Home Insurance in Tehachapi and Bear Valley After the West Fire

The  West Fire that burned nearly 40 homes southeast of Tehachapi has changed the home insurance market in that area. Many insurance companies are now tightening their underwriting requirements and causing many homes to become difficult to insure. If you are buying a home and looking for coverage or having problems with your existing coverage, we have some great solutions.

There still are great companies to insure homes in Tehachapi

Some companies have certainly tightened their underwriting in Tehachapi, but there are still solutions available to get a great policy. We have many companies that are still insuring most homes in the area.

Bear Valley

Bear Valley has a history of taking  precautions with their brush clearances to prevent a major fire. These precautions in addition to being a gated community allow Bear Valley homeowners to continue to be insured by many of our insurance companies.

High Brush Area without Fire Department Protection

If your home is in a high brush area and more than 5 miles away from a fire station, many companies are not willing to write a home insurance policy for you. We have been able to place many of these hard-to-insure homes with our companies that specialize in high risk areas.

An Innovative Solution

For homes that are the most difficult to insure, we have come up with an innovative solution. By writing a policy with the California Fair Plan, we are able to properly cover our insureds with a “wrap-around policy” from another company. The California Fair Plan policy has big gaps in coverage and does not provide a sufficient policy for most homeowners. By writing a second policy as a “wrap-around” we can fill in those gaps in coverage. A “wrap-around” policy may be a good solution for you and can even be used to provide a multi-policy discount.

We can help you find the right policy for your needs

Give us a call 327-5531, email us at agent@crosbyandcrosby.com or stop by our office at 111 “H” Street

Can I insure my home business under my homeowners policy?

Running a home based business is becoming very popular. However, without proper insurance, there may be some major gaps in your business’s coverage. Traditionally, a home based business would purchase a “commercial insurance” policy. Unfortunately, that coverage was often expensive and many insurance companies limited their writing  of home-based businesses.

The good news: it is now possible for many types of home-based businesses to purchase insurance as part of their homeowners policy. Kemper Auto and Home offers “Home Business” endorsements for several classifications of home businesses. Coverages can be provided for business liability, loss of business income, business property, extended business income and extra expense. These coverages can be applied to many types of home businesses including accounting, bookkeeping, product sales, and crafts made in the home.

The premiums are very affordable and vary based on each risk. If you would like to talk more about insuring your home based business give us a call 661-327-5531 in California, 208-366-8366 in Idaho. You can  also complete a quick online quote  or or email us.

Crosby and Crosby Insurance Services is licensed to write business in California, Idaho, and Wisconsin.

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!

Combine Your Home and Auto Insurance in Bear Valley Springs

We write a lot of insurance for Bear Valley residents. The air is clear, it is cooler than the valley and there are great views. A lot of people, we talk to have had problems finding a great company that will insure both their home and autos. Bear Valley has areas that many insurance companies are not willing to write homeowners business in. These areas fall into high brush and high wildfire areas.

For a large amount of Bear Valley homes we are able to write business with a preferred company and combine home and auto insurance. Combining your policies is simply the best way to get a great value from your insurance policy. You can now save up to 30% by combining your policies!

If you have been turned down before for homeowners insurance in Bear Valley check with us. Give us a call at 661-327-5531, email us at agent@crosbyandcrosby.com or stop by 111 “H” Street in Bakersfield.

Getting Great Insurance for Rental Properties

Whether you are a first time landlord with a single property or have lots of experience with multiple properties, insuring your property correctly is crucial. As a landlord you must  protect you property against loss as well as the liability that may arise from a 3rd party or even the tenant. Here is a quick checklist of important coverages that you should be considered for a residential rental property.

• DP-3 Extended Perils- To get the broadest coverage available you should consider a DP-3 which provides for extended perils including vandalism.
• Replacement Cost- Always choose replacement cost coverage! In the event of a loss the property will be repaired for full replacement without depreciation.
• Premises Liability- To protect yourself from a liability claim you should choose to carry premises liability with a limit that fits your needs.
• Loss of Rents- this coverage provides for the loss of rent if you have a covered loss that forces the tenant to leave the property and stop paying the rent.

Personal Injury Endorsement- One of the fastest growing losses for landlords is a lawsuit from a tenant or past tenant for wrongful eviction, slander or defamation. These losses are not normally covered on a regular policy’s liability. Many companies are now offering “Personal Injury” protection as an endorsement on their policy. For under $25 a year this coverage is a must have!

F.A.Q.’s

What if my rental property is currently vacant? If your rental property is currently vacant you need to get a “Vacant Dwelling” policy. The policy is more expensive than if it were occupied. Prices have come down and you can now secure an annual policy without any minimum premium. So if the property becomes occupied a shorter time period you aren’t hit with a large premium.

Can I get discount on my policies for having a dwelling policy? Yes! You can save up to 5% additional on your home and auto policy by combining a dwelling fire policy. You can save up to 30% on your home and 25% on your auto for combining all your policies including dwelling fire.

Want to talk more?

Give us a call 661-327-5531 or email us agent@crosbyandcrosby.com .

3 Things to Do This Week for Better Insurance Without Breaking the Bank

If you are like us, Monday’s are days to make progress and the start to a big week. So how can you get better insurance, insurance that better protects you and your family, without breaking the bank? Here are 3 simple and pain free (on the wallet) tips to consider this week.

Personal Umbrella Policy

What it is: A personal umbrella policy or by better name, personal catastrophe policy, is protection that goes above and beyond your normal policy limits. If you have a claim that exceeds your auto or home policy limits your umbrella kicks in. An umbrella policy also may help you to fill in gaps in coverage that are missing from your other policies. Policy limits from $1 million to $10 million are available.

Who needs it? In our opinion most individuals and nearly all families would benefit from a personal umbrella policy. An umbrella can help to protect your assets such as; retirement accounts, savings accounts, checking accounts, all the great things you own, home equity and the value of your future earnings.

How much? Remeber this was going to be painless on your wallet, right? By matching an umbrella policy with your policy to take advantage of discounts of up to 10% you can purchase an umbrella policy for often less than $10/month. I would give up 2 mochas and a bagel per month for that!

Identity Theft Protection

What it is: Protection if you become a victim of identity theft. Most credit cards now include a 0% liability feature if you card is lost or stolen. Other expenses such as;  legal expenses, notary fees, lost work and restoring your credit, may be covered.

Who needs it? Identity theft is available on homeowners, renters and condo owners policies. Anyone can become the victim of identity theft and the cost makes it affordable to protect yourself.

How much? Identity theft protection is now only $5-$25.year. Prices have come down substantially since the coverage was first offered.

Term Life Coverage

What is it? Term Life is life insurance coverage that covers you for a set amount of time at an agreed price. For example you chose a $250,000 policy for a period of 15 years at $40 per month. Policies are available for $100,000 and up and terms of 10-30 years.

Who needs it? If you death would cause your family financial harm then you should protect them with term life coverage.

How much? Rates for term life coverage have never been lower. As we live longer, term life rates have gone down. For a non-smoker in good health rates start for around $20/month.

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.

Don’t Get “April” Fooled by These Tricks

April 1st is a good day to pull a fast one and get a few laughs. Getting tricked on your insurance is not a laughing matter.

Don’t be caught by these tricks we have seen. They appear to save you money. But they do that by giving you less coverage.

Reducing or Removing Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist: With most reports showing up to 1/3 of drivers being uninsured and a vast majority carrying minimum liability limits “uninsured and underinsured” motorist is one of the most valuable coverages you can purchase. There is no reason to reduce and especially not remove this valuable coverage from your policy.

Deleting Physical Damage Coverage from a vehicle:  There are many things that you need to consider when deciding to cover the physical damage to your vehicle or not cover it. Simply by deleting the coverage and showing the lower premiums as a “pile of cash” isn’t getting you a better value for your insurance.

Home policies with artificially low dwelling replacement costs: Most insurance companies use a 3rd party to help determine what a home needs to be insured for. Too many times that coverage amount is lowered to create a lower rate. Once the company completes a replacement cost estimation that coverage amount is raised and the result is an increased premium.

Don’t be fooled by many of the unfair and not so funny tricks that are out there in the insurance market.

Talk to us about coverage issues and how we can or can continue to sensibly provide you a great value for your insurance.

How do I insure my guns or firearm collection?

Your normal homeowners policy includes limited coverage for firearms. Your coverage is limited to “named perils” such as fire and theft and losses caused by theft are usually further limited to a lower dollar amount. Many policies limit coverage for theft of firearms to only $1500.

Getting more coverage…

There are 3 options on getting more coverage for your firearms:

1. Scheduling each specific firearm: you can schedule each specific firearm for an agreed value to be paid in the case of a loss. I.E. you schedule your Browning Citori Featherlight for $2500 in value. Your Citori is now covered against “all risk” for $2500. Losses are not subject to a deductible.
2. Blanket coverage: in our opinion the best way to cover a firearms collection is a blanket limit. If your total collection is worth $5000 you can blanket the coverage to cover each individual firearm and the entire collection up to $5000. Losses are not subject to a deductible.
3. Write your home policy in an enhanced program. By taking an enhanced home policy you can have higher coverage limits in the policy. Kemper “Elite” covers firearms up to $5000 on an “All Risk” basis. Travelers “Platinum” covers firearms up to $3500 and Travelers “Platinum High Value” covers firearms up to $6000. Losses are subject to your homeowners deductible.

How much?

To schedule or blanket firearms the cost varies by county but prices start at $18 per $1000 in coverage. A $5000 policy would cost as low as $90.

What if I don’t want to list my firearms and serial numbers?

By using a blanket limit you can cover your whole collection without listing each firearm. You collection and each item will be covered for a single limit. It is always good to use a inventory sheet like this available at California Rifle and Pistol Association.

What about scopes, binoculars and other shooting gear?

We can blanket cover your optics and other shooting gear with both Kemper and Travelers Insurance. DO NOT be like our insured who turned a canyon corner and his Swarovski binoculars flew off the dash and out the window.

We are always able to help you answer any questions on your coverage. Remember each company is different so our blog should be considered general insurance information.

We can always be reached at agent@crosbyandcrosby.com, 661-327-5531 or an office visit at 111 “H” Street.

Should I have a personal umbrella insurance policy?

An umbrella policy or personal catastrophe policy protects you and your assets against large liability claims. It protects you if your regular (underlying) liability limits on your auto and home policy are not sufficient to cover an individual loss.

Personal Umbrella policies are written for amounts between $1 million and $10 million.

What does it cost?

Umbrella rates depend on how many vehicles, homes, recreational vehicles and other specific risks that you need to cover. A policy that covers a home and 2 vehicles will cost around $150.

New Discounts Make Umbrellas a “No-Brainer”

Both Travelers and Safeco now offer extended multi-policy discounts for writing an umbrella policy. You can save 5% with Travelers on your home and auto and Safeco now offers a 10% discount on your auto.

With the savings including an umbrella now would cost you less than $5/month in most cases and on some accounts may actually save your money!!!

What limits?

You need to consider among other things:

• Net worth – including real estate equity- assets such as vehicles, boats and toys- savings and retirement accounts etc.
• Future Earnings- Your future earnings need to be considered. If you were to have a judgement for liability over your policy limits your wages could be garnished.

Speaking with an insurance professional is advised. We have a 5-minute insurance review that can help you to decide the proper liability limits you should be carrying.

Underlying Limit Requirement

With an umbrella you are required to carry a minimum underlying liability limit on your home, auto, motorcycles and recreational vehicles. For the best rates you need to carry $500,000 of underlying liability.

If you would like to complete a free 5-minute insurance review give us a call 661-327-5531, email us at agent@crosbyandcrosby.com or if you are in Bakersfield stop by for an old-fashioned office visit at 111 “H” Street.