Insuring a Cabin, Lake Home, or a Vacation Home

If you are one of the lucky ones to own a home and also own a cabin, lake home, or a vacation home, do yourself a favor and do not risk your good luck by having your second home under-insured. Many people do not carry adequate home insurance, which puts them at risk of having a financial setback that may be substantial if something goes wrong. In many ways, owning a vacation home is even more challenging because there are additional risks if you leave a home empty or rent it to others.

Do you need a separate home insurance policy?

Depending on your insurance carrier, sometimes you can add a second home to an existing home insurance policy. Other times, the vacation home will need a separate home insurance policy.

If the vacation home is rented out for any part of the year, that is considered a commercial activity and you need special insurance coverage that is used for business. Each circumstance is different, so work with your agent at Linda Dugan Insurance, serving Astoria, OR and the surrounding area.

What about a caretaker?

There are also insurance considerations if you have a caretaker for the property that is different if they live on the property or if they just visit it to work on it. You may create an employer/employee relationship by having a caretaker work on the property and that means you might need workers’ compensation insurance. If the caretaker lives in a separate building structure on the property, like a guest house or in worker’s quarters, this structure may need insurance coverage as well.

Summary

Before buying a cabin, a lake home, or a vacation home or if you already own one, contact your agent at Linda Dugan Insurance in Astoria, OR by calling us to get an insurance review and a quote for home insurance coverage of the new place.

Choosing an auto insurance deductible

One of the most important aspects of an auto insurance policy is the decision regarding how costs will be shared to pay for damage to the vehicle. This is generally factored into the deductible amount in every car insurance policy. Linda Dugan Insurance provides these services to the Astoria, OR area. 

The differences in deductibles

After a vehicle is involved in an accident and repairs must be made, the deductible essentially functions as an agreement between the driver and the insurance company about how costs will be divided. As a general rule, drivers who are willing to pay more after an accident happens should choose a higher deductible, while those who want to pay little or nothing out of pocket should go for a policy with a lower deductible. Policies with lower deductibles will usually have higher initial costs for the consumer. Usually, drivers with newer or more expensive cars generally want to have lower deductibles in most cases, while those with cars that start to become older and more worn will be less concerned with minor damage or the possibility of a car becoming a total loss after an accident. 

You deductible is also important because collision insurance is required if a car is financed by a bank or a loan. This means that every driver who has a loan must also have collision insurance and figure out what kind of deductible will work best for them. 

Talk with an auto insurance expert today

Contact an agent at Linda Dugan Insurance who serves Astoria, OR area for more information. They can tell you more about choosing a deductible or answer any more questions you may have about car insurance.