California Insurance Information

I received a call today.  The caller expressed to me that she didn’t like her insurance agent and wanted a new home insurance quote.  I asked what insurance company are you currently with and who is your agent?

She told me her agent did not process a mortgagee change months back and her current mortgage lender has now added their own insurance.  She further explained that the forced insurance costs more and there is less coverage.  She began to cry.

I tried to settle her down and told her there is a solution and not to worry. 

I asked her if she has contacted her agent to tell him or her what has occurred and to please fix it.  Her response was no.

I advised her to call her agent and tell him or her the situation.  I further told her that the agent will be happy to call the mortgage company and fax the proper forms and make the appropriate changes.  I let her know that if she has current insurance and has not had a lapse that her agent needs to fix the problem.  I’m sure the agent was not contacted or simply lost or misplaced the original fax request.  Remember, no one is perfect and sometimes errors occur.  Always communicate to your agent and make sure changes are completed and you are notified.  (more…)

The end of the year is upon us and that means a new year is to begin.  There have been no changes in the minimum car or motorcycle insurance requirements for California. 

The requirements are as follows:

• $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident for liability.
• $5,000 for liability property damage.

Other coverage that you will be offered is optional.  I advise that you discuss what those coverages are with your agent to make an informed decision.  (more…)

A person was in my office yesterday.  They were buying car insurance.  The person stated, � I hope I’m not making a mistake�.

Well, I was alittle taken back.  I asked what was meant by that.  After listening to the reply I realized that this person and most people felt the same way when buying insurance. 

“I hope I didn’t make a mistake�.

Most people buy insurance from a large company as this person did in the past.  You might think there is nothing wrong with this and maybe not.  But, more than likely if you buy from a large company, you will never talk to the person who wrote your policy.  When you call you will most likely get a different person every time.  This person is referred to as a customer service representative.  What companies am I talking about?  You know them, Auto club, 21th century, Geico, Esurance, Insweb, just to name a few.  Now, I’m sure most of the customer service representatives are good at their job, but most of them aren’t agents.  Unfortunately, when you call you will most likely get a different customer service person every time you call.  And with that being said, you could get a different answer or incorrect information. (more…)

I would like to invite anyone with questions for California insurance to email us your query. 

We are actively seeking people who have questions concerning California insurance.  We write weekly articles on questions or concerns for California residents. (more…)

Retirement years bring a lot of new surprises.  Although, your body may not react the same way, your insurance should be a source of some comfort. 

There are many discounts for retired people on car, home and other insurance.  Not only are there discounts for having multiple policies with one company, there are discounts for your age. 

Example: Car and home policy together with one company.  (Discount on both policies from 10 to as much as 25 per cent).

Example: Age over 50 or retired gets you more discounts for some companies on your home policies.  (You need to ask your agent about these discounts and the age requirements). (more…)

The holidays are coming and with them the cold weather.  Winter is just around the corner.  Are you and your car prepared?

Here are some important tips to help you winterize your car.

• Get an oil change.  Use the right kind of oil.  Oil tends to thicken as it gets colder and if its too thick, it won’t keep your engine properly lubricated.  Check your owner manual or have your trusted mechanic do this.
• Replace your windshield-wiper blades.  Do this once a year or if needed.  Make sure your windshield-washer reservoir is full with washer fluid.
• Check your battery.
• Check your belts and hoses for wear and tear.
• Check your tire pressure.
• Check your antifreeze levels.
• Prepare an emergency kit and store it in the trunk. (more…)
   

Thats right, you read the title.  California drivers are required to have liability insurance.   How important is car insurance?  Well, its right up there with food. 

If you don’t have car insurance, you can’t get to work, the store, the doctor or anywhere.  If you can’t get to work, you don’t have a pay-check to pay rent, utilities, food and car insurance.  Well, you get the point, you need car insurance if you own a car.

In the past, some people would buy an auto policy, pay the down payment and never pay any more premiums.  They would let the policy terminate for non-payment.  These people didn’t care, they had their proof of insurance I.D. card.  They thought, “I have a proof of insurance card to show police if I’m pulled over�.  Well, that won’t work anymore, as now police can check instantly without asking you for the I.D. card.

Well, those people are getting a big shock.  If they try that little trick now, they will be fined, have their registration suspended and may loose their vehicle if they are caught driving an unregistered, uninsured vehicle.

California has finally got smart on uninsured drivers, as of January 1, 2006, all insurance companies were required to report insurance status to the DMV for private use vehicles. (more…)

Today, I’m writing about my past articles.  These articles are written for you, the California consumer.

The article on Wild Fires in California let everyone know how important it is to have a knowledgeable and personal agent.  I wrote about agents who are brokers versus captive agents and what it means to you.  Another article titled, why do agents charge broker fees, tells you not to be afraid to pay a broker fee if the agent is saving you money.  Again, the agent is representing different companies and is asking you for, hopefully, a small fee for that service.

The articles contain many topics including: car, home, life and health insurance. (more…)

The fires have been contained in Southern California as of the writing of this article.  The people in the burn areas as well as most people around the state are pulling out their insurance documents for their home policies. 

The question on most of their minds, ‘Do I have enough coverage for my home and property’? 

If you have to ask this question, chances are you don’t know who your agent is or you have a poor relationship with your agent or you don’t have a particular agent, you just have a customer service person with a large company.

Who is your insurance agent?

If you don’t know who your agent is or don’t know his or her name, you are not in a good position.  My belief is you need to know your agent and have a good relationship with him or her.  This is the insurance expert you entrust all your property and car policies.  You should know this person and be able to reach him or her by phone during business hours.  (more…)

Its the season for wild fires in California.  October seems to bring the winds and fires to our Southern part of the state.  This year is no exception and we are seeing fires in San Diego, Malibu, Santa Clarita, Orange County and the San Bernardino Mountains. 

Most of these fires are human produced.  As a child growing up in Southern California we didn’t have these yearly fires.  The world is changing, people aren’t as safe as they were in the past.  We have terrorism, pedophiles and some other bad elements that are causing the current problems. 

What can we do? 

The first thing is to realize that our society has changed.  The second thing is to be prepared.

If you’re in an area where these fires are happening you need to have a plan.  A plan that is practiced and reviewed by you and your family.  You need to gather important items, menentos and other things that cannot be replaced and be ready in case you are asked to leave your home because of a fire threat. (more…)