Warren Fisher wrote: > A Word to the Wise, guys. Keep your home operations secret! > That little mistake is costing me $300 a month just for shop space! Warren, list, Once again my empathy goes out to you. This is even a more difficult situation the the broken plate because, as James pointed out, it will take several years to sort it out, if ever! (Oh yeah, just any case anyone wondered why I took a 75% pay cut to become a piano tech, multiply this problem by the 1500 clients I served.) 1. Find an agent you like, trust and serves your needs rather than the insurance company. Agents get paid commission, so YOU pay his wages, not the company. 2. Please DO NOT hide the fact that you do piano work in your home! ***If your Agent/Company is not told of the home based business and you have a claim, they have the legal grounds to deny the claim. They consider this misrepresentation, and in todays insurance climate, they will strictly interpret the policy.*** NOTE: Personal insurance policies allow for a home based business. In Texas, an insured is allowed up to 500 sq.ft. for business use in the home. Any liability associated with the business is specifically excluded. 3. Do find out what the business limitations are in your state and discuss this with your agent before you buy the policy. I can only speak for Texas. (We were licensed for Claims in Louisiana, not sales.) Basically, consider the additional $300 a blessing. Most non-standard policies that would provide the coverage you need would be much more costly than that. I would also consider this a buying you 12 months of shopping time. Start with your existing agent, find out the LA statutes concerning home based business, and do what it takes to fit them. For example, my shop is a 14 x 20 room attached to my 2-car garage.That 280 sq.ft. is well within the allowed 500 s/f. However, it has double doors opening into my garage. When the insurance inspectors arrive, piano stuff is in the shop, cars are in the garage. Otherwise, I back the cars out and spill over into the garage for pulling plate, re-stringing, re-finishing, etc. Good luck. Danny Moore Houston Chapter
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