Welcome

Established in 1981, our company has grown to a full-service insurance agency. Currently, The Insurance Store Ltd. serves the insurance needs of many individuals and businesses throughout Iowa. Our office includes a state of the art computer system for record keeping. Our Primary Objective is to establish a relationship - a partnership - between you, the insurance company and our staff. We maintain a high standard of professional excellence in all that we do and establish a firm relationship of mutual trust and service with each of our clients.

We do not work for an insurance company; we work for our clients. We work on their side when they have a loss and follow through to see that they get fair, prompt payment and service. We represent a carefully selected group of financially sound, reputable insurance companies; therefore, we are able to offer our clients the best coverage at the most competitive price.

The Insurance Store Ltd. would like to offer you the opportunity to receive a no-cost, no obligation review and comparison of your insurance coverages. Find out how to get in touch with us on our Contact Us page.

The leading threat to Iowa teens’ health is motor vehicle crashes

Motor vehicle crashes cause 48% of all teen deaths in Iowa. In the past five years, 162 teen drivers, ages 14-17, lost their lives in crashes in Iowa (CDC, 2009). To address this issue, we need to create an atmosphere where young drivers are supported as they learn and given appropriate guidance in preparation for the complexities of driving.

By maximizing experience and minimizing risks while this experience is gained, we can protect teens while they are learning and produce safer drivers in the long-run.

Because they are still learning, young beginner drivers need to obtain experience gradually, over an extended period of time, in order to develop good judgment and learn the complex skills needed to drive safely.

Research has shown that teen crash involvement can be reduced by improving the structure of driver licensing systems. Graduated Driver Licensing, or GDL, is an experience-based approach that allows young drivers to gain experience while minimizing risks to them and others with whom they share the road.

Please review this Booklet, and feel free to distribute to all of your families with young drivers.

Facts About Life 2010

Life Insurance Awareness Month, September 2010

LIMRA’s 2010 Life Insurance Ownership Study has found that 30 percent of U.S. households (35 million) have no life insurance protection at all.

Many U.S. households are underinsured:
•Only 44 percent of U.S. households have individual life insurance. This is a 50-year low.
•Half of U.S. households (58 million) say they need more life insurance –the highest level ever.
•Among households with children under 18, arguably having the greatest need for life insurance, 11 million have no life insurance coverage.
•Even affluent households ($100,000+ income) lack sufficient life insurance. One-third say they do not have enough coverage.

The struggling economy creates additional challenges:
•One in four U.S. households rely onlyon group life insurance to provide financial protection if a wage-earner dies. These households may lose their only life insurance coverage if they become unemployed or have their work hours reduced. In the past year, someone lost their job in 15 percent of U.S. households.
•Decline in owning life insurance has left many households vulnerable if a primary wage-earner died.
•Among households with children under 18, 4 in 10 say they would immediately have trouble meeting everyday living expenses if a primary wage-earner died today.
•Another 3 in 10 would have trouble keeping up with expenses after several months.

Most U.S. Households At Risk:
Nearly 7 in 10 American households with children under 18
would be in jeopardy if the primary bread-winner died.
Fewer consumers are purchasing new life insurance policies:
•In 2009, insurance companies issued 9.4 million individual life insurance policies in the U.S. —about one million fewer policies than in 2004. During the mid-1980s, about twice as many policies were issued compared with today.
•Buying life insurance has a low priority compared to other financial goals such as paying off debt or saving for retirement. Over 4 in 10 Americans say a major reason they have not bought more life insurance is because they have other financial priorities right now.

Life insurance is important to American families, but they procrastinate:
•Life insurance beat out all other sources of financial assets or income that Americans expect to use to help pay bills, and to maintain their lifestyle if the primary wage earner dies.
•About 7 in 10 middle-market households agree life insurance is the best way to protect against premature death of a primary wage-earner.
•The top two reasons Americans have life insurance is to cover burial and final expenses, and to help replace the income of primary wage earners.

Americans want professional help:
•One in four households plan to buy life insurance for themselves or another household member in the next 12 months. But, many are unlikely to follow through with their plans.
•Twenty-four percent of households with children under 18 want to speak with a financial professional about their life insurance needs, but they may not proactively initiate contact with a producer or with a life insurance company.
•About 1 in 4 middle-market households ($35,000 to $99,999) admit they don’t know how to obtain or reach their financial goals. Nonetheless, 18 percent of them want to speak with a financial professional about life insurance.

Many Americans have no one to turn to:
•Almost eight in 10 American households currently do not have a personal life insurance agent or broker to turn to and most of them say they never did.
•Almost 6 in 10 Boomer households prefer to buy life insurance face-to-face, but this is changing among the younger generations.

All facts are from LIMRA’s life insurance consumer studies.

Your Homeowners Policy: Please Read It

We, here at the Insurance Store, Ltd., encourage our customers to read their policy. Yes, it's very dry reading - somewhat like watching paint dry. Still, we think it's worth the effort. Then call us if you have any questions or concerns.

Listed below are items of homeowners insurance that can tend to confuse customers:

Flood: No homeowners policies cover damage caused by floodwaters, and some also exclude "surface waters" or water blown by windstorms, (though damage caused by windstorm is covered). Flood insurance is available at low cost by the National Flood Insurance Program (go to http://www.fema.gov for information), but damage is capped at $250,000.

Mold: Coverage for mold damage varies widely. Some companies limit coverage from $5,000 to $10,000 for damage caused by mold. Yet, some companies won't cover any damage from mold. And some companies limit coverage to a certain type of mold, if found in your house.

Dogs: Some insurers single out aggressive breeds for liability reasons, such as Pit Bulls, Dobermans and mixed wolf breeds. Other insurers state they can refuse to issue coverage if the dog (whatever the breed) has a history of biting.

Replacement Cost: Getting reimbursed for the actual cost of replacing a hail or wind damaged roof or burst pipes, as opposed to their actual depreciated value, does tend to raise premiums substantially. However this coverage comes in really handy where construction costs have risen rapidly or after a disaster when demand skyrockets. Replacement cost terminology may also be in your policy regarding the total value of your home should you have a total loss due to causes such as a fire or tornado.

In any aspect, customers are encouraged to do a little research on their own regarding the wording in their policies. Please don't be afraid to contact us should you have further questions.