FAQs

Standard limits for small businesses in the DC metro: $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate — the most common configuration. Pays up to $1M for any single claim and up to $2M total in a policy year. $2M / $4M — for higher-exposure businesses (construction, hospitality, real estate, anyone with significant foot traffic or premises exposure). Commercial umbrella — an additional $1M–$10M

In all three jurisdictions, general liability is rarely required by state law for most businesses — but it’s commonly required by: Commercial leases — virtually every commercial landlord in the DC metro requires tenants to carry GL at a $1M/$2M minimum, name the landlord as an additional insured, and provide a certificate of insurance. Client contracts — corporate, government, and institutional clients typically

General liability (GL) is foundational business coverage that protects your company against third-party claims for bodily injury, property damage, and personal and advertising injury. Examples of what GL pays for: A customer slips and falls in your office or storefront Your delivery van scratches a client’s parked car (note: vehicle-related coverage is usually under commercial auto, but GL covers the resulting

Yes. Bundling home and auto with the same carrier typically saves 10–25% versus buying separately, and many carriers stack additional discounts for adding umbrella, life, or condo to the same household. Because we represent multiple A-rated carriers, we compare bundle discounts side-by-side and quote the combination that delivers the best total value. Sometimes a “split” placement (one carrier

Your deductible is what you pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in. Raising your deductible from $1,000 to $2,500 typically reduces premium 10–20%, and going to $5,000 can save 20–30%. The trade-off: you’re self-insuring smaller losses. A few considerations: Hurricane, wind, and hail deductibles are often percentage-based (1–5% of dwelling coverage) and apply only to those perils. A $500,000

Yes. A standard policy covers your personal property “off-premises” anywhere in the world — in your car, on vacation, at work, or at college (for dependent students). A few things to know: Off-premises limits are usually 10% of your personal-property coverage. If you have $100,000 personal property, you have $10,000 off-premises. High-value laptops, cameras, and jewelry often exceed this. Theft

There are three different “values” homeowners often confuse, and only one is the right answer for insurance: Replacement cost — what it would cost to rebuild your home today, with current materials and labor. This is what your dwelling coverage should be set to. Market value — what the home would sell for. Usually higher than replacement cost because it includes the

Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. In the DC metro, flood risk varies by neighborhood — properties near the Potomac, Anacostia, Rock Creek, and Patuxent watersheds have meaningful exposure, and FEMA flood zones change over time. Even outside designated high-risk zones, roughly 25% of NFIP flood claims come from low- or moderate-risk areas, often from heavy rain

A standard HO-3 homeowners policy (the most common) covers six main areas: Dwelling — the structure of your home Other structures — detached garage, fence, shed, pool Personal property — your belongings (furniture, electronics, clothing) Loss of use — additional living expenses if you can’t occupy your home after a covered loss Personal liability — injuries on your property or damage you cause to

In most cases, an at-fault accident or moving violation will increase your premium for 3–5 years, depending on the carrier and severity. A DUI can increase rates 50–100% or more, and some carriers won’t write a new policy with a DUI in the past 3–5 years. The advantage of working with an independent agency: because we represent multiple