You are giving up the right to sue for non-economic damages, more commonly known as “pain and suffering,” except in cases of serious injury. The law defines serious injury as death, serious impairment of body function or permanent, serious disfigurement. If your injury is determined to be serious, you will keep your right to sue for non-economic damages even if you have elected limited tort. This selection will be effective whether you are going after the responsible driver’s insurance company or if you are filing the claim with your own, under an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim.

Even if you’ve elected limited tort, you can still sue for pain and suffering under certain circumstances. Common examples are when the responsible driver is convicted of or accepts Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition for driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, or if the responsible driver’s vehicle is registered in another state.

Yes. You can still sue to recover these damages.

Yes. Your selection of limited tort applies to your ability to sue others under your policy. Should you be at fault in an accident, the injured parties can seek recovery from you for any economic damages. Their ability to sue you for non-economic damages is determined by whether they elected the limited-tort or full-tort option on their own policy.

You could receive a reduction in premium for choosing limited tort. Beginning in 2004, you could receive up to a 40 percent reduction in premium for bodily injury, first-party benefits and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

No. The premium for other coverage under your personal automobile policy such as comprehensive and collision are not affected by your tort selection.

Making such a personal decision about your options is yours – and yours alone under the law. As your professional independent agent, the Wolf Insurance Agency can help explain these tort options and your policy coverage choices. Our agency’s job is to help provide you with information on these choices so that you can make informed decisions.

No. Homeowners insurance is not mandated, but if you’re financing your home, your mortgage lender will require you to have your property insured to protect the value of the home. Even if you own the property outright, having insurance on your property is highly recommended to protect your asset.

Most homeowners insurance policies cover the home/property itself and personal belongings. In addition, standard plans provide liability coverage if someone injures themselves in your house or on your property. And if your home suffers severe damage and you are unable to live there, loss of use will pay for temporary housing.

Yes. Your belongings, from furniture, clothes, jewelry, tools, appliances, etc., are covered under most homeowners insurance policies. If you have specific items you want to make sure are insured, ask about these items before purchasing your coverage.

The answer to this question is different for everyone as it depends on your situation. Typically a good rule of thumb is to calculate how much it will cost to pay off your debts, including your mortgage. Next, you should consider how much your dependents will need to maintain the same lifestyle after you’re gone. These two factors will generally give you a good idea of how much insurance you need.

This depends on many factors and costs differ based on each person insured. Typically age, gender, medical/health status and lifestyle are looked at to consider the cost of your premium.

Over the term of your policy, you may need to reassign your beneficiaries. This can usually be done by requesting a change to the policy, but it’s always good to know up front what this process is before you buy.

You’ve worked hard enough to build your business, so it’s a good idea to protect it. You don’t want to risk the business’s viability when something unforeseen arises. A basic business insurance policy will protect the value of the assets you purchase for your company. Coverage protects property loss, theft or liability issues if you are ever sued.

Many factors play a role in determining the cost of your business insurance policy. A few of these factors include the size of your business, annual revenue, the value of your company’s assets, risk factors associated with your industry and number of employees.

One of the best things you can do is to perform an annual risk assessment of your business and determine actions you can take to lower your premiums. Your Wolf Insurance agent is a great resource to help you review and fine-tune your policy on an ongoing basis to make sure your coverage limits align with the size and needs of your business.

Nearly all Pennsylvania employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. This includes small businesses with one or more employees. You must have active workers’ comp policies for all staff on your payroll. Workers’ compensation insurance provides coverage to injured workers who sustain job-related illness or injury.

It is common for new business owners to purchase a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) to protect their business. This type of policy tailors its coverage specifically for small businesses.