Insuring Your RV, Boat, Motorcycle & Summer Fun

Summer is rapidly approaching, and the residents of Port Angeles will start enjoying barbeques, trips to the lakes and coast, and enjoying time with their loved ones.

Now is the perfect time to schedule an Insurance Review, and make sure all your summer toys are covered. There are a few things to consider before the big items come out of winter storage

recreational vehicle

Your motorhome or travel trailer needs to be insured, especially if you’ll be driving or pulling it this year. You will want your RV covered for theft or damage, even if you don’t have a loan on it. No matter the circumstance, being driving cross-country or having it parked at the lake all summer, we offer quite a few different RV policies that will fit your needs.

Boat

When you have made the large investment for your boats and jet skis, it’s important to keep them protected, and to make sure you have the appropriate amount of liability coverage. Don’t forget your life jackets, and to have fun!

Motorcycle

Ready to hit the road? Remember to wear your helmet and to brush up on your safety skills. Don’t forget that you need liability coverage on your motorcycle, just like your vehicle. We can help you determine how much coverage to have that fits your needs!

all-terrain vehicle

Ready to go ride your ATV on the back country roads? Just like your vehicle, you need to have liability coverage on your All-Terrain Vehicles. Remember to be safe and to wear your protective gear.

Summer is a lot more fun when you know you and your high-priced recreational vehicles are safe and protected. For more information, please call us at 360-452-9200 or visit Allstate Insurance: Matt Elwood. 

Important Things to Remember Before You Leave for Vacation…

The end of the school year is coming and everyone is ready for summer break. The weather is getting nicer and trips to the lake or coast are being planned. There are a few things that you should remember before you leave for that family vacation.

Don’t Advertise That You Will Be Out Of Town

Here are some ways to protect your home while you are away on vacation.

1. Contact the Post Office and the Peninsula Daily News, and put your services on hold. Having a full mailbox or a lot of papers on the porch is a sign to others that you’re an easy target!
2. Putting your household lamps on a timer is a great way to make it seem like you are home. Also, having motion sensitive lights on the porch and/or driveway is a great idea too.
3. If you trust a neighbor, let them know that you are going out of town and leave them your contact information and/or spare key, just in case. If there were to be a storm while you were away, your neighbor could check on the house and make sure everything was still in working order.

When You’re On The Road

The #1 thing that is important to remember while you are driving is to not leave valuables in the car.

Many people believe that their belongings are covered by car insurance, but that is not the case. The only coverage for your luggage or computer would be on your Homeowner’s Insurance, and that is still subject to your deductible.

Most policies offer coverage for road side assistance and towing. This can be priceless when you are stranded, or accidentally lock your keys in the car. This coverage is inexpensive and quick to add to your policy.

If you have any questions before your next trip, please give us a call anytime to discuss your policy or to get a quote! 

Boat Insurance Port Angeles, WA

Do you have the coverage you need?

A lot of people think their homeowners insurance policy covers their boat. Truth is, most homeowners policies cover very little in terms of boats or may exclude them completely.

Since boat insurance isn’t required in Washington State, a lot of people skip it in order to save money.  But that’s a very risky idea!

What If? What if a boat hits you? What if a passenger gets hurt? What if you hit a neighbor's dock?

Make sure your boat and boating equipment are protected with quality boat insurance from Allstate. It can cost as little as $20/mo.  

Call Matt Elwood at 360-452-9200 for a free quote on your boat or watercraft.

Port Angeles Realtor Dan Gase

Dan Gase

As a local insurance agent, I like to align myself with other successful professionals in related industries in order to better serve my clients. It is important to have a great network of people that are experienced, trustworthy and proven in their fields. I know that I can confidently refer my clients and they will be handled with care.

Dan Gase

Meet Dan Gase. Mr. Gase is the former President and co-owner of Coldwell Banker Uptown Realty in Port Angeles, Washington. Dan has over 35 years of experience in many different facets of real estate including financing, construction, consulting, managing and of course, selling. Dan now specializes in the purchase and sale of Clallam County real estate.

I recently sat down with him to learn about where the opportunities currently exist in our local market. He said the biggest opportunity right now is for first time home buyers and those looking for rental investments. Given the fact that the average price for residential sales in Port Angeles in 2011 was $176,831 compared with $263,195 in 2007, makes it a true buyer’s market.

New website

Dan recently launched his new website DanGase.com. There you will find tools for buyers and sellers, featured listings, testimonials and more local information. In addition, a new Facebook page has been created to inform the public about upcoming open house events and promote properties he has on the market.

Community

To list all the civic and professional organizations that Dan has been a part of is too much for this article so I want to highlight the one Dan is most passionate about, Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County. Dan feels they truly do great work for the community and is actively involved. If you would like to learn more, please visit www.vhocc.org

Bottom line is if you are looking to buy or sell real estate in Clallam County, check with Dan Gase and you will be glad you did. Of course, when you buy that new home from Dan, one of the many things you will need when is great Homeowners insurance so please remember to contact me for a quote.

Knowledge is power

Sign up for Matt's monthly insurance newsletter and he will share with you how to better protect your family, save more money and achieve financial security.

Port Angeles Ambassadors

Port Angeles Ambassadors

I would like to highlight a group I recently joined, The Port Angeles Ambassadors. The Ambassadors are a committee of the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce. Our mission is to celebrate and promote businesses in Port Angeles.

Ambassadors

Founded in 1997, the group has now grown to 22 active members. While membership in the Port Angeles Region C.O.C. is required to be an ambassador, businesses who want a ribbon cutting do not have the same requirement. The Ambassadors are active several times a month performing ribbon cuttings, ground-breaking ceremonies, grand or re-openings and other business milestones. Pictured here is a recent ribbon cutting for ACTI Composites done in January 2012.

ACTI Composite Building Jan 2012

Other Ambassador activities include greeting members at the weekly chamber meeting, held every Monday at Noon at the Crab House, assisting at the monthly Business Spotlight Night and even doing Cruise Ship greetings in conjunction with the Chamber and the Port Angeles Downtown Association. The Ambassadors are a positive group of people who are enthusiastic about business in Port Angeles. I am proud to be a part of the group and look forward to future events promoting P.A. businesses.

Donna Pacheco

I would like to thank current Ambassador Chair, Donna Pacheco, for all her efforts with the group. Donna maintains the Ambassador’s Facebook page, organizes our events and runs our monthly lunch. In addition to her Ambassador efforts, Donna is Advertising and Promotions Coordinator for Lumber Traders Inc, a local employee-owned company which operates two well-known stores Angeles Mill Work and Hartnagels . If you would like more information on joining the Ambassadors or having them attend one of your events, please call the Chamber at 360-452-2363.

Knowledge is power

Sign up for Matt's monthly insurance newsletter and he will share with you how to better protect your family, save more money and achieve financial security.

Hello Port Angeles, Hello world

Washington State

Online, but local too!

The internet has revolutionized our way of life and the way we do business. Before you make a purchase, you are going online to research the product and who you are buying from. This makes a lot of sense, but what happens when you are ready to buy? Our research shows that 90% of you are still calling over the phone or coming into the agency for a little more guidance.

Elwood Benefits was created to be that transitional tool from research to the human touch of a trusted professional in a local office. Buying insurance is an important decision and you deserve the attention of a local agent.

Easy Understand

Have you ever read your insurance policy or financial and been totally confused by the terminology and large amount of fine print? At Elwood Benefits, we know how you feel. We have created ElwoodBenefits.com in the language of our customers so that you will understand what it is you are buying. If there is still something you don’t understand, please ask and we will be happy to explain further.

We sell more than Car Insurance

Elwood Benefits is an Allstate agency. When most people think of Allstate, they think of car insurance. But we also sell Home, Life, Business and much more. Not only that, but you can get multiple discounts the more you have with us.

I can’t tell you how many times a client will say, “I didn’t know you sold that?” With the creation of ElwoodBenefits.com and our monthly newsletter, we are getting the word out to our current and future customers.

For more information, please visit my official Allstate Agency Website to get more information on the Allstate products and services I can offer in Port Angeles, Sequim or anywhere Washington State.