• Over 10 years of experience in the insurance industry
• BSBA - Accounting, University of Missouri, Saint Louis
• General Insurance Certified, Insurance Institute of America (IIA)
• Member of the Knights of Columbus - Cottleville
• Long time resident of Saint Charles County
• Missouri Producer License #: 401360

Understanding Personal Insurance Coverage 

Auto Insurance

• Essential Auto Insurance Coverage 
    
  • BIPD(Liability): One of the most important coverages in your auto insurance policy is bodily injury
    liability and property damage. This coverage protects you, your family
    and assets if you injure someone or their property with your vehicle and
    are found liable.
  • Uninsured Motorist/Underinsured Motorist:This auto insurance coverage protects you, members of your household and your passengers in an accident with a motorist who has no insurance or is underinsured. Uninsured Motorist protection also covers you if you're injured by a hit-and-run driver.
  • Medical: This auto insurance coverage pays medical bills and funeral expenses for you or a passenger
    injured while riding in your vehicle. Coverage extends to you or a family
    member when riding as a passenger in someone else's vehicle or when struck
    by a vehicle when on foot.
    
    
• Practical Auto Insurance Coverage
  
  
  • Comprehensive & Collision (material damage): Comprehensive auto insurance coverage protects your investment in your vehicle by paying for losses resulting from fire, theft, falling objects, riots, storms, earthquakes, floods, collision with a bird or animal and other natural occurrences. Collision auto insurance coverage pays for damage to your vehicle that results from a collision with another vehicle or object.
  • Collision Plus / Loss of Use: This auto insurance coverage is designed to assist you with expenses you may incur following a loss in excess of the deductible arising under Collision and/or Comprehensive coverages.
  • Towing / Road Service: When you or your loved ones are left stranded in an auto and need help, all our companies are as close as the telephone. You can reach them 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with just one toll-free call.

Home Insurance

• Dwelling: Homeowners insurance gives you peace of mind. Your house and separate structures are covered for almost every type of damage.
• Personal Property: This home insurance coverage provides coverage for your household contents and personal belongings. You may think your couch, coffee table, sweaters, shoes, coats, TV, VCR and CD player aren't worth a lot but those items all add up. Take time to get a list together and also take pictures of all items in your house and store them in an offsite location. 
• Liability: In the event someone is injured on your property or you damage property that belongs to others, you could be held legally liable for the injury or damage. This provides liability and personal property insurance to financially protect you should this ever occur.
• Separate Structures: This home insurance coverage provides rebuilding or replacement for 'out buildings' like pools, sheds, fences, etc.
• Loss of Use: If you can’t live in your house after a covered loss, our companies cover the additional cost of living in hotels, meals, etc.
• Guest Medical: With guest medical, should a guest become injured on your property, this
  will pay the bill,up to the limit purchased, when they go to the doctor or hospital.

Call a qualified RIA Saint Charles home insurance agent for a free evaluation of your home policy. Please do not leave yourself, family, and hard-earned assets underprotected. 

Insuring your home - Replacement cost vs. Market value

If my home is only worth $225,000. Why does my home insurance company want me to insure it for $275,000?

One of the biggest questions consumers have regarding homeowner's insurance revolves around the amount of insurance to place on their dwelling (home). When purchasing a house, the mortgage company requires the homeowner to obtain insurance prior to closing. Most consumers assume the amount of dwelling home insurance coverage will be equal to the amount they paid for their house. This is incorrect in some cases.

There are different methods to determine the value of a house. Market value is the price paid for your house. Replacement cost is the price or cost it will take to rebuild your house in the same spot, same size and same quality of construction, at today's prices. These can be two completely different numbers.

For example, a home purchased in a less desired location, may have a market value of $225,000. The exact house, located in a highly desired location, may have a market price of $375,000; however, the cost to rebuild the house after a loss would be the same in either location. RIA LLC is looking to insure the home for the replacement value, not the current market value. Remember, they are going to pay to build you a new home, not buy one for you located in the same area.

For insurance purposes, you should insure your home to 100% of it's replacement cost. This will ensure the ability to rebuild the entire house, the way it is now, in the event of a total loss. One thing to remember, you're not insuring the land so leave this out of the replacement cost valuation of the dwelling.

Please call a RIA qualified Saint Charles home insurance agent, or your existing  insurance agent, to explain your home insurance factors in detail regarding: square footage, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, basement, fireplace etc. The home insurance coverage amount and the premium might be a bit higher, however you'll be properly insured. After a home insurance claim occurs is not the time to find out your insurance limit is not adequate. Having 100% replacement cost on the dwelling takes away this possibility.

Umbrella Insurance

Life Insurance

Business Insurance 

• Business Owner's Policy - Small Business Insurance 

  • A Business Owner's Policy (BOP) is recommended for most small businesses, as it is often the most affordable way to obtain broad coverage. Combining both property and liability insurance, a BOP will cover your business in the event of such things as property damage, suspended operations, or lawsuits resulting from bodily injury or property damage to others. 

• Insurance protection for small businesses in the following industry segments:
  
  
  • Apartment: designed for owners of buildings used exclusively as apartment houses, including cooperatives.
  • Building:   designed for lessors of commercial buildings occupied by offices, mercantile and retail establishments.
  • Business:    designed for businesses providing personal consumer services, businesses repairing light consumer goods and businesses engaged in printing.
  • Condominium:   designed for owners of buildings used exclusively as condominiums.
  • Contractors:   designed for primarily small residential, special trade contractors.
  • Garage:   designed for independently operated or franchised automotive service and repair businesses.
  • Manufacturers:   designed for manufacturers of electronics, food products, leather goods, instruments, metal goods, paper products, plastic goods, rubber products, textiles and wood products.
  • Office:   designed for a variety of firms providing medical, legal, financial or other professional services for their clientele.
  • Religious:   designed for small churches and other houses of worship not affiliated with operating educational institutions.
  • Restaurant:   designed for various food service establishments. Primarily for fast food and family-style restaurants..
  • Store:   designed for a wide variety of retailers primarily engaged in brick-and-mortar commerce.
  • Technology:   designed for technology firms providing computer consultation and a variety of technology services for their clientele. Also designed for manufacturers of electronic and instrument products.
  • Wholesalers:   designed for distributors of various types of  durable and non-durable domestic goods.

For more information or consultation, please contact a professional Saint Charles small business insurance agent.