How Does Umbrella Insurance Work?

Posted on August 16, 2021August 8, 2021 by admin

Umbrella insurance is a unique type of insurance that is helpful in a number of situations. To find out more about how it works, call us today at Alta Vista Insurance Agency in Vista, CA and talk with an agent.

Home Insurance

If you already have a home insurance policy, you may know some of the coverage types it includes as well as some of the amounts. However, many people don’t pay much attention to the amount of liability coverage they have. The typical home insurance policy has a small amount of liability coverage, but it often isn’t enough to pay the bills if there were a serious accident that occurred for the third party inside your home. To get more of this coverage, you can get an umbrella policy. It adds more liability coverage to the coverage you already have through your home insurance policy.

Auto Insurance

Just as an umbrella policy adds to the liability of your home insurance, it also adds liability coverage to your auto policy. Serious auto accidents can cause enormous amounts in medical and property damage bills. If you don’t have much coverage, you are simply responsible for the overage. But with umbrella insurance, you get a higher amount of liability coverage.

An Umbrella Insurance Policy

Once an accident happens, your home or auto policy, depending on where the accident happens, will pay for the resulting bills that you are liable for. Once your home or auto policy is maxed out, the rest of the amount you owe is paid for by your umbrella insurance. This can save you financially after an accident that results in serious injuries.

Get Your Umbrella Coverage

If you already have an auto and home policy and need more liability coverage, consider getting an umbrella policy. Contact us at Alta Vista Insurance Agency in Vista, CA to find out more.

Flood Insurance Explained

Posted on July 30, 2021August 8, 2021 by admin

You might think that your home is safe from floods because you have never seen anything more than a puddle in your yard. Unfortunately, every home is at risk of floods. Floods are unpredictable and can happen near the coast and in dry areas. According to FEMA, about 99% of all American counties have been ravaged by floods since 1996!

And here is another problem. When floods strike in Vista, CA, your home insurance doesn’t protect your home. Unfortunately, no amount of sandbags can hold back flooding. For this reason, you need a stand-alone flood insurance policy from Alta Vista Insurance Agency for optimal protection.

Is flood insurance mandatory?

Although no law in Texas requires flood insurance, if your home or business is mortgage-financed, your lender may require you to purchase flood insurance if you live in a flood-risk zone. In contrast, persons living in low-risk areas may see flood insurance as an unnecessary expense, but flood insurance cushions you from dipping into your savings when floods strike.

What does flood insurance cover?

Whether it’s flash flooding or hurricane flooding, water causes extensive damage to your home. To put this in perspective, a one-inch rise in water levels results in repairs to the tune of $25,000 and above!

When you buy flood insurance, it protects the below:

Building: This covers electrical and plumbing systems, furnaces, carpets, detached garages, and other fixed appliances.
Contents: Covers personal items like furniture, electronics, curtains, ovens, and so forth.

Where to buy flood insurance

You can buy flood insurance from NFIP. This coverage has a 30-day waiting period and covers your building up to $250,000 and contents up to $100,000. Besides, you can purchase flood insurance from private carriers. And the beauty of private flood insurance is that it provides better coverage than NFIP.

Buy flood insurance today!

Are you in Vista, CA, looking for flood insurance? Please get in touch with Alta Vista Insurance Agency for an affordable quote.

Is condo insurance in Vista a good investment?

Posted on June 14, 2021June 11, 2021 by admin

If you are in the Vista, CA area, you will find that owning a home provides many advantages. This includes having a stable place to live and benefiting from long-term price appreciation. If you decide to purchase a home here, getting the right insurance is important. For condo owners, having a condo insurance plan is a good investment due to the valuable coverages it provides.

Coverage Protects Assets

A key reason that you will want to have a condo insurance plan is that it can protect your assets. If you are going to purchase a condo, you will be making a major investment that needs protection. With the insurance policy, you are going to have the right coverage in place to ensure you can repair your condo if there is damage or another incident that results in a loss.

Liability Coverage

You should also get condo insurance as it will give you liability protection. Condo owners could face liability claims if a leak or other mechanical flaw in their property causes damage to another unit or public parts of the property. Further, you face liability risk if a guest in your condo gets hurt. This risk can always be mitigated by getting a condo insurance plan for your property.

Condo owners in the Vista, CA area need to take their ownership and insurance needs seriously. As you are looking for a new condo insurance plan in this part of California, a great option is to work with Alta Vista Insurance Agency. You will have a lot of important choices to make when looking for condo insurance and Alta Vista Insurance Agency can be quite helpful. The team can address your questions and concerns while providing any support needed to choose an appropriate policy.

Who should get a health insurance plan in Vista?

Posted on May 31, 2021May 31, 2021 by admin

If you are in the Vista, CA area, there are many forms of insurance that you should consider obtaining. One of the most important forms of coverage to consider getting is health insurance. This coverage can help ensure that you have access to affordable healthcare. There are several situations when someone here should get a health insurance plan.

When Looking for Access to Care

The main situation when someone should get health insurance is when they are looking for access to affordable care. Seeing a doctor, getting prescription medication, and receiving more significant medical care when needed is important. If you have a health insurance plan, you will have access to affordable care when you need it. This can help to save you money and stay healthy.

When Looking to Comply with Law

While it is important to have health insurance to ensure you have access to care. You may also need coverage to comply with the law. For the past several years, all people have been required by law to carry health insurance. If you do not have evidence of coverage throughout the year, you could be penalized. These penalties are frequently applied at the end of the year when you file a tax return and need to provide evidence of coverage.

Having health insurance in the Vista, CA area is always critical. As you are looking for a health insurance plan, you will quickly find that there are many options to consider. If you are in the market for a new health insurance plan, calling Alta Vista Insurance Agency can be very helpful. The Alta Vista Insurance Agency team understands the value and importance of this coverage and can offer the support you need to choose a new policy.

Required Auto Insurance in California

Posted on April 29, 2021April 29, 2021 by admin

In California, everyone must register their vehicle within 20 days of coming into the state. And it has to be insured at all times. This required insurance includes several different types of insurance coverage for motorists. However, all of the required coverage still leaves some gaps, and many vehicle owners choose to add to the minimum required insurance.

Liability Coverage

Part of the required coverage for vehicles is liability coverage. This includes a required minimum amount of coverage for bodily injury liability for one injured person in an accident that you caused. There is another higher amount required for all of the injured people in an accident that you caused. In addition, there is property damage liability coverage required for damage that you cause to another party’s vehicle or building during an accident. However, all three of these numbers are relatively low, and it’s a good idea to get more coverage than just the bare minimum for liability coverage.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

If you were in an accident that a motorist causes without auto insurance, uninsured motorist coverage pays for the resulting bills up to its maximum. This coverage includes a required minimum for each person who is injured in this accident. A higher amount is required for everyone who has a bodily injury from an accident. This coverage also includes a small amount required for property damage when an uninsured motorist causes damage to your property.

Get Your Auto Insurance

No one wants to get a ticket and fees, so it’s important to keep auto insurance at all times. If you need auto insurance, contact us at Alta Vista Insurance Agency in Vista, CA.

Life insurance FAQs

Posted on March 30, 2021March 30, 2021 by admin

When it comes to life insurance, most people don’t think much about it until someone brings it to their attention. For many people, that is when you find out you are getting some through your employer as a benefit. When you decide to start thinking about the future and creating a financial plan to get you there, life insurance may fit that plan. Having a financial advisor or a trusted insurance agent is a good place to start. At Alta Vista Insurance Agency in Vista, CA, we are a full-service independent agency.

When should I start buying life insurance?

The obvious answer is as soon as you can afford it. The younger and healthier you are, the less you will pay for a policy. If you are buying term insurance, you should buy a term long enough to get you through the years when you will have the greatest need. Whole life lasts for your whole life, but it will be priced best if you take out the policy when you are young.

What other benefit does life insurance have beyond the death benefit?

If you have a whole life policy, it accrues cash value. If you need it, you may be able to borrow against that cash value. You may also be able to use the cash value to pay the premium if you are going through a tough time.

Do I need to buy life insurance if I get some from work?

This is a thorny question, and the answer is probably yes. You may not be getting as much from work as you really need, and if you change jobs, you may not be able to take your life insurance with you. Having your own life insurance will guarantee you are never without coverage.

Contact Alta Vista Insurance Agency in Vista, CA for your life insurance needs.

What You Need To Know About Home Insurance

Posted on February 28, 2021February 28, 2021 by admin

Owning your own home provides a great feeling of accomplishment and security. Your home is probably one of the biggest investments you will make in life. Not only is it a huge financial investment, but your house also holds great sentimental value as being the place your family calls home. For these reasons, as well as others, your home must be properly insured. At Alta Vista Insurance Agency, serving Vista, CA, we take great pride in educating our clients and future clients on these important insurance topics. Keep reading to find out what you need to know about home insurance.

Why Is Home Insurance Important?

Because your home is such a huge financial investment, there is much at risk if your home becomes damaged or unlivable. If your home sustains damage due to fire, natural disaster, or burglary, you could find yourself in a financially vulnerable position. Home insurance is set in place to defer this financial vulnerability so that you and your family can recover from a disaster.

Beyond the risk of damage, there is also the risk of someone being injured in your home or on your property. If this happens, you could be held liable for their medical expenses and possibly legal expenses in some cases. Insurance can also protect you in these situations.

What Does Home Insurance Cover?

Home insurance will cover:

Property damage – If your home is damaged due to fire, natural disaster, or burglary, your policy will pay to have your home repaired or replaced or your possessions replaced in the case of burglary.
Liability – If someone is injured on your property, liability will pay for medical expenses or legal expenses.

If you would like to learn more about our services, please contact Alta Vista Insurance Agency, serving Vista, CA today.

Is Commercial Insurance Always a Smart Investment?

Posted on January 19, 2021January 19, 2021 by admin

Commercial insurance is always a smart investment. This applies whether you’ve owned a company for the past 30 years by building it from the ground up or you’ve just entered the market as a business owner. No matter the industry your company operates in, it’s imperative to understand the risks you could potentially face and how to protect yourself from those risks. Here at the Alta Vista Insurance Agency, serving the Vista, CA area, we have helped thousands of business owners just like you with all of their commercial insurance needs. Here’s a quick look at one of the top reasons you need to consider commercial insurance as always being a smart investment.

You Might Get Sued

You can do all that you can to provide the utmost care and attention to your customers. You can even go out of your way to ensure they get the best customer service ever. However, if a customer chooses, you can get sued. Take, for example, that a customer comes onto your business premise and slips and gets injured. Do you have the monies to pay for the injured person’s medical expenses? Do you have monies to help cover any pain and suffering compensation owed to the injured person? With commercial insurance, you can rest assured that you will have a policy in place that protects you in this type of instance.

To understand how commercial insurance works and the type of policy you need, it is highly recommended that you speak with a qualified and experienced agent. Want to learn more now? Give us a call here at the Alta Vista Insurance Agency, serving the Vista, CA area.

Putting People First

Posted on March 4, 2019January 12, 2021 by admin

Putting You First

We start by putting your needs first. You can always contact us and we will promptly resolve your issue. We are structured as an inverted pyramid, we put all our clients needs on top. We volunteer in our community to give back, and provide annual policy reviews to our clients to stay connected with you. The job of your agent is to know and understand your unique situation and needs. We provide a comprehensive needs based analysis of your risks and exposures, identify your unique situation, risk tolerance, and then finally provide a proposal to offset undesirable risk to one of our trusted insurance providers. We would love your feedback. Let us know how we are doing.

VIP Service

You are not a policy number. When you call us, we will identify your account by your name. You are the reason we are here. We are here to help protect you. We provide valuable insight into risk management strategies and the ever changing insurance product landscape. We strive to become your trusted insurance adviser. Let’s talk about your hopes, your dreams, and your future, and then let’s make a plan together to get you there.

24/7 Online Service

We live in a connected world. This is the 21st century. You want 24/7 claims and customer service. But you don’t have to choose between either local personal service, or a large call center. Now, you can have it all. We offer 24/7 online policy access and online carrier direct personal claims filing. For those times you don’t want to talk to somebody, you can login and view your policy, request coverage changes, download ID cards and get quotes online with our online client center.

Local Professional Agents

When you do want to talk to someone, we are here for you. You have a personal and professional dedicated account manager that gets to know you and your situation. We can easily advise you on changes in the insurance market place. We have both, personal local agents and online policy access to best meet your busy lifestyle. As your insurance agent we are here to help you asses your risk, minimize your exposure, and manage your insurance spending, both on premiums and retained risk. Meet one of our agents today!

Partner Testimonials

That is enough of tooting our own horn. Learn more about our trusted business partners have to say about us, and read some clients testimonials. Then, when you are ready, we look forward to working with you too.

Next Steps

Now that you know a little bit about us, it’s time to take the next step and tell us a little bit about you. Start your online needs based analysis today.

What to look for in an Insurance Agent

Posted on March 4, 2019January 12, 2021 by admin

When picking an insurance agent it is important to know who your agent represents. Some insurance agents are what are called “captive” agents. Captive agents work for the company they represent. Some examples of companies captive insurance agents work for are Allstate, State Farm, or Farmers. Captive agents are limited to only offering products to you that are offered by the company they work for, whether or not that product is the best solution for your unique situation.

An independent insurance agent works for you, not the insurance company. Independent agents are free to find a policy that best fits your needs no matter which insurance company is offering the coverage. Independent agents really do work for you, not the insurance company. They are free to offer multiple policy options side by side for you to review. When the insurance companies compete for your business, you win.

The agents at Alta Vista Insurance Agency are proud to be your local independent insurance agents. We are located in Vista California and strive to be a local independent resource for you, our clients. Our staff is your team, and we are here, ready, and able to provide responsive customer support to our neighbors throughout San Diego County. We primarily serve Vista, Oceanside, San Marcos, Escondido, Rancho Bernardo, and Poway. Please feel free to contact us for your insurance needs.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can service your California insurance needs. We look forward to hearing from you!