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Who Needs Boat Insurance?

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Car insurance is straightforward. If you drive a car, you must have at least a liability policy. When it comes to boat insurance, things are more nuanced. At Ruddy Insurance Group, we offer boat insurance in Niles, OH. 

Is Boat Insurance Required? 

Most states, including Ohio, do not require boaters to have a boat insurance policy.

However, most marinas require some boat insurance before you rent a slip or mooring. This is typically a liability policy, but requirements vary. 

If you have a lien on your boat, your lender may require you to carry insurance to protect the investment. The policy should cover the full value of your boat. 

Are Boats Covered Under Homeowners Insurance? 

A homeowners policy provides minimal coverage for your boat. Most policies will only provide 1,000 worth of coverage for your watercraft. If your boat is worth more than this, you should consider a boat policy.

Your homeowner’s policy may also provide limited liability coverage for your boat. However, there are limitations as to the size and type of boat that is covered. 

Larger boats, or those with more than 50 horsepower, are not typically covered. Jet skis are not covered.  

Should You Get Boat Insurance? 

If you own a boat, you should consider boat insurance, even if it’s not required. You may find yourself unable to access a marina without a policy. 

A boat insurance policy also provides you with robust liability coverage. This includes damage to others’ property and injuries to others. 

Lastly, your boat is a significant investment. A boating policy can protect your investment in the event an accident occurs. 

Boat Insurance at Ruddy Insurance Group

If you need boat insurance in Niles, OH, contact us at Ruddy Insurance Group. We’ll work with you to ensure you get the right coverage for your needs. 

How To Choose The Right Auto Insurance For You

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 Except for New Hampshire and Virginia, having car insurance is mandatory. As a resident of Niles, OH, picking the right auto insurance for you might seem too complex because of the numerous options available. We at Ruddy Insurance Group have been helping car owners like you solve this problem for a while now. Here is a simplification of choosing the right auto insurance for you. 

1. What Car Insurance Coverages Are Available for You? 

There are five common auto insurance coverages that most drivers go for, and they are:  

  • Liability: It takes care of medical bills if you injure someone with your car and repays damage to someone’s property
  • Collision: It takes care of damage to your vehicle after an accident
  • Comprehensive: It takes care of damage to your car that occurs when you are not driving
  • Medical/personal injury: It takes care of medical expenses for you and the passengers in your vehicle after an accident
  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist: Covers repair costs for damages to your car if you are involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured car

2. Additional Car Insurance Coverage Options

  • Roadside assistance: It’s necessary if you aren’t a member of an auto club like AAA that offers roadside assistance
  • Rental car reimbursement: Takes care of rental costs as you wait for your car to be replaced or repaired by the insurance after an accident.
  • Gap insurance: Fills the gap between your vehicle’s depreciated value and the amount of loan or lease you still owe
  • New car replacement coverage: Takes care of replacing your car with a comparable one it’s totaled within the first 24 months of ownership. 

3. Making the Decision

Before choosing what policy to go with, determine how much coverage you and your car need and what you can comfortably afford. Also, consider picking an excellent insurer with a good record. Contact us at Ruddy Insurance Group in Niles, OH, for all inquiries about auto insurance. 

Life insurance FAQs

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Life insurance is something that many people talk about, but few people understand. You know what and why you want it, but there is more to choosing life insurance than just the death benefit. There is what kind of insurance to have and how much. At Ruddy Insurance Group in Niles, OH, we get to know our customers to suggest better the type and amount of life insurance that is right for them. 

Do you need to get a doctor’s exam to get a life insurance policy?

That is a tricky question. The answer is no, there will always be some policies you can get without a physical, but it is not necessarily in your best interest to get those policies. They will be more expensive. 

Can your life insurance be canceled?

Yes, it can. The most common reason for cancelation is nonpayment. If you plan to keep your policy, you might want to ensure it is on autopay. Your policy may also be canceled if it is discovered that you were not truthful in your application. This can be about whether you are a smoker, have ever been a smoker, or have a preexisting condition. 

How long of a term does term insurance have? 

Typically, term life insurance will last from 10 to 30 years. The premium will remain the same for the entire term of the policy, and when the 30 years are up, you will have no accumulated cash value. What you are paying for with term-life policies is the death benefit. You may be able to renew the policy a year at a time, but the premium will increase as you age, sometimes quite dramatically. 

Contact Ruddy Insurance Group in Niles, OH with any questions about life insurance. 

What New Homeowners Need to Know About Insurance

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Purchasing a new home is an exciting time in life. It is imperative, though, that you do everything you can to protect this big, new investment. At Ruddy Insurance Group, serving Niles, OH, and the surrounding areas, we make it our top priority to educate our clients on insurance products that can benefit them. Keep reading to learn more about home insurance. 

Why Is Home Insurance So Important?

Your house will be one of the biggest financial investments you make. Not only will this be a financial investment, but it will also be an emotional investment. Your house will serve as a safe place for you and your family to grow together. For this reason, you will want to make sure that this investment is protected in the best ways possible. The foundation of protecting this investment is a solid home insurance policy. 

How Does Home Insurance Work?

A home insurance policy is designed to pay for repairs or replacement of your home should the home be damaged or lost. In most cases, a policy will cover repairs or loss due to fire, natural disaster, or burglary. The money paid to you from the insurance policy can be used to repair your home or build another house. This provides you with peace of mind knowing that you and your family will always have a place to call home. 

What About Flooding?

New homeowners need to be aware that most home insurance policies do not cover flood damage from a naturally occurring flood. This means that if your home is flooded due to plumbing malfunctions or an appliance malfunction, this damage can be covered. However, if your community experiences a flood that damages your home, those damages can only be covered if you have flood insurance added to your policy. 

If you would like to learn more, contact us at Ruddy Insurance Group, serving Niles, OH, and the surrounding areas. 

Does Snowmobile Insurance Cover Medical Bills?

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There is nothing better than playing in the snow in Niles, OH, especially if you are the proud owner of a snowmobile. Unfortunately, there is the risk of accidents when you are cruising carefree down the powder-covered hills. When you obtain a snowmobile insurance policy from Ruddy Insurance Group, you can rest assured that you and your snowmobile are protected.

Medical Expense Coverage

If you are injured while operating your snowmobile, the medical expense coverage included in your snowmobile insurance policy will provide you with help in paying the related medical bills. Keep in mind that the amount paid is subject to your deductible and coverage limits.

Some snowmobile insurance policies will cover any passengers, while others will require you to purchase additional coverage. If you plan to have riders on your snowmobile with you, be sure to talk to your insurance agent to make certain that their medical expenses will also be covered in the event of an accident.

Bodily Injury Liability

If you are found to be legally responsible for an accident where another party was injured, bodily injury liability coverage will cover the cost of their medical expenses.

Medical bills for you, your passengers, or other involved parties can add up quickly following an accident. It is vital that you have the proper snowmobile insurance coverage in place. A team of talented agents at Ruddy Insurance Group is happy to help assess your need to find the best coverage solution. We offer several benefits for those in the Niles, OH area.

Before you hit the snow, give our experienced agents a call to learn more about the coverage options that we have available or request a quote. We are here to address any concerns and answer any questions that you have.

How can boat insurance protect your Niles boat?

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For those that are in the Niles, OH area and want to be able to enjoy the warm summer months as much as possible, getting a boat can be a great idea. Those that are going to purchase a boat when they are in this region will always want to have the right insurance support in place. Your boat insurance plan can protect your boat in various ways. 

Offset Liability Risk

One of the ways that you can be covered with insurance is by reducing your liability risk. Boat owners are always going to run the risk that they could cause an accident when operating it. If you do cause damages in an accident, you will have to pay for restitution. Depending on the accident, this could be a significant amount of money. With boat insurance, you can offset this risk as you will continue to be properly covered for liability claims. 

Cover the Boat

While you will want to have liability coverage, it is also important to ensure your boat is protected. With a boat insurance plan, you will get the coverage that is needed to fully protect your boat. This can ensure you have support if your boat is damaged in an accident or stolen. With coverage, you will be able to repair or replace your boat if a loss occurs. 

If you are going to purchase a boat in the Niles, OH area, it continues to be important that you get the right coverage. The team with the Ruddy Insurance Group can offer you any guidance that is needed to choose an ideal plan. If you are going to work with the Ruddy Insurance Group, you can learn much more about your options for coverage and build a plan that will properly cover your boat. 

Who Needs Life Insurance in Niles, OH?

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Life insurance isn’t the prettiest topic, but it is something that you can’t escape if you want to plan your future. Life insurance protects your loved ones and gives you the peace of mind that the people you leave behind won’t suffer financially when you are long gone.

No one likes to think about their death, but the last thing you would want is to leave your loved ones exposed when you die. So, who needs life insurance? While not everyone needs life insurance, Ruddy Insurance Group in Niles, OH, explains who needs life insurance.

If you have dependents

If you have children or a spouse, you need life insurance to ensure that they don’t lack financially when you die. Life insurance covers the gap left should something happen to you.

If you have debts

Your mortgage and car loan won’t disappear because you are dead. Instead, you will leave the financial burden with family members and cosigners. The good news is that you can invest in life insurance, and the proceeds can be used to pay off your outstanding loans.

If you are single and happy

This might surprise you, but yes, you need life insurance even if you are single. Why? You might not have a spouse or children but have other responsibilities. For instance, if you have aging parents or debts, you need life insurance to cushion your interests when you are long gone.

And that’s not all. Your singlehood isn’t for a lifetime. Down the road, your situation might change, and you better invest in life insurance now that you are young and healthy.

Buy life insurance today!

Are you ready to invest in life insurance? Getting coverage is easy. All you need to do is get in touch with Ruddy Insurance Group in Niles, OH. We will offer you a life insurance plan that suits your unique needs.

What Does Home Insurance Cover? Here’s What You Need to Know

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Home insurance is a necessity for every homeowner. It is a cover taken to protect valuable possessions and assets at home from damage and theft. If you are looking for financial protection for your home, consult Ruddy Insurance Group in Niles, OH to understand the different policies available and get guidance on which one suits your needs best.

What is Home Insurance?

It is crucial to protect your home with coverage that helps with repair and replacement costs in case of damage by fire or theft. Home Insurance cover helps cover the costs when there is accidental damage to someone else’s property or when someone is injured in your home.

What Does Home Insurance Cover?

Basic home insurance policies offer coverage for damage caused by such perils as windstorms, theft, lightning strikes, fires, and hail. For damages brought about by perils like floods and earthquakes, you will need to buy additional coverages to protect against such risks.

Home insurance pays for repairs and rebuilding costs if your home is damaged. Once you claim to your insurer and the property damage results from a covered peril, you are compensated for losses. 

Different policies cover different things, but generally, home insurance covers your dwelling and any structures around like sheds. It also offers protection to personal property and additional living expenses that are caused by the peril. A home insurance cover pays for medical expenses and offers personal liability coverage as well as legal fees. 

Home insurance is a domestic package for protecting your house plus possessions, including the building, clothes, electronics, furniture, and other assets in case of theft or damage during fires. Ideally, basic home insurance offers basic coverage for;

  • Dwelling protection
  • Personal property
  • Liability protection
  • Other structures protection

Every coverage has a limit towards covered losses, and these limits are adjustable according to your specific needs. If you are looking for home insurance in Niles, OH, Ruddy Insurance Group can help you get a policy fit for your needs.

What Does Classic Car Insurance Cover?

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Showing off your classic car and all the hard work and money you have put into restoring your vehicle is fun and exciting, but you also want to have the peace of mind in knowing it is protected in case something goes wrong. The agents at the Ruddy Insurance Group in Niles, OH know that the best way to protect your classic car is through obtaining a classic car insurance policy.

In the state of Ohio, the same requirements that apply to all drivers of motor vehicles include you and your classic car since you will be occasionally driving it on public streets and highways. Also in Ohio, your vehicle must be at least 25 years old to be considered a classic car and is slated to be a collector’s item that is used for you to participate in parades, car shows, tours, car club activities, exhibitions, and other similar types of events. Your classic car cannot be used for general transportation, but you can drive it to and from events.

While most vehicles depreciate in value as soon as you drive them off the dealer’s lot, classic vehicles gain value over time. If you restore and maintain your classic car properly, the amount of money it is worth will increase in value.

In addition to liability insurance, you should obtain comprehensive insurance to protect your vehicle in the event it is damaged because of a fire, vandalism natural disaster, or is stolen. You can also obtain collision insurance in case you collide with another vehicle or a stationary object.

The classic car insurance agents at the Ruddy Insurance Group in Niles, OH are ready to assist you with all of your classic car insurance needs. Please call for a quote today to get your policy started.

How renters insurance protects renters

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Renters insurance is a misunderstood type of insurance. Only about 40% of renters carry this coverage and, given the inexpensive price and the coverage offered, 100% of people should have it. At Ruddy Insurance Group in Niles, OH, our team is dedicated to providing the finest in customer service and the best choices for our clients. We are happy to share the information that you may need to make this important decision.

You may be under the impression that your landlord has insurance and that it offers you protection. That is not correct. The landlord’s insurance will only protect their building, not your personal property. It is up to you to make sure that you protect yourself. 

Renters insurance has several different types of coverage. Content coverage protects all of the contents of your rental including your personal things as well as furniture and appliances. It even protects your possessions if they are in your vehicle or traveling with you. You have two choices of coverage, one gives you the value of your possessions today and the other gives you what you would need to replace them at today’s prices. 

Renters insurance also includes liability insurance. You may think that, as a renter, no one would sue you. That may be wrong. If someone is injured while at your home or by a member of your family, you could find yourself involved in legal action to recover medical bills as well as pain and suffering. 

If your rental is damaged and you can’t stay there, where would you go? With some rental insurance policies, you have "loss of use" coverage that will pay for a hotel or temporary rental for you and your family. It can also help with meals since you can’t cook in a hotel. 

Contact Ruddy Insurance Group in Niles, OH when you are ready to discuss renters insurance.