Do You Need Umbrella Insurance? Assessing Your Liability Risks

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If you own a home or have any assets, it is essential to understand the risks of not having enough liability coverage. This is where umbrella insurance comes in. Don’t know what Umbrella insurance is? Don’t worry, we at Bayshield Insurance, serving the San Jose, CA area, can help.

What Does Umbrella Insurance Cover?

Umbrella insurance is an additional layer of protection that will provide coverage to you beyond what your other liability policies, such as homeowners or auto, offer.

Umbrella insurance covers a variety of potential losses including property damage, bodily injury, libel and slander claims, false arrest/detainment, and more. The amount of coverage you need is determined by your assets, your area, and the potential for a large liability claim if an accident occurs.

Understanding Your Liability Risks

The risks you face depend on the types of activities and locations you frequent. If you are a homeowner, there are additional liability risks associated with owning property or having visitors over to your home.

For example, if you own rental properties or participate in recreational activities such as boating in the San Jose, CA area, then these also involve extra risk. It is essential to consider these factors when determining the amount of coverage you need.

When Should You Consider Getting Umbrella Insurance?

If you have any of the following, it may be worth considering umbrella insurance:

  • More than one vehicle or multiple homes
  • Valuable assets such as jewelry or art collections
  • Pets or other animals
  • Frequent renters at your home
  • Participation in recreational activities such as boating or skiing

Umbrella insurance is an integral part of protecting yourself from the costs associated with a significant liability claim. At Bayshield Insurance, we understand the risks you face and can help to ensure that you have coverage in place to protect you, your family, and your property. Contact us today to learn more about how umbrella insurance can give you peace of mind.

Hidden Insurance Risks to Cover When Renovating Your Home

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At Bayshield Insurance in San Jose, CA, we’re here to help you make exciting changes in the place where you and your family live by making sure you have the right coverage for your needs.

When Your Home Becomes a Construction Site Due to Renovations

When you’re renovating all or part of your home, from an insurance point of view, there are many things that change. The activities aren’t just your usual family fun and relaxation, and you may have equipment and materials on site that have significant value.

These are just a couple of the many considerations that may require specialized coverage obtained by you or your contractor in order to be fully protected during the renovation timeframe.

Specific Concerns to Talk with Us About Before Your Renovation

If your renovations are being performed by a third party, some of these concerns may be their responsibility. It’s important to be sure, and we can help you make a checklist. In particular, make sure you check their insurance certificates as appropriate. You’ll likely want to have specific insurance that covers materials that might get damaged or stolen before installation.

If you’ve moved out during renovation, coverage for your vacant home is important and often overlooked. If you are acting as your own general contractor, there may be liability coverage concerns as well. Let’s talk about your project, and make sure you’re covered properly until it’s finished and habitable!

Reach Out To Us

Renovations can create significant disruptions in your family’s life on the way to a more enjoyable home. At Bayshield Insurance in San Jose, CA, we’re glad to help you make sure that you’re covered during this time of change, so you’ll confidently move ahead toward the day of celebration! Give us a call today.

Commercial Insurance Protects Against Liability

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Commercial Insurance is essential for all sizes of businesses. This protection allows individuals and companies to operate while being covered against outlined events. It’s necessary to understand how commercial insurance works to protect against liability.

You can count on the professionals at Bayshield Insurance, proudly serving San Jose, CA, to help provide information and support with insurance selection.

Commercial Liability Protection 

If you own a business, you’ll need protection against certain liabilities. For example, if an individual gets hurt at your business location or you break customers’ property, your liability coverage will protect you. Liability insurance allows you to operate with peace of mind knowing that if you are at fault for property damage, personal injury, or other losses, your insurance will protect you from risks.

If you’re looking for top-quality commercial insurance to give you liability protection, you’ll want to learn more about how this coverage works. We sit with each customer to determine their current situation in which insurance policies can meet current and future needs. Additionally, we can provide support before, during, and after the insurance policy purchase. It’s all part of our commitment to superior customer service.

Reach Out Today 

Don’t wait to get the essential commercial insurance coverage you need. Anyone residing in and around the San Jose, CA area can rely on Bayshield Insurance to provide the coverage they need to protect their assets.

Call or stop by our office today to speak to one of our helpful insurance agents. You can also schedule a consultation to ask questions about policy coverage options and begin securing commercial insurance coverage. Get the insurance protection you need today for security and peace of mind.

What Factors Should You Consider When Determining How Much Life Insurance is Ideal For You?

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At Bayshield Insurance, serving the greater San Jose, CA area, we help individuals select and purchase the life insurance products that are best for them. Life insurance can help to pay for your final expenses, as well as provide your family with money, as they will no longer have your income coming in. One of the questions that we are often asked is how much life insurance is ideal. There are many factors that need to be considered when determining how much life insurance you should have.

Here are some of those factors:

How Much Debt You Carry

You should always consider the amount of debt you have, including car debt, student loan debt, home debt, and credit card debt. You want to ensure your life insurance policy will cover all your debts if you pass away. 

How Much You Earn Now and Are Projected to Earn In the Future

Another factor to consider is how much you earn now and how much you are projected to earn in the future. Your family is likely reliant on this income, and the amount you make times the number of working years you have left may help to give you an idea as to how much income your family will lose and may need to live the same quality of life should you pass away. 

Contact Us Today

Determining how much life insurance coverage you should carry is not always straightforward, and there are many different things that need to be considered. If you are in the market for a life insurance policy in the greater San Jose, CA area, Bayshield Insurance can work with you to determine how much coverage you need and to help find you the policy that best protects yourself and your family. 

Tips for making your home safer

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Home safety is a major concern no matter who you are and where you live. Making your home soft means protecting it from dangers both outside and inside the home. At Bayshield Insurance in San Jose, CA we make your home a safer place by making sure you have the home insurance you need to protect your assets and your physical home. 

Home Safety Tips

Install a home security system

These days, installing a home security system is a DIY project that just about any homeowner can manage on their own. The prices are affordable and there is a wide selection of types and options. You can be monitored 24/7 or connected easily to the local authorities. You can control your system with your phone and check on your home no matter where you are. It’s all good. 

Use door and window locks

It is surprising how many people don’t lock their doors and windows. They are your first line of defense against outside intruders. They have a lock on them for a reason, and it is vital for your safety that you use them every single day. 

Have motion detector lights

Motion detector lights will turn on when something crosses the line of the light. You can focus the lights so that anyone entering your property will be greeted by bright lights, which is a good safety feature as well as a security option. 

Safety tips inside the home

  • Check fire detectors regularly
  • Keep stairs and hallways clear
  • Place medicine out of reach of children
  • Store poison under lock and key
  • Be on the lookout for trip hazards
  • Keep firearms in a locked safe out of the reach of children

Get Coverage For Your Home

Contact Bayshield Insurance in San Jose, CA when you have questions about home insurance or are ready to get a new home insurance policy. 

Who needs to get an umbrella insurance plan in California?

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Personal liability risk is something that all people in the San Jose, CA area need to take seriously. For anyone that is looking for ways to offset their liability risks, having proper insurance is a good idea. One type of insurance support that all people here should consider getting is umbrella insurance.

There are various situations when someone here should obtain an umbrella plan:

Those Looking to Improve Coverage Levels

One of the reasons that you should get an umbrella plan is if you are looking to improve your liability coverage levels. If you have a home or auto insurance plan, you already will have some liability insurance. However, there are limits to your coverage based on the size of your coverage in these plans. With an umbrella plan, you will have additional liability coverage on top of these policies. 

Broad Liability Support

You may also want to get an umbrella plan if you are looking for broader support. If you choose to get an umbrella insurance plan, it will provide you with a broad set of coverage against many personal liability claims. This is ideal for many people as your other insurance plans will only provide coverage for more specific liability risks. Ultimately, this offers you more coverage and peace of mind as you will know you have support during difficult situations. 

Give Us A Call

Getting an umbrella insurance plan is always a good idea if you are in the San Jose, CA area. When you are looking for this unique form of coverage here, it would be smart to start your search by calling Bayshield Insurance. Our professionals with Bayshield Insurance understand the value of this coverage. They will be able to provide any support that you need to build a proper plan. 

Should You Take Out a Life Insurance Policy On a Child?

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At Bayshield Insurance, serving the greater San Jose, CA region, we are happy to assist our clients with all of their insurance needs, including life insurance. Many people have questions about this coverage, and one of the questions that we are often asked is whether a parent should take out a life insurance policy on a child. 

Should You Take Out a Life Insurance Policy On a Child?

If you are unsure if you should take out a life insurance policy on a child, you should consider whether you can afford to pay for a funeral out of pocket. No one wants to think about their child passing, but if an accident or illness happens, you want to ensure you can give your child the final resting place they deserve. If you cannot afford to pay for a funeral out of pocket, buying life insurance is a wise choice. 

What Are the Benefits of Taking Out a Life Insurance Policy On a Child? 

Another reason why you may want to take out a life insurance policy on a child is that it helps your child to get life insurance early on in life before injuries or illnesses strike. Many of these policies can carry along with your child their entire life, so buying a policy before illnesses or injuries strike helps to keep premium costs low. 

Give Us A Call

If you have a child, you may want to consider taking out a life insurance policy on your child. If you think you can benefit from purchasing a life insurance policy, Bayshield Insurance, serving the greater San Jose, CA area is here to assist you. Let us help you find the right policy for your family’s needs, including life insurance policies for yourself and your children. 

Why Homeowners Need Home Insurance

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When you are the owner of a home, you need to be able to protect it with an insurance policy. If you don’t have home insurance, you will leave yourself open to financial ruin should a serious event happen to or in your home. It’s important to always keep a home insurance policy the entire time that you own your home. If you own a home and don’t have a home policy, give us a call now at Bayshield Insurance in San Jose, CA to get started.

Why Homeowners Need Home Insurance

It Protects Your Home

There are several different kinds of coverage that come in a standard home insurance policy, and one of the most important is coverage for the dwelling. This covers your home against a broad range of disasters, accidents, and other damaging incidents. When one of these covered events happens to your home, your home policy will pay for the necessary repairs to be performed on your home. This can save you many thousands of dollars in expensive repairs. 

It Covers Your Belongings

When you have home insurance, it doesn’t just protect your home. It also protects everything that is inside it. With home insurance, you have protection in case of a damaging event that destroys or damages what you own. When you add together the value of everything inside your home, it adds up to a significant amount. It’s important to keep it all protected with home insurance. Without this insurance, you could be left with nothing and have to start all over again by replacing everything yourself. With home insurance, the policy pays for replacing those items. 

Protect Yourself Financially

It’s important to have this insurance to keep yourself protected financially. If you own a home and don’t have home insurance, don’t wait. Call us at Bayshield Insurance in San Jose, CA.

How umbrella insurance can help protect businesses in litigious industries

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Bayshield Insurance is pleased to provide the business community of the greater San Jose, CA area with all of its insurance services. We are here to help you meet your commercial insurance needs. If you own a business in an industry where lawsuits are part of the environment, commercial insurance is more important than ever. 

Don’t let frivolous lawsuits destroy your business!

When it comes to protecting your company, having the right liability protection in place can be hugely important. Without robust liability protection, one frivolous lawsuit could wipe out all of your hard work and dedication! Fortunately, with the right umbrella policy, you will have additional liability protection in place.

This means that when your primary policy is exhausted, your umbrella policy will become active. Having this protection in place can prevent the company principals from being held personally liable for any damages or expenses. Without an umbrella policy, many years of hard work can be wiped out overnight.

If it’s time for an umbrella policy for your company, now is a great time to explore the available options. Make an appointment with your local insurance agent and get this important insurance in place today.

We can help you protect your business with the right insurance 

Business owners in the greater San Jose, CA area turn to Bayshield Insurance for all of their commercial insurance needs. Make sure that you have the liability protection you need. Our team is here to help you with the process of finding comprehensive and umbrella insurance policies that will help to protect all of your hard work. If it’s time to get an umbrella policy to protect your company, call us today, and let’s schedule a consultation. We look forward to working with you!

I Have Life Insurance Through My Job. Do I Need More?

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Among the best moves that you can make to safeguard the well-being of your family after you pass away is purchasing life. If you are lucky enough to work for an employer that provides you with an employee benefits package, a life insurance policy will likely be included. Many San Jose, CA residents that have life insurance through their jobs don’t think they need more life insurance. But this is not correct; at Bayshield Insurance, we recommend getting more life insurance even if you already have a life policy as part of your employee benefits.

Why More Life Insurance

1. Your Employee Benefits Life Policy Is Not Enough

Most employers offer their staff life policies that are several times their annual salary. For most employees earning $50,000 to $70,000 annually, the coverage is usually $200,000. While this is a reasonable amount, it’s not sufficient life insurance if you have debts, kids who will be joining college in the future, and a mortgage. Getting additional insurance would plug the holes left by your employer’s group life insurance and provide sufficient financial protection to your loved ones.

2. Your Employer’s Group Life Insurance Isn’t Customizable

An excellent life insurance policy should fit your family’s needs and financial situation. However, the group life insurance policy provides the same coverage to every employee. This means you can’t customize the policy like adding riders to suit your specific situation. Getting another life insurance enables you to customize the policy the way you want.

3. You May Want a Permanent Life Policy

Most life insurance policies provided under employee benefits are term policies. Employers usually renew the group life policy only for as long as the employee is working for them. If you want a permanent life policy, your only option is to get individual life insurance.

Bayshield Insurance is a leading insurance agency in San Jose, CA. Call us today for life insurance assistance.