Anderson Insurance Associates is ready to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have. We have also compiled a list of frequently asked questions from our clients about the insurance industry for your information.

General Questions

1. Q: Why is so much personal information required just to get a quote? A: Companies rate insurance using various indicators, including past claims, credit score, home ownership and other factors.

2. Q: Why are rates so high or seem they are getting higher? A: Rates have actually been static or lowering in the last few years. However, rates in the coastal area are higher because of wind/hurricane/flood.

3. Q: Why is my insurance so expensive and my neighbors is not? A: There are many different factors that can determine your premium like: age of house, age of roof, updates to electrical/HVAC/plumbing, claim history, construction type, age, and alarm system.

4. Q: Does your agency accept credit card payments? A: Our agency does not accept credit card payments, but some of our insurance companies will accept credit card payments directly.

5. Q: What is an independent agency? A: We represent many different insurance companies. We are not bound to only write insurance through one company. This means we can “shop the market” for the best possible coverage and premium.

6. Q: My insurance company has sent me a letter saying they are non-renewing my insurance policy, so can Anderson Insurance provide insurance for me? A: It really depends on why they are non-renewing, but in most cases, we can find coverage.

Personal Insurance

1. Q: What is the difference between AOP (All Other Perils), Wind and Hail, Named Storm/Hurricane, Earthquake deductibles? A: AOP (All Other Perils) is your standard deductible for perils unless they are excluded by the policy language. Perils like wind and hail or earthquake may have separate deductibles which are a percentage of the home or commercial building value.

2. Q: What is the difference between Replacement Cost and Actual Cash Value (ACV)? A: A simple definition of Replacement Cost is that the company will pay the cost to repair or replace. Actual Cash Value (ACV) means the company will apply depreciation if applicable.

3. Q: What is Extended Replacement Cost? A: It is a feature in policies that pays up to a certain percentage amount above the insured value to repair or replace your home.

4. Q: Why is my house insured for more than the market value? A: Insurance only considers the cost to rebuild your home. Although market values can move up or down, the cost to rebuild has stayed level or even increased.

5. Q: Why do I need flood insurance and how does my flood zone effect my premium? A: 99.9% of the homeowners policies exclude flood coverage. Flood is considered rising water. Check with us to see what flood zone your home is in.

6. Q: Why do I need earthquake or hurricane insurance? A: Charleston, Dorchester, Berkeley and other counties are on an earthquake fault. Some counties in the upper part of the state of SC are also on a fault.

Auto

1. Q: What is uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage? A: Many drivers in our state are either not insured or are underinsured. This coverage helps to fill in the gaps if one of those drivers hits you.

2. Q: What is the difference between comp and collision coverage? A: Collision covers if your auto hits, or is hit by, another vehicle or object. Comprehensive covers events other than collision such as: hail damage, falling tree limbs, vandalism, windshield cracks, flood, and fire. (Both coverages are optional)

3. Q: Do I need more than the state minimum coverage? A: YES! The State minimum coverage is the minimum amount you can buy. We would suggest that you price higher limits. You will find the cost is reasonable to increase coverage. You want to buy enough coverage to protect your assets.

4. Q: Does my car insurance cover me when I rent a car? A: Some auto policies do cover rental cars if a temporary substitute, but coverage has limitations and deductibles apply. Often, if the rental car is damaged, the rental company will charge you for diminished value, loss of rental use and other fees. Some of those may not be covered by your policy. We always recommend that you buy the rental car company Collision Damage Waivers. Check with your agent before renting.

5. Q: What is no fault insurance? A: South Carolina does not have "No Fault Insurance." Other states do. That type of insurance doesn’t take into account who is at fault in an accident.

6. Q: How is the value of my car covered? A: Most companies cover autos using Actual Cash Value. They apply depreciation to the car. Some companies offer for newer cars, Agreed Value or Replacement Cost as an added benefit.

Business Insurance

1. Q: What is the difference between Replacement Cost and Actual Cash Value A: A simple definition of Replacement Cost is that the company will pay the cost to repair or replace. Actual Cash Value (ACV) means the company will apply depreciation where applicable.

2. Q: What is covered by a commercial general liability insurance policy? A: The Commercial General Liability policy protects your business if a third party is injured in some way and sues you. The policy will provide legal defense and will pay if “damages” are awarded, as long as the claim is covered by the policy.

3. Q: What is the difference between general liability and professional liability? A: General Liability is a broad coverage which defends and pays for claims arising from a third party for "bodily injury" or "property damage” to which this insurance applies." One of the standard exclusions in this policy is for "Workmanship." Professional Liability addresses the "workmanship" of someone who usually is licensed in a particular field of expertise. You may wonder, "What is a 'third party?'" The business itself is the "first party." Employees are the "second party." Any other person or entity outside of the business is a "third party."

4. Q: Do I need employment practices liability? A: Yes, every business should have Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Today, employees can sue for sexual harassment, wrongful termination, age discrimination and a host of other issues regarding employment. Without EPL, your company must pay to defend, sometimes even against spurious lawsuits.

5. Q: What is a (BOP) business owners policy? A: The Business Owners Policy is a package which may combine both Property and Liability coverages together. It is usually tailored to small business and the form cannot be changed much. Larger and more complex businesses often need more tailored coverage to meet their specialized needs.

6. Q: How are workers’ compensation premiums calculated? A: Workers' Compensation premiums rely on the type of work being done, the annual payroll of that class of work and the past claims experience a company has. Roofers have a MUCH higher rate than office workers, because they historically have many more injuries and more serious ones.

7. Q: Do I need workers’ compensation coverage for independent contractors? A: Workers' Compensation does NOT differentiate between W2 employees and 1099 subcontractors. The business must cover any worker doing work for it, unless that sub-contracted worker is covered by his own workers' compensation policy.

8. Q: Why does it take longer to obtain a business insurance quote? A: Business insurance is usually much more complex than a homeowners or personal auto, because there are many more public interactions and many different types of businesses. Homeowners and auto policies can vary somewhat, but a house is a house, etc.

Insurance Claim Questions

1. Q: How long is the claim process? A: Every claim is unique, and there are many different factors that could affect the length of time to resolve your claim. Work closely with your insurance adjustor. During a catastrophic event, the process may take longer than usual.

Health Insurance

1. Q: What is a Deductible? A: At its simplest, the amount of money you must pay before your health insurance begins to cover any approved claims.

2. Q: What is Co-insurance? A: The percentage the health insurer will pay after you have satisfied your Deductible.

3. Q: What is a Health Savings Account (HSA)? A: A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged medical savings account available to someone enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). The tax-advantaged savings account can be used to pay for eligible medical expenses as well as deductibles, co-insurance, prescriptions, vision and dental care.

Life Insurance

1. Q: How much Life Insurance do I need? A: There are many different ways to calculate the necessary amount of Life Insurance one may need, such as using an individual's Human Life Value, which is to assess the monetary value of a person's future earnings.

2. Q: What is Term Life Insurance? A: Term insurance is designed to provide protection for a specific period of time (the "term") and generally only pays a benefit if the insured dies during that term. Term insurance is typically purchased to cover short term needs or needs that will diminish over time.

3. Q: What is “Permanent” Insurance? A: "Permanent" insurance, usually some form of Whole or Universal Life Insurance, is designed to provide lifelong protection. Typically designed to last a lifetime, permanent insurance accumulates Cash Value and is priced for you to keep over a long period of time. Many permanent life insurance policies may also provide “living benefits” to the insured to use during their lifetime.

Disability Insurance

1. Q: What is Disability Insurance? A: Disability insurance is often considered "paycheck Insurance." This type of insurance is designed to protect your income should you become unable to work due to an accident or illness.

2. Q: How much Disability Insurance do I need? A: Similar to life insurance planning, there are a variety of ways to determine an appropriate amount of disability insurance. A very basic approach to Disability insurance planning is to purchase enough coverage to maintain your current standard of living should you become disabled and unable to work.

3. Q: What is Own-Occupation disability insurance? A: The "Own-Occ" disability policy provides the most comprehensive definition of disability. Under this type of plan, if due to a sickness or injury and the insured cannot perform their occupation, then the insured would be considered totally disabled, even if they choose to work in another profession.

Long Term Care

1. Q: What is Long Term Care insurance and why do I need it? A: Long Term Care Insurance (LTCI) is designed to pay for the high cost of care should one develop a chronic illness or become disabled and no longer able to care for themselves. Given that the cost of long term care can quickly deplete one’s life savings, and that of loved ones, it should be considered as an integral part of financial planning.

2. Q: I have read that Long Term Care Insurance premiums are always increasing, is there another alternative? A: While it is true that traditional Long Term Care Insurance products have seen rate increases, there are additional planning options and products available that have guaranteed costs associated with them and guaranteed amounts of coverage available.

Employee Benefits

1. Q: How do I plan for the rising cost of health care to my company and my employees? A: Many companies find themselves shopping for the lowest premium each year without considering what drives their premium. There are cost control measures available (plan designs, Wellness, alternate funding), and you should work closely with your agent to find the strategy that is best for you and your company.

2. Q: What is a Benefits Administration system? A: A Benefits Administration system provides an online portal to manage all or some of your Employee Benefits with the click of a button.

3. Q: What is a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)? A: An HRA is a tax-advantaged employer health benefit that reimburses employees for out-of-pocket medical expenses.

4. Q: What is a Consumer –Driven Health Plan (CDHP)? A: A Consumer-Driven health Plan (CDHP) is a type of medical insurance plan that typically has higher deductibles and lower monthly premiums. A CDHP gives you more control over how you spend your health care dollars.