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PO Box 199
Clarinda, IA 51632

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Can I Buy Umbrella Insurance Separately?

Clarifying Umbrella Insurance: Insights from Sump Insurance

Umbrella insurance can prove to be exceptionally beneficial, providing your home, business, or vehicle in Clarinda, IA, with extra liability coverage. This coverage might become indispensable if you ever find yourself facing a lawsuit. Typically, it covers damages, injuries, and specific types of harm like libel. At this point, you may wonder if it can be procured separately or must be appended to another policy.

How to Secure Umbrella Coverage

Umbrella insurance is typically sold as a standalone policy but mandates at least one underlying type of insurance. This could be a home, condo, renters, commercial, or automotive policy. The foundational insurance must offer enough liability coverage to qualify for an umbrella policy, potentially necessitating an upgrade to a basic plan.

Are There Options to Shop Around?

While procuring an umbrella policy, you are not necessarily tied to your existing insurance provider for non-umbrella coverage. You have the flexibility to purchase umbrella insurance from a different carrier. However, certain insurers might require that the primary auto, renters, or home coverage be obtained from them.

When purchasing umbrella insurance, you may even consider switching insurance carriers altogether. Partnering with an independent agency like Sump Insurance can help distinguish whether leveraging the same carrier, embracing a different insurer or combining two varied carriers would be most beneficial.

Choose Sump Insurance for Your Coverage Needs

Based in Clarinda, IA, Sump Insurance has over two decades of robust experience in the insurance sector. We independently provide policies from 10+ reputable carriers. Our clients also enjoy premium local customer service and various coverage options. In addition to umbrella policies, we offer medical, commercial, home, life, crop, and car insurance. For a free quote, do not hesitate to call us at 712-542-5555.

What Extras Can I Get With My Homeowner’s Insurance?

Some homeowners in Clarinda, IA mistakenly believe that the insurance policy they buy will cover everything in their houses. Basic home insurance policies are far from comprehensive when it comes to protecting various events that can damage your structure and its contents. A better course of action is to consider add-ons to your basic policy that the brokers at Sump Insurance can recommend.

What Standard Insurance Covers

Standard homeowner’s insurance policies generally provide four basic types of coverage. These are:

  • Structural or dwelling coverage to rebuild your home after a covered risk
  • Personal property to cover your belongings like furniture and clothing
  • Alternative living expenses to pay for living elsewhere while your home is repaired
  • Liability for legal and financial protection if someone is injured on your property

Add-Ons Provide Policy Customization

Add-ons, also called riders, allow homeowners to expand their coverage based on where they live, their home’s unique characteristics, and the items they own. Riders give you a wider umbrella of protection if mishaps occur. One of the most common riders involves a listing of valuable goods such as jewelry, artwork, and similar items worth much more than a typical deductible. These are called scheduled properties.

Other add-ons you should consider are:

  • Equipment breakdown covering electronics and appliances
  • Water and foundation backup for sump pumps send sewers
  • Flooding
  • Buried utility lines
  • Swimming pool coverage for above and in-ground installations
  • Extended reconstruction

The last is particularly important, as construction companies often do not finish promised repairs within the time your main policy allows.

Schedule A Consultation Today

Let Sump Insurance, serving the greater Clarinda, IA area customers advise you on what homeowner’s insurance you may need. We will gladly discuss your unique situation and recommend the best course of action. Call for a consultation today to determine your needs.

3 Extremely Valuable Auto Insurance Extras

When you purchase auto insurance from Sump Insurance serving Clarinda, IA, you have several options to customize your policy. These are sometimes referred to as riders or add-ons. Some of the most frequently overlooked options are the ones that will prove to be extremely valuable to car owners in the future.

Here are some auto insurance extras to consider:

Car Rental Coverage

If your vehicle is damaged in a collision, you could be without it for several days while it’s in the shop being repaired. In the meantime, you still have transportation needs like getting to work, dropping the kids off at school, picking up groceries, and more. Car rental coverage may cover the use of a rental vehicle so you don’t have to worry about transportation.

Roadside Assistance

No one plans to be stranded on the road, but incidents do happen every day. This insurance add-on provides help when you need it most for vehicle breakdowns, including jump starts, fuel delivery, flat tire change service, towing, getting locked out, and more. With roadside assistance, you can be off the side of the road and back to safety quickly.

Glass Coverage 

Windshields often crack through no fault of the driver when rocks and other road debris fly up and nick the windscreen. These tiny divots can worsen and develop into cracks that hinder the driver’s clear view. Side windows sometimes get broken from smash and grabs and other vandalism. The glass coverage option specifically covers the repair or replacement of the vehicle’s glass, such as windshields and side windows. 

Call Today To Discuss Your Options

It’s well worth considering these auto insurance extras with Sump Insurance serving Clarinda, IA. They can be added when you take out your policy or any time during your coverage period. Contact us to learn more. 

How Umbrella Insurance Gives You More Liability Coverage

There are many different types of insurance coverage, and a single insurance policy often has several types of coverage in it. One of these types is liability coverage. When you have a home insurance policy and an auto insurance policy, each of these has a set amount of liability coverage. This protects you in case of accidents that you’re liable for. You need plenty of this coverage to protect yourself against lawsuits and huge medical bills.

Getting umbrella insurance is a great way to add more liability onto your home policy as well as your auto policy. To get your policy, call us at Sump Insurance in Clarinda, IA. 

More Liability Coverage

When you have an umbrella policy, it supplements the amount of liability insurance that you already have. If you were to add more of this coverage to your auto and home policies, it could cost you a lot. Many people would be unable to afford to add a lot more liability coverage to both of these policies. However, getting an umbrella policy does this and comes with a small price tag. It gives you an enormous amount of liability coverage for both of your other policies. It’s a great way to be much better protected in case of accidents. 

High Maximum

Without an umbrella policy, you may have to face overages once your home or auto policy has maxed out. When you have an umbrella insurance policy, it pays these overages. The home or auto policy pays out first, and then the umbrella policy comes in to pay anything that’s left over. This can save you many thousands of dollars in overages. 

Get an Umbrella Policy

If you want more liability protection, consider getting an umbrella policy. To get started, call us at Sump Insurance in Clarinda, IA.

What Does Home Insurance Cover?

Our agents at Sump Insurance serving the Clarinda, IA area realize how hard you have worked to own your own home. This is the reason they want you to have the proper amount of home insurance in place to protect your investment.

Keep in mind that even if your home is paid for in full, and you do not owe a mortgage, you still need to have a home insurance policy to cover in case the unthinkable happens.

What Does Home Insurance Cover?

A basic home insurance policy will cover the structure of your home as well as the contents inside. The contents can include your clothing and personal belongings, furniture, appliances, electronics, and more. Some insurance policies for your house also include other outbuildings that are located on your property, such as garages or sheds. This type of property insurance is very important if your house is hit by some sort of natural disaster, such as a hurricane or tornado. This type of insurance will also help you repair or rebuild your house if it is damaged or destroyed by a fire or even an act of vandalism. Your home insurance policy will also come in handy if a burglary occurs at your home.

Home insurance can even keep you out of court if someone is injured while visiting your house. This is because it will help pay for their medical bills if they sustain injuries and even take time off of work for them.

It is important to note that certain things may not be covered under a regular home insurance policy, and you may need to add them as an addendum to your main policy. These things include flooding and earthquake insurance. Your agent can help you out with this also.

Contact Us Today

To create the best home insurance policy for you and your beautiful home, contact our agents at Sump Insurance serving the Clarinda, IA area today!

How do I know if I have enough auto insurance coverage?

Clarinda, IA drivers need to carry a certain amount of insurance by law. If you only want to meet the minimum requirements, Sume Insurance can help you find a policy where you will only have liability coverage. Liability coverage only kicks in to protect the other drivers and passengers when you are found to be at fault in an accident. 

Minimum Legal Requirements

Under Iowa law, you only need to carry certain amounts of liability insurance. Property damage coverage will help to repair or replace the victim’s vehicle while personal injury coverage will cover everything from emergency room visits to ongoing physical therapy. Any amount not paid out under your policy becomes your responsibility. If you cannot pay, the other insurance company will likely seek a court judgment. 

Other Important Coverages

If you still owe on your vehicle, your lender may require you to carry full coverage. Full coverage will also protect you during an accident, even if you are at fault. Many people become spoiled after carrying full coverage and keep it after the car is paid off. Full coverage gives you peace of mind that liability insurance alone can’t offer.

Here are some of the advantages of full coverage insurance:

  • Comprehensive coverage offers protection in case of unexpected events like fire, vandalism, or accidentally hitting an animal with your car.
  • Collision coverage provides protection during any kind of collision no matter who caused the accident,
  • Rental car reimbursement will help you stay on the road while your vehicle is being repaired.
  • Uninsured/underinsured coverage protects you when the other driver doesn’t have adequate coverage.

Sump Insurance Is Here To Help

You may also want to talk to us about how to get gap coverage, roadside assistance, or other benefits in Clarinda, IA. If you have any questions about your coverage, please call Sump Insurance today.

Does Umbrella Insurance Cover Businesses?

Umbrella insurance is a highly beneficial Financial tool to help prevent losses due to liability that exceeds your home or commercial insurance protection. If you are in the market for an umbrella insurance policy or would like to learn more about this type of coverage, you can count on the professionals at Sump Insurance to provide support and services to the residents in and around Clarinda, IA.

Umbrella Insurance Protection 

Umbrella insurance is designed to cover liability that exceeds the limits of insurance currently in place. Businesses that are more likely to exceed the limits of their liability protection should invest in quality umbrella insurance. If you’re interested in learning more about this type of coverage, our highly knowledgeable insurance agents can work closely with you to explain the terms and conditions of each policy and help match you to coverage that meets your needs.

Our agents take the time to carefully assess your situation and determine what level of coverage works best for your business’s specific needs. In addition to helping secure coverage, we can support you with any changes to your policy during its lifetime or with submitting claims. It’s all a part of our commitment to exceptional customer service and our goal of providing you with insurance that offers peace of mind.

Reach Out Today 

If you would like to get answers to questions about umbrella insurance or any other insurance products we offer, don’t hesitate to contact Sump Insurance. We proudly provide quality insurance products to the residents in and around the Clarinda, IA area. Call or stop by our office today to schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable team members. Don’t wait to get the liability protection you need with umbrella insurance.

Is Damage Caused by Plumbing Issues Covered by Insurance?

Plumbing issues can wreak havoc on your home, your budget, and your life. Burst pipes, leaks, or sewage backups can lead to water damage, mold growth, and structural problems. Homeowners experiencing water damage from plumbing issues like these often ask us at Sump Insurance in Clarinda, IA, if their insurance will cover the costs. While it depends on the specifics of your insurance policy and the cause of the damage, here are some general guidelines to consider.

Plumbing Issues & Insurance

Homeowner’s insurance typically covers sudden and accidental water damage caused by plumbing issues. If a pipe bursts or leaks because of factors beyond your control, like freezing temperatures or wear and tear, your insurance policy might cover the resulting damages. You can consult your agent or policy to determine whether there will be coverage in your particular situation. 

Certain kinds of plumbing damage are almost never covered by homeowners insurance, like damage that results from negligence or lack of maintenance. Additionally, some policies have specific exclusions for certain plumbing-related issues, like sewer backup. Carefully read your policy and consult with your insurance provider to understand what’s covered and what’s not.

In many cases, you can prevent plumbing-related damage by inspecting your pipes regularly, addressing leaks as soon as you notice them, and maintaining adequate insulation around your plumbing. If you do experience a plumbing emergency, take steps to limit the damage as soon as possible: turn off the water at the source, use towels or a wet vacuum to remove excess water, and set up fans in the affected area as soon as possible. Contact your insurance agent right away. As you work to repair the damage, take pictures and keep all of your receipts. 

We Can Help!

To learn more about homeowners coverage in Clarinda, IA, contact us at Sump Insurance today!

Is Auto Insurance Required in Iowa?

The agents at Sump Insurance serving the Clarinda, IA area want you to know that auto insurance is required in the state of Iowa. All motorists must have at least a minimum amount of auto liability insurance to cover any bodily injuries or destruction of property that may happen during an accident you cause.

In addition to liability insurance, there are several other coverage options you can choose from to add more protection for you and your vehicle.

Auto Insurance Coverage Options

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

If you happen to have the misfortune of becoming involved in an accident that is the fault of a driver without insurance or an inadequate amount of auto insurance, this type of coverage will assist you in repairing or replacing your vehicle and help with the medical bills you might incur.

Comprehensive Auto Insurance

Comprehensive insurance is a great policy to have since it will help you to repair or replace your vehicle if it catches on fire, is damaged by vandalism, or becomes destroyed or damaged by a natural disaster. This type of insurance will also help to replace or repair your car, SUV, or truck if it is stolen.

Collision Insurance

Collision insurance will assist you in paying for damages from a collision with another vehicle or some sort of object.

If you still owe money to a bank or lender for the purchase of your car, truck, or SUV, you will more than likely have to secure an auto insurance policy that includes both collision and comprehensive insurance.

Contact Us Today

To obtain an auto insurance policy that provides you with the coverage you need, contact the agents at Sump Insurance serving the Clarinda, IA area today!

Is an umbrella insurance plan necessary in Iowa?

Carrying proper and necessary insurance should be a priority for all in the Clarinda, IA area. One type of insurance that people here will want to consider getting is umbrella insurance. This is a form of insurance that will provide personal liability coverage.

There are a few reasons that someone in this part of Iowa should consider getting an umbrella plan a basic necessity:

Prepare for the Unexpected

A reason that all people in Iowa should have an umbrella plan is to ensure they are prepared for the unexpected. Liability risks need to be taken very seriously. If you are found liable for an accident that results in damages or other losses, you may have to pay a lot of money out of pocket. Because of this, having insurance will be helpful. If you get an umbrella plan, it will provide any support that you need to mitigate this risk. 

Coverage for Major Claims

If you are a property owner or car owner and have the right insurance, you are likely to have liability coverage for accidents that happen at home or on the road. However, those policies will have a coverage cap that can be exhausted if the accident is bad enough. If you are able to invest in an umbrella plan, you will get coverage on top of those types of policies. 

We Can Help

Umbrella insurance is a very important form of insurance to obtain. When you have this coverage, it can provide peace of mind and reduce liability risks. As you are looking to get this coverage in the Clarinda, IA area, you can benefit by calling us at Sump Insurance. Our team at Sump Insurance will offer the support that is necessary to build a new plan that offers ideal support and protection.

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