What Are Toy Insurance Options?

When many people think of toy insurance, they think of the type of insurance policy that will cover collections of toys that are worth some amount of money but there is actually a more common and more widely used form of toy insurance that covers recreational vehicles that many people have purchased. Those types of toys include motorcycles, four-wheelers, all-terrain vehicles, and even boats. If you have invested money in one of these fun toys, you will definitely want to protect your investment by obtaining a toy insurance policy.

What Does It Cover?

For your recreational and fun toys, you can obtain liability coverage in the case of an accident happening. This type of policy will cover not only any bodily injuries sustained by others involved in the accident but also property damage that may be caused by a crash. You can also obtain collision insurance, which means if you hit an object, such as a pole or building, or another vehicle, this policy will cover the damages. A comprehensive policy will replace or repair your toy if it is damaged in a fire, by vandalism, or stolen in a theft incident. This type of policy also covers your boat, ATV, or other toys is it is damaged in a natural disaster, such as a hailstorm or tornado. It is also a good idea to obtain a policy, referred to as an underinsured or uninsured motorist policy, that will cover your toy if it is damaged by another driver who does not have an insurance policy at all or not enough coverage to replace or repair your toy when it is damaged.

The Need For Toy Insurance

You will want to obtain a toy insurance policy to cover the items you hold dear to you and have fun with. You have spent time and money to purchase your toy and you deserve the peace of mind that is provided when you have an insurance policy to cover it.

To create the best toy insurance policy for you and your situation, contact the toy insurance agents at Linda Dugan Insurance in Astoria, OR today for an appointment to set up your policy.

How to Implement Better Boat Safety in Astoria, OR

Getting out on the water in Astoria, OR is not exactly difficult. Your proximity makes it nearly impossible not to have some sort of watercraft available, so you can really make the most of your beautiful location. But water can be one of the most dangerous things on the planet if you’re not careful. Linda Dugan Insurance wants you to know more about how you can improve your boat safety long before you set out for an adventure. 

Think It Through 

Boat safety starts with really going through every scenario. From life preservers to escape routes to emergency services, you really need to think about the resources you have and how they can be applied in any given situation. Someone who can’t swim very well may need a very different plan than someone who was a former lifeguard. 

Repetition Works 

In an extreme situation, repetition is the best way to combat panic. The more people are afraid, the more likely they are to forget the plan. Going over the safety plan should be done regularly, ideally to the point where people can do it in their sleep. The more comfortable people feel with each scenario, the more likely it is that they’ll go into autopilot rather than overthinking every possible danger in front of them. 

Boat insurance can’t prevent every dangerous situation in Astoria, OR, but it can go a long way toward restoring your boat after something occurs. With the right help, you can get the repairs you need to keep your boat safe when it’s on the water. If you have questions about boat insurance, call Linda Dugan Insurance today to find out more about what kinds of policies are available to you and your watercraft. 

What Kind of RV Coverage Do You Need?

As an RV owner in Astoria OR, you know you need RV insurance to protect your valuable investment. You may not know, however, what kind of RV coverage to obtain. At Linda Dugan Insurance, we can guide you in making good RV insurance choices to suit your lifestyle. Here are a few tips for choosing the RV coverage you need.

Protection for Your RV

Whether you’ve taken out a loan for your RV or own it outright, you’ll want coverage to protect your investment. This is where collision, comprehensive, and uninsured motorist coverage comes into play.

Collision covers the cost of repairing your RV if it’s damaged in a crash. Comprehensive protects you against RV theft and covers damage caused by inclement weather, animal strikes, vandalism, and other non-collision events. Uninsured motorist protects you against uninsured and hit and run drivers.

Protection for Others

RV liability insurance covers damage to others in RV accidents that are your fault. It covers others’ medical injuries and property damage, so these funds don’t have to come from your own pocket. A serious RV accident could cause a lot of damage to others. That’s why it’s important not to skimp on liability coverage. Liability coverage is also the only type of RV insurance required by Oregon law.

Specialized Coverage

If you live in your RV year-round or travel extensively, you’re at greater risk of theft, damage, or loss. You may want extra coverage like:

  • Personal property & attachment to protect personal items in or attached to your RV
  • Vacation liability to cover accidents in or around your RV when you’re at a campground
  • Replacement cost coverage to cover the cost of replacing your RV if it’s totaled in a crash.

To purchase RV coverage in Astoria, OR, call or visit Linda Dugan Insurance today.

How to prepare your home for a flood

Everyone hopes that no storm will be so severe as to flood one’s home. However, hope is not a plan. Linda Dugan Insurance, serving Astoria, OR would like to give some helpful suggestions to at least mitigate the damage that a flood might cause.

You should check FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center to see how much at risk your neighborhood is for flooding.

You should be on the lookout for flooding threats, such as heavy storms, paying attention to media reports.

Check the elevation of your house from the street level. If you have the funds, consider elevating your home higher. Even an extra foot or two may make all the difference. Raise your electrical outlets higher from the floor. Apply sealants to parts of the house that might admit water, such as windows and doors. Make sure that your gutters and drains are clear of leaves and other obstructions so that water can flow through them freely.

Place all important documents in a waterproof container, and place the container in a secure part of the house.

If a flood is imminent, move valuables, especially electronics such as computers and televisions, to higher levels of the house. Unplug everything to avoid shorts and possible fire hazards. If floodwaters are about to enter the house, turn off the electricity at the breaker. Consider using sandbags to block the entry of floodwaters.

And, finally, make sure that your flood insurance is current. Remember, your regular home insurance does not cover damage from flooding. Flood damage can cost thousands of dollars to repair. 

For more answers to questions concerning flooding and flood insurance feel free to contact Linda Dugan Insurance, serving Astoria, OR.

What is Umbrella Insurance and How Can it Help Protect Your Business?

If you are a business owner in the greater Astoria, OR area, it’s time to find out more about umbrella insurance and how it can help protect your business. Linda Dugan Insurance is here to answer all of your questions and help you determine if an umbrella policy makes sense for your company. Owning a business takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and it’s important to protect all of your efforts. 

Umbrella Insurance Basics

Primary commercial policies have limits that once met render the coverage exhausted. If your company suffers a covered event that maxes out your policy maximums, you or your business can be held liable for any excess damage.

Depending on the ownership structure of your company, both your and business and your personal assets can be affected. It makes sense to have the necessary protection in place, should the primary policy be exhausted. This type of coverage is especially important for public-facing companies that may have to deal with slip and fall suits, or that have the potential for business-related liability. Don’t wait until it’s too late to find out that the policy limits on your property insurance policy are insufficient to meet all of your liability and coverage needs. 

Umbrella insurance is an effective tool to protect all of your hard work and to ensure that your company can weather the storms that come its way. Find out more about the benefits of commercial umbrella policies today, and rest easy knowing you have the protection you need.

Ready to learn more about umbrella insurance and how it can help protect your Astoria, OR area business? Give Linda Dugan Insurance a call today and set up a consultation to learn more. We are here to help!

Is Health Insurance Legally Required?

While the Affordable Care Act did a lot of good for a lot of people, the fees that we had to pay for not having health insurance, when health insurance wasn’t always affordable, was one of the less popular features of the Act. That fee has been removed at a federal level, but where does that leave mandatory health insurance in Astoria, OR?

Long story short: You’re not required to carry any health insurance whatsoever on an individual level. Mandatory health insurance was never mandatory in the same way as, say, auto insurance, where you’re simply not allowed out on the street without it. Rather, you had to pay an extra tax as an incentive to get covered. Many states still have some form of taxation in place for people who do not carry health insurance, but Oregon is not one of those states. If you live in Astoria, OR and you don’t want health insurance, you don’t have to buy it.

But, it’s a different story for employers.

With under fifty employees, you can offer health coverage to your employees at your discretion. With fifty employees or more, working full-time or equivalent hours, you are required to provide health insurance for your team.

In short: On an individual level, nobody in Oregon is going to be required to buy health insurance. But employers with fifty full-time staff members or more will need to get their team covered.

That said, it’s not a great idea to go without health insurance. Get in touch with us at Linda Dugan Insurance and we’ll compare quotes to get you the coverage that you need. You want to make sure that you’re covered if something happens, so call us or go to the Linda Dugan Insurance website and let’s see what we can do for you.

Will my Oregon business benefit from commercial insurance?

The state of Oregon continues to be known as one of the best places in the country to start a small business. One city in this state that offers a lot of opportunities in Astoria, OR. If you are going to start a business here, there are a lot of opportunities for success. However, it is still important that you take the right steps to protect your business. One way that you can protect your business is by getting commercial insurance as it could protect your company in several different ways.

Ensures Business Assets are Protected

One of the reasons to get a commercial insurance policy is that it can protect your business assets. Businesses today require a lot of assets to grow and succeed. This can include making sure that your inventory, office equipment, capital items, and other assets. When you have commercial insurance, you will have the ability to repair or replace these items if you incur a loss due to theft or damage.

Liability Protection

When you have a commercial insurance policy, you will also get coverage for liability. If your business causes an illness or injury to someone, you could be held liable for the damages. With a commercial insurance policy, it will ensure you have the liability protection you need. 

As you are looking for a new commercial insurance policy in the Astoria, OR area, taking all important factors into consideration is very important. To ensure that you are making the right choices for your company, you should reach out to the team at Linda Dugan Insurance. When you speak with the team at Linda Dugan Insurance, you can be assured that you are going to receive the guidance you need to pick the right policy to protect your company. 

Linda Dugan Insurance Explains Why Having Life Insurance Is So Important To Your Future

Located in Astoria, OR, Linda Dugan Insurance is committed to helping people find the insurance coverage that they are looking for. As an independent insurance agency, we have established successful partnerships with multiple insurance carriers in the Pacific Northwest. That allows us to serve our clients and help them receive the coverage that they are looking for, regardless of their situation. We want to make sure that our clients make informed decisions.

Life Insurance

Linda Dugan Insurance believes that everyone should analyze how beneficial life insurance is. Life insurance covers your loved ones so that they do not have to worry about your affairs after you have passed away.

Life insurance allows you to create an inheritance. If you are a parent, this is a great way to help ensure that your children have a solid foundation as they become adults. It also provides protection so that no matter what circumstances arise in the future, you will be prepared.

Whole life policies will provide extensive coverage over the course of your life. Term life policies last for a specific period of time. Once the term expires, you can renew your policy or choose another option.

If you are a business owner, a life insurance policy will also protect your business. The policy will cover your business after you pass away so that it can continue operating. Without the policy, your business could suffer losses that eventually lead to its closure.

Linda Dugan Insurance Can Assist You

We will sit down with you and discuss the advantages of each life insurance policy so that you can make the best decision for you and your loved ones. Stop by our office in Astoria, OR today!

Who Should Purchase Recreational Insurance?

If you own items with significant value, there is a good chance that there is a specific type of insurance available to cover it. This is true of recreational vehicles such as jet skis, ATVs, and even dirt bikes. If you currently own any recreational vehicles, you should make sure you have the right type of coverage in place. 

Recreational Insurance

If you don’t currently have recreational insurance in place, you should consult with an experienced insurance agent who can help you find the policies you need to prevent losses. Regardless of the type of vehicle or craft, you can protect it with top-quality insurance from a reputable agency such as Linda Dugan Insurance, proudly serving the Astoria, OR area. They can work closely with clients to help establish their current needs and help them discover insurance that works for their lifestyle. It’s the best way to get the right type of protection without gaps. 

An Agent Is There To Help You

One of the best ways to protect yourself from unpleasant surprises related to insurance coverage is to team up with a knowledgeable insurance agent. They are there to work with you and explain how each policy works including terms and limitations so you can make an informed decision. They can also help file paperwork, make changes to an existing policy, and even help file future claims. 

Anyone considering a recreational insurance policy purchase should call or stop by Linda Dugan Insurance to get more information and begin the process of finding a policy that can protect from a variety of losses. They are committed to helping the residents of Astoria, OR get peace of mind through reliable insurance products. 

Top 3 main benefits of having boat insurance in Astoria, Oregon

Boating is an everyday activity in Astoria, OR. Just like cars, boats are significant investments that need to be protected. While small boats like canoes, paddleboats, and kayaks may be covered under a home insurance policy, motor-powered boats require full coverage to protect them from damage. Linda Dugan Insurance recommends buying boat insurance even if you own a small non-motor-powered boat. Here are the three main reasons:

1. Boat insurance offers extensive coverage options
Accidents happen everywhere, and water is no exception. Every year, there are hundreds of boat accidents that lead to property damage and injuries amounting to thousands of dollars. Boat insurance provides extensive coverage that compensates for damage and injuries in case of an accident.

2. Protects what matters to you most
If you enjoy being in the waters, the last thing you want is to have your boat partner injured or your vessel damaged. You want to protect what you value most by purchasing high-quality boat insurance. Depending on the type of boat you are using, your insurance premiums could be higher or lower than for other boaters. But keep in mind that it is quality that matters.

3. Peace of mind
Boat insurance, like all other types of insurance policies, gives you peace of mind as you sail and go about what you love doing. You are not worried about boat accidents or losing your boat because it is well-protected.

While boat insurance may not be mandatory in Astoria, OR, boaters need to seriously consider purchasing boat insurance to help protect them from water perils. If you are a boat enthusiast looking to buy boat insurance, Linda Dugan Insurance agents can help you understand the requirements as well as what coverage suits you best. Feel free to contact us or visit our website for more information.