Many small business owners use their personal vehicles to conduct business transactions and activities. They also use these same vehicles in their personal lives. Determining coverage needs based on your business and personal activities can confuse business owners. Our team at Alliance Insurance Partners is focused on educating Scottsdale, AZ business owners about commercial insurance and its benefits. 

What is Commercial Insurance?

Commercial insurance is designed to protect a business, its employees, and its ownership. This form of coverage can be quite diverse depending on the business and its specific needs. All businesses have unique needs. As a result, commercial insurance policies are designed to meet the specific needs of a business. They are configured to provide coverage for a business’s assets and other vital factors.

Will commercial insurance cover damage to my personal car for company business?

Yes and no. You must purchase commercial auto insurance if you use your personal car for business. Conversely, you’ll also need auto insurance for personal use. Your commercial auto insurance will not cover personal use activities and vice versa. You must have the right insurance in place for both personal and professional use of your car. Without one or the other, you are vulnerable because commercial coverage will not cover the personal use of your vehicle. Also, personal auto insurance won’t cover your car’s commercial or business use. Call us if you have questions about commercial or business insurance and what’s covered. We’d be happy to answer all of your questions. 

Sometimes, stuff happens that affects the rest of your life or at least the ability to work and earn income. If you can’t work, you lose out on potential income, making it harder to pay bills and make a living. If you are unable to work due to a disability from injury or illness, you might be able to qualify for disability insurance. What exactly is disability insurance, and how can you qualify?

What is disability insurance?

Disability insurance covers a percentage of the income you were making before you ended up with your disability, which affected your ability to work your job. There are a few different types of disability insurance, some of which have certain requirements depending on your insurance policy.

Different types of disability insurance include long-term disability, short-term disability, social security disability, and state disability insurance.

Long-term disability insurance covers you for long-term disabilities that could last several months or years. If you qualify for long-term disability, it can cover up to 60-80 percent of your income, depending on the company you go through.

Short-term disability covers you for injuries that stop you from doing your regular job for a shorter, more temporary amount of time than long-term disability insurance. Employers often offer short-term disability coverage.

Social security disability insurance is what most people can get through the social security program. There are some set requirements for most states for social security disability.

The state usually offers state disability insurance and has specific requirements that you must meet.

How to qualify for disability insurance?

Social security and state disability insurance have requirements you must meet before qualifying.

Social security disability insurance requirements

• Jobs that you have worked in have to be covered by social security.
• You must have been working recently enough and long enough.
• Your medical condition must meet a specific definition of disability.
• Your disability has made you unable to work for longer than a year.
• Your disability must be severe enough to prevent you from doing basic activities.

State disability insurance requirements

• You have to live and work in one of 5 states: Hawaii, California, New York, Rhode Island, and New Jersey.
• Employers are required in these states to offer disability coverage.

Other companies have different requirements depending on the policy and agency you are going through.

Contact us

If you want disability insurance, visit or contact us at Alliance Insurance Partners in Scottsdale, AZ.

The topic of long-term health care insurance can be confusing. Will you get the care you need in your home, or do you have to go to a nursing home? In this blog post, Alliance Insurance Partners discusses the details of long-term care insurance and how it works in Scottsdale, AZ, so that you can make an educated decision. 

What Is Long-Term Health Care Insurance? 

Long-term health care insurance covers expenses such as at-home medical services, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other related costs. These policies are designed to help those unable to cover these costs independently due to age or illness. It is important to note that long-term health care insurance does not cover regular medical expenses such as doctor visits and prescription drugs. 

How Does Long-Term Health Care Insurance Work? 

Long-term health care insurance policies typically cover a range of services, including home health aides, adult daycare centers, respite care for family members, skilled nursing facilities (SNF), assisted living facilities (ALF), and personal care services. Most plans also include coverage for durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs and hospital beds. Depending on the specifics of your policy, you may also have coverage for mental health services like counseling and support groups. 

It is essential to do your research when it comes to deciding if long-term health care insurance is right for you and your situation in Scottsdale, AZ. Contact Alliance Insurance Partners to ensure you understand all the details about your long-term healthcare options. We’ll help you find a policy that will fit your future needs.

Those in the Scottsdale, AZ area will want to ensure they are adequately insured. One form of personal insurance everyone needs to consider getting is disability insurance coverage. This is an important form of coverage that benefits people if they become disabled and can no longer work. Various benefits come with having a proper disability insurance plan in place. 

Receive Compensation if Disabled

One of the primary advantages of having a disability insurance plan is that you will receive compensation if you become disabled. A disability insurance policy can be created and customized to meet your needs. Generally, you can build a policy that will provide you with a monthly income in the event you become disabled and are no longer able to work and earn the same level of income. There are both long-term and short-term disability policies available. 

Security

Another reason for having this insurance is that it will offer peace of mind. Even if you are healthy and careful today, there is always a chance you could get injured or ill, which could affect your ability to work in the future. If you have this coverage, you will know that you are prepared for this risk, which can provide peace of mind. 

Having a disability insurance plan is always a good idea if you are in the Scottsdale, AZ area. Ultimately, this type of coverage is helpful during otherwise difficult times. If you want this type of insurance here, it would be wise to call Alliance Insurance Partners. The team with the Alliance Insurance Partners will give you the support you need to build a proper plan. This will help ensure you remain fully covered and can offset this risk. 

Motorcycle riders in Scottsdale, AZ are required by law to obtain motorcycle insurance with a minimum of $25,000 for medical expenses per individual, $50,000 per wreck, and $15,000 in property damage. Full coverage is not mandated but can be enforced by your lender. Arizona is an at-fault state, so when you are in a wreck that someone else causes, it is up to their carrier to provide for your expenses.

What if a Motorcycle Accident Was Not Your Fault?

Arizona drivers operate under a legal principle called comparative negligence, and this relates to the task of determining who is at fault for the collision. The at-fault person is responsible for damages, but sometimes this liability is divided. It means that a plaintiff may share negligence with the other party. 

For example, if you are determined to be 70% negligent, you are entitled to 30% of the costs from the driver who bears that corresponding percentage of the blame. Certain factors make it easier to determine fault, such as if the other driver was intoxicated, ran a red light or stop sign, or was speeding excessively. 

Feel free to discuss the particulars with your Alliance Insurance Partners representative, such as whether a lack of protective gear will determine the financial outcome. For those under 18, helmets are required, and failure to comply can render the other driver faultless for injuries sustained in this manner. 

A common experience with motorcycle riders is being forced off the road by someone in a car, and this type of accident is referred to as a phantom vehicle wreck. This falls under uninsured motorist insurance, since you cannot collect from the driver, and is a type of protection you may want to consider. 

Get The Right Coverage Today

Alliance Insurance Partners serves the Scottsdale, AZ region, ensuring quality indemnification products to give our clients peace of mind. Reach out to us today by phone, online, or stop by the office, and we look forward to meeting your needs. 

Alliance Insurance Partners provides commercial insurance to the greater Scottsdale, AZ business community. If you have questions about insurance and umbrella policy protection for your company, we are here to help. Contact our office today and let us help you find the most appropriate coverage for your business needs.

How umbrella policies can help to protect your retail store from slip and fall lawsuits

No one wants to deal with frivolous lawsuits, especially those of the slip and fall variety. Retail shop owners or public-facing businesses can typically benefit from the liability protection provided by umbrella insurance policies. 

Liability coverage provided by primary commercial policies is typically finite; once a policy’s coverage limit is reached, any losses become the policyholder’s responsibility. Fortunately, when an umbrella policy is in place, it will become active once a primary policy has reached its coverage limit.

Because slips and falls can be frequent, it only makes sense to have additional liability protection in place for your business. This additional coverage can protect from liability damages that exceed a business’s primary policy limits. If you don’t currently have umbrella protection in place, now is an excellent time to find out more about this type of commercial policy. Maintaining a successful business takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and it only makes sense to protect those efforts.

Protect your retail store with an umbrella policy

Retail store owners in Scottsdale, AZ, and the surrounding areas can turn to the team at Alliance Insurance Partners for help with commercial insurance and umbrella policies. Schedule a consultation today to learn more about this necessary coverage!

Flood insurance is critical to many properties in the Scottsdale, AZ area. With flood insurance, what can you expect in terms of coverage? What does flood insurance cover, and what can you expect to be made whole for in the event of a loss? The purchase of flood insurance in Scottsdale, AZ will help protect the value of items in which you take great value. The team at Alliance Insurance Partners helps customers daily better understand insurance coverage.

What Does Flood Insurance Cover?

The primary thing you will get as part of a flood insurance policy is building and content coverage. This will protect the structure as well as the belongings inside of it. Some things you will get coverage for as part of a flood insurance policy include many things inside the building. Some of the items inside the building you get coverage for include:

• Electrical and plumbing systems
• Furnaces
• Water heaters
• Cabinets, paneling, and appliances are all permanently installed
• Foundations
• Garages
• Walls, staircases, as well as entryways
• Energy equipment, including pumps, solar panels, and more

When it comes to content coverage, this will be inclusive of everything inside of the structure up to a certain dollar amount. The coverage will help reimburse you up to the limits on your policy after backing out the deductible.  

Conclusion

The Alliance Insurance Partners team helps Scottsdale, AZ owners of businesses and homes make great decisions regarding flood insurance. The first piece of the puzzle is to understand what you will get when it comes to coverage. The more you are aware of what flood insurance covers, the better a decision you will make when buying the policy. 

Alliance Insurance Partners is here to help residents in the greater Scottsdale, AZ area with all of their insurance needs. Condo insurance can be tricky as many people aren’t sure exactly what type of protection they need. Don’t worry; we are here to help! Call us today with any questions that you may have about condos or any type of insurance.  

You need your own condo insurance policy.

While it is true that your condo board will have an insurance policy in place, it is doubtful that the policy will provide individual unit owners with any protection.

The insurance policy that your board or COA carries will cover things like the overall structure, common areas, major equipment like the air conditioner fans on the roof, and liability protection.

These policies will not provide any protection if an incident or damage should occur in your unit. This is why it is required for unit owners to carry out their own policies. And, if you financed the purchase of your condo unit, your lender will likely have a required level of insurance coverage that must be in place.

You will want your own protection regarding liability and damage and loss protection. Unit owners are responsible for any loss that may occur in their units, and the building policy will not cover related expenses.

We are here to answer any insurance questions you may have!

If you live in the Scottsdale, AZ area and have questions about condo insurance, you can rely on Alliance Insurance Partners. We are here to answer any insurance-related questions that you may have. Contact our office today to schedule an appointment to find out more.