How Much Life Insurance Do I Need?

Life insurance is an essential type of investment you make for your family. Although everyone should consider purchasing life insurance, there is certainly not a one-size-fits-all solution for everyone. At Goodman Insurance Inc., serving Shelton, CT, we want to help clients make the smartest insurance choices. Keep reading to learn more about how much life insurance you should purchase.

Lifestyle Considerations

One of the significant factors determining how much life insurance you should purchase will be the lifestyle and standard of living that you and your family enjoy. Life insurance aims to help ensure that your family will be able to maintain their standard of living and lifestyle even if you pass on and they no longer have your income coming in. You should plan to sit down with an insurance specialist to discuss your standard of living and goals for life insurance. They will be able to help you determine a good amount to purchase.

Life Insurance Goals

Some families have bigger goals than simply maintaining the current lifestyle. Many people hope a life insurance policy can also provide for their children’s college education, mortgage payments, or other financial ambitions. You will need to have some conversations with your partner and your family concerning what if any, other goals will be met with the insurance money. These details will significantly influence the amount of insurance you purchase. 

The Size of Your Budget

A life insurance purchase also needs to fit into your current budget. You will need to consider what you can afford as far as a monthly premium is concerned. 

If you would like to learn more about life insurance, please get in touch with us at Goodman Insurance Inc., serving Shelton, CT, and the surrounding areas. 

What Does Home Insurance Cover?

The experienced and knowledgeable home insurance agents at Goodman Insurance Inc. serving the Shelton, CT area know that your home is where your heart is, and you will do anything to protect it. The best way to protect the investment of time, money, and energy you have put into your home is to have adequate home insurance. This is important even if you no longer have a mortgage on your home and are required by a lender to have a home insurance policy.

What Does Home Insurance Cover?

Nearly all basic home insurance policies cover the structure of your house and its contents, including your clothing, furniture, appliances, personal belongings, electronics, and more. You can add to your policy to cover any outbuildings or other structures on your property, such as decks, garages, porches, sheds, and even privacy fences.

Home insurance policies are created to assist you in replacing or repairing your home if it becomes damaged by some horrible event. Those events usually covered include natural disasters, fires, burglaries, and acts of vandalism.

Home insurance will also come in handy if a guest to your home falls and injures themselves or is injured in some other way. Your home insurance policy will help cover their medical bills and possibly even their lost wages if they have to be off work for a certain period. Your home insurance policy can keep you from being sued since you can cover a person’s medical bills upfront.

It is good to keep in mind that most home insurance policies do not include flooding or earthquakes. You can add these policies to your central home insurance policies as addendums.

Contact Goodman Insurance Inc.

To create an excellent home insurance policy for your situation, contact the home insurance agents at Goodman Insurance Inc., serving the Shelton, CT, area today!

Commercial insurance most businesses can benefit from

Every business has its own set of risks. Not every company faces the same risks, but some are universal. At Goodman Insurance Inc. in Shelton, CT, our team knows commercial insurance to ensure your business gets the coverage it needs and nothing more. 

Liability coverage

One of the most significant risks all businesses face, no matter their size, is being sued. It happens to about 30% of all businesses every year. If you don’t have liability insurance, a judgment against you and the legal fees that go with it could force your business to close. No company should knowingly take that risk. It would be best to have as much liability insurance as you can afford to carry and consider adding an umbrella to give you even more. 

Property coverage

Commercial property insurance is much more than just building coverage; it is also content coverage. If you rent the building, you still need it to pay for what you have in it. It covers tools or inventory, machinery, or office equipment. It can help you return to business quicker after being hit by a covered peril. 

Workers Compensation

In Connecticut, you must either have workers’ compensation insurance or self-insure. It is required if you have one or more employees, even part-time ones.   

Business interruption insurance

When your business is damaged or forced to close for another reason, you will not make any money. Your expenses, however, will not decrease. To pay your bills and rent etc., you need money. Business interruption insurance provides that income if it is a covered peril. 

Contact Goodman Insurance Inc. in Shelton, CT on the phone, on our website, or visit our office when you are ready to discuss your commercial insurance needs. 

Three Reasons to Obtain Life Insurance in your Twenties

When you think of life insurance, you’re probably likely to view it as something you’ll buy when you get older or have children. However, you may think of it as something you don’t need when you’re only in your twenties. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. While it isn’t required by law in Connecticut, life insurance is still essential, even for young people. Our agents at Goodman Insurance Inc., serving Shelton, CT, could show you why you may need a plan.

Premiums are Inexpensive

Your life insurance monthly premiums are usually cheaper if you’re a young adult in good health. It could be a wise financial decision for a young adult to purchase one. Getting life insurance early could help you cover large debts such as student loans, even if you’re not planning on starting a family.

Cash Value can be Used.

When you purchase a whole life insurance policy, accumulating cash value can be used while you are alive. This compounds over time as dividends are created. You can also borrow against this money. It makes more sense to obtain whole life insurance than term life when doing this.

Easy Chance of Coverage Approval

Getting life insurance in your twenties allows you to get approved more easily than if you were older. You’ll unlikely have health problems or other contributing factors preventing you from getting approved. According to LIMRA, an insurance industry research center, the number of people under 25 who have purchased life insurance has increased significantly in 2020. No matter how young you are, having life insurance gives you peace of mind.

As you can see, having life insurance in your twenties allows you to pay less for monthly premiums, accumulate a cash value that can be used while you’re still alive, and have an easier chance of getting approved. Contact our Goodman Insurance Inc. agents today to find your plan options.

Can I Donate My Life Insurance Benefits to Charity?

At Goodman Insurance Inc. in Shelton, CT, we’ve seen how personal and challenging it can be to choose the proper beneficiary for your life insurance policy. For many folks, this can be one of the most challenging choices to make surrounding their legacy planning, finances, and passing.

Suppose you have a cause that you believe in deeply or want to support. In that case, you might wonder if donating your life insurance benefits to your favorite charity, non-profit organization, or foundation is possible. When you want to make a difference in the world with your life insurance benefits, the first step is figuring out if it is legal and, if so, if it is a possibility for some policies.

What is a life insurance policy?

A life insurance policy is essentially a contract between you as a policyholder and your insurance provider that indicates that they will pay out a death benefit in the form of a lump sum to whomever you list as your beneficiary when you pass in exchange for the premiums you pay.

While coverage, specifics of policies, and eligibility to file a claim vary, most life insurance policies function similarly in this way.

Can I list a charity or other organization as my beneficiary on a life insurance policy?

Yes, you can list a charity or other organization as the beneficiary for your policy if you list their name and contact information. You can also list a charity to receive a percentage of your death benefit and other beneficiaries to receive the remaining portion.

If you want to see how we could help you continue doing good after your death through your life insurance policy, call our office at Goodman Insurance Inc. in Shelton, CT today!
 

Home Insurance: What It Does and Does Not Cover

If you own a house, you probably understand that protecting it is crucial. One of the best ways to do it is to purchase home insurance. Its purpose is to protect you and your home from the unexpected. However, before buying any home insurance policy, you should know what home insurance covers and does not cover. 

What Is Covered By Home Insurance?

It is essential to know that home insurance is divided into two parts – property coverage and liability protection. 

Property protection covers the following:

  • Dwelling
  • Personal property 
  • Loss of use or additional living expenses
  • Other structures
  • Additional coverages

Here is what liability protection covers:

  • Personal liability 
  • Liability 
  • Medical bills

What is NOT Covered By Home Insurance?

Unfortunately, home insurance has certain limitations and does not cover everything. Here is what is usually not covered by standard home insurance:

  • Flood damage
  • Earthquake damage
  • Home insurance and mold
  • Volcano coverage
  • Landslides

If you think you may face these risks or you live in an area prone to the risks listed above, you should consider buying additional special coverage. 

Goodman Insurance Inc. in Shelton, CT – The Insurance Company That You Can Trust

If you are lucky and you have a property in Shelton, CT, or any other nearby area, it is important to have proper and sufficient home insurance to protect your home. If you are searching for an insurance agency to purchase a home insurance plan addressing your needs, do not look any further – Goodman Insurance Inc. will gladly assist you. Our experienced insurance specialists will answer all your questions and provide detailed information about the insurance types we sell. 

What types of commercial insurance coverage are there?

There are many different things that businesses have to do to keep their businesses running. One of these things that a business owner should do is have insurance to protect their finances, property, employees, and the public in case stuff happens. This is where commercial insurance comes in. There are several different types of commercial insurance coverage to choose from for your business insurance needs.

General liability

General liability covers if something happens to a customer or employee. It helps cover the costs if someone is injured or their belongings are damaged due to the company’s fault. It also helps protect you financially if you end up with a lawsuit against your business.

Property insurance

Property insurance protects against property damage.

Business interruption insurance

This covers your potential financial loss if something interrupts your business and potential income.

Worker’s compensation

Worker’s compensation protects workers if they get injured on the job.

Commercial auto insurance

Commercial auto insurance covers vehicles that are company owned or used for the work of the business.

Employment practices liability insurance

This covers the business if an employee does something that reflects poorly on the company and affects customers.

Cyber insurance

This helps cover losses from cyber crimes. There are limits to cyber insurance coverage and strict guidelines that you need to follow, such as having high cyber security measures in place.

Crime insurance

If a crime occurs, commercial insurance can help cover the losses and damages that happen to the business.

Contact Goodman Insurance Inc.

If you have a business in Shelton, CT, and are looking for commercial insurance coverage, look no further than Goodman Insurance Inc.

Protect Your Biggest Asset With Home Insurance

If you’re like most homeowners, your home is your largest asset and your biggest investment. When you own a home, it’s important to protect that asset by having a home insurance policy. Not only does this insurance cover your home, but it can also protect your finances and your possessions. To get your home insurance policy, call us at Goodman Insurance Inc. in Shelton, CT, and protect yourself and your home. 

Dwelling Coverage

One of a home insurance policy’s most important types of coverage is the coverage for the actual dwelling. This protects every part of your home against a wide range of risks that it could face. Incidents that can damage your home include calamities, accidents, and disasters, and your policy will cover you against many of them. The exact incidents that are covered will be spelled out in your policy. If one of those should happen and your home is damaged or destroyed, the home policy can pay for it to be either repaired or rebuilt, depending on the need. This can save you an enormous amount of money after a damaging incident. 

Possessions Coverage

Another form of protection you get from home insurance is coverage for all your possessions in your home. This coverage can be nearly as valuable as your dwelling protection. When you add up what all of your items are worth, it often adds up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. To protect this investment, you need home insurance to cover it. When items get ruined in a covered incident, your home policy can pay for you to replace them. 

Protect Your Investment

It would be best if you had a home insurance policy to protect your home and what’s in it. Call us at Goodman Insurance Inc. in Shelton, CT to get one.

Don’t forget to increase your commercial coverage when purchasing heavy machinery

Business owners in the greater Shelton, CT area can rely on the Goodman Insurance Inc. team for all their commercial insurance needs. We understand the importance of protecting your hard work. Call to schedule a consultation today.

Heavy machinery purchases could mean changes to your commercial insurance

Firms that operate heavy machinery have a lot of insurance needs that many other types of companies may not have to deal with. Operating heavy machinery involves the risk of injury in addition to the possibility of material damage. This can mean that a firm will need liability insurance and worker’s compensation protection.

The cost of heavy machinery can be pretty substantial, so protecting the company’s investment is also important. Before making a large purchase of heavy machinery, it makes sense to take the time to review the company’s current commercial policy. This is also an excellent time to sit down with an insurance professional to review all insurance policies thoroughly. 

It may be time to upgrade to a comprehensive commercial policy or add an umbrella policy to the company’s insurance portfolio. With such significant equipment investments, obtaining a professional outlook is worthwhile. Don’t be caught without the necessary insurance to protect your equipment, employees, and the overall health of the company’s bottom line. 

We are here to help with all of your insurance needs

Goodman Insurance Inc. is proud to serve the Shelton, CT business community. Our team is dedicated to helping community business owners protect their hard work. If you have questions about your commercial insurance or are planning to start a business in the future, we are here for you. Contact our office today!

Two Main Types of Life Insurance

When it comes to life insurance, there are two main types. These are term life insurance and whole life. Both offer effective help when a person is gone and wants to leave something to their heirs. Both can give you peace of mind knowing that you can help your loved ones after you are gone. Each type has pros and cons; one type may be better for your specific needs and budget. Call Goodman Insurance, Inc. to talk to an agent when you need life insurance in Shelton, CT.

Term Life Insurance

This type of life insurance is a great one to have when you have a tight budget. This low-cost type of life insurance operates for a specific term. This means that at the start of the policy, it is enacted for only a particular number of years. After this term has passed, the policy expires. Once that happens, you are no longer covered and must seek a new life insurance policy if you want to be covered again. Many people don’t choose this type because of its expiration date, but others like it because it is inexpensive. 

Whole Life Insurance

This type doesn’t have an expiration date and stays good for as long as you want to keep the insurance. Many people choose it because it can’t be canceled for as long as you keep paying for it. However, it can be expensive for many people. Another benefit to this type of life insurance is that it builds a cash value that the policyholder can borrow someday if they ever need to. 

Get Life Insurance

It’s never a good idea to be without life insurance, just in case. If you need life insurance in Shelton, CT, call us at Goodman Insurance, Inc.