RIDE ON!

For some people, being on two wheels is a way of life. Here at Matt Elwood’s Allstate Agency we want you to be able to enjoy your ride and have peace of mind with great motorcycle insurance. 

We offer quality coverage that will be sure to protect you, your family and your motorcycle. We not only offer you liability coverage, but also collision and comprehensive coverage that helps you in case of an at fault accident or in the event of fire, theft or even hitting a deer (which there are plenty of in Port Angeles). 

Allstate has great package options! Our Gold and Silver packages offer Rider Protection (an Allstate Exclusive!), Towing & Labor, Rental Reimbursement and Optional Coverage for Custom Parts. 

Within our Gold Package, we offer New Motorcycle Replacement coverage which would help get you a new bike if by chance your newly purchased motorcycle was totaled. The gold package also offers Trip Interruption Insurance. This coverage reimburses you for your transportation costs (up to $50/day), lodging (up to $100/day) and food expenses (up to $50/day) when you are disabled at least 100 miles away from your home, with a total reimbursement up to $750. 

NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT DISCOUNTS! 

We offer multi-policy and multi-motorcycle discounts. Our Good Rider discount can save you up to 10% if you have gone without an at-fault accident or major violation in the last 60 months. If you have passed a motorcycle safety driving program in the last 36 months you can qualify for a 5% discount. 

You could save up to an additional 10% off of your premium if you are a member of one of these Motorcycle Organizations: American Motorcycle Association, BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, Gold Wing Touring or Road Riders Association, Harley Owners Group, Honda Riders Club of America, Motorcycle Safety Foundation or Motorcycle Touring Association.

PLANNING A LONG RIDE?

Have a Smart Phone? Download Allstate’s Good Ride mobile app. You will be able to log your trip, share your ride on Facebook, sync to your Apple Watch, keep track of your maintenance with the maintenance log and even access your Emergency Roadside Assistance. Another great feature with the Good Ride app is that you can plan your ride with everything from a rider checklist to local weather and gas station location.

At Allstate we can advise you about getting personalized coverage for your motorcycle that meets your unique needs. Please call or text us at 360-452-9200 or stop by our office at 707 East Front Street in Port Angeles. 

Are Solar Panels Covered On My Homeowner’s Insurance?

It depends…Here’s how it works with Allstate in the state of Washington.

If you are looking at getting Solar Panels for your home, there are a few things that you need to think about first.

How you attach them to your home makes a big difference!

Attached

If the panels will be permanently attached to your home, then they would be covered under your dwelling coverage. If you are adding the solar panels after your policy has been written, make sure that you talk to your agent to increase the dwelling coverage.

Detached

If they are going to be standalone panels, such as set up in the yard, then they would be covered under the “other structures” coverage, such as your detached garage. Most policies include an automatic 10% of what the dwelling amount is for other structures. It’s a good idea to verify that you have enough coverage.

Portable

If you are going to have portable panels, those would be covered under your contents coverage, like your furniture and belongings.

If you are considering solar panels and want to make sure that you are covered correctly, please give us a call at Matt Elwood’s Allstate Agency at 360-452-9200. 

Your Insurance Financial Plan

Do you have a financial plan? Many of these plans include a family budget, savings for emergencies, retirement savings, and….insurance! 

There are many important parts to having a strong financial plan. Let’s review!

Protect Your Stuff

This is usually what comes to mind when you think of insurance. Fixing your car after an accident, or replacing your belongings after a loss. When setting up your financial plan, or reviewing it, you want to make sure that your assets are covered. Those would be your cars, home(s), jewelry or artwork, boats, motorcycles, ATV’s, etc. Make sure that you have full replacement cost coverage and that your deductible is reasonable. (These details we can explain.)

Protect Your Money

Liability is extremely important, but can be misunderstood. If you were to be in an at-fault accident, your assets and money are at risk! For example, what would happen if you or your teenager were involved in an accident and got sued? What if you didn’t have enough liability insurance? Making sure you have enough coverage can make sure this doesn’t happen! We look at what your assets are (i.e. home, car) and create a plan that best suits you and your needs. 

Protect Your Family

Belongings can be replaced, but how do we make sure your family is protected? The best way to make sure your family is covered is with good life and disability insurance! If something were to happen to you, would your family be able to pay off debt, pay for college and be able to live on their wages? We can craft a plan to make sure that everything that is important to you is covered. 

This may seem like a lot to take in, and we understand. At Matt Elwood’s Allstate Agency we strive to take the stress off of your shoulders. You can trust us to take care of you! Call us at 360-452-9200 to schedule a financial planning review with our agent, Matt!

Life Insurance is Affordable

September is Life Insurance Awareness month. You have probably seen media advertisements and articles talking about why this coverage is so important all month long. And you probably already know it’s important. But that doesn’t mean you have your policy set up yet!

Life insurance is the perfect way to make sure your family is covered financially if you aren’t able to care for them anymore. The best part is we can tailor it to your needs. 

The Life Foundation says that only 62% of people who believe they need life insurance actually have it. And even those that have insurance only carry enough to replace their income for 3.6 years. If you have young children to support, that is simply not enough time! And if you are skipping life coverage all together, then you are putting your family at risk. 

Why do so many people wait too long to purchase life insurance? The Life Foundation says that 86% of Americans say they haven’t purchased their policies because it’s “too expensive”, yet studies show they overestimate the cost by more than DOUBLE!

Life Insurance rates are based on a number of factors, such as: age, health conditions and smoking status. By purchasing when you are younger and being a non-smoker, you can save a considerable amount of money. Actually, many term life policies are less than $30 a month!

We recommend calling our office at 360-452-9200 to make an appointment with our life insurance specialist, Matt Elwood. Make sure to bring information such as annual income, as well as any debts (like your mortgage). We will give you an idea of how much coverage you will need, as well as different ways to make it fit your budget. You can always drop by our office at 707 East Front Street in Port Angeles and start your conversation about life insurance. 

Why Pet Health Insurance?

Sixty-Two percent of U.S. Households have pets. Caring for a pet goes above and beyond just routine annual vet visits, unfortunately sometimes there is an accident or an illness. 
Some pet owners have purebreds, like the Boxer, and they have many genetic or hereditary conditions that follow them. Those conditions can be very expensive, and can be a financial hardship. 
At Matt Elwood’s Allstate Agency, we strive to help everyone (their pets too!) stay happy, healthy and financially secure. 

We offer a great Pet Health Insurance policy with many customizable options that will make it easier to afford your pets veterinary bills! We have a variety of annual policy limits, deductibles and reimbursement options. This basically means that you would pay less out of pocket then you would if your pet wasn’t protected!

Coverages: 
•    Accidents
•    Cancer
•    Breed-Specific and Genetic conditions
•    Chronic and Recurring conditions
•    Emergency and Specialist Vet Visits
•    Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests
•    Surgery
•    Hospitalization
•    Nursing Care
•    Alternative Therapies (such as Acupuncture and Rehabilitation)

There are also additional levels of coverage that would help with the cost of dental care, prescription diet food, OFA and PennHIP exams, as well as prescription medications.

We also offer discounts, such as: Multiple Pet, Annual Payment, Spay or Neutering Pet, Active or Retired Military. 

Please call our agency at 360-452-9200 or come into our office at 707 East Front Street, Port Angeles, WA 98362 and let us quote your pet’s health insurance!

Create A Winter Weather Prep Kit

It’s the time of year for icy winter weather. And as your Port Angeles insurance agent, I have to share a few things to get you prepared before the winter storms hit!

First things first, you want to have the right supplies on hand. Create a basic
emergency kit that includes a battery powered radio and at least one week’s worth of
food and safety supplies. Also include:

Drinking Water
Canned/No-Cook Food
Non-Electric Can Opener
First Aid Kit
Prescription Medicine As Needed
Bag of Cat Litter or Sand to add traction on walkways
Battery Powered Lamps
Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm in working order

And what about when bad weather hits? Here are a few things to put on your winter
storm checklist:

• Leave water taps slightly open so they drip to prevent frozen pipes.
• Open kitchen cabinet doors under the sink to keep the pipes warm.
• Have an alternate heat source in case the power goes out. If you have a fireplace, make sure
you have plenty of dry firewood.

The most important thing you can do? Be prepared! A benefit to winter storms is that
you generally have plenty of warning that one is on the way. Don’t wait until the roads
are icy and dangerous. Get your supplies packed, your pipes protected, and a backup
plan in case of a power outage. And make sure that you have great Homeowners
Insurance! We can help with that. Call us for a free quote today at 360-452-9200.