With the arrival of warmer temperatures, Wisconsinites begin to make weekend trips to enjoy the many lakes and rivers our state has to offer. But in all of their preparations, boaters often overlook reviewing their boating insurance because they assume they are covered.

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Boat insurance is only required if a boat is 24 feet or longer. It is recommended to have coverage on any size boat.

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Boat insurance covers you anywhere you go boating in the continental U.S. Some policies only cover the boat when it is on the waters it is most frequently used or limit coverage to within 100 nautical miles of a home port.

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Your boat will be covered if you store it outside. Most policies say it has to be fully

Many claims situations are not covered by standard homeowners policy endorsements such as: lost or stolen fishing equipment or personal belongings or your boat is destroyed and the wreckage needs to be removed..

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Drinking and boating penalties are less than drinking and driving. The penalties for drinking and boating are just as stiff as they are for drinking and driving.

To ensure that your boat is properly covered, review your coverage with your professional independent agent.

• more than half of homeowners polled think damage from a break in the water line on their property supplying their home is covered

•over a third of home owners think sewer-line breaks, earthquakes and mold are covered, and

•over 30 percent think damage from termites or other infestation is covered.

“It is important for homeowners to fully understand the policy they are buying,” says Cindy Steinbach, Mayville Insurance Agency. “Typical exclusions from homeowners policies include earth movement, water damage, neglect, war, nuclear action and mold. If you aren’t sure if you are covered in a specific scenario, explain it to your professional independent agent. They will be able to tell you whether or not you are covered.”

Steinbach continues, “A typical homeowners policy will cover fire, theft, liability, vandalism and smoke damage. Damage from some natural disasters like windstorms, hail, and lightning also may be covered. With the summer storm season approaching, this is a great time to review your policy with your professional independent agent. They can help you determine whether or not your current level of coverage is adequate.”

In 2004, the most recent year with results available, 8,750 claims were made against uninsured drivers and/or automobile owners in Wisconsin. Damages exceeded $37 million and as of July of 2006, 430 of those motorists still had unresolved claims against them.

“If you are in a collision with an uninsured or underinsured motorist and do not have adequate uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, you may not be properly compensated for injuries that you, or other occupants of your vehicle sustain,” says Cindy Steinbach, Mayville Insurance Agency.

Although Wisconsin does not require proof of insurance to receive a drivers license or to register a vehicle, it does have a financial responsibility law. The law states that any motorist licensed to drive in Wisconsin must pay for damages to others though a liability insurance policy, a surety bond, personal funds or a certificate of self-insurance. But if an uninsured or underinsured driver hits you and has no means to pay for the damage, your only option is to sue the other driver for damages. It may take years for you to be reimbursed, if at all.

“Uninsured motorists coverage protects you by providing money to cover bodily injury to you and other occupants of your vehicle (or if you are injured as a pedestrian) that were caused by an uninsured motorist or a hit-and-run driver,” says Steinbach. “This protection does not cover damage to your vehicle or your property and is purchased as part of a typical auto insurance policy.”

“Underinsured motorists coverage increases the bodily injury protection for you and the other occupants of your vehicle up to the amount you purchase. This coverage would go into effect when the party causing the accident has lower bodily injury liability limits than your underinsured motorists limits.”

Your professional independent agent can help you determine the right amount of uninsured and/or underinsured motorist coverage to purchase for your situation.

Think you don’t need flood insurance? Recent weather conditions have forced many Wisconsin home owners to reevaluate that question.

Floods and flash floods happen in all 50 states and nearly everyone lives in a potential flood zone. Every year, flooding causes more than $2.4 billion of property damage in the U.S. Nationally, homeowners have a 26 percent chance of flood damage over a 30-year period versus only a 9 percent chance of damage due to fire.

“Only an inch of water can cause costly damage to your property,” says Cindy Steinbach, Mayville Insurance Agency. ”Basic home owners’ policies do not cover flood damage, so a federal government backed flood insurance policy is needed.”

“The large amount of rain Wisconsin has received lately has caused flooding, which can lead to sewer back-ups,” says Steinbach. “Sewer back-ups are typically not covered or covered on a limited basis under your homeowner’s policy. Purchasing flood insurance should protect you if a sewer were to back-up due to flooding. Review your policy with your professional independent agent to ensure that you have the right type and amount of coverage for your situation.”

In order to purchase flood insurance, your community must participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). A $100,000 flood insurance premium is roughly $400 a year. If you live in a low to moderate risk area, your premium may be even lower. Last year, one-third of all claims paid by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) were for policies in low-risk communities.

“If you live on a coastline, flood plain, etc., you may not qualify for federally subsidized insurance and if you do, your rates will be substantially higher,” says Steinbach. “In this case, should a flood occur, your only option may be federal disaster assistance in the form of a loan that has to be paid back with interest.”

Land development can increase flood risk if construction has altered natural runoff paths. Areas that have not flooded before may be susceptible if surrounding land becomes developed.

If you are building or renovating a home in a floodplain, be sure to elevate the furnace, water heater, and electric panel. Also, install “check valves” in sewer traps to prevent flood water from backing up into the drains of your home.

“Flood policies typically take 30 days to take effect, so be prepared before the floodwaters start to rise,” says Steinbach. “Contact your professional independent insurance agent to discuss adding flood insurance on your home.”

You’re driving to the store when, without warning, the car in front of you makes a surprise left turn, forcing you to slam on your brakes. You notice that the driver is hitting buttons on his GPS. In the shopping center, your car is almost broadsided by a driver who backs out of a parking spot without looking. The driver is on a cell phone. On your way home, you can see the driver in front of you reach over to pull a CD out of the passenger side visor. The car momentarily drifts to the right and nearly goes into the ditch. Using gadgets while you’re driving can be a very bad thing. According to new research, crashes and near crashes are twice as likely to happen when a driver is performing a moderately complex task not related to driving, such as inserting a CD. The statistics jump to three times as likely if the driver is attempting complex tasks such as dialing a phone or texting. “As new technologies are introduced, the list of potential driver distractions keeps getting longer,” says Brad Steinbach, Mayville Insurance Agency. “Safety concerns have even been raised about GPS navigation devices and complex ‘green’ energy monitoring displays on dashboards. The bottom line is that if you’re not paying attention and the result is an accident, you could be in big trouble.” A new study at the University of Iowa showed that most drivers overestimate their driving abilities and aren’t aware of the degree of danger they expose themselves to when they attempt to multi-task behind the wheel. The study confirmed that teen drivers in particular “don’t notice what they don’t notice.”

A flood involves rising waters, such as those caused by rain, melting snow, or overflow of a river.  It can cause enormous damage.  However, a homeowner’s or a commercial property policy does not cover it.  The primary way  to insure your home or commercial properties against flood is through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

Sewer and drain backup, on the other hand, involves water that causes damage to your house or property as a result of a sewer or drain that backs up.  Unlike flood insurance, the coverage for this type of loss can be purchased as an endorsement to your homeowner’s and commercial property polices.

Flood polices do not cover losses caused by sewer or drain backup.  Nor do sewer and drain backup endorsements cover true flood losses.

We urge you to consider adding Sewer and Drain Backup Endorsement to your Homeowners or commercial property polices as well as purchasing a Flood Insurance policy.

Identity Theft is a growing threat to everyone.  We often think of Identity Theft coverage as a kind of “fluff” coverage.  Think again!  Identity Theft recently hit home with Wilson Mutual Marketing Representative Jim Schoenecker. This is his story…

No identity theft for me!

Wrong I had my wallet stolen out of a locked locker at the YMCA just weeks ago?  When I discovered it missing my first reaction was one of anger.  I did not know what to do or where I could find a resource to assist me.  I filed a police report and fortunately the officer was very helpful and had a nice checklist for me to begin closing accounts and putting credit bureaus on notice.  Through my discussions with YMCA staff and the police officer, I was astonished at the rate of frequency in which this happens!

I used to think of Identity Theft as a find of “fluff” coverage.

I was also given a description as to one of the predator approaches on this.  The predator will sit in their car in the parking lot and watch for women entering the facility who are not carrying a purse. Guess what, they presume the purse is in the locked car…and boom. They break in and make off with the purse.  Sickening huh?  Just one of many scams targeting hard working, honest citizens.

I used to think of identity theft as a kind of “fluff” coverage.  No longer, it is just as necessary as coverage to protect you from fire.  Statistics suggest you or someone you know has had their identity stolen.

The lesson I learned was to be proactive.  Document what you carry in your purse or wallet. Have card and cancellation numbers on file. Don’t carry unnecessary cards.

Above all, carry Identity Theft Coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions Coming Soon