Serena's Coverage Corner at Diversified Insurance Group, 1901 E Michigan Avenue, Lansing, MI (2026)

10/15/2026

TIP THURSDAY 🔐 Your bank isn’t calling to “verify” your password. And that email from your boss asking you to change payment instructions?

It might look completely legitimate.

Modern scams have gotten a lot more convincing. The email may have the right logo. The caller ID may show a familiar company. A text may appear to come from an organization you actually do business with.

And with AI making it easier to imitate writing styles and even voices, something looking or sounding legitimate isn't proof that it is.

A few habits can make a big difference:
- Don't use the link in an unexpected email or text. If the message says there's a problem with your account, go to the company's website or app yourself.
- Don't trust the phone number provided in a suspicious message. Find the organization's legitimate number independently and call that instead.
- Never give someone your password or verification code because they contacted you asking for it.
- Verify unexpected payment requests or changes in payment instructions another way. If an employee, vendor or customer suddenly sends new banking information, call a number you already know is legitimate before sending money.
- Use multifactor authentication whenever it's available. A stolen password is much less useful when there's another layer protecting the account.

For businesses especially, cybersecurity isn't just about firewalls and antivirus software.

Sometimes the security system being targeted is the person sitting at the computer.

Cyber insurance can be an important piece of the protection puzzle, but preventing someone from getting your credentials or convincing an employee to send money to the wrong place is even better than having to file the claim afterward.

Before you click, respond, transfer money or provide information, verify the request independently.

That’s all for today’s visit to Serena’s Coverage Corner! Because insurance is serious. Learning about it doesn’t have to be.

10/14/2026

CLAIMS CORNER 🚗 “But I wasn’t driving when my car was damaged.”

You lend your car to a friend. They back into a pole. Nobody is hurt, but your bumper and quarter panel definitely lost the argument. 😬

So whose insurance handles the damage?

A common assumption is that because your friend was driving, their auto insurance automatically pays for everything.

Not necessarily.

In many situations, insurance coverage on the vehicle can be an important part of determining how physical damage to that vehicle is handled.

If your vehicle carries applicable collision coverage, your own policy may respond to the damage to your vehicle, subject to the type of collision coverage you purchased, your deductible, policy terms, and the circumstances of the accident.

And in Michigan, there's another wrinkle: Not all collision coverage is the same.
You may have Broad Form, Standard, or Limited Collision, and how your coverage responds can depend on the type you carry and whether the driver is considered at fault.

What about your friend's insurance?
Their policy may become relevant depending on the circumstances, the coverages involved, and the claim being made. Liability for damage or injuries to other people or property is also a separate question from repairing your own vehicle.

That's why: “They were driving, so their insurance pays” isn't a safe assumption.

Before handing someone your keys, it's worth knowing what coverage you actually have on the vehicle they're about to drive.

And maybe make sure they can back out of a driveway first. 😂

That’s all for today’s visit to Serena’s Coverage Corner! Because insurance is serious. Learning about it doesn’t have to be.

10/14/2026

Someone should check his MVR? 😂 In all seriousness.... How cute is he?!

10/13/2026

POLICY TRANSLATION TUESDAY 🚨Disaster preparedness vs. insurance coverage

Insurance is an important part of protecting your home or business from the unexpected. But insurance and disaster preparedness aren’t the same thing.

Think of it this way:
- Insurance helps with the financial consequences of certain covered losses.
- Disaster preparedness helps you protect people, property and information before and during an emergency.

You need both.

Today is International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, which makes it a good time to think beyond simply asking, “Do I have insurance?”

Ask yourself:
- Could you access your insurance information if you had to leave your home quickly?
- Do you have a current home or business inventory?
- Do you have medications, important documents and basic necessities accessible if you need to evacuate?
- Do you have flashlights, batteries, backup power banks and a way to receive emergency information if the power goes out?
- Does your emergency plan include your pets?
- If you own a business, do employees know what to do and where to go during an emergency? Are important records backed up somewhere you could still access them?

And here's the insurance piece people sometimes overlook:
Being prepared doesn't create coverage for something your policy excludes. And having insurance doesn't eliminate the need to prepare for an emergency.

They solve two different parts of the same problem.

You can't control when something unexpected happens. You can make it a little easier on yourself if it does.

That’s all for today’s visit to Serena’s Coverage Corner! Because insurance is serious. Learning about it doesn’t have to be.

10/12/2026

MYTH MONDAY 🏢 “My business is an LLC, so my personal assets are protected. I don’t really need much liability insurance.”

An LLC can provide important legal separation between you and your business.
But forming an LLC and carrying liability insurance are not the same thing.

An LLC is a business structure. Insurance is designed to respond to certain financial losses and claims, subject to the terms of the policy.

For example, imagine a customer is injured at your business and alleges that your business was negligent.

Your LLC status doesn't pay for an attorney to defend the claim. It doesn't write the settlement check. And it doesn't automatically make the lawsuit disappear.

That’s where the appropriate business liability insurance may come into play.

There are also situations where a business owner can potentially face personal liability despite operating through an LLC. Personal actions, personal guarantees, certain legal obligations, and the way the business is operated can all matter.

Think of an LLC and insurance as doing different jobs.
- The LLC creates a legal business entity and may provide separation between business and personal assets.
- Insurance may provide defense and financial protection for covered claims against the business.

Having one doesn't eliminate the need for the other.

And simply adding “LLC” after your business name isn't an invisible force field around everything you own. 😉

The better question isn't “Do I have an LLC?”

It's: “If someone makes a claim against my business tomorrow, what protection do I actually have?”

That’s all for today’s visit to Serena’s Coverage Corner! Because insurance is serious. Learning about it doesn’t have to be.

10/09/2026

FINE PRINT FRIDAY 🔎 “Insurance has to make everything match after a claim...right?”

Not necessarily.

Imagine a covered loss damages the siding on one side of your house. The siding is 15 years old, and that exact color or style isn't available anymore. The damaged siding can be replaced. But what about the three undamaged sides of the house?

That’s where things can get complicated.

A homeowners policy is designed to pay for covered damage according to the terms of the policy. That doesn't necessarily mean replacing undamaged property throughout the home simply because the new material doesn't perfectly match the old material.

And this issue isn't limited to siding.

It can come up with:
🏠 Roofing
🪵 Flooring
🧱 Siding
🎨 Certain finishes or materials
🍳 Cabinets and other components

Some policies or endorsements may provide additional protection when damaged materials can't reasonably be matched with the undamaged property. The amount and type of coverage can vary considerably by carrier and policy.

And there can be a big difference between “similar” and “identical.”

After a loss, people naturally want their home to look the way it did before. But what the policy is contractually required to replace and what a homeowner would prefer to replace aren't always the same thing.

That's why matching coverage is worth understanding before you're standing outside comparing one brand-new section of siding to three older ones. 😬

Take a look at your policy or ask your agent whether you have any coverage addressing matching of undamaged property. You might be surprised by the answer.

That’s all for today’s visit to Serena’s Coverage Corner! Because insurance is serious. Learning about it doesn’t have to be.

10/08/2026

TIP THURSDAY 🍂 Fall yard cleanup isn't just about making the yard look nice. Some of those chores can help prevent problems around your home, too.

Before winter settles in, Big I's fall checklist is a good reminder to:
🍂 Remove leaves and other debris. Wet leaves can make walkways slippery, and debris left around the property can hold moisture and give pests a place to settle in.
🌱 Give the lawn one last mow. It’s one more chance to walk the property and spot things you may not notice from the driveway.
🌳 Remove dead trees, plants and shrubs. Pay particular attention to dead or damaged limbs that could come down during fall winds or under the weight of winter snow and ice.
🏠 Clear leaves from your gutters. Clogged gutters can keep water from draining properly and contribute to overflow and ice buildup once temperatures drop.
None of this is particularly exciting weekend entertainment. 😂

But preventing damage is usually a whole lot easier than dealing with it after it happens.

So before the rake gets put away for the year, give the house and yard one last good look.

That’s all for today’s visit to Serena’s Coverage Corner! Because insurance is serious. Learning about it doesn’t have to be.

10/07/2026

CLAIMS CORNER 🔥The fire is out. Now what?

When people picture a house fire insurance claim, they usually picture the obvious damage: burned walls, damaged belongings, maybe part of the home needing to be rebuilt.

But fire claims can involve a whole lot more than what actually burned.
- Smoke and soot can travel far beyond the area where the fire started, affecting walls, ceilings, furniture, clothing, and other belongings throughout the home.
- Water damage can result from the efforts used to extinguish the fire.
- The home may not be livable while cleanup and repairs are taking place.
- Belongings may need to be cleaned, restored, or replaced depending on the extent of the damage.
- And if a covered loss makes your home uninhabitable, Additional Living Expense/Loss of Use coverage may help with certain increased living expenses while you're displaced, subject to the terms and limits of your policy.

That could include things like temporary housing and other necessary increases in living expenses because you can't live at home.

Notice the important word there: increased.

Loss of Use generally isn't designed to pay every expense you have while you're displaced. It's intended to address covered additional expenses resulting from the loss, subject to your policy.

So after a fire, the insurance claim may extend well beyond replacing whatever the flames actually touched.

The fire department putting out the fire can be the end of the emergency. It's often just the beginning of the insurance claim.

That’s all for today’s visit to Serena’s Coverage Corner! Because insurance is serious. Learning about it doesn’t have to be.

10/06/2026

POLICY TRANSLATION TUESDAY 📖 Loss Assessment Coverage

Plain English: You live in a condo or community with an association. The association has a covered loss or liability claim, and the association assesses individual owners for their share of certain costs.

That bill from the association doesn't automatically mean your homeowners or condo policy will pay it.

Here’s an example:
🏢 A major covered loss damages property owned by your condo association.
The association’s master policy responds, but the association determines there are certain remaining costs that must be shared among the unit owners.

You receive an assessment for your portion.

That’s where Loss Assessment Coverage on your individual policy may come into play.

But here’s the part people sometimes miss - Loss Assessment Coverage isn't simply coverage for any assessment your association decides to charge you.

Whether your policy responds can depend on why the assessment was made, what caused the underlying loss, the terms of your policy, and the amount of Loss Assessment Coverage you carry.

It can also come into play in certain liability situations involving common areas, depending on the policy and circumstances.

And your limit matters.

If your association assesses you $15,000 and your policy provides only a small amount of applicable Loss Assessment Coverage, having the coverage doesn't necessarily mean the entire assessment is covered.

So if you own a condo or live somewhere with an association, “Loss Assessment” is one of those little lines on your policy that's worth knowing about before a letter from the association shows up in your mailbox.

Take a look at your declarations page sometime. Do you know how much Loss Assessment Coverage you have?

That’s all for today’s visit to Serena’s Coverage Corner! Because insurance is serious. Learning about it doesn’t have to be.

10/06/2026

MYTH MONDAY 🔥 “If there’s a fire at my house, everything I own is covered because I have homeowners insurance.”

Having homeowners insurance doesn’t necessarily mean everything you own is covered for whatever it costs to replace it.

After a major fire, the focus is understandably on the house itself. But think about everything inside your home.

Furniture. Clothing. Electronics. Kitchenware. Tools. Sporting equipment. Decorations. All the random stuff tucked into closets, drawers, the basement and garage.

Replacing an entire household can add up really fast.

That’s where your Personal Property coverage comes in.

But there are a few things worth knowing before you ever have a loss:
🏠 Your personal property coverage has a limit.
💰 Depending on your policy, damaged belongings may be settled on a Replacement Cost or Actual Cash Value basis.
💍 Certain categories of property may have special limits or restrictions, particularly for specific types of loss.
📸 And after a major fire, proving what you owned can be a whole lot easier if you had some kind of home inventory before the loss.

You don’t need a fancy spreadsheet documenting every fork in the silverware drawer. Walking through your house once or twice a year with your phone and recording each room, closets, cabinets, basement and garage can give you a useful record of what was there.

Fire Prevention Week is a great reminder to check your smoke detectors and talk about escape plans. It’s also a pretty good reminder to think about what would happen after the fire trucks leave.

Take a few minutes this week and video your home. Future you may be very glad you did.

That’s all for today’s visit to Serena’s Coverage Corner! Because insurance is serious. Learning about it doesn’t have to be.

Serena's Coverage Corner at Diversified Insurance Group

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