Do You Need Life Insurance if You Have No Dependents?

Those of us here at The Smith Insurance Group Inc. often see life insurance policies purchased by people with children, spouses and other close people who may be put at a financial disadvantage after their death. So naturally, this brings the question: do you still need life insurance if you have no dependents?

The short answer is, it depends. 

Residents of Sandy, UT (and the entire Salt Lake City area) are not required under law to have life insurance, and it’s true that not everyone needs it. That said, it’s still something that everyone should review every few years or so. 

The truth is that life insurance isn’t just used to provide financial stability to dependents. In fact, you can name pretty much anyone you like as a beneficiary on your life insurance policy. That said, your life insurance doesn’t necessarily have to be used for someone else’s financial benefit. Instead, many people without dependents choose to set up their life insurance for future funeral and burial costs, pay off any outstanding debts, etc. 

Others choose to set up a lasting legacy for themselves by using life insurance to set up charitable donations long after they are gone. You can even name a charity as your beneficiary, allowing something you believe in to flourish even in your absence. 

While thinking about the end of your life can be scary, setting up a life insurance policy can make everything feel a lot less daunting. It is therefore important for everyone without dependents to think hard about what they want to happen once they are gone. At The Smith Insurance Group Inc., we’re happy to answer all of your questions to help you determine whether or not life insurance is the right decision for you. 

Please feel free to give us a call or stop by our offices in the Sandy, UT area at your convenience. With the right life coverage, you can get on living without worry!

Scenic Routes for Motorcycles in Utah

Sandy, UT is the perfect location if you love getting out on your motorcycle and experiencing the most beautiful sights in the world. No matter which way you drive, you can easily find an amazing route. Get your motorcycle license, purchase motorcycle insurance from The Smith Insurance Group Inc., and set off on your next adventure. 

First set out on the Ogden River Scenic Byway. 34 miles long, you will run along Highway 39 east out of Ogden and ride through a valley before heading up into mountain terrain. Anyone interested can also stop off and visit the Trappist Monastery by Huntsville.

The Provo Canyon ride offers a route running alongside the Provo River, and you will also get to see famously beautiful spots like Bridal Veil Falls and the Alpine Wasatch Back.

Mirror Lake is one of the highest routes you can ride, and it passes through the Uinta Mountains. a range that stretches to Wyoming. Mirror Lake itself is stunning and surrounded by stunning mountain scenery.

Then set off for the Burr Trail Road, a former cattle trail that now offers some of the most beautiful views in Utah. Spanning all the way from Boulder, Utah, the road will take you through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and then to Bullfrog in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.  Not all the road is fully paved, but you won’t be disappointed.

Next head out for Bryce Canyon, located between Zion and the Grand Staircase Escalante. Red rocks, evergreens, and snow provide a sharp contrast to the stunning views of the regular American Southwest scenery.

If you live in Sandy, UT it only makes sense to take advantage of all the area has to offer. If you want to make sure you have the motorcycle coverage you need, or if you just have any questions, please feel free to call The Smith Insurance Group Inc. today.

Boat Insurance: Do You Need It In the Winter?

Having a boat is great in the summer months when you can take it out on the water and enjoy it. But what about in the winter, when it just sits in storage? Do you still need to insure your boat when it’s not being used? You can get your boat insurance questions answered in the Sandy, UT area by visiting us at The Smith Insurance Group Inc. We know that it’s not always easy to have toys like boats, but that they’re usually worth any trouble they sometimes cause. If you don’t use your boat at all during the winter, you may want to drop your insurance on it. While you can do that, it’s not necessarily the best choice.

You’ll want to consider where you’re keeping your boat. Even if it’s on your property it could still be at risk, but if it’s stored somewhere else you’ll definitely want to keep insurance on it. A storage facility won’t be responsible for theft or damage in most cases, and you want to be sure your boat is properly protected. Keeping it insured during the winter months, when it’s being stored, helps ensure that you won’t suffer losses on it. That level of protection can bring you peace of mind.

It’s also important to remember that there are often discounts for continuous policies and if you start and stop your insurance that could be affected. The best way to determine if you need insurance on your Sandy, UT area boat in the winter months is to come talk to us at The Smith Insurance Group Inc. We can ask questions and provide you with information that will help you decide the right way to insure and protect your boat all year round.

Why Healthcare Protects You Financially In The Future

Obtaining a health insurance policy covers more than just emergency visits, surgeries, and doctor visits when you become sick. These policies allow for preventative healthcare such as annual appointments and other healthcare services that can protect your health and your wallet in the future when purchasing a health insurance policy from The Smith Insurance Group Inc. If you reside in the Sandy, UT area, below are the reasons why healthcare protects you financially in the future and why you should be invested.

Benefits Of Check-Ups

Having a regular doctor that you maintain visits with annually is essential for your preventative healthcare. Meeting with them for check-ups gives your medical history a firm foundation and can allow your doctor to notice any gradual changes in your health over time. They are able to detect changes in your vitals from a visit to visit, as well as have a familial medical history on file for reference.

Obtaining Monthly Prescriptions

For those who suffer from disorders such as high blood pressure or diabetes, health care insurance allows them to afford and obtain the proper medications needed for their health. Monthly prescriptions are applied to a health insurance policy, allowing patients to maintain their health and maintain proper preventative healthcare of a more serious disease. 

Maintaining Vaccinations

Whether you need an annual flu vaccination or one against another disorder, you have access to receive what you need at an affordable price with a health insurance policy. Patients at certain ages can be more seriously affected by a flu diagnosis, causing hospital visits and overnight stays, which can burden those financially who do not have insurance. 

Get Your Health Insurance Policy Today

Our agents at The Smith Insurance Group Inc. proudly serve the residents in or around Sandy, UT. If you are in need of a policy today and would like to maintain your health, contact us today for more information. 

Should I Put a Minor As a Life Insurance Beneficiary?

It is very common for people to want to provide for their child or children in the event they pass away. As such, you may be considering naming a minor child as a life insurance beneficiary. Here at The Smith Insurance Group Inc. serving the Sandy, UT. area, we want to help you decide if you should name a minor as a life insurance beneficiary. Here is some information you should know. 

A Life Insurance Company Will Not Pay Out To a Minor

When you are deciding whether or not to list a minor as a life insurance beneficiary, it is important to note that a life insurance company will not pay out to a minor. If you list a minor as your beneficiary, the courts will appoint a guardian who will oversee the money left to them. In most cases, your child will be unable to receive the money until they are 18 or 21 years of age, depending on what the guardian decides. 

Consider Setting Up a Trust or a Legal Arrangement

The best way to provide for a minor child in the event you pass is to set up a trust or legal arrangement. The trust or legal arrangement will detail who can access the money, such as a guardian providing for your child and when the child can access the money, such as for college expenses or as soon as your child graduates high school. 

Purchasing a life insurance policy can help you to provide for your children if you pass out away at an early age. Are you looking to purchase a life insurance policy that will help you provide for your children even if you are not around? Contact The Smith Insurance Group Inc., serving Sandy, UT., to get started today. 

How Does Commercial Insurance Benefit Businesses?

There are many steps you can take to make a new business successful. First and foremost, you want to have a solid business plan in place. This business plan should outline everything from the marketing steps you intend to put into action to the business insurance policy that you plan to use. Commercial insurance benefits businesses in a number of ways. Regardless of the industry that your business operates in, business insurance can serve as a form of protection. Here at The Smith Insurance Group Inc. serving the Sandy, UT area, we want to see all of our clients’ businesses succeed. Here’s a quick look at two benefits of commercial insurance for your business. 

Accidents Happen

No matter how cautious you are as a business owner, accidents happen. With commercial insurance, you can have peace of mind in knowing your assets are protected if a disaster was to happen. The exact types of events that are covered depend on the exact policy that you have. With the right policy, your income as a business owner is protected, ensuring that you and your family can stay afloat even during tough times. 

Property Protection

Also depending on the type of commercial insurance policy that you have, you may qualify for compensation in the event that your business is damaged by a fire or some other type of misfortune. 

To get a better understanding of the benefits of commercial insurance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to an agent at The Smith Insurance Group Inc. serving the Sandy, UT area. One of our agents can explain the different types of commercial insurance that are available. An agent can also help you customize a plan that meets all of your business insurance needs. 

What Does An Umbrella Insurance Policy Cover?

When you’re shopping for insurance, a lot of terms can be thrown out there. You’ll hear things like deductibles, coverage limits, exclusions, and even umbrella insurance. Understanding what umbrella insurance is can help you when you want to make sure you’re fully covered in Sandy, UT.

With every policy, you have a coverage limit. This goes for auto insurance, homeowner’s insurance, and more. If you file a claim that exceeds the coverage limit, you would be financially responsible for the rest. For example, if you only have $15,000 of property damage liability coverage and the total comes to $25,000, you would be on the hook for $10,000.

You don’t want to go broke because of one accident. This is why insurance agents at The Smith Insurance Group Inc recommend that you have an umbrella insurance policy. Think of it as something you need for a rainy day. You can have a policy that serves as an umbrella over all of your home or business policies. If you exceed the coverage level, your umbrella policy becomes available to take care of the rest, up to the limits of that policy.

Having the insurance policy will cost you more but can serve as considerable peace of mind. The reality is that you can’t afford to not have it. There’s never any way to guess what’s going to happen, so the best thing that you can do is to prepare for the worst-case scenario, whatever that might be.

We’re here for you every step of the way. At The Smith Insurance Group In,c. we’re able to work with you to ensure that you have the coverage that you need in Sandy, UT. This way, if there is a major incident at home or with your business, you’re prepared with an umbrella policy.

 

 

Can You Adjust or Change Your Life Insurance Plan?

Whether you already have life insurance or are looking for life insurance in Sandy, UT, don’t assume the plan is set in stone. You can adjust or change your life insurance plan, but you need to know when and how to do it. The Smith Insurance Group Inc. offers different types of life insurance and will gladly speak to you about making adjustments. Here’s what you need to know.

You Should Reassess Your Insurance Needs

People change and their lives change. If you haven’t looked at your life insurance coverage in years, then now is just as good as time as any to do it. New changes should always come with a review of your insurance. After the reassessment, you can decide if you need to make changes to your life insurance plan.

You Should Know the Types of Changes to Consider

You shouldn’t attempt to make changes to your life insurance arbitrarily or too frequently. Nevertheless, here are a few things that often prompt the need for a change:

  • Increasing coverage to accommodate life changes
  • Decreasing coverage if your financial situation has made a fundamental change for the better
  • Adding additional benefits or coverage options you didn’t need previously
  • Removing benefits or coverage options you’re sure you don’t need
  • Adding coverage or options to deal with worsening health

Look for big reasons to attempt a change in policy. Once you know what you need to adjust, you can start trying to make it happen.

You Should Speak with a Reputable Insurance Company

Generally, the first thing you should do is to see what your current insurer can do to make changes for you. If the insurer cannot or will not offer you options for adjustment, you can cancel the policy and start from scratch with what you now need.

If you have a good policy that you’ve kept for a while, you may want to keep it even if you can’t adjust it. You can often add options in the form of a “top-up” policy in Sandy, UT. Contact Smith Insurance Group Inc. to learn more about life insurance policies and how to make changes to yours.

How Does Commercial Insurance Protect a Business?

If you have your own business, finding ways to protect it is very important. Today, one of the best ways to do this is through the use of a commercial insurance policy. A quality commercial insurance policy will help to protect your business in a number of different ways. 

Protects Against Negligence and Liability

If you own a business, providing good service to customers will likely be your number one goal. However, mistakes do happen from time to time. If these mistakes happen to cause injury or a financial loss to a customer, you could be found liable. The main benefit of commercial insurance is that it will provide you with liability protection in these situations. Due to the importance of it, many customers, lenders, and investors will require that you carry this type of insurance at all times. 

Property Coverage

When you have a business, the place that you operate out of is critical. If it is suddenly destroyed, it could cause a significant financial issue for your business. Fortunately, when you have a commercial insurance policy in place, you will receive commercial property coverage as well. This will provide you with financial protection in the event that your place of business is damaged or destroyed. 

Protects Employees

Commercial insurance policies are also designed to protect your employees. The worker’s compensation portion of your policy will provide additional coverage to an employee if they are hurt while doing their job. This will help to ensure that your staff is adequately taken care of in the event of an unexpected accident.

If you are looking for commercial insurance in the Sandy, UT area, speaking with The Smith Insurance Group, Inc. would be a great option. Our company can examine your insurance needs and help you to get into the right policy for your situation. 

Is motorcycle insurance mandatory?

Utah is a beautiful state. From mountains to pine forests, there’s a wonderful spectacle of natural features to explore. If you are an adventurous motorcyclist, you’ll fall in love with the Beehive State. But before you hop on your motorcycle to explore the beautiful landscape, there are a few things you need to sort out. For instance, you need to get motorcycle insurance before you hit the road. 

Liability Coverage

Just like auto insurance, motorcycle insurance is mandatory in Utah. You are required to take financial responsibility for any injuries or damages your motorcycle may cause to other motorists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians. It’s known as liability. Any vehicle or motorcycle operated on public spaces in the state must meet the minimum liability requirements. If you are looking for motorcycle insurance in the state, look no further than The Smith Insurance Group, Inc. in Sandy, UT. 

You need to establish financial responsibility to operate a motorcycle in the state. This is a legal obligation for every driver or rider in Utah. Establishing financial responsibility helps keep roads safe and fair for all drivers. If an accident you caused results in bodily injuries or inflicts damage to other people’s property, you will be required to cover the cost. Motorcycle insurance is a great way to meet such financial responsibilities. 

Financial Responsibility Requirements

In other words, the mandatory motorcycle insurance requirements in the state are meant to protect the rider from financial loss in the event of an accident. There are minimum state requirements for all motorcyclists per accident. However, it is always wise to get extra coverage to protect yourself from any eventuality effectively.

Get reliable motorcycle insurance coverage from The Smith Insurance Group, Inc. in Sandy, UT. Give us a call for more information on our motorcycle insurance coverage offerings in Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, and Montana.