HBW Insurance Group offers classic car insurance to residents of Catonsville, MD and surrounding areas. A classic car isn’t defined by its market value. Because of that, many insurance companies have different criteria when it comes to insuring a classic car. But, what is it about a car that makes it “classic” to an insurance company

What Kind of Classic Is Your Classic?

Several types of cars can fall under the classic car category. Sometimes you can see car insurance for antique cars, exotic cars, collectible cars, or vintage cars. All of these can fall under classic car coverage in the eyes of insurers.

Remember, calling a car a classic is incredibly subjective. Because of that, many insurers set criteria that establish whether your car qualifies as a classic or other designation that requires special insurance coverage.

What Criteria Can Make A Car a Classic?

An old car isn’t exactly a classic car, but cars older than a decade represent a start. Age can factor in, but some other criteria can include:

• How often you use the car, the less the better
• Whether your car routinely goes to car shows or meetings
• How you maintain and store your car
• How much restoration or preservation you applied to the car

This all means it’s usually up to you to prove your car is a classic that requires classic car insurance coverage.

What Does Classic Car Insurance Cover?

Classic car insurance includes the kind of liability and property damage coverage you would expect from any car insurance in Catonsville, MD. However, you will have to establish a value for the car with the insurer. That value can change what kind of coverage you need.

In addition, classic car values can change over time, so you may have to occasionally update your insurance. Classic car insurance can vary depending on the car and your needs. Contact an HBW Insurance Group agent to learn more about insuring your classic car.

At HBW Insurance Group, the agents understand that weather conditions can go from bad to worse very quickly. If you live in Catonsville, MD, you don’t want to find out too late that your homeowner’s policy doesn’t cover specific weather-related events. It’s important to know exactly what your insurance covers because after an event occurs, it’s too late to get the coverage you may have needed. 

Hurricane and Flood Damage 

Two types of insurance that are often not included in homeowner’s policies are a hurricane and flood insurance. While flood insurance is an option for those who live in floodplains, most people don’t think about hurricane insurance unless they live right along the coast. In the past few years, Maryland has received damage from hurricanes that have hit the area so they need to be considered as a possible threat.

Always Be Prepared!

If you are unsure of what types of weather-related events your insurance covers, you will want to re-evaluate your policy to find out. Know what the weather risks are to your area. Are you close to where hurricanes have hit in the past or do you know where the nearest floodplain is? These are important questions to ask yourself to ensure you have the types of insurance you need to protect your home.

Contact the agents at HBW Insurance Group and schedule a review of your policy. Re-evaluating your insurance every few years is important to ensure you have the coverage you need when you need it. Don’t wait! If you live in the Catonsville, MD area, call and talk to an agent today!

Your business in Catonsville, MD is already protected by the insurance policies you purchased through  HBW Insurance Group, but you may be wondering if you have the right kinds of coverage or the difference in how commercial insurance works. The same kinds of things are often covered by policies that look the same, like personal and commercial auto insurance policies. 

Personal vs Commercial Auto Insurance 

While they may look the same, there are striking differences between personal and commercial auto insurance policies. One important difference for businesses is that a commercial policy is rated differently, and it can typically carry higher limits. 

This is important because there are more ways a business may be held liable, where individuals involved in a traffic accident may look for "deeper pockets" when filing a lawsuit. Another important distinction is that someone borrowing a business car for personal use will likely be covered, but not the other way around. 

Other Differences

The names of the insured for a commercial policy may include the name of the business, and this may vary depending on the type of business, such as sole proprietorship or corporation. Personal policies typically list individuals or married couples. 

Policies protecting property for businesses may include several kinds of structures, where personal policies are usually limited to homes. A big difference is a liability because individuals normally have few concerns in that area. Businesses may need to worry about liability for their premises, operations, employees, products, and other related concerns. 

If you have been getting by with personal insurance up to now, or if you just have general questions about your coverage in Catonsville, MD, call HBW Insurance Group today for free advice to see how we can help protect you and your small business better. 

Condo ownership comes with its share of amenities. Before making this commitment, however, you should learn more about condo living and how it differs from owning a single family home. Like any other type of home ownership, you’ll still need insurance to protect your investment. At HBW Insurance Group, we can help you select the right coverage for your Catonsville, MD condo and belongings. Here are a few factors to consider about condo living before you buy a condo.     

Sharing is Inevitable

Sharing is inevitable when it comes to condo living. You’ll probably share walls with a neighboring condo along with hallways, common grounds, security, and amenities. Depending on where you live, amenities could include a clubhouse, pool, gym or sauna. If you’re used to greater privacy, condo living will require an adjustment.

Limited Space

Most condos come with fixed living spaces and what you see, is what you get. Unlike single-family dwellings, there’s no option to add a bedroom, office or patio to increase living space in most condos, especially if you share walls. You also don’t own the land surrounding or beneath your condo, further restricting any plans for expansion.   

Restrictive Condo Rules 

Condos are governed by association rules and regulations that may restrict your current lifestyle. Before investing in a condo, it’s important to know the regulations that will govern your actions. The association may have rules on visitors, parking, noise level, unit maintenance and appearance, night time activities and more. Choosing an area with the least restrictions makes it easier to adapt to condo living and live the lifestyle you enjoy most.

On the flip side, condo ownership offers good security, free landscaping, comfortable living and fun, safe amenities (clubhouse, pool, gym, etc.) within easy reach. You can also obtain affordable condo insurance from HBW Insurance Group to safeguard your new Catonsville, MD condo home.

Allow us to dispel a myth: Life insurance isn’t about age.

The reason people tend to buy life insurance once they reach retirement age is not that they’re getting older. How many times have you seen someone retire at fifty and then live another fifty years? Going a little gray doesn’t mean you’re already in your last chapter. The reason people buy life insurance once they get older is not that they’re running out of time, it’s because they have dependents, and they have the means to ensure that those dependents are covered no matter what happens.

If you’re twenty-five years old and you want to make sure that your children are covered no matter what, you can buy a life insurance policy with HBW Insurance Group and rest easy. It doesn’t have to do with how dangerous your job is, either. If you work as a garbage collector or in an office building in Catonsville, MD, you can get life insurance to protect your family and loved ones.

Nobody is too young to consider buying a life insurance policy. "How likely am I to pass on soon?" is the wrong way to look at it. It has almost nothing to do with how much time you have left, and everything to do with whether or not you have people who depend on you, and the financial means to take care of them.

A policy through HBW Insurance Group can be surprisingly affordable. Give them a call next time you get a chance and see what they have to offer you. You might be surprised at the options you have available to you when it comes to ensuring that your family is protected.

Small businesses are an intricate part of the Maryland economy. A survey from 2011 found that more than 50 percent of private-sector jobs are made possible by companies having less than 500 employees. With so much riding on the success of small businesses, it is crucial that entrepreneurs protect themselves against tragedies and unexpected legal costs that could bring about financial hardship. 

Commercial insurance is the best way to reduce out-of-pocket risks and do better business in Catonsville, MD. The agents at HBW Insurance Group can help you find the right plan.

Is business insurance required in Maryland?
Commercial liability insurance is not required for small business owners operating companies out of the state of Maryland. It should be noted, however, that the region is a pure contributory negligence fault state, which means that a plaintiff must be 100 percent free of negligence to recover damages for accidents. It is not difficult for a customer to prove that you are fully at-fault if she slips on spilled coffee in your store and breaks her hip. You stand to lose a lot if you do not have commercial liability insurance. 

Small business employers are required to obtain workers compensation insurance even if they only have one employee on the payroll. You are also required to maintain auto insurance if your company has cars. It is highly recommended that you obtain an assurance plan, especially for business vehicles and fleets. 

What does a typical commercial insurance policy cover?
The average business indemnity plan pays for:

• Bodily Injury 
• Personal Injury 
• Property Damage 
• Advertising Injury
• Legal Defense

The agents at HBW Insurance Group can help you sort through the details of commercial insurance in Catonsville, MD so that you are fully covered and ready for the unexpected. Contact us today for a quote!

Flooding is something that is terrifying for most and for those that do have to deal with flooding, flood insurance can be a big help. Flood insurance covers a wide range of things and can help you get out of any issue that you have to worry about when flooding does occur in your home. For those that live in the Catonsville, MD area, the agents with HBW Insurance Group can help you find out just what your flood policy covers and how to use it.

In most cases, your flood insurance is not going to cover extra things like a place to stay if you are dealing with flooding. In most cases, the flood policy that you choose is going to help cover things like mitigation for mold, removing water, replacing things that are destroyed after a flood, and recovering your home. For those that do need a place to stay during flooding, you should take the time to look into using your overall home owner’s policy to get the coverage that you need. Most homeowner’s policies are going to help pay for things like a place to stay while you wait for your home to become livable again.

This means that you are going to be able to get a place to stay like a hotel until your home is cleaned up if you use your homeowner’s policy to help pay for it. Your homeowner’s pays for much more than you imagine. For those that live in the Catonsville, MD area, the agents with HBW Insurance Group can help you to find the policy that is going to work for you and that is going to help you pay for your hotel if you need a place to stay during flooding.  

Anyone who rents an apartment or home to live in in Catonsville, MD should have renters insurance. You may assume that if, for example, your rented home was broken into and your things were stolen, your landlord would be liable or would have their own form of insurance to cover you. But this isn’t the case. Only renters insurance can protect your possessions from instances of theft, water damage, fire damage, or other unforeseen accidents.

Assessing your possessions for renters insurance

Because renters insurance revolves around the protection and coverage of your possessions and belongings, it is important to know what possessions you own and how much they are worth as soon as you start paying renters insurance. This is because, in the event of a fire, for example, you need to have a record of what was damaged in order for your insurance company to cover or pay for the items that you lost. If you don’t know what you lost or how much it was worth, you won’t be covered.

In order to assess and record your possessions, you can do one of several things. First, some people simply take a video camera slowly throughout their apartment or home to visually document what they own. You can also do a similar documentation by taking a multitude of pictures. Finally, you can make a formal list with value amounts for each of the major possessions you own.

Give HBW Insurance Group a Call Today!

Are you a resident of Catonsville, MD who is looking for renters insurance? Give HBW Insurance Group a call to learn about the renters insurance options that are available to you. Our agents would be happy to sit down and speak with you. You can also stop by our nearest office location for immediate assistance.

We hope to hear from you soon!