by admin | Sep 29, 2021 | auto insurance, business insurance, farm insurance, home insurance, Sentinel Assurance, specialty insurance, umbrella insurance
Insurance can be complicated. How do you know you’re making the right decision when it comes to protecting the most important things in your life? Find out how an Independent Insurance Agent is a simple solution to this!
We give you more choices and options
The beauty of working with an independent insurance agent is that we represent many different insurance carriers that offer a wide variety of coverages at varying price points. We do the work of shopping your quotes around with those different companies to determine which one is the best fit for the types of coverage you need with the best rates for that coverage. We shop, you save!
We are industry experts
Insurance is complicated, let’s be real! We are licensed and trained in industry verbiage and terminology and are equipped to be able to explain to you, in simple terms, which help you to make informed decisions. Why go to google and confuser yourself on the different kinds of insurance that are available, when we are just a phone call away?
We are your advocate
Since we work for YOU and not the insurance company, we are your advocate! We will assist with claims, billing or changes your coverage directly with the insurance company.
We are your neighbor
We are a small, local business that shares your passion for our community and famillies. We are woman-owned and have a pusle on the local community and its benefits and challenges. You won’t sit on hold in a quete, but can walk right into our quaint office in Rosemount.
We are a one-stop-shop
With the ability to write with so many different insurance companies, we are able to meet all of your insurance needs. Everything from Home, Auto, Life & Business coverages, we work with tons of companies that offer a variety of coverages.
We are your personal advisor
Insurance isn’t just about finding the cheapest prices. It’s about making sure that you aren’t suprised by unexpected expenses if a loss were to happen. Through working one-on-one with you, we listen to meet your specific, unique insurance needs.
We are your lifelong advisor
We love building life long relationships with our customers and often times, they become good friends. We know that life is ever-evolving and we work with you throughout those stsages. Everything from buying a home, getting married, growing your family, teen drivers and getting ready for that retirement home.
by admin | Aug 21, 2019 | auto insurance, home insurance
What Insurance Follows Your College-Bound Student
Congratulations your child is off to college, way to go parents! This is an exciting time of year but also comes with a lot of questions. When it comes to insurance; let’s talk about what coverages follow your student to school.
Is your child taking a car to school?
- YES. Let your insurance agent know so you can maintain full coverage, and ask about whether your child qualifies for a good-student discount, which could save on premiums.
- NO. If your child moves 100 miles or more from home and doesn’t take a car, your carrier may allow you to temporarily exclude coverage for your child-which could decrease your rates significantly. Just remember to add them back to the policy before they come home for breaks. If, on the other hand, you need to maintain coverage, ask your agent if you’re eligible for a student-away discount.
Where will they live?
- On Campus. In many states, unmarried full-time students under the age of 26 are considered resident relatives of your home and should be covered under your home policy; talk to your agent for specifics.
- In An Apartment. It’s likely your home policy won’t offer full coverage on permanent items like furniture on electric equipment, so definitely consider a renters policy. It will also include liability coverage-an important protection in the event someone is hurt in the apartment.
Who’s Paying For School?
- You. Consider a term life insurance policy for yourself. It could help your child stay in school if something happens to you.
- Your Child. Talk to your agent about life insurance for your child’s financial future and ask for a Life Insurance Needs Analysis. They may be able to get a lower rate and better coverage. If you are a co-signer on your child’s student loans, a life insurance policy can help add to your financial protection as a co-signer.
Before your student heads off to college, give us a call, 651-237-5180. Let’s talk about your insurance options and discounts now and for the future.
by admin | Mar 1, 2019 | auto insurance, business insurance, farm insurance, home insurance, Sentinel Assurance, umbrella insurance
You’ve just been involved in an auto accident. The most important thing is your safety. If you are injured , please call for emergency help right away. Here are some additional steps to help you file a claim on your auto insurance:
- Call for emergency assistance if needed.
- Once all parties are safe it’s helpful to take pictures of the damage and exchange insurance and driver information.
- Next call your agent whether you are at fault or not
- Follow the directions your agent gives you to provide all documentation related to the accident and file your claim. You may need a police report.
- Keep copies of all your documentation and bills related to the accident. Jot down detailed notes following conversations about the accident. You need to know who you spoke with and what they said, at what date and time, and how to contact the person.
- Find out from your agent:
- Time limitations for filing your claims and submitting bills.
- Time limitations for resolving claim disputes.
- When you can expect the insurance company to contact you.
- Whether you need estimates for the damages.
- Whether your policy covers a rental car while your car is being repaired and how much it covers.
Next we will cover the steps to take to file a claim on your homeowner’s insurance:
- Report any crime to the police if its due to a burglary or a theft
- Phone your insurance professional immediately
- Have the insurance adjuster inspect the damage
- Make any temporary repairs to prevent further damage to your home or items in it
- Prepare a list of lost or damaged articles
- If you need to relocate, save your receipts, some of those costs may be reimbursed
We hope this has helped you navigate the claims’ process and answered any of the questions you may have had. If we can be of further help, feel free to give us a call here at Sentinel Assurance at 651-237-5180.
by admin | Jan 1, 2019 | auto insurance, home insurance, Sentinel Assurance
It’s here! A new year, a new chapter, a new beginning. And how does this affect the insurance world, you ask? This is the perfect time to get all your ducks in a row with your insurance policies.
Let’s start with your homeowner’s policy. Your insurance agent would need to know about any updates in your home. Did you finish your basement? Did you re-do your kitchen? Maybe you got a security system, a big screen tv, or added a pool. Regardless how big or small, these are things that you need to get noted on your policy. Your policy then will have the correct value listed so you can get the coverage you need.
Next up, did your husband give you a ring upgrade for Christmas? Or maybe you inherited some jewelry or a coin collection. These things need to have a separate policy from your homeowners’ policy and you want to make sure they are insured should something happen to them!
Lastly, your auto policy or policies. Maybe you have a new driver in your home or have added some additional drivers. Make sure your agent knows about all the latest developments on that front as well.
Can you see how it’s best to check in at least yearly with your agent? They can ask numerous questions that will refresh your memory of any changes in your life.
Feel free to reach out to see if there are any things we can help you with, we are here to help!
Sentinel Assurance {651-237-5180}
by admin | Aug 1, 2018 | auto insurance
We hate to break it to you, but August is upon us. Summer is going to near it’s end before you know it and the end of August seems to be the time that most Minnesotans plan their family vacations. It’s also becoming more popular to drive than fly to a destination for many reasons. We thought it would be helpful to give you some tips and tricks to planning and perfecting your road trip.
Go ahead, leave the napkins and gum wrappers under your seat. Leave the receipts from your last business-related drive in the glove box. Don’t sweat the dog hair in the back bed … but you’ll be sorry. A few days into your trip, when the old gum wrappers are joined by new fast food wrappers, when the glove box starts overflowing with hotel receipts and local maps, when dog hair starts sticking to your luggage and your gear, you’ll rue the day you failed to pull out the Shop-Vac.
As your trip proceeds, take time every couple of days to purge your car. Even if you can tolerate some chaos, the accumulated junk and minor filth will start to drive you mad in the close quarters that define a road trip.
About a week before you leave for a long road trip, have your mechanic check your car’s fluid levels, brakes, tires and anything else that could cause problems. Be sure your spare tire is fully inflated and that you have jumper cables and extra wiper fluid on hand.
If you overschedule your road trip, you’re almost guaranteed to find yourself slogging the last few miles long after you had intended to be asleep, trying to cancel one hotel reservation so you can pay for another well short of your originally planned destination.
On the other hand, having no plan at all is only recommended for the most hardy souls.
Road construction is notorious this time of year. However, the app named Waze can reroute you and save you lots of time. Check it out, you won’t be sorry.
The days of regional radio offering a musical or informational palette that you can’t find anywhere else are almost all but gone, so tapping into the local vibe via radio is far less satisfying than it used to be. That means you’ll want to make sure your phone is set to keep you entertained over the long hours of driving, whether you’re tapping into your own collection of music, streaming tunes via an app like Spotify or Pandora, or listening to your favorite podcasts.
If you’re road tripping in your own car, you probably already have a phone charger that will plug into the console and keep you powered up. If you’re renting a car for your road trip, be sure you have the right technology to plug into whatever power outlet is available in that vehicle (cigarette charger, USB port, etc.).
Having that 800-number that immediately ties you in to approved local tow services and mechanics is going to save you a lot of hassle, and also shield you from some of the dangers of the road that none of us wishes to encounter. We highly recommend AAA. Their benefits can be used in so many ways!
I don’t know about you, but it sometimes seems like my new insurance card takes days or weeks to get into my glove box. If you are traveling without current documentation of license, registration or insurance, you could be in for a world of hurt if you are pulled over for any reason. Further, you may want to clear up any old traffic and parking tickets before you go; under the right (or perhaps wrong, in this case) circumstances, your car can be impounded for your wayward ways.
Whether you are ahead of schedule or way behind, there is something to be said about breaking away from the plan. Maybe you wanna stop at that tourist trap, or check into a hotel early and catch a nap….sometimes the best family memories are the unplanned things in life.
Here’s wishing that your road tripping finds you on time and in the right place, even when you least expect it.
by admin | Jul 1, 2018 | auto insurance, business insurance, home insurance, specialty insurance, umbrella insurance
Do you have teen drivers in your home? Maybe you are doing some distracted driving yourself. An unexpected car accident can leave you feeling a bit scattered. That’s why it’s important to brush up on post-accident procedures. Here are 7 steps guide can help make the moments after an accident less stressful — and the claims process a whole lot smoother.
1.Move to a safe area if you can
If it’s safe to do so and you aren’t seriously injured, move your car out of further harm’s way, like to the shoulder of the road. If moving your car just isn’t possible, flip on your hazards to warn other drivers that your vehicle isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
2.Stop your vehicle and get out
Make sure your car is no longer moving, turn off the engine, shift into park, or set the hand brake if you drive a manual. Take a moment to catch your breath. Check to make sure it’s safe to get out of your car before opening the door.
3.Check on others involved
Check on all the other parties involved, including drivers, passengers, and pedestrians, to make sure no one is hurt. Call 911 if anyone may be injured. Even a seemingly minor symptom like dizziness should be checked out by a health care professional.
4.Call the police to the scene
Even in minor accidents, a police accident report can prove invaluable when dealing with your car insurance company and other drivers. Cooperate fully, but avoid admitting fault or blaming others while at the scene. Let the police objectively judge events and determine who, if anyone, is at fault in the crash. If the police can’t make it to the scene (which is more likely if there are no injuries), you can file an accident report through your state’s DMV.
5.Gather info
Try to write down as much info as possible in the accident aftermath, including:
- Driver and passenger names
- License plate numbers
- Insurance info
- Makes and models of all vehicles involved
- Contact info for any eyewitnesses
- Location of the accident
- The name and badge number of any responding police officers
6.Document the scene
If you have a smartphone with a camera, snap some photos of the accident scene. They’ll come in handy during the claim process.
7.File your insurance claim
After step 7, it’s our turn to help. We’ll work with you to get your car repaired as quickly as possible. Call us at 952-479-5781
We sincerely hope this post gives you some tips if you are ever in the situation above. Safe driving!
4. Anticipate trouble spots.