Does boat insurance cover damages that occur on land?

What a great question! Here at Rising Star Insurance we always welcome questions like these from our clients. We are thrilled to serve the boating community in the greater Saint Paul, MN area! Of course, the answer to this astute question depends on a number of different factors. 

Let’s Take a Closer Look Your Boat Insurance Policy

Owning a boat is a serious pastime in our neck of the woods, and it’s a smart idea to have comprehensive insurance. And when you have the right coverage for your situation you can rest easy knowing you have the protection you need!

  • Dry dock — do you store your boat in the dry dock over the winter? Make sure that you have damage and theft coverage for when your boat is on dry land.
  • Marina — is your marina safe? With the right policy, you’ll have the protection you need, wherever your boat may be.
  • Transport to and from the water — if you trailer your boat to and from the water, make sure that your trailer, vehicle, and boat are all adequately covered.
  • Liability — with robust liability protection you are safe if your vessel is involved in an accident that causes injury, property damage, or the loss of your boat. 

Get ready for boating and lake season by confirming that your boat policy is the right one for all your nautical needs.

Contact us today and review the boat insurance policy options available in MN

If you are a boat owner in the Saint Paul, MN area, it’s time to meet with Rising Star Insurance and review your policy options. There are many different types of boat insurance available, stop by today and let’s make sure yours has the coverage you need!

How Does Umbrella Insurance Work?

Having enough insurance is different for everyone. For many people, having enough liability insurance entails getting an umbrella insurance policy. This kind of insurance works alongside the auto and home coverage that you already have. If you are interested in umbrella insurance, call us at Rising Star Insurance in Saint Paul, MN. 

Liability and Auto Insurance

If you have auto insurance, you may know that it comes with a certain amount of liability coverage. This liability coverage, however, is often relatively low. Today’s costs for injuries and property damage are higher than ever, and that can mean that your insurance policy doesn’t pay for everything before it meets its maximum payout. If you have umbrella insurance, that’s when your umbrella policy kicks in. It covers over and above the amount that your auto insurance will pay to give you a much higher maximum payout. 

Liability and Home Insurance

Umbrella insurance works in much the same way with home insurance as it does with auto insurance. It gives you a higher maximum payout after your home insurance has paid its maximum for liability. This gives you another high maximum that can pay off your liability without you having to pay for it out of your own pocket. 

Get More Liability Coverage

In today’s world, medical bills and property have skyrocketed, and your liability insurance coverage may not have kept up with the times. If you want to be protected from the many accidents and incidents that can lead to you paying for medical bills and repairing the property, call us at Rising Star Insurance in Saint Paul, MN. Make an appointment to talk with an agent about umbrella insurance policies and how they can protect you from costly bills and lawsuits. 

Why Every Parent Needs to Have Adequate Life Insurance

Do you have children? If so, you need a life policy from Rising Star Insurance. Having this type of policy can help ensure your kids are taken care of in the event of your death. Keep reading to learn why every Saint Paul, MN parent needs to have adequate life insurance.

Why Parents Need Life Insurance

It’s probably pretty obvious that working parents have a big role in the financial structure of the family. After the death of a loved one, the surviving family can sometimes have a hard time making ends meet or even keeping up with the mortgage. However, the proceeds from a life insurance policy can help fill in gaps, pay off the house, and more.

And, yes, even stay-at-home parents need life insurance coverage. The reason for this is that the adult who chooses to take care of the household may only contribute a minimum financially, but they play a huge role in childcare, household tasks, and more. After a death, the surviving parent would be forced to hire someone to come in and take care of the same things.

Even Divorced Parents Need Life Insurance

Although it might be difficult for some co-parents to arrange, even divorced couples need life insurance coverage. The reason for this is that if one parent dies, the other one will likely still need the support of some kind, whether that’s financial or just an extra babysitter once in a while to fill in the gaps. Plus, having a policy ahead of time can help ensure the children have the resources they need to thrive.

Our Rising Star Insurance Team Can Help

While having a difficult conversation about life insurance is tough for most couples, protecting your children is well worth the discomfort. By ensuring you have enough coverage, you can rest assured that your family will have the financial resources necessary to carry on after the unthinkable.

Are you looking for life insurance in Saint Paul, MN? Please contact our Rising Star Insurance team today to schedule a no-obligation consultation appointment.

Tips for choosing the Perfect Commercial Insurance for New Business Owners

Starting a business in Saint Paul, MN? Congratulations on joining the entrepreneurial team. Starting a business comes with many considerations such as location, product or services offered, employees, and security. It is easy to forget about commercial insurance, which is critical for safeguarding your investment. At Rising star insurance, we are all about helping you find a policy that fits all your business needs. With that said, here are tips to help you choose the best commercial insurance for your new business.

Assess your needs and risks 

Every industry has its own risks and challenges. As a first-time business owner, you will need to conduct a thorough research about your industry and know the potential risks involved. If you need to employ workers, you will equally need to purchase the workers’ compensation policy. Other hazards include theft in that location, potential accidents of workers or customers, and natural disasters. 

Know how much insurance you need

Once you know the risks involved and other aspects that need to be covered in your commercial insurance, the next step is to determine how much insurance you need. If you are running a small business in Saint Paul, MN, you may not need much insurance, unlike big companies. However, most states require workers’ compensation, even if it is one employee. Other insurance coverages to consider include; general liability insurance and professional liability coverages.

Choose your insurance agency wisely.

When it comes to choosing the best insurance agency, don’t just go for the cheapest. Most of the more affordable policies are not reliable, and you may end up digging into your pockets to fix damages or pay lawsuits. A good insurance company should look at your needs, assess your risks, and come up with a policy that takes care of all your business insurance needs.

For more information about commercial insurance, feel free to speak to us at Rising Star insurance, and we will be happy to help.

How can I benefit from home insurance?

In the Saint Paul, MN area, owning a home is a great option for anyone that is looking for a consistent place to live. If you are in the market for a new home here, you will find that there are plenty of great options available. When you do purchase a home here, you also need to make sure that you get into a quality home insurance policy. You can benefit from home insurance coverage in several ways. 

Coverage Will Protect Assets

A primary advantage of getting home insurance is that it can protect your assets. A quality home insurance policy will give you coverage to repair or replace your dwelling if it is every damaged. At the same time, you can receive coverage for your personal assets if you ever suffer a loss due to theft, fire, or another form of damage.

Liability Protection

Anyone that is going to purchase a home should spend time considering their personal liability risks. If there is ever any type of accident in your home that causes damage or injury to another part, you could be found responsible. Since these damages can add up and be expensive, you will want to have insurance to mitigate against this risk and ensure you are properly protected. 

Getting a home insurance policy should be considered a necessity for anyone that is in the Saint Paul, MN area. If you do live in this area of Minnesota and want guidance to help you choose a policy, you should reach out to Rising Star Insurance. Picking a home insurance policy is always a big decision. Since there are a lot of options available, you should work with the team at Rising Star Insurance to ensure you are properly covered and protected at all times. 

What should I do when hit by an uninsured motorist?

Can I still get compensation if I’m hit by an uninsured driver? What should I do when faced by such a challenge? These are some of the common questions we receive at Rising Star Insurance from some of our auto insurance clients. Despite carrying a minimum liability coverage being a requirement by the law, we still have some regular drivers across Saint Paul, MN who still drive without insurance. This is not only dangerous to the driver but other drivers and passengers as well. It is also a criminal offense.

So, what should you do when hit by an insured driver?

Call the Police

If you ever get into an accident, whether the other party has insurance or not, always call the Police. If you are dealing with an uninsured motorist, then this step becomes even more critical. The Police will help you get your compensation and make the whole claim process faster and smoother.

Do not accept any negotiations until your insurance agents and the Police have arrived

Never negotiate with an uninsured driver. This is a common occurrence as most uninsured drivers try to avoid the hefty fines and the legal repercussions that come with driving without insurance.  For this reason, they may try to trick you and offer to give you a certain amount of money, so you clear the compensation before it gets to the Police. Remember, at this point; you don’t know how much damage or injuries will cost. So, even if it seems a good deal, don’t accept money.

Gather as much evidence as possible

Take pictures of the vehicle as well as the damage done to your car. Get the make and model of the other vehicle and record the time of the accident and the badge number of the officer who will attend to you.

Getting hit by an uninsured driver can be worrying, but not when you have Rising Star insurance agents around. We care about your safety, and that’s why we will be there with you to make sure you get compensation and the justice you deserve. For more discussions about uninsured accidents, feel free to visit us at Saint Paul, MN today.

How can home insurance protect me?

If you are in the Saint Paul, MN area a great long term housing option to consider is to purchase your own property. If you are going to purchase a property in this area of the state, you need to make sure that you have it properly protected with insurance. Not only is home insurance usually a requirement, but it can also protect you and your home several different ways that make it well worth the investment.

Insurance Protects Assets

One of the advantages of getting home insurance is that it can protect your assets. There are a variety of forms of asset coverage that you will receive. This can include receiving coverage to repair or replace your dwelling and receiving protection to repair or replace your personal items. If you own expensive art, jewelry, or other collectibles, you can further protect the assets with an insurance rider.

Liability Coverage

Another advantage of home insurance is that it can give you valuable liability coverage. If you own a property and have a guest over, you are taking on some risk that they could be injured. If this occurs, you will want to make sure that you are covered for liability as you could be deemed liable for damages. A full home insurance policy can provide you with protection to mitigate this risk. 

As you are shopping for a home insurance policy in the Saint Paul, MN area, you should speak with the team at Rising Star Insurance. When you call the team at Rising Star Insurance, you will learn a lot more about how home insurance can protect you. They can then answer any questions that you have and help you get into a policy that will offer you the protection you need to maximize your coverage. 

Understanding Whole and Term Life Insurance

When faced with the task of purchasing life insurance policies many people will struggle to decide between whole and term life policies.  Rising Star Insurance can help people in the Saint Paul, MN area to better understand the basics of each type of policy and can help you make the right decision for you and your intended beneficiary.  The biggest difference to keep in mind is that whole life insurance policies cover you for your entire life whether you live to be 40 or 115; while term life insurance policies only cover you for the term of the policy which can range from one year to twenty.  

Whole life policies were created to balance out problems with term life insurance.  These policies last the insured person’s entire life.  Whole life policy premiums don’t increase during the life of the insured.  This means that premiums, the amount of money you pay each month to keep the policy in effect, will be higher than a term life policy when you first start to pay on it. The extra premium money becomes the cash value for the policy.  The insured can borrow this money or withdraw it early.  Of course, you must repay the loan and continue to make premium payments as well.  Your beneficiary will not pay tax on the death benefit money when they receive it.  However, the beneficiary is only paid the amount of the policy.  They will not receive any cash value money there may be.  

Term life insurance policies only stay in effect for the term the policy is purchased. These amounts of time may range from one year to around twenty years. If the insured dies within the term of the policy then their beneficiary will receive a tax-free cash payout. Most insurance companies require that the potential policyholder be examined by a doctor to make sure they do not have any serious health problems.  This is usually only required for the initial purchase of the policy and not necessary when the policy is renewed.  Premiums often increase every time the policy is renewed and as the policyholder ages.  The death benefit does not increase, however, unless the policy is changed.  The higher the death benefit the higher the premiums usually.

Understanding the basic differences between whole and term life insurance policies will help you decide which is best for you and your beneficiary.  In the Saint Paul, MN area please visit the website for Rising Star Insurance to begin your search for the right life insurance.  

Boat Insurance Coverage Specifics for Saint Paul, MN Boaters

Boat insurance is just as essential as auto insurance and other types of insurance. When you’re in The Land of 10,000 Lakes, the water activities are endless. There are different risks associated with boating and it’s best to have insurance. Here’s what you need to know about boat insurance coverage specifics for Saint Paul, MN.

Types of Coverage for MN Boat Insurance

Types of MN boat insurance coverage for boat owners include:

  • Boaters liability
  • Physical damage
  • Uninsured watercraft
  • Medical payments protection
  • Special equipment
  • Trailer coverage

Boaters Liability Coverage

Liability coverage for your boat handles damages that are associated with an accident in which you are held legally responsible. These damages can include victim injuries and loss. This liability insurance covers expenses associated with third-party medical bills, legal expenses, and property damage.

Physical Damage Coverage

Repairing or replacing a watercraft can be expensive regardless of its age. Physical damage coverage helps with financial losses due to damage, theft, or being destroyed in a situation that is considered a covered loss.

Uninsured Watercraft Coverage

If you sustain injuries due to an accident caused by an uninsured boater, receiving compensation for losses can be difficult. Uninsured watercraft coverage helps with compensating for accident-related injuries.

Medical Payments Protection

If you or your passengers sustain injuries while boating, medical payments protection helps with medical expenses. This insurance protection is valid regardless of who is responsible for the accident. Although this coverage is limited, it can help alleviate some of the financial stress of an emergency hospital visit. 

Special Equipment Coverage

Special equipment coverage handles damages to any special equipment you may have on your watercraft, including GPS and similar devices. These devices can be expensive and special equipment coverage can help with the cost of repairs or replacement.

Trailer Coverage

Replacing a trailer that is damaged will cost a lot less than purchasing a new watercraft, but it is still expensive if you do not have the correct coverage. This insurance can protect your trailer in the event it is stolen or damaged.

At Rising Star Insurance, we provide our expertise to help you find your ideal insurance coverage. We provide a variety of insurance solutions to St. Paul, MN residents, including auto, home, commercial, life, boat, and watercraft insurance, and other types of insurance. Contact us today to learn about your insurance options.

Umbrella Insurance: A Helping Hand When You Most Need It

Umbrella policies can provide the provide you need when you most need it.  When you secure an umbrella policy, it won’t activate until other policies have reached their coverage limits.  This can be invaluable if, for instance, someone is injured on your property due to your expenses.  In this scenario, your home or commercial insurance will go into effect.  If their medical or legal expenses exceed what is covered in that policy, the umbrella insurance goes into effect.  Another example is the destruction of your home or business during a natural disaster.  The base policy will help you repair or rebuild.  If expenses exceed what is covered, you are responsible for the additional funds.  In either of these examples, the additional funds could be financially devasting.  An umbrella insurance policy can protect against these situations by providing additional funds when they are needed.  Our agents at Rising Star Insurance in the Saint Paul MN area are ready to talk with you about your options. 

Umbrella insurance is simply a financial tool that is designed to protect home and business owners.  In the instance of someone being injured at your home, your home insurance policy may pay out $300,000 to cover their expenses.  If their expenses exceed that amount, you will be responsible for the additional monies.  When an umbrella insurance policy is put in place, the additional expenses and your assets are protected. 

In the Saint Paul, MN area, our team at Rising Star Insurance can help with any of your insurance needs.  They will provide information so that you can decide if umbrella insurance is right for your family or business.  We’ll provide information about your options so that you can decide if it is the best option for you.  We want you to be adequately protected.  Give us a call today!