The “Peace of Mind” of a Friendly and Familar Voice

When it comes down to a single thing that sets us apart, it is certainly the relationship we have been building with our customers since, 1963. We strive to offer the very best insurance companies. Companies that have the best coverages to meet our customers needs. We stay up to date on coverage enhancements that can save you money and give your better coverage. But, ultimately it is knowing that you can call and talk to someone you are familar with and that is familiar with you. Ultimately it is coming into our local office and seeing us face-to-face. That relationship is what sets us apart from the competition.

We don’t write a policy and then hand off the service to someone that you don’t know. Your relationship with Crosby and Crosby is through your agent. That is simply the best way to guarantee that someone familiar with your account and your individual needs is going to be there to assist you.

Many of our clients we can recognize by voice and we certainly know you by name. That is what you are depending on in a situation where you really need some help with your insurance. You are looking for the peace of mind of having a friendly and familar voice on the phone or across the desk.

If you are looking to build a relationship with an insurance agent that you can count on call us 661-327-5531 in California or 208-366-8366 in Idaho.

Too Bad Summer Is Over But Great News for Teachers

The long days of summer are coming to an end and teachers are excitedly returning to their classrooms. You are excited right? There is some good news; about 179 days remain, and Crosby and Crosby offers teachers up to a 10% discount on their auto insurance.

We offer this discount for all full-time, and credientialed, teachers.

Combine your teachers discount with multi-policy discounts up to 25% for some great savings. Check with us or get a quote online.

How do I know how much auto liability insurance coverage I should have?

Figuring out how much auto insurance coverage you need is the most important question you should consider when looking for insurance. Way too many companies and agents approach this question with a cookie cutter amount of coverage which can leave their customers severely underinsured. We liken that approach to purchasing a soda at a vending machine. You only have a few choices, and it may not meet your needs.

Deciding on the proper coverage limits that fit your individual needs starts with a conversation with an experienced and knowledgeable agent. If you are in the process of calling around and getting quotes you will notice that many agents will focus only on beating your current price. They may go as far as not even discussing coverage options with you. Basically if you are an executive and a father of 4 children, your coverage may be the same as a 22-year-old a day out of college. That approach can be detrimental in the event of a claim. It would be like buying a pair of shoes without regards to size because they were 15% less than the shoes you have.

Your conversation with an experienced and knowledgeable agent will always focus on meeting your insurance needs and properly protecting you. Some things to consider when deciding your coverage limits are; income, future income and assets. By first deciding what your actual coverage needs are we can then decide the best company to fit your needs.

Isn’t having really good coverage just too expensive?

By matching up your specific needs with the right coverage and company you can take advantage of some great discounts. Our companies offer discounts for safe driving, multiple policies, specific occupations and more. Not having the proper coverage is too expensive and can leave you in financial ruin.

Needs Change

Your insurance needs change. You need to have an agent that can help you meet those changing needs. You should review your insurance coverage anytime a major change in your life occurs. Examples of some of those changes would be; a change in occupation, marital status, having a child, buying a home.

The great thing about an independent agent like Crosby and Crosby is we offer the ability to meet your needs as your life changes. We offer several companies that offer a multitude of coverage options and enhancements.

So how do I figure out what coverage I need?

If you are new to our agency or want to review your current coverage with us give us a call in our California office at 661-327-5531 or our Idaho office at 208-366-8366. You will immediately see the difference in our approach to insurance and the protection that we offer.

Claims 101- Why We Are Here

Ultimately you purchase insurance to protect you in the event you have a unforeseen claim. No one plans to have a claim, but what can you expect when you have one?

Turning a Claim In

Turning your claim into your company is the first process in getting your damage repaired. As your agents we’re always available to help. Our companies claims departments are open 24/7/365 to get your claim started. Most offer the ability to turn your claim in online. You can view our online claims page to get stated.

What’s Next?

Once your claim has been turned in, you will receive a claims number and the contact information for the claims adjuster. That adjuster will contact you within 1 business day to begin the process of repairing your damage.

Crosby and Crosby will also receive a confirmation of your claim and be able to assist you along with the company.

Why you have an agent

Claims can be a very confusing time, especially for people who are not use to dealing with claims. As your local and trusted agent we are here to assist you and walk you through the claims process. The number one issue that we deal with is miscommunication between the claims adjuster and the insured. Claims adjusters deal with claims everyday. Many of our insureds dealing with claims for the first time.

As your agent we advocate for you and can help to smooth over the claims process and address any concerns that you, our client, may have.

Peace of Mind

Our history as a local agency for the last 48 years was built on giving our customers peace of mind. We represent the strongest companies and have long relationships with them. You can expect extraordinary service if you have a claim!

A Little Mid-Summer Fun

Who says insurance can’t be at least a little fun? Or that we can’t at least have  a sense of humor? We have to share with you a video we found rather entertaining of our family member protecting the house from a 2 inch flying bat, strike that, a flying moth.

More Reasons to Choose Travelers Insurance

There are 3 big reasons we simply love Travelers.

1. They have tremendous financial stability and are rated “A+ Best” by A.M. Best.
2. They have innovative coverages that help to meet each individuals needs.
3. They have superior claims service to assist in getting your damage repaired fairly and efficiently.

Travelers continually strives to offer more, and better products for their customers. They have introduced several options this summer that make Travlers even more attractive.

• Raised account discounts up to 20% on your auto and 30% on your home for combining your home and auto policies. Don’t forget, Travelers offers extended multi-policy discounts for; valuable items policies, umbrellas and boats.
• Lowered the first installment to a single month down if you set-up automatic deductions from your checking account or credit card. Plus you will save $5 monthly on billing charges!

Don’t forget the great commercials Travelers is becoming well known for. If you haven’t had a chance to check them out view them here.

Do you get an insurance discount for being a teacher?

Yes! We offer auto insurance discounts up to 12.5% for full-time teachers. The discount applies across the whole auto policy. Every vehicle on the policy has the discount applied.

Avoid Our Most Common Home Claim and Keep your Rates Down

Our most common homeowners claim is for; personal property stolen from a vehicle. Over 1.95 million car breakins are reported to police annually in these United States. Many clients think since the property is stolen from the vehicle that the coverage applies from the auto policy. The majority of auto policies exlude coverage for personal property even when it is in your vehicle.  Personal property in your vehicle ultimately is covered from your homeowners policy.

The damage to your vehicle such as, a broken window or stolen in-dash stereo, is covered on your auto policy. Your perosnal property is covered on your home policy. So a car break-is a double whammy in that you maybe responsible for two deductibles, the auto and home. Or if the claim doesn’t meet your deductible the entire damage may be out of pocket.

Preventing claims can go a long way in making sure you are getting the best value from your insurance. Leaving expensive personal property in your vehicle, even when locked, is an invitation for a loss and a claim.

Here are some quick tips to help prevent breakins:

1. Don’t keep valuable items in your car if at all possible
2. Hide items that may clue in thiefs as to valuable electronics such as: chargers, suction cups for gps and plugins for IPODS
3. Park in a visible spot
4. Turn on your alarm and leave the windows shut

Want to talk about other tips to protect your stuff? 661-327-5531

Is Your Home in a High-Risk Fire or Brush Area? Some Tips on How to Insure it

Many homeowners are finding that their current insurance company is not offering renewals because their home is located in a fire or brush area. New home buyers in those areas are finding that getting adequate coverage can be tough.

Companies are using more underwriting information to better access potential risks. Your home location is listed in an “ISO Public Protection Class”. This rating measures the fire departments ability to suppress a fire at your home. Ratings are listed from 1-10. A rating of 1 is listed as “superior” and a 10 would not meet ISO’s minimum rating. Companies may also use other tools to identify homes in high risk areas.

No matter how severe the fire area, there are options to get the proper coverage to meet your needs.

What an insurance company will consider…

• distant from the responding fire station (less than 5 is good, over 10 is higher risk)
• distance to fire hydrants or water storage tanks
• clearance from brush
• home construction type and roof type
• wildfire history in the area

Specific Area Concerns

Slight Fire and Brush Areas (Outer Areas of Tehachapi, Bear Valley, Hart Flat near Highway 58)

If you own a home in these areas, many companies may not be willing to write coverage for you. There are plenty of companies available including preferred companies like Travelers Insurance. Travelers offers a “tiered” program for homes in brush areas starting with “Eligible” being no brush risk to “Eligible 3″ being the highest brush risk they are willing to consider.

The benefit of a company like Travelers considering higher risk homes is that you can still qualify for a multi-policy discount and get a great value on your insurance.

Properties that are ineligible for Travelers tiered policy can still be placed with companies such as Foremost, American Reliable or American Modern.

Things that are considered are;  road access, slope and elevation of the property, possible smoke drift from a large forest fire, construction type and roof type.

High Fire and Brush Risk (upper Bear Valley, unprotected areas of Tehachapi, areas of Hart Flat, Shaver Lake, Alta Sierra)

If your home is classified as being in a severe fire area and other companies are unwilling to write a policy for you, you should consider the California Fair Plan. The Fair Plan is a syndicate of all property insurers licensed to do business in California and was established in 1968. The California Fair Plan is intended to be the “insurer of last resort” for hard to place policies.

 The California Fair Plan has major gaps in coverage that make it unsuitable for most needs without a “wrap-around” policy. A “wrap-around” policy helps to fill coverage gaps such as liability coverage, loss of use coverage and extended perils such as theft or burglary.

“Wrap-around” policies are offered by many major carriers and may qualify you for a multi-policy discount. A Fair Plan policy with a “Wrap-around” may offer you an economical policy to help insure your home in a high-risk area.

Need more info?

If you have specific questions about your homes wildfire or brush risk, we would be glad to talk with you. You can call us at 661-327-5531, email us at agent@crosbyandcrosby.com or stop by 111 “H” Street in Bakersfield.

Auto Insurance Tips for Your Young Driver

A 16-year-old with a brand new drivers license is full of excitement and ready to hit the road. While they are excited, parents are often worried about their safety and the cost of adding them to their insurance.

A new driver is more expensive to insure than someone with a history of safe driving experience. But there are things that you can take advantage of to help make that more affordable.

1. Compare rates with an independent agent - Companies rates and offerings vary greatly for young drivers. An independent agent has access to multiple companies and can find the best solution for your unique needs.
2. Take advantage of multi-policy discounts. Most companies will give a discount for combining your home and auto policies. Look for companies, like Travelers, that go beyond the normal discounts and apply discounts for rental properties, umbrella policies, scheduled valuable items and boat policies.
3. Good Student Discount – Getting good grades pays in reduced premium. You can save up to 18% if your young driver maintains a grade point average of 3.0 or better.
4. Take Advantage of Occupation Discounts- Occupation discounts apply across the entire auto policy. Teachers, Attorneys, Doctors, Engineers, Scientist and Law Enforcement Officers commonly are eligible for occupation discounts.
5. Safe Driving – Requiring your young driver to maintain a safe driving record can go a long way to keeping them safe and helping you to keep an affordable rate on your insurance. Many companies will not accept drivers with any incidents and under 3 year so of driving experience.
6. Traffic School – Since companies have such strict requirements for young drivers make sure if they get a violation and qualify for traffic school, that they take it and turn in the necessary paperwork.

When does it get better?

After 3 continuous years of experience and, 1 violation or 1 property damage only accident, drivers are eligible for  a “California Good Driver Discount”. This discount usually is around 20%.

Insuring Families Since 1963

Ever since we wrote our first policy in 1963 we have focused on insuring families.  We have the right solution for your young driver.

If you have any questions give us a call at 661-327-5531, agent@crosbyandcrosby.com or stop by 111 “H” Street.