Ashley Tol, SIG Commercial and Personal Insurance Agent

10/30/2026

If you own rental property in Oklahoma, the insurance market can feel tight right now.

That’s why market access matters.

At Sherlock Insurance Group, I work with landlords who want more than a quick quote. Our experienced team focuses on helping property owners look at coverage strategy, carrier stability, and long-term protection for their investments.

We have access to a competitive market for landlords, including A-rated options that not many agencies in Oklahoma can offer. In a challenging environment, that can open the door to more flexibility when you’re comparing coverage for your rental properties.

Whether you own a single rent house or a growing portfolio, it helps to work with an independent agency that can look across multiple carriers and programs. Since 2010, Sherlock Insurance Group has helped clients across multiple states find solutions that fit their business and property needs.

If your current landlord policy is coming up for renewal, or you want to understand what options may be available, I’d be glad to help you learn more and start the conversation.

10/27/2026

More commercial property policies are moving away from flat deductibles and toward percentage deductibles on buildings.

That change can catch owners off guard, especially when the deductible is shown as 3%.

One of the biggest misunderstandings I hear is that people assume the deductible applies to the amount of the claim. In many cases, it applies to the building’s insured value instead.

For example, if your building is insured for $2,000,000 and the policy has a 3% deductible, that deductible would be $60,000.

If a covered wind or hail loss causes $250,000 in damage, the deductible would still be $60,000, leaving $190,000 potentially payable by the carrier, subject to policy terms and conditions.

That is a very different conversation than a flat $5,000 or $10,000 deductible.

Numerous carriers are making this shift, so it is worth understanding how your property deductible is structured before a loss happens.

If you want to learn more about how these deductibles may affect your coverage strategy, I’m happy to talk it through and help you ask the right questions.

10/20/2026

A property claim can be covered and still pay far less than a business owner expected.

One reason is coinsurance.

On a $200,000 covered loss, that shortfall can reduce the claim payment before the deductible is even applied. This DOES NOT just apply to total losses.

That catches many owners off guard because the issue is not whether the claim is covered. It is whether the insured value was high enough to satisfy the policy’s coinsurance requirement at the time of loss.

This can become more important when construction costs rise, improvements are made, equipment changes, or older values stay on the policy too long.

It is also a good reminder that market value, tax value, and loan amount are not the same as replacement cost.

When commercial property coverage comes up for renewal, it helps to understand how values were developed and whether the policy has an 80%, 90%, or 100% coinsurance requirement.

Read the full article — link in the first comment 👇

10/13/2026

If you provide group health, it’s normal to revisit your approach as your business changes.

Growth, hiring shifts, renewals, and administrative demands can all raise new questions. That doesn’t always mean a major change is needed. It often means it’s time for a clearer understanding of what may be available.

For group health, I connect employers with our sister company, Brazos Marketplace. Brazos Marketplace works with employers to discuss group health options, plan structures, ACA-related considerations, and the factors that may affect what paths are available.

That can include questions around company size, participation requirements, workforce makeup, budget structure, renewal timing, and administrative needs.

A helpful first conversation usually starts with your current setup and business goals. Brazos Marketplace can walk through the details, explain common categories employers may hear about, and outline what information may be needed for next steps.

Read the full article — link in the first comment 👇

IM me or email me at [email protected], and we'll connect you with someone who can help at our sister company, Brazos Marketplace.

10/09/2026

If your group health renewal shows up right as year-end planning ramps up, you’re not alone.

For many employers, this timing adds one more decision to an already full plate of budgets, payroll, and planning for the new year.

That’s where clarity helps.

This article explains where Brazos Marketplace comes in during renewal season. Brazos Marketplace is our sister company that handles group health and works with employers to review ACA-compliant options and explain what those choices could mean for the business and employees.

At Sherlock Insurance Group, my role is simply to make that introduction while we stay focused on protecting the rest of your business, from commercial property and general liability to commercial auto and workers’ compensation.

Many businesses work with both companies, with each one focused on its own area.

If group health is part of your year-end conversation, the full article gives a clear overview of how that handoff works and where Brazos Marketplace fits before January 1.

IM me or email me at [email protected], and we'll connect you with someone who can help at our sister company, Brazos Marketplace.

09/30/2026

Your group health renewal went up. Your benefits didn't get better.

Most employers assume that's just how it works. It doesn't have to be. For employers with 25+ employees, ACA-compliant alternatives could mean better benefits, lower costs, or both, and they're rarely on the table unless someone brings them to you.

IM me or email me at [email protected], and we'll connect you with someone who can help at our sister company, Brazos Marketplace.

09/25/2026

If your group health renewal feels like the same conversation every year, it may be time to take a wider look before the paperwork lands.

I talk with business owners who are frustrated by rising rates, limited plan changes, and renewal quotes that all look familiar. If you can relate, waiting until the renewal arrives can leave you with very few real choices.

For employers with 25 or more employees, there may be other ACA-compliant options worth reviewing. Depending on your group, that can mean different funding approaches, network options, and plan structures that do not always show up in a standard renewal process.

Timing is everything.

I encourage employers to ask for renewal information early and start reviewing options 90 to 120 days ahead of the renewal date. That gives you more time to compare what is actually available instead of making a rushed decision.

At Sherlock Insurance Group, we connect qualifying employers to our sister company, Brazos Marketplace, to review side-by-side options from multiple highly rated carriers and programs.

If your renewal season is coming up, read the full article and see whether it is time to start the conversation earlier this year.

IM me or email me at [email protected], and we'll connect you with someone who can help at our sister company, Brazos Marketplace.

Don't Wait Until Your Group Health Renewal Lands

09/22/2026

Oklahoma and Texas are the hail capital of the U.S. And yet many homeowners are shocked when a roof claim gets reduced, delayed, or denied.

Here’s the hard truth: not every hail event creates covered damage, and not every roof is insured the same way.

I see three issues come up repeatedly.

First, cosmetic vs. functional damage. A roof may show marks after a storm, but if the carrier determines the damage doesn’t affect performance, coverage may be limited.

Second, roof age and condition. Older roofs, prior wear, installation issues, or maintenance problems can complicate a claim fast.

Third, policy language. Deductibles, actual cash value endorsements, exclusions, and state-specific claim handling rules all matter more than most people realize.

This is why homeowners need to review coverage before storm season, not after. Know whether you have replacement cost or ACV. Know your wind/hail deductible. Document the roof’s condition now.

When a major hailstorm hits, the difference between a smooth claim and a frustrating one usually starts long before the adjuster arrives.

Good risk management isn’t just about buying insurance. It’s about understanding how the policy will respond when the roof gets tested.

09/18/2026

A property claim can be reduced long before the adjuster calculates the damage.

One common reason: the coinsurance provision.

If your building is insured below the required percentage of its replacement cost, you may share in the loss even when the claim is well below the policy limit. That catches many business owners off guard.

Here’s the issue in plain terms: coinsurance is designed to encourage accurate values. If the policy requires 80% coinsurance and the property should be insured for $5 million, carrying $3 million can create a penalty at claim time.

That means a partial loss may not be paid the way you expected.

This is why property values should be reviewed regularly, especially after construction cost changes, improvements, equipment purchases, or inflation. The goal is not just having a policy in place. It’s making sure the numbers behind it still fit your operation.

A coverage strategy review can help uncover issues before a loss puts them into focus.

09/15/2026

One of the most overlooked commercial auto exposures starts with a simple assumption: “Their personal auto policy will handle it.”

Sometimes it won’t.

If an employee uses their own vehicle for business errands, client visits, deliveries, or picking up supplies, there may be a gap between what their personal policy covers and what your business is actually exposed to.

That matters when a claim names the company, not just the driver.

Personal auto insurance is built for personal use. Once business use enters the picture, coverage questions can get complicated fast—especially around liability, hired and non-owned auto exposure, and whether your commercial policy is structured to respond.

This is where risk management needs to lead the conversation, not assumptions.

If your team ever drives their own vehicles for work, it’s worth reviewing how that exposure shows up in your insurance program, your policies, and your internal vehicle-use rules.

https://www.sherlockgroup.com/

If this is a live issue for your business, let’s start with the exposure first and work toward a solution that fits.