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The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC

217 West Main Street,
Louisa, VA 23093

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5 Myths About Watercraft Insurance

If you own a boat, it’s important to have the right insurance in place in case of an accident. However, there are a lot of myths surrounding watercraft insurance that can make it difficult to understand what coverage you need. The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC in Louisa, VA can help dispel some of the most common myths and get you the coverage to protect your investment. 

5 Myths About Watercraft Insurance

Myth 1: Watercraft Insurance Is Expensive

One of the most common myths about watercraft insurance is that it’s expensive. While the cost of coverage will vary depending on several factors, such as the type of boat you have and the amount of coverage you need, the cost of not being insured can be much higher. If you’re involved in an accident and don’t have insurance, you could be responsible for paying for the damages out of pocket.

Myth 2: Watercraft Insurance Is Only for Accidents

Another common myth about watercraft insurance is that it’s only for accidents. While it’s true that insurance can help protect you financially if you’re involved in an accident, it can also provide coverage for other types of incidents, such as theft, fire, or weather damage.

Myth 3: All Watercraft Insurance Policies Are the Same

There are various types of watercraft insurance policies available, and each one offers different coverage options. It’s important to compare policies and find one that meets your specific needs.

Myth 4: You Don’t Need Watercraft Insurance If You’re Not Financing Your Boat

Regardless of whether or not you’re financing your boat, it’s important to have insurance. If you’re involved in an accident and don’t have insurance, you could be responsible for paying for the damages out of pocket.

Myth 5: Your Homeowner’s Insurance Policy Will Cover Your Boat

While some homeowner’s insurance policies provide watercraft coverage, it’s typically limited to a certain dollar amount. If you have a boat, it’s important to have a separate watercraft insurance policy to ensure you’re fully protected.

Now that you know the truth about watercraft insurance, it’s time to get the coverage you need to protect your investment. The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC in Louisa, VA can help you find the right coverage for your needs. Call us today for a free quote.

How many perils should your Virginia home insurance cover?

When you purchase a home in Louisa, VA with a mortgage loan, your bank requires you to purchase homeowners insurance. What the bank doesn’t do is stipulate which homeowners insurance you need to buy.

The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC wants you to understand your choices, so you buy the coverage you need. 

How many perils should your Virginia home insurance cover?

You have a choice between policies that cover 10, 16, or all perils.

That means the insurance policy covers you for ten to all naturally occurring or man-made events beyond your feasible control. That means that the policy covers your home against loss when a tornado hits it, or fire occurs. If a hail storm damages the siding or the weight of winter storm ice and snow rips the gutters off, the insurance covers your repairs. The same is true if a burglar breaks in and steals from you. Home insurance covers your loss.

You must decide when you purchase your policy, which level of coverage you want. A 10 peril policy covers only the minimum number of perils. It costs the least, but you remain unprotected. Sometimes referred to as a dwelling policy, landlords often purchase it for rental homes. A 16 peril policy covers most hazards. Most homeowners opt for this coverage. You’ll pay the most for all perils coverage, but you can afford to pay for any repairs needed.

If a covered peril wipes out your home completely, you can replace it using your insurance payment. How much you’ll get depends on the coverage level there, too. You can choose replacement value or actual value. The difference is that, with actual value, you’ll receive a check for the value of your home when the peril destroyed it, even if it has dropped in value since you purchased it, but with replacement value, you get the cost of rebuilding your home as it was constructed, with any renovations you made paid for, too.

Protect your Louisa, VA with home insurance. Contact The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC to obtain the coverage you need to protect your home in Virginia.

Important Commercial Insurance Facts

The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC assists the Louisa, VA community and surrounding areas. We strive to help our clients find policies that align with their individual needs. We offer our clients flexible policies that evolve as their needs change over time. We recognize that life may throw obstacles your way. We will help you obtain the necessary coverage to stay protected in any situation.

Important Commercial Insurance Facts

As a Louisa, VA business owner, you are aware of the difficulties involved in operating a business. When things get overwhelming, you can rely on your commercial insurance coverage. Commercial insurance covers your business against potential emergencies. You are covered if your equipment or inventory is stolen or vandalized. You are also covered if your property is damaged due to an accidental fire or severe weather. Liability coverage is the foundation of your policy. You are at risk of potential litigation at any moment. Liability coverage protects you if a patron is injured while visiting your property or if your products cause property damage. Workers compensation is an asset because it allows you to take care of your employees. The policy covers your employees if there is an injury in the workplace.

You can adjust your commercial insurance based on the evolving needs of your business. If you rely on online transactions, consider adding cyber liability coverage. Hackers are constantly searching for ways to obtain sensitive information. Cyber liability coverage protects your business if you suffer a data breach. Professional liability coverage is another option. This type of coverage protects your business if a customer alleges that your negligence while performing a service caused them harm.

The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC Will Help You Cover Your Assets

Contact us today to learn more information about commercial insurance.

Auto Insurance Policy Breakdown

The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC serves the Louisa, VA community. Life is full of unpredictability. We strive to offer our clients policies that will allow them to navigate life’s risks. We offer multiple types of coverage so that our clients can find a policy that directly aligns with their individual needs. We will sit down with you and help you find the coverage you’re looking for.

Auto Insurance Policy Breakdown

As you travel around Louisa, VA in your car, you have to be aware of your surroundings. Detours may cause road conditions to change, and you also have to think about the behavior of other drivers on the road. Auto insurance gives you a layer of protection if something arises while you’re on the road. Collision coverage protects you if your vehicle suffers damage thanks to an impact with another driver. Any damages to your vehicle are covered. Liability coverage is also an important part of your policy. Accidents can happen at any time while you’re driving. If you hit someone or accidentally cause property damage, liability coverage is a safety net. Liability coverage takes care of the repairs or the injured party’s medical bills and prevents you from facing potential legal action.

Comprehensive coverage protects your vehicle in unique ways. Perhaps you are a victim of theft. Maybe a serious storm passes through the coast and causes debris to crack your windshield or break your windows. Comprehensive coverage protects you in these situations. You can also amend your policy to add extra coverage. If you choose to modify your vehicle, you can add modified auto coverage to protect you if the upgrades are damaged.

The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC Will Help You Protect Your Assets

Visit our website to learn more information about auto insurance.

What Are the Most Common Types of Boat Insurance?

Have you recently purchased a boat or other type of watercraft? If so, you’ll want to get boat insurance right away. Get assistance about the types of insurance coverage as well as other matters related to boat insurance by discussing it with an agent from The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC of the Louisa, VA area. 

Customize Your Policy

Many boat insurance policies allow you to customize it to your liking. This way, you will be able to get a policy that meets your individual needs. Even though this is the case, there are several insurance packages that may already align with what you need. 

Standard Boat Insurance 

This is a policy that is considered a step up, meaning it’s the basic level of coverage. They typically offer diminishing deductible, higher amounts of liability and property insurance, value settlement, and hurricane haul-out coverage. 

Discount Boat Insurance 

This offers you lower coverage amounts when it comes to property and limited liability insurance. It’s best for when you encounter minimal risk situations and for boat storage purposes. 

Personal Watercraft Policy 

You would use this policy if you have a smaller boat or a watercraft that’s meant for only one user. Since it matches the lower value of small watercraft, it is usually inexpensive. 

Classic Boat Policy 

This is an ideal option for insurance if you have a boat that’s over 26 years old. Use it with vintage, antique, or collector boats that you don’t use as often. 

Performance Boat Insurance 

This is best suited for boats that are equipped to go at high speeds that tend to have higher risks associated with operating them. It includes additional coverage levels such as boat lift and hoist coverage. 

Consider Your Boat Insurance Policy Options 

When you need boat insurance, look no further than The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC. Serving the greater Louisa, VA area, this agency welcomes new customers at any time. Reach out to us today to get started with the process. 

Reasons why you may need more than basic auto insurance

Basic auto insurance is what is required by the state, in this case, Virginia. It is liability coverage that protects other drivers in the event you cause an accident. It is important coverage and it protects your assets, but it does not protect your vehicle. The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC in Louisa, VA, believes it is our job to make sure that all of our customers have exactly the amount of insurance that is best suited to their needs. 

If you are leasing your vehicle or you have a car loan, you will be required to have more than basic insurance. You need to protect the vehicle since others have a vested interest in your vehicle. Collision and comprehensive coverage will be required. . Collision protects your vehicle after an accident where you are at fault, are the only car in an accident, or are a victim of a hit and run. Comprehensive is coverage for all the things that can happen that aren’t your fault, just bad luck like weather damage, theft, and vandalism. 

If you are like most people, you count on your vehicle for everyday activities. You need to drive to work, shop, and pick up the kids. A day doesn’t go by when you don’t use your car. For you, having coverage that will fix your car if it is damaged is vital to your life. The reality is, basic insurance is right for a small number of people, not everyone. 

Having basic auto insurance is okay if you have an old car of little value and not much in the way of assets. But if you own a home and have savings, basic liability just won’t cut it. 

Contact The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC in Louisa, VA to discuss what you need when it comes to auto insurance. 

What Insurance Should My Business Have?

What’s the best insurance for my business? The answer is not as simple as you might think. It depends on your type of business, what kind of risks it faces, and how much money you’re looking to spend.

Let’s break this down into three categories: General Liability Insurance, Property Insurance, Workers Compensation Insurance. For example, suppose you own a restaurant or small retail store. In that case, General Liability Insurance will cover bodily injury or property damage that your customers suffer when they come in contact with any part of your operation (e.g., the food). And Property Insurance will pay for damages caused by fire, storms, theft, etc., to the physical structure where you do business (e.g., roof leaks, lightning strikes). Workers Compensation Insurance is required by law for any business with employees, and it’s designed to cover medical expenses and lost wages if an employee falls ill or gets injured on the job.

What About Commercial Insurance?

On the other hand, commercial insurance is designed to cover risks your business faces throughout its daily operations, and it’s pretty much essential for any business that doesn’t want to end up in bankruptcy court. Because with most businesses, if anything goes wrong with their operations and they don’t have enough money in the bank to cover it, then that’s exactly where they’re headed.

The benefits of getting commercial insurance include:

Liability protection: This is most important for business owners since this type of insurance covers the legal liability your business faces when it’s sued for bodily injury or property damage that was caused by you, an employee or a product sold.

Business Asset Protection: This coverage protects you from loss of property used in your business operations, such as computers, hand tools — basically your business assets.

All businesses should have some form of insurance. The real question is, how much do you need? Again, the answer to that depends on what you’re trying to cover and where your business is located. For all business owners in Louisa, VA, The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC can help you choose the best coverage for your business. Call us today for more information about our services.

Do I need to have auto insurance when my auto loan is paid off?

If you are living and driving in the state of Virginia, you need to have state-mandated auto insurance. In order to register a vehicle, you need to have the necessary insurance coverage. This is required whether you have a car loan or not. At The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC in Louisa, VA, we are an independent insurance agency that places the needs of our customers first. We work for you, not for an insurance company, and we take that responsibility seriously. 

In simple terms, yes, you do need to have auto insurance when your auto loan is paid off. The mandated insurance is 25/50/20. That is $25,000 for the first person injured in an accident where you are the at-fault driver, with a maximum of $50,000 for an entire accident. The $20,000 is for property damage. This is a reasonable amount but it may not be adequate depending on the accident. 

When you have a car loan, your lender will require that you have more than the mandated liability insurance required by the state of Virginia. You need to carry auto insurance that will protect your vehicle. To protect your vehicle, you must have collision and comprehensive coverage. This insurance is important coverage which you should consider having even if you no longer have a loan. 

Do you use your vehicle every day? Do you need a vehicle to get to work and to do other daily activities? Would you be able to repair or replace your vehicle in the event of an accident, damage incurred by a hit and run, or events beyond your control? If it is a hardship, then having auto insurance to protect your vehicle is a necessity for you. 

Contact The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC in Louisa, VA when you have questions or needs for auto insurance. 

4 Disasters Your Virginia Home Owner’s Insurance Might Not Cover

For Virginia residents, homeowners insurance can provide peace of mind, ensuring that your home is protected against the elements, accidents, and other incidents. However, when selecting homeowners insurance, it’s important to understand that some things may not be automatically covered.

At Pivotal Insurance Agency, we want to make sure every homeowner knows about disasters that might not automatically be covered.

Sinkholes Probably Aren’t Covered

Sinkholes are rare in Virginia but can still occur. Unfortunately, sinkhole coverage is not mandated in Virginia. Sinkholes have recently made headlines for swallowing cars in Virginia and it’s likely only a matter of time before a homeowner has his or her house damaged by one.

Earthquakes Usually Aren’t Covered Either

Earthquakes usually aren’t covered with standard Virginia homeowners insurance either. While powerful earthquakes are uncommon in Virginia, Louisa County was hit with a 5.8m earthquake back in 2011. Another powerful quake could hit soon.

You’ll Probably Need Separate Coverage for Floods

Floods are a serious risk in Virginia and a flood can quickly destroy a home and all of your personal belongings. Unfortunately, unless you have special coverage for flooding, you’ll likely find that your standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage.

Mudslides and Landslides Usually Aren’t Covered

Heavy rains can cause not only floods but also mudslides. Mudslides can wipe out your home even if it’s located high up a hill. Sadly, your standard Virginia homeowners insurance likely doesn’t cover damage from mudslides.

Make Sure Your Virginia Home is Covered

Your home is your castle. Make sure you fully understand what’s covered under your Virginia homeowners insurance, and when you find gaps in coverage, consider filling them with supplemental homeowners insurance.

Contact the Pivotal Insurance Agency today to learn more!

Does My Insurance Cover Other Drivers of My Boat?

You brought your friends out on a sunny day to enjoy some boating time on the water, but you don’t want to get stuck sitting behind the wheel. You think about letting one of your friends take the wheel while you enjoy kicking back for a while, but are you sure if anyone else is covered under your boating insurance policy if an incident happens while they’re navigating Louisa, VA waterways? 

The state of Virginia does not require a boat owner to carry boat insurance. They do require you to register your watercraft and get a certification of completion of a boating safety course, and some Louisa, VA marinas may require you to carry boat insurance to be able to dock. However, while boat insurance is not mandatory in Virginia, it is a safety precaution just as important as a fire extinguisher or life jacket.  

The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC offers boat insurance policies that cover liability and physical damage to your boat, yacht or commercial sailing vessel. 

Typical boat insurance coverage includes: 

  • Uninsured boater coverage  

  • Property 

  • Liability Coverage 

  • Towing  

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Other People Driving My Boat? 

While your homeowners insurance policy may cover your boat in the event that it is damaged while someone you know was operating it, the coverage doesn’t go very far. Your homeowners policy will typically cap at 10% or less than your home’s value – and provides no liability coverage for damage your boat may do to others. Generally, your homeowners policy doesn’t provide enough coverage unless your boat is slow, extremely small, or inexpensive. Your homeowners insurance will not cover liability to others or other property in the event that someone operating your watercraft is involved in an incident. 

Boat Insurance Exclusions 

While your boat insurance may cover another passenger navigating your vessel, if your child doesn’t meet the age, training, and license requirements in your state, your boat insurance policy will not cover them. For example, nobody under the age of 14 may operate a personal watercraft, regardless of your insurance coverage. 

Questions About Boat Insurance Coverage? 

We’ve got answers! Call The Pivotal Insurance Agency LLC today for more information about how to find the best boat insurance policy to protect yourself and your passengers while your boat is on the water, being towed, or in storage.