Commercial Insurance Myths To Watch Out For

Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. serves the Bay Area, CA community. We are committed to helping our clients find the coverage they need to live life comfortably. We provide our clients with multiple coverage options so that they can make the best decision possible.

Commercial Insurance Myths To Watch Out For

The Bay Area, CA community is a competitive marketplace for businesses that are looking to move forward. As a business owner, you have to manage multiple responsibilities at one time. Commercial insurance policies can help take some pressure off. The policy covers your assets during emergencies. You are covered if your equipment or inventory is vandalized or stolen. You are also covered if your property is damaged in a fire or natural disaster. Liability coverage protects you if a guest is injured while visiting your property. You are also covered if you accidentally damage someone’s property or if a customer alleges that your products caused them harm. While looking over your commercial insurance policy, pay attention to these common myths.

Commercial Insurance Only Benefits Large Businesses

Opening a small business is a significant investment. That makes obtaining commercial insurance even more important. As a small business, you’re unlikely to have enough capital to survive a serious emergency. One liability dispute could put your entire business at risk. Commercial insurance can help small businesses stay afloat during troubling times.

Coverage Isn’t Necessary For Remote Businesses

If you are operating a home-based business, you still need commercial insurance. Commercial insurance can help cover you if something happens to your home based equipment. Also, you can add cyber liability coverage to protect the network that you’re working on against the threat of computer hackers.

Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. Will Help You Protect Your Investment

Contact us today to learn more information about commercial insurance.

Home Insurance Buying Guide

Although homeowners insurance is not legally required – unless you have a mortgage – it is truly a necessity. In short, home insurance protects both your home and belongings from covered perils like damage and theft. 

What is Covered By Homeowners Insurance

In the event of a covered incident such as fire, hurricanes, vandalism, and lightning your insurer will pay for your house to be repaired or rebuilt up to your policy limits. Bear in mind that destruction from earthquakes, floods, and improper home maintenance is not likely to be covered. If your home has any free-standing structures like a garage or sheds these may need a separate policy to be covered. Contents inside your home including furniture, art, jewelry, appliances, clothing, and electronics are covered if destroyed during a covered disaster. Most policies will provide coverage on your belongings for between 50% to 70% of your home structure’s cost. For example,  if your home is insured for $200,000 then there would be up to $140,000 of coverage for your personal belongings. 

Liability Coverage

Liability coverage protects you from being sued by third parties due to accidents that happen at your house. Examples include a repairperson slipping on icy steps, a dog biting a neighbor, and more. The more possessions you own and the higher value they possess, the more liability insurance that you’ll want to purchase. 

At Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. in Bay Area, CA our talented team of insurance professionals knows the insurance market better than the rest and are happy to help with all your home insurance needs. We’ll create a customized insurance policy that ensures your home, possessions, and interests are protected should a claim ever need to be filed. 

Why California Businesses Need Commercial Insurance

Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. serves the Bay Area, CA community. For over 15 years, we have helped our clients find the coverage they need to protect their assets. We offer multiple types of coverage to ensure that our clients are secure regardless what life throws their way. We look forward to helping you protect what matters most.

Why California Businesses Need Commercial Insurance

Bay Area CA is a thriving marketplace. Many businesses are looking for ways to distance themselves from competitors. While brainstorming ways to increase sales, you also have to prepare for the worst. Imagine one of your employees forgets to mop the wet spot on the floor and one of your customer’s slips and falls, suffering a serious injury. Your entire business could be at risk if you don’t have the necessary insurance coverage. Commercial insurance protects your business if you are held responsible for an accidental injury. Your business is also covered if a fraudulent product causes property damage. These are common situations where your assets are at risk if you don’t have insurance.

Perhaps an accidental fire totals your property. All of your equipment and inventory are ruined in the fire. Without commercial insurance, starting over may be impossible. All the hard work and sacrifices you’ve made to establish your business, and it’s gone in a few minutes. Commercial insurance can prevent you from losing everything. All of your repairs are covered, and you can add business interruption coverage to your policy. This allows your business to continue functioning until your original property is restored. You can also adjust your commercial insurance policy to fit the unique needs of your business.

Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. Will Help You Cover Your Assets

Visit our website to learn more information about commercial insurance.  

What Your Auto Insurance Needs to Protect You

At Wai Cheng Insurance Inc., we can help Bay Area, CA residents find insurance policies that make sense for their overall needs. For example, when finding a car insurance policy, it is critical to tweak it to include various protection types. These all vary based on your needs and the overall quality of your insurance policy. Just a few that may work well for you include:

  • Liability Protection – Liability coverage will pay to repair any physical damage or personal injury issues your auto accident triggers, including destroyed or damaged vehicles.
  • Health Coverage – If you or someone else gets hurt while you’re driving your car, this coverage type can pay the costs of their health treatment and even their lost wages while they recover.
  • Repair Assistance – Damage to your vehicle will require an auto insurance policy that can protect you from heavy financial investments, including paying to replace expensive parts.
  • Replacement Costs – If your car is damaged to the point where it makes no financial sense to repair it, you can get it replaced by your car insurance up to its current market value.
  • Underinsured Driver Help – Many drivers ride with poor insurance policies that may not cover everything that happens in an accident, and this policy option can ensure that you get help.

Get a Policy Today

If you need a better car insurance policy or want to avoid unnecessary financial burdens, please contact us at Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. to learn more. We serve the Bay Area, CA region and will do what we can to help your auto insurance needs. Reach out to us today to learn more about each of these options and how you can find a policy that feels appropriate for your needs.

What Kind of Insurance Does Your Startup Need?

When you are starting a brand-new business in Bay Area, CA, you probably have a lot on your plate. However, the one thing that you don’t want to forget about is business insurance. Having the right coverage for your business is just as important as having the lights on in your building and having a sign-up outside that will attract customers.

Of course, there are numerous types of commercial insurance options available, potentially leaving you incredibly overwhelmed. For this reason, the team at Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. wants to share some of the basic types of insurance that your startup needs.

General Liability

When a legal claim is made against your company, a general liability policy helps to cover any medical or legal fees associated with said claim. This type of commercial insurance coverage pertains to property damage, physical injuries, libel, or slander. In the event your business handles any kind of personal information or data, it may be a good idea to consider adding a rider in the event of a data breach.

Professional Liability

If your business offers services, you will also need to invest in professional liability insurance coverage. This type of insurance policy is also referred to as Errors and Omissions (E&O). This coverage will provide protection for you and your business when a customer makes a claim against you for unsatisfactory, incomplete, or late work that has potentially negatively impacted them. In the event that you are taken to court, E&O coverage covers the legal fees and assists your business in keeping its doors open.

Commercial Property

Commercial property insurance coverage will insure your business property and assets in the event they are damaged or lost as a result of a covered event, such as theft, fire, or natural disaster. However, some events, such as a flood, will require separate insurance coverage.

Workers’ Compensation

If you employ individuals, you will need to invest in workers’ compensation coverage. This type of commercial insurance will protect you in the event that an employee suffers an illness or injury while at work. The coverage will pay for the medical care for the employee as well as their lost wages if they’re unable to work. If a fatal accident occurs, workers’ compensation will provide the family with financial benefits.

If you are thinking about starting a business or have a startup in Bay Area, CA, make sure to invest in commercial insurance with a company like Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. Contact our team today to learn more about the commercial insurance options available to you.

Home Insurance Exclusions

You have purchased home insurance from Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. for your Bay Area, CA, so it should cover everything? Wrong! While home insurance covers numerous risks, including fire, theft, vandalism, and natural disasters, it has exclusions. And taking note of these exclusions and exceptions is crucial to know what supplementary coverages you need.

Let’s take a look at common exclusions for typical home insurance.

Floods

Home insurance covers flooding if a covered event causes it. For instance, home insurance will cover the damage if water damage results from leaky pipes or a faulty roof. However, for overland flooding, you must purchase flood insurance to protect your dwelling and its contents.

Earth movement

Your home insurance won’t cover you when earthquakes, sinkholes, and mudslides knock on your doors. However, you can buy additional coverage to get protection from these risks. 

Intentional / preventable loss

You can’t break your glass door intentionally and run to your insurer for compensation. Similarly, your insurer won’t come to your aid for damage that’s preventable. For instance, damage from pest infestation can be prevented by extermination and proper upkeep of your home. 

Business-related claims

When you start a home-based business, your home insurance won’t cover business-related claims. For instance, if a customer falls or slips in your home while attending a meeting, your home insurance won’t cover medical costs for their treatment. Home insurance only covers the aspects of your home — the building and its contents.

If you need coverage for your home-based business, consider commercial insurance for optimal coverage.

Luxury items

Home insurance provides limited coverage for high-value items like cash, silverware, art, and jewelry. However, you can obtain separate coverage for items with a high price tag.

Get home insurance today!

Are you looking for affordable home insurance in Bay Area, CA, and its environs? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. 

Do I need auto insurance if my vehicle is paid off?

Owning a motor vehicle comes with a lot of responsibility. Not only do you need to lease or purchase it, but you need to maintain it. In addition, you need to have insurance on it. Some auto insurance is optional and some are mandated by the state. Your independent insurance agent will be able to inform you about the types and amount of insurance you are required to have. At Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. in Bay Area, CA, we have more than 20 years of experience that we share with our customers. We work for you and getting you the best insurance at the best price is our goal. 

When your auto loan is paid off, it feels like you are finally free. You can’t be free however from basic liability insurance which is mandated by the state of California. The mandated amount is15/30/5. This is a very basic amount of coverage. It will only be enough if you have a very old car and no assets. For everyone else, you need to seriously think about what coverage you need to have. 

With only a max of $30,000 for all bodily injuries in an accident, you could come up very short of what you need. You could be responsible to pay the excess out of pocket. $5,000 for property damage is even less coverage when you consider the average value of a motor vehicle. 

If you need your vehicle to maintain your everyday lifestyle you also need to make sure you have collision and comprehensive coverage which will repair your vehicle if it is damaged. Most people will find it a hardship to pay for repairs out of pocket. 

If you have questions about your auto insurance coverage Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. in Bay Area, CA has a knowledgeable team who can provide you with the answers you need. 

How commercial insurance can protect you in the event of a cyberattack

Cyberattacks are on the rise for small businesses. According to recent reporting, over the past year, 47% of small businesses experienced a cyber-attack over the past year alone. Of those, 44% were hit more than once.

If you are a small business, you must be just as concerned about your online security as you are your physical and financial security. If you don’t, you will not only potentially lose the trust of customers, but you could also end up spending as much as $200,000 to recover.

One way you can protect yourself is to invest in the right commercial insurance. Small business insurance options often include cyber liability insurance.

This option covers costs associated with a breach involved intangible assets, such as customer data. It will also cover the cost of legal fees, technical investigations, loss of revenue and damage to electronic damage should your business be the business of a cyberattack.

In addition, when you have this insurance, you may also receive help with notifying clients of the attack and hiring a public relations firm to help you manage communication-related to the problem. This policy may even help with you the cost of legal fees and regulatory penalties.

Cyber liability is not the only insurance option that could be key in the event of an online attack. You should also consider business interruption insurance. This type of small business insurance will cover the income you lose should you need to close your business to help manage the ramifications of a cyberattack.

If you are a small business owner, having the proper cyberattack coverage could make the difference between staying in business and going bankrupt.

Are you interested in cyberattack coverage for your Bay Area, CA small business?

The team at Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. in Bay Area, CA can help build the perfect plan to protect your dream.

What Are the Most Common Home Insurance Claims?

The professionals at Wai Cheng Insurance Inc, serving the Bay Area, CA have vast experience with home insurance and are well versed in all of the different types of claims associated with home insurance policies.

Homeowner’s insurance is not required by the government to be carried by homeowners, but most mortgage lenders do require their borrowers to carry coverage in order to secure a mortgage. 

There are a wide variety of reasons why policyholders will file insurance claims. There are a handful of claims that are made much more frequently than all others. These are:

  • Exterior Wind Damage (accounts for approximately 24% of all insurance claims) – this could be from storms such as hurricanes and tornadoes.
  • Water Damage (not weather related) (accounts for approximately 20% of all claims) – these are often incidents such as leaks, pipes bursting and other related issues that happen in the home.
  • Hail (accounts for approximately 16% of all claims) – this is related to hurricanes, thunderstorms and tornadoes
  • Weather related water damage (accounts for approximately 11% of all claims) – this encompasses flooding and other water damage from storms and adverse weather
  • Theft (accounts for approximately 6% of all claims) – this includes break-ins and items being removed from the home by burglars

These five claims make up nearly 80% of all home insurance claims.  Although it is not one of the most common claims, fire is the most costly claim made to home insurance agencies. It was responsible for about 25% of all insurance claims paid out to insured policyholders who made claims.

To find out more about home insurance in the Bay Area, CA, contact Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. today!

Does my auto insurance cover me or my vehicle?

The Bay Area of California is one of the most beautiful in the country. Just a short drive takes you to Muir Woods or south to Monterey. Driving is scenic and like everywhere else in the county means dealing with lots of other drivers. More drivers mean more risk. Having a good auto insurance policy can give you the confidence you need to face heavy traffic. At Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. in Bay Area, CA, we have more than 20 years of experience, and we work with our clients to find the best policy to fit their needs. 

Whether your auto insurance covers you or your vehicle is an important question. Does anyone else ever drive your car? Would you turn down a friend who asked to borrow your car because you are not sure about the insurance liability? Chances are you wouldn’t. You on the other hand may drive a vehicle that is not your own, and where does that leave you? 

Typically, the auto insurance coverage is on the vehicle. This is good news for you if you have good coverage on your vehicle and are likely to let someone else drive it. Being in control is always good, and you know you won’t end up holding the bag. If however, you are driving someone’s car whose coverage you have doubts about, it may make you less likely to actually do it. Just be aware that if you do cause an accident in someone else’s car, you should still be responsible to pay the deductible amount they have on their policy. 

If you are in the market for auto insurance, at Wai Cheng Insurance Inc. in Bay Area, CA we have a tool on our website to get a quote, or you can give us a call.