Things are challenging right now in all aspects of life.  So, we need to look for positive things along the way.  Auto Insurance companies have been responding to the crisis in a positive way.  It makes me feel good to see insurance companies I represent doing good things for their customers. Here are a few positive things that have come across my email over the last week.
Mercury Insurance is removing the exclusion for delivery drivers. They took a look to see how they could help their customers and decided this was a great way to help. Some restaurants now are only doing delivery and curb side pick up. By removing this exclusion restaurant workers can now feel comfortable driving their cars if asked to deliver meals to peoples homes. This is only a temporary change but I thought it was a very nice thing that the company did.
Mercury Auto Insurance is also working on a rate reduction for April and May for their customers. They realize that people are driving less and they decided this was another way they could help out.
​Nationwide has also decided to do a premium give back. They will be issuing $50.00 credits to peoples accounts during the next month. It's their way of helping out.
Not all companies are returning premiums or changing their policies. But, it is nice that I am able represent these companies and to pass on some good news.
​If you are in the market for auto insurance give me a call at 951-395-0754.

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,

We are on week 8 since my car got in an accident. Yup, the first week and a half I just drove my sad damaged car. But, after that it was time to get into a rental car. So, what is life like in a rental car for that long? 
For about six weeks I was driving a Nissan Rogue. At first I wasn't a fan. The engine and transmission were a little less than great. I always felt the car was looking for the right gear and never finding it. I also thought the design of the car wasn't the nicest. The interior was also meh. It wasn't terrible but it wasn't great. The one thing that annoyed me was all the circular buttons. The heat, radio and start button were all in the same area and they were all circles of varying size. But, the more I drove the car I learned to appreciate it a bit. The tech features were nice. It had the swipe your foot and the hatch opens like magic. The radio stayed on when the car was off which my car doesn't do for very long. Overall however I'm not trading my car for a Nissan Rogue.
After about six weeks I got myself a Hyundai Elantra.  I hadn't been in a Hyundai in 15 maybe 20 years since I rented one in Atlanta for my cousin's wedding. Wow, they make a much nicer car now. The engine and transmission are fun. It isn't very fast from a start even in sport mode. But, it shifts at the right times and you can rev the rpm's a little bit in this car. The fuel economy is really good. I had it for two weeks and didn't even use a tank of gas. Yes, it is smaller than the Nissan. But, I like the ride. I like the technology in this car. It has lane assist. Meh, kinda not the most useful thing. It does have auto braking if you don't start slowing down it will. That's kinda fun. The backup camera is good and clear. The styling is nice. Overall minus the less than exciting interior I like this car. It's an adjustment crawling into a low car but I've always liked smaller cars.
Since I got the rental car I have just been covering the car under my auto insurance. That means I am not paying extra to the rental company's auto insurance. Now, not everyone has that option. There are several car insurance companies that will not cover you in a rental car. Make sure before you get the rental you ask your company if they cover you in the rental car. Two things I always like to remind people are that if you wreck the rental car you will have to pay your deductible. The other thing to know is that your insurance will not pay the rental car companies "loss of use". That means if they can't rent the car out the company can bill you for the amount of time it is in the shop and they can bill you depreciation on the value of the car if it is damaged. If you truly don't want to be out of pocket for an accident buy the rental car insurance.  
Now are either of my rentals better than my car. No, I really like my car. I like how it drives the styling and the comfort. But, my take away was that if my daughter ever starts driving, she's almost 17 now that the Hyundai would be a nice first car. Not a new one, but if I could find a nice used one sign me up. If you need a quote for some auto insurance give me a call at 951-395-0754!

Hopefully you all survived Valentine's Day without any major drama. Lord, talk about a day where we are set up to fail. All the pressure to do something on one day. I did see some "lucky" people in hot air balloons this morning. Actually, I've never seen so many in the sky at the same time. I'm assuming those were some residual weekend vacationers. I opted to get my kids some heart shaped donuts and call it a day.  The restaurant situation was scary on Friday. Combine a regular Friday night with this day and it made for long waits and full restaurants. I hope you didn't wait too long to make a reservation. Otherwise that's a tough conversation to have with your partner. 
The American Heart Association has chosen February to make the month heart awareness month. I'm imagining because it piggybacks on Valentine's Day.  Some important statistics to be aware of from their website included heart disease is the number one killer of women. That surpasses all cancers combined. That's a huge statistic. Things that you can do to help prevent a problem include: 
G: GET YOUR NUMBERS; Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure and cholesterol.
O: OWN YOUR LIFESTYLE: Stop smoking, lose weight, exercise, and eat healthy.
It’s up to you. No one can do it for you.
R: REALIZE YOUR RISK: We think it won’t happen to us, but heart disease kills one of three women.
E: EDUCATE YOUR FAMILY; Make healthy food choices for you and your family.
Teach your kids the importance of staying active.
D: DON’T BE SILENT: Tell every woman you know that heart disease is our No. 1 killer.
https://newsroom.heart.org/events/february-2020-american-heart-month-and-go-red-for-women

Along with staying healthy and being proactive you should also look into life insurance. It's a great time to review your current life insurance policies. And if you don't have any life insurance it is a great time to get a policy. There are so many options and ways to fit it into your budget. Call today to get your insurance quote. 951-395-0754

Teenagers are an interesting species. They aren't quite human and they aren't quite animals, they seem to fall somewhere into a grey zone between the two. Eventually, most turn into humans. Some sadly devolve into other unworldly creatures. In my mind it would be nice to have a quiet polite teen that is only interested in books and making sure they don't disappoint mom and dad? 
Well, that's not my teenager. I have a teenage daughter that always wants to have friends over and throw an occasional party. It seems like I am always hosting events, where are all the other parents willing to take a hit? Why am I always being asked to host these things? Am I the only sucker willing to have twenty rabid teenage kids to my house?
My 16 year old daughter really enjoys hosting parties. They run from a classy dinner party for Halloween where we served up black pasta, spider pizza and mummy hot dogs. The other extreme was a pretty loud dance party with lots of questionable music.
I got a little reprieve from the host duties this past weekend. It was the neighbors turn to host. Their son was turning 16 and of course my daughter was in charge of helping to set up and invite the girls. As I walked the dog past the party I could tell my daughter was the DJ. Uhm, her music is not exactly something that makes a parent proud. But, as I walked farther I thought about all the inherent risks we homeowners take when our teens invite people over. My neighbor put in a pool last year. Just adding a pool increases your home insurance liability risks. Then add 20 teenagers and all of a sudden your liability risks go up even further. I'd like to think that we all have good kids and we do... at least as far as I know. Trouble is mitigated by the type of kids that come into the home. Even with all the good kids inevitably a few bad ones do sneak in. When that happens it is up to the parents to make sure that things don't get out of control. You don't want to put yourself in a situation where you have a liability claim against you.
You do have home insurance to protect against liability claims. But, it is your duty as a home insurance policy holder to do what you can to keep things safe. In my case if I am hosting minors you can be sure I will not be serving alcohol. Don't be that "cool" parent because that can get you in a lot of trouble legally and if someone was to get injured in a fight on your property you could also be sued. Be your kids police.
Every year you should review your policy limits. Make sure they are up to date so when your teenager talks you into having her friends over you know that you are protected if anything were to go wrong. Call today to get a quote and to review your home insurance limits. 951-395-0754
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Have you ever spent any extended time away from your car? Most of us may spend a week or two away on a trip. Then waiting for you at the airport you find your car buddy. Well, it's been just about a month since I've seen my car. And guess what? I miss it. What does this mean? Do I have feeling, dare I say an attachment to my car? Or do I just not like my rental that much?
Let's not get carried away here. Yes, I do miss my car. Yes, spending time with this rental car has made me appreciate my car even more. I also get a little sad when I pass the same make and model of my car that is in the shop. Anyone have the number for an auto therapist?
Hopefully, this week I will finally get my car back. The estimated return date is on the sixth. I can't wait to see my car's smiling grill. I wonder if it misses me too? I'm not expecting a welcome like I get from my dog. But, it will be nice to see my car's shiny exterior and to wrap my hands around the heated steering wheel again. Maybe it will give me a cute beep from it's horn when I see it. That would be a nice gesture.
The claims process has been slow. I don't know if the shop I took it to is just busy. Or, if the approval process has been slow. Or if getting parts took awhile. Regardless, it should be over soon. 
Here's what I've learned so far during this claim. First, having a car accident stinks. Second, it will take longer to get your car back than you think it will. Third, it will be much more expensive to fix than you would imagine.
When I brought the car in just about a month ago you could see the damage. Mostly, because a good portion of the bumper had been removed by the car that hit me.  To my untrained eye I just needed a metal part welded that was bent down. Then slap another bumper on paint it and done. Off you go in a week. Uhm, yeah that's not how it's gone.
It took awhile to get the estimate for the repair. What I thought would take a day took a week. Then when the estimate came in it was so high, over 11,000 dollars the body shop had to run a valuation of my car. Just to make sure it didn't exceed the amount they would "total" the car out. After that was done the insurance company approved doing the repairs. Then they had to order the parts. If there is even a scratch on a perfectly usable part the insurance company is going to replace the part, not fix it. My parts total was over 9,000 dollars. That's a lot more than a bumper. 
Once the parts were in my car needed to get put on the list to get repaired. I needed a mechanic to disconnect the electronics. Then the body guy could start taking off the broken parts. They had to cradle my engine (I hope they sang a lullaby while this was happening) so that they engine mount could be replaced. Then they had to bolt everything back together. Apparently, I'm at the paint stage. 
This should be the home stretch for the car repair. It's been a long journey and if I was paying for the rental car or for the repair I could see getting frustrated. I'm just trying to be patient and hopefully, when I get my car back it will be as good as new.
​If you have any questions about your repair process you can always call your claims department. If you need a quote for some insurance give me a call at 951-395-0754