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Knippenberg Insurance Inc

608 N Mechanic St
Cumberland, MD 21502

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Does a Home-Based Business Need Commercial Insurance?

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Cumberland, MD, is a favorable location for starting a home-based business. Tax credits, a Lenders Loan Pool, and Micro-enterprise Programs are available to help entrepreneurs save money while launching their venture. However, one inevitable expense is commercial insurance. Even home-based businesses will need several insurance policies to operate legally in the state.

Commercial Insurance Requirements in Maryland

If you have even one full or part-time employee, you’re required to have worker’s compensation insurance. If you use a vehicle for commercial purposes, which includes traveling to meet clients and business partners, transporting goods to and from markets, or allowing an employee to use your vehicle, you need a commercial vehicle policy. You’ll need liability insurance if you sell items on platforms such as Amazon and eBay.

Even though some policies aren’t legally required, they are worth considering. Cyber insurance safeguards your business if a hacker breaks into your system and steals data. Errors and omissions insurance protects your business assets if a client sues you. Liability insurance shields you from common risks such as customer injuries, destruction of customer property, and advertising injuries.

Commercial Insurance from Knippenberg Insurance Inc.

Knippenberg Insurance Inc., based in Cumberland, MD, offers premium insurance policy options to local business owners. We have a variety of policy options to meet the needs of entrepreneurs in any industry. Our knowledgeable staff members are eager to help you understand state insurance laws to ensure you choose the best policies for your business. Contact us to learn more about our offerings or to get one or more policy quotes.

Water Damage and Home Insurance: Drawing the Line

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Water damage is a problem for many homeowners around Cumberland, MD, and comprehending its coverage under home insurance policies is critical. Let’s delve into the specifics of how home insurance addresses water damage and delineate the extent of its coverage.

Understanding Coverage for Sudden and Accidental Damage

Home insurance provides security for homeowners, covering sudden water damage from busted pipes, leaks, or malfunctioning appliances. This coverage extends to cover the costs associated with repairing or replacing damaged property and expenses for restoration and cleanup, offering a reassuring level of security.

Exclusions and Limitations

While home insurance does cover sudden and accidental water damage, it’s important to understand the exclusions. These policies often don’t cover damage that results from gradual or long-term issues like poor maintenance, wear and tear, or neglect. For example, if a leaky roof is left unattended and causes water damage, your insurance may not apply.

Exemption for Flood Damage

It’s important to note that standard home insurance policies usually do not cover damage caused by flooding, including water intrusion from external sources like overflowing rivers, heavy rainfall, or storm surges. To ensure comprehensive protection, homeowners must be informed about the need for separate flood insurance policies.

Mitigation and Prevention Strategies

By adopting proactive measures, homeowners can take control of their property’s maintenance and mitigate the risk of water damage. This ensures coverage under home insurance policies and empowers homeowners to protect their investments. These measures include regular inspection of plumbing systems, immediate repair of leaks or damages, and installation of preventative tools like sump pumps or water leak detectors.

Let Knippenberg Insurance Inc. Give You Information

Knippenberg Insurance Inc. can answer all of your home insurance questions and serves the Cumberland, MD, region. Call us today. 

The Partnership Between Maryland and Farmers to Control Farming Risk

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Farm & Crop Insurance: Safeguarding Maryland’s Agriculture

Cultivating crops like corn, wheat, and soybeans is a predominant agricultural practice in Maryland. Therefore, it’s no surprise that farmers need assistance and guidance in securing their farms, mainly due to the unpredictability of weather patterns and risks beyond crop failure. Understanding the significance of farm and crop insurance, the Maryland Department of Agriculture extends comprehensive support to farmers about insurance and risk management.

The government’s role is indispensable in this scenario. They work in collaboration with farmers, ensuring they get the coverage they duly pay for. Their contribution enables farmers to concentrate on growing crops without worrying about insurance company scams or other distractions.

Understanding Risks Beyond Crop Failure

Climate variabilities pose significant challenges to farmers. In some years, it might be extremely dry and sunny, while in others, it might witness a record-high level of rainfall. In such scenarios, farm & crop insurance acts as a safety net that financially secures farmers who may experience losses, possibly preventing them from filing bankruptcy proceedings.

Farmers’ Responsibilities

Keeping meticulous records of all crop growth becomes crucial if losses are to be reported. However, the most paramount risk for farmers is often not meeting deadlines for filing responsibilities in a timely manner. Failure to meet certain criteria can make them ineligible for insurance or slow down the processing of claims.

It’s important to note that although scams occur on rare occasions, they are not usually the root cause of farmer grievances. Procrastination usually makes farmers disgruntled until they accept their responsibilities.

Role of Insurance Agents

Knippenberg Insurance, Inc., an agency serving Cumberland, MD, comprehends these complexities, which is why it is recommended by many customers in Maryland. They offer detailed guidance to farmers regarding insurance.

Importance of Insurance for Maryland Farmers

Maryland’s state government advises farmers always to manage their crop insurance benefits. Farmers must provide timely notice of any damage and inform the authorities about current crop conditions. It is crucial to be proactive in managing their insurance responsibilities. Farmers can contact Knippenberg Insurance, Inc., serving Cumberland, MD, for all their queries and information.

Life Insurance and the High Risk Job

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The purpose of life insurance is to pay dividends to the policyholder’s beneficiaries upon the policyholder’s death. What happens if someone has a high-risk job, such as a firefighter, police officer, or stuntperson? That can seriously affect one’s insurance premiums. Even if your job requires a lot of driving, that could put you at a risk great enough to affect your premiums. That goes for any job that puts you in potential peril. 

Other Problems

A high-risk career can not only affect your life insurance premiums but also significantly impact the insurance riders that are available to you. You may, for example, be ineligible for a disability income rider that pays off monthly benefits should you be injured and unable to work.

But It’s Not Impossible!

Even if you have a high-risk job, it’s still possible to have affordable life insurance. Consider term life insurance. You only pay for it as long as you need it. This is perfect if your risky job is just temporary. If your job changes, shop around for a better policy. If your employer provides group insurance, go for it. In any case, see about being able to pay your premiums annually instead of monthly. 

Contact Knippenberg Insurance Inc. Serving Cumberland, MD

Buying life insurance need not be difficult, even if you have a high-risk job. If you are in the Cumberland, MD area and need life insurance, please contact Knippenberg Insurance Inc. Our skillful and courteous agents will help you find the policy that’s right for you. 

Documents and more that you need to have in your glove box

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At Knippenberg Insurance Inc. in Cumberland, MD, we are an independent insurance agency offering you the benefit of our years of experience. We provide personalized service and help you find the right policy at the right price. 

Registration

You need to carry your vehicle registration with you at all times when you are driving. It doesn’t have to be in your glove box, but that is a convenient place to store it. You need to be able to produce it if requested by a police officer. 

Insurance card

Your auto insurance company will provide you with a card with your vehicle details and your policy information on it. It would be best if you placed it in your vehicle posthaste. If you get your policy digitally, you will need to print off a copy to place in your glove box. Be sure to change it when the insurance renews. 

Vehicle manual

You never know when you will need to look at your vehicle manual. If you have a question about how much air needs to be in your tires, how to operate the rear window washer, how many gallons of gas it takes to fill your tank, or any number of other things that are included in the manual. 

Window breaking tool

They have a tool that you should have in your glove box that can break glass. It can also cut your seat belt if the need ever arises. If your vehicle goes into the water and begins to sink, you will be glad you have it. 

Flashlight

A flashlight is a handy tool with many uses and should be in your glove box. 

Call us at Knippenberg Insurance Inc. in Cumberland, MD, if you want to review your auto policy or need new auto insurance. 

Three Types of Commercial Insurance You May Need

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When you are a business owner, there are a lot of responsibilities that you’ll have. One of these is to get the types of commercial insurance that you need for your specific business. The types of coverage you need depend a lot on the kind of business you own, how many people are involved, what you sell, etc. When you need commercial insurance to protect yourself and your business, call us at Knippenberg Insurance Inc. in Cumberland, MD.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

When you have employees, you need this insurance coverage. It’s important to protect your business against the high cost of medical bills if any worker should get injured in a work-related accident. It pays for those bills so that your employee doesn’t have to sue you and can instead handle it through the insurance company. If you don’t have this insurance, it’s time to get it. You can call us to get started. 

Commercial Auto Insurance

Does your business own a vehicle? If so, you need to have a commercial policy on it. If you don’t have a commercial policy for it, the policy likely won’t pay for any accident that’s work-related, if any at all. It’s like being completely uninsured. A commercial policy is a must from the first day that your business owns the vehicle. 

Product Liability

If you sell a physical product, you need product liability coverage. This covers you in case the product injures or sickens someone or there are certainly other problems with it. If you don’t have this insurance, you could be vulnerable to a number of lawsuits that could come from customers one day. 

Get Commercial Insurance

Make sure your business has the protection it needs by getting the right insurance policies. Call us at Knippenberg Insurance Inc. in Cumberland, MD to find out more. 

Clever Ways to Improve Your Home Insurance

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When it comes time to choose your auto insurance, it’s critical to work with a team that has your back. Our team at Knippenberg Insurance Inc. can help you provide auto insurance in Cumberland, MD, by providing you with several clever tricks that can improve your policy and its overall cost.

Don’t Add High-Risk Areas 

It might seem fun to add swimming pools and even playgrounds to your backyard for yourself or your children. However, you’re going to notice a pretty quick uptick in your insurance policy if you do. Why? These are considered high-risk additions and will put your family and others at risk. 

Bundle Your Policies 

It’s possible to save good money on your homeowner’s policy when you combine it with other types of policies from the same provider. It’s also a great idea if you plan on protecting your home for the long term and want to work with the same provider for many years. 

Improve Your Home’s Structure 

While adding certain types of improvements can impact your home’s insurance negatively, structural improvements can improve it. For example, if you repair problems with the foundation, roof, walls, doors, and windows, you can make your insurance a little stronger. Talk with your agent and a contractor to learn more.

Add Security Systems 

Insurance companies love it when homeowners add security items to their homes, like deadbolts, cameras, alarm windows, and more. They’ll likely reduce your payments or even open you up to other types of policies that may be unavailable to many homeowners. 

Taking the Smart Steps Towards Success

By working with our team at Knippenberg Insurance Inc., you can protect your Cumberland, MD home from various long-term complications. Just as importantly, you can get the policy that makes the most sense for your needs and minimize potential financial issues.

Can You Get Federal Crop Insurance for Hemp?

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Hemp has traditionally not been insurable through the federal crop insurance program, but that changed within the past few years. Hemp is generally now insurable through the program.

USDA Change to Federal Crop Insurance Program

As of 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) adjusted its program stipulations so that hemp is insurable through the federal crop insurance program. Coverage is broadly available in states where hemp can be legally grown, and thus is usually available in Cumberland, MD, and the state’s many other communities.

In Maryland, coverage is mainly available through the Whole Farm Revenue Protection program. A pilot program is available in select other states but not yet in Maryland. The whole farm program can provide robust protection in many situations, however.

Coverage is generally based on Actual Production History (APH) for hemp grown for fiber, grain, or CBD oil, provided it contains 0.3% or less tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Percent is determined by dry weight. 

Protecting a Valuable Crop

Because hemp can be such a valuable crop, it’s especially important to make sure that the crop is insured against damage and loss. While there may be other coverage options. The USDA’s Whole Farm Revenue Protection Program is normally the most affordable and effective option for growers in Cumberland, MD.

An insurance agent specializing in hemp operations can help growers confirm that this is the right option for them. Because this remains a relatively new insurance, it’s particularly important to work with an agent who knows hemp crop insurance options well.

Knippenberg Insurance Inc. Is Here To Help

For help insuring hemp crops in Maryland, contact our knowledgeable agents at Knippenberg Insurance Inc.

When to review your life insurance coverage

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Life insurance is an important part of your financial planning. Your needs change over the years of your life and the amount of coverage you require also changes. At Knippenberg Insurance Inc. in Cumberland, MD, we pride ourselves on knowing our customers and being about to make recommendations about when to review life insurance needs. 

When to review your life insurance coverage

You buy a home

One of the first major milestones in your financial life is probably buying your first home. It raises your liability level, and when you have a mortgage, it is a big financial investment. Raising the amount of life insurance that you have will make sure that your family is not financially crippled by your taking over your debt. 

You change jobs

If you have life insurance as a benefit of your job, that is great, but it should not be the only life insurance you have. If you change jobs you will lose and maintaining it on your own may not be a wise financial decision.  

You get married

When you take a partner, the first thing you do is to make sure that you change the beneficiary on your insurance policy.  You may also need to increase the amount of life insurance that you have in order to provide financial protection to your spouse. 

You have children

Children change everything, so it is not surprising that they also change the amount of life insurance that you now have. You need to potentially provide for them for an extended period of time. 

You retire

When you no longer have dependents other than your spouse, you can go back to the amount of life insurance you require as a married person and perhaps even less since the income you are replacing is probably less. 

Get Insurance Coverage For Your Needs

Contact Knippenberg Insurance Inc. in Cumberland, MD for all your life insurance needs. We are happy to help!

Auto insurance add-ons that are worth considering

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The state of Maryland requires that you carry liability insurance to protect other drivers from you. The amount that you must have is 30/60/15 which means $30,000 for the first person injured in an accident with a total of $60,000 per accident and $15,000 for property. At Knippenberg Insurance Inc. in Cumberland, MD, we make sure all of our customers comply with the law, and we also offer them all the add-ons that can give them additional protection.

If you need to protect your own vehicle in the event that you are the responsible party in an accident, or your vehicle is damaged by another event, you need to consider getting collision, comprehensive, and full glass coverage. 

Auto Insurance Add-ons

Collision coverage covers your vehicle if you collide with another vehicle or a stationary item. It will also cover you if you are the victim of a hit-and-run. There is a deductible that must be paid first, but the vehicle can then be repaired or replaced. 

Comprehensive coverage protects your vehicle from other things that can damage it such as weather events, high winds, hail, and flooding. It also covers theft and vandalism. It covers the glass on your vehicle but with a deductible. 

Total glass coverage will replace your windshield without any deductible. You should be able to have them come to you to do the replacement too. 

Gap insurance is a necessity if you have a new car and an auto loan. It will cover the gap between what you owe and what the insurance company values your vehicle at. 

Rental vehicle insurance provides you with a rental vehicle in the event your car is damaged in an accident. 

Schedule A Consultation Today

Call Knippenberg Insurance Inc. in Cumberland, MD to take advantage of our experience and the many choices we can offer you as independent agents. 

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