Author: AgentInsure

Getting your boat ready for boating

Posted on by AgentInsure

It can be exciting to get a boat and get ready to take it out on the water and make memories with friends and family. However, when you get your boat ready for boating, there are a few things to think about before you get on the water. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to make sure that you have everything in place.

What kind of boat do you have?

Some of the regulations for boating are based on the size and speed of the boat you have. After all, it wouldn’t be safe or practical to take a big yacht on a small river. Be sure to research Oregon laws regarding what kinds of boats are permitted on public waters, and any limitations on boating. For example, you must be over 13 years old and pass a boater education course to drive a boat in Oregon.

Where can you use your boat?

There are lots of places to go boating in Oregon, but not all waters are public or allow boats. Be sure to check that boating is allowed before you take your boat to a body of water, and use the proper boating ramps once you arrive.

How do I keep myself and passengers safe?

In addition to driving the boat safely and keeping life jackets on board, you can keep yourself and your passengers safe with proper boating insurance. Speaking with a qualified insurance agent will help you find the best insurance options for your boat and needs.

For more information about protecting yourself and your boat with proper insurance, contact Linda Dugan Insurance today.

Benefits of Umbrella Insurance in Astoria, OR

Posted on by AgentInsure

While you may find yourself in the position of needing a number of different insurance policies while living in Astoria, Oregon, you may also want to consider umbrella insurance. While there are a number of different agents out there who can set up an affordable umbrella insurance policy for you, look local first at a place like Linda Dugan Insurance, who serves the great Astoria, OR area and offer competitive rates. Below is more information about umbrella insurance policies, so you can make the most informed decision before setting one up for yourself.

WHAT IS UMBRELLA INSURANCE?

In short, umbrella insurance is a policy which protects you beyond the existing insurance policies you already have. This means that you will have added protection to your home and auto insurance polices in the form of added insurance that fills gaps that they do not cover, This specifically pertains to lawsuits that may be filed against you due to injury from a car accident or a fall at your home or property. With this umbrella insurance policy, you are protected from a lot of legal costs and possibly future legal judgement against you.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

For about $200 per month you can usually get around one million dollars of coverage, though it depends on who you are and what your history is. For another $100 per month, another million dollars of liability is usually granted, though it is usually on a case by case basis per person who is setting up their umbrella policy.

WHO NEEDS IT?

Anyone who is worried about having a lawsuit filed against them for an auto accident, a home accident or libel or slander, which umbrella insurance policies also cover. While it’s tough to predict the future, one can get a sense of if they are more vulnerable to these types of issues than not.

 

Three common misconceptions about home insurance

Posted on by AgentInsure

Home insurance policies are inevitably complicated and include a lot of fine print. The complexity of this type of insurance gives rise to a lot of misconceptions that consumers need to be aware of to get the best possible policy to meet their needs.

The following are five of the most common home insurance misconceptions out there:

  1. A home insurance policy will cover all possessions within the insured home- Home insurance insures not only your home itself but also some of the possessions inside it. However, it may only offer coverage on possessions up to a certain amount. Also, some home insurance policy specify that they don’t cover certain items like collectibles and jewelry. 
  2. Medical expenses incurred by the homeowner will be covered by home insurance- Most home insurance policies include a medical payment portion that will reimburse individuals for medical expenses caused by injury in the home. However, typical home insurance policies only offer this in the case that guests to the home are injured. The medical portion will not necessarily offer coverage for medical expenses from injuries to the residents of the home themselves. 
  3. Maintenance performed on my home won’t affect home insurance coverage- If you neglect maintenance tasks on your home, you may face problems when filing a claim for compensation for expenses caused by neglected maintenance. Some insurance companies will not honor a claim if home damage was clearly caused by a failure of the homeowner to keep the home well maintained.

Interested in learning more about home insurance? Contact Linda Dugan Insurance if you have questions or if you’d like a quote on a policy for your property. 

Do You Really Know What You Are Covered For?

Posted on by AgentInsure

When you purchase a home you are required to also purchase homeowners insurance. This policy gives you the security to know that you will be taken care of if a disaster befalls your home. It will cover most damages that you wouldn’t be able to pay for out of pocket. All of our agents serving Astoria, OR through Linda Dugan Insurance work hard to make sure you have coverage for all your needs. One thing they often encounter is a customer base that may not realize that this blanket policy they purchase for their home may have add on and optional coverages that they should consider. We want you to have the best policy you can so we want you to know when you may not be getting what you think you are from homeowners insurance.

Did you know that flood insurance is usually an add on policy? In the event of a flood you may not be covered for damages unless you have elected to add flood coverage to your plan.

A flood can be devastating and can cause thousands of dollars in damage. In the blink of an eye your home could be filled with the rising waters leaving you with nothing you can do to stop it. Once the waters recede you are left with a mess to the physical structure of your home but also to your emotional state. Seeing the place you live and possibly raise a family being destroyed is devastating. Adding financial strife to this struggle would be utterly life changing.

Don’t be caught in this mess. Call our agents today and find out just what your policy covers. Find out if you have any gaps that need to be filled and we would be more than happy to help you build the perfect plan. Covering you the best we can is a job we love doing.

 

Tips For Organizing Your Closet

Posted on by AgentInsure

You probably have a lot more room in your closet than you realize. You can fit a lot more clothes and other items in there if you have it organized well and if you made use of the space that you have. Unfortunately, most of us do not use the space that we have wisely. This can make our closet look like a mess. There are some easy ways that you can fix this, though. Through some simple organization, your closet can be used for a lot more and look a lot better. Use our tips to get started and contact us at Linda Dugan Insurance for all of your insurance needs. 

  • Use tiered hangers. If you are using one hanger for each item of clothing that you are putting in your closet, then you are wasting a lot of space. You can make more room by using a tiered hanger that will allow you to put multiple items of clothing on one hanger. This will free up space for more hangers and will make your closet look a lot more organized.
  • Use an over the door shoe rack. If you have a lot of shoes, then it is likely that your shoes are all over your closet floor. This makes the closet look cluttered and is not a great use of the space you have. By using an over the door shoe rack, you can put your shoes on the door and get them off the floor. This will give you more space in the closet and on the floor for other items. 
  • Consider using shelves. If you do not have shelves and you have room for them, you may want to install them for extra storage space int he closet. You will be amazed at the difference it makes. 

3 Different Uses For Cleaning Supplies in Astoria

Posted on by AgentInsure

Cleaning supplies may not be your all-time favorite things to use around the house, but there’s a lot of value to them. There may be more to it than just what you read on the label though, so read on for 3 multi-tasking suggestions. 

Turning Window Washer Into a Stain Fighter 

Window washer may actually do a little more for your upholstery than you think. If you’ve run out of stain cleaners after you’ve spilled some red wine or chocolate on a couch or dining room chair, try this as an impromptu fix. 

Liquid Soap Moonlights as a Floor De-greaser, Weed Killer and Ice Pack 

Yes, you read that right. Wash down your concrete garage floors with liquid dish soap, or pour a tablespoon down a crack to get rid of some of your weeds alongside a cup of salt and a gallon of vinegar. Or you can use it as a cheap ice pack to place on sprained ankles or bug bites for a longer melt time than regular water. 

Oven Cleaners Are Great For White, Porcelain Tubs 

Unfortunately, if you don’t have this particular type of tub, this solution won’t work. However, this is perfect to get stains off if you do meet the requirements. Oven cleaner is strong stuff though, so ensure it just stays in the tub if you want your towels and shower curtains to stay intact. 

When you own a home, you have to make the investments of both your time and energy to keep it habitable. Linda Dugan Insurance serves the people of Astoria and helps find effective policies for all. If you’re shopping around for new insurance, then be sure to keep us in mind. Call us for a quote or if you have any questions!

Information You Need To Update Your Insurance

Posted on by AgentInsure

There is some information you should have available when you decide to update your insurance. Whether you are updating your auto insurance, homeowners, or anything else, having the details in front of you can simplify everything. Plus, it can ensure that you have all of the necessary coverage in Astoria, OR.

Current Policy Numbers

Have all of your policy numbers in front of you. This includes homeowners, auto, and any other insurance that you need to update. This will make it easier for an agent to find your policies in the system.

VIN and Other Auto Details

When you are updating auto insurance, it is important to have the VIN in front of you. Having various safety features that you have installed handy can also help, particularly to see if you qualify for any discounts.

Coverage Levels

Depending upon your current level of coverage, you may want to increase coverage in certain areas on homeowners insurance, auto insurance, or elsewhere. For example, if you recently installed a pool on your home or you were involved in an auto accident, it may be necessary to update your policy so that you have additional coverage moving forward. Talking with an agent can help you determine what level of coverage you need, and they can make recommendations to you.

Budget

Having your budget at your side when you are updating insurance is always a good idea. If for any reason, the policy goes up, can help you to decide whether you want to shop around for a new policy from a different insurance company.

Call Linda Dugan Insurance today and one of our insurance agents can help you with all of your necessary updates. We can get quotes on all of the different insurance policies that you need in Oregon.

 

 

URL Slug

/information-you-need-to-update-your-insurance

 

Choosing Whether to Buy Used or New When Buying a Car for Your Family

Posted on by AgentInsure

When it comes to your family, you know that you strive to always protect them to the best of you ability. And while buying a new car is most definitely an excellent way to protect them with today’s latest technology, going to the lot and purchasing a brand new vehicle is out of many people’s budgets. With this in mind, you should keep an open mind about which car suits your family best. 

Complete lots of research

Just because you’re buying a used car doesn’t mean it won’t feature some of today’s best technology. Many cars that were manufactured during the past 15 years have life-saving features integrated into them. Take for example an anti-lock braking system. This type of system has been known to greatly reduce accidents that are normally caused by the tires locking up when hitting the brakes hard. You should definitely buy a car that has anti-lock brakes, and this is regardless of whether or not you choose to buy new or used. 

As part of the car shopping process, you will need to research which used vehicles have anti-lock brakes and which ones don’t. In doing this, you can make your shopping experience much more enjoyable because you won’t be wasting you time looking at cars that don’t have the features you want. 

There are many other safety features to consider looking for when buying a used car, including:

  • Airbags
  • Adaptive cruise control
  • Adaptive headlights 
  • Backup camera

To learn more about buying a used car for the family that sports some of today’s best safety features, contact Linda Dugan Insurance today

5 Tips for Cleaning Your Car in Astoria

Posted on by AgentInsure

If your car is dirty, you may not pay too much attention to the state of your interior. Crumbs and dirt aren’t going to kill you, so it’s a task you may put off time after time. However, accidents are caused for a number of reasons and objects in the car or poor visibility can distract you more than you realize. Here are 5 tips for keeping your car clean. 

1. Take Out the Trash

The wind moves in mysterious ways, and those ways can cause paper to fly everywhere — even in your face. Stick the trash bag where you’ll see it and remember to use it. 

2. Lessen Your Distractions 

How many times have you had your phone in your lap where it either fell or otherwise distracted you? Buy a phone holder for your car, or make one out of a large binder clip so you stay safe on the road. 

3. Drinks and Food 

If you run out of cup holders, don’t just throw your drinks on the floor. They can cause accidents by rolling into dangerous places, like under your brake pedal. Use a shower caddy to hold your fast food, and rolls of tape or even your shoe for drinks to cut down on edible threats. 

4. Headlights and Windows

You need clear headlights and windows to drive. When you’re at the pump, just make sure you get the grime off so you can see straight. You can also clean your headlights with window washing fluid so you stay bright. 

5. Clean Coverage 

Clean automobiles also need clean and up-to-date insurance policies. Linda Dugan Insurance serves Astoria, OR and provides information, assistance and coverage to the many drivers here. Call for a quote today to see what can be done for you. 

3 Tips to Make Your Spring Cleaning Easier

Posted on by AgentInsure

Spring cleaning in Astoria, OR is a task that not many people ever look forward to, but every spring it’s time to get rid of the dust and dirt that has built up over the winter. Cleaning is never fun, but with a few good cleaning tips the job will be quicker and easier.

Make a schedule
Making a schedule is one of the most important things you can do when faced with a large task, such as spring cleaning. A schedule will allow you to know exactly what needs to be done and when you will do it.

Involve the Entire Family
Ask everyone in the household to help. This can be a perfect opportunity for the family to spend time together. Assign each person a specific room or task and allow them to make any decisions involving tossing out items or rearranging furniture.

Clear the Clutter
Now is the perfect time to get rid of the clutter. In each room, put a box for donations and a box for trash. Start in the closets and drawers first to get rid of clothes that are no longer worn, damaged or outgrown.

Once your spring cleaning is done, keep the house clean by creating a weekly cleaning chart and assigning chores to all family members. Make it a priority to deep clean one room each week. For example, instead of only surfacing cleaning the kitchen, spend a few extra hours doing tasks that are often put off, such as cleaning out the cupboards. Doing a few extra "deep cleans" throughout the year will lessen the work for your spring cleaning.

One of the most important things you can do while spring cleaning is to make sure your home insurance policy is up to date. Contact Linda Dugan Insurance to get a home insurance policy or to review your current one.