Should all recreational asset owners in Missouri get recreational insurance?

Living in the Lees Summit, MO area can be a great idea as the area offers a lot of fun recreational activities and opportunities. One way to ensure you have a fun experience living here is by investing in your own recreational toy. If you do choose to purchase a recreational toy, you will want to get the right insurance for it. There are various reasons that recreational asset owners here should get this coverage.

Recreational Insurance Benefits

Protect Your Asset

If you own any type of recreational toy, you will want to enjoy it for a long time. Unfortunately, the risks of theft or accident damage can preclude long-term use. If you get a recreational insurance plan for your recreational toy, you can get the coverage needed to ensure you can replace or repair the asset if you incur a loss. This coverage may also be required if you took out a loan to finance the asset purchase. 

Reduce Liability Concerns

It is important to be careful when using any recreational toy. However, even if you are cautious, there will always be a chance that you could cause an accident. If this happens, you will need to cover any damages. Fortunately, if you do obtain a recreational insurance plan, it will give the coverage that is needed to offset this risk. 

As you are looking to insure your recreational asset in the Lees Summit, MO area, it is important that you speak with someone that you can trust. The professionals with Epic Insurance will offer the support that you need to build an appropriate plan. Epic Insurance understands the unique options that this coverage provides, and they will give you support to ensure you choose a plan that is right for your situation. 

Health insurance options for MO residents

The team here at Epic Insurance has the knowledge and experience necessary to help the Lees Summit, MO community with all of its insurance needs. Selecting a health insurance policy that meets all of your family’s needs can feel overwhelming when you go it alone. Let us help!

Learn more about the health insurance options available in our area

When it comes to health insurance, finding the right policy can feel like a stressful undertaking. By working with a local insurance agent, you can help make the process a lot less stressful.

When you have someone working alongside you as you review your options, it can be a lot clearer how you can find the policy that is right for you. There are many different factors that may weigh into the selection process. For example, if you don’t have any ongoing medical issues but want catastrophic care, you may want to look closely at high-deductible plans. People who visit the doctor on a regular basis or require regular care will obviously have different needs.

Whatever your current medical care needs, it makes sense to be protected with a robust health insurance policy. Rather than rely on a faceless someone on the internet, why not sit down with a local agent who can help you navigate the selection process?

Health insurance is an important part of your overall health care and wellbeing. It only makes sense to find a policy that can meet your needs now and in the future.

Give Epic a call today!

Epic Insurance is here to meet all of the insurance needs of the greater Lees Summit, MO community, including health care. If you would like to find out more about the options available in our area, give our office a call today!

Why Do I Need Insurance for My Business?

When you’re starting a business, there are a lot of things to think about. One of the most important but often overlooked is insurance. You need to make sure that your business is properly insured in case something goes wrong. Here are four reasons why you need insurance for your business.

1. Protection

There are several kinds of insurance coverage that protect your business in different ways. The most common are liability, property, and workers’ compensation insurance. Liability insurance covers your business if someone should suffer an injury or other damage while on your premises or using one of your services. Property insurance protects physical assets in the event of natural disasters or theft. Workers’ compensation insurance is required by law to protect employees against injury while they’re on the job.

2. Compliance

Businesses are subject to strict regulations, and insurance is one of the ways you can demonstrate your compliance. For example, many businesses are required to have workers’ compensation insurance to show that they are taking responsibility for their employees or face fines. Compliance is important because it ensures the safety of all involved parties and demonstrates a commitment to ethical business practices.

3. Minimize Risk

Insurance can also help you to manage your risks. Insurance is a way of budgeting for the unexpected, reducing the likelihood that an accident or other incident will significantly impact your business. Hiring competent employees and taking every possible precaution are valuable strategies for minimizing risk. However, they aren’t always enough to counter poor luck or the mistakes of others.

4. Business Continuity

Insurance is one of the most effective ways to protect your business. When disaster strikes, having an insurance policy can make all the difference between keeping your company afloat and watching it fail. Most businesses experience some kind of downtime if their building is severely damaged or destroyed by fire or another catastrophe. But with the proper insurance coverage, you’ll be able to rebuild and recover without having to worry about losing your business.

Get Business Insurance in Lees Summit, MO?

Insurance is an invaluable resource for protecting your business. Your policy should cover the types of risks you might encounter. Are you looking for business insurance in Lees Summit, MO? Epic Insurance is here to help. We offer a variety of policies that protect your business in different ways.

Home Insurance In Major Catastrophes: A Car Striking Your Home

The worst situation you could imagine for your home has impacted you: an unsafe driver just ran into your home. This frustrating scenario is one we have experienced at Epic Insurance Thankfully, we can help Lees Summit, MO residents in this tough spot.

What Happens When Someone Hits Your Home With a Car

When someone hits your home with their car, they are obviously considered liable for the accident. As a result, their auto insurance policy will pay for the damages to your home up to the limit of their policy. This situation may be beneficial as you could get away without having to use your policy. 

However, situations regularly occur in which you’ll likely need to use your home insurance policy. For example, what happens if a person’s auto insurance covers $20,000 in damage, and you experience $30,000? You’re either stuck with the bill, or you have to make a claim on your auto insurance. 

In this situation, your home insurance will pay whatever is left over, up to your policy limits. So if the person who caused the accident pays $25,000 out of a $60,000 repair bill, your home insurance will pay for the remaining $35,000, depending on your policy limits. 

If your policy limit does not cover the full repairs, your insurance will pay out what it can, and you’ll have to pay for the rest. In areas near heavy traffic (such as homes near freeway exits), it isn’t a bad idea to consider expanding your limits to ensure you don’t get in a bad situation.

Don’t Hesitate to Make a Claim 

If you have a home insurance policy with us at Epic Insurance, please contact us if your home gets hit by a car. We can also help Lees Summit, MO residents get a policy that works for their needs if they are not covered adequately. 

Does My Missouri Company Need Commercial Insurance?

Calling all business owners in Lees Summit, MO — Do you have an updated commercial insurance policy? If you are unsure, the agents at Epic Insurance. recommend looking into it immediately to see what coverage you do have and where the gaps are. 

Missouri Commercial Insurance 

If you own a business in Missouri, commercial insurance is a must for financial security and the protection of any assets within the business. While commercial insurance isn’t required by law in Missouri, the protection it offers is more than enough reason to make the investment. Epic Insurance. offers expertise and assistance when it comes to selecting the right policy. 

As a business owner, you know there are risks involved in running a business. If you can minimize those risks and protect your business, why wouldn’t you? Commercial insurance is often required by lenders and investors, so you may not have many options in the matter regardless. 

Lastly, if you have a certain number of employees that work for your business, you will need worker’s compensation insurance (also depending on the type of business you have). This type of insurance protects a business in the event that an employee becomes injured on the job. 

By now, you probably understand how important commercial insurance is for any business. While it may not be required in Lees Summit, MO the benefits and protection it offers are more than worth the price. If you aren’t sure where to start with this type of insurance for your business, contact Epic Insurance today. Selecting the right policy can be stressful and confusing, and our agents are more than capable of selecting the best policy for you. 

Prevent Drunk Driving at the Holidays

Tis the season. The annual holidays are coming up, and between Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Americans will be consuming more alcohol. Studies show that in December, an average of 25 people a day will die in drunk driving incidents. Longer-term data suggest that traffic fatalities do tend to spike around Christmas, New Years and the July 4th holidays. The deadliest days for pedestrians are Halloween and New Year’s Day, while DUI incidents tend to spike during Spring Break.

The tragedy is that drunk driving incidents are preventable – with a little bit of planning, due diligence, and assertiveness on the part of responsible people.

Alcohol related incidents don’t just affect traffic accident victims. Party hosts have been held legally liable for drunk driving incidents that occur after intoxicated individuals leave their homes. Some states have “social host liability” laws that allow anyone injured by an intoxicated individual who got drunk or high at their party to sue the party host/homeowner. You are particularly at legal risk if the drinkers at your party are underage, or if you recklessly or negligently continue to serve alcohol to individuals who are clearly intoxicated.

For Party Hosts
• Remember that booze does not need to be the main attraction. There are lots of ways to set up the party. The wet bar or keg doesn’t have to be the first thing people see when they walk into your soiree.
• Make sure there are plenty of non-alcoholic drinks available.
• Use small cups.
• Feed people. Food takes the edge off intoxication. If nothing else, order pizzas.
• Avoid snacks that are too salty. Salt makes people drink more.
• Have a ‘key collection point.’ Toward the end of the party, station yourself by the keys. This will force all your guests to check in with you before they leave.
• Take the punchbowl or other alcohol away 1-2 hours before the party ends.
• Don’t serve alcohol to people who are already visibly drunk.
• Plan to have people sleep overnight.
• Consider renting a van for the night and providing a safe ride home for your guests yourself.
• Have a caterer run the bar, and allow people to buy their own drinks, rather than host it yourself. This provides a layer of liability insulation between you and any damage your inebriated guest may cause. You will also have a sober and professional bartender available to politely decline selling the drink and offer a soda instead.
• Also, consider a ‘dry party.’

For partygoers
• Agree ahead of time on who will be driving. That individual should abstain from drinking throughout the night, ideally.
• Contact the Sober Ride Program. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration maintains a nationwide database of such programs. You can find a state-by-state listing here .
• Call a taxi. In many markets, 444-4444 gets you a taxi dispatcher. Or you can use a mobile-phone app such as MyTaxi, SaferRide, or Curb (formerly TaxiMagic).
• Consider a ride-sharing service. Availability varies, depending on the market, but popular options include Lyft, Uber, and Sidecar.

Content provided by Ezlynx

Did You Make a Mistake on Your Auto Insurance?

Do you worry about making mistakes on your car insurance and want to avoid getting in any trouble? We understand this fear at Epic Insurance. Thankfully, we can help Lees Summit, MO residents prevent these problems and keep their insurance strong, safe, and reasonable.

Did You File a Claim When You Shouldn’t Have Filed It?

Some people may try to file a claim when they experience minor damage to their vehicle. This common mistake is frustrating to insurance companies because it’s not likely that they’ll ever have to pay for anything and the paperwork just clogs up their system. Only file if the damage is more than your deductible.

Did You Forget to Take Pictures?

Do you know how many people don’t take pictures of their cars after an accident? We don’t know the exact number but know that it is very high. This mistake is going to make your claim much harder to prove. Your company may even refuse your coverage until you provide photos to prove it. 

Did You Tell Your Insurance Companies You’re Okay?

When talking to your insurance company, it isn’t wise to say that you feel “fine” if you plan on getting any medical care coverage. This statement tells them that you aren’t suffering, and any attempt to get coverage for medical bills may be looked on with suspicion.

Did You Provide Too Little Information? 

Car owners may hide their fault in a car accident by providing minimal information to their insurance company. This mistake is critical because insurance teams do their investigations anyway and talk to other people, painting you in a bad light. 

Work With Us to Learn More 

We at Epic Insurance understand that working with insurance companies can feel complex or challenging. However, we’re ready to help Lees Summit, MO residents avoid the kind of mistakes highlighted above. 

When should you review your home insurance policy?

Home insurance is not a one-and-done kind of insurance. As you change and your lifestyle changes, your home insurance needs to grow and change with you. At Epic Insurance in Lees Summit, MO, we make sure that we get to know our clients so that we can better access their insurance needs. No one wants to pay for insurance they don’t need or do not have the insurance they need. 

When it is time for your policy renewal, your carrier will send you a new copy of your policy. Don’t just toss it in the garbage or into a drawer, You actually need to look at it. The front page is called the declaration page. This is a synopsis of your coverage. You can look at it rather quickly and see exactly how much you are paying and what you are paying for. Do you have enough property coverage? Is the content coverage the kind you want? Do you have any endorsement? What is your deductible? What credit are you getting?  Once you have looked these all over, you can talk to your insurance agent about anything that needs to be changed. 

This is the obvious time to review your policy, but if you have made any major changes to your home, you need to make sure your insurance company knows and evaluates your house.  Have you added a dog, trampoline, or pool to your home? You may need more liability coverage. Have you replaced your roof? Added a home security system or wired smoke detectors? You may be eligible for a lower premium. It is up to you to let your insurance agent know when there are changes in your home and in your life. 

Contact Epic Insurance in Lees Summit, MO to talk about how we can help you to make sure you have the right home coverage. 

Back to School Safety Tips

A primary concern for everyone is keeping students safe.  Here are some Back to School Safety Tips.

  1. Drivers, Slow Down.
  2. A bus with an extended stop sign indicates that drivers from BOTH sides need to stop.
  3. Children should know phone numbers, address, how to dial 9-1-1.
  4. Teach children not to accept rides from anyone they don’t know.
  5. If students are walking to school, walk in groups, use crosswalks, know alternate routes.

For more details and information see the American Red Cross safety tips at https://tennesseeredcross.blogspot.com/2018/08/red-cross-offers-back-to-school-safety.html

The ABCs of Boat Insurance

Do you own a boat in Lees Summit, MO? Do you have boat insurance? Unfortunately, many boaters like talking about boating experiences, but shy away when asked about boat insurance. One of the reasons many boaters don’t carry boat insurance is that it’s not mandatory in Missouri. For other boaters, they think boating accidents are unlikely to happen. 

Unfortunately, when perils like accidents, theft, and fire strike, uninsured boaters are faced with massive losses – it’s only then they realize the power of a boat insurance policy. The good news is that you don’t have to wait until it’s too late. You can purchase boat insurance today from Epic Insurance. But before then, here are a few basics you need to know about boat insurance. 

Boat insurance may be required

While Missouri doesn’t require boat insurance, your federal-regulated lender may require you to purchase watercraft insurance until you pay off your outstanding loan.

Understand the difference between the actual value and agreed value

When it comes to loss settlements, you need to know what actual, and agreed value means. The agreed value would be the amount pre-agreed between the insurer and the policyholder if the boat suffered a total loss. In this case, you will receive the agreed value less your deductibles, but without reducing the depreciation factor.

The actual value is the replacement cost of your boat today, less the depreciation factor. While the premiums are cheaper than the agreed value, the compensation amount is less than the agreed value. 

Understand different boat insurance coverages

Just like auto or home insurance policy, boat insurance comprises various coverages to suit different needs. While you are not required to purchase all coverages, understanding different coverages helps you choose those that fit your needs. Here are some coverages to consider:

  • Collision
  • Comprehensive
  • Emergency assistance
  • Medical payments
  • Liability
  • Uninsured/underinsured boater
  • Wreckage removal and oil spillage

Do you need to learn more about boat insurance? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Epic Insurance for more information. Else, you can pop in our Lees Summit, MO offices to speak to one of our agents.