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Monthly Archives: June 2011

Bonded & Insured Housecleaner

What does it mean if someone that cleans your New York home is “bonded and insured”?

Advertisements for New York home cleaning services often state that the cleaning company is “bonded and insured.” “Bonding” in this context usually refers to the protection afforded to the cleaning company’s customer if an employee steals from the customer. “Insured” should mean that the cleaner carries liability coverage for personal injuries and property damage, as well as workers’ compensation insurance (you should verify that this is what the cleaning company means by “insured”).

While “bonded and insured” is a desirable distinction for a cleaning service, the insurance coverage carried by an individual cleaner or company should be confirmed. Different cleaners may purchase different bond and insurance coverages, which could provide markedly different degrees of protection.

You should ask the cleaning company for a certificate of insurance documenting the coverage in place. You might also contact the cleaner’s independent insurance agent to verify the existence of insurance and liability limits, and to determine whether the cleaner’s work in your home would be covered under the cleaner’s policy.

Long Island Off-Road Vehicle Insurance

Whether you are a New York recreational ATV rider, or use your side by side to manage miles of fence line having it damaged, wrecked, or stolen can cause loss of time and money. We can provide different types of NY off road vehicle insurance to cover different types of vehicle needs for those that live in the greater Farmingdale, Merrick, Hicksville, Plainview and Wantagh area.  Give us a call today at 516-249-5200, our customer services representatives are here to help and answer any questions or concerns that you may have.  We appreciate your business!

PROTECT YOURSELF WHEN RENTING YOUR HOME

You absolutely have insurance issues to consider when renting out your Long Island home. As you might have guessed, rental property owners have some unique insurance needs. A standard Long Island homeowners policy isn’t appropriate for rental property, because:

  •  You do not need to insure the contents of the house, unless you provide furnished accommodations;
  • You need to be more concerned about liability issues; and
  • You need to protect yourself against the loss of rental income. Your tenants may purchase renters insurance, but even if they do, it will not provide any coverage for you as the owner of the property.

Fortunately, there’s a policy designed especially to meet the needs of rental property owners. Most insurers who deal in commercial insurance can sell you a policy specifically for rental property. However, there are many variations among rental property policies. Some provide replacement cost coverage, while others only insure property on an actual cash value basis. Some policies only provide coverage for one or two named perils (such as fire), while others provide much broader coverage. Because of these variations, you may have to shop around to find a policy that provides complete coverage. A good rental property policy should provide the following: 

  • Broad coverage for the physical structure of the house, on a named-peril or open-peril basis
  •  Coverage for other structures located on the property (garages, sheds, etc.)–This coverage is often limited to 10 percent of the coverage for the house
  • Coverage for your property left on the premises (appliances, maintenance equipment, etc.)
  • Coverage for loss of use, if you lose rental income because of a covered peril
  • Liability coverage for injuries or property damage that occur on the insured property
  • Medical payments coverage, for medical expenses that arise from injuries to others on the insured property