California Insurance Guru

Okay, so you have a car or home policy and you want to make a change to your policy.  What do you do?  Do you call the company directly or do you call your agent?
Of course, you always try to call your agent first.  Your agent should know you and be familiar with your account.  […]

I tell all my insured’s to call me first if they have a claim.  I tell them, I want to talk to you first, if possible, to advise you before you talk to a claims representative. 

An insured of mine recently called to ask about a possible claim on their auto insurance policy.

The insured said, “I hit a pole”. 

Okay, good thing the insured called me first, instead of the claims department. 

The damage to the insured’s bumper was approximately $750.  The insured’s deductible is $500.  Now, I explained to the insured.  If you make this claim, you will receive $750 minus your $500 deductible.  You will receive $250 to fix your car, the rest is your responsibility. [Read the rest of this entry…]

I tell all my insured’s to call me first if they have a claim.  I tell them, I want to talk to you first, if possible, to advise you before you talk to a claims representative.
An insured of mine recently called to ask about a possible claim on their auto insurance policy.
The insured said, “I hit a pole”.
Okay, […]

Well, the time has come, you’re a homeowner.  You need to obtain insurance.  How much insurance do you need for your home?  You may think you need to insure your property for the amount of the purchase.

NO.

First thing you do is call an insurance agent.  I talked about this in the past.  You need a good knowledgeable insurance agent.  As I mentioned in previous articles, there are good agents and bad ones.  If an agent asks you the square footage only to determine the dwelling replacement cost, then, a red flag is raised.  If an agent asks only what the cost of the home is to determine replacement cost, that would be another red flag. 

The agent should have a list of questions to ask to determine the replacement cost.  I will list my questions below. [Read the rest of this entry…]

Well, the time has come, you’re a homeowner.  You need to obtain insurance.  How much insurance do you need for your home?  You may think you need to insure your property for the amount of the purchase.
NO.
First thing you do is call an insurance agent.  I talked about this in the past.  You need a […]

When shopping for insurance most people buy with price in mind.  Price is important, but its certainly not the only reason to base your decision making.

How important is the insurance company you choose?  Choose your insurance company wisely.  You want a top rated company that has good customer service and an excellent claims reputation. 

When shopping for insurance, who will find you the right company and the right price?  The answer to that is an insurance agent.  Now, you could get lucky and stumble upon the right agent, but the best way is to ask friends you respect.  I believe it is very important to have a knowledgeable agent, an agent that knows you and represents several companies that are highly rated.  One of my customers said, “I want an insurance company with good customer service”.  I told my client, no matter who I put you with you will have good customer service. Why do I know this, because I’m the customer service. My insurance clients call me for any questions or policy changes.  You can’t expect to be an expert in insurance if you are not in the insurance industry.  Now, just like any other profession, we have agents that aren’t up to par.  Thats why you need to first find the right agent for you and establish a relationship.  Keep in mind, a good agent will want to be your agent for life.  Agents who are brokers represent several insurance companies.  Most brokers prefer to represent several companies to give his clients choices.  An agent who represents only 1 company is limited to what he or she can provide for you.  [Read the rest of this entry…]

When shopping for insurance most people buy with price in mind.  Price is important, but its certainly not the only reason to base your decision making.
How important is the insurance company you choose?  Choose your insurance company wisely.  You want a top rated company that has good customer service and an excellent claims reputation.
When shopping […]

Statistics show that most people have their car insurance with one company and their home insurance with another.  In some cases that might be the way to go, but in most cases you will save big dollars if you get quotes for both policies with the same company.  Seek out the companies that give big discounts for both car and home policies.  Talk to at least 2 different brokers or a broker who represents several companies.  The bottom line, you want choices, the best possible choices for your car and home policy. [Read the rest of this entry…]

Statistics show that most people have their car insurance with one company and their home insurance with another.  In some cases that might be the way to go, but in most cases you will save big dollars if you get quotes for both policies with the same company.  Seek out the companies that give big […]

Well, what can you say, the time has finally come.  Your child is now a teen and ready to drive.  Depending on the situation and the insurance company, this can be a costly adventure. 

The 1st thing to decide is, will your teen be driving your car part-time or will they have their own car?  If they drive your car part-time the costs will be less.  If your teen is provided a car for their use only, the cost will be higher. 

Your personal situation will dictate the choices you will have .  

Some companies will charge lower rates for a part-time driver and others don’t care.  Most insurance companies will rate the teen driver on the most expensive car, even if they don’t drive it. You need to search out the insurance companies that give low rates for teen drivers. Your current insurance company may be low now, but when you try to add your child, look out. [Read the rest of this entry…]