Doug Wilson, Insurance Center Partner

01/29/2024

“Why are insurance rates increasing?” This article provides answers to this common question.

Insurance rates are increasing across the industry due to unprecedented storm activity, rising construction costs, inflation, nuclear verdicts, and more.

01/12/2024

Are you prepared for the freezing temperatures that are headed your way?

Wondering how to prevent frozen pipes this winter? Learn which pipes are most at risk, and get tips on preventing frozen pipes from Travelers.

01/10/2024

Your friendly insurance agent reminding you to prepare for the cold weather!

CAW often experiences a spike in calls and emergency visits to customers’ homes when winter weather hits. In addition,

01/09/2024

With the possibility of freezing cold temperatures in the Arkansas forecast, please remember to consider the steps that you can take to prevent freezing pipes at your home AND business.

*Check the comments for useful Insurance Claims telephone numbers.

CAW often experiences a spike in calls and emergency visits to customers’ homes when winter weather hits. In addition,

07/22/2023

A commercial umbrella policy for your business provides additional coverages that can help protect your business in situations that may not be...

06/30/2023

Have you developed some bad driving habits? Check out the link in the comments to help reduce the likelihood of an auto claim.

05/15/2023

Doug & Hunter Wilson with the Insurance, Inc are proud to be an exclusive sponsor of the 2023 Snowball Adventure Race -Kids Division.

03/07/2023

The Insurance Center, Inc has recently been awarded a contract with Acuity Insurance. Acuity has been very competitive on Home & Auto rates. If you are one of our existing customers, we will be shopping your policy at your next renewal. If you are not one of our existing customers, please reach out to us to see if we can help you save.

02/22/2023

I’m borrowing my friend’s car … am I covered?

Most people have an idea of what’s covered and not covered under their various insurance policies. But at the Insurance Center, we get a lot of questions about borrowing or loaning a car.

Now that spring is almost here, and you might be looking to borrow your neighbor’s truck for a home-improvement project or a trip to the local landfill, we thought it was a great time to provide a little more information.

Generally, insurance coverage follows the vehicle rather than the driver. So, in most instances, as long as the owner of the car has insurance, it’s covered even if someone other than the owner is driving it — as long as they have the owner’s permission.

The borrower’s insurance is considered secondary, meaning that in the event of an accident, it could apply if the owner’s insurance is insufficient to fully cover the damage.

It’s important to note that there are some exceptions to what is called “permissive use” coverage. For example, permission must be given by the owner, unless the borrower has a reasonable belief that they are allowed to use the car. However, the borrower cannot give permission to someone else. So, if your teenager allows one of his or her friends to drive your car to Memphis, your coverage likely won’t apply.

Coverage might also be denied if the borrower operates the vehicle in a negligent or criminal manner. And if the borrower is using your car for business purposes, your personal auto policy likely won’t cover that.

If you have a regular long-term arrangement to either borrow or lend a car, the borrower should probably be added to the owner’s personal auto policy. Those who don’t own a car, but often borrow one, might also consider “named non-owner coverage,” an endorsement that provides bodily injury and property damage liability, uninsured motorists coverage and more.

Ultimately, it’s usually safe to loan your friend your car for occasional errands or projects. And the same goes for borrowing a car. Just make sure it’s for “normal” use. You’ll want to confirm that the car has coverage and that your insurance, whether you’re the owner or borrower, will apply.

Feel free to give us a call if you have any questions — after all, you don’t want to wait until after an accident to get answers!

02/15/2023

Untouched snow on the roof of home looks pretty, but this winter’s heavy snowstorms mixed with frigid temperatures can cause an ice dam to develop on that roof. Ice dams prevent melting snow from properly draining. This can cause serious damage to insulation, ceilings, and walls if the water seeps...

12/27/2022