Chandler AZ

Do I need an Arizona auto insurance policy?

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Those that are in the Chandler, AZ area will want to consider getting a car as it will help them to ger all around the Phoenix area. When you are looking for a car around here, you also need to think about your insurance needs. There are many reasons why someone here will need to get this insurance for their car.

Insurance is Required by Law

One of the reasons that you will need to get this insurance is that it can be required by law. Anyone that wants to drive a car on a public road in Arizona should be made aware of the state requirements regarding auto liability insurance coverage. This type of insurance can ensure you are able to pay for damages that you cause in an accident. Having this coverage is required by law as it helps to protect all other drivers on the road.

Auto Lender Will Require Coverage

While state law will require that you have liability insurance, anyone that has a loan that they took out when buying their car will also be required to have insurance. Any auto lender will want to make sure that you have a full collision and comprehensive insurance policy. This type and level of insurance coverage will ensure that you are able to repair or replace your car or pay off your loan if the car is stolen or damaged. 

Choosing an auto insurance policy in the Chandler, AZ area can be a big decision. When you are looking for this type of insurance, you should speak with the team at the San Marcos Insurance Group. When you call the San Marcos Insurance Group you are going to receive the support you need to understand your insurance obligations and pick a policy. 

Mistakes To Avoid When Shopping For Health Insurance

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Health insurance is one of the main investments in your worry-free and healthy life. Therefore, choosing the right policy based on your needs is not an easy task. There is a high risk of missing out on some key aspects. In order to help you to make an informed decision and pick the policy you really need, San Marcos Insurance Group serving Chandler, AZ has prepared a list of mistakes you should avoid when searching for a health insurance plan: 

Shopping At The Last Minute

Since buying a health insurance plan is an important decision, it will take time for you to find the best coverage. Therefore, it is better to start reviewing your options as early as possible. If you procrastinate and wait until the last day of enrollment, you will not have enough time to make the right decision. 

Not Revealing Your Medical History

When you are buying a health insurance plan, you should inform your insurance agent about your current health status and medical history. If you decide to be secretive about it, you risk not receive medical coverage in case of illness or an emergent medical issue due to a pre-existing medical condition. Moreover, not disclosing your medical history increases the risk of posing a threat to future claim settlements. 

Not Taking Your Own Requirements And Needs Into Consideration

One of the best things about health insurance is that you can pick a plan to fit your needs. However, many people ignore this aspect and pick a standard policy. Considering your requirements when buying health insurance is important and beneficial at the time of claim. 

If you are a resident of Chandler, AZ, or any other surrounding town who is searching for a health insurance policy, San Marcos Insurance Group is the company of professionals you can trust. Give us a call today or visit our website to find out how we can help you to get the coverage you need and can afford. 

How Will Commercial Insurance Protect my Business?

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Anyone that would like to start a small business needs to find a great area to open and start it. One city that continues to offer a lot of great opportunities for small business owners in Chandler, AZ. When you are in Chandler, AZ, you will benefit from a large population base and a mentality geared towards helping local businesses. To ensure that your business is able to thrive, you need to get commercial insurance, as it will protect your business in many ways.

Ensures You Have Liability Protection

One of the reasons why you will want to get commercial insurance is that it can protect your business from liability risk. If you sell a product or service, you are always going to run the risk that you could be sued for liability. If you are sued and lose, it could be devastating. Fortunately, you can get a commercial insurance policy that will give you liability protection to offset this risk as you will have coverage for liability.

Covers Business Assets

When you start any type of business, you are going to need to purchase some assets for your business. This includes capital equipment, starting inventory, and other assets that will ensure your company is able to operate. When you have a commercial insurance policy, you will receive protection and coverage for these assets to ensure they will be replaced if the items are stolen or damaged. 

When you want to start a business in Arizona, you should speak with the San Marcos Insurance Group about your insurance needs. The team at the San Marcos Insurance Group can help you to identify risks associated with your business that could be mitigated with insurance. The team can then help you get into a policy that will provide you with the best coverage possible. 

Do I need home insurance when I don’t have a mortgage?

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For most people in Chandler, AZ a mortgage lasts for 30 years. When the 30 years is over you may have a mortgage burning celebration. Your home is finally yours and that is a big deal. For those many years, you have paid home insurance to protect the investment that your lender has in your home. Now it is yours, do you continue to carry that protection or do you let your policy lapse? To carry or not to carry home insurance is a big decision and the experienced team at San Marcos Insurance Group can help you to make the correct choice. 

Home insurance offers some valuable protection and your home is the single largest investment most people ever make. Before you decide to save a little money by going without home insurance you need to ask yourself a few questions. If your home was destroyed by a covered hazard such as a fire, would you be able to repair or rebuild it without an insurance payment to help? If someone is injured on your property and sues you would you be able to hire an attorney and pay any judgment against you out of your pocket? Imagine how high such a judgment could be. 

Most people own a lot of things. If your home was destroyed by something like a tornado you could lose everything. Try to imagine having to replace all those things at one time, it is an overwhelming thought. How about having a place to rest your head if your home is uninhabitable? It could be for weeks or months. Would you have the money to pay for it?

Hopefully, these questions have made you think about how valuable your home insurance is to you and your financial security. Give the knowledgeable agents at San Marcos Insurance Group in Chandler, AZ a call for an appointment to discuss the benefits of home insurance. 

Will My Auto Insurance Cover a Relative Visiting for the Summer?

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If you have family or friends visiting your Chandler, AZ home this summer, you may have to deal with guests asking to borrow your vehicle. Loaning out your car is a personal decision. At the same time, it’s good to confirm with your San Marcos Insurance Group agent if guest drivers are covered by your auto insurance. You don’t want to be stuck paying for damages of an unexpected accident. Here’s what you should know about guest drivers and auto insurance.

Friends are Covered with Permission

Your friends in Chandler, AZ are covered by your auto insurance if they have permission to drive your car. Depending on the coverage you have, your policy will cover damages in the event of an accident. When loaning your car to a friend, make sure he or she has a valid driver’s license, and is a safe driver.

Visiting Relatives are Covered with Permission

If you give visiting relatives permission to drive your vehicle, they, too, are covered by your auto insurance as long as they have a valid driver’s license. As relatives may be unfamiliar with the area, use wisdom when loaning out your car. You may prefer to drive them yourself for nighttime events or find them other forms of transport, especially if they’re attending a party where the hosts will be serving alcoholic beverages.   

Guest Drivers May Have Limited Coverage

Although guest drivers are protected by your auto policy in Chandler, AZ, they may not have the same scope of coverage as you or members of your household listed on your policy. Guest drivers also have restrictions on how often they can use the vehicle without being listed on the policy.

To learn more about auto policies, coverage and costs, call or visit your San Marcos Insurance Group agent today.

Important terms to understand when choosing health insurance

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Health insurance is something that everyone needs to have but it is one of the most confusing types of insurance. You will be asked to choose a policy to cover your healthcare needs and in some cases, it will seem like you are comparing apples and oranges. How can you make an informed choice when things are so different from one carrier to another?  You need to understand exactly what some of the insurance terms mean and by talking to the experienced team at  San Marcos Insurance Group in Chandler, AZ you can feel more confident with your decision. 

In order to choose the healthcare policy that makes the most sense for you, comparing copays, deductibles, networks, and formularies is important. Knowledge is power and knowledge will help you make the best decision for you. 

Copay

A copay is the portion of a medical expense that is your portion to pay. It can be a percentage or it may be a set amount. Examples are the amount you pay when you visit your doctor or the amount they ask upfront when you go in for blood work or Xrays. 

Deductible

The deductible is the amount of money you must pay before your policy goes into effect. High deductible policies are popular because they are less expensive but the reality is that if you don’t meet the deductible very few if any expenses will be paid. 

Formulary

This is the list of drugs that are covered under a plan. Drugs are assigned to a tier and each tier has a copay and some may also have a deductible. You should check which tier any drugs you take fall into. 

Network

These are the doctors and health facilities that you may use for coverage on your plan. Checking to make sure your personal doctor is in Network is something to do before signing on the dotted line. 

Call the San Marcos Insurance Group in Chandler, AZ to make an appointment to discuss your health insurance needs. 

Auto Insurance Facts vs Myths

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Before purchasing auto insurance in Chandler, AZ, make sure you know the facts. Auto insurance myths could cause you to make costly mistakes in choosing your coverage. At San Marcos Insurance Group, we’ll help you separate fact from myth to ensure you get the protection you need without wasting money.  

Myth: You Only Need Minimum Liability Coverage

Fact: Arizona requires that you have minimum auto liability coverage to protect others in accidents you cause. Liability insurance, however, won’t protect you against theft or cover repair costs to your vehicle if it’s damaged in a crash. By adding collision, comprehensive and uninsured motorist coverage to your policy, you’ll receive greater protection against accidents, which could save you thousands of dollars in repairs out of pocket. 

Myth: Men pay higher auto insurance rates than women.

Fact: This may be true for young men and teens as they’re often viewed as a greater risk for accidents. In general, however, gender has little bearing on auto premium costs. Your driving experience, driving record and credit rating, however, could affect the cost of your auto coverage.  

Myth: If a friend or relative borrows your car and causes an accident, he or she is responsible for damages.

Fact: Car insurance follows the car, not the driver. If you give people permission to drive your car and they cause an accident, your auto insurer is responsible for covering the cost of damages.

Myth: Rental car expenses are automatically covered in auto policies in Chandler, AZ.

Fact: If you want your insurer to pay for a rental vehicle while your car is being repaired after an accident, you have to add it to your coverage. It isn’t automatically included in your policy.   

For quality auto coverage at affordable costs, contact San Marcos Insurance Group today.

When Is The Time To Increase Commercial Insurance?

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San Marcos Insurance Group helps protect business owners in  Chandler, AZ with a variety of insurance services including commercial insurance. Most businesses would not dream of not having basic commercial coverage but sometimes insurance upgrades get overlooked as a business grows. 

It May Be a Good Idea to Increase Your Commercial Insurance Coverage When:

  • You hire more employees. There is a threshold that varies by state and type of business but each time you add another employee to your typical number of staff you should consider increasing your commercial insurance, and in many cases, it is required.
  • You add a location or change locations. Even if your business is running exactly the same in your new location there may be insurance considerations you need to take into account for the new location to make sure you are fully protected. In some cases, your premiums may actually decrease if the area is in a better location. 
  • You add to your services. Are you providing a whole new service within your existing company? There are many situations where your additional service may need better coverage so any risk increase is negated with protection. One instance would be if you are a restaurant that adds delivery to your service, you may want to add a line to protect your drivers in particular. 

Contact us at San Marcos Insurance Group if you would like to discuss your commercial insurance and the particulars of your coverage for your company. We serve Chandler, AZ and the surrounding areas with quality insurance services. Do not leave your company under-protected, call us to keep your insurance policy up to date with all your growth. 

I Quit Smoking, How Do I Get Lower Life Insurance Premiums?

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Your life insurance provider would rather you not smoke, and you can generally expect a lower premium if you quit, but the lower premium won’t kick in overnight. Your insurer wants to make absolutely certain that you’re not smoking anymore, so there are a few provisions to getting your lower premiums:

  • Most insurers won’t offer lower premiums until you’ve been a non-smoker for twelve months.
  • In order to keep your lower rates, you need to remain a non-smoker for two years. If you start up again, your premiums will go up.
  • Your insurer may offer a few exceptions. Some life insurance providers will allow you to smoke up to four cigars a year or enjoy the occasional pipe without classifying you as a smoker.

It’s a good idea to call your insurer when you first start quitting, and again once a year is up. If you tell your insurer that you quit smoking, some insurers will have you undergo a test, while others may take your word for it, but if nicotine turns up in your next physical, you could be looking at charges of insurance fraud, so honesty is the best policy here.

Because being reclassified by your insurer can be so difficult, many life insurance buyers in Chandler, AZ will choose to simply switch providers rather than jump through all of the hoops with their current life insurance company.

If you are in Chandler, AZ, and shopping around for a new life insurance provider, we’d recommend giving San Marcos Insurance Group a call. San Marcos Insurance Group can get you the life insurance coverage that you need in order to take care of yourself and your family.

Will My Home Insurance Cover Water Damage from a Burst Pipe?

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The agents of San Marcos Insurance Group offer Chandler, AZ residents a variety of options when it comes to home insurance. They are able to work with you to ensure that you have the amount of coverage you need to protect your home and family from financial loss in the event of an emergency.  Arizona’s high temperatures can wreak havoc on your home’s plumbing. While it’s essential to keep your plumbing in good working order, a burst pipe can happen and will wreak havoc on your home. 

Water Damage

Water damage inside your home can lead to black mold and the deterioration of the structure of your home. If a burst pipe is caught early enough, it can reduce the extent of your damage and will keep your remodeling costs low.  If the damage is minimal, you may be able to cover the cost without filing an insurance claim. When the damage is extensive, however, filing a claim may be the only way to sufficiently cover the cost of the remodel.

Repairs

Making the necessary repairs to your plumbing can be costly. It’s important to find the cause of the burst pipe so you can repair everything that may be damaged or broken. It is in your best interest to hire a plumbing contractor to come in and thoroughly inspect your system.

In Chandler, AZ, the agents of San Marcos Insurance Group work with their clients to ensure that they have the home insurance they need. If you are concerned about the condition of your home, have it inspected and then go over your insurance policy with your agent. It will give you the peace of mind you need!