Are You Moving Soon ►►► Know These 8 Questions

Are You Moving Soon?
Ask These Great 8 Insurance Questions Before You Move
Packing up everything you own and moving is stressful enough. Having your belongings lost or

damaged in a move, either by yourself or professional movers, is more stress that you don’t need.

About 37 million Americans moved in 2009. Loss or damage happens during one of every four

moves, according to Jim Sullivan, president of Humboldt Moving and Storage in Canton, Mass.

Whether moving across town or across the country, how do you determine whether you have enough

insurance to cover any losses? How do you get your belongings insured for a move?

Here are eight insurance questions to ask if you’re on the move.

1. Does my home insurance policy cover your belongings when they’re being moved or when
they’re put in storage?

Chances are, it won’t. Your policy likely won’t pay if your items are broken, scratched, dented or otherwise damaged by a mover. Likewise, your policy likely won’t cover you if you can’t pinpoint when and where a box of your Grandma’s china went missing.

2. What if my belongings freeze or overheat in the moving van?

Insurance issues can vary greatly if you’re moving on your own versus using a professional mover.
These are “two big exclusions" in many homeowner’s policies . In these instances, you’re probably not covered by your home insurance policy.

3. What if some sort of accident destroys the moving van — and your belongings?

Your home insurance policy probably will cover the loss if the moving van catches on fire, explodes, is vandalized or is involved in a crash.

4. What does my home insurance cover if I store my belongings before moving into a new house?

If you store your belongings in a public storage facility, you’re probably 100 percent covered. However, if you store your belongings in a friend’s basement, you’re probably covered for just 10 percent of their value.

5. What if I’m doing the move on my own?

In this case, you make the move at your own risk. If something is damaged due to your own negligence, you might be covered, but the (home) insurance company can review the claim carefully to make sure the damage was not intentional.


If you’re renting a vehicle from a place like U-Haul, remember this: Most personal auto insurance policies exclude coverage of rental vehicles with a gross weight of 9,000 pounds or more, according to U-Haul.

6. Should I accept the coverage offered by a professional mover?

Experts say it may be a good investment. If you’re using a professional moving company, there are two types of coverage available: Full value protection, also known as full replacement value, and released value, or basic carrier liability.

Full value protection is recommended by movers because it usually provides cash to repair or replace an item at its current value. Released value coverage is free to customers, but covers only pennies on the dollar for the value of an item. The valuation is done by weight. For a typical three-bedroom house with 20,000 pounds of items to be moved, full valuation for $120,000 in coverage will cost $700 for an interstate move.

Basic carrier liability is free for customers and pays up to 60 cents per pound, so a 10-pound stereo component valued at $1,000 that is broken in a move will be worth only $6 in
reimbursement. “You can see that it makes sense for people moving to take out the coverage.
Accidents do happen. 

The Insurance Information Institute, points out that this coverage isn’t actually insurance.  The two options from movers aren’t  policies governed by state insurance laws. Rather, they’re liability contracts governed by federal law.

7. How do I get reimbursed if I’ve taken out liability coverage from a professional mover?

To collect on coverage, the items must be on an inventory list created at the start of the move. Belongings of extraordinary value, such as jewelry, may be subject to limited liability if you didn’t list them as high-value items. 


8. What’s the real value of purchasing coverage from a professional mover?

Buying the mover’s coverage can prevent headaches with your home insurance company. More importantly, buying the mover’s insurance can leave your homeowner’s insurance record unblemished. A move-related claim on your home insurance policy could result in a premium increase.

For More Information on Moving or Storage Insurance

Please Contact Your Local Insurance Agent:

Jason Shroot

Diversified Insurance Solutions

714-988-3325

jason@diversifiedinsurancequotes.com

www.jasonsellsinsurance.com

Do You Know Your Evacuation Plan?

Ten Minutes...Until Evacuation


Community and neighborhood evacuations are more common than you might think. A wildfire, hurricane, tornado, mudslide, toxic industrial accident or other imminent disaster could force you to leave your home—in some cases, within minutes of the evacuation order.

Knowing what to do and what to take with you should the order come can help you preserve your most important possessions.
Plan It Out.

1. Discuss an evacuation plan with members of your household well in advance of an emergency. Ask everyone to make a list of items they consider essential to bring and then prioritize.
2. Prepare a box with essential documents such as birth certificates, insurance records, passports, tax returns, wills and cherished photographs. Be sure to place this box in a secure location, such as a fireproof safe.
3. Create or update a home inventory list to accurately record your possessions and add the list to your essential document box.

•Plan your escape routes. Choose more than one route, going in different directions, as some streets may be blocked off.
•Choose a meet-up place for family members should an evacuation order come when you’re not together.
•If you have some advance warning, fill your car’s gas tank and keep it topped off. Keep some cash on hand too—ATMs may not be operable in a disaster.

Pack It Up.

For efficiency and speed, divide packing duties among household members. The Insurance Information Institute and the Department of Homeland Security offer suggestions for items to bring if you have only minutes to pack:

•Your prepared document box
•Prescriptions, first aid supplies, basic toiletries
•Computers or laptops
•Clothing for three days
•Comfort items, such as a child’s blanket or stuffed animal
•Pet supplies, including food, medicine, toys, vaccination records and a leash or carrier
•Bottled water
•Flashlight, battery-powered radio, extra batteries
•Cash

To learn how to be prepared in the event of a natural disaster please visit the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) for a detailed preparedness plan.


Your Local Insurance Agent - Jason Shroot Can Be Found By Calling 714-988-3325 or jason@diversifiedinsurancequotes.com

Do You Drive Fast? Here Are 5 Ways To Lower Your CA Insurance Rates

Are you a high-risk driver?

Here are five ways to get back on your auto insurance company’s good side...

If you’ve been labeled “high risk” because of too many auto insurance claims, auto accidents or traffic tickets, your auto insurance company might just drop you faster than Charlie Sheen drops cuss words.

If that happens, your only recourse may be to seek coverage from an auto insurance company specializing in covering high-risk drivers. And that’ll mean considerably more money out of your pocket to pay for higher auto insurance premiums — as much as 50 percent higher.

Insurance broker Steve Brooks says it’s possible to stay on your car insurance company’s bad side for anywhere from three to 10 years. But that period could last longer if you trip up by exhibiting even more bad behavior, such as racking up several traffic tickets.

Too many traffic tickets or auto accident claims can get you classified as a high-risk driver by your auto insurance company.

But take heart, high-risk driver. Hyacinth Tucker, a spokesman for Allstate, says there are five things you can do to get back in the good graces of your auto insurance company in as little as three years and become a “good risk” driver:

• Ask for a rate review. Although it’s not common, it is possible for insurance companies to make mistakes that could be bumping you up to the high-risk category. For instance, a traffic ticket could be showing up on your driving record when it already was supposed to have dropped off.
• Know your numbers. Check your credit score and compare it with the score your auto insurance company is using to determine rates. Also, make sure errors on your credit report are corrected to help boost your FICO score and, ultimately, knock you off the high-risk list.

• Go back to school. Take a defensive driving course offered through groups like AAA as well as through some auto insurance companies and municipalities. If an auto insurance company sees you’re trying to correct your risky ways, it may be inclined to take you off the high-risk list and drop your rates a bit.
• Be loyal. Don’t constantly jump from auto insurance company to company. Establishing a strong relationship with one company shows you’re stable and aren’t the risk you once were.
• Stay current. Pay your premiums on time. This fosters trust between you and your insurance company.
While not all circumstances are the same, Tucker offers the four most common reasons for being labeled a high-risk driver:
1. Low credit score. A score of 650 or less indicates to an auto insurance company that you’re likely to file a claim, be irresponsible with your car (leave it unlocked in a parking lot) or get a traffic ticket.
2. Excessive claims or traffic tickets. This means two or more claims (for damage, theft, vandalism and so forth) or two or more traffic tickets in two to three years, depending on where you live.
3. Insurance hopping. Bouncing from one auto insurance company to another year after year, or changing companies at least three times in five years, shows instability. In this scenario, the insurance company views you as less desirable because it’s not collecting premiums from you over an extended period.
4. Lapse in coverage. Going a month or two, or even a few days, without coverage signals that there’s a pattern of failing to pay your premiums, even if non-payment is not the reason for the lapse. Regardless of the reason, this situation brands you as unreliable.
“Getting a DUI and having your license suspended or revoked also propel you into the high-risk category,” says Brooks, who is president of B & B Premier Insurance Solutions, an insurance brokerage in Agoura Hills, Calif.
What happens if you’re high risk?
Brooks estimates that if you’re deemed a high-risk driver, you’ll probably see your rates soar anywhere from 20 percent to 50 percent. Of course, you’re pretty much assured that you won’t qualify for a good driver discount.
“To compensate for the rate hike, many high-risk customers change their coverage to include higher deductibles and lower coverage to keep rates affordable or near the level they were before being bumped up to a high-risk level,” Tucker says.
Tucker says a high-risk designation even could lead to your policy not being renewed.
“Car insurance companies often cut their losses if you fall into the high-risk category because of the greatly increased chance they’ll have to pay out on several claims,” Brooks says.
If that happens, you’ll have to shop for non-standard auto insurance — coverage sold to drivers who can’t buy insurance at standard or preferred rates. Insurance companies like Diversified Insurance Quotes specialize in providing this type of high-risk coverage.

“Non-standard coverage may be similar to traditional coverage, but you’re going to pay significantly more for that coverage because of the risk you pose to the insurance company,” Brooks says.

For More Information Or For a FREE No OBLIGATION Auto Insurance Quote Please Contact:

Jason Shroot

714-988-3325

jason@diversifiedinsurancequotes.com

Top Ten Guidelines To Limit A Company's Risks in Social Media

Top Ten Guidelines To Limit A Company's Risks in Social Media



Social media has become a powerful way for business owners (and individuals) to communicate with clients, prospects, friends, family, referral sources, and colleagues.

However, improper usage can result in serious consequences. 

The following are a list of suggestions to limit your company's social media's risk exposure:

1. Know Your Audience – Write knowing that everyone, including the folks who sign your paycheck,

will be able to see what you post. Remember that your post will be globally accessible today and long

into the next Ice Age.

2. Be Respectful – Do not disparage competitors or criticize others. This obviously includes current

and former clients. After all, who among us is perfect?

3. Be Conversational – Write as you speak to real people in a professional situation. Avoid stuffy

corporate-speak and mannered language. In fact, avoid words like "mannered." That said, also avoid

slang that will unfairly diminish you and your superior intellect.

4. Add Value – Social media is no different than other types of communication. It should help others

build their business, improve their skills, solve problems or understand our firm better.

5. Spread the Good Word — When you have something good to say about our firm, say it on multiple

social media sites.

6. Honesty is the Best Policy – Never represent yourself or our firm in a false or misleading way. Be

transparent about your identity and relationship to our firm.

7. Stay In the Zone – Cover your areas of expertise, especially when referencing corporate products.

If you are not an expert, make this fact clear to your readers.

8. No Demagoguery – Limit personal opinions to your personal life. Even then, keep controversial

opinions off personal social media pages.

9. When In Doubt, Don't – If you have to think twice about a post, this is typically a good sign that it

should not be published.

10. Observe Copyright Laws – Give credit where credit is due.

11. Respect Confidentiality – Ask permission to repeat conversations and forward communications.

12. Avoid Hot Buttons – Do not participate in social media when the topic is a breaking event. Gilbert

13. Follow the firm's Code of Conduct.

14. Follow the firm's Privacy Policy.

15. Adhere to the firm's E-mail & Internet Usage Policies.

16. What Happens At Social Events Stay There — Photo sharing sites like Picasa and Flickr are

social media. Post photos taken at company gatherings with the greatest care and consideration.

17. Be Non-Confrontational – Avoid sarcasm and be mindful of tone. Do not escalate a potentially

volatile situation. Politely disengage from the conversation instead.
 
 

For More Information About The Potential Risks of Social Media Or For Your Free Commercial Insurance Quotes Please Contact Jason Shroot at 714-988-3325 or Please Visit Diversified Insurance Solutions at www.jasonsellsinsurance.com.  You May Also Email Jason Shroot at jason@diversifiedinsurancequotes.com