Ashmead Insurance Associates

Can you believe there are only 100 days left in the year? Before the final stretch gets away from you, it is worth pausing to ask one simple question: has your life changed this year?

A new car, a home purchase, a career change — these are the kinds of milestones worth celebrating. They are also the kinds of changes that can quietly create gaps in your insurance coverage if your policies have not kept up.

Here are some of the most common life events that can affect your coverage:

✅ You bought a new home or renovated your home. A new home purchase or extensive renovations require coverage that reflects the property's true replacement cost, not just its market value.

✅ You purchased a new car. Purchasing a new car is a change that always merits a check-in about your insurance coverage, especially if you purchased a car worth more than the vehicle you were previously driving.

✅ Your family or household situation changed. Marriage, divorce, welcoming a new child, adding a teen driver, sending a child off to college, or welcoming an adult child back home are all changes that can affect your auto and homeowners coverage.

✅ You’ve acquired new valuables or heirlooms. If you’ve recently obtained or inherited new jewelry, art, or other collectibles, it may be worth reviewing whether these items would be fully covered under your current homeowners policy.

✅ Your income, assets, or career changed. A promotion, a new job, a side business, or an inheritance can all increase your financial exposure in ways your current coverage may not reflect.

If any of these sound familiar, our team would love to take a few minutes to review your policies together and ensure everything still aligns with where you are now. It's a simple conversation that can make a real difference.

Feel free to reach out anytime. We are here to help ensure your coverage keeps up with your needs.

When people picture damage to a business, they tend to think specifically about the building and the equipment. But what about the income that stops while the doors are closed?

That's exactly what business interruption coverage, sometimes called business income coverage, is designed to address. After a covered event forces you to pause operations, it can help replace lost revenue and cover ongoing expenses like rent and payroll while you get back on your feet. For many small businesses, that breathing room can make all the difference.

If you are not certain whether your policy includes this protection, it is worth a closer look. We can review it with you at www.ashmeadins.com

The fall is a smart time to take a closer look at your commercial property and address maintenance needs before colder weather creates bigger problems.

Preventive maintenance helps protect your property’s value, reduce safety issues, limit business interruptions, and lower the risk of preventable claims. Swipe for a few maintenance areas to review this season.

We hope you found this list helpful as you prepare your property for the fall. As always, if you have any questions or any needs this season, don’t hesitate to give us a call. Our team is here to help!

September has a way of pulling us back into our routines, which makes it a good time to check in on the everyday things we tend to put off. One of the likely suspects is the life insurance you may have through your job.

Employer-provided coverage is a nice benefit and a helpful starting point. The catch is that it often is not portable, meaning it may not follow you if you change jobs, and the amount is frequently smaller than a family would truly need over the long term.

Relying on it alone can leave a gap you did not realize was there. This is not about replacing what you have, just making sure it is enough.

If you would like a simple, no-pressure review, we'd love to help you out. Learn more and get in touch by visiting www.ashmeadins.com

We wish everyone a safe and relaxing Labor Day weekend! As a local independent insurance broker here in Colmar, we’re grateful for the hard work and dedication of the businesses, families, and individuals we serve across Montgomery County and Bucks County.

Our office will be closed on Monday, September 7th, in observance of the holiday. We’ll reopen on Tuesday, September 8th, and our team will be ready to help with quotes, certificates, claims, or any insurance questions you may have.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Back-to-school season presents a good opportunity to ensure your kids are equipped with the habits and knowledge to stay safe throughout the school day. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

🔵Make sure your children know their full names, your phone number, home addresses, and how to reach a trusted adult. A laminated safety card kept in their backpack with this info, plus any medical conditions, can be a good addition.

🔵Teach and reinforce proper hand-washing, and remind them not to share food or drink. These simple habits go a long way toward keeping illnesses from spreading through the classroom.

🔵A backpack should weigh no more than 15% of your child's body weight, and both straps should always be used to evenly distribute the load on your child’s back. An overstuffed bag can cause real strain over time.

🔵Talk with your child about bullying — how to recognize it, how to report it, and who their designated trusted adult at school is if they ever feel unsafe or need help.

🔵 Avoid putting your child's first name on the outside of backpacks or lunch boxes; initials or names on the inside are a safer option for labeling belongings.

At-school safety is a collective effort, and taking precautions for your students can help keep students across your community safe.

As always, if you have questions or other needs this school year, give us a call. We are here for you.

Today, our team wanted to share some key information about a life insurance policy issue we’ve seen over the years: insufficient coverage. Many people establish life insurance policies, then ignore them for years — even though their income has increased, and they’ve assumed greater financial responsibilities (such as getting married, having children, or taking on a mortgage).

Life insurance is designed to replace your income. If your paycheck supports your household, regardless of what that looks like, your coverage should reflect that responsibility. Swipe for key details on how to estimate your current life insurance needs and when it makes sense to review your policies.

If it’s been a while since you last reviewed your coverage, or if your income has changed significantly since we last spoke, our team would be happy to help you take a closer look and ensure everything still aligns with your current situation.

Since we are in the midst of hurricane season, our team wanted to share a timely reminder about one important step of the preparation process: reviewing your personal insurance coverages before a storm even hits.

Here are a few key areas we suggest reviewing this hurricane season:

🔵 Hurricane Deductibles - Some homeowners policies in some states may include a hurricane deductible, which is often a percentage of your home’s insured value. This deductible is separate from your standard homeowners deductible and is the amount of money you must pay toward hurricane-related damage before your insurance company starts paying. Know what triggers it and how much you’d owe.

🔵 Flood and Windstorm Coverage - Flood damage typically requires separate flood insurance, and damage from unnamed windstorms may also be excluded from some policies. Reviewing your coverage and filling any gaps before a storm hits can make a significant difference.

🔵 Filing Claims - Ahead of a hurricane, document the state of your home. Then, after the storm, document damage with photos and videos before you begin cleaning up or repairs. This can help fully showcase any potential damage done by a storm. Additionally, as you make repairs, keep receipts for what you spend.

As always, know that we are here to help if you have any questions about your coverage or if you would like to talk through layering on more coverage. Reach out today, and we can get started.

If you drive in Pennsylvania, you made a choice on your auto policy that many people forget about: limited tort or full tort. That one selection can shape your rights if you are ever in an accident.

Simply put, full tort generally preserves your ability to seek compensation for pain and suffering, while limited tort trades some of those rights for a lower premium. Neither is automatically right or wrong. It comes down to your family, your budget, and your comfort with that tradeoff.

Not sure which one you selected? It is listed on your declarations page, and we are glad to help you make sense of it. Ask us anytime: www.ashmeadins.com

Getting married means building a life together, and protecting it should be part of the plan. Life insurance is one of the most important ways to help safeguard your shared financial future and provide stability no matter what comes next. Swipe for some key life insurance considerations for newlyweds.

Starting your journey together with the right protection in place can make all the difference. Contact us today to learn more about your life insurance options and find coverage that fits your goals.