DeKok Insurance Group - DeKok Insurance Group, Inc.

Understanding UNDERinsured Motorist Coverage

September 8, 2011 By Jon DeKok

It is estimated that there will be over 12 million motorized vehicle accidents in the U. S. this year. Approximately 40,000 of them will be fatal and more than 2 million people will be injured.

The average annual cost of these accidents: $164.2 billion. Average medical costs per person is $10,000 (most likely higher) because current numbers are not available. (in 2007 the average cost per person was $8,522) This number does not include the following: continued medical treatment, legal expenses, permanent disability, loss of wages, or pain and suffering.

The state of Minnesota requires drivers to carry UNDER insured motorist coverage with minimum limits of $25,000 per person/$50,000 per occurrence. At first glance, these amounts seem adequate until you do a conservative estimate on the potential expenses which are likely to be at least $30,000 before the add-ons.

If the person who caused the accident doesn’t have enough insurance to cover your injuries, where is that additional money going to come from?

Your underinsured motorist coverage. If your limits are inadequate. . .then what?

As your insurance agent, when I advise you to consider carrying higher limits (at least 100/300), I’m not trying to make more money. It is my goal to offer you the right protection and save you money in the event of an accident. Call me (507-226-8121) to find out if you have enough coverage.

Jon

[email protected]

graphic purchased from fotolia.com © Sergey Ilin – Fotolia.com

Pet Coverage

September 1, 2011 By Jon DeKok

Some of you know we have two dogs – Sophie and Tucker. Joy would tell you we love our dogs and the truth is – we do.

Many of us travel with our pets, even if it’s just to the grocery store or the gas station. Have you ever wondered what would happen if you had an accident and your pet or pets were in the car with you? Several of the companies I represent have different levels of coverage for injured pets. Since my focus this week is on Progressive, I thought I’d share this with you. It’s taken directly from their website.

Pets are family, too!

You take them to the park, to the groomer’s, and out for joyrides…we’re talking about your pets. And we think they should be covered by your auto insurance policy.

That’s why Progressive was the first to offer Pet Injury coverage and is now happy to offer up to $1000 worth of coverage for your dog or cat if they’re injured when you’re in a car, RV, boat, PWC, or commercial auto accident or during a car, RV, boat, PWC, or commercial auto fire or theft.

And, it’s free. Progressive’s Pet Injury coverage is automatically included with your Comprehensive and Collision coverage on your boat, PWC, or RV policy, and with your Collision coverage on your auto or commercial auto policy.*

How Pet Injury Coverage Works

It couldn’t be easier because you don’t have to do or pay anything. It’s absolutely free. You just need to have Collision coverage for at least one vehicle on your auto or commercial auto policy. For RV, boat and PWC policies, you need to have Comprehensive and Collision coverage for at least one vehicle on the policy.

Pet Injury coverage pays up to $1000 toward veterinary bills if your dog or cat is injured when you’re in a car accident. We also cover them for Comprehensive claims, such as vehicle theft or a fire. In the unfortunate event that your pet dies as a result of injuries sustained in your Collision or Comprehensive claim, we provide a $1000 death benefit.

Coverage also extends to a cat or dog owned by a relative who lives with you.

Auto insurance for your pet — now that’s Progressive!

NOTE: Pet coverage insurance is NOT Pet Insurance and does not cover your pet health care.

If you have questions on your insurance, call me at 507-226-8121 or email me at [email protected]

Jon

More About Progressive Insurance

August 30, 2011 By Jon DeKok

As an independent agent, I have the privilege of writing for some of the top companies in the nation. Here are some things about Progressive I thought you might like to know:

In Minnesota they are the 3rd largest auto insurer and growing steadily. There are 11 claims offices statewide and they employ 282 people. (this number does not include their independent agents)

The following is taken directly from their website:

Overview and History

The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies has been called a visionary — a maverick leading a wave of change within the insurance industry. In business since 1937, Progressive is now one of the nation’s largest auto insurance groups, and is the largest writer of private passenger auto insurance through independent agents in the country.

Jon

Did you know. . .

August 25, 2011 By Jon DeKok

According to statistics released by the Insurance Research Council in April of 2011 that in the U.S. that approximately 1 in 7 drivers are uninsured?

This is an increase and studies blame the economic decline.

It might be a good idea to call your agent and see what your policy covers if you’re in an accident with an uninsured motorist.

Jon

226-8121

[email protected]

Apple Season

August 4, 2011 By Jon DeKok

We have twenty apple trees on our land – more if you count the wild ones found here and there down by the pond. I’m the official apple guy at our house. This includes mixing up a big batch of organic insect repellent
for the trees, picking up the fallen apples before the rot, harvesting the good ones and finally turning them into organic juice I freeze. (we can also safely pick, polish, and eat apples right off the tree worm and chemical-free)

These days, picking up fallen apples is hot work and I share the space with hundreds of bees. They don’t bother me too much. I pile the apples into the back of our John Deere Gator and haul them away where they can deteriorate uninterrupted. The bees follow the apples. Joy says when drive off with the apples piled high and a cloud of bees above the sweet, sticky fruit, it reminds her of cartoons she watched as a kid.

When the apples are ready to pick, I fill up the Gator again (this happens weekly Aug – Oct) and clean the fruit. Using an old-fashioned apple press, I “juice” the apples, strain the juice, and fill up one gallon jugs with juice. We have three freezers we use just for juice.

I don’t separate the different kinds of apples. Instead, I crush whatever is ripe at the time. This results in many different flavors of juice.

Some of the apples are almost ready for the first batch of this season. The crop is abundant and I’m going to busy. When winter comes and the squirrels and blue jays are feasting on the few frozen apples still on the trees,
I’ll be inside enjoying the fruits of the trees labor and mine. That makes the sweat and a bee sting now and then worth it.

Jon