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How to Safely Navigate Winter Roads: Insurance and More

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Maine is gorgeous, but it also experiences some of the most intense winters. As a driver living in Maine, knowing how to navigate winter roads safely is of the utmost importance to your personal safety and to the safety of other drivers on the road. Here at Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance in Portland, ME, we’re dedicated to more than just helping you find the right auto insurance. Here are some of our top tips for driving safely in Maine during the winter, no matter how light or how heavy the winter weather is.

Staying Safe on Maine Roads in the Winter: Our Top Tips

If you’re going to be on the road this winter, here are some helpful insights to ensure you’re operating your vehicle as safely as possible.

  • Take your time on the road. Go slow and leave plenty of distance between yourself and other cars.
  • Equip your vehicle with the proper winter tires and chains to ensure that it can grip the road and navigate it without sliding around.
  • Install heavier-duty window wipers to maintain as much visibility as possible while on the road.
  • Try to avoid full stops, and be careful when trying to accelerate up hills.
  • Make sure to conduct regular maintenance so you know your car is able to navigate winter roads.

Insure Your Vehicle With the Support of Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance

Most importantly, having the right insurance policy when you find yourself in an emergency can ensure your vehicle is adequately covered. At Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance in Portland, ME, we’re dedicated to helping you find an auto insurance policy to cover your car. If you’re ready to get the auto insurance you deserve, contact us now or compare quotes today.

Is Your Auto Policy Good for Canada?

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Whether you live in Portland, ME, or anywhere in Maine, Canada is a short drive away. The good news is that your auto policy from the United States is almost always recognized in Canada, but you will need to ask your agent at Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance to know for sure.

Your policy issued in Portland, ME, or anywhere else in the USA is good when you are legally present in Canada. That means you enter Canada through Canadian immigration, and you will have a valid passport when you do.

American citizens get six months without any paperwork. For those six months, your US auto policy will be valid in Canada—with the same limits, coverage, and exceptions. After that, you will need Canadian coverage (and you may need to import your vehicle into Canada once you get it).

Preparing for Your Trip

It’s always a good idea to check your coverage with Noyes Hall & Allen before you leave on your trip. It is also a good idea to review the rules of the road for Canada. And if you aren’t familiar with speed limits in kilometers per hour, brush up before your trip. You don’t want to get hefty fines for speeding!

Canadian authorities will accept digital copies of your proof of insurance. We can help you get a “Canadian non-resident inter-provincial motor vehicle liability card” for your trip.

It is a good idea to have a copy of your proof of insurance card printed on paper and your smartphone, along with a copy of the declaration page for your policy. Keep our number with you in case you need to call for help with a claim.

There is one more thing to check before your Canadian trip. Most provinces of Canada require much higher liability coverage than the United States, up to CAD 500,000 in Nova Scotia. Call us to arrange for higher coverage.

Understanding Home Appraisal and Its Role in Home Insurance

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Home appraisal is a critical part of the home-buying process, but did you know it can also plays a significant role in your home insurance? Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance, serving the greater Portland, ME, area, wants to help you understand how appraisals impact your insurance coverage.

What Is a Home Appraisal?

A home appraisal is a professional assessment of your property’s market value conducted by a licensed appraiser. They consider factors like your home’s condition, size, location, and recent comparable property sales to determine its fair market value.

The Connection to Home Insurance:

  1. Setting Coverage Limits: The appraised value is different than the insurance amount. Insurers use rebuilding cost to determine the appropriate coverage limits for your home insurance policy. That can be more or less than the market value. You want to be sure you have enough coverage to rebuild or repair your home in case of damage or loss.
  2. Avoid Being Underinsured: You might underestimate your home’s replacement cost without an accurate replacement cost estimate. In the event of a claim, this could leave you with insufficient coverage to fully recover your losses.
  3. Premium Calculations: Your home appraisal can document factors that influence your insurance premiums. For example, a new roof, heating system or other update that can reduce your insurance cost.  It can also flag repairs or updates that need to be made, which can increase costs.

Using Your Home Appraisal for Insurance:

  1. Share It with Your Agent: Provide a copy of your home appraisal if they ask for it. Depending on other information that’s available, they may not need it.
  2. Consider Special Coverage: If your home has unique features or high-value items, consider customizing your policy that provide additional coverage beyond standard limits.
  3. A Home Appraisal is Not an Insurance Inspection: after they write your policy, your insurance company will inspect your home. That’s different than a real estate appraisal or a pre-purchase inspection. Here’s what to expect from an insurance inspection.

If you have questions about a home appraisal or home insurance, contact Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance, serving the Portland, ME area at 207-799-5541.

What are the benefits of having commercial insurance in Maine?

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Those that are in the Portland, ME area will find that there are plenty of local amenities and a strong local economy. Due to this, Portland can also be a good place to start a small business. If you are going to start a company here, you should get a quality commercial insurance policy. There are several benefits that come when you get this type of insurance coverage here. 

Coverage Gives Important Protection

A key advantage of having commercial insurance in this area is that it will give you very important coverages. With a commercial insurance policy, you can receive property coverage, liability protection, and other forms of protection that are curtailed to your business needs. In a situation where you experience a loss, the commercial insurance policy will prove to be very valuable and could keep your business solvent.

Coverage is Required by Many Stakeholders

Another reason that you may want to get a commercial insurance policy is that it is often required by many different stakeholders. If you would like to lease a commercial space, purchase a building with a mortgage, take out a business loan, or even raise capital, any stakeholder is going to want you to have commercial insurance. This is almost always a requirement under our legal documents as it can help to protect your organization and protects another party’s investment.

As you are shopping for commercial insurance in the Portland, ME area, it is important that you speak with someone that you can trust and help guide your decision. Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance is a great company to contact when you are looking for a new policy. Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance will be able to help you personalize a policy to ensure you are properly protected. 

Natural Disaster Prep for Your Businesses

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Natural disasters are on the rise, putting business owners at risk of suffering damage or loss of business property. A big disaster can literally put you out of business.

If you own a business in Maine, your customers and employees depend on you to prepare for the worst. Commercial insurance from Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance is one way to protect your business from disaster damage. Here are a few other ways to prep your small business for natural disasters.

Employee Disaster Readiness

  • Develop a plan for your employees, so they will know what to do in the event of a disaster.
  • Make sure that employees know who to contact and how to reach key personnel when needed.
  • Create an evacuation plan that employees can easily follow if they have to escape in a hurry.
  • Update new employees on disaster readiness so everyone is well-informed on what’s expected of them if disaster strikes.

Communicating with Clients after a Disaster

If your customers can’t reach you after a disaster, they may find someone else who can help. Don’t jeopardize your business. Have a plan to continue your operations, and let your customers know where to find you.

  • Have a plan in place to communicate with key clients after a disaster.
  • If your building is severely damaged, you may need to open a temporary location to continue operations. Thinking about possible options before disaster strikes can save valuable time following a disaster.

Protecting Essential Data after a Disaster

Make sure your primary data is backed up digitally to prevent loss in a disaster. This includes financial records, employee and customer information, and any other critical data you need to keep your business running. Cloud backup is the safest, most secure means of protecting essential data from natural disasters.

Commercial Insurance Coverage

Purchase adequate commercial insurance for your building, business equipment, and inventory. Just as important, be sure you have business interruption coverage. Many businesses have enough insurance to replace what they lose, but not enough to recover lost earnings. This can cause your business to fail.

Maine Business Insurance

For information on commercial insurance coverage and costs, contact Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance in South Portland, ME. We offer a choice of Maine’s top business insurance companies. We can help you find the right fit for your business. We’re independent and committed to you.

How to Insure A Maine Home Owned by a Trust

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Many home owners in Maine transfer some of their property to a living or  family trust.  Trusts can be a useful estate planning tool. Once they were used only by the wealthy. Today, people of all financial means place property in trusts.

Trusts are legal documents. Your attorney can explain if a trust is a good solution for you. They can also help you establish a trust.

Insuring Property in a Trust

How can you insure real estate owned by a trust? It depends on the use of the property. Is it your primary home? A vacation home? Does someone who’s not a trustee live in the home? Is the property owned by a family trust, and used by several relatives?

Each insurer has different requirements for trust-owned property. An experienced insurance agent can help you find the right insurance solution. Independent insurance agents offer a choice of several insurance companies.

Some insurance companies use special policy endorsements for trusts. Others simply add trusts as an “additional insured” on the policy.

Are you living in a trust-owned property in Southern Maine? Are you a trustee? If so, contact Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance in South Portland at 207-799-5541. We offer a choice of Maine’s preferred property insurance companies. We’re independent and committed to you.

Does Commercial Insurance Cover Portable Business Equipment?

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Commercial insurance protects a company or business owner from losses to buildings or equipment necessary for the operations. However, many Maine businesses rely on portable equipment to operate. So, does commercial coverage offer protection for essential portable equipment when it’s off the premises?

Coverage for Portable Equipment

Commercial insurance covers equipment, inventory and supplies located on the premises of the covered location. However, this may not extend to things that leave the premises. If you bring property to job sites or customer locations, portable equipment insurance may be necessary to prevent gaps and losses.

Portable equipment coverage is sometimes called an Inland Marine Floater. This coverage will protect electronic equipment and other contractor related items required to perform daily work-related tasks. Before selecting additional insurance, speak with an agent about current and future needs, and find out what options are currently available to get a complete layer of protection.

Protect Your Equipment on Job Sites

Considering a purchase of portable equipment for your business? Talk to an agent from an insurance company who can outline what steps are necessary to get comprehensive coverage. Although some protection may be offered by standard commercial insurance, navigating portable insurance coverage may be necessary.

If your business is located in Southern Maine,  contact Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance in South Portland at 207-799-5541. We offer straightforward solutions from some of Maine’s top business insurance companies. That allows you to choose insurance that matches your business needs and provide you with peace of mind.

Getting the right combination of insurance to cover a business can be tricky. Don’t risk gaps and issues that could spell disaster. Consult with an agent from Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance to get the coverage necessary to protect a business in Portland, ME and throughout the state.

What Structures Besides the Home Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?

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Your home insurance covers far more than the home itself and its contents. If you read your homeowners policy from Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance of Portland, ME carefully, you’ll spot a section called “other structures.”

What are other structures?

Other structures refer to any buildings on your property that are not directly attached to the home. Those include fences, sheds, detached garages, workshops, etc. It also includes your backyard gazebo, and the pool house, if you are fortunate to have a pool.

Similar to the policy section that covers your home’s contents, the other structures section describes your coverage and its limits. Your other structures will be covered for a percentage of the replacement value of your home. It is typically ten percent of the value. That is not per structure, but for all other structures as a whole.

That means if your insured home value is $300,000 and your other structures coverage provides ten percent coverage, you have $30,000 of coverage for your workshop, fences, detached garage, and other buildings.

Other structures coverage is automatically included, whether or not you have any outbuildings. That’s so that you don’t have to call your insurance agent if you add a shed or build a small detached garage. “Other Structures” can’t be removed from a homeowners policy, and there’s no additional charge for the coverage.

Also, you are covered for the same perils as named in your home’s coverage. If your house has coverage for wind or hurricane damage, so do your other structures.

Call us at Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance in South Portland, ME at 207-799-5541 to learn more about other structures insurance. You can add to your coverage so your workshop or fences are fully insured.

Commercial Insurance to Protect Your Small Business

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Small business owners are the heart of the American economy. Maybe you are not big enough to be listed on the Dow Jones Index, but your enterprise is what drives Main Street in towns across Maine. However, you should not get complacent. Small businesses are susceptible to lawsuits, workers compensation claims and other situations that they cannot handle as readily as large corporations. It is imperative that you have protection for these times.

To keep your business safe in times of adversity, you should consider comprehensive commercial insurance. Contact us at Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance to speak with one of our agents today.

Following are examples of commercial insurance that many small businesses in the Portland, ME region find beneficial, along with some factors used to decide which, and how much, insurance to purchase.

Liability

These policies can protect you when held liable for harm done to another.

A customer or supplier who comes into contact with your business may get injured or sick for example. You will then need funds to take care of medical bills or legal fees. Liability policies can help defray certain of these costs.

Commercial Auto

If your business uses vehicles to transport things or people, then you will probably need some commercial auto insurance.

It is best not to rely on your personal auto insurance, even if you do use your everyday car for these purposes. Commercial auto insurance policies usually cover situations that your personal auto insurance will not.

Errors and Omissions

It is imperative that professionals, such as lawyers, accountants, and others who work independently, have error and omissions insurance. These policies help individuals who provide services and dispense advice when they are charged with negligence.

As you never know when a client may be dissatisfied with your work, it is best to have adequate errors and omissions insurance in place at all times.

Factors to Consider Before Choosing a Policy:

  • Annual revenue

  • Location

  • Number of employees

  • Rent

Get More Information Today

Contact Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance today to learn more about specific commercial insurance policies in the Portland, ME area and beyond.

What Maine Small Business Owners Need to Know About Insurance

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Running your small Portland, ME business can be a rewarding and satisfying endeavor. However, without the right liability insurance coverage, running your small business open you up to lawsuits. Here is a brief description from Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance of the most common business liability insurance.

Worker’s Comp

Worker’s compensation insurance is required in Maine for any business with employees. As a business owner, you need to stay up to date on your state’s requirements concerning worker’s compensation insurance. Worker’s compensation insurance protects your employees when they are injured on the job. This also protects you as the employer from liability for said injuries.

Liability Insurance

General liability is one of the most important types of insurance for the small business owner to have. Liability can come in many forms. Individuals can get injured on your property or by your product. Something could go wrong with a service you provided resulting in damage or injury. Liability insurance will protect you in these situations and ensure that your company is not required to pay out of pocket for these types of liability claims.

Commercial Auto

If your company owns vehicles in order to provide services or deliveries, then you need business auto insurance. Commercial vehicle insurance can cover your drivers and your vehicles in the event of an accident. If your company uses vehicles, then you will no doubt have invested a good deal of money into those vehicles. This will protect that investment.

Umbrella Insurance

Commercial umbrella insurance policies help small business cover all their bases in one simple policy. Umbrella policies provide high limits of liabilty over your general liability and business auto policies. To learn more about small businesses, contact our friendly staff at Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance serving Portland, ME at 207-799-5541. We offer a choice of Maine’s best business insurance companies, so we can help you find the best value. We’re independent and committed to you.