Is Your Business Insurance Keeping Up with Your Business?

Your business is something that you hold very dear, but do you know if your business insurance is keeping up with your business?

As a business owner, you and hard work go together like two peas in a pod. You have invested time, money, blood, sweat, and tears into this business and so it’s something that you want to protect. Your employees depend on you, as does your community. As your business grows and changes, your insurance needs may fall behind and leave your business vulnerable to everyday risks.

New Machinery

Your old machines may be covered under your current policy, but any new machinery needs to be added. Your policy is very specific when it comes to coverage, and the machines that it covers only extends to those in your policy. Make sure to update your policy if you purchase new machinery.

Increased Employee Count

Your business will grow and that will mean more employees under your wing, which is great news for your business. But as you hire more people, you need to look at your insurance coverage in order to protect your employees, and your business. More specifically, you need to look at your liability coverage and workers’ compensation limits to provide them with the care they deserve.

Retiring Senior Management

If you, or anyone else in senior management, is going to retire soon, you will need some sort of business succession plan. This plan is not just for you, it’s for your employees too. Your employees will be able to breathe much easier if they know what is going to happen after the senior management person retires. By planning ahead, you and your agent can make sure that the transition goes smoothly.

You need the right business insurance to keep up with your business. Business insurance can give you the peace of mind that you deserve when it comes to the covered damages. Contact the Business Protection Coaches at Stromsoe Insurance Agency for all of your commercial insurance coverage needs.

Your Teen Drivers Need Car Insurance (Even If They Don’t Have A Car)

How to get your teen drivers the car insurance they need.

In theory, your teen becoming a licensed driver takes a lot off your plate. You don’t have to drive to school in the mornings, you’re not responsible for shuttling your teen and his or her friends to after-school activities, and you free yourself from playing weekend chauffeur.

Unfortunately, though, when your teen starts being able to drive you do have or thing or two you need to worry about. For starters, you need to focus on making sure your family’s newest driver is safe behind the wheel.

Secondly, you need to consider your insurance coverage. That’s right, even if your teen doesn’t have his or her own car you still need to insure him or her. In the state of California, all drivers on the road are required to have liability insurance. That means that if you let your teen drive without having coverage for him or her, you’re letting your teen break the law.

Fortunately, insuring your new driver is easy! Just give your insurance agent a call, and he or she will be able to add your teen as an operator on your family’s existing coverage.

Let us forewarn you: when you add a teen, your rates will go up because teen drivers are statistically some of the riskiest people on the road. The good news is you can combat this by limiting how much your teen drives, getting a good student discount if he or she gets As and Bs, and waiting to buy him or her a car.

If you have questions about the California car insurance your growing number of drivers requires, don’t wait to contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency. We know that you already have enough to worry about with your new teen driver, and are here to making getting him or her covered easy! Protect your family, your vehicles, and your liability by calling us today.

Back To School Recipe: Watermelon Salad With Feta And Mint

Make school nights easier with this recipe for watermelon salad with feta and mint.

It’s crazy but true: the summer is already over. If you’re getting ready to send the kids back to school—or perhaps you already have—you’re probably running a little ragged. Transitioning out of the summer and into the more rigorous schedule of the school year is always a little hectic.

We want to help make it easier for you, though! Make school nights a little less busy by whipping up this delicious and healthy back to school recipe for watermelon salad with feta and mint.  All you need is a few minutes, one serving bowl, and six ingredients!

  • ½ cup of lime juice (you should need between 4 and 6 limes)
  • ½ cup of chopped red onion
  • 8 cups of chopped, seeded watermelon (you should need about ¼ to ½ of a watermelon)
  • ½ cup of crumbled feta
  • ¼ cup of thinly sliced fresh mint
  • ½ cup of chopped fresh parsley

Toss the lime juice and onions together in a large serving bowl; let sit in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Pull the onion/lime mixture out and add in the rest of the ingredients. Toss together and serve immediately! Easy peasy lime squeezy!

We hope this quick, easy, and healthy recipe makes school nights a little easier! If you want to get another thing taken off your plate to lighten your load during this busy time of year, contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency. We’re committed to helping California families get the insurance coverage they need, and can set you up with the most protection with the least amount of work and expense on your end. Call us today!

The Many Risks Of Being Uninsured

The True Cost Of Being Uninsured

If you are looking for ways to save money, you may be thinking of slashing your insurance coverage. You could pocket the money you are currently putting towards your premiums, right? Possibly, but that is only assuming you never get into a car accident, get sick, face a house fire, or find yourself in another expensive unexpected situation. While you know the cost of your insurance coverage, have you considered the cost of being uninsured? Here is a look at the many risks of being uninsured.

  • Financial: We alluded to it above, but by foregoing insurance you put yourself in the path of serious money troubles. Say, for example, that a major storm sweeps through your area and significantly damages your home. Without homeowners insurance, you have to figure out how to not just pay to rebuild your home, but also how to replace all of the personal property you had stored inside, including expensive electronics, art, and jewelry. Are you ready for that kind of expense?
  • Health: Without health insurance, you are not just breaking the law, you are also putting your health at risk. Without health coverage, you are not nearly as likely to go in for a standard check up, and will be missing out on potentially lifesaving preventative care.
  • Friends & Family: If you find yourself facing a financial burden you cannot bear, it could trickle over to your loved ones. Beyond putting your immediate family in dire financial straits, going uninsured can leave everyone close to you feeling stressed for you.

If you want to save money, contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency instead of dropping your coverage all together. As California insurance experts, we can help tailor your coverage to meet your exact needs – including your budget. For the best coverage at the best price, call us today!

 

Helpful Advice for Buying Insurance With The Right Agency

Choosing The Right Insurance Agency

Buying insurance can be extremely stressful and overwhelming, especially if you have never conquered this task before. However, once you find an insurance company that embodies the most important qualities, you will never have to insurance shop again! Whether you are looking to buy auto insurance, homeowners insurance, or any other insurance coverage, keep this advice for buying insurance in mind:

  • One of the most important things to look for in an insurance agency is their location. You will want to work with a local agency that has experience insuring individuals and businesses that live in your hometown.
  • Choosing to work with an independent insurance agency over a mainstream carrier can give you the gift of choice. By choosing a company that has a variety of policies, you can better protect your assets by custom tailoring coverage based on your unique needs.
  • It is also important that you have access to after-hours support. While you may not think this important, when your house starts flooding you will be thankful that your agent is available to help.
  • When requesting a quote from any agency, be sure to ask if they offer annual insurance reviews. This amenity is extremely important, as it allows you to make sure your coverage is optimized year after year.
  • Most importantly, analyze their customer service skills from the get go. You will want to work with an insurance agency that has your best interests in mind and does not just view your policy as another one on the books.

Contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency for all of your California insurance needs. If finding an insurance agency that embodies the above seams ideal to you it is time to call the professionals at Stromsoe Insurance Agency! We go above and beyond each day to not only provide the best policies, but to excel in customer service as well.

The Reality Of Renters Insurance

Do You Need This Kind Of Coverage?

When you rent, you do not have as many worries about your property as a homeowner. If your shower clogs, or your oven breaks, or your neighbors are being too noisy, all you have to do is pick up the phone and have someone else handle the issue for you. Just because you do not have to worry about maintaining the property on which you live does not mean you should not worry about the personal property you store in it, though.

As a renter, you can rest easy knowing your rental property would be rebuilt after a fire because it is covered by your landlord’s insurance coverage. If that fire crept into your unit and touched your belongings, though, your landlord’s coverage will not extend to replace or repair your possessions.

Consequently, it is important to carry renters insurance. This kind of coverage is very affordable (usually between $15 and $30 a month, depending on how much property you have to cover) and will offer protection for your personal property. That means that a thief breaking in and swiping all of your valuables will not leave you facing a financial deficit. Have you protected your possessions with renters insurance?

There is an additional benefit of this type of coverage. Renters insurance also offers liability coverage, which means that a guest getting injured in your rental will not end up being a huge legal expense for you if they decide to sue you. Protect yourself from being held responsible after an injury with renters insurance.

Do you have an insurance expert showing you how much coverage you need to protect your rental, your personal property, and your liability? To get that kind of guidance, contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency today. We are here to meet all of your California renter’s insurance needs.

Moving With Your Homeowners Insurance

Do You Have The Protection You Need For Your New Home?

Moving is always hectic. You have to get every single thing you own (not to mention those unruly family members!) from point A to point B, but even after the move is done you do not get to stop there. You still have all of the fun of unpacking ahead! To make this process less stressful, it is important to have your insurance coverage figured out well in advance of moving day. To help, here are a few questions to consider.

  • Can My Policy Move With Me? Because your new home is, well, new, it will need a new policy. Your new place comes with its own unique exposures and risks that your previous policy will likely be insufficient to cover.
  • What About My Old House? If you are leaving your old house vacant while you are waiting for it to sell or on the hunt for renters, carry vacant home coverage for it. Vandals and thieves can take advantage of an unattended house, but this type of policy can protect you from paying out of pocket to restore the house in which you are no longer living.
  • When Should I Get Coverage? In most cases, you will need to provide proof of insurance before you close on your new home. Even if this is not required of you, it is a good idea to have coverage from day one to protect your important investment. Your policy could even protect your belongings while they are being moved from your old house.

Fortunately, an insurance expert can make answering these questions and getting the coverage you need a snap! Contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency for all of your California homeowner’s insurance needs. Do not leave your new place without the protection it deserves.

6 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Insure

While everyone knows the standard insurance policies such as life insurance, auto insurance, and homeowners insurance, there are some unique insurance coverage options that many did not believe existed. Did you know that you could actually get coverage for your body parts or even your favorite wine? Gathered is a list of 6 things you most definitely did not know you could insure, which will wow your mind:

  1. Ben Turpin was the first celebrity to insure a body part, however, dozens of celebrities have followed the trend in recent years. This silent film actor chose to insure his eyes if they ever became uncrossed for $25,000.
  2. It seems like the ante has increased over the years, as super model Heidi Klum chose to insure her legs for $2 million and actress Jamie Lee Curtis insured her legs for $2.8 million!
  3. Winemaker, Ilja Gort a Dutch insured his nose for $8 million to ensure that he can continue making his famous Chateau de la Garde in Bordeaux. Based on terms of this insurance policy, the famous winemaker cannot breathe fire, or participate in any winter sports.
  4. Australian cricket player, Merv Hughes insured his moustache, claiming that it is the main attributing factor of his success.
  5. We have all seen the alien abduction movies, but did you know that you could actually join the thousands of Americans who have chosen to insure themselves against this fear? So far, over $10 million in insurance policies have been drafted against alien abductions.
  6. Famous food critic, Egon Ronay actually insured his taste buds for a whopping $400,000!

Contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency in Murrieta for all of your California insurance needs. We will provide you with the right amount of insurance coverage to insure your most important valuables!

The Benefits Of Having An Independent Agent By Your Side During The Claims Process

Filing a claim is a notoriously stressful process. Insurance claims tend to be tied to the most stressful events in our lives, including auto accidents, home fires, storm damage, and even the death of a family member. With everything on your mind during this stressful time, it is imperative that you work with an insurance company and agent with whom you trust. During this time, you will want to work with an agent whom you have already developed a trusting relationship with. This person will be the one you call when life takes a turn for the worst.

After you file an insurance claim, you will work with an adjustor to evaluate your loss. Depending on the type of claim you are filing, the adjustor may need to examine your property or vehicle to gather necessary information. At this time, you will be offered a settlement amount, and the process to restore your loss will begin.

What happens if the process does not go so smoothly? What happens if the adjustor and you cannot agree on a settlement amount? What happens if you cannot provide the adjustor with the right documentation? Problems such as these are why you need to work with an insurance agent with whom you trust and know. As your agent, they will advocate on your behalf. If any problems arise, you can hand over the phone to your agent to communicate with the adjustor. When you need help, your agent will be right by your side.

Some insurance shoppers prefer to purchase insurance online to avoid talking to an agent, however, this is only setting you up for future problems. Yes, sometimes you may be able to get cheaper rates this way, however, you leave yourself susceptible to problems, and lack of personalized service.

The experienced agents at Stromsoe Insurance Agency want to be by your side during this stressful time of your life. Contact us today for all of your California insurance needs. You can start your long term relationship with an insurance agent who will always guide you through the most stressful moments of life.

 

What’s The True Value of Your Home?

In regards to the value of your home, the two most commonly cited sources are usually useless for insurance purposes.

Most people base the perceived value of their home from a benchmark of the original purchase price, and then adjust it over time based on current home sales or tax assessments. However, even realtors will tell you that such values are educated “guesstimates,” subject to wide variation.

For example, “appraised value” is an estimate of the property’s worth in the current marketplace derived from an analysis of the home, the community, and the recent sales prices of similar homes in the area. The local taxing authority determines “assessed value” to levy property taxes. To confuse the issue further, state and local laws and regulations often require capping or discounting taxable assessments well below the full value assessed by the authority.

However, neither of these values might be practical for insurance purposes. If your home is severely damaged or destroyed, the true value you need will be the cost to rebuild it, not what it might sell for or its tax assessment. Too many people have made the mistake of relying on assessed or appraised values to determine if they have enough Homeowners insurance only to find, much to their chagrin, that their coverage fell far short of true construction costs.

Give us a call today; we’re ready to help you develop a solid estimate of your reconstruction costs. 877-994-6787