What to look for when selecting a commercial policy for your New Mexico business

Family Insurance Associates is the insurance resource for business owners in the Ruidoso, NM area. If you are looking for the right commercial insurance policy to protect your business, we are here to help! Contact our office today to learn more. 

Look for these features when selecting your commercial insurance policy 

Thinking of starting a new business, or has your established company outgrown its current policy? Finding the right commercial policy is an integral part of protecting your business. Below are a few features to consider when selecting your policy:

  • An adequate level of protection – assess your coverage needs considering the value of all equipment and machinery. Be sure that your policy limits are enough to protect your business.
  • Coverage for any specialized needs like high inventory risk or liability needs if you operate in an industry with many lawsuits associated with doing business. Liability protection is also crucial in high-risk industries where injuries often occur.
  • Work with a local agent – when you obtain your commercial insurance policy through a local agent, you will have an effective resource available if you ever need to file a claim. A local agent will also be helpful when reviewing your policy for completeness before renewal.

Finding the right commercial policy doesn’t have to be a chore when you work with a local agent!

We are here to help with all of your commercial insurance needs 

If you own a business in Ruidoso, NM, or the surrounding area, turn to the team at Family Insurance Associates for all of your commercial insurance needs. Contact our office today and schedule a consultation to find out more about commercial insurance.

Are There Any Limitations Or Exclusions With Dental And Vision Insurance?

The best way to protect yourself from unnecessary expenses is to ensure you know what you’re signing up for. Check your company’s plan closely to ensure that these benefits are covered 100 percent. In addition, make sure you understand any waiting periods before you can receive coverage. Waiting periods vary widely, but they are often between 90 and 180 days—Call Family Insurance Associates in Ruidoso, NM for expert help. 

What to Know About the Restrictions 

Dental and vision insurance plans have strict limitations, including yearly maximums on benefits and a minimum period of coverage. Some plans have a waiting period before coverage begins. Dental plans have a maximum benefit amount for dental procedures. 

You might have a vision plan that only covers up to a certain dollar amount of prescription eyewear. Similarly, a dental plan might only cover certain procedures, such as root canals, but not cosmetic dentistry like teeth whitening. 

Some dental and vision plans have limitations on how often you can visit the dentist, how much vision care you can receive, or how much you can spend on vision care. Major medical usually has a fixed dollar amount, such as $500 or $1,000. 

You may not be covered for certain services, such as orthotics, during the first few months of your policy. Some policies have a maximum value. After receiving that amount, you must continue to pay for the plan’s share of the cost of covered services. Some plans have a maximum number of visits or amount of money you can spend on vision care per year. 

Final Thoughts 

If an employee’s spouse has a vision plan through their employer, can the employee add that spouse to their vision plan to avoid paying for the spouse’s vision coverage? What if the spouse’s vision plan is better than the employee’s vision plan?

Does the employer need to keep track of all of these plans? What if an employee has vision coverage through their spouse’s vision plan and the employee’s spouse has a better vision plan? For the correct answers, call Family Insurance Associates in Ruidoso, NM.

When should you review your life insurance needs

Life insurance is not something that is one and done. The life insurance that is right for you when you are 25 and unmarried may not be the same life insurance that is correct even ten years later. It needs to be reevaluated from time to time. At Family Insurance Associates in Ruidoso, NM, we know that this is not a subject most customers are very familiar with. We are delighted to discuss all the vital information with you. As independent insurance agents, we have loads of options to find the perfect fit. 

When you first go out on your own

Part of adulting is taking responsibility for your life. You are young and healthy, and dying is probably far down on your list of worries. But, it is never too soon to take responsibility for any debt that you may have. You may not need vast amounts of life insurance, but making sure you have some is good. 

When you change employers

If you count on the life insurance provided with your benefits package through your employer, changing jobs will affect your life insurance. 

When you start a family

Children are the most major change you will probably ever make in your life, and they are certainly someone you need to provide for. This long-term thing may require years of your income, depending on how young your children are. 

Retirement

Once you are retired, there may be very little need for life insurance unless you are not in a position to pay for final expenses. Talk about the options with your independent insurance agent. 

Contact Family Insurance Associates in Ruidoso, NM when you are ready to sit down and discuss what your life insurance needs are.

What Commercial Insurance Is Needed in New Mexico?

New Mexico law mandates that businesses with three or more employees, regardless of whether they are full-time or part-time, carry workers’ compensation insurance to help pay for medical bills related to workplace injuries and illnesses. If your company is in the construction industry, you will need workers’ compensation insurance if you have just one full or part-time employee. Additionally, any vehicle owned by the business must have commercial auto insurance coverage with at least the below minimum liability requirements:

  • $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
  • $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
  • $10,000 property damage liability per accident

While it may be tempting to skimp on insurance to save money for your business, failure to carry the two required insurances in New Mexico can have a devastating impact. Consequences of not having commercial insurance can include the following:

  • Fines and Jail: Failure to have workers’ compensation insurance violates New Mexico state law and subjects the business owner to numerous penalties and even jail time for repeated offenses.
  • No Safety Blanket: If a customer trips and falls outside your builder or is sued after missing a key client deadline outlined in the contract, you’ll want insurance to help pay for the required remediation. Not having coverage means you’ll be on the hook for all the costs.
  • Loss of Clients: Many contracts will require that you have adequate insurance coverage, and failing to do so may result in losing work.
  • Loss of Property: If you rent space for your business, a landlord may decide not to work with you if they learn that you do not have liability insurance or any other coverage

At Family Insurance Associates in Ruidoso, NM, we understand the time, commitment, and expense required to run a successful business. Consequently, we’ll work with you to find the perfect commercial insurance policy for your needs. 

Dental & Vision Insurance FAQs

When most people are thinking about health insurance, most overlook dental and eye care. Regrettably, neglecting your eyes and teeth could affect your overall well-being. As such, you need to take optimal care of these vital organs just like you do with the rest of the body parts.

Speaking of eyes and dental care, have you thought about dental and vision insurance? At Family Insurance Associates in Ruidoso, NM, we have prepared a FAQs section to help you understand these coverages in detail.

What is dental insurance, and what does it cover?

Dental insurance falls into two categories: basic and full coverage. Basic coverage covers preventive dental care, including cleanings, x-rays, and simple dental procedures like cavity fillings. On the other hand, full coverage covers preventive care, and extensive dental treatments like implant restorations, at just a small co-pay amount.

Even if you may have a full dental insurance plan, it doesn’t mean you won’t incur any out-of-pocket expenses. Ordinarily, you may have to incur deductibles, co-pay, and coinsurance. However, these amounts are negligible when compared to the benefits you derive from dental insurance.

How does vision insurance work?

Vision insurance works a bit differently from dental insurance. It covers preventive eye care but also includes treatments like prescription eyeglasses and lenses. Unfortunately, coverage for serious non-elective eye care treatments like correction of an eye injury may be excluded from your vision insurance. Be sure to check what your vision insurance covers before receiving any treatment.

Buy dental and vision insurance today!

Caring for your eyes and dental should be a priority for everyone. If you neglect your eye and dental care, it’s only a matter of time before you start experiencing challenges on your overall health. If you are in Ruidoso, NM, please contact Family Insurance Associates for a dental and vision insurance plan.

Who Needs Life Insurance

Life insurance is a contract between an insurance company and policyholder that gives your dependents financial protection in the event of your death. Whether or not you need life insurance depends on certain factors and your personal life circumstances. Take a look at the list below to figure out if you are someone who will benefit from life insurance:

Who Needs Life Insurance?

Here are the categories of people who should get life insurance:

  • Parents. If you have children, you will definitely benefit from life insurance because it covers everyday expenses related to raising a child, as well as saves money for college tuition fees and milestones in the future of your child. 
  • Empty nesters. Even if your kids have grown up and started their own lives, it does not mean that you should cancel your life insurance policy. The policy will help you create a legacy of money you can pass on to your heirs, including your children and grandchildren. 
  • Singles without kids. Even if you are single and do not have kids, it is still not a reason to skip life insurance. You still may have people who depend on you financially. Moreover, your life insurance will help cover funeral costs that can be very high. 

Family Insurance Associates in Ruidoso, NM – Our Mission Is To Protect You

If you live in Ruidoso, NM or any other nearby area, purchasing life insurance is a good idea, especially if you belong to one of the three categories described in the article. Family Insurance Associates is an insurance company specializing in insurance, including life insurance as well. If you have any questions, you can always give us a call for more information. 

How Should Business Owners Track Assets for Insurance?

When you have commercial insurance, you need to keep close track of your assets. It is important that you have a running list of all the materials you own in the event that something becomes damaged or broken. There are many reasons why you should keep track of your assets, no matter the cost.

Family Insurance Associates serves many businesses in the Ruidoso, NM area, and we understand what it takes to track your business assets. Here’s what you need to know.

Use Computer Software

Tracking assets is a lot like tracking inventory, except that you need to track items you have purchased for your business. This can include inventory, technology, vehicles, buildings, and machinery. Use software to track everything, including things that depreciate over time.

Report Financial Expenses

Any money that you spend on your business on these items should be recorded as well. For example, you should track the money you have put into remodeling your business or updating equipment. This will help you understand the specific value of the items you own.

Keep Records Online

Finally, remember to keep the records of your assets available via the web or a cloud-based server. This will allow you to track assets even if you are not able to do so from the business itself in the wake of a natural disaster. You need to be able to access your records anywhere.

Have Commercial Insurance

The only way to prevent the loss of your assets for good is to get commercial insurance. If you still have questions about commercial insurance policies and protecting what you own, contact Family Insurance Associates, which serves Ruidoso, NM.

Exploring The Benefits Of Dental & Vision Insurance

Family Insurance Associates provides coverage to the Ruidoso, NM community. We strive to ensure that our clients have the coverage they need to protect their assets. We have working relationships with multiple carriers across the state. We look forward to helping you find the coverage you need.

Exploring The Benefits Of Dental & Vision Insurance

In order to enjoy a high quality of living, you have to stay healthy. Health insurance ensures that you receive the care that you need to keep feeling well. Dental & Vision insurance is also important to living a healthy lifestyle. Healthy strong teeth help you feel good and also prevent future health problems. You are covered for preventative care treatment such as regular cleanings and fluoride treatment. You are also covered if you need emergency treatment such as fillings or a root canal.  Under the terms of your coverage, you will have access to a wide network of dentists and dental offices in the Ruidoso, NM area. You can amend your policy to cover necessary accessories such as a retainer or braces.

Protecting your eyes is very important. Vision insurance covers your preventative care such as yearly eye exams. You are also covered if you need to wear glasses or contact lenses. You can also amend your policy to cover you if you are advised to wear eye drops.  Vision insurance covers any emergency treatment, such as laser eye surgery. You can amend your policy to cover you if you are diagnosed with glaucoma or cataracts. The policy will cover your treatment options and your follow-up visits.

Family Insurance Associates Will Help You Stay Protected

Visit our website to learn more information about dental & vision insurance.

This is How Life Insurance Protects your Financial Interests

When you think about life insurance, your mind only points you to protecting your loved ones. While this is true, life insurance is a lot cooler than that. Life insurance can be the most prized asset you have if you plug it thoughtfully into your financial plan. To that end, Family Insurance Associates of Ruidoso, NM shares insights into how life insurance can protect your financial interests.

Accessing cash value

While most people associate life insurance with death benefits, many don’t know that you can access part of the investment while alive. Some life insurance plans allow you to access your accumulated cash value, enabling you to meet financial needs like college fees. Besides, you can borrow against your cash value or use the proceeds as supplemental retirement income. 

Business protection

Many people assume that life insurance is just for individuals. The truth is that you can invest in life insurance to protect your business. Life insurance protects your hard-earned business by keeping things running even after an exit of a key employee or partner. With proper planning, life insurance can help your loved ones maintain control of your investment by using life insurance proceeds to purchase your stock. 

Covers your debts

If you don’t want to leave a debt-laden legacy, then you must consider life insurance. When you die, your debts don’t disappear magically. While some may be discharged -for others-your cosigners will have to pay them off. You certainly wouldn’t want this because you are a prudent financial planner. With life insurance proceeds, outstanding mortgage or car loan can be cleared, saving your loved ones and cosigners the debt burden. 

Invest in life insurance today!

Although life insurance protects your loved ones, it can do a lot more than that. Life insurance safeguards your financial interests later in life and even when you die. In light of this, if you are considering life insurance in Ruidoso, NM, you are on the right track. Contact Family Insurance Associates for a personalized quote. 

What Does Commercial Insurance Cover?

You are working hard every day to grow your business and to be able to reap the benefits but first, you must make sure you have the best commercial insurance policy in place to protect it. The commercial insurance agents at the Family Insurance Associates in Ruidoso, NM can help you to create a commercial insurance policy that works best for all of your business needs.

New Mexico Commercial Insurance Requirements

In the state of New Mexico, all drivers must have an auto liability policy in place and this includes your business-owned vehicles and anyone using a personal vehicle while doing work for your business. This type of insurance will cover anyone injured in a car accident and any property damage that occurs due to an accident.  

Also in New Mexico, you must carry a worker’s compensation insurance package for your employees if you employ three or more people, whether they are full or part-time employees. This type of coverage will help pay for the lost wages and medical bills of an employee who is injured on the job.

Business Owner’s Insurance and General Liability

Your business owner’s insurance policy, as well as a general commercial insurance liability policy, will cover medical bills for anyone visiting your business who is injured or anyone that suffers injuries due to something connected with your business. Either one of these types of policies will also cover any customer property that is damaged by your business as well as any damages your business incurs due to a natural disaster, a fire, vandalism, or a theft incident. A general liability policy can also cover your business and you if there is a libel or slander lawsuit filed against your business.

Other Coverage Options

Other commercial insurance options that you can obtain include cyber and professional liability insurance. Cyber liability insurance covers your business if a data breach occurs in compromises your customers’ information, and it will also help cover the cost of contacting near customers to let them know about the data breach. It also covers the cost of monitoring for fraud. Professional liability insurance will cover any lawsuits due to negligence, late or incomplete work by your business, or any mistakes and oversight that happened with your business.

Contact Us

To create the best commercial insurance policy for you and your business comment contact the commercial insurance agents at the Family Insurance Associates in Ruidoso, NM today!