner.

Medical Supplies

Review your insurance coverage if you often need medical supplies not covered by your existing insurance policy. Your policy will specify which types of supplies are covered by your insurance.

If you notice that many items you need aren’t listed, review some health insurance policies that cover the medical supplies you need.

Contact San Marcos Insurance Group

You deserve the coverage you need to remain healthy throughout your lifetime. Learning about insurance products will help you select the type of coverage that will benefit you most.

Contact an agent who serves San Marcos Insurance Group to set up an insurance consultation. Your agent will prepare your health insurance paperwork. They will also inform you about the type of coverage that you will be equipped with.