Common Risks Small Businesses Face

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Business owners face risks every day in Omaha, NE. Though these risks are not the same as homeowners face, they are still risks that require insurance protection. In addition, some risks business owners face are more significant than others and need different kinds of insurance coverage. After reading this, give us a call at Ed Thompson Insurance Agency for help answering all of your business insurance questions. 

Below are common risks business owners face: 

Liability Risk

Regardless of the type of business, all businesses face a liability risk. Common liability risks include bodily injury, physical damage, and failure to meet contractual obligations. A general liability insurance policy protects you and your employees whenever conducting business for accident-related damages your company is liable to cover. 

Property Risk

All businesses face property risks. Having adequate commercial property insurance protects you against accidents, hazards, and natural disasters that could impact your inventory, equipment, and physical property. 

Commercial Auto Risk

Auto use related to your business includes taking employees out to lunch, making a delivery, or traveling to a meeting. Commercial auto insurance protects your business when a personal or company vehicle is used for any business-related purposes. 

Business Interruption Risk

Unexpected events, such as a fire or natural disaster, could force a business to close. The closure presents a risk of lost revenue, negatively impacting business operations. Business interruption insurance covers the company should it be forced to close, including all fixed expenses, relocation costs, and lost revenue. 

Cyber and Data Risk

Cyber threats and data breaches are rising and becoming increasingly common. As more of our business is conducted online, we have a greater need to protect ourselves from these threats. Cyber liability insurance covers your business against these threats by providing legal coverage, notification costs, and providing system disruption coverage. 

Omaha, NE business owners need to ensure they are protected from all possible risks. Call the experts at Ed Thompson Insurance Agency today for additional information about potential business risks and how to keep yourself and your company protected. 

How to Choose a Home Insurance Policy

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Home insurance is an excellent investment for anyone who wants to protect their home. You can be confident, knowing that in the event of a disaster, you are protected against financial loss. However, when choosing a home insurance policy, some people may not be sure how to choose a policy. Ed Thompson Insurance Agency explains to Omaha, NE residents how to choose a home insurance policy.

Understand Insurance

For you to choose the right policy for yourself, you have to understand how home insurance policies and coverage work. With that information, you are aware of what is required of you to make informed choices.

Evaluate Your Needs and Know What is Covered

Before choosing a policy, it will be good if you assess your needs first. There is a lot of information online, and you can also talk to various insurance agents to analyze what specific policies require. Depending on your needs, get to know what is covered and if it is satisfactory. For instance, comprehensive coverage is not the same as basic coverage. And depending on your financial ability and valuables, you need something that will offer you a good cover. In the end, research is an essential aspect of choosing a policy.

Accurate Estimates

When choosing a policy, ensure you have the correct estimates for the cost of rebuilding your home and replacing the contents inside. A proper estimate is the only way to know you are choosing a policy sufficient to cover your needs.

Fill The Application Correctly

When you are filing an insurance application form, you need to fill it accurately. There are essential things you will be asked about, like various features of your home. This is not a guessing game but rather an opportunity to ensure you are picking the right policy. Also, if you give wrong information, your claim may be turned down.

If you are looking to purchase a home insurance policy in Omaha, NE, speak to Ed Thompson Insurance Agency, where we will help you pick a policy depending on your needs.

4 essential home insurance coverages every first time owner should buy

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Buying a new home comes with a mixture of excitement and worry as there are many considerations to make, such as location, size, neighborhood, property taxes, packing, and so much more. Unfortunately, many people in Omaha, NE end up dwelling on the aesthetics and overlook the importance of getting proper home insurance. At Ed Thompson Insurance Agency, we recommend giving home insurance a priority as it protects your investment. Here are the four critical coverages you should seriously consider buying as a first-time homeowner.

1. Personal property

Your personal property makes up your home, and your things are probably the first thing you would want to save in the event of a fire or natural disaster. Your clothing, appliances, furniture, and even personal collections are covered under personal property coverage.

2. Additional living expenses (ALE)

Ever thought about what would happen when a disaster brings down your home? Of course, you would be lucky if you had ALE as it would allow you to live in a hotel or home in Omaha, NE to get your life back to normal as your home undergoes repair.

3. Dwelling and other structures

The dwelling coverage compensates you for damage to the interior and exterior of your house. The areas covered include the wall, floor, and ceiling. If you have other structures on your compound, such as a detached garage, other structures’ coverage helps protect them in the event of a fire or any other covered disaster.

4. Liability

You will need liability coverage whether you live alone, with a spouse, or parents. You never know when you will be slapped with an expensive lawsuit. Remember your guest or neighbor can sue you for injuries or property damage. The last thing you want is to start taking new loans after buying a new home. 

For more information, questions, or policy discussion contact, Ed Thompson Insurance Agency today.

Limited Liability Versus Full Coverage

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If you’ve been shopping for auto insurance, you may have come across the terms “limited liability” and “full coverage,” which is sometimes called comprehensive coverage. When selecting an auto insurance plan, you need to know the difference between these types of insurance and what they cover. Need help selecting an auto insurance plan? Contact the Ed Thompson Insurance Agency, which serves Omaha, NE.

Now let’s take a look at the differences between limited liability and full coverage auto insurance.

Breaking Down The Key Differences Between Limited Liability and Full Coverage

Liability refers to what the insurance company must pay for in the event of an accident, vehicle theft, or another situation. Limited liability means that the insurance company is liable only for a limited number of things.

Often, limited liability will not provide coverage for the owner’s vehicle but may provide coverage for the other driver’s vehicle. This means that if you get in an accident, you may have to cover the damage costs for your vehicle.

Limited liability often won’t cover the costs associated with theft either. If your car is stolen, you may not get any money to help with buying a new car or to cover damages that occurred during the theft.

With comprehensive auto insurance, damages to your car are typically covered. Theft may also be covered under a comprehensive plan, and the insurance provider may provide funds that you can use to buy a new car. Theft of objects within a car, such as a laptop, may not be covered under your comprehensive vehicle insurance plan, but you may be able to purchase additional theft coverage.

Generally speaking, comprehensive car insurance plans are more expensive than limited liability auto plans. Yet the additional monthly costs could help ensure that more is covered in the event of an accident or other incident.

If you have more questions about comprehensive versus limited liability auto plans or want guidance when selecting a plan, contact the Ed Thompson Insurance Agency, which serves Omaha, NE.

What Are The Benefits Of Commercial Insurance?

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If you have a business in Omaha, NE, you need to have a commercial insurance policy to take care of the liabilities and catastrophes that your company might be facing. Ed Thompson Insurance Agency helps many business owners in this region find commercial insurance that benefits their business, as shown below.

Prevents Business Collapse

Every business today is facing significant risk and uncertainty that can happen at any given time. There are possibilities of natural disasters like floods and earthquakes that can destroy the business. Fire can consume everything in a matter of minutes, which means that the company might collapse. However, with commercial insurance in place, everything will be restored, and the business will continue operating. 

Enhances Business Credibility

Today, customers are conducting background checks before they determine whether to do any business with an organization. One of the most important aspects that most customers are checking is whether a business is insured. Companies that are bonded, licensed, and insured build trust, a primary recipe for a company’s growth and success. 

Protecting Your Workers

Besides all the tools and equipment, employees stand as the most important resources that an organization has. Therefore, protecting them and making sure that they feel protected is necessary as it promotes business success. With commercial insurance, employees are covered in multiple areas such as possible injuries, medical expenses, and replacement of lost income after an injury in the workplace. 

As a business owner in Omaha, NE, you might have a perception that avoiding commercial insurance will save you thousands of dollars in insurance premiums. However, it may expose you to possible business collapse or possible loss of millions of dollars. Contact Ed Thompson Insurance Agency and get a commercial insurance policy that meets your commercial operations’ needs.

What is a Home Inventory and How do I Create One?

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Creating a home inventory in Omaha, NE is one of the best ways to ensure you get properly compensated should something happen to your home. A home inventory is a list of the items in your home, and it is beneficial when you need to file an insurance claim after your home is damaged or robbed. Ed Thompson Insurance Agency has summarized the basics of how to create a home inventory to make the process as easy as possible for you. 

How to Create a Home Inventory

While it might sound tedious, the best way to make a home inventory is to go through every room in your home and write down everything you own. Don’t skip over the small things; the more detailed your inventory is, the easier it will be to create an insurance claim and get compensated if something happens to your home or belongings. 

Additional details that are helpful to include are pictures of the items, prices, and the date you purchased them. Consider doing one room at a time, so the task doesn’t feel overwhelming. When you’re finished, store your home inventory electronically so you’ll have easy access to it if something happens to your home. 

Once your inventory is completed, revisit it at least annually. Add items that you’ve bought and delete items that you’ve gotten rid of. 

In the unfortunate event something happens to the belongings in your home, a home inventory makes the aftermath easier. If you have questions about creating a home inventory or about home insurance in general, Ed Thompson Insurance Agency, which serves Omaha, NE is ready to help. Give us a call or stop by our office today. 

 

Do I need auto insurance in Omaha?

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When you are looking for a new city to move to, Omaha, NE can be a great option. This is a large city with a strong economy and offers plenty of recreational options. For those who want to enjoy this state as much as possible, owning a car is practically necessary. Those who choose to buy a car here need to make sure that they get proper insurance. There are a few reasons why you should always stay properly covered with an auto insurance plan when driving here. 

The Law Requires Insurance

One of the reasons you will need to get this insurance when you are in Omaha is that state laws have various liability insurance requirements. All drivers through the state of Nebraska need to make sure that they follow the state laws around maintaining proper liability coverage. If you do not have this insurance, you could face a variety of penalties. 

Insurance is Needed to Protect Car

You will also need to get auto insurance coverage because it is needed to protect your vehicle. Buying any type of car will come with a big investment that you should protect. If you get a full collision and comprehensive insurance plan, you can get great coverage to ensure you are covered if you’re are a victim of theft or other types of losses. 

If you need help evaluating your insurance options and are in the Omaha, NE area, Ed Thompson Insurance Agency is a great company to contact. Many important factors need to be considered when looking for a new policy. The Ed Thompson Insurance Agency team can answer your questions and make sure you pick the best policy possible to meet your needs. 

Required Commercial Insurance in Nebraska

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Every state has its own rules about how small businesses operate. Part of those rules is the types of commercial insurance your business must-have. There are two that are required by Nebraska law, but there are also other types that can add to your legal and financial protection. For more information, call us at the Ed Thompson Insurance Agency in Omaha, NE.

Commercial Auto Insurance

When your business owns a vehicle, it’s required for each of these vehicles to be covered by a commercial auto insurance policy. If you try to get by with a personal insurance policy on the vehicle, it will not only be illegal, but the personal policy likely won’t pay out if there is an accident. The commercial policy that you have must have a specific, state-mandated minimum for bodily injury liability for the accident as a whole as well as per person injured. It must also have a specific amount of property damage liability. The policy must also have the legal minimum of coverage for an uninsured motorist protection per accident and person. If you have a vehicle that gets used for business a lot but is not owned by the business, it should have a hired and non-owned coverage policy. 

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Nebraska’s law requires that every business that has any number of employees must have workers’ compensation insurance coverage. This is true, no matter how many employees you have and whether they are part-time or full-time. This coverage helps the workers by having coverage available to pay their medical bills for accidents and sicknesses that occur on the job. It also helps the business by having that coverage in place so that the medical bills don’t have to be paid out of pocket.

Talk to an Insurance Agent

If your business needs commercial insurance, call us at Ed Thompson Insurance Agency in Omaha, NE to talk to an insurance agent about your business and its commercial insurance needs.

Why would I get home insurance in Omaha?

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In the Omaha, NE area, owning a home can be a great long-term option. Those that are property owners will be making a big investment, which should be properly protected. One of the best ways to do this is by getting a home insurance policy. There are several reasons why someone here should consider getting home insurance. 

Insurance Offers Valuable Coverage and Protection

One reason you should get home insurance when you are in Omaha is to give you some beneficial coverage. With home insurance, you will get the coverage that can help repair or rebuild your home if it is damaged. Additionally, you will receive a liability coverage plan that will give protection if you or your home are found at fault for an injury or property damage. During some difficult situations, this will prove to be extremely helpful when you have coverage. 

Insurance is a Requirement for Many

You will also want to get home insurance for your Omaha property because it could be a requirement for you. Many people in this area end up being required to carry home insurance at all times. If you have taken out a mortgage or live in a home association, you likely have home insurance requirements. It is important to fully understand what these requirements are and get a policy that matches them. 

As you are looking for a home insurance policy in the Omaha, NE area, you should speak with the team at Ed Thompson Insurance Agency. If you speak with the insurance team at Ed Thompson Insurance Agency, you can learn far more about the different options you have. This can help ensure that you get into the best policy possible. 

5 Terms You Should Know About Home Insurance

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Homeowner’s insurance is a complicated topic. When you talk to an agent, it would be helpful if you know some of the more common terms you’ll come across. The team at Ed Thompson Insurance Agency of the Omaha, NE area can also make this language clearer for you if there are still things that you don’t understand.

  • Blanket Coverage: This is when your insurance policy has just one limit of insurance for multiple items. For instance, you would get a certain amount for three buildings on your property instead of having them scheduled separately for individual amounts. 

  • Claim: This refers to requesting that your insurance company pays you when you’ve had a loss. Once the company validates the claim, you’ll receive your payment. 

  • Depreciation: This refers to a decrease in your property’s value (whether it’s your house, oven, roof, etc.) when it’s had wear and tear or it has become obsolete. 

  • Replacement cost value insurance (also known as RCV): This is coverage that pays to replace or restore something that’s been destroyed or damaged. This will restore it to the condition that it was in before the damage occurring.

  • Rider: Though it’s typically used for life insurance, a rider may be applied to other types of insurance if you need additional coverage beyond what’s stated in your policy. 

Serving the greater Omaha, NE region, Ed Thompson Insurance Agency has provided assistance to many returning and new clients over the years. If you are looking for home insurance or another kind of insurance that fits your needs, contact us today with your questions and concerns.