Do business owners in Davie, FL need business interruption insurance?

Davie, FL is one of the best places to live in Florida, which is saying a lot. But even in such a great place, the unexpected can happen. Sometimes there are circumstances beyond your control that cause your small business to close. While your business is closed, you don’t have the income you need to pay for the operating expenses you still need to pay for.

At Zot Insurance Agency, we try to help our clients prepare for the unexpected. Business interruption insurance is one of the best ways to do that. 

What is Business Interruption Insurance? 

Business interruption insurance is a special kind of policy that protects the insured during times a business is closed for restoration or repairs because of damage to the property. When your business is closed, even it the circumstances are completely beyond your control, you still have to keep paying your bills.

Operating expenses like your rent and mortgage still come due every month, and you still have to make monthly loan and utility payments. Normally you can expect to be taking in money to offset all your costs and expenses, but you won’t be able to while your business is shut down.

What Does Business Interruption Insurance Actually Cover?

The amount of lost income depends on your financial records, which you will provide when purchasing the policy. You need to be able to prove how much income you could have expected during the closure.

Your business interruption policy could also cover additional expenses related to the closure, such as a new temporary location for the business and related signs. You can tailor your Davie, FL business interruption policy to the specific needs of your business and add it to your regular commercial insurance. If you want to see how business interruption insurance can help your small business, please feel free to call Zot Insurance Agency today.

Top questions to ask about trucking insurance

Whether you operate your truck in Davie, FL, or all over the country, it is critical to have a comprehensive trucking policy in place. The specialists at Zot Insurance Agency would be happy to guide you through the process of putting together a policy that is customized to your trucking needs. 

How do I know what type of policy I need for my truck?

Trucks are classified into three different categories, and depending on the type of truck you have, we will be able to determine the right policy. A truck will either be insured as a light, medium, or heavy-duty truck. Each one of those classes of trucks requires a specific policy. 

What type of coverage do I need?

While each truck company is different, below are the basic coverages most trucking companies carry. 

  • Commercial Auto Liability: A commercial auto policy will help pay for liability and property damage in the event your truck is in an accident with a third party.

  • Physical Damage coverage: Unlike the commercial auto policy that only covers third party damages, the physical damage coverage will help repair or replace your truck in the event of an accident. 

  • Motor Truck Cargo: Truck cargo insurance will help recover the cost in the event the load you are carrying is lost or damaged.

What is the insurance company rating? 

This is a critical question to ask as you want to make sure the insurance company will be around in the event you need to file a claim. A high rating indicates a financially sound insurance company. 

Do I need an umbrella policy? 

Considering an umbrella policy is never a bad idea. As you know, trucking accidents can cause a large amount of damage, and an umbrella policy will offer you additional protection. 

If you would like to learn more about trucking insurance, reach out to an agent at Zot Insurance Agency in Davie, FL today. We proudly serve Florida and nearby states.

 

Four pieces of information you’ll need to take out commercial truck insurance

If you run a commercial trucking operation, you need to find the right commercial truck insurance policy to protect your liabilities and your business. At Zot Insurance Agency, we offer commercial truck insurance policies to commercial trucking companies in the Davie, FL area.

There is some important information you’ll need to take out an insurance policy. The following are four pieces of information you’ll need to take out commercial truck insurance:

Driver’s License Details

The insurance provider needs to know the name and driver’s license number of any driver who will be operating your vehicles. The insurance provider will be looking up the driving record of all drivers. You may be asked to provide information on any past tickets or driving infractions you or any other drivers working for your company have on their record.

VIN Numbers of Insured Vehicles

You’ll want to have vehicle VIN numbers handy because they’ll also be required. VIN numbers should be listed on your vehicle titles. 

Vehicle Details

The insurance company is going to ask for details about your vehicle. You’ll need to provide the year of manufacture of all of your trucks. You’ll also need to provide the model and manufacturer of your trucks. The insurance company might also want to know about things like safety or technology features your trucks have. 

Details Regarding Commercial Activities

Commercial truck insurance providers often also ask about commercial activity details. They may want to know which states and geographic regions you’ll be operating in. Additionally, you might be asked what types of materials you typically ship and how long your company has been in operation. 

To learn more about commercial truck insurance, owner-operators in the Davie, FL area can contact us at Zot Insurance Agency. 

How trucking insurance can help you

Commercial trucking is an important career as it is necessary for products to be shipped all over the country. If you are employed in the trucking industry or own your own truck, it is vital that you adequately protect your business. One of the best ways to do this today is through the use of a trucking insurance policy as it can help you in several different ways. 

Cargo Insurance

Getting involved in an accident is always very stressful. However, this could be even more stressful if you drive a truck that contains valuable cargo. If this happens, you could end up losing a lot of money if the load is damaged. Through a trucking insurance policy, you can receive coverage for your cargo due to damage, theft, vandalism, fire, or several other loss-creating situations. 

Liability Insurance

When you drive a truck in the Davie, FL area, you also need to make sure that you are covered for liability. Whenever you drive a truck, you are taking on responsibility. If you happen to cause an accident that leads to damage, you could end up being found liable. A trucking insurance policy will provide you with coverage if you are found liable for damages and help with the costs involved. 

As you are shopping for your next trucking insurance policy, you should reach out to the team at Zot Insurance Agency. Choosing a trucking insurance policy in the Davie, FL area can be complicated and confusing. The professionals at Zot Insurance Agency will help you understand better the risks that come with owning a commercial truck and how you can protect yourself with a quality trucking policy. We can then help you get a quote and answer your questions.

Do Work Site Trailers Need Commercial Insurance?

When it comes to commercial insurance coverage, there are many ways a policy can protect the policyholder. For example, there are many circumstances possible when it comes to housing a business or company like conducting business from a worksite trailer. This is a common practice for construction companies or a business that has recently moved or suffered storm damage and require temporary housing.

Using A Trailer To House An Office Or Business

If you are planning to use a portable office or trailer to conduct your daily processes or to serve as a home base for a business, you may need to purchase additional property insurance or special commercial trailer insurance. In some cases, a provider may not insure the trailer as part of the policy unless the policy value meets certain criteria. Before you begin using a trailer on your job site or as a home base for operation, you should consult with your insurance agent to find a policy that can fit your requirements and provide the right level of coverage.

Finding The Right Policy

Whether you are searching for an all in one policy solution or you want additional insurance to give you coverage for a new commercial office trailer, you can make the process easier by enlisting the help of a professional insurance agent. They can guide you through the selection process and give you options that can provide the ideal amount of coverage to protect from damages and loss. If you live in the Davie, FL area, you can count on Zot Insurance Agency to provide personalized service that can give you peace of mind for your business or company.

Commercial trailer insurance selection can be much easier when you work with a skilled insurance agent. Business and company owners around the Davie, FL area should call or stop by Zot Insurance Agency today to speak with an agent or to schedule a consultation. 

Trucking Insurance FAQS

If you are an owner-operator driving a truck in Florida you need to know all there is to know about trucking insurance in Florida because your very livelihood relies on having your truck even if something bad happens. At Zot Insurance Agency we are happy to answer any questions you have about trucking insurance in Florida. We serve drivers in and around Davie, FL with quality insurance services. 

Trucking Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

  • How does trucking insurance differ from regular driver’s insurance? There are higher coverage limits, and the premiums can be higher as well. Regular driver’s do not come across the same risks that a trucker does and a good insurance policy will protect you and your livelihood in case of an accident. 
  • How much coverage do I need? In Florida, you are required to carry a minimum that starts at $10,000 but can grow significantly according to what your cargo is. Ask about specific coverage requirements for your situation. It is a good idea to go beyond the minimum requirements so you have more than minimum aid after an incident. 
  • Should I buy more than my employer covers?  If you are not an owner-operator and are driving under your employer’s insurance policy it may be a good idea to buy an additional umbrella policy to protect yourself further. Discuss your options with our insurance agent, and possibly your employer to see if they want to fund part of your additional coverage. 

Contact us at Zot Insurance Agency to learn more about trucking insurance or to purchase a policy. We serve Davie, FL and the surrounding areas with quality insurance services for all types of drivers. Do not let risk lay in your life or job, get the coverage you need at the price you want. 

Do I Need Fleet Insurance If I Own More Than One Rig?

Owning a trucking company can make for some pretty big decisions. One of the most common is deciding whether or not you want to own two or more trucks. Not only does that require managing logistics, it also means finding the right type of insurance policy that will fully protect your business. Buying more than one semi can provide you the opportunity to invest in fleet insurance which could eventually result in major savings. In Davie, FL, the agents at Zot Insurance Agency can help you figure out what you need.

Fleet Insurance

Fleet insurance is designed to cover multiple vehicles that are used in the daily operations of your business. While some insurance companies require you to have at least two vehicles, others can require as many as five before you can be considered for fleet insurance. Vehicles that are maintained under a fleet insurance policy should only be used for the operations of the business.

Discounts for Multiple Vehicles

Insuring each vehicle on a one on one basis can be extremely expensive. Fleet insurance policies allow you to insure all of your vehicles under one policy, eliminating the extra administrative fees while providing you with the same type of coverage for an affordable rate. Rates vary from company to company so talking to your insurance agent is the best way to find out just how much you will save over the course of a year.

The agents of Zot insurance Agency make themselves available to business owners in Davie, FL who own multiple vehicles as part of their business. They can provide all of the answers you will need about fleet insurance. All you have to do is call and set up a consultation.

 

 

 

Does Commercial Insurance Cover Just Your Building?

Commercial insurance is something that all business owners should have. It covers a great deal more than you might expect in addition to your building itself. For those that live in the Davie, FL area, the agents with Zot Insurance Agency can help you find the commercial coverage that works best for you.

A commercial policy is first and foremost in place to protect the physical business itself. This means the building in which it is housed, the inventory, and any other elements that are vital to the working of the business. This also means anything like computers, scanners, or machines that are used to make products for sale for the business. This type of policy also covers your employees. If they are injured on the job, the policy can help pay for medical costs and for time off work.

It can also cover things like customer injury and even lawsuit costs if you are potentially dealing with a lawsuit. These coverages are there to make sure that you can stay open and stay operating through a greater variety of instances and that your business is always going to be working effectively even if something were to happen. Commercial policies can also have supplementary policies built in to protect from things like vandalism, theft, flood and so much more. It is critical that you make sure your commercial coverage fits the business that you are running and that your coverage is going to protect your business from just about anything.

For those that live in the Davie, FL area, the agents with Zot Insurance Agency can help you tailor a policy to your business and to your specific needs to make sure you are covered no matter what comes your way and no matter what you have to deal with.

Trucking Insurance: Excessive Liability Or Umbrella Coverage?

When it comes to your Florida trucking insurance, although the terms excess liability and umbrella liability are often confused as being the same, they are quite different. Zot Insurance Agency is here to help you understand how each type of insurance works. 

Umbrella vs. Excess Liability Insurance 

While there are similarities, there are differences. Umbrella liability is collective. It could reach over general, auto, or employer’s liability, as well as provide coverage when the underlying coverage does not exist. Excess liability is very specific. It is extra coverage over a set amount for all three lines of coverage. What they do share in common is that for either an umbrella or excess liability policy to trigger, the underlying insurance policy line must be exhausted. 

Umbrella Liability and Excess Liability Insurance Coverage 

Both policies provide an excellent solution to help you protect your assets (such as your Davie, FL home) and net worth in the event you are faced with a large claim. The coverages may also meet shipper’s requirements for specific loads. 

For example, excess liability can be written in whereby the carrier chooses not to select the higher limits required by the shipping contract. This provides no coverage for other hauls that the carrier has that do not involve the shipper named on your excess liability policy. If an umbrella policy is triggered due to a claim that doesn’t include the underlying insurance than retention or deductible (typically $10,000 per claim) would apply.  

With ever-increasing claims in the trucking industry, it is smart to consider either an excess liability policy or an umbrella liability policy to protect you and your business. To learn more about umbrella and excess liability or to speak with an agent about your trucking insurance needs, call  Zot Insurance Agency in Davie, FL today. We serve over seven states!

Can You Have More than One Commercial Policy?

When it comes to commercial insurance, it is always best to know just what you can and cannot have. For those that live in the Davie, FL area, the agents with Zot Insurance Agency can help you to determine what type of coverage you need and what type of coverage you want for your business.

When you have a commercial property, it is essential to have a commercial policy to help protect this property from theft, damage, and to help protect the employees that work there, as such, it is essential to figure out what policy is going to work for you. In many cases, you can have as much insurance as you wish on any property. The issue when it comes to having multiple policies is the overall value of the business.

You cannot, for instance, have three policies on one property that amount to more than the property is worth. This causes an issue with most insurance companies as insuring a business for far more than it is worth is going to cost the insurance company a great deal more money to take care of a claim than what the property is actually worth.

In most cases, you are not going to be able to have multiple policies on the same property through the same insurance company. You may be able to insure it through another company, but you always want to speak with an agent about what is legal and what is smart when it comes to insuring your business. You can always insure your business and adjust coverage as needed to guarantee that you are going to be fully covered in the event of an incident.

For those in the Davie, FL area, the agents with Zot Insurance Agency can help you to find the policy that works best for you, and that is going to do the most for your business.