Personal Insurance from Massachusetts Specialists

Roger Keith & Sons

What is Personal Insurance?

People are exposed to all sorts of risks. While not everyone faces the same set of potential risks, most people in Massachusetts are exposed to at least a few that personal insurance can help reduce.

“Personal insurance” is used to describe the types of insurance products that are offered to individuals. These are distinct from the products available to businesses, which are commonly referred to as “business insurance” or “commercial insurance” policies.

Who in Massachusetts Needs Insurance Coverage?

The vast majority of people in Massachusetts can benefit from at least some insurance coverage. Not only are few people completely free from potential risk, but many people face risks that they would struggle to financially recover from. That’s what insurance is for.

What Types of Personal Policies Do Insurance Companies Offer?

While most people face some risks that call for insurance, the combination of risks that people face is far from uniform. In order to meet people’s diverse risk mitigation needs, insurance companies offer many different types of personal policies. Some of the more common ones are:

• Homeowners Insurance
• Car Insurance
• High-Value Homeowners Insurance
• Condo Insurance
• Renters Insurance

These are just a few of the many different types of personal policies that insurance companies offer. For help finding a specialized policy or deciding between two different common policies, residents should talk with an insurance agent who specializes in personal property and casualty policies. Such an agent will know what options are available, and they’ll be able to make informed recommendations.

How Are Personal Policies’ Premiums Determined?

Insurance companies consider many different factors when setting premiums for personal policies. The exact factors considered depend on what type of personal policy is being underwritten, and they can vary from one insurer to the next. Giving allowances for these variables, some items that might come under consideration include:

• Where covered property is located
• What sorts of security measures are in place to protect property
• How large or valuable property is
• The age, gender and marital status of a policyholder
• The claims history of a policyholder

An independent insurance agent can help residents find out how much a particular type of personal policy would cost them. Whereas captive agents generally can only offer policies from a single insurance company, independent agents are normally free to offer policies from several different insurers. Seeing different insurers’ policies provides a more comprehensive view of what coverages are available and how much they cost.

What Discounts Can Residents Use to Lower Their Insurance Premiums?

Insurance companies offer many different discounts that residents might be able to take advantage of. Depending on the policy selected, insurance company offering it and policyholder’s situation, residents may have an opportunity to lower their premiums by:

• Purchasing multiple policies from the same insurer
• Paying for policies in full at the time of purchase
• Remaining claims free for a specific amount of time
• Installing approved safety or security equipment

Do Credit Scores Impact What Residents Pay for Personal Policies?

Some insurance companies may consider credit scores when setting policies’ premiums. They might take scores into account either directly or indirectly, and those with good credit scores are usually awarded lower premiums than residents who have worse scores.

Residents who are afraid that their credit might negatively impact their insurance premiums should talk with a knowledgeable insurance agent. An agent will be able to determine what the best way to procure coverage is given a resident’s credit score.