Top Insurance Questions Answered by Insurance Agents – Part 2 June 7, 2021 Insurance helps to ensure that your assets are covered from a range of incidents. To help you feel confident when shopping for insurance we have answered five common insurance questions our agents commonly receive. 1. Are home-based businesses covered under a homeowners policy? A homeowners policy protects homes from unexpected incidents and damage. However, it can be difficult to know what exactly a homeowner’s policy will cover for a home-based business. For example, unlike a homeowners policy, a small business insurance policy would cover the inventory stored in a home, a vehicle that is used for business, etc. 2. Does my homeowners policy cover damage if my tree falls on my neighbors’ property because of a tornado or ice storm? Typically, if a tree or part of it from your property falls on your neighbors’ property and causes damage because of a tornado or ice storm, you will not be held liable. Your neighbors would file a claim with their insurance company. Our claims reporting hotline is available 24/7 and is ready to help whenever you need. 3. When should I get Life Insurance? Did you know obtaining Life Insurance while you’re young and healthy is usually the most optimal time to obtain it? This is the period of time where an individual will most likely benefit from lower rates. Use our life insurance calculator to determine how much Life Insurance coverage may be needed. Obtaining Life Insurance as soon as you are able is beneficial in the long-run. It can provide peace of mind when thinking about loved ones. 4. Does Auto Insurance cover a hit-and-run accident? In most cases an Auto Insurance policy will cover vehicle damage, possible medical bills, etc. in the case that a car accident occurs and the individual at fault intentionally leaves without providing contact information. 5. What do I need to do to file an insurance claim? Don’t delay taking action after an event that damages your property if you suspect it may make you eligible to file a claim. Start by contacting your agent, or using your carrier’s online claims tool – we have several claims options to choose from. Make sure to have your contact information, policy number and detailed information of the incident ready when you file. If you have additional insurance questions, check out our FAQs. Also, you can always contact your local OKFB agent with any inquiries or questions about your policy or specific coverage needs.
OKFB Discounts All In One Place January 21, 2021 Does OKFB offer discounts? What types of discounts does OKFB offer? Do I qualify for any discounts with OKFB? This is the blog you’ve been looking for! We have compiled the array of discounts we offer across our lines of Auto Insurance, Home Insurance, Recreation Insurance, Farm & Ranch Insurance, Commercial Insurance and more. Contact your agent to see which discounts you are eligible for! Auto Insurance Discounts We offer five discounts under our auto policy. You may be eligible for a discount if you have more than one policy with us, multiple vehicles and more! Keep reading to see where you may qualify. Scholastic Discount Defensive Driving Discount Driver Longevity Credit Multi-Vehicle Discount Companion Discount Home Insurance Discounts Is your home less than 10 years old? Do you have an alarm system installed? If so, these are just a few ways you could qualify for a Home Insurance discount. Keep reading to see if you qualify for additional Home Insurance discounts. New Home Discount Burglary or Fire Alarm Discount Claims-Free Discounts Companion Auto Discount Approved Roof Discount Tie Down Credit Farm & Ranch Insurance Discounts We offer discounts for our Farm & Ranch Insurance, in addition to those that may have a Farm Auto, Farm Fire or Farm Renters policy. Keep reading to learn more! Farm & Ranch New Home Discount Burglary or Fire Alarm Discount Companion Auto Discount Approved Roof Discount Farm Auto Defensive Driving Discount Scholastic Discount Companion Home Discount Multi-Vehicle Discount Companion Umbrella Discount Approved Grill Guard Commercial Insurance Discounts We also offer discounts to help out small businesses! If you are a Dwelling Fire – Tenant Occupied policyholder then check this out. You may be eligible for these discounts. Dwelling Fire – Tenant Occupied Approved Roof Discount Discount Eligibility Approved Grill Guard: Trucks with a qualifying grill guard may qualify for a discount on collision coverage. Approved Roof Discount: If you have a U.L rate class 3 or 4 roof surfacing installed, then you may be eligible for a discount. Check here for a list of approved roof surfacing. Burglary or Fire Alarm Discount: If you have an alarm system or fire alarm in your home, then you may be eligible for a discount based on the type of alarm you have installed. Claims-Free Discounts: If you have had no insurance claims on your OKFB Homeowners insurance policy for the last three years, you may be eligible. Companion Auto Discount: If you also have an auto policy with OKFB, you may be eligible. Companion Discount: If you also have other policies through OKFB, such as a Homeowners or Farm & Ranch, then you may be eligible for companion discounts. Companion Home Discount: Policyholder has an active owner occupied property policy with the company. Companion Umbrella Discount: Policyholder has an active or farm umbrella policy with the company. Defensive Driving Discount: May be eligible for those who complete a minimum six hour accident prevention course approved by the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety. Approved courses are often offered through your county Farm Bureau. Driver Longevity Credit: Drivers who have been insured with OKFB for at least one year may receive premium credit based on a combination of their longevity with OKFB and driving record. Multi-Vehicle Discount: A multi-vehicle discount may apply when two or more vehicles are insured with OKFB. New Home Discount: If your home is 10 years old or less, then you may be eligible for a discount. Scholastic Discount: This discount applies to specific auto coverages for classroom academic excellence to eligible full-time students who also meet specified requirements. Tie Down Credit: If your mobile home uses approved tie downs to better secure your home, then you may be eligible for this discount. If you have any questions or want to learn more about eligibility and discounts then contact your OKFB agent. Remember, we’re your partners in life and are here to help during any situation!
5 Steps to Achieving Your New Year’s Goals January 19, 2021 With a new year comes the spirit of new year resolutions. January is a great time to create personal or professional goals. However, as we often come to find, new year’s goals are easy to forget about and it can be difficult to remember to work towards fulfilling them. We’re here to help, with five steps to encourage you to reach and complete your new year’s goals this year! Step 1: Reflect Looking back to see what you were or were not able to accomplish can help provide a baseline for what goals you might want to achieve this upcoming year. For personal goals, taking some time to sit down and write any thoughts about the new year could be a great first step. If you are a business owner and don’t know where to get started, check out our end of year checklist for businesses to help you review last year and prepare you for the new year. Step 2: Be specific After a couple of months, it can be easy to forget what goals you set when they aren’t specific. For instance, a goal could be to cut costs or save money…but by how much? Adding in extra detail to your goals can help make them feel attainable and easier to plan for. It’s also a great idea to keep them somewhere that you visit frequently to help keep them top of mind. Step 3: Plan By laying out steps, action items and even deadlines, you can keep yourself on track and accountable to fulfilling your goals. Plans don’t have to be completely figured out, but at a minimum should start with a rough outline. Creating a plan can help make your goals feel less daunting and more achievable. Step 4: Check-in Throughout the year, it’s important to check-in on the goals you’ve set, and keep track of any progress. For example, set a reminder or calendar event on your smartphone, or ask someone to check-in with you. During these check-ins, stick to an agenda. Ask yourself if you are making these goals a priority or what roadblocks are preventing your success. Goals are great in that they are flexible, so it’s okay to change course as the year progresses. Step 5: Re-evaluate It can be easy to both overestimate and underestimate what’s possible. If you set a goal to cut costs by 10 percent and complete it in six months, cross it off the list and write a new goal! Re-adjusting goals or revamping your approach to how you complete them is the beauty of intentional goal setting – they are for you. If your priorities shift and you feel a goal isn’t worth pursuing anymore, make the change. New year, new you, right? As you establish and work towards achieving your new year’s goals, remember to plan with your OKFB agent to ensure your assets are protected. Whether that’s for your Commercial Insurance, Farm & Ranch, Auto, or Home policy – we want you to worry about achieving your goals, and we’ll make sure you are covered and protected in the process.
Secure Your Business Online & Off September 1, 2020 Security threats and how businesses are handling them both online and off can often change. It is important to be mindful of securing both digital and physical business assets to prevent a cyber-attack or theft. Here are a few tips to help secure your business! Create Strong Passwords Having password-protected devices and requiring employees to create strong passwords could keep your digital information safer. Strong passwords typically include a mix of letters, numbers and special characters. Additionally, ensuring no password is the same across platforms/accounts and enabling two-factor authentication can help increase your business’s level of online protection. Use Antivirus/Anti-malware Software The Small Business Administration reports cyber-attacks are a growing threat for small businesses and the cost of cybercrimes reached $2.7 billion in 2018 alone. Installing antivirus and anti-malware software could help protect your devices in case of phishing attempts or other digital threats. According to the SBA, employees and emails are a leading cause of data breaches, so consider scheduling annual training or sending periodic emails to employees about safe digital practices. Backup Data Another way to prepare for a data breach or online attack is to back up your business data. Regularly backing up data on an internal network or a cloud-based service is recommended. Critical data could include documents, spreadsheets, databases, files, personal information and more. Regularly backing up data could help you recover quicker if the business does have a breach that corrupts the live data. Prepare for Emergencies Create a plan for different seasonal scenarios, like the possibility of a tornado, fire, snowstorm, flood, power outage, etc. to help keep your business prepared and assets secured. Post the emergency plans and evacuation routes in a visible location inside the business so that employees and customers can see the plans and safely exit or take shelter in the event of an emergency. Protect from Liabilities Accidents can happen, and one way to prepare your business for accidents is to add liability or umbrella insurance coverage. These coverage options provide protection for your business from potential lawsuits that could arise from accidents with customers or employees. You should also proactively reduce any potential accident risks on the business premises, including removing any tripping or slipping hazards, fixing entry stairs and stair railings, etc. Install Security Systems Another way to help secure a business is to set up security systems. Installing security cameras could help reduce theft and give you the opportunity to monitor inventory. Additionally, installing a burglar alarm and fire alarm could help keep employees and customers safe from potential dangers. Finally, consider using multiple locking mechanisms, including deadbolts for exterior doors. Planning for the unexpected could save you time and money. We are here to be your partner in securing your business. Contact your OKFB agent to review your Commercial Insurance policy to ensure it is up-to-date to protect your business.
