Who Needs Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Every state, including Mississippi, requires drivers to carry a minimum standard of liability coverage. We all know that not everyone on the road has this mandatory coverage, however. In the Magnolia State, more people ignore this statute than in any other region. Some reports, according to the Wall Street Journal, indicate as many as 28 percent of Mississippi motorists are uninsured. That’s more than double the national average and indicates two in six drivers on the road do not carry insurance.

When you are involved in a collision with an uninsured motorist, this type of coverage can significantly help. Even though the other driver may be at fault, this coverage can help pay for treating your injuries and can sometimes even help repair your damaged vehicle. Without insurance, the other driver may still be responsible for these costs, but securing their payment would involve attorney fees and taking them to court.

More commonly, this type of insurance can help even if the other driver has insurance. Unfortunately, Mississippi’s minimum standards of liability coverage have not been updated in decades. What may have been sufficient coverage 20 years ago is no longer adequate to cover the rising cost of medical care.  These days, if a motorist only carries the bare minimum to meet state regulations, chances are very likely that he or she is underinsured. If you are involved in a collision with an underinsured driver, their policy is typically not nearly enough to cover the cost of you or your passengers’ injuries, not to mention any damages. By carrying this type of coverage yourself, you can avoid the added expense of such accidents.

Everyone can benefit from carrying uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, but it can especially protect drivers in Mississippi where driving without insurance is so common. Just how much coverage you need depends on a few details. The limits for this coverage can range from $25,000 up to $1 million. Some insurance providers require the amount to be equal to your bodily injury liability limit, while others have fewer restrictions.

Our agents can answer any questions you may have about your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. We will help identify your auto insurance needs, suggest coverage options, and also assist you in finding a number of quotes from a variety of providers with which to compare. Contact a SouthGroup member agent near you to find out how you can obtain the best auto insurance coverage at the most affordable rates.




Your Trusted Choice Insurance Agent, SouthGroup Insurance Gulf Coast wants you to know you can call on us with your questions or concerns seeking more helpful advice or answers to your pressing insurance questions. A full insurance review is always your best bet to make sure you have all of the adequate coverage for your personal insurance needs. Remember, we offer a personalized insurance review to anyone who is interested at no charge – just visit any one of our 3 convenient coastal locations!

We are your LOCAL Trusted Choice Advisors, SouthGroup-Gulf Coast http://www.southgroupgulfcoast.com ,  SALES AND SERVICE AGENTS: Angelyn Treutel Zeringue, Tammy Garfield, Tammy Hogue, Brittany Jones, Denise Russell, Melissa Moran, Alex Treutel, Anne Gillam, Ashlie Moody, Mark Strickland, and Whitney Zimmerman at SouthGroup Gulf Coast. You can reach us by snail-mail or in person: 412 Hwy 90, Suite 6, Bay St Louis MS 39520, email: info@southgropugulfcoast.com , phone: 228-466-4498 fax:888-415-8922,  FaceBook www.facebook.com/southgroup.gulfcoast, or Twitter www.twitter.com/atreutel !

We have 3 Gulf Coast locations to serve you - 2505 Pass Road - Biloxi, 5400 Indian Hill-Diamondhead, and 412 Hwy 90 Suite 6-Bay Saint Louis, MS. We write coverage in 40 different states and can assist you with Mississippi insurance, Louisiana insurance, and Alabama insurance and many other states.

Insurance is stressful, but we make saving easy.  We help you save money on insurance!

#southgroup   @stateauto  @libertymutual @TRV_insurance @safecoinsurance @progressive #savemoney @atreutel

Nonprofit Insurance to Be Sure Good Deeds Go Unpunished

As you sift through your shoe-string budget, write countless and endless grant applications and find revenue anywhere from couch cushions to the generous donations of your endowment funds, locating enough to cover those insurance premiums can be a daunting task for a nonprofit director. Finding the right insurance policy that covers your risks while fitting into that tightly knit budget can also be difficult.

Depending on whether your organization rents or owns its space, you may or may not need property insurance. In either case, your policy should cover the contents of your building such as computers, copiers, and other office equipment. If your organization works with people in any type of consulting fashion, such as those in the domestic violence non-profit realm, you will also want to purchase professional liability insurance that can protect you from claims that volunteers or staff gave poor advice or services.

Even if your non-profit only employs one staff member and the rest is operated by volunteers, you are most likely required to carry worker’s compensation and unemployment insurance. In some states and industries you may also be obligated to purchase disability insurance.

One policy that is often overlooked is known as D&O insurance. Your nonprofit’s board of directors and officers (many of whom are volunteers) could be personally named in a lawsuit against your nonprofit alleging fraud or financial mismanagement. If a board member invests the nonprofit’s assets unwisely and causes financial ruin, a creditor may sue the nonprofit as well as its directors and officers. In such a case, you’d want directors and officers (D&O) insurance to cover the cost of defending the directors and officers and pay any resulting financial damages.

Whatever your nonprofit organization’s insurance needs may be, our knowledgeable agents can help. These experienced agents work for your organization, not the insurance companies, enabling them to locate you a number of quotes with the best coverage options at the most affordable rates. Contact us to find out how your nonprofit can be insured against risks without diverting too much of your hard-found finances.




Your Trusted Choice Insurance Agent, SouthGroup Insurance Gulf Coast wants you to know you can call on us with your questions or concerns seeking more helpful advice or answers to your pressing insurance questions. A full insurance review is always your best bet to make sure you have all of the adequate coverage for your personal insurance needs. Remember, we offer a personalized insurance review to anyone who is interested at no charge – just visit any one of our 3 convenient coastal locations!

We are your LOCAL Trusted Choice Advisors, SouthGroup-Gulf Coast http://www.southgroupgulfcoast.com ,  SALES AND SERVICE AGENTS: Angelyn Treutel Zeringue, Tammy Garfield, Tammy Hogue, Brittany Jones, Denise Russell, Melissa Moran, Alex Treutel, Anne Gillam, Ashlie Moody, Mark Strickland, and Whitney Zimmerman at SouthGroup Gulf Coast. You can reach us by snail-mail or in person: 412 Hwy 90, Suite 6, Bay St Louis MS 39520, email: info@southgropugulfcoast.com , phone: 228-466-4498 fax:888-415-8922,  FaceBook www.facebook.com/southgroup.gulfcoast, or Twitter www.twitter.com/atreutel !

We have 3 Gulf Coast locations to serve you - 2505 Pass Road - Biloxi, 5400 Indian Hill-Diamondhead, and 412 Hwy 90 Suite 6-Bay Saint Louis, MS. We write coverage in 40 different states and can assist you with Mississippi insurance, Louisiana insurance, and Alabama insurance and many other states.

Insurance is stressful, but we make saving easy.  We help you save money on insurance!

#southgroup   @stateauto  @libertymutual @TRV_insurance @safecoinsurance @progressive #savemoney @atreutel

What are the Advantages to Having a Trusted Choice® Independent Insurance Agent?

An independent insurance agent does not work for one particular insurance company, but one who has access to a variety of providers. How can working with an agent that is not tied to one insurance company benefit you?
One of the biggest advantages of using the services of an independent insurance agent is choice. Going through a “captive” agent, or one who works for a single company, often limits the coverage options available. An independent agent can help you shop for unique coverage options or more appropriate values and limits that may not be available through Big Insurance Shop X.

Another benefit of using an independent insurance agent is cost savings. Captive agents can be tempted into selling you more insurance than you actually need in order to increase the company’s bottom line. An independent agent doesn’t work for the insurance company – they work for you. These agents are also able to offer proposals from a variety of insurers, allowing you to choose options with better coverage at more affordable rates.

Working with an independent agent can also provide you with much needed, unbiased advice. Captive agents are trained in making it appear their offer is the best option for you. Independent insurance agents are not bound to a single company and can give you honest advice about a particular policy or coverage option.

In the event you need to file a claim, independent insurance agents are there to help you through the process. Having a trained professional working for you, instead of the insurance company, gives you confidence that you will receive a fair settlement that covers your losses.

Trusted Choice® independent insurance agents at SouthGroup offer these advantages and more. Our experienced, knowledgeable agents are always available to answer any questions you may have, thoroughly explain your options, identify your needs (and not the insurance company’s) and assist you in filing a claim. If freedom of choice, saving money, unbiased and professional advice and help when you need it sounds like the type of insurance you are interested in, an independent insurance agent is the way to go. Contact a SouthGroup agent near you to find out how you can find the best coverage at the most affordable rates through an agent who works for you.

Your Trusted Choice Insurance Agent, SouthGroup Insurance Gulf Coast wants you to know you can call on us with your questions or concerns seeking more helpful advice or answers to your pressing insurance questions. A full insurance review is always your best bet to make sure you have all of the adequate coverage for your personal insurance needs. Remember, we offer a personalized insurance review to anyone who is interested at no charge – just visit any one of our 3 convenient coastal locations!

We are your LOCAL Trusted Choice Advisors, SouthGroup-Gulf Coast http://www.southgroupgulfcoast.com ,  SALES AND SERVICE AGENTS: Angelyn Treutel Zeringue, Tammy Garfield, Tammy Hogue, Brittany Jones, Denise Russell, Melissa Moran, Alex Treutel, Anne Gillam, Ashlie Moody, Mark Strickland, and Whitney Zimmerman at SouthGroup Gulf Coast. You can reach us by snail-mail or in person: 412 Hwy 90, Suite 6, Bay St Louis MS 39520, email: info@southgropugulfcoast.com , phone: 228-466-4498 fax:888-415-8922,  FaceBook www.facebook.com/southgroup.gulfcoast, or Twitter www.twitter.com/atreutel !

We have 3 Gulf Coast locations to serve you - 2505 Pass Road - Biloxi, 5400 Indian Hill-Diamondhead, and 412 Hwy 90 Suite 6-Bay Saint Louis, MS. We write coverage in 40 different states and can assist you with Mississippi insurance, Louisiana insurance, and Alabama insurance and many other states.

Insurance is stressful, but we make saving easy.  We help you save money on insurance!

#southgroup   @stateauto  @libertymutual @TRV_insurance @safecoinsurance @progressive #savemoney @atreutel

Got the Right Business Insurance? Inquiring Minds Need to Know

Businesses face the same types of risks as individuals, and then some. Fires, car accidents, slips, falls, illnesses and injuries—and resulting lawsuits—are just some of the risks that businesses of all kinds face every day just by opening their doors to workers and customers. Whether your business is a multi-million dollar corporation or a sole proprietorship headquartered in your basement, you need some type of business insurance to protect your investment and your livelihood from all of the risks that you face.

Not every business needs the same type of business insurance, but most businesses—small or large—need a variety of policies that together address general business risks and more tailored industry or business-specific risks. Our job is to work together with you to uncover the specific threats to your business and recommend insurance policies and other techniques to protect your business property and assets, as well as provide liability protection in case you are sued.
Most business owners need a comprehensive property and liability insurance package at a minimum, as well as certain specialty polices that protect against the unique risks that they face.

Commercial Property Coverage
Business property insurance protects you when your business property is damaged by someone else or by some type of unforeseen event. You need business property insurance if you own your building or have tangible business assets. A commercial property policy protects things like office equipment, computers, inventory and tools from fire, vandalism, smoke, theft and other perils. Commercial property insurance policies usually include business interruption coverage, which protects your earnings if your business is unable to operate because of damage caused by some type of covered peril.

Commercial Auto Coverage
Commercial auto insurance protects your company’s vehicles and drivers. It covers your business cars, SUVs, vans and trucks if they are damaged in a collision or some other type of event. If you do not have any company-owned vehicles but you or your employees drive personal vehicles for business purposes, you need to have non-owned or hired auto coverage to protect your company if an employee is in an accident while driving a personal vehicle for business purposes.

Liability Coverage
All businesses need some type of liability coverage. Commercial general liability (CGL) insurance protects you against damage that you cause to other people or other people’s property (bodily injury liability and property damage liability).

A lawsuit or a liability judgment rendered against your business can be financially devastating and your CGL policy can be your last line of defense. It provides coverage for damage that you, your employees, or your products or services cause or are alleged to have caused to a third party. In addition, commercial general liability insurance provides coverage for the cost of your legal defense if you are sued.

Some businesses may need additional liability policies to protect them from certain unique liability risks inherent to their business. Additional business liability policies that you must consider include professional liability (errors and omissions) insurance, cyber liability insurance, product liability insurance, employment practices liability insurance, and others.

Small business owners often purchase both property and liability coverage in one convenient package called a business owners policy, or BOP. BOPs often include commercial property coverage, commercial liability coverage and business interruption coverage.

Workers’ Compensation Coverage
Workers’ compensation insurance protects employees who are injured on the job. It provides income replacement and medical benefits to workers who sustain an illness or injury that is caused by performing job duties. Employees are protected from the costs of treating the injury and from losing income while they are unable to work, and you are protected from the likelihood that an injured employee will sue you for additional damages. State workers’ compensation laws vary, but most employers are required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance or face fines for non-compliance.

Other Types of Coverage
Depending on the type and size of your business you may need additional types of insurance policies to protect various aspects of your business. Some employers may choose to provide a variety of employee benefits, including group health insurance, dental insurance and others. Construction companies may need additional types of construction insurance as well as various types of bonds in order to obtain new business. Manufacturers, restaurants, retail establishments and many more types of businesses will need a combination of coverage types that address the exposures they face while doing business.

You need an independent insurance agent who can serve all of your unique business insurance needs. We can help you find the best policies that suit your needs and budget requirements. Are you interested in learning more about the different types of insurance your business needs? Do you have the right insurance policies and risk management techniques in place to protect you livelihood and your employees?


Your Trusted Choice Insurance Agent, SouthGroup Insurance Gulf Coast wants you to know you can call on us with your questions or concerns seeking more helpful advice or answers to your pressing insurance questions. A full insurance review is always your best bet to make sure you have all of the adequate coverage for your personal insurance needs. Remember, we offer a personalized insurance review to anyone who is interested at no charge – just visit any one of our 3 convenient coastal locations!

We are your LOCAL Trusted Choice Advisors, SouthGroup-Gulf Coast http://www.southgroupgulfcoast.com ,  SALES AND SERVICE AGENTS: Angelyn Treutel Zeringue, Tammy Garfield, Tammy Hogue, Brittany Jones, Denise Russell, Melissa Moran, Alex Treutel, Anne Gillam, Ashlie Moody, Mark Strickland, and Whitney Zimmerman at SouthGroup Gulf Coast. You can reach us by snail-mail or in person: 412 Hwy 90, Suite 6, Bay St Louis MS 39520, email: info@southgropugulfcoast.com , phone: 228-466-4498 fax:888-415-8922,  FaceBook www.facebook.com/southgroup.gulfcoast, or Twitter www.twitter.com/atreutel !

We have 3 Gulf Coast locations to serve you - 2505 Pass Road - Biloxi, 5400 Indian Hill-Diamondhead, and 412 Hwy 90 Suite 6-Bay Saint Louis, MS. We write coverage in 40 different states and can assist you with Mississippi insurance, Louisiana insurance, and Alabama insurance and many other states.

Insurance is stressful, but we make saving easy.  We help you save money on insurance!

#southgroup   @stateauto  @libertymutual @TRV_insurance @safecoinsurance @progressive #savemoney @atreutel