Wichalonis Insurance Agency

Does Renters Insurance Cover Guests?

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If you rent a house or apartment in Cumming, GA, you’ll likely invite guests into your home at some point. A neighbor or friend might drop by for a few minutes, enjoy a meal with you, or even stay overnight. Regardless of the occasion, there’s always a risk that your guest could suffer an accidental injury.

What’s Covered?

The good news is that, with certain exceptions, renters’ insurance covers accidental injuries or property losses suffered by guests. This coverage includes compensation as well as legal defense. It’s particularly important if you own pets that could harm your guests. A limit applies to this coverage and varies depending on the specific policy.

Renters insurance typically includes no-fault protection for health care expenses. This means your insurer can cover medical treatment after a visitor suffers injuries, without requiring a lawsuit or determination of fault. However, the limit on no-fault coverage is usually lower than the cap on liability insurance.

Additional Coverage

If you want to increase liability coverage on your renters’ insurance, consider signing up for an umbrella policy. Umbrella policies can also boost liability limits on auto or landlord insurance. In addition to increasing liability limits, they provide coverage for libel and slander claims, regardless of whether the dispute involves a guest.

If you’re looking for a renters insurance policy, turn to the experienced, knowledgeable agents at Wichalonis Insurance Agency in Cumming, GA. We serve tenants across central Georgia. As an independent agency, we offer a wide range of coverage options. To get started, contact Wichalonis Insurance Agency by calling 678-947-4533 today.

Does Motorhome Insurance Cover Personal Injury Caused by Pets?

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Traveling with pets in your motorhome is one of life’s great joys. But what happens if your dog accidentally bites a guest while you’re parked at a campground or knocks someone over in excitement? Many Georgia RV owners aren’t sure whether their motorhome insurance would help cover the costs if their pet causes injury.

What Motorhome Insurance Usually Covers

A typical motorhome policy through Wichalonis Insurance Agency, serving Cumming, GA, includes liability coverage, which helps pay for injuries or property damage you cause to others while driving. However, once you’re parked and set up at a campsite, your RV may be treated more like a temporary residence. That means liability for personal injuries caused by your pet might not be covered under your standard RV policy.

Instead, these incidents are often tied to homeowners’ or renters’ insurance, which typically covers pet-related liability in your living space. If your RV is your full-time residence, your insurance may include special provisions, but it’s important to review the details carefully.

Checking Your Current Coverage

Because every policy is different, it’s essential to read the fine print or talk directly with your insurance agent. Some RV insurers offer additional liability protections that extend beyond driving scenarios and could help if your pet causes harm. Others may specifically exclude pet-related incidents.

Why It Pays to Be Prepared

Medical bills and legal costs from even a minor bite or accident can add up quickly. That’s why it’s smart to ensure you have the proper liability protection, whether through your motorhome insurance or an umbrella policy that adds an extra layer of coverage.

Your Georgia insurance expert at Wichalonis Insurance Agency, serving Cumming, GA, can walk you through your existing policy, explain any gaps, and help you secure the coverage that keeps both your adventures—and your finances—safe. Contact us today to learn more.

RV Insurance Coverage You May Need for Your Upcoming Travel Plans

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Are you planning to use your RV during your upcoming travel plans? If so, consider the type of insurance coverage you need to protect your recreational vehicle from a range of unforeseen circumstances.

Property Loss

Coverage that protects your property will ensure that you do not incur financial loss after criminal activity or a natural disaster occurs. You can protect any of the items that your RV comes equipped with.

The stereo system, furnishings, plumbing components, and other items of value that are in your RV can be listed in your RV insurance policy. Property loss coverage provides protection for any incidents that occur while you are driving your RV or while it is parked.

Collision

Collision protection provides relief if your RV is involved in an accident that causes damage to your vehicle. This type of coverage will help cover the cost of having your RV serviced. Collision coverage that is designed for recreational vehicles may reimburse you for the cost of repairing body damage and mechanical damage.

Liability Concerns

Liability coverage will safeguard you against any liability concerns you have. This type of coverage will protect you against injuries and physical damage that are your fault.

The coverage will protect against slip and fall incidents, collisions, and other instances in which your RV injures someone or their property. The coverage will assist with out-of-pocket costs that you are responsible for.

Insurance Questions and Guidance

If you have any questions or prefer guidance concerning your RV insurance policy, contact one of our agents at Wichalonis Insurance Agency. An insurance agent who serves Cumming, GA will ensure that you understand your policy. They can advise you on insurance products that you are interested in obtaining for your recreational vehicle.

Unique Commercial Insurance Products You May Not Have Heard Of

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When it comes to commercial insurance, most people think of the essentials—general liability, property coverage, perhaps workers’ comp. However, the realm of business insurance is far more diverse than you might imagine. At Wichalonis Insurance Agency in Cumming, GA, we often assist clients in discovering specialized policies that cater to their unique needs. Let’s delve into a few lesser-known commercial insurance products that could significantly benefit your business.

Equipment Breakdown Insurance: Not Just for Machinery

Many business owners assume their property insurance covers items like HVAC systems or production equipment. The reality? It usually doesn’t. Equipment breakdown insurance comes into play when critical systems fail due to mechanical or electrical issues. Whether it’s a short-circuit that damages your server or a boiler that suddenly stops working, this coverage helps with repair costs and losses from downtime.

Cyber Liability for Small Businesses

Do you assume cyber insurance is only for tech giants? Think again. Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting small businesses, and a single data breach can be financially crippling. Cyber liability insurance can help cover the cost of legal fees, customer notification, and even reputation management following an attack.

Employment Practices Liability: Your HR Safety Net

Even with the best intentions, companies can face claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, or harassment. Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) helps protect your business from the legal costs and potential settlements that can arise from workplace-related lawsuits.

Discover the Right Fit for Your Business

Every business is unique, and your insurance coverage should reflect that. At Wichalonis Insurance Agency in Cumming, GA, we specialize in helping local businesses find tailored protection that goes beyond the basics. Contact us today to discover how we can help safeguard your company’s future.

Boat Insurance Can Cover More Than Boats

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Insuring Your Watercraft with Wichalonis Insurance Agency

When discussing boat insurance with your Wichalonis Insurance Agency representative, you’ll be asked about your other watercraft. This is because boat insurance can cover every type of watercraft a policyholder owns, from Seadoos to jet skis, whether moored or drydocked in Cumming, GA.

Consolidating Water Fun Items on One Policy

Organization can help keep both your home and finances tidy. Insuring all similar items on one insurance policy can streamline your coverage. That’s why when a person inquires about boat coverage, the insurance agent asks about other watercraft. A boat insurance policy can also cover the following items:

  • Catamarans
  • Deck boats
  • Dinghy boats
  • Fishing boats
  • Houseboats
  • Jet skis
  • Pontoons
  • Sail boats
  • Seadoos
  • Yachts

These policies can also include coverage for personal belongings kept on the boat, allowing a policyholder to insure their skis, towing equipment, and radar on the same policy. If you renovate the ship’s galley, add the new appliances to the boat policy to protect your investment.

Insuring Your Boat Trailer

When it comes to insuring their trailer, a policyholder has options. They can either include it in the boat policy or insure it separately. Many boat owners consider their boat trailers an extension of their watercraft. The two fit one another perfectly, and when not on the water, the boat typically sits on the trailer, unless the owner moors it in a marina.

Contact Our Offices Today

Protect all of your watercraft on one policy from Wichalonis Insurance Agency. Before you leave your Cumming, GA, driveway to enjoy a day at the lake or ocean, update your boat insurance. Contact us today via phone or email to update your boat insurance policy to cover all of your watercraft.

Do you need personal or commercial umbrella insurance?

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Understanding the Importance of Umbrella Insurance

At Wichalonis Insurance Agency, we want our clients to enjoy the right coverage so they benefit from its protection. Some residents of Cumming, GA, need umbrella insurance for their business and a personal policy. Other residents need only one form of umbrella insurance. Let’s explore which applies to you.

Personal and Commercial Umbrella Insurance

Umbrella insurance comes in two forms: personal and commercial. A personal policy provides secondary insurance that covers the primary policy’s liability coverage. A personal primary policy can be a homeowner’s, auto, boat, motorcycle, or another policy with a liability component. Commercial umbrella policies require a primary policy, such as general liability, business liability, commercial auto, or malpractice.

Personal Umbrella

Umbrella policies only provide liability coverage. Umbrella provides excess liability to pay a settlement if a person causes an accident, whether with their auto, motorcycle, or boat, or if an accident occurs at their home that injures someone. It is attached to the policy, so if your spouse drives your car and appears as a driver listed on your auto policy, umbrella coverage still applies.

Commercial Umbrella

Commercial policies cover any event that happens at your business. The umbrella policy kicks in once a settlement exhausts the liability coverage on the primary policy. It covers the settlement regardless of whether an employee causes an accident while making deliveries for the company or a person falls and injures themselves. A doctor’s office can obtain a malpractice policy covering the doctor and the employees; the umbrella policy will do the same.

Add Your Umbrella Policy Today

If a business owner also volunteers in the community or becomes involved in philanthropy, they may need both a personal and commercial policy. At Wichalonis Insurance Agency, we want our clients to enjoy the financial protection they need for their Cumming, GA, home and business. Schedule an appointment today for an insurance review to determine if you need both forms of umbrella or one.

Best Ways To Create and Maintain An Effective Condo Inventory

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Creating and maintaining an inventory of your possessions can be a task, but an accurate inventory can be incredibly beneficial in the event of a fire or other loss. Like other aspects of life, the most effective inventory of your condo comes from developing a plan and completing it in manageable steps. If you need home or other insurance, contact Wichalonis Insurance Agency, serving Cumming, GA.

Creating Your Home Inventory

People with a current condo inventory receive faster, more accurate insurance settlements following a loss. Detailed documentation eliminates guesswork and allows you to recover the full value of your loss.

You can create a condo inventory using a spreadsheet, and there are apps to integrate videos, photos, and receipts. Whichever tools you use, you should store your inventory and back it up at a location other than your condo to ensure it is not also lost when damage occurs.

Key steps to consider when creating and managing a condo inventory include:

Create a Plan

You can organize and record videos of your possessions on a room-by-room basis. Then, use the same room-by-room structure to organize your receipts, images, and other documentation.

Big-Ticket Items First

Inventory your most valuable items first. To make the process easier, group lower-value items, such as "12 dinner plates" or "3 pairs of shoes."

Regular Updates

When you make a new purchase over a set dollar amount, add it to the inventory. Then, update your video and inventory at least annually.

The Wichalonis Insurance Agency Difference

Maintaining an inventory of your possessions takes discipline but is highly valuable. Our Wichalonis Insurance Agency team, serving Cumming, GA, will work with you on a condo insurance plan that suits your needs. Call us at (678) 947-4533 or stop by to make an appointment.

What You Need to Know About Applying for First Time Auto Insurance

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Congratulations on your first car! Apart from adding personal touches to your vehicle, you need to ensure it’s insured. In Georgia, it’s mandatory to have coverage of at least $25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 for all people potentially injured in an accident, and $25,000 for property damage. It’s always a good idea to compare different insurance options before making a decision.

Types of Car Insurance Coverage

Liability coverage pays for any damage you might cause and covers your legal costs. It’s required in all states except New Hampshire. Collision coverage pays for repairs to your vehicle if you hit a stationary object, including the ground. Comprehensive coverage pays for damages to your car that occur off the road. Since not everyone has insurance, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is good to have as a precaution. Personal injury protection covers you if you’re injured in an auto accident. Medical payment coverage takes care of anything health insurance doesn’t. Do some research to find out how much coverage you need and what is legally required. As you develop a good driving record, your rates may decrease.

Wichalonis Insurance Agency: Serving Cumming, GA

Driving for the first time is an exciting milestone. If you’re in the Cumming, GA area, we hope you’ll contact Wichalonis Insurance Agency to help you find the policy you need.

Updating Your Condo Policy Before You Renovate

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Thinking of renovating your Cumming, GA, condo? Before you update your condo’s interior, contact your Wichalonis Insurance Agency insurance agent to add the builder’s risk coverage while you renovate. This important temporary coverage helps you protect yourself against liability and covers your building materials.

Renovations and Your Condo Insurance

Any renovator you hire should carry their own contractor’s insurance, but you need to add builder’s risk insurance to protect yourself and your home. It covers things the contractor’s policy doesn’t, such as your building materials and liability arising from their delivery or guest or family member injuries occurring during the construction/renovation process. Your contractor’s policy covers liability incurred by injuries to their crew. Your insurance covers your family members if you let them enter the construction area, and they get injured.

After Renovating Your Condo

Once you finish your renovations, revisit your policy with your insurance agent. Their quote helps you revalue your condo and adjust your coverage to cover your home’s upgraded value fully. The condo policy you purchase when you buy your condo doesn’t cover any of the changes you make to the condo. When you increase the value of your condo, you also need to increase the amount your insurance covers. This may mean a simple increase in the coverage amount or scheduling specific items, such as a gazebo added to your yard, a retractable awning added to your balcony, or built-in bookcases in the interior.

Contact Wichalonis Insurance Agency Today

Phone or email Wichalonis Insurance Agency to update the condo policy covering your Cumming, GA, condo. Don’t start renovating before you obtain proper insurance coverage.

Thinking about basic auto insurance? Why it might not be the right choice?

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When you are a driver in the great state of Georgia, you must carry at least basic auto insurance on your vehicle. The amount of insurance that is considered basic in Georgia is liability coverage in the amount of 25/50/25. That is $25,000 for one person in an accident, $50,000 for all injuries, and $25,000 for property damage. At Wichalonis Insurance Agency in Cumming, GA, we make sure that all of our customers have the right amount of auto insurance for their particular needs.

If you are leasing a vehicle or have an auto loan, basic auto insurance will not be enough. It doesn’t protect the vehicle, and you will need that. You will need to have collision and comprehensive coverage. This will protect the vehicle from an accident or another hazard that can damage it.

If you are like most people, you use your vehicle every day. It is a necessity to go about your daily activities. Being without a vehicle would be a serious inconvenience. If you have basic auto coverage and your car is damaged in an accident where you are responsible, you need to pay for repairs. If you have the available cash or credit to replace your vehicle, then maybe you don’t need anything beyond basic auto insurance, but if you will have difficulty coming up with the cash, then having auto insurance beyond basic will provide the money to repair or replace your vehicle.

If you have comprehensive insurance, you can pay to replace your windshield if it gets cracked or chipped. The cost of replacing a windshield on your own can be quite high, and it is worth considering having this coverage.

Contact our office at Wichalonis Insurance Agency in Cumming, GA when you have questions about auto insurance or any other type of insurance.