When scouting for a high-quality used car, sometimes a private seller rather than a dealership offers better value. But, while private sellers can offer great deals, there are some important considerations to remember. Let’s look at some tips and advice on buying a car from a private seller safely and confidently. Playing With Price When buying a car from a private seller, pricing is one of the most important considerations. Unlike buying from a dealership, where prices are typically set, private sellers are more likely to be open to negotiation. Here are some tips for getting the best deal ..read more

As the weather gets warmer, this could mean spending the day on the water.  Whether it’s a day sail or boating around a lake, it’s helpful to brush up on boating safety best practices to help avoid an accident. In 2022, 636 people lost their lives in boating accidents, according to the United States Coast Guard. Another 2,222 were injured in 4,040 total boating accidents for that year. As concerning as these numbers are, they shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying the water. Just remember to follow some important boat safety precautions before you head out: Have your boat inspected. Th ..read more

It’s a Saturday afternoon and life is looking up. After weeks of searching for a new vehicle, you’ve finally settled on the right car. You completed the test drive, negotiated a good price, agreed on a trade-in value and signed all the paperwork. Now, with keys in hand, it’s finally time to drive off the lot. But as you give your Erie Insurance agent a call to add the new car to your car insurance policy, you realize their office is closed for the day. Now what? Can you drive your new ride home; or do you need to wait until Monday? Is My New Car Insured if I Buy it on the Weeken ..read more

Life is always changing – which is why it’s important to review your insurance needs and make sure your coverage is keeping up with your life. Whether you’re entering adulthood or nearing retirement, you may have a need for life insurance… but understanding which policy is best for you can be confusing. Let’s talk term and whole-life insurance to help you find which benefits you the most, at any stage of life. Term Life Insurance Term life insurance provides coverage for a specific number of years, and you select the “term”. It’s an easy, more affordable option if you’re not looking for lifelo ..read more

Whether you’re a hardcore biking enthusiast or more of a casual cruiser, riding your bike is a great way to enjoy the outdoors – and a healthier way to get around, too. After each ride, it’s important to remember to lock your bike up so thieves can’t steal it. Close to two million bicycles are stolen each year, according to bike registry Project 529.  And as a good bicycle can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars for a basic model to several thousand dollars for a racing or mountain bike, the toll of stolen bikes can add up, costing cyclists nearly $1 billion per year, says Project 52 ..read more

Dwelling coverage is the portion of your homeowner’s insurance that protects the physical structure of your home from common hazards. This includes not only the livable area of your house but also attached structures like your deck, porch, or garage. Since it covers anything that’s considered to be legitimately part of your home’s structure, it also covers things like built-in appliances. When it comes to unattached features like a fence, gazebo or shed, though, dwelling coverage does not apply. Nor does it apply to the land on which your home is situated. As a simple rule of thumb for dw ..read more

If you were asked to describe the state of the housing market over the past few years, it could be summarized in one word: expensive. According to Home Bay, a real estate education platform, U.S. home prices increased an astounding 42% in the three years between March 2020 and March 2023. That data also showed that the national median home price rose to $468,000 as of 2022, up from $329,000 in 2020. With this massive fluctuation in real estate values, you may be wondering if your homeowners insurance is still providing the right level of protection. The answer, of course, will depen ..read more

We all hope to never need that policy, but do you know exactly what a homeowners policy covers? The answers may surprise you and even save you some money in areas you never realized! Homeowners policies offer a wide range of coverages, from your home itself and structures on your property to liability coverage, even to loss of income coverages. As always, coverage will vary from policy to policy and company to company, so it is important to read your policy carefully and consult your insurance agent. Let’s go over some of the most common coverages you’ll see with homeowners policies. Dwe ..read more

Are you like the majority of Americans who don't have life insurance1, but say that they know they need it? With the price of everything from home to college and grocery to daycare costs rising, it’s more important than ever to get life insurance to help protect your loved ones. According to the 2022 Insurance Barometer Study, from Life Happens and the financial and insurance organization LIMRA, 2 in 5 parents say they are barely or not at all financially secure. It’s crucial to be prepared with life insurance on your household breadwinner, as 44% of survey takers said they would feel fin ..read more

In times like these, we’re always looking for ways to save a little extra, right? This leads many of us to seek out what we can do to add some more discounts onto insurance policies and cut down on some recurring monthly expenses. While, in general, insurance companies do not offer a discount on auto policies for having a dashcam, there are some surprising perks to having one that could save you a lot of money! What is a Dashcam? So, what exactly is a dashcam and why would you want one? While often referred to as dashcams, their full name is dashboard camera. As the name suggests, these ..read more