Many California residents head to Mexico every year, whether it is to vacation, surf or to see ancient sites.  Since Mexico is so close, many just hop in their car and head south for an adventure!  But many people do not realize that most likely your U.S.-based car insurance will not cover you in Mexico.  Auto insurance coverage is required by Mexican Federal Liability Law, meaning that they take this very seriously, so we will share the most popular policies to keep you insured while you are in Mexico. The best part about this kind of insurance? It typically is VERY affordable for short-duration trips. Limited Mexico CoverageThis kind of policy is great if you are staying close to the U.S. border.  For many insurance companies, they will cover you up to 75 miles from the U.S./Mexico border. For a day trip, or just doing something close, this could be a good option. Liability Insurance in MexicoMexican law requires all drivers to have liability insurance that covers you in Mexico.  If you are responsible for a car accident, this covers bodily injuries and property damage to others. Additional Policies for Driving in MexicoSince liability insurance will not cover damage to your car or injuries to you or your passengers, there are other policies to consider: physical damage coverage, medical payments,  roadside assistance and medical evacuation.Where can you purchase these additional policies? Right here🙋🏼‍♀️.  Give us a call (714) 340-0295 and we would be more than happy to discuss this with you.

If you thought your catalytic converter was the only thing you had to be concerned about thieves stealing from your car, you are in for a surprise with this week’s update.   Nationwide, police are seeing an uptick in thieves stealing gasoline from cars.  While you might be visualizing someone siphoning gas from your tank, many thieves have moved on to other techniques that cause more damage to your car or truck. For larger vehicles, thieves are drilling holes in the tank (!) or crawling underneath and cutting the rubber filler neck leading to the tank.  As you can imagine, these are not inexpensive problems to fix! So we have put together some tips to help protect your vehicle from this type of crime. 1. Park in a garage, if possible. 2. If garage parking is not available, consider motion sensor lights or video cameras that would deter a thief. 3. When you are parking, try to find a spot that is in a well lit area. 4. Park where your gas cap faces the road. 5. Avoid parking in areas, like an airport, for extended periods of time. As gas prices continue to rise, it is important to protect you and your family from criminals who are exploiting this surge in prices. If you are curious about how these kinds of repairs would be covered by your auto policy, give us a call (714) 340-0295 and we would be happy to help.

“Did you feel that?” Yes–you know that line seen in neighborhood Facebook groups or texts sent to local friends. One of the costs of living in Paradise (i.e. California) is that you are likely to experience earthquakes from time to time. Although California has over 16,000 fault lines, residents are not obligated to have Earthquake insurance. As we are sure you are already aware, the standard homeowner’s policy does not include damage from earthquakes. If you are thinking about getting earthquake insurance, here are the factors to consider in that decision making process: *What kind of home do you own? Specifically, is it brick, stone or a concrete home, as they are more likely to be damaged because they are inflexible. *What would be the cost incurred if an earthquake damaged your home and you could not live there for a period of time?*What is your home’s distance to the fault line?*If your home was deemed uninhabitable from an earthquake, and you did not have insurance, could you withstand that financial hit, especially if you still have a mortgage? If you are interested in Earthquake insurance, there are more options than the CEA (California Earthquake Authority) which is currently the main carrier in California. If you don’t currently have Earthquake Insurance, or would like to consider all your options, give us a call (714) 340-0295 and we would be more than happy to discuss this with you.

Having been a small business owner for many years, I always get excited when someone calls our office for small business insurance! These businesses are the backbone of our country, and we love serving these entrepreneurs and business owners!   If you have a small business, or are considering starting one soon, let me share a little bit about the different types of policies that are available to protect your assets. The type of policy that you need depends upon your business, and business structure (i.e. LLC, sole proprietorship, corporation, etc). Today we will share a bit of information about the different insurance policies, as defined by the Small Business Association, SBA. The 7 Types of Small Business Insurance: General liability insurance: This coverage would be applicable to all small businesses, and offers protection against financial loss as the result of bodily injury, property damage, medical expenses, libel, slander, defending lawsuits, and settlement bonds or judgments. Product liability insurance: This coverage is for businesses that manufacture, wholesale, distribute, and retail a product. This policy protects against financial loss as a result of a defective product that causes injury or bodily harm.Professional liability insurance: This policy is for businesses that provide services to customers.  It protects against financial loss as a result of malpractice, errors, and negligence. Commercial property insurance: This covers businesses with a considerable amount of property. This coverage protects businesses against loss and damage of company property due to a wide variety of events such as fire, smoke, wind and hail storms, civil disobedience and vandalism. Home-based business insurance: If you run a business from your home, you can consider this policy that’s added to homeowner’s insurance as a rider can offer protection for a small amount of business equipment and liability coverage for third-party injuries.     Business owner’s … Read More

We all know that purchasing a new or used vehicle is exciting and fun! But one of the first calls you need to make after you park the vehicle in your driveway is to your insurance agent!   What are the differences between comprehensive, collision and liability insurance coverage? So glad you asked! 😄 Let’s start with comprehensive coverage. This coverage will reimburse you if your car is damaged from theft, vandalism, fire or hitting an animal. (And if you purchase the coverage, theft of the catalytic converter can also be included, thank goodness!!) Comprehensive policies also provide coverage if your vehicle is harmed from weather-related events like wind, hail or even earthquake. Next liability insurance, which is required by law in all states, pays for property damage and/or injuries to another person caused by an accident in which you’re at fault. Finally, we have collision coverage, which protects you from costs that are incurred while your car is moving, parked or struck by another car. If an object damages your vehicle, such as collision with another vehicle, or for example, if a shopping cart slams into your car, it is your collision coverage that will go into effect. This will cover the costs to repair or replace your vehicle. Generally, people begin considering dropping collision coverage after the car is 10 years old, depreciates significantly in value or after it is paid for in full. Phew! Do you have questions about your auto coverage? Contact our office today (714) 340-0295 to make sure you have all the correct policies in place.

This year we are returning to our “Five Question Friday,” but with a twist!  Each month we will be answering your questions about different insurance policies. This way, you will be fully informed as you purchase a new policy or renew a current one. We will begin this series with one of the most important policies to have for your family–life insurance. We find that many families are pleasantly surprised that the cost is less than what they expected. Where else can you secure that kind of financial security for such a nominal fee??   Today we are sharing some of the Top 5 Frequently Asked Questions about life insurance. Does the plan require a health examination? Yes, many policies do require this step. A paramedical exam will be ordered and this can be done in the comfort of your own home. Is there a waiting period before the life insurance takes effect? If the policy you are purchasing has less than $1,000,000 of coverage, and you are in good health, the approval process could be just a couple of days. On average, however, the entire process typically takes anywhere from 2 to 3 weeks. Is the insurance policy a monthly or annual premium? You will have payment plan options to fit your financial needs. If I terminate the policy, is there a monetary value? Term life insurance policies carry no cash value.  If you decide to go with a permanent life insurance plan, these are designed to continue for your entire life, but depending on which policy you have, there may be some cash value. How do you know if a life insurance company is stable, and will be there to protect my family? Look for an insurance company with an excellent record, long time in business, and positive history of … Read More

Recently we have gotten several calls from clients who have discovered their catalytic converter had been stolen. Sadly, this kind of theft is on the rise! If you aren’t familiar with this type of crime, essentially thieves are removing the catalytic converter, which is a part found on the exhaust on automobiles. It is attractive to criminals because it is pretty easy to remove in just minutes, and it can be sold for quick cash. But for the car owner, these pieces are fairly expensive to replace. If you discover that your catalytic converter has been stolen, here are the steps you can take: * Don’t drive the car! Thieves can cut other parts of the car while they are getting the converter that can impact the car’s drivability. *Contact your auto insurance company to report the theft. You may also want to, or be required, to contact the police.*The replacement will only be covered if you have comprehensive coverage on your auto policy. So double check your auto insurance policy to make sure you have this comprehensive insurance. *Depending on your auto insurance provider, you may be required to take your vehicle to an auto shop for a third party for verification. Even if you have not experienced this kind of theft, it is worth it to check your auto policy to see if you have comprehensive coverage. If you aren’t sure, give us a call (714-340-0295), and we would be happy to help.

A couple decades ago, drivers were only distracted by things like eating in the car, or perhaps another passenger. But as technology becomes more prevalent, many drivers allow their phones, watches and other devices to distract them, causing traffic accidents that are sometimes fatal. As you may already suspect, teenage drivers were the ones most likely to drive while using their phone, to text, email or use social media while driving.  Although teens are most prone to driving distracted, it is a behavior that can be found at every age group. In fact, 30% of Americans say they have had a “near miss” because they were personally distracted while driving. Here are five tips for staying focused while driving:   1. Turn on the “Do Not Disturb While Driving” feature or download a similar app on smartphones.2. Apply any makeup prior to putting the car in “drive.” Applying makeup can be a source of distraction.3. Refrain from texting while driving or checking your phone at red lights, or when a message appears.4. Don’t eat or drink while driving.5. Activate the GPS prior to driving. If you need to change your route, consider pulling over to type in a new address. We hope that you stay safe (and focused!) this holiday season. Please give us a call (714.340.0295) if you need any help with your insurance policies.

Just like you have a check up at the dentist or with your doctor, you should also have an annual review of your insurance policies. What better time to review your policies than the beginning of the new year. (You don’t have to wait for your renewal!) Yes–we encourage all of our clients to actively review the policies that are in place to make sure that you are fully covered for all your needs. If you have made any large purchases or had a significant life event, like a wedding, new baby, buying a house, etc., you will want to make sure you have the correct coverage in place. An annual insurance review will examine all of your current coverage that could include: Auto, Life, Homeowners/Renters, Umbrella, Boat and RV policies. With the Canzone team, you will be working with an experienced agent who can ensure that all of your current policies still meet your family’s needs. If you haven’t completed an insurance review recently or you have had a major life event since you last purchased your policies, it might be the right time to do a quick review with our team. An annual insurance evaluation is complementary, and can be scheduled by replying to this message or calling our office at (714) 340-0295. Simply let us know you are ready for a review and we will set it up for you!(You don’t have to be a Canzone client to receive this complimentary service.)

Many of our local clients know us for homeowners, auto, boat or other personal insurance needs. But you may not know that we also provide business insurance for local businesses, to help keep you fully protected. According to the Small Business Association (SBA), there are over 4.1 million small businesses in California. (You are receiving an email from one right now😉!)  Since small businesses are defined as ones with under 100 employees, we offer a number of insurance policies to help meet any and all of your business needs. Here are the most popular policies for Small Businesses: Here are the most popular policies for Small Businesses: Business Owners Policy: This is intended to serve the needs of most small businesses. This policy combines building, personal property, and liability insurance coverage into one convenient package. General Liability Insurance: This is often referred to as business liability insurance, and it coverage that can protect your business from a variety of claims, including bodily injury, property damage, personal injury, and others that can come up in your business. Worker’s Compensation Insurance: When an employee is injured at work, this policy covers three things: medical bills, recovery costs and partial missed wages. If the employee dies, this coverage pays for funeral expenses and benefits to the worker’s family. It is designed to help pay for work injuries and illnesses without the hassle of a lawsuit. We also offer Professional Liability, Lessors Risk, Business Auto, Product Liability, Marine Inland and Business Umbrella Policy. If you would like for us to assess your business risks, please contact our office, 714.340.0295, and we will be happy to help!