Austin Engelhardt

Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) credentialed.

Ask yourself today if your property is fully insured in the event that disaster occurs. Unfortunately, for most, this question is answered much too late. After a loss, have the peace of mind that your most valuable business assets are fully protected by your insurance policy. Under-insuring your buildings, contents/equipment, and site improvements can cause even the most successful businesses to crumble after a substantial loss, while over-valuation of insurable property can result in excessive premium payments.

Large gaps in coverage or, more importantly, lack of knowledge concerning your insurance policy and insurable values can leave your business on crutches as it tries to rebuild after a loss. Avoid costly coinsurance penalties and "average clauses" when a property is not properly insured to value. Good insurance and risk management decisions are rooted in accurate property and underwriting data.

Brokers and agents can offer advice on what value to insure your property for, and the most experienced ones can guide you down the right path through the use of basic online valuation tools. The decision of what replacement value to insure your business assets ultimately rests with you. How do you choose the proper replacement cost? The best strategy is to hire a 3rd-party unbiased insurance appraiser to conduct a onsite study of your business assets. AAE Consulting Group can take the guess work out of developing insurable values and can provide certified appraisals from accredited and experienced appraisers.

If you have the attitude "it will never happen to me", why carry insurance at all?