What is Liability Coverage?

If you cause an accident or someone is injured on your property, you could find yourself legally liable for the resulting expenses. Medical and legal bills can add up quickly. That's why it's a good idea to know what kind of liability coverage your insurance policies provide and what limits apply. Having the proper safeguards in place may help protect your own finances should the unexpected occur.

Liability coverage is typically offered as a component of a number of insurance policies, from auto to home to boat.
Here's a look at how liability coverage may help offer protection:

Auto Liability Coverage

Liability insurance is a standard component of most auto insurance policies and it's a required coverage in most states. Auto liability can help provide protection in two important ways. Bodily injury liability coverage may help protect you if you are found liable for someone else's medical bills or if you're sued after an accident. Property damage liability may help pay for damages you cause - for instance, you hit another car or crash into someone's home.

Homeowners Liability Coverage

Suppose, for instance, a guest slips and falls on your pool deck or a broken stair. If you're found liable for someone else's injury at your home, liability coverage may help cover related medical or legal expenses. This coverage is typically part of a standard homeowners insurance policy, though limits will apply.

Renters Liability Coverage

No one plans for a visitor to become injured, but it can happen. If a guest incurs medical bills from an accident at the home you're renting, liability coverage can help pay for related expenses if you are found legally responsible for the incident. Or if your young athlete accidentally throws a ball through a neighbor's window, liability protection may also help cover the expense of repairing the window

Condo Liability Coverage

Personal liability coverage, which usually comes with a standard condo insurance policy, can help provide protection if, for instance, you're found responsible after someone is injured in your unit. Most condo policies also offer family liability protection, which can help protect you if you're found responsible for someone's medical bills resulting from an accident in your home.

Boat Liability Coverage

Liability coverage on a boat insurance policy can help protect you from paying out of pocket if you're found responsible for someone else's injuries or damage to another person's property resulting from an accident you caused.

Motorcycle Liability Coverage

Liability coverage generally comes in two forms on a typical motorcycle insurance policy. Bodily injury liability coverage can help protect you if you're found responsible for someone else's medical expenses or if someone loses income as a result of a motorcycle accident you caused. Property damage liability coverage can help prevent you from paying out of pocket for repairs or replacement to someone else's vehicle or property if you're found at fault for an accident.

ATV Liability Coverage

As with many other types of liability protection, ATV liability insurance typically offers two kinds of coverage. Bodily injury coverage can help cover someone else's medical bills if they are injured in an accident you caused. Property damage coverage may help protect you from paying out of pocket if if you cause an accident that damages someone else's property while riding your ATV.

Landlord Liability Coverage

Landlords may not live in a property they own, but being the boss comes with certain responsibilities. For instance, suppose a tenant falls over a broken step. If you were found negligent in maintaining the property or failed to advise the tenant of a potential risk, you could be found financially responsible for medical expenses resulting from an injury.

Business Liability Coverage

Small business owners are exposed to risk in a number of ways, which is why many types of business liability insurance are offered. Depending on the policy, liability coverage may help provide protection if, for instance, someone is injured at the business, if a detective product causes someone harm or if an employee sues for discrimination.

Personal Umbrella Policy

While a typical insurance policy may come with some liability protection, limits will apply. That means the policyholder may still be exposed to out-of-pocket expenses in the event that they are found liable for someone else's loss and those expenses exceed what the policy covers. That's where a personal umbrella policy may help. An umbrella policy provides liability coverage beyond the limits of an underlying policy, helping provide greater protection against a potentially financially devastating judgment.

Monsoon 2017 Tips

As we enter monsoon season, here are some safety tips to remember.

• Flashlights - These are key "to haves" for both your residence and automobiles. The best flashlight to have is an LED. They are brighter and last longer. A good place to get a package of 3 or 4 would be at Costco, Home Depot or Lowes. You can purchase a package containing 3-4 LED flashlights for about $20.00. Keep one in your car and the remaining flashlights in your residence.
• Batteries - Whether you have batteries or not, it's time to get new ones. The best type of batteries to get are Alkalines. It does not matter where you get them, but I like either Duracell or Eveready. Buy just enough to use in your flashlights, not a mega package. This would also be a good time to replace your smoke detector batteries.
• Radio - I suggest getting a small weather/emergency radio that runs on batteries. This is so you can stay on top of any weather or other emergencies, incase the power is off in your area.
• Food and Water -  It's always good to have some caned food/soup and bottled water in your home just incase of loss of power or if you are unable to leave your home during a bad storm. Make sure you also have a manual can opener to open those cans of food.
• Candles and matches - In case of loss of power for and extended period of time, a small supply of candles and matches can come in handy.
• Refrigerator - Remember, things in your refrigerator can stay cold and or frozen for up to 24 hours. Just try to minimize the number of times you open and close the door. 
• Driving - If you don't have to, then don't. Driving in monsoon weather is very dangerous. If you are stuck in a dust storm, pull off and over to the far right of the roadway, place your car in park, turn off your lights, set your parking brake, keep your foot off the brake pedal and DO NOT put on your emergency lights. Once it is safe to drive, then proceed carefully.
• Outside objects - Secure any outside objects you might have. This includes, but is not limited to, lawn chairs, patio umbrellas, small plants, pool supplies and hanging objects like bells, flags and plants.

Please be prepared and safe.

Prom Night Safety: No Drinking and Driving

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for the U.S. In 2015, 2,333 teens in the U.S. ages 16-19 were killed – that means that six teens died every day from motor vehicle injuries.

In addition to talking to your teens about making responsible decisions, one of the most important issues to be addressed are the consequences of drinking and driving. Due to their inexperience on the road, teens are four times more likely to crash when compared to older drivers. Before your teen heads out to their prom, talk to them about driving safety and give them the tips below on how to have a safe, memorable and fun prom.

• 1.       Take Extra Care at Night – In addition to being able to see less at night, your depth perception and peripheral vision are also limited at night. You should remind your teen to take particular caution and to always buckle up, use their headlights and avoid any and all distractions.
• 2.       Put Down the Phone – Studies have shown that texting while driving increases the likelihood of an accident six fold compared to driving without distractions. In addition to slowing your teen’s reaction time and increasing their risk for an accident, texting while driving is actually illegal in many states.
• 3.       Driving Distractions – While cell phones can be distracting, one of the biggest distractions for a teen driver is conversing with other passengers in the car. While it is unrealistic to expect a group of teenagers to sit silently in a car, remind your teen that they should be responsible and focus on the road before engaging in a conversation.
• 4.       Alcohol and Driving – It is important to remind your teen about the dangers of drinking and driving – even after just one drink – and instruct them on what to do if they suspect their driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• 5.       In Case of an Emergency – While everyone knows to call 9-1-1 in case of an emergency, you should also provide your teen instructions on what to do in case their car breaks down or they get into an accident. Consider watching Allstate’s video series on what to do in an unexpected car-related emergency. 

It is important to discuss your teen’s plans and agenda – who they are going with and where they are going after prom. Consider putting together a list of contact information for the parents of the other teens in their party. 

Tips for checking your tire pressure

Proper maintenance of your car can be important for its long life and safe operation. Your tires are one of the most important parts of your car, which means regular care and maintenance are crucial to the safe and reliable performance of your vehicle. Below are a few tips to follow when you are checking your tire pressure.

When should I check my tire pressure? Tire pressure should be checked once a month, especially when the tires are cold. You may also want to consider checking your tire pressure more frequently in the following instances:

• ·         If you run over a sharp object, like a nail, that can puncture the rubber.
• ·         If you strike a curb or other object.
• ·         If the weather suddenly changes from warm to cold.

How do I check my tire pressure?

1.       Remove the cap from the air valve of the tire by unscrewing it and press the tire gauge against the open valve stem – you will hear a hiss of air (this is normal)

2.       Read the air pressure gauge. The number will appear on the dial or digital screen on the tire gauge. Compare this number with the recommended tire pressure, found on the driver’s side door jamb

3.       Add air or let some out based on the recommendation

4.       Replace the tire’s air valve cap by screwing it on clockwise

Safer driving tips

Here are some tips to safer driving in Arizona.

• Turn indicators come standard on all vehicles. Please use them at least 200 feet BEFORE you make a turn or change lanes.

• Posted speed limits are meant  to be the speed you should drive. If you want to drive BELOW the speed limit, please limit your driving to the right hand lane.

• A red 8 sided sign with the letters S.T.O.P. on it means come to a COMPLETE stop, yield to on coming traffic and then proceed. That does not mean slow down and then proceed.

• If you are on the freeway and you will be exiting soon, please get into the right lane at least 2 miles BEFORE you want to exit, not 25 feet before you want to exit.

• PLEASE do not text or talk on your hand phone while driving. Your life and mine are to precious for you to take that risk. If you have to talk or text, pull off the road where it is safer.

• Driving is a PRIVILEGE, not a right. Common courtesy and patients will make your driving more enjoyable and safer.

• If you are driving with younger children in your car, REMEMBER, they will pick up YOUR driving habits. So drive safely and teach them proper driving techniques.

• ALWAYS BUCKLE UP.

• DRIVE DEFENSIVELY, NOT AGGRESSIVELY

Purple Purse - Help a local domestic abuse center

The Harris Agency, Inc. is partnering with New Life Center, whose mission is “Saving Lives, Building Futures…Empowering Women and Children Escaping Domestic Violence.” We’d love your help to support women and children who often arrive at the shelter with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.

My agency will collect new and gently used clothing and household items April 3-14 at

14144 N 100th St, Suite B-115
Centennial Marketplace

 Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Needed items:
 

·                        Women’s clothing (all sizes)

·                        Children’s clothing (boy’s and girl’s all sizes)

·                        Teen’s clothing (boy’s and girl’s all sizes up to     age 18)

·                        Any new kitchen or household items

These items will make a huge impact for local families in need and will be donated to New Life Center.

Please help us by dropping off items in our office and spreading the word on social media!

We appreciate your support!!!!!!

Robert Harris - The Harris Agency, Inc.

After an accident, what is Diminished Value and why you should be concerned

(information provided by Collision Safety Consultants)

This will help you understand diminished value better.

Bottom line, if you are in an accident and you car is repaired, it is now worth less than prior to the accident and you should be compensated for that decrease in value.

Inherent Diminished Value:

The automatic loss in the vehicle market value from an accident and repair. A wrecked and repaired vehicle is worth less than a vehicle that has no wreck history. This is based on public awareness of such things as car fax, Auto Check , Title searching, and insurance reporting agencies. The simple fact that even if a vehicle is repaired to the best of human ability, it will still exhibit remaining deficiencies and inconsistencies from the pre-loss condition of the vehicle. These deficiencies include, but are not limited to:

• Weaker structural components that appear cosmetically sound
• Impossible to duplicate factory seams, sealers, and finishes
• Telltale signs of repair, such as paint missing off the heads of bolts
• The unavailability of some factory decals, and markings
• Undiscovered Kinetic damage throughout the vehicle
• The increased likelihood of a mechanical failure
• The effect that the repair will have on the future deployment of the SRS systems
• The impossibility of duplicating immersion rust-proofing techniques, etc.