Auto accidents happen all the time. Just because there are less people on the road doesn't mean car accidents stop happening. Hopefully, they are less frequent, but they still happen. So, what do you do if you have an accident right now during the lockdown? Are you covered? Will someone be able to help you? Will you be able to get a rental car?
If you have an accident at any time while your insurance policy is in force you will have coverage up to your policy limits. The state declared insurance companies a vital industry and they are open and running. Most companies have set up their claims service representatives to work from home and they have access to all your policy information. The process should work just as well as it would any other time. 
The body shops are open and repairing vehicles. If you want to get your car fixed you can. If you want to get an estimate it is best to call ahead and make an appointment. 
Rental car companies are also open. If you have rental car coverage or if someone else is at fault you will still be able to get alternate transportation. In fact you might be able to get a free upgrade if you ask. Many rental car companies have so many cars parked because people aren't taking trips right now. Make sure you ask and see what you can get.
The important thing to remember is that your auto insurance is going to work just like it does at any other time. One thing you don't have to worry about is not being able to get your car fixed. If you have any questions you can always call your auto insurance carrier or agent. For an insurance quote you can reach me at 951-395-0754.

Good news everyone. Your insurance companies are open for business during the lockdown. I'm not sure our services are vital but your companies are working hard to staff call centers. Actually, a lot of call centers sent their employees to work from home. But, they are available if you need to talk with them.
If you happen to buy or lease a car you can still get a new auto policy or make changes to your current auto insurance policy.
If you want to make changes or have questions you can reach a representative. Additionally, and probably most important if you have an accident a claims representative will also be available to assist you. 
If you are bored and want to shop your insurance rates give us a call at 951-395-0754.

A few years back home insurance companies decided to start inspecting most newly insured properties. After years of claims on homes that were in bad condition before the insurance policies were written they made this change. There are companies out there that only handle insurance inspections. The inspections can run from a simple drive by, meaning they just check the area around the home to make sure it is in good shape. Some inspections include a walk around. They will get out and photo your house from all angles. They will check your roof and make sure the property is in good condition. And finally their are companies that will do an interior and exterior home inspection. 
The insurance company will use these inspections for two purposes. The first is to make sure the home is in insurable condition. Meaning the roof is in good shape, the exterior is clean and there are no fences falling over. 
The other reason for the inspection is to make sure the home is valued correctly by your agent. If the agent rated the home with a basic kitchen and they find it has granite and custom cabinets they will adjust the valuation of the home.
In most situations the home insurance company is looking for major issues. Not minor ones. But, if they find a roof they determine is in bad condition they will either cancel the policy before 60 days has passed from the effective date. Or they will send you a notice that the repair needs to be completed before a renewal will be issued.
The other letter you could get from the insurance company is telling you the valuation on your home has changed. If the home insurance company reviews the photos and determines the valuation is too low they will increase it and bill you the difference.  
Both of these letters from the home insurance company can lead to a new customer getting upset. As a licensed agent we always try to do our best to ask the proper questions to avoid both of these situations. But, they do happen. If you are looking for a quote on home insurance give us a call at 951-395-0754.

It's been an overly dry winter here in southern California this year. Apparently, all the rain is going north through Washington and Oregon this winter. But, I woke up this morning and looked at the weather forecast and it basically showed rain every day for the next week. Uhm, it would have been nice to spread this out a bit. 
Inevitably when the rain starts coming insurance companies start getting calls about leaky roofs. I had one customer who I was trying to insure and he was quick to point out all his water damaged walls. He then went on to ask if those would be covered by his new home insurance policy. At that point I had to let him know that we wouldn't be able to issue a policy until he repaired or replaced his roof. And, if we did insure his home any pre existing damage would not be covered. 
There are a few things to know about water damage. The first is that if you have a bad roof and it leaks no insurance company is going to cover the damage. It is the homeowners responsibility to make sure they maintain the house properly. That means if you need a new roof you put one on the house. And insurance companies can tell if a leak is new or it has been there for awhile. 
Almost all my insurance companies will do some sort of a home inspection. They will either do an exterior to look at your roof and the surrounding areas. In some cases they will also do an interior inspection. After the inspection is completed if they find something they don't like they can cancel the policy. All home insurance companies have 60 days to cancel a new business policy in California. Most of the time however they will send a letter telling you what needs to be corrected and by what date it should be done. 
The important thing to remember is that a better maintained home will usually have less risk for insurance claims. Insurance companies understand that and if they find a home that is in disrepair they will often send a notice stating the policy will be cancelled. If you have any questions about how your home insurance inspection works call your agent or give us a call at 951-395-0754.

On Saturday morning I was sitting in the parking lot waiting for my daughter's track meet to start. I decided it was a good time to visit an old friend. I put the radio on am 640. It was 8:00 in the morning and it was time for Handel on the Law. Bill Handel has been doing his radio show forever in the Los Angeles area and it is always entertaining. In the past I have done an insurance rewind and answered some of his insurance questions with a little bit more knowledge and explanation. I decided it was time to do another episode.
Now, usually the insurance questions come fast and furious. But, this episode started out with a German guy who Handel insisted was Indian. Another guy who was being evicted from his apartment called for help. Classic Handel kicked him to the curb and told him to call the housing department for an answer. 
Finally, we got a call from a lady who had been in a auto accident about a year ago. She went on to explain that she was hit by another car and had suffered some injuries. Apparently, she was using her Medical Payment coverage from her auto insurance to cover deductibles and other medical bills. She seemed a little confused why her auto insurance company was telling her they would need to get repaid for the money they paid on her behalf.  Handel was quick to move on from this call and told her she should read her policy declaration. Thanks Handel!
I believe that there was a little confusion between this woman's claims adjuster and herself. The adjuster may have meant that when they subrogate from the other insurance company they will try to collect the money they paid. Basically, subrogation is a term that an insurance company uses when they send a demand letter to the opposing insurance carrier to collect monies they paid out.
In short yes this woman's insurance company will want their money back. But, they are not seeking it from their insured. They are seeking from the other insurance carrier. It will be part of all the bills they paid for including damage to the vehicle.
Medical Payment can be a bit of a confusing coverage for people. The way I explain it to people is that it is coverage for any injuries you may sustain in an auto accident. You can use it for dental work, broken bones, massages and other things that you may need to recover from an accident. It is primary coverage and it can be used if you are at fault or someone else is at fault.
Now over the years insurance companies have been reducing this coverage and limiting your options. Auto insurance companies really don't want to be in the injury business. Most companies have capped this coverage. And in the past you could by excess medical which was designed to be an addition to your health insurance. Most companies got rid of that. To make their lives easier they made it primary coverage and capped the amount they would pay.
That's the only insurance call I had time for on Saturday. If you have any insurance questions please feel free to give me a call at 951-395-0754,