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Uninsured Motorists Insurance in Maine

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Every U.S. state except New Hampshire requires liability insurance. Makes sense. People should be able to pay for damage they cause to other people or their property. But there are always some who fail to get insurance for a variety of reasons. If you’re injured in an accident with an uninsured driver, it can be confusing and maddening. But the staff at Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance in Portland, Maine can help you make sure you’re protected by your own automobile insurance policy.

Maine is a “fault” state. A person ruled to be at-fault in an accident is responsible for all damages or injuries caused. Some states, including Massachusetts, are “no-fault”. Each person pays for their own vehicle damage in an accident regardless of who is at fault. Maine requires at least $50,000 per person of uninsured motorist coverage.

Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage pays for any injuries caused by someone else whose insurance will not cover it.  For instance, if your medical bills and pain & suffering are $100,000, and the other person has $25,000 of liability insurance, your own insurance will cover the rest of the charges. This could be very beneficial in an “at fault” state like Maine, especially if the other person has no coverage at all.

Contact a Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance agent in Portland, Maine to find out more about automobile insurance and learn what to do if you are in an accident with an uninsured motorist. Don’t wait until you are in that situation to learn what you need to know. Get information about a new policy, or come see us make sure your policy is up to date and that you have the coverage you need.

Not ready to talk to an agent yet? You can compare Maine car insurance prices by getting up to 6 quotes in 10 minutes from our website.

Does Commercial Insurance Cover Office Equipment?

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One of the biggest decisions you will make when starting your business is selecting the right commercial insurance to cover your office equipment. Business insurance adds a layer of protection in the event of a covered loss. Some of the covered losses that your insurance protects you from include fire and theft. Your insurance policy will cover most items owned by the business, including office equipment.

How To Get The Right Coverage

When you start to look for business insurance, there are a few things to keep in mind. Find a commercial insurance agent you trust in your area. They’ll help you select the type of coverage your business needs, and avoid coverage you don’t. A good agent can help match you with an insurance company that understands your business. Make sure your policy includes all business assets. One way is to look at your balance sheet and make sure that you have enough coverage for inventory and equipment. This helps prevent gaps in your coverage that could lead to losses.

Documenting Office Equipment

It is important to include your office equipment in your coverage. One way to ensure that you adequately protect valuable office equipment is to save receipts or check your balance sheet. Photocopy all of your documents that figure into your insurance policy and keep them stored in a separate location or in the cloud. One highly respected insurance company that can help you step by step through the coverage process is Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance in Portland, ME.

If you are looking for high quality and reliable commercial insurance, call Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance in South Portland, ME at 207-799-5541. One of our knowledgeable agents will be glad to answer your questions and help you get started protecting your investment today. We represent several insurers, so we can help you choose the best value. We’re independent and committed to you.

How to Secure your Home with Insurance

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A home is a place where you go after a long day of work. It is where you raise a family, and share and creates memories. To most people, home is the most important place and thus an investment. But life is unpredictable; you never know what to expect. You may wake up one day to find your house on fire or damaged by weather. What do you do then?

At Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance in Portland, ME, we are experienced and have been in the insurance business for quite some time, and within that time, we have had the chance to work with different clients and handle a multitude of different situations. We understand the risks that can affect a home, and so, we have various coverage options that are designed to fit your needs and provide the protection you want.

Here is a glimpse at some of the options available:

Structure Coverage

With our home insurance policy, we may be able to rebuild or repair your home if it gets damaged by hail, winds, fire, or any other disaster. Note, however, not all home insurance policies protect your home from floods, and so it is essential to make sure you know and understand your coverage.

Personal Belongings Coverage

Home is where you keep all your personal belongings. It is where you have your clothes, shoes, furniture, electronics, and just about everything in between. So, if your home is destroyed, all your possessions may become destroyed as well. With a personal belonging coverage, we help you recover all your lost or damaged personal items. It is also wise to make an inventory of your more important items for the insurance company.

Additional Coverage

If your home is destroyed, you may have to find a place to live while your home is being repaired. Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance can cover all additional living expenses which include restaurant and food bills. With that, you get to continue living your life without worrying about the costs.

If you are in the Portland, ME area, please feel free to contact us for more information and to have your questions answered.

How Much Does Renters Insurance Cost in Portland Maine?

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Most Portland Maine landlords require proof of renters insurance before you move in to your apartment, house or condo. That’s because the landlord’s insurance does NOT cover your belongings against water damage, theft, fire or other perils. They want to make sure that you have coverage for your own stuff. The same goes for your liability. If someone slips on an ice cube in your apartment, the landlord’s insurance will not pay for medical bills or lost work. But, your renters insurance will.

How Much Does Renters Insurance Cost?

The price depends on how much coverage you need. The minimum premium for many insurers is $150 to $200 per year. That usually buys you $300,000 of liability protection and $20,000 of personal property (contents) coverage. You can insure an engagement ring on the same policy for a few dollars a year. If you have a lot of stuff, you might spend $300 – $400 for $100,000 of contents. You may save money by bundling your car insurance and renters insurance.

How Long Does it Take to Buy Renters Insurance?

Most insurance agents can quote and bind renters insurance the same day – and often within the same hour. A local agent knows most of the apartment buildings in their area, and can quickly put together a cost-effective program to meet your lease requirement. They can also send proof of coverage to your landlord.

How Do I Provide Proof of Renters Insurance?

Your insurance agent can list your landlord as an “additional interest” so that your landlord automatically gets a copy of your renters insurance every year. This proof doesn’t cost any extra, and makes sure that you stay in good stead with your landlord.

If you’re renting a Portland Maine area apartment or condo, get a renters insurance quote from Noyes Hall & Allen.  We know every neighborhood from Willard Square to Westbrook, Oak Hill to the Old Port, the Eastern Prom to Eastern Village, and the Foreside to Bayside. We work with you and your landlord to make sure you’re protected quickly and properly, so you can focus on moving into your new place.

We’re independent and committed to YOU.

Are Drones Covered by Maine Homeowners or Business Insurance?

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Flying Drone

Innovative Maine businesses use drones to literally get a new perspective on their operations.  Land owners survey lots and buildings. Engineers use photos from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in project work.  Photographers and videographers use drones to capture unique images and videos. Marketers use or hire them to create compelling and disruptive visual content. Even individual hobby fliers own drones now.

 

 

Drones: A Money Saving Investment

High quality drones and UAVs are not cheap. It’s easy to invest $15,000 or more in a good quality industrial setup, including cameras and software. Still, that can be a lot less expensive than renting an airplane or helicopter, and offers much more control and flexibility. It’s also safer than sending an employee up on a ladder or bucket to inspect facilities at height. The price of hobby drones has dropped a lot in the last few years. You can find them for less than $1500.

Legal Issues for Drones in Maine

The FAA requires registration of drones and UAVs weighing more than 0.55 lbs. The maximum weight permitted is 55 lbs. Permitted location and other rules vary between pleasure and business use. A remote pilot airman certificate is required as well.

Drone owners and operators face many of the same liability issues as other aircraft pilots. The low altitude operation of UAVs can also create privacy and property issues. Some examples:

  • Injuring someone, either directly, or by causing an auto accident
  • Damaging property by striking it
  • Invasion of privacy or trespass

Even if a claim against you is not valid, defending yourself can cost many thousands of dollars in legal fees in Maine.

Drones are NOT Covered by Standard Insurance Policies

Because drones are considered unmanned aircraft, and subject to FAA regulation, they are excluded from coverage on homeowners or business liability policies. The Maine Bureau of Insurance recommends that you buy separate insurance for your drone. We agree.

Up to now, few insurers have offered insurance on drones. One of our company partners, Acadia Insurance recently introduced a liability insurance plan for businesses that use drones as an incidental part of their ordinary operations.

If you or your Maine business uses a drone or other UAV, contact a Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance agent in South Portland at 207.799.5541. We’d love to hear how you’re using this innovative technology for fun or business. We can help you manage your risk. We’re independent and committed to you.

What are the Highest Rated Insurance Companies in Maine?

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If we recommend an insurance company you haven’t heard of, it’s natural to ask how good they are. Noyes Hall & Allen represents many insurance companies. Some are more well-known than others.

Because our companies sell through independent agencies, they advertise very little. By contrast, Geico, Allstate and State Farm advertise nationally to create brand awareness. Geico alone spends $1 BILLION on advertising – about 1 out of every 6 insurance advertising dollars in the U.S.

Good rates are important, but that’s only one reason for choosing an insurance company. Will they pay your claims? Are they easy to work with? At Noyes Hall & Allen, we’ve curated a group of insurance companies that we can stand behind. We work closely with them on behalf of our clients.

How to Choose a Good Insurance Company

There are three important considerations when you evaluate a potential insurer:

  • Financial solvency – Can the insurance company can pay claims, even in a disaster? Fortunately, A.M. Best studies insurance companies and rates each one for you. Noyes Hall & Allen only chooses insurers rated “A-” (Excellent) or better.
  • Customer Satisfaction – Feedback from other customers is helpful when evaluating a new insurer. Any company can have complaints; but those with repeatedly good reviews are a better bet to provide good service to you.  The J.D. Power national claims satisfaction survey compiles consumer claim feedback every year. But they focus on big national insurers. That excludes many regional insurance companies, which are so important in the Maine market.The Maine Bureau of Insurance indexes home and auto complaints by insurer. It includes Maine’s most important insurance companies. The drawback: the Bureau doesn’t get many complaints each year. That small sample can skew results. The Bureau weighs the ratio of complaints against each insurer to that company’s volume. This weighting levels the playing field. An insurer with an index below 1.00 is “better than average”. Anything above 1.00 is “worse than average”. We’ve included a chart with a recap of those scores below.
  • Fit with Your Situation – If you insure your beach house with an insurance company that has great financials and terrific reviews, but that company doesn’t like property close to the coast, it’s not going to end well. Some insurers specialize. Others are generalists. Some are comfortable insuring rental properties, or snowmobiles. Others focus on high risk drivers.

 

Complaint Index – 2016 – Maine Home and Auto Insurance

We compiled this table from data published by the Maine Bureau of Insurance. It shows the 2 year average of home and auto complaint indexes for the top 25 homeowners and auto insurance companies in Maine (by volume). We assigned a “green light” to the companies with ratings in the top 33%, yellow to the middle 33%, and red to the bottom third. Remember, customer satisfaction is only one way to evaluate an insurance company. The companies with the highest satisfaction may not write the kind of insurance you need.

 

source: Maine Bureau of Insurance. Compiled by Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance

How to Get Quotes from Many Insurance Companies at Once

Noyes Hall & Allen has access to the companies shaded in blue. That’s 11 out of 25, covering more than 50% of the volume in this list. The insurance companies we represent have a complaint index of 0.91 – much lower than the 1.00 average. By the way, insurance agencies have online reviews, too. We’re proud to show the reviews that our clients have left for our agency.

When you contact a Noyes Hall & Allen agent, you’re checking 11 companies at once, backed by our knowledge of where each company excels. Your agent can customize advice to your situation, proposing a solution built just for you.

That’s what we mean we we say we’re “Independent and Committed to You”.  Request a Maine insurance quote today, or call us at 207-799-5541.

Can My Insurance Company Charge Me For a Not at Fault Accident?

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You may have heard stories of people whose auto insurance went up after an accident that they say wasn’t their fault. In some cases, the other driver’s insurance company even paid for the damage to their car. Do insurance companies really do that? Is that legal? Is it ethical?

Is It Legal for My Insurance Company to Charge Me When the Accident Wasn’t My Fault?

The Maine Bureau of Insurance does allow auto insurance companies to charge for not-at-fault accidents. How does that happen? Insurance companies must file rate requests with the Bureau of Insurance. The Bureau requires insurers to show that the proposed rates are adequate, not excessive, and not unfairly discriminatory. They must prove that with data. Some insurers have apparently successfully proven to the Bureau that people who’ve been involved in accidents – even if they’re not at fault – are a higher risk than those who haven’t. Insurance companies are very protective of their proprietary data. We haven’t seen any of that documentation.

Does Every Maine Auto Insurance Company Charge for Not-At-Fault Accidents?

No. Of the nine major auto insurance companies in our agency, 6 charge for not-at-fault accidents; 3 do not. Just a few years ago, none of the insurance companies we represent did. It’s hard to say whether the three that don’t charge will start to do that for competitive reasons. But, for now, those 3 insurers may have a public relations advantage with consumers who feel that it’s unfair to surcharge for a not-at-fault accident.

Why Would I Do Business With an Auto Insurance Company That Charges Me for a Not-At-Fault Accident?

Even though your insurance company surcharges you for an not-at-fault accident, they may still have the best rates. How could that happen?

Let’s assume that your insurance company’s experience shows that people who’ve never had any kind of accident – at-fault or not – are much lower risks: 15% less likely to have a claim. Your insurance company wants to attract as many of these drivers as they can. So they file special rates for these folks 15% less than any other insurer, and expect to still make a profit. At the same time, they file a 15% surcharge for not-at-fault accidents. Even if you get a surcharge, you’re still paying no more than you would with any other insurer.

Is It Fair to Charge for Not-at-Fault Accidents?

We understand your outrage. You’re paying more for insurance just because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s bad enough that you were inconvenienced or hurt because of the crash. Surcharging your insurance policy afterwards adds insult to injury.

Some states, including California and Oklahoma, have refused to allow the surcharges. But the Maine Bureau of Insurance thinks it’s fair for insurers to charge for not-at-fault accidents. Many other insurance regulators do, too.

Are You Paying More Than You Should For Maine Auto Insurance?

Here’s one way to find out. If you live in Southern Maine, contact a Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance agent at 207-799-5541 for a no-obligation review. We will review your situation and present you with the best fit we have available. If your current insurance is the best deal, we’ll let you know. If we have something better, we can work with you to change if you want to.

Not ready to speak to a human yet? You can compare up to 6 insurance companies on our web site. If one of them looks good, you can let us know.

How Much Does Lawn Care / Landscaping Contractor Insurance Cost in Maine?

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Maine’s growing season is short. Landscapers and lawn care contractors only have a few months to earn money. That means they must watch expenses carefully to be profitable. Too much overhead can be the difference between profit and loss for a Maine contractor. 

How Much Does Landscaping Liability Insurance Cost?

Prices vary depending on:

  • Whether you specialize or not – pesticide or heavy tree work specialists pay more for insurance.
  • How much experience you have – seasoned businesses with good experience pay less than start-ups.
  • How much you make – higher revenues means higher insurance costs. 
  • If you plow in winter – If you take on lots of commercial plowing jobs, you’ll pay more for coverage.

If you’re a single operator in Maine with a mower or two, you’ll probably pay less than $1500 a year. If you have heavier equipment to insure, you’ll pay a bit more.

 Do I Need Workers Compensation Insurance for My Landscaping Business?

If you have employees, yes. If not, you may or may not have to buy workers’ comp, depending on the legal setup of your business. For example, if you’re a “dba”, you can choose to cover yourself under workers compensation, but you’re not required to.

 

Related Post: Who Needs to Buy Workers’ Comp Insurance in Maine?

 

How Much Does Lawn Care Equipment Insurance Cost?

You can insure tools and equipment like deck mowers, weed trimmers, hand mowers and hedge trimmers on a contractors package policy. The price varies with the value of the equipment. It usually costs less than $3.00 per $1,000 of value. Some policies offer replacement cost coverage (new for old). Other policies cover depreciated value. Ask your agent what they’re quoting.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure My Landscaping Truck and Trailer?

Business vehicle insurance costs more than personal. For a brand new 1/2 ton pickup, budget about $1500 per year – more if you plow commercially. Even though it’s more expensive, it’s still a good idea to buy the business policy. You want to be covered properly.

Related Post: Should a Maine Contractor Insure Vehicles in a Business Name?

 

Can I Store My Lawn Care Stuff in My Garage at Home?

Storing fuel or equipment in an outbuilding  can VOID COVERAGE for that building on your homeowners policy. If you have gas cans and mowers in your detached garage, and a fire starts, destroying the garage, your homeowners policy will NOT cover the rebuilding cost – even if the mowers or fuel had nothing to do with the fire.

Talk to your homeowners insurance agent about how your policy deals with this. Another option: insure your garage on your contractors policy. You want to make sure you have insurance help to rebuild after a disaster.

Have questions about contractors insurance for Maine landscaping or lawn care business? If you live and work in the Portland Maine area, call a Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance agent at 207-799-5541. We represent many insurance companies, so we can recommend the best value. We’re independent and committed to you.

Portland, Maine: Green Living in a Small City

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The news is out: Portland, Maine (pop. 66,000) is a hot little city. Big city dwellers move here for the walkable, livable scale and good schools. Small town folks are attracted by our density of entertainment options, from music clubs to minor league sports. Outdoor lovers can ski, boat, hit the beach, climb a mountain, or kayak to an island, all within an hour of downtown Portland. Of course, our foodie and beer culture are well-known, for good reason.

Perhaps the thing that ties it all together is Portland’s green sensibility. Residents appreciate the natural beauty and resources of Southern Maine and Casco Bay. We celebrate and protect it. We put our money and volunteer hours into it. Many of us incorporate green living into our lifestyle.

Here are a few things that make Portland a green little city:

Portland’s Farm-to-Table Game is Strong

Most surrounding towns have weekly farmers markets. Portland Farmers’ Market sets up shop seasonally on Saturdays in Deering Oaks and Wednesdays in Monument Square – the heart of downtown Portland. There’s also a winter market. Portlanders like to eat fresh local food, whether at home or dining out.
Portland’s world-class restaurants and grocers celebrate fresh seafood and locally grown produce and meat. We even have potato donuts. Forbes says Portland ranks #1 in the U.S.  for microbreweries per capita. Many more breweries dot the region just outside the city.  The New York Times documented Portland’s locavore culture. But the secret was out long before that.

We Buy Local

The cool kids in Greater Portland support local merchants and locally-owned business. Sure, we have our share of big box retailers and chain restaurants near the highway. But as you wander the neighborhoods of Portland, you’re struck by the lack of homogeneous “I could be anywhere” sprawl. Even our downtown buildings advertise names recognized here, but not everywhere.
Popular business groups like Portland Buy Local, South Portland Cape Elizabeth Buy Local and the Portland Downtown District lead the charge of local business owners. In addition to the usual supermarket chains, Portland has many produce stores, butcher shops, fish mongers and bakeries. Ethnic markets and bodegas offer Asian, Halal, and Central American specialties.

Portland’s Green Non-Profits and Government Cooperate

Non-profits like Portland Trails (70 miles of nature trails in the city), Maine Island Trail Association (America’s first water trail, linking 200 islands), Bicycle Coalition of Maine and Friends of Casco Bay are well-connected to city and regional governments. Organizations like Cape Elizabeth Land Trust work to protect and preserve wild spaces. We have an award-winning private community composting service, Garbage to Garden. Portlanders even discuss green living over beer every month at Portland Greendrinks.
Government is committed to being green, too. Bike corrals and bike lanes are visible and growing on city streets. Both Portland and South Portland have sustainability coordinators on staff. Both cities are converting landfills to solar farms. The City of South Portland has a small fleet of electric cars. Portland’s Metro buses run on natural gas and have bike racks. Hadlock Field, where the Portland Sea Dogs play baseball, has convenient bike racks, and is right on the bus line.

In Portland It’s Easy Being Green

Most of Portland’s business, dining and entertainment is on the downtown peninsula, 2 miles long and 1 mile wide. That makes it easy for downtown dwellers to leave the car at home and walk or bike (albeit with a few hills). It’s easy to walk from work to dinner to a show without breaking a sweat (thank you, Casco Bay breezes!). Even our finest restaurants and theatres are quite casual; you’ll fit right in with your sensible shoes and outerwear.

Buses, car-shares and taxis cover the city effectively. High school students ride the Metro Bus to school, allowing some families to avoid getting a separate vehicle. Portland’s neighborhood elementary schools are within walking distance for most students.

It’s even easy to get out of Portland without a car. Our airport (PWM) is 4 miles from Monument Square (30 min./ Metro, 12 min. / taxi). Concord Trailways and Amtrak offer several trips daily to Boston. Concord also operates 2 trips a day to midtown Manhattan. Both leave from the Portland Transportation Center, 2 miles from the city center.

 

If you’re looking to live in a city big enough to keep you entertained (and employed) and small enough to live a low-impact lifestyle, it’s tough to find a better place than Portland, Maine.

What’s Causing U.S. Auto Insurance Rates to Go Up?

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U.S. auto insurance rates increased 7.5% between January 2016 and January 2017. That’s after more than a 5% increase in 2006. What’s driving the increasing cost of car insurance? More accidents? More highway deaths? We hear about 4 major factors combining to make the cost of car insurance go up even faster than overall inflation.

auto & home insurance inflation

Medical and Labor Costs

Insurance pays for two big expenses: auto repairs and medical expenses.  Medical expense prices increased about 32% in the 8 years between 2005 and 2013. Auto repair labor costs have increased too. Also, it costs more to fix a newer car than an older one (see #3 below).

More Crowded Roads

Even if you aren’t driving more miles, your neighbors are. It’s not your imagination: the roads are more crowded. More cars on the road means an increased chance of a crash. Americans drove more that 3 trillion miles in 2015, a 3.5% increase from 2014. That’s the largest annual increase in 25 years. Why? Economists say an improving economy and low gas prices were the main reasons.

Lots of Newer, Hi-Tech Vehicles

Car makers are selling lots of vehicles. And many of them are computers on wheels. Americans bought 17.5 million new vehicles in 2015, a 5.7% increase from 2014. Newer cars cost more to fix than older ones. They also have advanced tech features. Rear bumper cameras are very common now. Front bumper radar and other safety features are available on many models. Even a side mirror likely has “blind spot warning” hardware. If you do get in an crash, chances are the insurance company will have to pay more to fix the other car than it would have a few years ago.

Distracted Driving

You may be the same safe driver you’ve always been. Unfortunately, many others on the road aren’t paying as much attention. A 2013 AAA study found that 2 out of 3 drivers reported using a mobile phone while driving. More than 25% admitted sending a text or email while behind the wheel. The National Safety Council estimates 26% of all car crashes involve cell phone use. Distracted driving increases the risk of a crash as much as driving drunk.

Related Post: Why Did My Maine Auto Insurance Go Up?

Should You Shop Your Maine Car Insurance?

Maybe. Every insurance company files their own rates based upon their experience and appetite. If your insurer had lots of claims in another part of the country, it could be affecting your rates. If you live in Southern Maine, contact a Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance agent for a review at 207-799-5541. We represent many different insurers, so you can compare with one phone call.

Not ready to talk to a human yet? You can still compare prices from up to 6 Maine auto insurance companies online on our web site.

When you chat with us, we can provide personalized, custom, professional advice. As a Trusted Choice insurance agent, we are independent and committed to you.