Are you using company-owned vehicles to conduct business? You might need to consider getting commercial auto insurance. For those who are new to the game, this may be a confusing subject. You know you need coverage, but may not be clear on what kind or how much. Our knowledgeable agents can help ensure you have the specific coverage you need for your unique operations. The following is some general information about commercial auto insurance for beginners.

What Is the Difference Between Personal and Commercial Auto Insurance? 
Personal auto insurance policies only cover claims related to the personal use of a vehicle. This includes commuting to and from work. They have lower policy limits and cost less than commercial auto insurance policies. Insurance companies will deny personal auto insurance claims for accidents that occur when a vehicle is being used for business purposes.

Commercial auto insurance is designed for business-owned vehicles that tend to cover more ground. They typically have higher policy limits and higher premiums due to the increased risk.
Who Needs Commercial Auto Insurance?If one or more vehicles are used to perform tasks related to your occupation or business other than commuting, you probably need commercial auto insurance. This coverage is needed when vehicles are:

• Owned by a corporation or partnership
• Performing a service
• Transporting people or goods for a fee
• Transporting clients or employees
• Hauling tools or equipment used to conduct business
• Towing a trailer used to conduct business
• Driving to and from work sites
• Operated by employees in the course of their jobs
  

What Does Commercial Auto Insurance Cover?Commercial auto insurance covers the cost of accidents involving business vehicles. It includes the following types of coverage:

• Liability for auto accidents: Liability coverage pays for damages in an accident you or your employee caused, including medical bills and property damage. It will also cover your legal expenses in the event you are sued.
• Medical: This coverage will pay for medical expenses if you, your employee, and/or any passengers are injured in an accident. It kicks in regardless of who was at fault for the crash.
• Collision and vehicle damage: This insurance protects you financially against damage to the vehicle caused by inclement weather, vandalism, or impact with an object.
• Uninsured motorist: Despite state laws against it, one in eight drivers in the U.S. drive without the mandatory minimum insurance, as stated by the Insurance Research Council. Uninsured motorist coverage protects you in case an uninsured driver causes a crash with a company vehicle.
  

What If the Vehicles You Use for Business Are Not Company Owned? 
If you rent or lease your vehicles, or if you or your employees use personally-owned vehicles for business purposes, commercial auto insurance will not protect you. In that case, you need hired and non-owned auto insurance. Personal auto insurance will not cover accidents that occur when a vehicle is being used for business purposes. Having hired and non-owned auto insurance can help protect you and your employees from personal liability for accidents.

Please give us a call at 602-412-3366 to discuss your unique needs.

You’ve probably been at the rental-car counter, listening to the representative ask if you want to purchase the company’s insurance. And the thoughts start racing through your head. “Is this a rip-off? Doesn’t my regular auto policy cover me? What about my credit card? Why didn’t I figure this out before I left on my trip?”
At Copper Mountain Insurance, we are here to help. And while not every situation is the same, we’ve got some general tips that will help you make an informed decision the next time you’re standing at that counter.

1. Know your personal auto policy.  Because insurance policies vary, it’s a good idea to give us a call — before you rent a car — to make sure you have the coverage you need. In many instances, your personal auto policy will provide coverage for a rental car — but that coverage may be limited to the value of the car you own, rather than the one you’re renting. Of course, if you don’t have a personal auto policy, you’ll need to purchase coverage from the rental company.
Keep in mind that in the event of an accident, many rental companies will charge fees beyond repair costs. They may assess a loss-of-use fee for each day the car is unusable, as well as charge you because the value of the car has decreased. Not all insurance policies cover these fees.

2. Also know your homeowners or renters policy.  If you’re traveling with expensive electronics or other valuable items, you probably want to consider what coverage you’ll have in the event they are stolen. Your personal auto policy and/or credit card coverage likely won’t provide protection for this scenario.

3. Check your credit card protection.  Most credit cards will also provide some coverage, but often payment is limited to reimbursement of your personal auto policy deductible (after that policy pays for repairs). Generally, loss-of-use and other fees are not covered, but it’s important to check with your credit-card provider to determine their policies. And while some cards may offer additional protection for a fee, usually coverage is limited to damage to the car, not liability for any injuries to others. Remember, to receive any sort of benefit from your card, you must use that card to pay for your entire car rental.

4. Consider any unique circumstances.  Are you renting a car in a foreign country, or for more than a week? You’ll definitely want to get confirmation of coverage from both your insurance carrier and credit card company because different rules might apply. Also, no matter where you are, vehicles such as trucks, RVs or exotic sports cars often aren’t covered under standard agreements. And if you’re using a car for business purposes, your personal coverage might not apply. Finally, if multiple people will be driving the car during your trip, make sure your coverage's will apply to them.

5. Learn about the insurance offered by the rental car company.  According to the Insurance Information Institute, rental companies offer four main types of coverage. A Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) relieves you of responsibility if your rental car is damaged or stolen. This may also provide coverage for loss of use. Liability Protection provides protection from lawsuits if you are sued after an accident. Personal Accident Insurance covers you and passengers for medical bills after an accident. You may not need this if you have adequate health and auto coverage.

Personal Effects Coverage protects you if items are stolen from your car. You generally are covered for this under your homeowners or renters policy, but keep in mind that the loss must exceed your deductible for you to receive payment. If you have a high deductible, it may make sense to purchase this coverage from the rental company.

When you go on vacation, you don’t want to stress out about insurance. So give us a call before you leave. Then, when you head over to the rental-car counter, you can stop worrying about your coverage — and start enjoying your trip!

Contact Us!  For further questions and assistance, please contact us at 602-412-3366 or info@coppermountainins.com

8 Crucial Motorcycle Insurance Facts Everyone Must Know.

Motorcyclists are more susceptible to accidents on the road than those driving cars and trucks. They are more likely to be killed and/or injured. According to the National Highway and Safety Authority, motorcycle crashes cost the American economy $16 billion annually. Most of it is used in emergency services, medical bills, property damage, and rehabilitation. Copper Mountain Insurance aims to provide insurance solutions to help our clients in Arizona and Colorado.

Importance of Motorcycle Insurance While enjoying your bike on the road, it is prudent to protect your life, your bike, and other road users. Motorcycle insurance is the surest way to protect you from financial losses in the event of an accident. Here are four major reasons why you need motorcycle coverage: 

• Medical Bills: The cost of medical treatment is enormous if you are involved in an accident. The bills may even skyrocket in cases you will need additional treatment after visiting the hospital. Having adequate cover helps bridge the gap with your personal health insurance.
  
• Third Party Injury: When you injure others, you must be able to compensate them. A qualified policy provides various levels of payment.
  
• Motorcycle Replacement: Some accidents result in total loss of your bike. The cost of repairs may surpass the cost of replacement. We offer policies that offer actual cash value or replacement value.
  
• Collision Coverage: When you are found culpable of causing an accident, your collision part of your policy comes to your rescue in paying for damages you made to to your bike minus your deductible.
  

With this basic knowledge its time to contact one of our experienced motorcycle insurance agents.  At Copper Mountain Insurance we have many different motorcycle carriers to provide you a great price with excellent coverage.

The best time to add your teenager to your insurance is when they officially get their driver’s license. Since they live in the same household and have full access to the vehicles you want to be sure they are covered.

Below are the most frequently asked questions when adding a new driver:

Will My Price Go Up?  The short answer is yes.  When we add a new driver to the policy you will see an increase in rates.  Because young drivers have a lack of experience they have a higher percentage of being in an accident.

How Can I Reduce The Cost?
The following are a few discounts some of our carriers provide.

- Make sure your teenager is getting good grades and maintains over a 3.0 GPA as you may qualify for a good student discount.
-Have them drive a vehicle that only requires liability protection.  A newer car will usually be more expensive to insure. 

Since we are a full service independent agency we work with many different carriers to ensure you are always getting the best rate with the highest coverage. 

When you have a few minutes give us a call and we can discuss your specific situation.  We are available at 602-412-3366.

It's that time of year again where Monsoon storms impact Arizona and cause damage to our property. 

So Am I Liable?
The quick answer is NO.

The reason you are not liable is because this tends to be an act of god or nature.  Because this act is out of your control or an extraordinary event you are typically not responsible.

This explanation will not make everyone happy because it means you have to come up with deductibles to repair damage caused by someones trees.  So, it’s important to choose a deductible that you can easily handle under all circumstances; you never know when you may have to come out of pocket.

It may be easier to pay a little more each month for a lower deductible if you don’t have the money set aside. Or, add an amount equivalent to your deductible to your emergency fund so you’ll always be prepared.

Of course there may be times when you are liable for your tree falling and damaging your neighbor’s property but those would be situations where you were in “control”. For example, let’s say you decide to cut off a big limb and don’t do it properly so the limb falls damaging your neighbor’s property. That would be a liability claim for sure. It’s all about CONTROL!

There you have it. No, you are not liable if your tree falls on your neighbor’s fence, car, house, etc. However, you need to be prepared financially if this happens to you.

If you have any questions feel free to contact us anytime.  We can be reached at 602-412-3366.

For new RV owners, one of the first things they worry about is trying to decide how much insurance coverage they should purchase. Here are a few things to consider that should help you to decide how much insurance coverage to purchase for your new RV.

Local Laws
Believe it or not, depending on where you will be registering your RV, local laws may dictate how much minimum coverage you will need. Usually, this coverage will take into account the size and value of your RV and it will ensure that you and the other party involved in the accident are covered in the event that you are deemed responsible for the accident. This is one of the many areas in which discussing your options with an agent can be beneficial, as they will know what local laws require.

Where Your RV is Stored
Where you decide to store your RV can have an impact on the amount of coverage you will need to take out. If you are not going to be storing your RV in a secure location such as a garage or storage facility, you may want to consider purchasing additional coverage. This is due to the fact that in this situation, your RV is more likely to be vandalized, broken into or stolen.

The Belongings Inside of Your RV
Another factor many RV owners forget to take into account when purchasing RV insurance is that they will be keeping and/or traveling with many belongings in their RV. Just as when purchasing home insurance, you will want to make sure that you purchase enough insurance to cover the belongings inside of your RV. Should your RV be damaged or destroyed, you will be able to replace the items within your RV as well as your RV itself.
Taking the above things into consideration when purchasing insurance for your RV will ensure that you are covered in the event that something happens to your RV. However, this list is by no means exhaustive of everything you must consider when purchasing RV insurance. For this reason, it’s beneficial to consult an agent when purchasing insurance for your RV so that you can ensure that you have proper coverage.
Stay safe on the road.

Call Copper Mountain Insurance at 602-412-3366 for more information on RV Insurance.
We have several different RV specific carriers that will provide competitive quotes for you.

t’s easy to lower your insurance costs — especially if you have a great driving record, or don’t mind having higher deductibles. Who doesn’t want to pay less for car insurance? Billions of dollars are spent on ad campaigns to convince you to “switch and save” — but the truth is, many people can find savings no matter who their insurance company is.  According to the Insurance Information Institute and other experts, here’s how you can, too:

1. Drive safely. Accidents, speeding violations, and other incidents on the road can put your safety at risk, of course. But they also can hit your wallet pretty hard, because some can cause your insurance premiums to skyrocket. On the flip side, many companies will give you a discount if you don’t have an accident or moving violation over a set amount of time — so not only will you not pay more than you should, you could pay less than you would otherwise.
   
2. Make sure your coverage fits your life (and your car). If you can afford higher deductibles — that is, the amount you have to pay before your insurance kicks in — you can save significantly on your premiums. The Insurance Information Institute says raising your deductible from $200 to $500 could drop your overall cost by as much as 30%. You’ll also want to consider dropping collision or comprehensive coverage if your car is old and worth far less than it once was.
3. Pay your bills on time. And not just the ones from your insurance company, either. Most carriers use credit information when they’re determining how much your coverage will cost, so it pays to have a good credit history. Other things that can impact your standing include your outstanding balances and how much available credit you have.
4. Ask about discounts. There are all kinds of discounts available for drivers — including some you might not have realized. Do you own your home? You might save on your car insurance. Do you purchase your homeowners and auto policies from the same company? You’re probably already getting a discount for that. If you don’t drive much, you could be eligible for a low-mileage discount. The list goes on and on, so we’ll help you get the savings you deserve!
   
5. Shop around. This goes for cars and insurance policies! Your car has a big impact on how expensive your insurance will be, so if you’re buying a new one, be sure to do your research on how much it costs to repair that particular model, the likelihood of theft, etc.  When it comes to insurance, we can help you get quotes from a number of insurance companies — we’ll make it easy to weigh your options and find the right balance between coverage and cost. 
   

Feel free to give us a call and we can discuss your specific needs.  Our number is 602-412-3366.

Are Relatives Automatically Covered on Your Auto Insurance Policy?
Most people think nothing of loaning their car to a visiting relative or friend to enjoy the sights or take a quick trip to the store. Before loaning out your vehicle, you should make sure the driver is covered on your auto insurance policy.  In general, auto policies cover two types of drivers: those listed on the policy (household members) and those who occasionally take your car for a ride. Here’s a brief breakdown on insurance coverage for each.

Occasional Drivers
Relatives who drive your vehicle from time to time while visiting your Arizona home fall under the category of occasional driver. They are protected under your auto insurance coverage, according to the terms of your policy. Under some policies, limits for liability coverage may be lower for occasional drivers than those who regularly drive your car.    
If your visiting relative is involved in an accident while driving your vehicle and damages exceed your insurance limits, you (as the policy owner) could be held liable. You’re also expected to pay any deductible on the policy when making a claim, even if someone else was driving. Before loaning one of your vehicles to a visiting relative, make sure he or she is a responsible, licensed driver.  

Household Members  
Relatives and Non-Relatives who are licensed drivers and members of your household are covered under your insurance policy. This includes teen drivers, parents, grandparents or any other relatives who live with you and use your vehicle frequently for work, school, or leisure activities. At Copper Mountain Insurance Solutions, we encourage our policyholders to list all licensed drivers in their household on the same policy to ensure they receive full protection in the event of an accident.  If these drivers are not listed on your policy most insurance companies will not cover the claim. 

If you have any questions concerning auto insurance coverage or costs, contact us at 602-412-3366.