Baton Rouge, LA: Must-Have Insurance Protects Against Flood Damage

Baton Rouge, LA is a large city on the banks of the Mississippi River and only 200 or so miles from the Gulf of Mexico. It is an Antebellum city, boasting many of the accolades of the past in the Deep South, especially those before the Civil War. It is the home of Louisiana’s State Capitol, and the Magnolia Mound Plantation. 

Tourists and locals alike enjoy the history and spirit o Baton Rouge. Many come to visit the Gulf or cruise down the Mississippi River in a showboat. When it’s sunny, there’s not much to worry about. But what about when it rains?

 Is Baton Rouge on a Flood Plain?

Yes. Baton Rouge is a primary floodplain area and is quite prone to flooding. Due to the close proximity of the River to the coastland, there is a good chance that the locations close to the coastline will flood at one time or another. 

For Baton Rouge residents, it’s wise to think ahead and get flood insurance from Insurance & Financial Services Inc. Their fine staff of licensed insurers and other professionals can assess your likelihood of damage due to flood and show you how a flood insurance policy is your best means of protection.

No one knows what the future holds. Watching the weather forecast can help you know what might be coming, but only having a solid foundation of flood insurance can protect you from the loss you may experience if you are uninsured when that flood comes. 

Visit with Insurance & Financial Services Inc. today to find out how you can protect yourself from whatever the future (or the weather) may bring with flood insurance that meets your needs any time of year. Then, when Mother Nature turns angry, you’ll be ready!

Health insurance terms you need to understand

Health insurance provides important protection. Without it, you may not get the preventative care you need. That can lead to more serious illness. Which at the end of the day, can be more expensive and serious than just getting the early preventive care. Choosing a plan that is affordable and provides the care you need is not easy. When you have an insurance agent you trust, it can really help. At Insurance & Financial Services Inc. in Baton Rouge, LA, we understand health insurance, and we are here to help. 

Network

Most insurance carriers have a network of healthcare providers who have agreed to treat their customers at agreed-upon rates. Making sure your preferred providers are in the network is important if you want to continue to use them. With many plans, you must see providers who are in-network or services will not be covered. 

Deductible

This is a very important figure; it is the amount you will have to pay yourself before any services are covered. If it is high, you may end up paying for all your services out of pocket. High deductible policies are the most affordable which makes them popular. 

Co-pay

This is your portion of any covered service. After you have met your deductible, you will still likely have a co-payment for most services. 

Formulary

This is the listing of the drugs available to those who have a particular health insurance plan. The drugs are usually listed in tiers by how much you need to pay for a month’s supply. Both generic and brand-name drugs may be included. If you take prescription medication, it is important to make sure your particular drug is on the list. 

If you need to find health insurance, give Insurance & Financial Services Inc. in Baton Rouge, LA a call or visit our office. Our team has the knowledge you need. 

Advantages of Getting Home Insurance

Home insurance may not be mandatory in any state, but in hindsight, it is one of the essential policies that homeowners within Baton Rouge, LA can reap immense benefit from. From giving you peace of mind to keeping your loved ones safe against accidents that they cause, these are just some advantages that this policy provides. Below, Insurance & Financial Services Inc. takes you through other benefits you can expect from your home insurance cover.

Eases Your Mortgage Journey

Before you can sign up for your mortgage, numerous lenders require proof of insurance, as this assures them that their property is safe when disasters strike. Fortunately, home insurance comes with multiple coverage options, with examples being building property coverage that protects the structure of your home. Such a cover will often be enough for your mortgage, helping you get started on your homeownership journey without any delays.

Offers Protection Against Lawsuits

With the number of liability lawsuits being on the rise, property owners are not exempt from legal trials, requiring you to get the proper protection beforehand. This will especially come in handy if you regularly entertain family and friends or have employees within your residence. If, for instance, your friends get injured at your place or their property gets damaged, and you are sued, your legal fees could accrue to significant amounts, leaving you with a dent in your finances. Home insurance can help with this, ensuring you cover your legal costs and damages.

Protect Your Home and Possessions

Disasters can happen at any time and will often range from mild to severe occurrences. Whichever of these emergencies you are faced with, fixing your home and your contents could mean taking out significant savings to cover your repairs and replacements, funds which could have otherwise been used to cater to other family needs. Home insurance offers protection when covered perils arise, allowing you to get back on your feet in no time.

To enjoy the above benefits of home insurance, consider getting in touch with Insurance & Financial Services Inc. today. We understand that no two Baton Rouge, LA homes are the same; that is why we offer customized policies for homeowners looking to protect their investment.

Do I Need Renters Insurance Even if My Landlord Has Insurance?

If you live in Baton Rouge, LA, you’re probably wondering why you need renters insurance when your landlord has insurance. Every person in the neighborhood is likely to have the same questions. Insurance & Financial Services Inc. has been educating people why they need renters insurance regardless of the landlord’s homeowners insurance.

You Can Lose Your Properties

The fact that you live in a secure neighborhood does not mean that you cannot lose your property. Thieves can get away with some value from your house. Unfortunately, homeowners’ insurance will not cover such properties. You need to have renters insurance so that you can recover the lost items. 

You Can Be Sued for Injuries

Having people visit your rented house is a common practice. It helps you bond with your neighbors and create meaningful relationships. The problem is that people can sue you for injuries when they get injured when visiting your house. Renters insurance is one of the liability policies that can help you cover the cost of medication and possible lost income. 

Your House Can Become Uninhabitable

Structural damages, flooding, and fire can make your rented house uninhabitable. This means that you will be living in a hotel when technicians solve such problems. Living in such places can have significant financial impacts on your savings. However, with renters insurance, you will not face such problems. Your insurance company will take care of your living expenses during the period of repair. 

What Next?

As a residence of a rented house in Baton Rouge, LA, you don’t need to pay too much attention to your landlord’s insurance. Ensure you get renters insurance from a local company that will take care of the uncertainties discussed above. Call Insurance & Financial Services Inc. today for advice on the best renters’ insurance policy that will take care of your belongings and liabilities.

Is having umbrella insurance in Baton Rouge important?

If you are a resident in the Baton Rouge, LA area, it will be very important that you carefully assess all of your personal insurance needs. A common form of insurance to consider getting is umbrella insurance, which will provide you with additional personal liability insurance protection. For those that do live in this area, there are many reasons why you should get one of these insurance plans.

Insurance Gives Coverage for Big Risks

Most of the time someone in this area of Louisiana will already have some liability coverage through their existing auto or home policies. However, these policies will always come with a cap regarding how much liability coverage you can receive. If you are ever at fault for an accident that causes very serious damage that is in excess of your existing plans, the umbrella policy will offer the additional coverage you need.

Insurance Covers More Risks

You should also consider getting an umbrella insurance plan as it can offer you coverage for more risks. An umbrella insurance plan offers coverage for a much wider range of risks that you can get coverage for through other insurance plans. This can give you peace of mind knowing that you are prepared and protected against otherwise unpredictable events and risks. 

Those that live in the Baton Rouge, LA area should consider getting umbrella insurance coverage. Those that are going to get an insurance plan here should call Insurance & Financial Services Inc. to discuss their insurance needs. If you are going to speak with Insurance & Financial Services Inc. you will get to learn a lot more about the different insurance options that you have. This can help you to pick a plan that will be right for you and your situation. 

How to Know if You Need Flood Insurance for Your Home

If you live in certain areas or have requirements for having flood insurance, you will need to get coverage. One of the main sources for insurance is the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Private insurers can provide flood insurance and help homeowners and businesses get adequate coverage.

If you live in Baton Rouge, LA, Insurance & Financial Services Inc. can help you with your flood insurance needs. Whether you are a homeowner or business owner, we have helped many people find the right coverage at the right price. 

Key Reasons For Getting Flood Insurance

Some good reasons exist for having flood insurance. Property damage may not be part of your current homeowner’s policy for instance. Having proper coverage, insufficient amounts can afford you greater peace of mind in the event of a disaster. It may be required in certain circumstances such as having a mortgage with a lender, but personal protection can be valuable and worth considering. Some reasons to consider having flood insurance are:

  • Live in a high-risk flood zone
  • Protecting your valuable investments and belongings
  • Peace of mind knowing you are protected

An Experienced Insurance Agency in Baton Rouge

Contact us at Insurance & Financial Services Inc. in Baton Rouge, LA to speak to one of our qualified agents about flood insurance for your home. We have helped countless homeowners gain peace of mind with the right coverage at affordable rates. Our agents are happy to help you understand the ins and outs of hour flood insurance policy and will help you with any questions you have. We look forward to serving you.

Who Needs Health Insurance in Baton Rouge, LA?

If you live in Baton Rouge, LA, and are interested in learning more about health insurance in your area, you should consider the expertise of an agency such as Insurance & Financial Services Inc.

If you are wondering who is required to have health insurance in Louisiana, technically the answer is no one. The Affordable Care Act does dictate that everyone should have insurance. However, there is no federal tax penalty at this point for people who go without health insurance. This means that on your federal tax return, you are still going to have to report whatever status you have in terms of coverage, but you are not going to have to pay any penalty if you don’t have coverage.

There are multiple states that have passed their own requirements in terms of health insurance that their citizens have to follow. However, Louisiana is not one of these states.

However, this certainly does not mean that you should skip getting health insurance coverage. Health insurance coverage can be very important in many cases. Even if you are young and healthy, you never know when a health issue could spring up. In fact, if you end up with a serious injury or illness that you did not anticipate, you could end up spending a great deal of money paying off hospital bills because you are not insured. In order to avoid this situation, the best option is to have health insurance before anything like that happens.

If you reside in the city of Baton Rouge, LA, you should feel free to contact the professionals at Insurance & Financial Services Inc. with any questions that you may have about health insurance in your area. They will be able to share their knowledge with you and point you in the right direction in terms of how important health insurance is for you and perhaps what policy you should choose for yourself.

Three things you might not be aware of regarding home insurance in Louisiana

It’s important to learn as much as you can about home insurance when you’re looking for a policy in Baton Rouge, LA. We sell home insurance policies in Louisiana at Insurance & Financial Services Inc.

The following are three things you might not be aware of regarding home insurance in Louisiana.

You can choose between actual cash value and replacement cost coverage.

One of the biggest decisions you’ll make is whether to purchase an actual cash value or replacement cost policy. Replacement cost policies are best because they don’t involve lower coverage amounts depending on property depreciation. However, replacement cost policies also tend to be a little more costly than actual cash value policies. 

Liability coverage should be included in a standard policy.

One type of home insurance coverage it’s important to have is liability coverage. This type of coverage pays for the costs resulting from injuries that happen on your property to other parties. 

Liability coverage is important because it protects you from potentially costly lawsuit expenses. Pay attention to the liability coverage included on home insurance policies you’re interested in buying and make sure it’s adequate. 

A standard policy won’t include flood insurance coverage.

Probably one of the most important things to know is that your insurance policy probably won’t include flood coverage. You’ll have to purchase flood coverage separately. Insurance protection against flood damages is important in Louisiana where extreme weather events such as hurricanes can happen.

Do you have questions about home insurance options in Baton Rouge, LA? We’re here to help you find the answers you’re looking for at Insurance & Financial Services Inc. Contact us to inquire about our insurance policies. 

Home Insurance Implications When You Inherit a Home

Inheriting a house after the loss of a loved one can be both financially beneficial and headache-inducing trying to navigate the murky waters of insurance and tax implications. For many, inheriting the home of their parents or another family member becomes their second residence – unless they need an immediate place to live. When it comes to insurance, the deceased person’s policy does not automatically continue offering coverage on the home for a couple of reasons. First, if you are not planning to live in the home as your primary residence then it is unlikely you will qualify for a traditional homeowner’s insurance policy. Generally speaking, if the home is unoccupied for more than 30 days at a time then a traditional insurance policy won’t fly.

If you do not plan to live in the inherited home then you’ll still want to have insurance because vacant homes can quickly become the target of vandals and thieves. In a situation like this, purchasing an unoccupied property policy will provide you with peace of mind that the home is safe and protected even if you aren’t there. If you decide to use the house to generate additional income through renting, you’ll need to have landlord insurance that not only protects your home from damage but also includes additional liability coverage to protect yourself should someone injure themselves while on your property. 

At Insurance & Financial Services Inc. in Baton Rouge, LA we recognize that homeowners insurance can be tricky – particularly after the loss of a loved one. In a time of great sadness and stress, our friendly and professional team will show immense empathy for your situation while helping answer all your questions to determine what type of policy is best for you. Give us a call today and learn more about how we can help you. 

Why should a Baton Rouge business get commercial insurance?

The Baton Rouge, LA area continues to be a great place for people to start a business. If you are going to start a company here, you will want to know that it is as well protected as possible. A great way that anyone can protect their business is by getting commercial insurance. There are several reasons why a business in this area of Louisiana should invest in a quality commercial insurance policy. 

Insurance Offers Valuable Coverage

One of the reasons that a company here should get commercial insurance is that it can provide very valuable coverage. A business will always be taking on a variety of different risks. One way that you can mitigate some of these is by getting commercial insurance. If you do get this coverage, it will give you protection for all of your business assets and liability protection. This could protect your investment and keep your business solvent.

Insurance is Often a Requirement

You will also need to get commercial insurance because it is often a requirement for business owners. Many businesses are able to grow due to raising capital from banks and investors. If you have done this, there is a good chance that you have specific commercial insurance requirements that need to be met. Getting the proper coverage will keep your company in good standing. 

A full commercial insurance policy can offer businesses amazing protection. When you are looking for a new policy in the Baton Rouge, LA area, you may find that the number of choices can make it confusing. As you are looking for commercial insurance, you should reach out to the team at Insurance & Financial Services Inc. The insurance team at Insurance & Financial Services Inc. can provide you with expert guidance and support that is needed to choose a quality policy.