Do I Need Workers Compensation Insurance?

Posted on June 4, 2018January 12, 2021 by Deborah Rogy

She slips…

She falls!

Who’s responsible?

To help you answer this question, we’ve put together a brief summary of your legal responsibility as an employer:

Employers have a legal responsibility to their employees to make the workplace safe. Unfortunately, accidents happen even when employers and employees take every safety measure. That’s what workers comp is for.

Protect and Provide

Workers comp protects employers from lawsuits resulting from workplace accidents. It also provides medical care and compensation for lost income to employees who have been hurt in a workplace accident.

Because of this, in almost every state, businesses are required to buy workers compensation insurance.

Protect Yourself & Your Business

What does it do?

Covers workers injured on the job (whether they’re hurt on the workplace premises or elsewhere, or in auto accidents while on business).
Covers work-related illnesses.
Provides payments to injured workers, without regard to who was at fault in the accident, for time lost from work and for medical and rehabilitation services.*
Provides Death benefits to surviving spouses and dependents*

Don’t I already have workers comp insurance under a BOP?

Workers compensation insurance must be bought as a separate policy.

Although in-home business and business owners policies (BOPs) are sold as package policies, they don’t include coverage for workers’ injuries.

If you already have workers comp, click the button below to ensure you’re getting the lowest rate and best coverage

OR if you don’t have workers comp, click below to learn more about it and receive a free quote.

*Note: Each state has different laws governing the amount and duration of lost income benefits, the provision of medical and rehabilitation services and how the system is administered.

For example, most states regulate whether the worker or employer can choose which doctor treats the injuries and how disputes about benefits are resolved.

Protect Yourself & Your Business

Property Claims and Your Real Estate Transaction

Posted on May 31, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

When your clients buy a home, are they purchasing the dreamy future they hope for, free from property claims?

Would you like to know early on (before you put in heaps of effort) how to avoid issues with your real estate transaction?

Wouldn’t you like to give your clients peace of mind?

Alta Vista Insurance provides our real estate partners with one thing that limits complications during and after the sale.

Click Here for Smoother Transactions

For uninformed home-buyers, future property

claims can tack on an unexpected and

unavoidable price tag.

Because a home’s future relates to its past, requesting a free CLUE© report from Alta Vista Insurance Agency will save you and your clients time, money, and worry. Sellers can authorize the release of a C.L.U.E. report as part of the negotiations for the home purchase.

What is it?

C.L.U.E., the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange, is a loss history information exchange provided by LexisNexis® Risk Solutions Inc. Insurance companies access and use prior loss information in the underwriting process through it. Think of it as “the cloud of claims.”

Where is the information from?

Each month, participating insurers submit loss information to the C.L.U.E. information exchange, which is loaded to the C.L.U.E. database. When you or your insurance company receive a C.L.U.E. report, it includes all losses accessed by the search criteria that were reported to us within seven years of the date of the request. Home warranty claims are not included on a C.L.U.E. report.

How to read the CLUE© report

First, look for claims associated with the address your client is looking at. The report can sometimes show claims filed on another location owned or occupied by the seller. So if the owner has a palace in Pakistan and a town home in Carlsbad, check the address. The sandstorm is definitely unconnected to the Carlsbad address.
Beware of claims frequency rather than severity. Frequent claims indicate a potential ongoing problem your client could inherit. Water losses, mold, fires occurring in the home (not wildfire), and theft or burglary. These types of losses could indicate morale hazards or the home could be in a questionable area.

Need-to-Know

Buyers and sellers need to be aware of how changing guidelines can affect them when purchasing new insurance or when selling their home. Effective this year, many admitted insurance carriers will decline a risk if there has been a significant water loss (inside water damage, not weather-related) on the property within the last 3-5 years. This would include damage exceeding $2,500. Be aware that typically, losses follow the homeowner who filed the claim, impacting their cost of insurance or insurability when moving to a new location. However, some claims losses in the past cause new homeowners to inherit high insurance costs. Due to the rise in frequency and extensive costs resulting from water damage claims more and more companies are looking at water losses in new business and declining.

In these situations, your client’s insurance costs will go up, potentially making or breaking their willingness to move forward on the purchase.

The cost of the damage is important and can indicate the severity of the incident and the amount paid by the insurance company for the loss. Accidents happen. Just because a property has been impacted by a large claim or series of claims does not mean your client should avoid buying that house. Review the report together and request a disclosure from the sellers about how the claims were resolved. Were all repairs completed and was everything built back to code? Was the home replaced with like kind and quality?

Talk to your insurance agent about the loss(es) that were filed, how the insurance companies handled the claims and how this will impact insurance for the home moving forward.

Call us today as we have access to specialty markets and will find a solution to insurance issues like these.

A smoother real estate transaction is always possible when you partner with Alta Vista Insurance.

Click Here for Smooth Transactions

We’re the key to making your real estate transactions run smoothly!

Posted on May 30, 2018January 12, 2021 by Seth Arruda

Real estate agents have a lot of contacts.

Normally, they refer their clients to a preferred mortgage adviser. They also have a preferred escrow company representative they use for all of their transactions. Same goes for the home warranty company and the title insurance representative. One thing missing from a lot of real estate advisers’ business plan, however, is an insurance adviser.

By incorporating an independent insurance adviser into their business plan, real estate agents can close more transactions throughout the year.

Also, they can ensure those transactions run smoothly and efficiently so their clients are able to close escrow on time and have a pleasant experience through the buying process.

Real estate agents sell more than property; they sell lifestyles.

By incorporating home warranty, escrow, mortgage, and insurance into an integrated business plan, real estate agents can offer their clients the concierge-level service they expect.

At Alta Vista Insurance Agency, we specialize in real estate transactions. We’re focused on the actual transaction and understand the deadlines and the challenges that need to be overcome to help the client close escrow successfully. Along with the mortgage company and the escrow company, we all work together as a cohesive unit behind the scenes for the real estate agent to make sure their clients go through escrow smoothly and efficiently, and that they’re satisfied with the level of service they receive.

Go to our website today to get started in our real estate process where you and your client gain access to a FREE CLUE© report, and we ensure you’re getting the lowest rate and highest quality service.

Real Estate Agents, Click Here!

Do You Run a Business? Here’s a Bright Idea

Posted on May 25, 2018January 12, 2021 by Seth Arruda

Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) – A Bright Idea

Commercial property insurance is designed to insure commercial property owners from a potential covered loss. Many business owners purchase commercial building coverage as part of their Business Owners Policy. The Business Owners Policy is a robust policy offering many coverages under one policy.

Depending on the terms of your policy, some of the coverage offered by a “BOP” are the following:

Fire coverage for the covered building and contents scheduled on the policy.
Water damage to the building and contents in case of a flood or broken pipe.
Lightning/storm which damages an outdoor sign
Inventory
Loss of business income due to a covered peril
Sounding good so far? There’s more!
…
Liability coverage in the event of a covered law suit
Data Breach coverage in the event confidential information is obtained by a hacker. Make sure to read the exclusions of this coverage as there can be limitations.
Employment Practice Liability coverage can be included to protect an employer from a claim made by employees alleging discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, etc.
Hired & Non-Owned coverage provides coverage to employees driving on the job. This coverage will pick up the additional cost that may be inquired after using the employees personal auto policy.

As a business owner, if you are unsure of what’s covered on your current policy reach out to your agent and review your coverage. There may be gaps that could cost you a fortune.

Fortunately, you’ve got us. At Alta Vista Insurance, we work to help your business reach new heights.

Call today at (888) 724-2124 to see whether you might be vulnerable to a loss or click to get a quote!

Click to Get a Quote!

Check out our partner spotlight in San Diego Real Producers Magazine!

Posted on May 9, 2018January 12, 2021 by Seth Arruda

In April our agency was featured in San Diego Real Producers Magazine as their partner spotlight. It was a lot of fun! The article gave us a chance to tell our story. We are so gracious for the opportunity to work with some of the top producers in the real estate industry helping them reach new heights with their businesses! Huge thanks to Jessie Wright, Zach Cohen, and Sterling Photo.

For those of you that didn’t get a chance to see our article in San Diego Real Producers Magazine, here is a link to the full article San Diego Real Producers Magazine Partner Spotlight.

“We’re taking a different approach when it comes to insurance… fully embedding ourselves in the real estate industry so we can help our partners.”

“Our marketing message to business partners is ‘let us show you ways that we as an agency can help grow your business and close your transactions. By adding us to your affiliate network, we’re going to be able to help you get more opportunities.”

“We’ve taken on a slogan, ‘Helping You Reach New Heights.’”

By shifting the focal point to how he can help our partners achieve their own business goals and build their customer relationships, Seth has helped Alta Vista Insurance build their referral network, leverage more consistent business relationships and continue to grow. As Seth explains,

“it’s not about us. It’s about how we can help you.”

Looking to find out how we can help you protect and grow your real estate business?

Learn how we can bring massive value to your brand.

Build Your Brand

Going On Vacation? 10 Tips To Prepare & Protect Your Home

Posted on May 8, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

The season for a sunny vacation is on the way! If you plan on leaving your home unattended for more than 24 hours, consider these tips.

1) Turn off your water

This one only applies if you are not hiring a house sitter. We have heard many stories of our insureds coming home to two weeks of water build-up and months of rebuilding they need to start.

2) Stop newspaper delivery

A pile of yellowing newspapers on the doorstep is a movie cliché for a home that’s unoccupied. Stopping the newspaper when you leave town for a while is an easy detail to forget and one that will make you a sure target. If you’re still reading newsprint, make sure you stop service when you leave on vacation.

3) Keep eyes on your property

Even if you stop newspaper delivery and mail service, there are still some gotchas that can make it obvious that you’re not around. How about those fliers that peddlers leave on your doorknob, or those periodic yellow page book deliveries? Because you can’t plan for every contingency, have someone in the area check your house periodically. Whether it’s a neighbor or relative, nothing beats having a person check the premises every day or two while you’re gone. Hey, while they’re there, they can water the petunias.

4) Make your home look lived in

An occupied home looks lived in. Lights go on and off, and cars come and go. When you’re away, everything stops. To help create the illusion that the residence is still occupied, invest in timers that turn on the interior lights for a few hours every evening. If you can get a neighbor to take out your garbage and put the cans back after the garbage pickup, it’s another way to send the message that everything is proceeding normally at your house.

5) Keep landscape trimmed

If you’re a diligent homeowner who mows his lawn every week, and things start to look overgrown and neglected, it’s easy to come to the conclusion that you’re not around. If you plan on being away for an extended period of time, hire someone to take care of the landscaping chores in your absence.

6) Hire a house sitter

The best way to make sure your house is safe while you’re gone is to have someone you trust still living in it. You may be lucky enough to have a tidy and conscientious relative who’ll move in temporarily and water the plants, feed the pets and pick up the newspapers. If not, there are services you can use for house-sitting and pet-sitting while you’re away. This can be a pricey option, but it’s a solution that touches all the bases.

7) Don’t project your moves

Show some caution when you talk about your trip. Your blog isn’t the best place to announce that you’ll be away from home for a month. Being aware of who’s around when you discuss your trip in restaurants and even at work isn’t a great idea either. Make sure your children are discrete , too. No one is saying that you should be suspicious of everyone you meet, but even a chance remark has the potential to lead to unintended and unfortunate consequences. The less information you put out there, the less likely it is to reach the wrong ears and eyes.

8) Pull the plug on electronics

Disconnecting the power to some of your electronics, like your desktop computer, coffee pot and television can save you money while you’re gone and eliminate the worry that you’ve accidentally left them on by mistake. Turning off your garage door is also an effective way to keep thieves from opening it with a universal remote. Oh, and don’t leave a portable GPS in your car when you use long-term parking at the airport. It’ll alert thieves that you’re not home and give them a convenient map to your house.

9) Hold your mail

When you’re leaving for more than a couple of days, call your local post office to stop mail delivery until you get back. They can hold mail from three to 30 days. In many locations, you can even submit a stop mail request online. Just enter your address and stop and start dates. This is a free feature courtesy of your friendly United States Postal Service. #murica

10) Install added security features

Installing a home security system or even just exterior lights that run on timers is a good way to ramp up security around the old homestead and make your house safer whether you’re around or not. One of the nice things about these features is that they’re working when you’re awake, asleep, on vacation or hosting an outdoor barbecue. They fade into the background as far as you’re concerned, but still make your property less attractive to opportunistic thieves.

Do You Want To Save Time or Money? Pick Both!

Posted on April 17, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

We live in a new world where everything is online. We can go to WebMD and self diagnose ourselves before we go to the doctor and get her professional opinion. How often are we convinced that we have some unthinkable disease thanks to our own research, only to find out it’s not as bad as we thought? Or when shopping for a new car, we read every online review study the stats before we finally go test drive the car. And we know more about the car than the salesman!

The same is true when shopping for a health insurance plan. The truth is, you know what is most important to you. Low monthly premium, low max out of pocket, brand name prescription drug coverage, generally everyone has a specific issue that is most important to them when shopping. When we are shopping we may log in to several sites, see the rates, compare to several other sites, try to get free ObamaCare online, (Which doesn’t exist for most of us) Finally we call an agent. And we may either know what we want, or at least know what questions we want answered. Sometimes though, just like when you were sure you had West Nile Virus, and it turned out to be the common cold or when you thought we wanted that sports car until youdrove it. You may be pleasantly surprised when you finally do speak to a knowledgeable insurance professional about our insurance. The truth is, there are hundreds of plans in multiple competitive markets. There are ways to get coverage even after open enrollment periods have closed. And the price, although high, is more affordable than a hospital stay without insurance. So save yourself some time, and call us to discuss your health insurance needs, wants, and budget. We offer on exchange plans as well as off exchange plans. Individual and Family based plans, as well as Small Business Group Plans. We look forward to saving you time and money.

Why not choose both?

Click Here To Save Time AND Money

How Clean Is Your Pool?

Posted on April 17, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

No, I’m not talking about your swimming pool.

I’m talking about your insurance pool. Insurance has become increasingly complicated. Many people do not understand why there are different rates on insurance. How can one insurance company offer substantially lower rates with better coverage than another? The answer can be found in how insurance pricing works. Insurance basically works by pooling risk. The pool you want to get in is the one where there have been the fewest claims, therefore allowing the company to offer lower prices, better coverage, and make a profit. On the surface it makes sense. But in practice it becomes somewhat difficult to accomplish. Do you call seven or eight companies that collectively spend billions of dollars on advertising? No great shock, the rates they offer are all about the same, they are competing for the same customers. The ones that respond to tireless advertising. But there are other pools, that are a little more private and particular about who they let in. It sounds like discrimination, and it is, but the insurance companies call it underwriting – so it’s legal. Many people ask why the insurance company wants so much information to offer a quote? Can’t the insurance company just look at my house and figure out how likely it is that I may file a claim? The answer is no! Surprisingly to many people, claims severity and frequency are more often a factor of the owner than the property. If you have a history of filing claims, you are more likely to file more claims in the future. If you have not, or do not file a claim, that too is also likely to continue. The same is true to credit scores and payments. People with better credit tend to pay their bills on time and file fewer claims than people with poor credit. Often times it is because when something needs repair, they repair it or replace it before it breaks and leaks and causes property damage. Likewise, they are more likely to have the trees trimmed, and therefore avoid having them fall on the house. Also by showing they are responsible and have good credit, it is likely that they are responsible in other areas and aspects of their lives. They probably remember to turn off the stove, lock the front door, have the chimney cleaned, and other risk avoidance behaviors that go hand in hand with being responsible. In other words, they keep their pool clean! Both the pool in the back yard, and the insurance company pool they put their risk in. And everybody enjoys a clean pool. If you are responsible, and you think you might like to save money on your home or auto insurance. I invite you to dip your toe in our pool, and see if you like the water better. We are an independent California Insurance agency, offering personal lines auto and home insurance to our clients. We specialize in finding the right fit for our customer, and making a good match to protect your assets from risk at an affordable price.

Buying a home in SoCal? Is your insurance agency dragging its feet?

Posted on April 17, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

When you buy a home, so many services are needed: home inspection, pest control, escrow, and on and on. Sometimes home owner’s insurance gets pushed to the back of your mind, but it’s necessary in order to mortgage a home. Here in Southern California, home owner’s insurance has become especially tricky; the San Diego wildfires of 2008 have prompted some insurance companies to dramatically increased the premium and even consider some areas uninsurable. Some of the bigger agencies such as State Farm and Allstate are not issuing new policies in certain zip codes. And when you’re on a tight deadline, any delay in getting insurance can be extra costly. But some qualified, well-rated, albeit smaller insurance companies are willing to work in these areas. Alta Vista Insurance Agency has built relationships with mortgage companies, escrow services, and real estate brokers here in our community to help home buyers achieve a successful close of escrow. If you’ve discovered that your insurance provider won’t produce a certificate of insurance in a timely manner, call us–we will get it done. When the timeline is tight and you’re looking to close, we do what it takes to get you what you need. Learn more »

Contents Insurance

Posted on April 17, 2018January 12, 2021 by admin

Many homeowners wonder if their homeowners insurance covers contents. Our answer is yes! As a part of your homeowners insurance, your policy provides protection for all of your personal property and contents. Your Kemper policy also has replacement cost on your contents, which is very important. This insures all of your belongings for full replacement value than the depreciated value of the items. If you have any target items such as jewelry, artwork, antiques, etc. these particular items should be added as scheduled personal property. We can always add coverage to the policy. Contact us if you have any questions!