Try Out These Spring Cleaning Tips this Year

Tips to get your home in order this spring.

With temperatures warming up, you may be thinking about your annual deep clean.  Not sure how to get started on your spring cleaning this year?  Then try out these suggestions to get your home in order this season.

Have the Right Supplies

Cleaning your entire home requires quite a few cleaning products.  The last thing that you want is to start cleaning only to realize that you don’t have the right supplies on hand.  So, before you begin the big clean, make a list of everything that you will need to get your home into order.  Common cleaning supplies include the following:

  • Vacuum cleaner and replacement bags
  • Mop
  • Broom
  • Garbage bags
  • Glass cleaner
  • Disinfectant
  • Multi-surface cleaner
  • Bleach
  • Paper towels
  • Sponges
  • Steel wool

Work in Stages

Trying to clean your entire house all at once will only cause you to rush and do a bad job.  This is why you should divide your house into various sections and try to tackle one of these sections a day.  While it may be annoying to stretch your spring cleaning over several days, this is the best way to make sure that you are doing a thorough job.

Hire Professionals for the Big Things

Many homeowners like to take care of bigger cleaning and maintenance tasks in spring.  If you want to clean your fireplace and chimney, flush out your water heater, power wash the exterior of your home, or take on larger cleaning projects, then you should hire a professional to handle these jobs.  Attempting to tackle these tasks on your own could be dangerous.

These are some of the spring cleaning tips that you should try out this year.  Want another way to take care of your home?  Then make sure you have the right homeowners insurance in place.  For assistance with all your home coverage needs, contact the experts at James Page Insurance today.

Avoid These Major Life Insurance Missteps

Don’t make these mistakes when it comes to your life insurance.

As you settle down and get ready to start a family, one of the things that you need to do is secure the right life insurance coverage.  Unfortunately, many people do not know the first thing about life insurance, and they end up making bad coverage decisions.  To ensure that this doesn’t happen to you, here are some of the common life insurance mistakes you need to avoid.

  • Buying the Wrong Amount of Coverage

One of the most common life insurance missteps is buying too much or not enough coverage.  If you do not have anyone else depending on your income, then you probably don’t need very much coverage at all.  However, if you have a family and are the main breadwinner, then you will need a considerable amount of coverage—at least seven times your annual salary.  If you are a stay-at-home parent, you do not need as much coverage as your family’s breadwinner, but you do need to carry enough coverage to pay for childcare, housekeeping, and other services that you normally handle.

  • Delaying Life Insurance

Most people put off getting life insurance when they are young and healthy.  However, this is obviously risky because it leaves your loved ones in a financially vulnerable state.  Delaying life insurance is also a mistake because you will have access to the cheapest rates when you are young and healthy.  So, if you have young children or are about to become a parent, then don’t wait to secure your life insurance policy.

  • Relying on Life Insurance Through Work

Today, many employers include life insurance coverage as part of their employee benefits package.  However, if you have a family relying on your income, then the life insurance benefits your work offers probably isn’t enough.  This is because most employer-offer life insurance policies only offer coverage for one to two times your annual salary.  As breadwinners should carry life insurance adding up to at least seven-times their salary, this employer-offered life insurance simply isn’t enough.  This is why you should secure a personal life insurance policy and treat your work policy as an additional benefit.

These are some of the major life insurance mistakes that you should avoid.  Do you need help securing the right life insurance policy to protect your loved ones?  If so, then contact the experts at James Page Insurance.  We are ready to get you the coverage that you need today.

 

What You Need to Know About Insurance for Unlicensed Drivers

What unlicensed drivers need to know about auto insurance.

If you don’t currently have a driver’s license, then you may assume that auto insurance is out of the questions for you.  However, this isn’t actually the case.  You do have some options when it comes to securing the car coverage that you need.  Here’s what you need to know about securing auto insurance as an unlicensed driver.

Why Unlicensed Drivers Need Insurance

First, it’s important to understand that there are several reasons that someone without a driver’s license might want auto insurance.  Here are some of the most common reasons why unlicensed drivers need to secure car coverage:

  • You own a vehicle and want to protect it because other people are driving it.
  • You want to protect others as they drive you around.
  • You own a vintage or classic car that you don’t drive but want to protect.
  • Your license was suspended as a result of DUI charges, at-fault accidents, or other issues. So, while you can’t currently drive, you do not want a gap in your car coverage.
  • Your license expired, and you didn’t renew it.
  • You never went through driver’s training or received a driver’s license.
  • You are learning to drive and have a provisional license or learner’s permit.

Applying for Auto Insurance Without a Valid License

When you go to apply for auto insurance, you will find that many auto insurance providers ask you for your driver’s license number.  Even if they don’t ask for your license directly, auto insurance providers will go to the DMV to request a copy of your driving records.  When the DMV cannot find your record because you are not registered with a license, then the auto insurer might deny your application.

However, you still have ways to get the coverage you need.  Here are some of your options:

  • Secure a policy with someone else listed as the primary driver– This is the easiest way to secure auto insurance without a driver’s license. This option is the best avenue for people who do not intend to drive but want to protect the vehicle they own and the people who chauffeur them around.  When choosing this option, make sure you list the address of where the car is normally stored rather than the primary driver’s address (if they are different).
  • List yourself as an excluded driver– Another way to secure car insurance is by listing yourself as an excluded driver on an auto policy. When you list yourself as an excluded driver, you are waiving your right to coverage.  This means that if you operate the vehicle and get into an accident or experience another claims event, then you are responsible for covering the claim, not your insurer.
  • Secure SR-22 insurance– If you have a license, but it is suspended due to several DUI charges, at-fault accidents, or other incidents, then you can secure SR-22 insurance (FR-44 in Florida and Virginia). SR-22 insurance is a form of high-risk auto insurance that is actually required to have your license reinstated.  Please note that insurance providers will turn you down if you are unable to prove that you are officially licensed.
  • Insurance for novice drivers– If you have a learner’s permit, but have not been officially licensed, then you can still get an auto insurance policy. Some insurance providers will offer this option, so long as you receive your license in a short period of time, usually 30-45 days.  Additionally, you may have to have a driver with a valid license co-sign the policy with you.

This is what you need to know about securing auto insurance without a valid driver’s license.  Do you have additional questions about your car coverage?  If so, then contact the experts at James Page Insurance.  We are ready to assist you with all your car insurance needs today.

Tips for New Female Business Owners

Try out these suggestions to get your business off the ground.

With International Women’s Day coming up on the 8th, you might be feeling inspired to accomplish your dream of opening your own business.  Ready to get to work on building your business empire?  Then try out these suggestions to help with your launch.

  • Give Your Vision Focus

Before jumping in headfirst, you need to have a clear idea of what your business will be.  Just because you can do a little bit of everything doesn’t mean that you should.  Rather than stretching yourself too thin, think objectively about what you are good at and what you would like to devote your life to doing.  Once you have a solid idea of what your business will specialize in, this will guide all your other business decisions.

  • Know Your Weaknesses

Many entrepreneurs try to handle everything on their own.  However, this isn’t reasonable or sustainable.  One of the first things that new business owners should learn is how to delegate and outsource.  While many women feel like admitting their weaknesses is a sign of failure, it’s important to look at the big picture.  By hiring other people to handle things you aren’t good at, you can save yourself time, effort, and avoid serious mistakes.

  • Focus on Creating Positive Customer Experiences

When your business is small, you can’t realistically think of competing with big-name, national corporations.  However, there are some advantages of being a smaller operation.  By being responsive, polite, and ready to go the extra mile, you can attract a base of loyal customers.  This can help you generate a stable income that will help your business grow and succeed.

These are some of the suggestions that aspiring female business owners should try.  Remember, having the right commercial insurance is another way to set your business up for success.  For assistance with all your commercial coverage needs, contact the experts at James Page Insurance today.