Billyard Insurance Group - Richmond Hill - Mehboob Hemani

It's easy to miss out on ways to save money on your car insurance, so we've made a list of things to ask one of our trusted brokers when shopping for insurance!

1. Find out if you qualify for any discounts
2. Pay in full to save the interest fees
3. Shorten your commute (or consider taking transit or carpooling a few times a week)
4. Obey the law – don't speed, put your phone away, obey traffic signs
5. Use good judgment when lending your car to someone. Your rates can increase if they are in an accident with your vehicle.

When you are looking for home insurance options, there can be a lot of industry jargon that comes up in the process. Maybe you’ve heard people mention an “all-risk” policy or a “named-perils” policy – what does that even mean? And how does it change your insurance coverage?

First, when we talk about a risk or peril, we are referring to the cause of damage or loss. It could be a fire, basement flood, or falling tree causing damage to your home.

A named-perils policy only covers specific risks which are listed (named) on your policy. It’s a more basic coverage.

The all-risk option provides more comprehensive coverage because it’s assumed to cover all causes of loss – but there are a couple caveats.
1. It may be specific only to your building, your contents, or both.
2. Your policy might have exclusions. You still might not be covered for things such as war, nuclear events, earthquakes, water damage, and simple wear and tear on your property. In some cases, you might be able to add extra coverage for some of these things.

BIG brokers are committed to helping you understand the insurance coverage you are getting so that you can make an informed decision. If you ever have any questions, or want someone to review your policy, contact our BIG team for more information – we are always here to help!

The US land border is opening up to non-essential travel next week. This long-awaited decision has many adventurers feeling excited, as it opens up a realm of opportunities that hasn’t been available for what feels like forever.

Whether it’s a visit with family, a snowbird vacation, a road trip to an iconic city, or your first run to Target in 18 months (😂), there’s something you should know! Your provincial health insurance might not provide emergency medical coverage when outside of Canada – you need travel insurance.

Having to pay a hefty medical bill due to an injury, illness, or accident could put a significant damper on your trip, not to mention your finances. So, before you head over the border, contact a BIG insurance broker. We have plenty of travel insurance options that will give you peace of mind while you head out on your next adventure. Contact us now!

Heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity are some of the medical conditions that can increase your life insurance premiums. You don’t have control over all health issues, but practicing good health habits and being mindful of your behaviors can reduce your risk. Follow these tips to get healthy and potentially lower the cost of life insurance!

🏃 Get active. Exercise to get 150 active minutes per week and you not only feel better, you will improve your quality of life.

🥗 Eat better. Eating well to maintain a healthy weight is one of the most important things you can do to lower your risk for Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

🥦 Control cholesterol. High cholesterol leads to plaque buildup in the arteries which puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke.

🥕 Manage blood pressure. High blood pressure is another risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Keeping your blood pressure within healthy ranges can reduce the strain on your heart, arteries, and kidneys which keeps you healthy longer.

🫑 Lose weight. Being overweight can lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, and put you at higher risk for heart attacks. By working to lose weight, you will improve your energy and may pay less for your life insurance premium.

🚭 Don’t smoke. A smoker will pay more for life insurance than a non-smoker. Depending on the insurance carrier, most types of to***co product use will affect your rates. Quitting smoking will improve your health and save you money.

🥬 Reduce blood sugar. Most of the food we consume is turned into blood sugar. We, in turn, use this for energy. While we need that energy, there can be too much. Over time, high levels of blood sugar can put you at risk for heart disease and stroke.

Protecting your family and their financial future with life insurance is a must. Luckily, it doesn’t need to be hard on the pocketbook. Contact a BIG life insurance broker today to get a life insurance quote.

What Are Medical and Rehabilitation Benefits? Accident Benefits Explained A major injury resulting from a car accident could significantly impact your lifestyle and finances as you recover. Fortunately, car insurance in Alberta, On...

We are pleased to announce that we have been recognized by Insurance Business Canada Magazine as a 5-Star Brokerage for 2021! This is awarded to brokerages that exemplify top-tier expertise and excellent client service. It is an honour to be acknowledged for our commitment to continually provide a 5-star experience to new and existing clients.

Congratulations to the whole BIG team on a job well done!

What is Accident Forgiveness? | Accident Forgiveness Explained No one likes to pay more for insurance, right? At BIG we know that sometimes accidents are simply inevitable, even if you are the one at fault. But at-fault ...

Are your employees finding the right balance between work and life? With the increase of flexible working hours, the pressure to respond to clients asap, and being tethered to our devices 24/7, it can be a challenge to effectively disconnect from work.

You can’t ‘force’ your employees to disconnect from their devices, but there are things you can do to encourage it. It starts with you! Build a culture, define expectations, and create policies that bring the blurred boundaries back into focus. Your employees will thank you for it, and you’ll likely see increased productivity, too!

Here are some ways to encourage your employees to disconnect outside of work. Share these tips with your employees, colleagues, and fellow business owners!

⏰ Set your email system to only send out at certain times. If something comes to mind at 9 pm and you want to send it out before you forget, it will auto send at a set time, such as 6 am the next morning.

⏰ Implement “do not disturb hours” within your organization.

⏰ Use apps that restrict access to any apps and limit your phone usage. Make exceptions for the people important to you or send out custom autoreplies that let others know when you’ll be back.

⏰ Maximize your office hours. If you feel productive during the day, you are less likely to excuse after-hours work.

⏰ Model it and be consistent. People notice if you are calling in for an unimportant meeting or responding to menial emails while on vacation. They will assume that is what the culture is.

⏰ If there is an emergency, call. If it’s not important to call, it can wait. This alleviates your team from thinking important things happen by email.

Loss of Use & Rental Coverage After a car accident, repairs can take days, sometimes weeks to complete, same with vehicle shopping. While you’re waiting for repairs or finding the perfect...

You're out on the roads more; maybe you have a road trip planned, or a trip to a restaurant 😮

Whether your car is hit in a local parking lot, or far away from home, BIG has a reliable claims service that is there for you 24/7. If you're ever in an accident, once everyone's safety is ensured and it's time to call your insurance, give our claims line a call any day, any time at 1-866-670-0905.

Our team is always here for you and will help you with the claims process so that your life can get back to normal as soon as possible.

Insurance Telematics Discount Did you know you could save up to 30% on your car insurance renewal by just being a good driver? Telematics is a technology that tracks your driving habits a...

Explaining Water Damage Coverages You want simple and reliable home insurance coverage, but there are so many optional coverages it can feel overwhelming. Water damage coverage? Sewer backup ...

Car insurance is mandatory in Canada, but the requirements vary depending on which province you reside in. Some provinces have a public system, which is provided directly through provincial government, while other provinces are private, meaning multiple companies can compete to win your business. Both Ontario and Alberta are private insurance markets which means you can shop around to find the ideal rate for your situation.

What’s even better is finding an insurance broker who will do all the work on your behalf to find you the best possible price. At BIG, our Ontario and Alberta brokers are committed to finding reliable insurance coverage that is uniquely tailored to your situation without compromising quality and affordability.

If your insurance renewal is coming up, or you’re just tired of ever-increasing prices, get in contact with a broker today to find out how much time and money you could be saving!

Billyard Insurance Group - Richmond Hill - Mehboob Hemani updated their business hours.