California Wine Country, WATCH OUT!

Name: Alta Vista Insurance Agency
Address: 2585 Pio Pico Dr Suite 100, Carlsbad, CA, 92008
Telephone: 888-724-2124

Posted on April 13, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

Earthquakes in California aren’t a big surprise to anyone. Recently, studies have shown a more daunting side to this well known occurrence. San Francisco’s recent quake has shook up geologists everywhere. There are four major faults in this area that could greatly affect the farming world.

Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey and San Francisco State University believe Central and Northern California should be preparing for earthquakes anywhere from 6.8-7.1 magnitudes.
Southern California and the farmland of Central Valley rely on the man-made water system that connects to the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, commented James Lienkaemper, the U.S. Geological Survey geologist who was the lead on the story.
All four of these fault segments are extremely vulnerable. Each belonging to the San Andreas fault system, this geological dividing line marks where California’s western and and northwestern shift away from the rest of North America at about 2 inches a year.

With this threat of an earthquake, we can’t predict when the next might occur, but we can do our best to avoid financial disaster. Here are 3 ways to be prepared as a winery or vineyard:

1. Locate your vineyard to a close, reliable water source.

2.Location, location, location! Make sure you do your Geography homework! Research where faults are in the area you are looking to buy/cultivate in. you can NEVER be too careful!

3. Climate control! Make sure to have some sort of back up source of energy in case the power goes out.

4.Don’t store your wine up to high! Storing your wine low can help prevent breakage and will help keep your inventory full!

Disaster Preparedness- Keep your property safe!

Posted on April 13, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

Many people in America don’t consider the occurrence of a disasters happening in their life. Then, when disaster strikes, we are left flabbergasted by the damage done to our property. Here are three tips to help secure your property before disaster strikes:

1. Calculate the value of your belongings! Most people don’t think to add up the cost of all of their clothing and other minor things, but every little bit counts!

2. Note your electronics serial numbers! Televisions, gaming consoles and tablets, amoung other things, are a major target for burglaries today. One in every 36 homes in amaerica will be broken into this year. Record your electronics serial numbers. This way, if they are stolen, the police will be able to find your stolen property.

3. Secure your documents outside the home! Today, digital filing is the way many insurers prefer to store their documents. These files are just as vulnerable as any analog files kept in a home or office. In case of a natural disaster, secure your valuable documents on a flash drive or another storage device like a security deposit box.

4. Photograph all of your belongings! The truth is, we don’t know every little thing that is in our closet, and it is hard to always keep filing the price and brand of shirt or a new piece of jewelry.Along with filing your documents, keep a file on your flash drive and on your computer with pictures of the brand and price tag of each item. This will provide an accurate amount to keep on record in case of disaster.

Do You Hear What I Hear…. The FIRE ALARM!

Posted on April 13, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

Christmas trees are one of the most iconic staples of the holiday season. As beautiful and festive as they are, they also bring a major safety hazard to your home; fires. To ensure your home stays safe this holiday season, here are some preventative steps to help keep your home safe this season.

1. Picking your tree.

Make sure your tree isn’t dried out!! When selecting your trees make sure the needles are green and not easy to remove when pulled. This will indicate your tree is well watered and not drying out. Also, before selecting your tree, bounce it on the ground. If an overabundance of needles fall to the ground, the tree is drying out, which could cause a fire if placed in your home.

2. Caring for your tree

Don’t leave your tree up for longer than two weeks. After being chopped down, the tree immediately starts to dry out. The longer you leave it up, the more risk there is for a fire to be started. NEVER place your tree near a fireplace, a heating vent, or another heating source. The heat caused by these sources could cause the tree to catch fire. Remember to keep your tree watered AT ALL TIMES!

3. Disposing of your tree

Never use your Christmas trees as firewood!! Pine trees burn like tinder, and ignite in a flash creating HUGE sparks. Just a few embers and a fire is started. Instead, take your tree to a recycling center or hauled away by a pick up service. 240 house fires are caused by Christmas trees each year. These fires could cause injuries and even death. It also causes an estimated $16.7 million in direct property damage. Make sure you have fire insurance and are taking all the necessary precautions to keep your home safe this holiday season.

Green or Scheme?

Posted on April 13, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

Green construction is becoming increasingly popular. about 35% of construction in 2013 was green, and it is expected to increase 55% by 2016. Although green construction is becoming the new fad, it may not be the choice. Here are a few topics to consider before going green:

Make sure your green contractor has insurance. If he doesn’t, don’t hesitate to hire a new one. If you like your contractor, but he doesn’t have insurance, as part of the contract, require he gets it.
Property damage coverage is not traditional! Although your building may be fully functional, it may not achieve “green status”, or meet LEED standard. If that’s the case, normal liability policies may not cover that issue. It is important to remember that some certified green professionals may be excluded from some liability policies; property damage may not be covered.

So, how can you stay protected? DO YOUR RESEARCH! Go through a company that specifically offers green insurance. This way, if any construction falls into the “gray-green” area, you will be covered.

Insurance and… Hoarding? 3 Things Hoarding Could Affect.

Posted on April 13, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

Although glamorized by popular T.V. networks, hoarding is very dangerous. Hoarding affects every aspect of your life; even your insurance. Here are three risks hoarding has on your insurance.

1. Home: Although rare, an inspection on your house could occur. If your home has any safety hazards, and you do not fix them, your insurance policy could be cancelled.

2. Health: Cleanliness is important! When there is extra debris build up in your home, it could cause mold and other harmful bacteria’s to grow in your home, which could cause dangerous health problems. If this is found during an inspection, it could cause your insurance rates to climb.

3. Fire: Having too much clutter around a stove, power outlet or even a heating vent, and this is brought up to inspectors, you could be at risk of not only a dangerous fire, but also a higher insurance rate.

Sitting is Deadly!

Posted on April 13, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

You may not know it, but sitting down, idle, at a desk all day greatly affects your health. Being in the sitting all day increases:

Organ damage
Muscle degeneration
Leg disorders
Neck and Brain complications
Serious back issues

To avoid this list of complications, here are three office-friendly exercises you can do to keep active at work:

Wall Sits: Lean up against the wall and squat down as if you’re sitting in a chair. Hold this position for 60 seconds. Wall sits put releases stress on the knees, hips and back.
Leg Extensions: Sit strain up in your chair and extend your legs for 15 seconds, holding them in place. After, lift your legs together up and down. Do this about 15 times. This sends more blood flow to your head and releases energy.
Desk Push Ups: Place your hands on the edge of your desk, shoulder width apart. Push away from the desk with your back and legs aligned.

What 4 Things are INCREASING your Homeowners Insurance?

Posted on April 13, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

To ensure you keep your insurance costs down, and your home safe, here are four things you should stay away from:

Keep your house looking PRISTINE! Keeping up your maintenance will keep your homeowners insurance down! If your house isn’t maintenance, your insurance could increase rapidly or even be CANCELLED!
It’s all about location! Fires are a hazard especially in California. Your insurance rates could increase if you are too far away from a fire station or a fire hydrant. If you aren’t locate near one of those, make sure you are close to a reliable water source incase of an emergency.
It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. You may not know it, but SWIMMING POOLS and TRAMPOLINES increase your insurance rates! Over 90.000 hospital visits are reported annually because of trampolines. What most homeowners don’t realize is that a trampoline can cause serious spinal and brain damage. Swimming pools claim over 1000 lives a year! So, before you invest in these items, be sure to think twice!
A man’s best friend could easily turn in to mans biggest foe. Although soft and cuddly, not all dogs are good to own. Dogs such as Dobermans, Great Danes. German shepherds, Siberian huskies and other so called “dangerous and violent breeds” could make you insurance skyrocket. Be sure to buy a dog that is friendly to every part of the household!

3 Business Income Coverages Most People Miss…

Posted on April 13, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

The end of the year is a good time to review your business insurance policies, especially business income coverage. The following additional endorsements are often overlooked:

1. Coverage for restoration period

It is common to underestimate the time it will take for a company to return back to normal operations after a loss. Cleanup and debris removal can take much longer than anticipated. Building codes, permits and inspections all add many months to the process. Two years of business interruption insurance is generally needed. Make sure to review the dollar limits in your policy.

2. Increased monthly limits for peak months

Be sure your Business Income amount is adequate for your business type. If your business is seasonal, the peak months need adequate limits. Review coverage and limits often

3. Transit coverage

Most businesses rely on fully insured carriers, like UPS or FedEx for shipping customer goods. These carriers generally use a release bill of lading for most shipments. If the shipper damages or loses your items, your coverage may be limited to as little as $100, and you may have no further recourse. If you ship large quantities and values consider a blanket transit policy.

California Home Insurance

Posted on April 12, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

Alta Vista Insurance – Your source for California home insurance.

At Alta Vista Insurance, we believe you should be able to create a customized policy for home insurance. California home insurance is a specialty of our knowledgeable agents.

If you own your home, you may not be required to hold home insurance but if you have a mortgage, your lending institution will most likely require home insurance. California home insurance policies include many options, so Alta Vista Insurance is committed to easing the selection process for you.

A basic California home insurance policy will cover the following:

The structure of your home
Replacement costs
Personal possessions (up to a set limit)
Living expenses in case of a disaster
Liability

You can purchase supplemental homeowners insurance including:

Valuable Articles/Floater policies (i.e. Jewelry Insurance)
Flood policies
Earthquake policies
Umbrella policies (additional liability)
Animal Liability (liability issues due to household pets)

At Alta Vista Insurance, we understand that choosing the most suitable California home insurancecan be overwhelming. Don’t stress out -our friendly agents are always on call to advise you.

Give us a call with any questions you have regarding California home insurance.

Raymond Lowder

Posted on September 27, 2017January 12, 2021 by admin

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I am Raymond Lowder a personal lines agent at Alta Vista Insurance Agency specializing in property insurance. I was born in Germany, but raised in San Diego. Growing up I played football and baseball and I enjoy staying active playing in a local recreational flag football league. I attended high school at Cathedral Catholic and am a recent graduate of Cal State San Marcos with a degree in Economics. I enjoy watching sports and am a fan of the Padres! In my free time when I’m not in the office or staying active, I like visiting the different microbreweries around San Diego and I enjoy watching The Walking Dead with family. I am also a Disney Annual Pass Holder so if I’m not around San Diego, maybe you’ll run into me at Disneyland!