We are now actively marketing property and liability insurance for homeowners, renters, and landlords, as well as Personal auto insurance.
Very competitive pricing is available from several major carriers through our marketing alliance with the Ping An Insurance Center. When you combine your auto and homeowners coverages with the same company, you can enjoy up to a 30% savings on your total premiums. We can obtain coverage for you in as little as one business day!
You can email us a copy of your "declarations" pages from your policies along with your telephone number and we'll be happy to obtain "apples-to-apples" quotes for comparable coverage. There is absolutely no cost or obligation.
Are you adequately insured?
Homeowners need to be aware of the fact that if your home is not insured to its proper replacement value, in the event of an insured loss, you could end up having your claim paid at significantly less than 100% of the loss. This is known as a "coinsurance" factor, and it requires you to insure your dwelling for not less than 80% of its replacement cost. For example, if your home is insured for $300,000, but the actual replacement cost -- plans, permits, demolition, labor, and materials -- is $500,000, you are only insured for 60% of your home's replacement cost. Because you are "underinsured" your claim, in the event of a loss will be based on the difference between what you are covered for and what you should have been covered for -- in this example, your coverage is 75% of the 80% minimum you needed for full coverage. If you suffered a $200,000 loss, your policy would only pay $150,000 (75%) of the $200,000 loss.
When we obtain a quote for your insurance, your home's value will be properly estimated so that you will not be underinsured.
We also make sure your other coverage limits are adequate for your needs. Personal property such as firearms, china and crystal, jewelry, computers, and collectibles all have "sublimits" which may not be enough to cover a total loss. We'll make sure you have the right protection.
Standalone earthquake coverage can save you $$$!
A homeowners policy issued in California excludes coverage for property damage due to earthquakes. Many homeowners choose to add this important coverage. Although a number of insurers participate in the California Earthquake Authority and offer CEA-standardized policies at CEA-standardized prices, we have access to other carriers who offer "standalone" earthquake policies with more favorable policy provisions and deductibles. There is no denying the fact that earthquake insurance is costly, and the deductibles are considerably higher than a homeowner's policy, standalone policies are often priced well below the premiums for CEA policies -- and can save you hundreds of dollars per year.
When it comes to auto insurance, you might also be underinsured
A person cannot lawfully drive a motor vehicle in California or any other state without "proof of financial responsibility." You could deposit $35,000 with the Department of Motor Vehicles and not have to purchase auto insurance. But most folks find it more convenient to provide the required financial responsibility in the form of personal auto insurance. Still there are many people driving autos around town with absolutely no insurance at all -- some of whom tell the judge, "I was on my way to buy insurance when the police officer stopped me."
Although the minimum liability limits for an auto policy are $15,000 per person/$30,000 per accident for bodily injury and $5,000 for property damage, these coverage amounts are woefully inadequate. A 5 mph rear-end collision can easily result in more than $5,000 in damage to someone else's vehicle -- some of newer vehicles are being manufactured with special aluminum body parts which can cost an additional 30% or more to repair or replace because of the special tools and techniques required to make repairs. And a collision that results in personal injury to one or more occupants of other vehicles can easily result in medical, rehabilitation, and other expenses which far exceed the minimum "15/30/5" limits that 40% or more of all drivers carry -- which causes many of us to carry and pay for "uninsured/underinsured motorist" protection, just in case.
Proper coverage limits may not be as costly as you think
If you don't have enough insurance to cover the damage you do to others or their property, you will be held personally responsible for every dollar of loss in excess of your policy limits -- a much higher price to pay. The fact is, however, that increasing the limits of liability to 100/300/50 -- our minimum recommendation for auto insurance -- typically adds less than $1 per day to the annual cost of your auto insurance. Even higher limits than those are available and add just a few more dollars per month to the total premium. A few extra premium dollars over the course of a year can purchase a lot of peace of mind.
We're not a "broker" so you won't pay any fees over and above the quoted premiums for your home or auto insurance. If we can't save you money, we'll cheerfully tell you that. Call or email us for more information and to obtain a quote.