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Homeowners typically purchase homeowners’ insurance for two reasons: to protect assets, such as the dwelling and the items inside, as well as to protect themselves from personal legal liability or responsibility for injuries to other people or their possessions while they are on the property; and to satisfy mortgage lenders, who typically require homeowners to buy insurance to protect their investment. At benchmark, we give you the peace of mind in knowing that you are always covered.
homes & real estate policies overview
Primary Residence
Covers your dwelling and personal property. Valuation can be based upon Replacement Cost or Actual Cash Value.
Vacation Homes
Vacation homes are treated similarly to your Primary Dwelling. However, rates can vary depending upon the location of the Vacation home. Vacation Rentals cannot be classified the same as a Vacation Home. Vacation, or short-term, rentals must be rated separately.
Vacation Rentals
If you regularly rent your vacation home for short term occupancy (for example, managed yourself or AirBNB), many residential insurers will not want to write the policy. A few specialty carriers exist that do like to insure rental dwellings. Make sure you disclose any rental dwellings to your broker in order to confirm the insurer will accept that exposure.
While your personal property is covered under your homeowners or renters insurance, policy limits do apply. To insure your valuable items—such as jewelry, fine art or antiques—consider scheduling these high-value items on an endorsement or policy floater.
If you haven’t documented your possessions on a home inventory list, it may be hard to replace them. For all endorsed items, an appraisal or sales receipt is typically required. This will help ensure that, in the event of a covered loss, the amount of insurance is enough to cover the replacement, repair or cash payment of the item.
While your Homeowners or Renter’s Insurance policy will cover you in the event of a burglary or fire, up to the policy’s limits, you’ll still need a thorough inventory list, including photos or video. With insurance fraud on the rise, it’s important to have a home inventory list and to keep the information up to date. Storing this information in a safe place is highly recommended.
art, jewelry & collections policies overview
Scheduled Items
Scheduled personal property is a supplemental insurance policy that extends coverage beyond the standard protection provided in a homeowners’ insurance policy. By purchasing a scheduled personal property policy, owners can ensure full coverage of expensive items, such as jewelry, in the event of a claim.
Blanket Values
Blanket insurance is a single property insurance policy that covers more than one type of property at the same location, the same kind of property at multiple locations, or multiple kinds or property at two or more locations.
Firearms
According to the most recent figures, about four in ten households in the United States contain a firearm. Lots of people either own a gun or live in a household with someone who does. But unfortunately, even many long-time firearms owners have never taken the time to consider the insurance and liability implications of the firearm(s) in their home.
Guns are valuable and potentially dangerous objects. Because of the dual factors of value and risk, it’s critically important for both new and experienced gun owners to make sure they understand how guns and insurance go together so they can take appropriate steps to protect themselves as well as their firearms.
Wine
Ideally, a wine collection, like other valuables such as silver, antiques, coins or fine jewelry, should be separately insured against fire, breakage and theft. If you have a collection worth several thousand dollars, there are two options worth considering: a blanket policy or a stand-alone wine insurance policy. Both cost about the same and give you considerably better coverage than a standard homeowner’s policy.
A blanket policy insures your wine under one lump sum and is appropriate for bottles valued at less than $1,000 each. All you have to do is total the value of the wine to be insured. While no documentation is required, hiring a professional appraiser to itemize your collection can help determine if a blanket policy is right for your entire collection.
A stand-alone policy insures your wines individually and is suitable for collections full of expensive items like older wines or rare large-format bottles. Individual appraisals are only required for bottles worth $10,000 or more.
Memorabilia
Collectibles in a home can be worth more than the home itself, or at least enough that the items need to be scheduled assets on a separate policy in order to be reimbursed for the full value. In January 2021, the rapper, Logic, paid $183,812 for a rare Pokémon card. In 2014, a 1938 copy of Action Comics #1 comic book sold for $3.21 million on eBay. Most collectibles can be insured for 1% to 2% of the piece’s value, per year. But your collection doesn’t need to be worth millions to be worth insuring.
As with coverage for your everyday car or truck, a recreational indemnity plan pays for physical damage to your off-road vehicle if it is involved in an accident or stolen. In the unfortunate event of an accident, a recreational insurance plan attached to your standard auto insurance policy may cover: Bodily Injury. Make sure you’re prepared for any incident and that you have coverage in all areas if needed. At benchmark, we can help!
auto & recreational vehicles policies overview
Covers buildings against direct physical damage, subject to standard policy exclusions. Valuation can be based upon Replacement Cost or Actual Cash Value.
Covers personal property and contents against direct physical damage subject to standard policy exclusions. Valuation can be based upon Replacement Cost or Actual Cash Value
Do you like to take your Performance vehicle to the track or participate in races? Please let us know as the typical Personal auto policy excludes coverage for such activity.
This is perhaps the most important part of any insurance policy. Covers loss of income less non-continuing expenses due to the necessary suspension of business operations during the period of restoration. Interruption must be caused due to damage at the described location and caused by a covered peril. There are several options to the loss of income form, you can choose to include payroll for certain employees or choose to insure only the net income. One of the best forms of coverage you can find is Actual Loss Sustained for 12 Months (ALS). This coverage pays your actual loss of income for up to 12 months.
If you have a Toy Box or camping trailer, simply having it attached to your tow vehicle does not provide all the coverage you need. We can assist in making sure your trailer is valued properly. The same goes for your Motorhome and Desert Toys. It is important that you understand the scope of coverage insurers provide for these items.
Have a Cruiser, Sport Bike or Off-Road/Motocross bike? Those present no issues for us. Simply let us know what you have and we can accommodate.
Daily Drivers
Covers buildings against direct physical damage, subject to standard policy exclusions. Valuation can be based upon Replacement Cost or Actual Cash Value.
Classic Auto
Covers personal property and contents against direct physical damage subject to standard policy exclusions. Valuation can be based upon Replacement Cost or Actual Cash Value
High Performing Autos
Do you like to take your Performance vehicle to the track or participate in races? Please let us know as the typical Personal auto policy excludes coverage for such activity.
Race Vehicles
Covers loss of income from a business or source of materials that your business relies upon in order to sell your products of services. An example would be if your business manufactured computer boards and utilized chips that were only made by company XYZ. If company XYZ were to suffer a loss preventing the production of their chips, your company could also suffer a loss. This endorsement protects your business from just such a loss.
Trailers, Motorhomes
If you have a Toy Box or camping trailer, simply having it attached to your tow vehicle does not provide all the coverage you need. We can assist in making sure your trailer is valued properly. The same goes for your Motorhome and Desert Toys. It is important that you understand the scope of coverage insurers provide for these items.
Motorcycles
Have a Cruiser, Sport Bike or Off-Road/Motocross bike? Those present no issues for us. Simply let us know what you have and we can accommodate.
Chances are slim that you will lose a lawsuit for a sum greater than what your existing insurance will pay—but if you ever did find yourself in that situation, you could lose all your savings. Umbrella insurance is designed to make sure you never find yourself living that nightmare.
earthquake & flood policies overview
A form of liability insurance protecting policyholders for claims in excess of the limits of their personal automobile. Personal liability insurance is about financial protection – for you and your family. The personal liability coverage within your homeowners policy provides coverage to pay for claims of bodily injury and property damage sustained by others for which you or covered residents of your household are legally responsible.
Excess Over Homeowners Liability & Personal Auto
A form of liability insurance protecting policyholders for claims in excess of the limits of their personal automobile. Personal liability insurance is about financial protection – for you and your family. The personal liability coverage within your homeowners policy provides coverage to pay for claims of bodily injury and property damage sustained by others for which you or covered residents of your household are legally responsible.
Earthquake and flood insurance is a form of property insurance that pays the policyholder in the event of an incident that causes damage to the property. Rates depend on location and the probability of an earthquake loss or flood damage. Rates may be lower for homes made of wood, which withstand earthquakes better than homes made of brick.
earthquake & flood policies overview
Dwelling Insurance is the part of your homeowners insurance policy that will pay for the rebuilding or the repair costs of the physical structure of your home if it’s damaged by a covered hazard. However, the peril of Earthquake is specifically excluded under all standard Dwelling coverage. Coverage for the peril of Earthquake loss must be purchased separately.
One important consideration in deciding to purchase this coverage is the importance of the value of your home to your overall Net Worth. Most homeowners rely upon the value of their home to add significant value to their overall Net Worth, so wouldn’t you want to protect your assets from as many perils as possible in order to preserve your Net Worth?
Earthquake policies vary greatly in how they address your Personal Property. Make sure you have a clear understanding how much Personal Property protection you are getting for your Earthquake policy. We can help you.
Personal property is the stuff you own — furniture, electronics and clothing, for example. Whether you own a home or rent an apartment, insurance policies typically include personal property coverage. This type of coverage helps pay to repair or replace your belongings after a covered loss, such an earthquake or flood. Here are some things to consider when it comes to protecting your belongings.
There are two types of personal property coverage: replacement cost and actual cash value. A replacement cost policy typically pays the dollar amount it will take to buy a new item at the time of a claim. An actual cash value policy factors in depreciation to provide reimbursement based on the current value of an item. It’s also important to know that personal property coverage usually has certain limits on what it will pay to replace an item or category of items.
At benchmark, our agents can help you set up excessive runoff insurance and write a Flood policy for your property. It may be written through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private insurer, but you will always have a separate Flood limit and Flood deductible. Adding Flood does typically increase the premium significantly as most catastrophic coverages (Named Storm, Earthquake, etc.) do. The NFIP has designated specific flood zones that will impact the rate depending upon the specific flood risk at that site.
Earthquake Protection
Dwelling Insurance is the part of your homeowners insurance policy that will pay for the rebuilding or the repair costs of the physical structure of your home if it’s damaged by a covered hazard. However, the peril of Earthquake is specifically excluded under all standard Dwelling coverage. Coverage for the peril of Earthquake loss must be purchased separately.
One important consideration in deciding to purchase this coverage is the importance of the value of your home to your overall Net Worth. Most homeowners rely upon the value of their home to add significant value to their overall Net Worth, so wouldn’t you want to protect your assets from as many perils as possible in order to preserve your Net Worth?
Earthquake policies vary greatly in how they address your Personal Property. Make sure you have a clear understanding how much Personal Property protection you are getting for your Earthquake policy. We can help you.
Personal Property
Personal property is the stuff you own — furniture, electronics and clothing, for example. Whether you own a home or rent an apartment, insurance policies typically include personal property coverage. This type of coverage helps pay to repair or replace your belongings after a covered loss, such an earthquake or flood. Here are some things to consider when it comes to protecting your belongings.
How much coverage do I have?
There are two types of personal property coverage: replacement cost and actual cash value. A replacement cost policy typically pays the dollar amount it will take to buy a new item at the time of a claim. An actual cash value policy factors in depreciation to provide reimbursement based on the current value of an item. It’s also important to know that personal property coverage usually has certain limits on what it will pay to replace an item or category of items.
Excessive Runoff
At benchmark, our agents can help you set up excessive runoff insurance and write a Flood policy for your property. It may be written through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private insurer, but you will always have a separate Flood limit and Flood deductible. Adding Flood does typically increase the premium significantly as most catastrophic coverages (Named Storm, Earthquake, etc.) do. The NFIP has designated specific flood zones that will impact the rate depending upon the specific flood risk at that site.
Since flying is considered such a high-risk activity, our team has the expertise in the marketplace to help you get the aircraft coverage you need. At benchmark, our insurance protects against damages to watercraft powered by a motor that has horsepower of at least 25 miles per hour (mph).
aircraft & watercraft policies overview
includes propeller planes, jets, and helicopters
There are different types of aviation insurance that together cover the physical aircrafts, any damage it could cause to property, aircraft crew, and any passengers.
in-flight insurance – In-flight insurance covers any damage to the aircraft that is the result of an accident or other events that occur while the aircraft is in motion, generally while it is in the air.
public liability insurance – Public liability insurance is the type of insurance most often required by law for aircraft owners. This is the type of insurance that covers damages to external property or people. It doesn’t include coverage for passengers or damage to the aircraft itself.
passenger Liability Insurance – As the name suggests, passenger liability insurance covers any harm that may come to passengers.
combined single limit (CSI) – Combined single limit insurance is a combination of public liability and passenger liability insurance.
aircraft hull insurance – Aircraft hull insurance covers any physical damage to the aircraft itself while it is on the ground. This can come in two different types – motion and non-motion.
A Certificate of Insurance should be carried on the aircraft. The proof of insurance should show your insurance coverage meets all the requirements for the aircraft’s size and category, the equipment it is carrying, and the flight you’ll be taking.
hangar insurance – Hangar insurance is the insurance that covers the hangar in which aircrafts are stored. Hangar owners must have hangar insurance. If you choose to rent a space in a hangar, you may need your own hangar insurance in order to cover any damage that could happen while it is in storage.
international liability – If you’re planning on flying internationally, you’ll need to make sure your aircraft’s insurance also includes international liability. While there is standard worldwide insurance that should cover your aircraft throughout most of the world, some countries may have specific requirements. You should check into additional requirements particularly when flying to Italy, Mexico, Hong Kong, Germany, or the EU.
tip: Check that you have all of the required insurance before you leave no matter where you are flying. Landing permits may be denied if you do not have the proper insurance for your destination.
non-owned insurance – If you don’t own your own aircraft, you may still need to have insurance coverage for aircrafts that you or your company have used. Non-owned aircraft insurance covers individuals and companies that charter aircraft to protect them from any liability in the event of an accident. Non-owned aircraft insurance is also called aircraft rental insurance.
There are two types of insurance you will want to get: physical damage and liability.
phsyical damage – Covers accidental loss or damage to the boat and its machinery. This not only covers the hull and the engine(s), but also the sails, personal property, and other equipment on board that are required to operate the boat.
liability – Sometimes referred to as Protection & Indemnity, covers your legal obligations to third parties. This legal liability can arise from bodily injury or loss of life, or damage to someone else’s property, as a result of the ownership or operation of your boat. Liability coverage also helps pay for your legal defense if you are sued for an occurrence that may be covered under your boat insurance policy.
general – Watercraft insurance is an umbrella term for three types of insurance: boat insurance, yacht insurance, and personal watercraft insurance. It protects against damages to vessels powered by a motor that has horsepower of at least 25 miles per hour (mph).
Aircraft
There are different types of aviation insurance that together cover the physical aircrafts, any damage it could cause to property, aircraft crew, and any passengers.
in-flight insurance – In-flight insurance covers any damage to the aircraft that is the result of an accident or other events that occur while the aircraft is in motion, generally while it is in the air.
public liability insurance – Public liability insurance is the type of insurance most often required by law for aircraft owners. This is the type of insurance that covers damages to external property or people. It doesn’t include coverage for passengers or damage to the aircraft itself.
passenger liability insurance – As the name suggests, passenger liability insurance covers any harm that may come to passengers.
combined single limit (CSI) – Combined single limit insurance is a combination of public liability and passenger liability insurance.
aircraft hull insurance – Aircraft hull insurance covers any physical damage to the aircraft itself while it is on the ground. This can come in two different types – motion and non-motion.
A Certificate of Insurance should be carried on the aircraft. The proof of insurance should show your insurance coverage meets all the requirements for the aircraft’s size and category, the equipment it is carrying, and the flight you’ll be taking.
hangar insurance – Hangar insurance is the insurance that covers the hangar in which aircrafts are stored. Hangar owners must have hangar insurance. If you choose to rent a space in a hangar, you may need your own hangar insurance in order to cover any damage that could happen while it is in storage.
international liability – If you’re planning on flying internationally, you’ll need to make sure your aircraft’s insurance also includes international liability. While there is standard worldwide insurance that should cover your aircraft throughout most of the world, some countries may have specific requirements. You should check into additional requirements particularly when flying to Italy, Mexico, Hong Kong, Germany, or the EU.
tip: Check that you have all of the required insurance before you leave no matter where you are flying. Landing permits may be denied if you do not have the proper insurance for your destination.
non-owned insurance – If you don’t own your own aircraft, you may still need to have insurance coverage for aircrafts that you or your company have used. Non-owned aircraft insurance covers individuals and companies that charter aircraft to protect them from any liability in the event of an accident. Non-owned aircraft insurance is also called aircraft rental insurance.
Boats, Yachts, Watercraft
There are two types of insurance you will want to get: physical damage and liability.
physical damage – Covers accidental loss or damage to the boat and its machinery. This not only covers the hull and the engine(s), but also the sails, personal property, and other equipment on board that are required to operate the boat.
liability – Sometimes referred to as Protection & Indemnity, covers your legal obligations to third parties. This legal liability can arise from bodily injury or loss of life, or damage to someone else’s property, as a result of the ownership or operation of your boat. Liability coverage also helps pay for your legal defense if you are sued for an occurrence that may be covered under your boat insurance policy.
general – Watercraft insurance is an umbrella term for three types of insurance: boat insurance, yacht insurance, and personal watercraft insurance. It protects against damages to vessels powered by a motor that has horsepower of at least 25 miles per hour (mph).
Unfortunately, data breaches and other cyber crimes are becoming way too common. In the past couple years, data breaches have resulted in major fines and legal fees – not to mention headaches – for a discount retail chain, one of the nation’s largest banks, a well-known health insurer, an entertainment network and the federal government.
Cyber insurance generally covers your business’ liability for a data breach involving sensitive customer information, such as Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, account numbers, driver’s license numbers and health records.
personal cyber policies overview
Besides legal fees and expenses, cyber insurance typically helps with:
Most states require companies to notify customers of a data breach involving personally identifiable information2– a process that can be very expensive. And even though most states don’t require companies to offer free credit monitoring following a breach, such a gesture goes a long way with public relations.
Suppose you, or a family member, opens an email attachment infected with malware. The malware spreads throughout your computer system and encrypts your files. An extortionist emails you and demands $25,000 to regain access to your files. A Personal Cyber policy could be the difference between recovering your data quickly or selling an asset or two in order to pay the ransom.
You have read and heard all of the ways cyber-criminals try to separate you from your money. Sometimes they are too good and convince you to send funds via an emailed link or other electronic instruction. Ask us how we can protect you from these bad actors.
Hacking Insurance
Besides legal fees and expenses, cyber insurance typically helps with:
Most states require companies to notify customers of a data breach involving personally identifiable information2– a process that can be very expensive. And even though most states don’t require companies to offer free credit monitoring following a breach, such a gesture goes a long way with public relations.
Ransomware Attacks
Suppose you, or a family member opens an email attachment infected with malware. The malware spreads throughout your computer system and encrypts your files. An extortionist emails you and demands $25,000 to regain access to your files. A Personal Cyber policy could be the difference between recovering your data quickly or selling an asset or two in order to pay the ransom.
Social Media Fraud
You have read and heard all of the ways cyber-criminals try to separate you from your money. Sometimes they are too good and convince you to send funds via an emailed link or other electronic instruction. Ask us how we can protect you from these bad actors.