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DePaulo Agency

2 Windsor Drive
Scotia, NY 12302

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4 Reasons to Keep Insurance for Your Boat While in Storage

Why should you still have insurance for a boat when it’s in storage? This can be a tricky matter and though it’s not typically mandatory, it is a good idea. You can discuss your boat insurance needs with a Scotia, NY insurance agent from DePaulo Agency to determine what’s in your best interest.

Risks Out of the Water

Boat insurance should have minimum protection from theft, fire, and vandalism. Since these things can happen year-round and are more likely when boatyards are unattended (which happens often in the Winter), you’d do well to have coverage for this time.

There’s No Off-Season When It Comes to Mother Nature

Your watercraft can get damaged from natural disasters at any time of the year. This includes flooding, hurricanes, and wildfires or fires started by a storm. When you have boat insurance you’ll have thousands of dollars in protection for replacements and repairs.

Homeowner’s Insurance Doesn’t Cover It All

When you have your boat stored in your home garage or elsewhere on your property, you may think it’s covered by homeowner’s insurance. This simply isn’t the case though you may have some coverage in place as long as it’s on your property at the time. Boat insurance typically will give you a higher amount and provide collision damage, property damage liability, bodily injury liability, and comprehensive coverage.

It Makes More Sense to Have Year-Round Insurance

If you cancel your policy during the Winter only to re-start it in the Spring, this can be more expensive. It’s best to talk to your independent agent to find out what your options are in this situation.

Reach out to professionals in the insurance industry at DePaulo Agency of the Scotia, NY area. You can get assistance with your questions and concerns about boat insurance.

What’s Included with RV Insurance

While RV coverage will vary from one policy to the next depending on what each consumer purchases, there are coverages that are included on nearly every RV insurance policy. Generally speaking, RV insurance always includes some level of coverage for liability, collision, and comprehensive. After that, most insurance companies offer a number of additional coverages that can be purchased so that policyholders can customize policies to meet their needs whether they have a motorhome, 5th wheeler, or travel trailer. 

Given the size of an RV, it’s not surprising that your personal auto insurance is unlikely to carry over to such a large vehicle. Additionally, you may not want to mirror the coverage of your existing auto policy to an RV because the average cost of an accident in a motorhome is significantly higher. Consequently, having enough comprehensive, collision, and liability coverage to protect yourself, your occupants and other people on the road is imperative. 

At the DePaulo Agency in Scotia, NY, our RV insurance will protect you in nearly every situation. For instance, if an uninsured driver hits your RV you will be compensated for the damage up to the limits of a policy. Additionally, damage caused by an animal, weather or if your vehicle is stolen is all covered under comprehensive coverage. 

When it comes to finding an RV insurance policy, come to the place that NY residents have been trusting for years – the DePaulo Agency. We have a talented team of insurance professionals with years of experience in the field who are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to assist. Give us a call today and we’ll help you customize an RV policy that is perfect for your needs.

Types of Commercial Insurance Policy

Just as every business differs from the next, so do the insurance needs of each business. The selection of types of business insurance remains vast. Your business will not require every type of business insurance. Let DePaulo Agency of Scotia, NY help you better understand which choices best suit your business.

  • Business owner’s policy (BOP): a money-saving bundle combining the four most needed policies to protect the business’ property and liability.
  • Builder’s risk or Construction insurance: covers commercial buildings under construction.
  • Business interruption insurance: real property insurance the pays for repairing or replacing real property damaged by a named peril plus lost income from the business interruption.
  • Commercial auto: full coverage policies for the business fleet that covers each licensed driver operating a fleet vehicle.
  • Crime insurance reimburses a business’s losses from burglary, theft, robbery, and other property crime.
  • Debris removal insurance: covers costs of debris removal following a named peril so that construction can take place.
  • Directors’ and officers’ liability policy: insures the company for the settlements of lawsuits involving the corporation’s or non-profit’s C-level officers and directors plus the attorney fees and court costs.
  • Equipment breakdown or boiler and machinery insurance: covers costs of repair or replacement of boilers, machinery and other equipment plus business interruption losses.
  • Errors and omissions insurance  (E & O): typically carried by doctors, lawyers, manufacturing firms, publications, etc. to cover settlements when an accidental error injures a third-party.
  • Glass insurance: pays for the replacement of plate glass and windows damaged by named perils.
  • Inland marine insurance: pays for damage to third party property in transit and stored at the business.
  • Liability insurance: pays for injury to a third party caused by the business.
  • Professional liability or malpractice: pays for the settlement, business losses, court costs, and attorney fees due to injury to a third party caused by a professional failing to provide an appropriate standard of care.
  • Ordinance or law insurance: pays for the demolition and reconstruction of a damaged structure that must be brought up to updated building code standards. 
  • Property insurance: pays for personal or real property damage.
  • Tenant’s insurance: covers the repair of damage to the lessee’s building improvements made by employees of the lessee.
  • Workers’ compensation insurance: pays for employees’ medical care and lost wages when they incur a workplace injury or illness.

Stop by or call DePaulo Agency of Scotia, NY today to learn more about insuring your business. We can provide the insurance policies you need to protect your business. Contact us today.

Access Dependable Renters Insurance Policies in Scotia, NY

If you are a tenant in Scotia, NY, then you probably know that anything could go wrong with your rented apartment. In most cases, the landlord insurance covers most of the items that could go wrong with the building. Even with landscaping issues, you would probably have a professional third party for your services. It is easy to forget about your own insurance coverage.

Understanding your renter’s insurance

To be able to access reliable renters insurance, you need to put into account two essential considerations: the value of your property and the risk of property damage. First off, you need to create an inventory of all your personal items such that you know exactly what your personal property is worth.

You will find that through the accumulative purchase of personal items, you are probably worth more than you think. As such you cannot afford to risk your worth and/or property value, in case of any mishap within your rented apartment. Your property worth is your guide towards acquiring the best renters insurance available in Scotia NY.

The DePaulo Agency has a comprehensive range of policies that would cover the relative needs of your insurance cover. In fact, the DePaulo Agency has provisions for personal rental services that contribute to various risks such as slippery floors. Further, you can be able to update your personal inventory records when you add new items to your collection.

Bottom line

The best renter’s insurance agency should offer the relative worth of all the personal items in your inventory. Basically, your renter’s insurance should be able to cover the typical exposures to any liability lawsuits. Visit us today.

Insurance Options for New York Homeowners

Your home will more than likely be the largest financial investment you make in your lifetime and you will want to ensure that is protected properly. One way to achieve that goal is to obtain homeowner’s insurance.

In the state of New York, you are not required to obtain a homeowner’s insurance policy but if you have a loan for your home through a bank, mortgage company, or other financial institution, you will more than likely be required to have home owner’s insurance coverage. The type of coverage options will be up to you but you will want to enlist the assistance of an experienced homeowner’s insurance agent to help you decide on which options you want to choose.

A typical insurance policy for your home will cover, first of all, the structure of your house. This will protect your home if it is damaged or destroyed by a fire, vandalism, or natural disasters, such as a tornado, hurricane, or hail storm. Replacement costs will be included in this policy in the horrible instance that your home is completely destroyed.

Personal Possessions

Many times your policy will also include coverage for your personal possessions up to a certain limit. This will include your clothing, household items, appliances, and furniture.

Living Expenses

You can include an option in your policy that will pay for you and your family to relocate, at least temporarily, in the event your home is destroyed or deemed unlivable for a period of time until it is repaired or rebuilt.

Liability

A liability option on your policy will cover visitors to your home who are injured because of a fall or other accident while on your property. This is important to protect you and your home from a lawsuit in the rare case that an accident occurs at your home.

To obtain a homeowner’s insurance policy from a trusted and experienced agent in Scotia, NY, visit the DePaulo Agency today!

What Auto Insurance Coverage is Right for Me?

Deciding how much insurance or which auto insurance coverage to obtain can be confusing for some people, but it does not have to be. At DePaulo Agency, we suggest that you start by answering the following questions:

What is Required?

While most states require at least liability insurance, some states have no requirements at all. It is important to understand what you must have before deciding what to purchase. In Scotia NY, drivers are required to carry liability insurance, which is:

  • $10,000 for property damage per accident
  • $25,000 for bodily injury and $50,000 per death per person per accident

For those outside of New York, check your DMV’s website for your state’s requirements.

Do You Own or Are You Buying?

If you own your car, you are free to decide what type of insurance you have beyond the legal requirements. If you are currently buying the car or if it as collateral for a loan, you might be required to carry additional coverage. Be sure to check with your lender.

How Much Is Your Car Worth?

If the value of your car is low, liability insurance coverage might be enough for most people. The more value the car has, the higher the coverage limits you should purchase.

Do You Have Enough Savings for Repairs?

You need to be sure that if you need to repair or replace your vehicle, you have the money necessary to do so. If you do not have enough in savings, you should consider higher collision and comprehensive coverage for your car so you do not end up without a vehicle.

What is Your Net Worth?

Higher net worth individuals have a lot to lose should they be taken to court. The higher your net worth, the more coverage you should consider.

The answers to these questions should give you a good idea of where to start with your coverage. Give DePaulo Agency of Scotia, NY a call today. We can discuss your coverage options according to your needs.

What is umbrella insurance and why do I need it

Umbrella insurance is one of the least understood types of insurance. Many people are not quite sure what it is, how it works, and if it is something that might be right for them. At the DePaulo Agency in Scotia, NY, we are dedicated to providing our customers with the highest level of customer service and we work with them to create the perfect coverage for their specific situation. We carry umbrella insurance and we know how valuable it can be to your financial security and it will be our pleasure to help you to understand how it can fit into your financial plans. 

Think about umbrella insurance as you would about a big umbrella that would offer you protection from a heavy rainstorm. You wouldn’t want to deal with driving rain without one. The same way that an umbrella protects your clothes, umbrella insurance protects your assets. An umbrella insurance policy is not a stand-alone policy, it is an excess liability policy that goes along with a policy you already have. It can be private or commercial depending on what your needs are. 

When you are involved with legal action against you, the liability portion of your primary policy will kick in. Given the level that some suits can reach these days, the judgment and the expenses can go beyond the limit of your policy. That is where your umbrella policy comes in. It will cover dollar amounts above and beyond your primary policy. A typical umbrella policy is anywhere between one and five million dollars. If you have assets, an umbrella can be a lifesaver.

When you are ready to discuss your insurance needs, the experienced agents at the DePaulo Agency in Scotia, NY are ready and willing to answer any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you and setting up an appointment. 

5 Steps to Planning Your First Motorcycle Road Trip

A motorcycle road trip is a great way to kick off the spring season. Advanced planning is the key to making your road trip a success, especially if it’s your first time out on the open road. These tips from DePaulo Agency in Scotia, NY can help you prepare for your road trip travels.

Service Your Bike

Make sure your motorcycle is working at top capacity before hitting the road. Check the fluids, valves, fuel system, electrical system and tires to avoid mechanical problems when you’re far from home. If you’re not used to long-distance travel, take a few practice runs before your trip to see if you need to adapt your bike to make it more comfortable for long-distance riding.

Plan Routes

Plan your routes and take a GPS to keep you on track. Keep to safe roads that are well-traveled. Pace yourself and plan your rest stops and where you’ll spend the night in advance to avoid getting stranded without accommodations.

Wear Protective Gear

Wear protective gear for your road trip to include a full-face helmet, leather jacket, jeans, riding boots, and gloves. Bring extra gloves in case one pair gets torn or lost and rain gaiters, jacket and pants in case you get caught in rainy weather.

Invest in a Waterproof Travel Bag

Waterproof backpacks or travel bags make good choices for packing clothes and necessities like cell phones, glasses, toiletries, maps and insurance papers for your travels. Secure your travel bag to your bike with bungee cords so it doesn’t blow off. Bring a first aid kit to handle minor injuries on the road.

Purchase Motorcycle Insurance

Make sure you have adequate motorcycle insurance coverage to protect you against any eventuality on the road. For help in selecting the policy you need, contact DePaulo Agency in Scotia, NY.

Do I need to carry boat insurance year round if I only use my boat half the year?

If you live in Scotia, NY, you’re lucky to get out on the lake for 6 months out of the year. Even then, it never feels like you have enough time to enjoy your boat. It feels like your boat spends more time moored and in storage than in use. It seems like a waste to pay boat insurance for the entire year. Are there any good reasons to carry insurance for the entire year? Unfortunately, canceling it might only not save you money, but it could get you in trouble.

If you still owe on your boat, you are most likely required as part of the terms of the loan to carry insurance at all times until the loan is entirely paid off. As long as the lender has an interest in the boat, they can require you to meet certain conditions. If you keep your boat at a marina, the marina might also require you to keep insurance on your boat. Whether your boat is stored at home, in a storage space, or at a marina, it is still vulnerable to vandalism, fire, and theft, which can happen anywhere at any time. You don’t want to take that risk and losing all the money you’ve put into your boat.

Your homeowner’s policy through DePaulo Agency probably offers limited coverage for your boat. However, it won’t cover the kinds of events boat insurance normally covers, like collisions with other boats. The boat will have to be on your property to qualify, and even then probably won’t have full protection.

If you have boat insurance in Scotia, NY, it is probably more cost-effective to carry it year-round. DePaulo Agency can offer discounts for many reasons, including a history of paying your premium claim-free. If you would like to see how you can save money on boat insurance, call us today.

3 Tips for Buying RV Insurance in Scotia, NY

Having an RV in Scotia, NY gives you the freedom to travel and bring your home with you. Before you head out on your next exciting RV adventure, make sure you are fully covered with an RV insurance policy. Is it time to upgrade? Or are you looking for a first-time policy? Either way, the team at DePaulo Agency has put together some tips to help you with this process.

1. Work with a Reputable Insurance Agent

Your first task should be to connect with an insurance agent who can guide you through the buying process. They are knowledgeable, friendly, and available to answer your questions before, during, and after the buying process. 

2. Bundle Your Insurance Polices Under One Carrier

To help you save money on your premiums, your insurance agent will help you find the best carrier to bundle all your insurance policies under. These can include life insurance, auto insurance, home insurance, boat insurance, commercial insurance and more. This is one of the easiest ways to save money when securing a new RV insurance policy. 

3. Compare Several Quotes

It’s important to view many RV insurance quotes before deciding on which one is right for you. A reputable insurance agent can help with this by going over all the details, comparing coverage and cost, and clearing up any confusion about the various polices and what they offer.

To learn more about securing an RV insurance policy in Scotia, NY, contact the DePaulo Agency, serving this area. You will be connected with a friendly agent who will listen to your needs and help you find the best policy for a price you are happy to pay. Call today to get started.