Tim Huber Insurance

Is Flood Insurance Worth the Investment

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When it comes to protecting your home in Florida, one of the most important things you can do is to get insurance coverage on it. A homeowner’s insurance policy from Tim Huber Insurance Services in St. Augustine, FL will help provide coverage for many events, such as fire and burglary, but in many cases, it will not pay out for claims that are associated with flooding. This is why you should carefully assess whether or not flood insurance is worth the investment. Let’s take a closer look at flood insurance and whether or not you should buy a policy. 

What is flood insurance?

When you buy a homeowner’s policy, it will likely cover a minimal amount of damage that is caused by rainwater (not all policies provide this amount of coverage). What it will not cover, however, is water damage caused by the house being filled with water due to rising bodies of water, like streams, oceans, rivers, and lakes. To obtain coverage for this type of damage, you will need to invest in a flood insurance policy. 

Is flood insurance worth the investment?

If there is little likelihood that your home could be flooded by a rising body of water, then flood insurance may not be worth the investment for you. If, however, you live close to a body of water (whether or not it is prone to rising and causing flooding), then this means there is a chance of flooding and that flood insurance will be a wise investment for you to make. 

To learn more about flood insurance and whether or not it is a good investment for you to make, contact Tim Huber Insurance serving the St. Augustine, FL area.

Need a Tow? Even Your Boat can Run Out of Gas

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Do you own a boat and have it moored in the Jacksonville or St. Augustine, FL area? If so, then you probably have boat insurance from a reputable company such as Tim Huber Insurance. But would your policy help you out when things go wrong out at sea? Many policies will provide compensation if your vessel is stolen or lost due to weather, but what if you have a fender bender in the harbor or experienced motor failure while fishing?

Stock Three Simple Things to Prevent the SOS Call

  • Extra fuel can: Maybe you stayed out a little longer than expected. Keeping an extra can of gas or diesel on board can get you to safe harbor on your own
  • New spark plugs: Sea air and salt water create a corrosive environment. When your inboard doesn’t turn over, you may simply need a new spark plug. 
  • Replacement inline filter: Unleaded gasoline is known for gumming up your motors. Sometimes all you need is to change out the filter to get underway.

All of these solutions require just five to ten minutes to gas up or switch out the part and cost only a few dollars. How many hours would you wait for a service vessel to reach you?

Towing and Repair Coverage for Your Boat

If you do break down on the water, you can get towed back into port. However, that can be ridiculously expensive. Dollar signs appear when you bring in your boat for a simple fiberglass repair. Talk to your agent at Tim Huber Insurance about adding towing and repair coverage to your boat insurance policy. Your wallet will thank you. Leaving extra cash in your wallet while cruising the blue waters surrounding St. Augustine, FL.

 

 

 

Condo Insurance with an HOA? How the two will work together.

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Living in a condo with an HOA has many benefits. Often there are added amenities for the community, and some HOA’s will offer maintenance free-living. Did you know there can also be the added bonus of having shared insurance from the HOA? In many HOA communities, there are blanket insurance policies that overlap with individual condo insurance. Around Florida, there are many condos and knowing you are covered is essential. The experts at Tim Huber Insurance in St. Augustine, FL are here to help explain basic insurance coverage with condo insurance and an HOA.

Typically, an HOA will have their own blanket liability coverage for the community. This usually covers everything in your condo from the "studs-out," meaning the roof, siding, and exterior parts of the condo would be covered by the HOA master insurance policy in the event of damage from hail or the wind. Personal property or anything from the "studs-in" would fall on the individual condo insurance. For liability claims that may occur in any common areas, such as the clubhouse or pool, condo insurance usually has some element of liability. 

It is always important to check first with your HOA master insurance policy to find out just how much liability coverage you need on your personal condo insurance. It is also important to know that in some HOA communities there is a minimum amount required for personal condo insurance and they may even request a copy of your declaration page.

Making sure your condo is covered for the unknown is important to protect yourself and your loved ones. Tim Huber Insurance, proudly serving the residents of St. Augustine, FL and the surrounding areas, can help unravel any questions on the coverage you may have. Reading through the limitations of your current HOA master insurance coverage and deciding how much coverage is necessary for your condo insurance is a tricky undertaking. Visit the experts today to get started on your new condo insurance policy.

Protecting Your Family With Adequate Life Insurance

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Purchasing life insurance is one of the best ways to protect your family against debt and other financial issues that appear as the result of death. It is important to know how much protection is enough to give your family the security they need.

Calculating The Right Amount Of Coverage

When figuring how much coverage you need, there are several factors to consider. One of the most important is a loss of income. How much money will your spouse and children need to survive if there is a loss of income? Figure your income for one year and multiply it by 10. You will also need to calculate your total cost of a burial or funeral service plus any outstanding debt. You should round up to the next ten thousand figure and use that as a guide for calculating your life insurance needs.

Finding The Right Company

When looking for reliable life insurance coverage in St. Augustine, FL, you should do business with an established company with a track record of excellent customer service. If you are a resident of St. Augustine, FL, Tim Huber Insurance has the life insurance protection you need. Let our knowledgeable and friendly staff walk you through the process of obtaining life insurance coverage that fits your needs. They can help your family through the claims process as well in the event of death. Call or stop by today for more information and answers to questions you may have about insurance products.

Life insurance protects your loved ones in the event of an unexpected death. It can give them the financial security they need to make ends meet and cover final expenses. Know how much coverage you require and start giving them the security they require for the future. Check out insurance policies in St. Augustine, FL with a reliable agent from Tim Huber Insurance.

Spotting mold in your Florida home

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It’s Summer all year round in St. Augustine, FL. It’s lush green trees, blue skies, and sandy white beaches, but, if you’re not careful, mold can rot your floorboards faster than you can flip a burger on the grill out back. There’s not a lot of downsides to living in St. Augustine, FL, but that’s one of them. In some instances, Tim Huber Insurance may cover certain aspects of repair in these cases, but it’s better if it just doesn’t happen in the first place.

So, how do you spot the mold so that it can be handled appropriately?

The good news is that if you can’t see it, you can usually smell it. The distinctive smell that mold produces is thanks to MVOC or microbial volatile organic compounds. This is a gas that mold produces, which creates that musty smell, like a coat left in storage for a little too long.

You can usually find the source of the smell by following your nose. Once you’ve got the area more or less narrowed down, you can pick up a mold detection kit from most hardware stores and even many big box chains.

If you catch the mold early, it’s usually possible to take care of it with a little bit of bleach. For extensive damage, it may be necessary to replace floorboards, drywall, and so on. In more cases than not, a little bit of bleach and elbow grease is all it takes to scrub the mold away.

If you’re looking at any mold damages, check with Tim Huber Insurance to see if you’re covered. Mold can be produced by many causes, and it varies from case to case. Our agents are here to answer and address any questions or concerns you may have. Also, if you are in the area, stop by our office to set up a meeting to talk about how home insurance can benefit your house.

Types of Commercial Insurance for Your Business

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In St. Augustine, FL, the independent insurance agents at Tim Huber Insurance would like you to know how you can protect your business with commercial insurance. If your company’s building becomes damaged, property or materials are destroyed, or your employees are hurt on the job, having insurance can help relieve some of the financial responsibilities.

Commercial Property Insurance

With commercial property insurance, your business can be protected if the building and property become damaged. Some types of incidences may include fires, vandalism, theft, storms, water, natural disasters, and civil disobedience. For example, if you own a computer business, your items could be covered with property insurance after a fire or hurricane.

Commercial General Liability Insurance

You can’t predict if a customer will be injured in your store or if a patient will sue you for negligence. Commercial liability gives you the added protection if a lawsuit is filed against your company. If your store has a spill that was not monitored and a customer falls, you could be responsible for their medical bills, lost wages, and other costs as a result of the incident.

Workers’ Compensation Claims

Although there are a few exceptions, employers in Florida are required to have workers compensation insurance. Workers compensation covers an employee if they are injured at work. If a data entry worker develops carpal tunnel due to the amount of repetitive motion involved in the business’ day-to-day operations, workers compensation could cover the cost of lost wages, rehabilitation therapy, and surgery if needed.

When you open a business, you want it to run smoothly. Having commercial insurance can keep your company operating even through a disaster. Just stop by our offices in St. Augustine, FL. The insurance agents at Tim Huber Insurance can get you started.

What You Need To Know Before Driving To Florida

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Whether you’re planning to visit or moving there permanently, there are some things you need to know about Florida before you set out for St. Augustine, FL. It’s a beautiful state, you can make a trip from the East to the West coast to take in a beach sunrise and a beach sunset on the same day, you’ll never need to spend another dime on heating your home, but there are some downsides for drivers. Tim Huber Insurance wants to inform new residents and travelers what to expect on the road in the great state of Florida.

  • The highways can be crazy. The roads in Florida seem to have been designed by in a random manner. Keep an eye out for one-way streets pointing right at one another with a sharp turn at the end so you don’t wind up driving against traffic. Remember that people can turn right on a red light here. Consider letting an experienced Florida driver take you around while you take notes for your first few days here.
  • The salty sea air can actually damage your car. If you’re staying near the coast for extended periods of time, the climate here will chip away at your paint and rust your car without regular washing.
  • Set out a few more hours than you think it will take to get where you’re going on longer road trips. The long vertical shape of Florida more or less arranges the whole state in a straight line with a bunch of winding roads and detours, so if you want to drive from Tampa to Miami, you’re driving through a lot more cities along the way than if you were going from Cleveland to Akron.

Tim Huber Insurance can make sure you’re covered for any kind of accident on your trip or daily drive. Contact our St. Augustine, FL office for more information on auto insurance in Florida. We will be glad to answer any questions you may have.

Is your St. Augustine, FL home Secure?

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Whether you’re purchasing your first home to start your family or you’re retiring to beautiful St. Augustine, FL, protecting the home that you love is and should be a priority. Our agents at Tim Huber Insurance understand how important your home is which is why it is our mission to deliver top quality home insurance. If you are moving into your home and haven’t considered how you will protect it from unforeseen incidents like burglary, weather disasters, or fires, allow our agents to provide you with the information you need to make the best choice for you and your family. Whether you’re worried about Florida hurricane season or break-ins, we will help pick the right insurance for you.

Tim Huber Insurance understands how difficult or complicated it can be to choose the ideal home insurance for your home. After all, this is the net that will ultimately catch you and your family in some of the most vulnerable times of your life. Our agents will walk you through the process and answer your questions while addressing your concerns. We make it our priority to ensure that the process of choosing home insurance is seamless and as simple as possible. Your home is more than just a place to provide shelter. Ensuring its safety means ensuring the safety of your peace of mind.

It’s never too soon to choose home insurance to protect your family, your precious possessions, and the home that you love. Jot down your questions, concerns, and what you want from your home insurance and bring it into our office in St. Augustine, FL. Our agents will carefully guide you through the selection process. Give us a call to set up an appointment or just walk in!

Is a Car or Truck Cheaper to Insure?

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When you go about the process of buying a new vehicle in St. Augustine, FL, you will probably need to consider what the insurance on the car or truck is going to cost you. After all, the insurance premium that you have will determine what you can actually afford. For example, you have a budget for a monthly vehicle payment and insurance. If you are going to buy a car with a payment of x amount of money per month, this leaves you x amount of dollars a month to be paid toward insurance. Some people wonder to themselves when vehicle shopping if it is cheaper to insure a car or truck. Let’s take a quick look at an answer to this question. 

Is it cheaper to insure a car or truck?

When you go to put insurance on a vehicle, there are more than a few factors taken into consideration. First and foremost, your driving record will have a huge impact. If you have questions about specific incidents please give the agents at Tim Huber Insurance a call. If you have a lot of speeding tickets and past insurance claims within the last five years, this will increase your premium rate. Also, if you are buying a vehicle and taking out a loan, this means you will have to have full coverage insurance, which of course is expensive. It really does not matter if you are buying a car or truck in regards to how cheap your insurance will be. Your past driving record and the type of insurance coverage you are going to put on it will determine how expensive or cheap your insurance rate is. 

To learn more about insuring a car or truck, contact Tim Huber Insurance serving the St. Augustine, FL area. 

St. Augustine FL: How sea air affects your home

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Living right on the coast in St. Augustine, FL is simply amazing. You wake up every morning to the sound of ocean waves crashing against the beach, you enjoy warm weather all year round, even if you’re a little more inland, you’re never more than a short walk away from the sea. All that salty sea air is great for people, but not always so great for homes.

The problem is that salt is corrosive. So corrosive in fact that when Hurricane Sandy hit New York City, they didn’t just drain the salt water from the flooded streets and subways, they had to flush the affected areas with fresh water in order to get rid of all that salt.

Salty air can create structural damage in wooden structures as the salt clings to the wood and creates a fuzzy, salty layer that attaches to, and destroys, the top layer of wood, slowly chewing its way down through the rest of the wood, digging in deep.

Salty air can also chew away at a paint job, which is why you see so many bare homes in beach towns. A lot of people in St. Augustine, FL simply don’t care to deal with salt damage.

Cleaning the surface of your home can help. Giving your home a thorough scrub once a year, not allowing mold or salt to set in. You can also use protective primers and paints. Some of the providers you find through Tim Huber Insurance may even offer discounts if you take protective measures against salty air.