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Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702

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Pennsylvania Commercial Insurance – How to Create a Theft Prevention Protocol

When you operate a business in Pennsylvania, you’ve got a lot of worry about risk on your mind. Theft prevention is going to be high on that list. Even if you do not operate a retail outlet, internal theft is just as big a risk to your bottom line as an external attack.

You’ll want to have a sound Pennsylvania commercial insurance policy to protect you from financial losses. At The Shay Agency, we can help Wilkes-Barre, PA business owners create the theft prevention protocol you need to minimize your risks.

In-House Security System

Today, cameras are not that expensive to invest in, and they serve as an excellent deterrent a lot of the time. Or, you could invest in an entire security system that will help you to minimize risks and theft. 

Have them pointed on entrances and at eye level. You don’t need a 24-hour streaming service. A few cameras with recorders when motion detectors go off will be all that you need to catch foes in action.

Develop a Tolerance Policy

A tolerance policy is a set of procedures that you develop in order to determine your game plan if you experience a theft or attack. Plan the steps you take if you experience an attack or loss.

Be sure that your employees are all trained on this and know what your expectations are, and what the outcomes will be if a problem arises. Develop an internal and external protocol.

Organize Your Interior Design

You may want to consider organizing your interior and exterior design so that you know when something is out of place. Keep workstations free of clutter. Minimize the number of materials you have on desks, cabinets, and shelves.

Enhance Your Commercial Insurance

When you are looking for ways to upgrade your security protocol, enhance your commercial insurance as well to ensure you are covered everywhere. At The Shay Agency, we can help Wilkes-Barre, PA business owners design the commercial insurance policy that they need. Call us for a quote today.

Commonly Asked Questions About Motorcycle Insurance

For most motorcyclists, safety is a high priority on the road, hence the need for motorcycle insurance. If you are a resident of Wilkes-Barre, PA in need of responsive and reliable motorcycle insurance, there are some important questions you might have in mind. The Shay Agency helps answer your questions and advise on the right insurance coverage that fits your needs and budget.

The following are some of the commonly asked questions about motorcycle insurance that are beneficial in helping secure the right coverage:

What Is the Average Cost of Motorcycle Insurance Coverage?

Motorcycle policies have varying rates depending on the state, the bike, and the insurer. In some states, insuring motorcycles is mandatory, while in others, it is not. In case of accidents, you are liable for compensation depending on your chosen coverage plan. As a result of the varying motorcycle insurance prices, it’s vital to take precautions to minimalize insurance costs by taking safety courses and consulting with insurance experts regarding discounts.

Why Is Motorcycle Insurance Important?

Ideally, motorcycle drivers are high-risk drivers who could easily get into accidents. Motorcycle insurance is an essential requirement by most state laws to protect everyone on the road in the event of an accident. If you have property damage liability coverage and bodily liability coverage, you are protected from losing your assets following an unexpected accident. If you get sued, the minimum coverage helps in covering court costs.

What Is Full Coverage Motorcycle Insurance?

This refers to the maximum amount of coverage a motorcycle can have, and it varies depending on the motorcycle type and state-specific laws on insurance. Most insurance policies are inclusive of; collision and comprehensive coverage, liability, medical payments, roadside assistance, and uninsured motorist coverage.

Motorcycle insurance policies are confusing to most motorcyclists, so it’s best to know the variation in coverage plans to minimize your insurance rates and protect your rights. For residents of Wilkes-Barre, PA with any insurance queries, contact The Shay Agency for expert advice.

Who Needs Life Insurance in Wilkes-Barre, PA?

Though life insurance gets used for many reasons, the chief purpose of this policy is to safeguard your family and loved ones upon your demise financially. It ensures that your beneficiaries will have the financial resources needed to maintain their lifestyle. It can be utilized to pay the outstanding debt or used as income replacement. Do you still need life insurance at all in Wilkes-Barre, PA? Get in touch with our charismatic agents at The Shay Agency serving Wilkes-Barre, PA and its environs, and familiarize yourself with different life insurance coverages that suit your needs and lifestyle.

Do you need life insurance?

The easiest way to ascertain if you need life insurance in Wilkes-Barre, PA is to assess your family structure, financial status, and responsibilities. Life insurance isn’t a one-size fit; undertaking this can help you understand better which life situations you would benefit from having a policy. The following categories of groups may need life insurance.

If you are a parent

Being a parent is a rewarding and significant milestone we envy to attain in our lifetime. This period has substantial financial impacts. When you have children, a life insurance policy helps your spouse cater to the day-to-day living expenses, cover child care, and pay significant debts. Upon your demise, the proceeds of life insurance can ensure that your kids get exemplary care.

Parents with young kids or special needs dependents

Regrettably, many adults start thinking about life insurance for the first time after the baby’s arrival. Unless your family can get comfortable with your savings, which sometimes is rare, you need coverage that can help you take the general care and all the outlays that go along with raising kids like sports and recreation fees, daycare, and children’s tuition. The life insurance policy also gives financial security for special needs dependents such as specialized care through the death benefits beneficiaries get after their death.

Older adults Without Savings

Retirement-age adults devoid of a massive amount of savings to draw on might require life insurance coverage to cater to funeral or burial costs after they die.

Other vulnerable groups include:

  • Business owners
  • Adults with private student loans
  • Spouses who provide most of the income

Getting more information about a life insurance policy is instrumental in getting good coverage in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Call or visit us at The Shay Agency and get comprehensive information about life insurance coverage.

Reasons You Need Life Insurance

As people get older, they start to realize the importance of having a life insurance policy in place. The agents at The Shay Agency in Wilkes-Barre, PA also know and understand the importance of having a life insurance policy in place.

Protect Your Loved Ones

If you bring in the main income for your family, a life insurance policy is a must because it will help replace the loss of your income if you die. Even if you are a young parent, it is important to have a policy in place to help your partner support your children if you suffer an untimely death. It will help your loved ones with their day-to-day expenses, house payments, car payments, and more.

Inheritance Money

A life insurance policy will create an inheritance that you can leave behind for your loved ones. You can even name them as the beneficiaries of your policy to ensure that they receive the money. This is true with all three main types of life insurance which include whole life, universal life, and term life insurance. This is a wonderful option for leaving your children money that will help them in their lives. They can opt for higher education, get married, or start a business with the money you leave behind from your life insurance policy.

Expenses

A life insurance policy will help pay for your final expenses, hospital bills, and even expenses that your loved ones incur. They can pay off credit cards, car loans, and more with money from your life insurance policy.

Peace of Mind

Since we do not know what the future holds for any of us, life insurance can provide protection for anything that may come up because you can even borrow from your life insurance policy to pay off debts while you are still alive. Ultimately, a life insurance policy will provide you with the Peace of Mind that you want and deserve. Call the life insurance agents at The Shay Agency in Wilkes-Barre, PA to get your policy started today.

What commercial insurance does my retail location need?

At The Shay Agency, we want you to obtain the best possible coverage for your Wilkes-Barre, PA business. If you own a retail business, your storefront needs different insurance than a law office or a plumber. You need multiple policies.

Retail businesses, including jewelry stores, florists, clothing and apparel stores, grocery and liquor stores, pet shops and pet stores, and electronics stores need an array of coverages starting with a retail business policy. A retail business insurance policy provides a combination of coverages. It includes policy coverage for:

  • liability to protect you from lawsuit settlements that could wipe you out from incidents like customer slips and falls, 
  • property damage from named perils, 
  • theft, 
  • some policies include liability for employee injuries and illnesses. 

You should also purchase glass insurance to protect your storefront windows from named perils and vandals. If your windows get broken for essentially any reason, this insurance pays for their replacement.

Boiler insurance also makes good sense as a purchase if the building you own or lease uses a boiler for heat and to heat the water.  It also covers other business machinery necessary for the business, such as the key cutting machine at a locksmith’s or copiers at a printing shop.

You will need commercial auto insurance on your business vehicle especially if you use it for deliveries. This policy provides full coverage for the vehicle and is valid for every licensed driver who works at your business.

You also require a workers’ compensation policy. Each state requires this type of policy which pays for the medical care and lost wages of your employees if they incur an on-the-job injury or develop an illness from exposures on-the-job.

Contact The Shay Agency serving Wilkes-Barre, PA for more information on the business insurance that can protect your business. Let us help you get the coverage you need.

Why should I invest in a commercial insurance policy?

In the Wilkes-Barre, PA area, many small business owners will find that the great local economy can make it a good place to own and run a business. If you are going to start a business here, you need to make sure that you get the proper insurance protection. For business owners, this means getting a full commercial insurance policy. There are several reasons that you should invest in this type of business insurance. 

Insurance Protects Assets Owned by Business

One reason that you should get commercial insurance is that it can protect all of the assets of your business. When you get insurance for your business, it will include a provision to protect covered assets against a variety of situations that could result in a loss. This could include coverage against theft, vandalism or other types of damage. 

Gives Liability Protection

You should also get a commercial insurance policy because it will give you valuable liability protection. Anyone that owns a business needs to find a way to protect against their liability risk. The best way that you can do this is by getting a commercial insurance policy. This coverage will include a provision for liability insurance that will protect you in these situations. 

There are clearly many reasons that businesses in the Wilkes-Barre, PA area should get commercial insurance. Since there are so many different options to choose from, you should make sure that you speak with someone that you can trust. The team at The Shay Agency can give you the guidance you need to pick a new policy. The Shay Agency will help you to better determine all of your commercial insurance options to ensure you are able to pick a policy that is right for you and your business. 

Who needs to get a full motorcycle insurance policy?

Anyone that is in the Wilkes-Barre, PA area will need to have a mode of transportation. One great option to consider would be to get a motorcycle. If you do decide to get a motorcycle, you should spend time thinking about all of your insurance needs. There are several situations when someone will need to get a full insurance policy for their motorcycle. 

One reason that you should get motorcycle insurance is that it can ensure you stay in compliance with a loan. Taking out a loan to buy a motorcycle is quite common. If you do have a loan against it, you will need to understand and follow the insurance rules. Most of the time, you will need to have a collision and comprehensive policy that offers full coverage with a reasonable deductible level.

Another situation when someone will want to get a full motorcycle policy is when they intend to drive it on a public road. Anyone that wants to use a public road will need to comply with the state law regarding liability insurance. If you do not have the necessary liability coverage, you could face penalization and even lose your license. 

Getting a motorcycle in the Wilkes-Barre, PA area can be a great option for those that want to have an efficient mode of transportation. When you are searching for your next policy, you should call The Shay Agency to discuss your options. There are a lot of important factors that need to be considered as you are shopping for a new policy. When you call The Shay Agency, you can get the help you need to better understand your options and manage the complexities. 

Why you Need Flood Insurance in Wilkes-Barre, PA

Pennsylvania is home to some of the most gorgeous mountain ranges. It is perhaps why flood insurance is mostly overlooked in the state. Unfortunately for most residents of the beautiful landscape, there is a high likelihood of experiencing massive flooding from the Susquehanna River among other large rivers across the state. In fact, during tropical storm Lee, the Susquehanna River water levels had risen to above 42 feet! Luckily, the newly built Wyoming Valley levee saved thousands of homes from complete destruction during the floods. However, there was substantial damage to many houses from the raging waters.

Importance of Insuring against Floods in Wilkes-Barre, PA

Much of the Wilkes-Barre, PA area is considered in a high flood risk region. The area experienced considerable flooding back in 2011. Since then, there haven’t been any government-sponsored improvements made on the embankment. The area is, therefore, one of the most susceptible to significant flooding events in the state.

There are currently no rules requiring residents of Pennsylvania to obtain flood insurance to cover their houses. Moreover, homeowner’s insurance does not offer cover for flood damages on homes. It is easy to be ignorant of the likelihood of storms but the unthinkable can happen, and you don’t want to find yourself in a fix when your house is ruined.

At The Shay Agency, we offer residents of Wilkes-Barre PA with flood insurance to protect their valuable assets and provide the funding required for the restoration of their property. We take flood insurance as seriously as we do fire insurance; since they are equally disastrous. We work hard to build our homes, and to have peace of mind, we have to protect them.

The Shay Agency is your best bet to protect your home from a disastrous nightmare. Contact us today via phone, or give us a visit at our offices in Wilkes-Barre, PA and get the right plan for you home.

Life Insurance Is Useful At All Stages of Life

Life insurance is one of those things you do not think much about. It is not a legal requirement, you hope your family never needs to use it, and it rarely affects you directly. It is one of those things that is often a mental requirement to be considered a responsible adult and parent, but aside from that its simply there in the background forgotten in a file. There are many reasons to purchase life insurance even if you have not reached the stage in your life where you have a lot of dependants or health risks. The Shay Agency provided quality life insurance policies for people in all stages in life. We serve the community of Wilkes-Barre, PA and the surrounding area with reliable service. 

Reasons Life Insurance Is Important Through All Life’s Stages:

  • Early Adulthood: Young adults often do not think too much about life insurance for decent reasons. However, if you buy an insurance policy in your early twenties and keep it up you will often find your premiums lower for higher coverage as you reach the next stage of your life. 
  • The early Thirties: At this stage, humans often have dependents, mortgages, and even companies that rely on their vitality. Life insurance brings peace of mind in an uncertain world, and if you purchased while you were young it is likely an easy transition to add dependants and increase coverage as needed. 
  • Middle-Ages: People often purchase their first policy in their late forties. It is certainly not too late, but again the earlier the better as a general rule. 
  • Senior Citizen: Many senior citizens have had life insurance for several years and simply keep up their coverage so they know that their passing will not put a financial burden on their children or spouses. 
  • Golden Years: It may be more difficult to get a policy that has comparable coverage to a policy that was purchased decades ago if insurance is allowed to lapse but funeral policies are common to cover funeral expenses. 
  • Other: Many grandparents choose to purchase life insurance policies for their young grandchildren, in some cases, these policies can have greater coverage than death benefits. 

Contact us at The Shay Agency for more information about a life insurance policy that can grow with you throughout all the stages of your life. We proudly serve the community of Wilkes-Barre, PA and the surrounding areas. 

Understanding the Basics of Two Types of Life Insurance

No one likes to think about the end of life care, but it is a subject that needs to be talked about by families. The cost of a funeral keeps going up each year. Not to mention there is a financial burden of the loss of income after someone passes away. These issues are why some people have chosen to buy life insurance in Wilkes-Barre, PA. This is one way that you can protect your family from having a major financial burden if something was to happen to you. Here are some things about life insurance that you will want to know.

Understanding Term-Life Insurance

Term-life insurance is the most basic and easy to understand life insurance policy. It is also the least expensive to buy. As a customer, you have a choice to make as to how much the life insurance policy should be. This kind of policy will be in force for a set period of time. If you pass away in that time frame, then the policy will payout. If the policy expires, you will have to renew the term in order to have the coverage.

Understanding Whole-Life Insurance

This type of insurance policy does not expire unless you cancel the policy. It also builds a cash value the longer you own it. What makes this policy unique is that you can borrow against the accrued value of the policy. You then pay back the money plus interest. This is a great policy in that it can be used when life throws a financial curveball your way. The premium for this policy is higher than that of a term-life policy, but it does not expire. 

There are a lot of questions that you may have about life insurance. Please call us today at The Shay Agency. We can answer those questions and help get you the policy that you need to cover your family with.