Top 5 Reasons To Have Homeowners Insurance in California

Homeowners Insurance is nothing you should think twice about. In California, we invest more into our homes than any other state. In 2010 California averaged spending 50.9% of household income spent on home ownership costs, which is the most of any state. We invest a lot into our homes, and it would be terrible if you weren’t protected. Here are 5 reasons why you need Homeowners Insurance.

Protects From Financial Disaster
Floods, theft or fire damages can leave your home in rubble. Homeowners insurance policy can help cover the repair or replacement costs of your home in the midst of destruction. After you pay your deductible, your insurance will help you to restore your life back to some semblance of normal with your home and family life.

Gives You Added Security
A home is a huge investment and disasters that occur due to natural events just cannot be avoided for the most part. Having that added security of homeowner’s insurance will allow you to not be so stressed when you are faced with a disaster, because you know that you will be able to take care of any repairs or replacement that has to occur. While no one wants their home to be damaged, having insurance can take away some of the stress and worry.

Homeowner’s Insurance is Largely Affordable
Insurance is known as being very expensive, but homeowner’s insurance can be very budget-friendly. While health insurance can run you into the thousands of dollars each year, a homeowner’s policy will cost you less than a thousand dollars a year for a three bedroom, two bath home. There is really no excuse for you to not carry homeowner’s insurance, simply because it is so affordable. If you want to take care of what you have, homeowner’s insurance can be just the thing.

Easy to Obtain
While some types of insurance are difficult to get, homeowner’s insurance is not that way. As long as you own a home, you are going to find someone willing to help you insure that home, whether through your mortgage company or not. It will be a necessity for you to have insurance if you are financing your home, so if you are unsure of which insurance company to go with, ask your mortgage lender who they recommend in your area.

Liability Coverage Can Be Essential
Another great benefit to homeowner’s insurance is that it can also cover your liability if someone is injured on your property. In addition, you can be covered if you injure someone else or their property with your own homeowner’s insurance. This can go a long way to helping to keep you protected in this lawsuit happy society that we all live in these days.

There is no place like home. And, as one of the most important purchases you’ll ever make, your home needs a solid homeowners insurance plan that offers protection from all kinds of unforeseen events.

The professionals at Blackwell Insurance Agency have decades of experience in helping homeowners in Orange County, San Diego County, and throughout California protect their biggest investment. We’ll build a policy just for you, selecting among components such as:

  • Replacement Value of Your Home
  • Personal Property Coverage Amount
  • Personal Liability
  • Special Coverages

Give Blackwell Insurance Agency a call toll-free at (800) 255-1460. And remember, combining your Homeowners coverage with your Auto insurance qualifies you for a multi-policy discount!

Auto Insurance: 10 Tips To Keep You Safe & Your Car Running

We rely on our cars too much. Similar to the old saying, ‘you don’t really appreciate it until it’s gone’ is a true piece of wisdom that still rings true. Until there is a problem, we take our cars for granite. At Blackwell Insurance, we understand how important it is to keep your car in proper working order. Here are 10 quick tips to keep your car in optimal condition.

  1. Bring Your Seat Down!
    Have you ever noticed SUV drivers tend to drive slower? Well it turns out that drivers who sit higher feel as if they’re driving slower.
  2. Turn Your Lights On
    A Canadian study found that people who drive with their headlights on during daylight hours have an 11% decreased risk of being in an accident.
  3. Skip the DIY Car Wash
    At one point, we’re all ambitious enough to wash our cars at home, but you might be spending more money & effort than you think. Washing a car at home uses five to 20 times more water than a professional car wash. When you think of all the car products, water and energy that you are consuming, sometimes professional car washes are the better way to go. You also aren’t doing your car any favors.
  4. Eliminate Distractions
    Distractions will be the end of us. As our gadgets get more complex, we are becoming more distracted. According to U.S. Secretary of Transportation adjusting the radio dial takes 5.5 seconds, dialing a phone triples your risk of a crash, reaching for a moving object increases it nine times. Worst of all is texting, which makes you 23 times more likely to crash.
  5. Stop at the Meter
    Ramp metering is designed to regulate flow for freeway on-ramps. Although it forces a small 20 or 30 second time penalty on drivers their commutes, according to the Texas Transportation Institute they can save drivers 5 to 10 minutes overall on their trip.
  6. Save Your Clutch
    Don’t ride your clutch in anticipation of shifts. The more you use your clutch the short life your clutch will have. On average, a clutch will cost anywhere between $800-1400 to replace.
  7. Switch Out Your Windshield
    Manufacturers recommend replacing your blades every three months.
  8. Look Left, Then Right, Then Left
    40% percent of car crashes occur at intersections, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as do 22% of all fatal crashes. It’s a terrible habit, but drivers become lazy and comfortable over time. Keep to the habits when you started out.
  9. Don’t Drive Blind
    Blind spots are one of the most constricting views in your car. One of the best techniques to increase your vision is this mirror adjustment method from Tom and Ray Magliozzi, hosts of NPR’s Car Talk. They state that you should set your rearview mirror as you normally would, then tilt it upward so you sit up straight. Lean your head against the driver’s window, then set your left mirror so you can see the back corner of your car. Lean right to do the right mirror. Instead of killing your neck, you can just lean forward.
  10. Check Your Hands
    Never clench your steering wheel with your thumbs locked. If involved in a collision, the wheel can whip around, breaking your thumbs. Leave your thumbs on top of the wheel.

Over 50 years ago, Blackwell Insurance Agency opened its doors in Orange County, California to offer quality, affordable Personal insurance products to protect everything from your home, auto, and other valuable possessions.

Milestones are a part of life. First car. First home. The Harley you promised yourself for your 40th birthday. A mobile home for retirement. Earthquakes, fires, floods, Blackwell has you covered. Our personal auto insurance is the best choice you will make this year.

When it comes to auto insurance, we take it personally.

We love getting to know our clients, and we’d like to get to know you. Call us toll-free at (800) 255-1460. We’ll be happy to show you how Blackwell Insurance Agency can become your trusted agency for generations to come.

Auto Insurance: Why Do I Need Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

If you are ever in an accident, hope they have insurance. Uninsured drivers are the worst kind person to deal with. It is estimated that in some states up to 25% of drivers don’t have any form of auto insurance, which is why we highly suggest Uninsured Motorist coverage. Uninsured Motorist coverage covers not only you, but insured members of your household and your passengers in an accident with an Uninsured / Underinsured motorist. Also, It also provides coverage if you’re hit by a hit-and-run driver and applies to you and the insured members. Coverage can include payments from everything to medical costs to lost wages and pain and suffering. It is required in many states. This coverage typically covers any difference between the other driver’s insurance coverage and the costs of your bodily injuries, up to the limits of the policy.

Not all laws are the same. States individually regulate the punishment for such crimes. For example, a hit-and-run in Texas constitutes a crime of third degree felony if the accident involves a fatality or serious bodily injury. Accidents causing less serious injuries are punishable by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for not more than five years or confinement in the county jail for not more than one year and/or a fine not to exceed $5,000.

Even if you consider yourself the most responsible driver in the world and have your very own auto insurance coverage plan, there are an untold number of drivers out there who drive without any insurance.

What Can Uninsured Motorist Coverage Pay For?

Adding uninsured motorist coverage to your policy is a relatively inexpensive way to protect yourself and your passengers. With just one accident, Uninsured coverage can protect you from financial ruin in the case of a catastrophic accident. Not only does uninsured motorist insurance pay for damage to your car and medical expenses, but it may also lost wages, pain and suffering.

Since 1 in every 4 Americans are under or uninsured, there is a major risk that can put out of work and are in dire financial strain. If you are in an accident and the ‘at fault’ party has no insurance and no money to pay you, you will be fully responsible for all that financial burden. Certain types of people will always cut corners, but it doesn’t mean you should pay for it. Don’t let someone else’s irresponsibility put you or your family at risk.

Depending on your needs, Blackwell Insurance Agency can assemble coverage that protects your car from unforeseen damages and injuries, with features such as:

  • Liability Coverage: Protects you from loss for property damage and injuries that you may cause to others while operating your auto.
  • Medical Coverage: Pays medical expenses of the driver and occupants of your insured auto.
  • Comprehensive: Protects you from damage caused by things other than a vehicle collision, such as fire and theft.
  • Collision Coverage: Protects you from loss should another vehicle collide with yours.
  • Other Coverages: Full glass coverage, towing, rental car insurance, and more depending on your needs.

From 1960’s Chevys to BMWs today, cars remain one of the biggest purchases our clients will ever make – and that’s why they come to Blackwell Insurance Agency, an expert source of Personal Auto insurance in Orange County and San Diego County for decades. Give us a call toll-free at (800) 255-1460

Business Insurance: How to Prepare for the Christmas Party

It’s that time of the year, where giving is the air. So we at Blackwell Insurance wanted to show you how to give back to your employees during the holiday season.

Bonuses

The most traditional way of giving back is through the almost expected “Christmas Bonus.” Over the years this form of payment or compensation has became an automatic income for some. But what we have learned from Clark Griswold in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” sometimes you don’t always get your desired bonus (unless you take your boss hostage; not recommended).  So this bonus is probably the best way to show appreciation for your employees.

Let’s crunch some numbers: According to a new CareerBuilder survey

40% of employers plan to give their employees holiday bonuses this year, up from 33% in 2010. Among this group, 73% are expecting to give the same amount as last year. 14% intend to provide a greater bonus than last year, while 13% plan to provide a smaller bonus

Let’s say you are still being affected by the economy but you want to provide for your employees. Good substitutes for cash bonuses are gift cards to places people need to go (restaurants, groceries, supercenters) or let them have the chance of striking it big with a lottery ticket or scratch-offs.

Holiday Party!

Holiday and end-of-year parties promote unity among employees and create a good atmosphere for the workplace. Studies have shown that a company that participates in getting into the festive spirit returns a higher company moral which should produce better work.

Here are some key essentials to making a successful company party.

  • Food & Beverages – Whether it’s catered or 7up, pizza, and a fruitcake, provide your employees lunch for the day.
  • Announcement/Speech/Reason for Gathering – Make sure everyone knows why they are there. Make it different than the person who brought in the leftovers and shared from the office.  Just a brief “Thanks for a great year. I really couldn’t imagine where I would be without you.”
  • Theme- The more creative you are with your holiday party the more it will be appreciated and it will become fun for your employees. Some suggested ideas are Secret Santa, Ugly Sweater, or a Cookie Swap party

Paid to Online Shop, wait what?

It is hard to tell if your business is one of the businesses that wouldn’t be found guilty of holiday shopping on office hours. A recent survey by CareerBuilder estimates that about 50% of American workers plan to spend time shopping online at work this season.

Give your employees a good block of time to holiday to shop at work. You can give them something like 15-20 minutes a day or a 1 hour on Friday to research deals & products. They will be so surprised and impressed that once their time is up they would feel very little remorse if they violated using work time for shopping.

Unique/Useable Gifts

So you’re the kind of person that likes to wrap tangible items and see expressions of joy and excitement when someone opens a gift. Provide them with something they will use and need, a practical gift. Example: A Real Estate company out of Chicago provided with employees with prepaid toll transponders of $40, because they are always traveling.

If that doesn’t fit in your financial means, give out “get-out-of-jail” cards. Give your employees a coupon for a 3-hour lunch, half day, late start, or go crazy and give them an additional vacation day.

That’s what we have to say about promoting a Holiday workplace atmosphere. If you have any questions or would like to learn about our Employee Benefits Liability Insurance or additional business insurance coverage that we offer, feel free to give us a call (800) 255 – 1460.

Pet Insurance: What is it? Why Do You Need it? What Does it Cover?

  Meet Maggie, an Australian Cattle Dog.Everyone loves Pets. Viral sensations have been created just from a cat ringing a doorbell. We love everything about this, ok, maybe not their bills. It’s important to ensure they get the best health care when they become ill or suffer from an injury – this is where pet insurance can help.

Why do I need pet insurance?
In more recent years there have been significant advancements in veterinary industry, including medicine & equipment to detect and diagnose problems that might have gone undiscovered in the past.

However, technological advancements correlate with price. These potentially life-saving advancements, depending on the condition and treatment, will often dent your savings account. One of the most horrifying experiences that you can go through is having to let your pet die because you cannot afford the veterinarian bill. Hundreds of owners face this decision each year.

This is where pet insurance comes in. It allows owners to explore the treatment options available for their pet and provides peace of mind that they will have support in dealing with their associated costs.

What does it cover?
Cover for veterinary bills is the primary reason for taking out a pet insurance policy. Most policies carry a limit on the amount you can claim per condition and/or over a set time period – typically in the region of 12 months. However, some policies offer lifetime cover meaning that a pet is covered through its lifetime providing the insurance is renewed – meaning they can get vital treatments for on-going conditions such as diabetes.

Where can you find pet insurance?
To save money on pet insurance, consider using Blackwell. As a Retailer, Blackwell Insurance Agency will sniff out the best, most comprehensive coverage for your pet. As an independent insurance agency, we can select among a variety of quality insurance companies to find the right Pet policy to cover accidents, illness, or preventive care for your furry friends.

If your pet is not undergoing treatments for any ongoing conditions then shop around during each renewal period – you may be able to save money by taking advantage of introductory discounts offered to new customers from other providers.

Give Blackwell Insurance a call to learn more. (800) 255-1460

Special Event Coverage

Dance Studio Insurance: Bachelorette Parties Move to the Barre From The Bar

What comes to mind when you say ‘Bachelorette Party’? Maybe Vegas, clubs, a late night/early morning, maybe even some dancing on tables? Well not anymore. The culture surrounding bachelorette parties are changing and you would be surprised how it trends.

Yoga and dance studios are finding their group reservations to fill faster and more frequently with bachelorette parties. Yes, believe it or not, but women are turning to the gym for their day-long celebration and returning to a soft bed for a heavy night’s sleep.

Studios around the nation have been developing packages for these bachelorette parties. Packages can include an assortment of planned activities from scandalous to comforting Continue reading →