What Type of Health Insurance Is Best for College Students?

Much like everyone else, college student must maintain health insurance coverage in order to avoid paying a penalty. More importantly, college students must maintain health insurance to ensure they have access to healthcare when they need it. Unfortunately, understanding what’s available can be challenging for anyone who isn’t familiar with health insurance. The following are a few options college students should consider in order to determine the best option for healthcare insurance.

Continuing on Their Parent’s Insurance

One of the cheapest options for healthcare coverage for students is remaining on their parent’s insurance. Most of the time, college students have the option of remaining on their parent’s insurance coverage while they are in school until they reach the age of 26. Marriage, living at another address, and the ability to enroll in an employer’s plan doesn’t disqualify college students from remaining on their parent’s insurance.

A Student’s Health Plan

Most colleges understand the importance of offering their students a discount health plan. With the ability to reduce the cost of care, many college students will get the treatment they need and reduce the transmission of infectious diseases. Most colleges partner with health insurance companies to offer their student’s an affordable health insurance plan.

Purchasing a Health Plan in the Marketplace

The Affordable Care Act makes it easy for college students to purchase health insurance, as well. Most college students who purchase healthcare do so during open enrollment; however, there are qualifying events that allow college students to get coverage outside of enrollment dates, including:

Getting married
Having a baby
Adopting a child
Gaining citizenship

In most cases, qualifying events allow students to enroll for coverage.

Purchasing Health Insurance from an Insurance Company

Insurance companies are a great option when it comes to purchasing health insurance coverage. Most insurance companies offer insurance from many different companies, allowing college students to choose between competitively priced coverage options.

College students around Lakewood, CO who are interested in getting more information about the types of coverage options Colling Insurance Services Inc. offers should give us a call.

Sinking Porch: Will My Homeowners Insurance Cover Repairs or Replacement?

Sinking Porch: Will My Homeowners Insurance Cover Repairs or Replacement?

Colorado has something to offer everyone, whether you’re a skier who could spend all day and evening at Vail or someone who would rather spend your day and evening shopping till you drop at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center.

Unfortunately, with all that snow comes some flooding and wet soil during the spring months. This can damage the foundation of your house and actually cause your foundation and porch to start to sink.

When you purchase homeowners insurance, most people do not read the fine print nor do they ask if their policy covers sinking foundation or a sinking porch. The answer to those questions is generally no, but there are a few exceptions.

Why Does My Homeowners Policy Only Cover Certain Causes for a Sinking Porch or Foundation?

Even though your foundation and porch are part of your house, if they start to sink, they are usually not covered under your homeowner’s policy because of the reasons why they sink, including:

Flooding
Drought
Wet soil
Dry soil

In addition, homeowners insurance does not cover the following:

Shrinking or expanding foundations
Cracked walls
Cracked ceilings or floors
Driveways, walkways, or fences that become damaged

When Will Homeowners Insurance Cover a Sinking Foundation or Porch?

Burst pipes
Underground mines that cause damage to your foundation
Underground drains and state or city owned sewage lines that cause damage to your home

Although, Colorado is not a state that is prone to earthquakes, you can purchase a separate rider that will cover the cost of foundation and porch repairs and replacement. Of course, the damage has to have been caused by an earthquake for the insurance to pay for it.

On the other hand, Colorado is prone to flooding, therefore a separate policy for flooding is highly recommended and will cover the cost of any repairs or replacement to your sinking foundation or porch caused by the flooding.

The law requires that everyone have homeowners insurance if you have a mortgage auto insurance coverage. However, you can easily work with your Colling Insurance Services agent to work out additional coverage that will provide even more protection when disaster strikes!

4 Ways To Keep Your Dog Safe In The Summer Months

When you live in Lakewood, there are many ways for you to keep your dog safe during the summer months. You are dealing with more heat and more bugs than any other times of the year. By knowing the best ways to keep your dog safe, you can keep him healthier and happier as well.

Protect the Paws

The paws of your dog need to be protected at all times, particularly when you are walking your dog along hot concrete or pavement. Just as you don’t want to walk around outside on the hot concrete, your dog doesn’t either! Protect the paws using adhesive paw pads or specially fitted booties based on the breed you have.

Provide Lots of Water

Your dog needs to have lots of water, especially during the summer. If you leave your dog outside, be sure that he has access to water. Even indoors, your dog needs water – and throwing in some ice cubes can help as well.

Prevention Medication

Talk to your vet and get your dog on prevention medication for heartworm, fleas, and ticks. The summer is when the bugs are out and you want to make sure your dog does not get sick.

Life Vest

Your dog can be the best swimmer in the world, but when you are boating, you never know what is going to happen. It is best to put a life vest on your dog, and make sure that it is going to fit properly. Be conscious of your dog’s weight and girth when choosing a life vest. Especially if you are in the ocean, waves and other details can prevent your dog from swimming as well as he can in a pool or lake.

At Colling Insurance services Inc. we look forward to helping you protect your home and everything and everyone inside of it. Call today and learn more about how to get affordable home insurance in Lakewood.

Tips for Teens for Driving in Foggy Weather

Teens often get very excited when it comes to getting their driving permit. And while preparing teens for driving in harsh weather can sometimes be difficult, you can’t control the weather. It never hurts to get out and about and practice with them when the weather gets rough. If you’re considering teaching your teen how to drive in the fog, you’ll definitely want to keep the following tips in mind.

Use Windshield Wipers

Fog is moisture in the air, and it will stick to the windshield. This is why you should instruct your teen to always use wipers in the fog. Not only will this help your teen to see better out of the windshield, but it also helps prevent glare from any oncoming traffic.

Understand How the Lights Work

Many newer cars come standard with daytime running lamps, and while these lights can prove to be of the utmost value during the day and at night, they don’t control a driver’s tail lights. Keeping this in mind, if your teen’s car has daytime running lamps, make sure you tell them that they will need to manually turn on the headlights to ensure the tail lights are lit in the foggy weather.

Slow Down

The number one tip your teen needs to be following is to slow down in foggy weather. Even if it’s daylight outside, it can be extremely difficult to drive in fog, especially when it blocks the driver’s view from seeing oncoming traffic. If it’s extremely foggy, your teen should be doing well below the speed limit, preferably at least 10 to 20 mph slower than what the speed limit is.

To learn more about driving in foggy weather, contact Colling Insurance Services Inc. today.

Home Cleaning Hacks for the Savvy Homeowner

Owning a home in Colorado comes with a whole new set of responsibilities to tackle. It’s important to make sure your home looks great and that it’s protected with affordable and comprehensive coverage from your independent insurance agents at Colling Insurance Services, Inc. Keep your home looking its best with the help of these simple and easy home cleaning hacks.

Top 5 Cleaning Hacks for the Savvy Homeowner

1. Use lemons and Kosher salt to clean your cutting boards and stop leaving potentially harsh chemicals behind. Lay down a layer of Kosher salt, cut a lemon in half, and brush the lemon cut side down along the salt. After a few minutes of vigorous rubbing simply rinse the cutting board with water and leave to air dry.

2. Old pillow cases are prefect for cleaning ceiling fan blades quickly. Simply hook an old pillow case over one blade at a time and carefully wipe backwards. As you pull it back towards you the fabric will wipe away any dust and safely store it inside the pocket.

3. A squeegee works wonders to remove pet hair from carpets, unlike a regular vacuum. All you need to do is brush it along the carpet with a firm grip and watch the hair pile up neatly.

4. Regular white chalk is great for eliminating grease stains on clothing, walls, and furniture. Cover the greasy area with a bit of chalk and let it sit for a few minutes before wiping it away with a damp cloth and you’ll be amazed at the results.

5. Your average lint roller can do much more than freshen your clothes before you leave the house. Use them to quickly clean hair, dander, and other debris off lamp shades and other smaller items around the house.

Make sure that your home and its content are protected with a Colorado homeowners’ insurance policy. Call us today to find out more information!

How to Stay Awake on the Road

When you’re driving in Lakewood, CO or anywhere else, you want to make sure you are as alert as possible. It can be difficult if you have been working long hours or have spent too much time on the road already. The good news is that there are tips to help you stay more alert and focused as you continue to drive.

Approximately 100,000 police reported crashes occur in the United States every year because of people driving while drowsy and it has been estimated that around 37 percent of drivers have fallen asleep at one point or another while driving.

The best thing to do is acknowledge that you are too tired to drive before you even get behind the wheel. Ask someone else to drive or call a taxi to take you to where you need to go. It is much better to spend the money on alternative transportation or be late getting home than to get into an accident that is your fault because you fell asleep while driving.

Follow these tips to be more alert:

Don’t drive on the road for more than three hours at a time without stopping
Drive with a partner or passenger
Sing along to music to keep you more awake and focused

Auto insurance is of the utmost importance and you want to make sure you have the policy that’s right for you. At Colling Insurance we are going to work with you to find a policy by working with many insurance companies that are licensed to issue within the state of Colorado.

Call today and let us find the best policy. You can then be sure you are going to be well protected while on the roads – and you can make sure you are being the best driver by staying more alert.

What Form Should Your Lakewood, Colorado Insurance Take?

Those who live and work in the Lakewood, Colorado area have lots of choices. Belmar, Colorado Mills and other areas provide plenty of shopping options. Dining options are diverse, including Lakewood’s Casa Bonita, which was featured in an episode of South Park. As the fifth most populated city in the state, Lakewood has a lot to choose from.

If you have a business in Lakewood, you have choices as well. You have choices of suppliers, where and when to advertise, who to hire and what hours to keep. You also have the power to choose to shop locally. That is a choice we would encourage from not only consumers, but of business owners. When we shop locally we are supporting our schools, our local government services and our friends and neighbors. It’s just good business.

Another choice you have as a business is what type of commercial insurance you should carry. Two main forms of property insurance are Basic and Special Form. So what are the differences between Basic Form vs Special Form? Let’s take a quick look.

When you purchase Basic Form insurance your specific coverage is spelled out in the policy. It will state exactly what is covered. If it is not mentioned, it is not covered. Special Form assumes all perils to your property are covered unless they are specifically excluded. Because Special Form insurance is more encompassing, many businesses seem to prefer it.

If you have questions about your commercial insurance, we would be glad to help. Colling Insurance Services is a local, independent insurance agency. That gives us the ability to seek the best coverage and rates for our clients. We would like to count you among them.

Visit our website for a free, no obligation, comparative quote on your homeowners and auto insurance. If you would like us to quote your business insurance, please contact us. We look forward to serving your Lakewood area business.

Which Form of Insurance is Best for Your Colorado Business?

Colorado offers a wide variety of lifestyles. There are places you can live where summer activities abound, and there places that are winter sports havens. There are affordable areas and we also have some of the most prime real estate anywhere. You can choose city living or way out on your own. Knowing the difference before moving will make a big impact on your budget and lifestyle.

If you are a business owner in Colorado, knowing the difference between the forms of commercial insurance coverage can have a big impact on you as well.

In commercial property coverage, there are Basic Form and Special Form policies. Basic Form insurance specifically states the coverage that is included. If it is not listed in the policy, you are likely not covered for a peril. On the other hand, Special Form coverage takes a more inclusive approach. Special Form insurance covers your property against all perils unless they are specifically excluded. It is normal to see things like acts of war and terrorism excluded.

Knowing the difference between a captive and an independent agency can make an impact as well. Captive agents represent the products of a single company while independent agents can seek out quotes from multiple companies. The ability to get quotes from multiple companies can save you money.

Colling Insurance Services is an independent agency that offers personal and business insurance lines in Colorado. We offer auto and homeowners insurance comparative quotes online at our website.

Colling Insurance Services works to save our client’s money without sacrificing coverage. We can conduct a no obligation, no cost insurance review to verify your coverage. We can then go in search of a better rate. For business or personal insurance coverage, contact us.

Keys to Saving on Your Applewood, Colorado Home Insurance

Applewood, Colorado is a beautiful place to live. We love our Broncos, Rockies and enjoy where we live. We appreciate the outdoors and our fresh air. Even here though, we don’t want to overpay for our insurance, especially for home insurance. For those in Applewood, we have some suggestions.

There are some ways you can save on your homeowners insurance, but it starts with knowing how much you are actually paying for your home insurance. Many don’t really know because their insurance payments are rolled into their mortgages and they pay them along with their taxes. Our first tip is to find out exactly what you are paying.

You then need to discover exactly how much coverage you do have. How much is your property insured for? What about the contents of your home and outbuildings? How much liability insurance do you have and is it enough? Getting a homeowners insurance review will get you those answers.

We can help walk you through the process. As independent agents in the area, we have the ability to get quotes from many individual companies. Since we are not limited to a single company, our options give you a wider choice of coverage and premiums.

There are also other ways to save on your home insurance. Some companies offer discounts for alarm systems and fire protection. You can also save by increasing your deductibles. In addition others offer discounts by “bundling” policies with one company.

The point is an independent insurance agency can help you discover these discounts and help you take advantage of them. You can see for yourself by getting comparative quotes on homeowners insurance right from our website. You can also compare your auto insurance rates online.

Contact us to get great rates on your homeowners insurance today. We will be glad to help you reduce the premiums you pay on your Applewood home insurance.

The Benefits To Getting Quotes From A Home Insurance Agency

Wheat Ridge has a lot of pioneer history. The city, just outside of Denver, was only incorporated in 1970, but it has grown considerably since then. Various events and festivals take place throughout the city all year long and this brings in a considerable amount of tourism.

Working with a home insurance agency is a great idea when you want to get quotes. This way, you don’t have to do all of the work on your own. It’s simply a matter of working with an agent to tell them what you want and letting them do a majority of the work for you.

One of the primary benefits to working with a home insurance agency in Wheat Ridge is that you have someone to talk to about coverage options. You can learn how to protect your home and all of your belongings against such things as fire, flood, storms, break-ins, sinking foundation, personal injury claims, and more.

Another benefit is that you can be confident that you’re getting the best price on a premium. Our agents will get quotes for you throughout Colorado. We work with multiple insurance companies and this ensures you get a good overview of what companies are offering so you don’t pay more than what’s necessary.

It’s important to have someone who knows what they are doing helping you with insurance. If you don’t want to do all of the work on your own, you can simply rely on a home insurance agency to do the majority of the work. They know what companies have the best deals and know about the top claims being made throughout Colorado. This allows the independent agents to guide you through the process and provide considerable amounts of advice.

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