Landlord and rental property insurance helps protect your investment and income.

A standard home insurance policy covers your home’s structure, personal belongings, personal liability, and additional living expenses if a covered loss displaces you. The specific risks covered depend on your policy type and the coverages you select.

Home insurance is not required by law, but most mortgage lenders require you to carry a policy as a condition of your loan to protect their financial interest in the property. Homeowners who own their property outright are not legally obligated to carry coverage, though it is strongly recommended.

Your coverage amount is based on the estimated replacement cost of your home, what it would cost to rebuild it from the ground up at current labor and material prices, not its market value or purchase price. An insurance agent can help you calculate the right coverage amount based on your home’s size, construction type, and features.

A standard home insurance policy does not cover flood damage and must be purchased as a separate policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private insurer. If your home is in a designated flood zone, your mortgage lender may require you to carry flood insurance.

Yes, Coleman Insurance serves individuals and companies across the entire state of Georgia. While our physical office is located in Brunswick, we are fully licensed to write home, auto, business, and commercial auto insurance policies for clients in Savannah, Atlanta, Augusta, Blue Ridge, Woodbine, Woodstock, and any other Georgia community.

Georgia law requires all commercial vehicles to carry minimum liability limits of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage (25/50/25). However, depending on your vehicle weight and industry, state and federal laws often mandate much higher coverage limits. For instance, certain commercial fleets operating in Georgia must maintain state-specific filings like a Form E to prove financial responsibility. Coleman Insurance works with business owners statewide to ensure full compliance with Georgia Department of Public Safety regulations.

When setting up a Georgia auto insurance policy, you have two choices for Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage:

• Add-On UM: This coverage stacks on top of the at-fault driver’s insurance liability limits, giving you the maximum possible protection.

• Reduced (Traditional) UM: This coverage is reduced by the amount of the at-fault driver’s liability limits.

Because Georgia ranks high nationally for uninsured drivers, Coleman Insurance typically recommends Add-On UM to ensure you are fully protected regardless of what the other driver carries.

Home insurance in coastal regions like Brunswick, St. Simons Island, and Savannah requires special navigation due to windstorm, hurricane, and flood risks. Most Georgia homeowners policies in these areas feature a separate percentage-based wind/hail deductible (usually 1% to 5% of the home’s dwelling value) rather than a flat dollar amount. Because standard home insurance does not cover rising water, Coleman Insurance specializes in pairing standard policies with National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or private flood insurance to give Georgia homeowners complete peace of mind.

In Georgia, any business that regularly employs three or more people—including full-time, part-time, and corporate officers—is legally required to carry Workers’ Compensation insurance. Failing to maintain this coverage can lead to severe state penalties and civil lawsuits. At Coleman Insurance, we build comprehensive commercial packages that combine Workers’ Comp with General Liability to protect your business assets statewide.

Georgia law requires all drivers to carry a minimum liability coverage structure of 25/50/25 ($25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 for total bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage liability). Carrying only these state minimums leaves you highly exposed to personal lawsuits if you cause a severe accident. Coleman Insurance can design a policy with higher, safer limits to protect your personal assets—call for a quote today.

Georgia operates under a traditional tort (at-fault) system. The driver who is determined to be legally responsible for causing a motor vehicle accident is financially liable for all resulting medical bills, property damage, and pain and suffering. If you are involved in a dispute over fault, having the right coverage is essential. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write comprehensive auto policies that shield you from these unpredictable liabilities.

Georgia offers two distinct styles of Uninsured Motorist (UM) protection:

• Add-On (Excess) UM: This coverage stacks directly on top of whatever liability limits the at-fault driver carries.

• Reduced (Difference in Limits) UM: This coverage drops its payout by the amount of the at-fault driver’s policy limit.

Because Georgia ranks high nationally for uninsured drivers, call for a quote from Coleman Insurance to secure Add-On UM protection.

No. Under Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance regulations, a carrier can cancel a policy within the first 60 days for almost any underwriting reason. After 60 days, they can only cancel for specific legal triggers like non-payment of premium or a suspended license. If your current policy was suddenly dropped, the Coleman Insurance Agency can write a new policy to prevent a dangerous gap in your coverage.

If an insurance company decides not to renew your personal auto policy in Georgia, they must send you a formal written notice at least 30 days prior to the expiration date of the policy. If you have received a non-renewal notice from your current carrier, don’t wait; call for a quote from Coleman Insurance to seamlessly transition to a reliable carrier.

In Georgia, auto insurance generally follows the vehicle, not the person driving it. If you lend your car to a friend and they cause an accident, your comprehensive or liability insurance acts as the primary coverage. To make sure your permissive drivers are fully covered under your specific policy terms, let Coleman Insurance review your guidelines—call for a quote to verify your protection.

Medical Payments (MedPay) is an optional coverage built into Georgia auto policies that pays for immediate medical or funeral expenses for you and your passengers after an accident, regardless of who caused it. It features no deductible and pays out before your health insurance kicks in. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write MedPay directly into your personal auto policy for affordable, immediate medical peace of mind.

Yes. Georgia law permits insurance carriers to utilize an insurance credit score as a variable when calculating auto insurance premiums. A lower credit score can place you into a higher risk tier, elevating your premium costs. Fortunately, Coleman Insurance works with multiple top-rated carriers, meaning we can shop around to find the best rate for your situation—call for a quote to see your options.

Georgia uses a 50% modified comparative negligence rule. You can recover financial damages from an accident as long as you are less than 50% responsible for causing it, though your payout is reduced by your exact percentage of fault. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write policies with strong physical damage coverage, ensuring your vehicle repairs are taken care of while fault is being legally sorted out.

No. Standard personal auto insurance policies contain strict commercial exclusions that invalidate coverage the moment you log into an app like Uber or Lyft to carry passengers or delivery items. If you are earning money on the road, call for a quote from Coleman Insurance to add a specialized rideshare endorsement or commercial policy to keep you protected.

A Form E filing is a mandatory legal certificate submitted directly to the Georgia Department of Public Safety by an insurance carrier. It officially proves that a commercial motor carrier maintains the state-required liability insurance limits to protect the public. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write commercial auto policies and efficiently handle your necessary Form E state filings to keep your fleet legally operational.

A Form G filing is a specialized state financial responsibility certificate specifically required for intrastate cargo carriers operating within Georgia. It certifies that the commercial entity carries the legally required minimum levels of cargo liability insurance to protect goods in transit. For absolute compliance with Georgia cargo rules, call for a quote from Coleman Insurance.

For basic commercial vehicles operating purely within Georgia with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) under 10,000 pounds, the minimum is 25/50/25. However, for commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds GVWR, the state requires a minimum $100,000/$300,000/$50,000 structure, or a $300,000 combined single limit (CSL). The Coleman Insurance Agency can write tailored commercial policies that match your specific vehicle weights.

In compliance with federal Motor Carrier Act regulations adopted by Georgia, commercial vehicles hauling hazardous waste, oil, or dangerous materials must maintain either a $1 million or $5 million combined single limit (CSL) depending on the exact class of hazardous cargo. Protect your high-risk operations by contacting Coleman Insurance—call for a quote on specialized environmental and hazmat commercial auto lines.

Hired and Non-Owned Auto (HNOA) insurance provides liability protection for your business when employees drive their personal vehicles, rent cars, or borrow vehicles for business tasks. If an employee causes an accident while running a company errand in their personal car, HNOA protects the business entity from being sued. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write HNOA coverage directly into your general liability or commercial auto policy.

No. A standard commercial auto policy only provides liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage for the physical truck or van itself. To protect the actual goods, equipment, or products you are transporting for clients, call for a quote from Coleman Insurance to build a comprehensive policy package that includes Inland Marine or Motor Truck Cargo coverage.

A split-limit policy breaks down payouts into maximums per person, per accident, and for property damage. A Combined Single Limit (CSL) uses one total dollar bucket (e.g., $500,000 or $1,000,000) that can be deployed flexibly for bodily injuries, property damage, or both combined in a single occurrence. Coleman Insurance highly recommends CSL for businesses—call for a quote to see how a CSL policy can better protect your commercial operations.

Yes. Commercial auto underwriters require businesses to provide a complete Driver Schedule listing every employee who operates company vehicles. Failing to disclose regular drivers can result in a denied claim. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write policies that allow you to easily manage and update your driver schedules to maintain flawless compliance.

The MCS-90 is a federal endorsement attached to commercial auto policies ensuring that an injured member of the public receives compensation even if the underlying policy terms were violated. While it is fundamentally a federal interstate rule, Georgia requires an equivalent level of absolute public liability protection via state Form E filings. For expert navigation of interstate and intrastate trucking regulations, call for a quote from Coleman Insurance.

Physical damage to the vehicle chassis is covered under commercial auto, but specialized, high-value mounted equipment like cherry pickers, cranes, or specialized tools may require an Inland Marine endorsement to be fully covered against theft or damage while deployed at job sites. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write specialized riders to protect your specialized commercial machinery.

No. The state government of Georgia does not legally require you to carry homeowners insurance. However, if you have a mortgage, home equity loan, or line of credit, your lending institution will contractually require you to maintain continuous coverage to protect their investment. To find a policy that satisfies your lender while fitting your budget, call for a quote from Coleman Insurance.

For a home insurance policy active for more than 60 days, a carrier must provide a written notice at least 30 days prior to the effective date of cancellation or non-renewal. If the cancellation is purely for non-payment of premium, the required notice period drops to 10 days. If your property has been dropped by a carrier, the Coleman Insurance Agency can write a new policy immediately to secure your home.

An HO-3 policy is the standard homeowners form, offering “open perils” coverage for the dwelling structure and “named perils” for your personal property. An HE-7 policy is an enhanced policy form available in Georgia that provides open perils coverage for both the dwelling and personal property, offering significantly broader protection. To upgrade your home protection, call for a quote from Coleman Insurance.

Yes. Insurance companies operating in Georgia maintain strict underwriting guidelines regarding high-risk dog breeds (such as Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and Dobermans). A carrier can legally refuse to issue a policy or exclude animal liability coverage. If you are having trouble finding coverage because of a family pet, the Coleman Insurance Agency can write policies with carriers that offer flexible animal liability options.

If your policy evaluates your roof on an Actual Cash Value (ACV) basis, the insurer calculates the cost to replace the roof today and then deducts monetary value based on the roof’s age and wear. This can leave you paying a massive out-of-pocket sum for a replacement. To ensure your roof is covered for its full replacement cost, call for a quote from Coleman Insurance today.

A Replacement Cost Value (RCV) policy pays the actual dollar amount required to repair or replace the damaged parts of your home using materials of like kind and quality at current market prices, without deducting any money for age, wear, or depreciation. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write comprehensive RCV policies to fully protect the true value of your home.

Ordinance or Law coverage provides extra funds (usually 10% to 25% of your dwelling limit) to pay for the increased costs of construction required to bring a damaged home into compliance with modern local building codes. This is critical for older homes in historic or established Georgia communities. To see if your current policy features this vital protection, call for a quote and policy review from Coleman Insurance.

Standard home policies only cover mold if it is the direct result of a sudden and accidental water discharge (like a pipe bursting). They explicitly exclude mold resulting from long-term, slow leaks or ground flooding, capping sudden mold remediation payouts at $5,000 or $10,000. The Coleman Insurance Agencycan write specialized water backup and mold endorsements to broaden your home’s safety net.

Loss of Use (Additional Living Expenses) coverage pays for the necessary increase in living expenses you incur if your home is rendered uninhabitable by a covered peril like a fire. It covers hotel stays, short-term rental homes, and restaurant meals while your primary residence is being repaired. To ensure your family is taken care of during a displaced emergency, call for a quote from Coleman Insurance.

Yes. Detached items are covered under Coverage B (Other Structures) on a standard homeowners policy, which is automatically set at 10% of your primary Dwelling limit. If you have custom detached structures that exceed this 10% value, the Coleman Insurance Agency can write an increased limits endorsement to fully cover your auxiliary property.

Due to the severe threat of tropical storms and hurricanes along the Georgia coastline (counties like Glynn, Camden, and Chatham), insurers apply a percentage-based Wind/Hail deductible, typically ranging from 1% to 5% of the home’s total dwelling value rather than a flat dollar amount. As a coastal insurance specialist, Coleman Insurance helps you navigate these storm structures—call for a quote to secure optimal coastal wind terms.

You calculate a percentage deductible using your home’s total Dwelling limit, not the amount of the storm damage. For a $400,000 home with a 2% wind deductible, you must pay the first $8,000 of any wind or hurricane repair costs out of pocket. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write specialized wind-deductible buy-back policies to help lower your personal out-of-pocket risk during a major storm event.

No. Standard homeowners insurance policies contain an absolute exclusion for flood damage. A flood is legally defined as surface water rising from outside your home, overflowing bodies of water, or storm surge. To ensure your home doesn’t face catastrophic water damage unprotected, call for a quote on a dedicated flood policy from Coleman Insurance.

The federally backed National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) caps residential building coverage at a maximum of $250,000 and personal contents coverage at $100,000. If your Georgia home costs more than $250,000 to rebuild, the Coleman Insurance Agency can write a Private Excess Flood policy to fully bridge the coverage gap.

Private flood insurance is issued by private carriers rather than the federal government. Private policies often offer significantly higher coverage limits (exceeding $1 million), shorter waiting periods, and optional add-ons like Loss of Use, which the federal NFIP policy completely lacks. To compare federal vs. private flood solutions side-by-side, call for a quote from Coleman Insurance.

A standard NFIP flood policy carries a strict 30-day waiting period from the date of application and premium payment before it becomes active. The only major exception to this rule is if you are purchasing flood insurance in connection with closing on a home mortgage loan. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write private flood insurance policies that feature significantly shorter waiting periods (sometimes as low as 1 to 14 days).

Both federal and private flood insurance policies feature extremely limited coverage for below-ground spaces. Payouts are generally restricted to essential structural equipment like furnaces, water heaters, and clean-up costs. Personal property like furniture and finished basement walls are excluded. To review the crawlspace boundaries of your property, call for a quote and professional consultation from Coleman Insurance.

Risk Rating 2.0 is the Federal Environmental Management Agency’s (FEMA) modern pricing methodology for NFIP policies. Instead of relying broadly on generic flood zones on a map, it evaluates specific property variables: exact foundation height, proximity to water sources, and actual cost to rebuild. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write flood policies utilizing these precise modern metrics to secure the fairest possible rate for your unique structural elevation.

Yes, it is highly recommended. According to FEMA, roughly 25% of all flood insurance claims occur outside of high-risk Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs). Heavy rainstorms, localized drainage failures, and major tropical tracking systems can easily cause severe flooding in areas historically deemed low-risk. Protect your property by contacting Coleman Insurance—call for a quote on low-risk preferred flood rates today.

No. Even though a hurricane’s high winds push the water inland, the resulting damage from that rising ocean water is legally classified as surface flooding, not wind damage. Without a dedicated flood policy, your claims for storm surge damage will be completely denied. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write comprehensive, overlapping wind and flood portfolios to ensure you are never caught in a coverage dispute between carriers.

An Open Perils commercial policy covers your business property against all causes of loss unless a specific peril is explicitly listed as excluded in the policy text. A Named Perils policy only pays out for losses caused by the specific events written directly into the contract (such as fire or lightning). To ensure your business assets enjoy maximum protection, call for a quote on an open perils policy from Coleman Insurance.

A Coinsurance Clause requires a business owner to insure their commercial property for a set percentage of its true replacement value (usually 80% or 90%). If you underinsure your property and fail to meet this threshold, the carrier will apply a financial penalty, paying out only a fraction of any partial claim. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write policies with accurate property valuations to prevent coinsurance penalties from devastating your business.

Business Interruption (Business Income) coverage steps in if a covered physical disaster (like a structural fire) forces your business to close down temporarily. It compensates you for lost net income and pays for ongoing, fixed operational expenses like payroll, utility bills, and loan payments while your property is rebuilt. To secure your business continuity framework, call for a quote from Coleman Insurance.

The Period of Restoration is the specific window of time that Business Interruption insurance will pay out for lost revenue, typically beginning 72 hours after the physical damage occurs and ending when the property should be reasonably repaired. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write policies that optimize or extend this period, giving your business the cushion it needs to fully recover.

Yes. Inventory, raw materials, office computers, and specialized machinery are covered under Business Personal Property (BPP) coverage, which protects these items while they are located inside the insured building or within 100 feet of the described premises. To ensure your changing inventory levels are fully accounted for, call for a quote from Coleman Insurance.

Standard commercial property policies explicitly exclude damage caused by internal mechanical breakdowns, electrical arcing, short circuits, or pressure vessel explosions. Equipment Breakdown insurance fills this gap, covering the repair or replacement of HVAC systems and manufacturing machinery. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write Equipment Breakdown riders seamlessly into your commercial package.

This specialized endorsement extends your Business Interruption coverage to pay out if a disaster occurring off your premises (such as a local electrical substation catching fire) cuts off power, water, or internet services to your business, forcing an operational shutdown. To protect your business from off-site infrastructure failures, call for a quote from Coleman Insurance.

Yes. Depending on the age of your commercial building and your lease agreement, large plate-glass windows may require a specific Commercial Glass Endorsement. Many standard commercial policies cap glass replacement payouts or exclude them entirely unless caused by specific named perils. The Coleman Insurance Agency can write dedicated glass riders into your commercial property framework to ensure storefront protection.

If you lease a commercial space in Georgia and pay out of pocket for permanent upgrades (like custom flooring, lighting, or structural walls), those additions belong to the landlord but are your financial loss if destroyed. Improvements and Betterments coverage protects your financial investment in those permanent modifications. To protect your leased build-out, call for a quote from Coleman Insurance.

No. Standard commercial property policies only cover external crimes like burglary and vandalism. To protect your business cash, inventory, and accounts from internal fraud or embezzlement committed by your own staff, the Coleman Insurance Agency can write a separate Commercial Crime policy or endorsement to fully secure your operational capital.