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The Alternative to Fighting Insurance Coverage Issues

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How often do you encounter a problem and realize that your insurance coverage just isn’t as good as you thought it was? Do you ever:

  • Pay more out of pocket than you expected?
  • Have exceptionally high deductibles?
  • Find the insurance company has made a mistake (one that could have cost you hundreds of dollars)?
  • Choose to pay cash rather than make a claim because it will cost you more in increased rates?
  • Wonder exactly what your insurance company is paying for?

It happens all the time. People, just like you question why they pay for insurance when they don’t seem to get any benefit from it. All they see is one problem after another.

Take Susan for example. She received a bill in the mail that she didn’t understand. After calling her insurance company, she realized they had incorrectly entered some of Susan’s information. One quick change, and Susan’s problem was resolved.

What if Susan hadn’t made that call?

Insurance is not something you should be spending time worrying about. It’s there to help you feel better, more secure, not to make your life miserable with misunderstandings and inaccurate assumptions.

So, what can you do about it? Well, naturally we’re going to suggest that you start using an independent insurance agency. An independent agent is there to help you with the best possible insurance to meet your needs. They can help you figure out what policy you need. They will be there to support you if there are any challenges with your insurance coverage. They work for you, not the insurance companies.

If you’ve had some challenges with insurance companies in the past, we want to know about them. Feel free to post your comments below. If you are looking for someone to represent you and simplify the insurance process, then be sure to give us a call.

Next week, we’re going to start introducing you to some of our agents who would love to help you find policies that fit your specific needs.

What Every Family Should Do to Prepare for a Crisis

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It’s all over the news. Even if it weren’t, it would probably be on your mind anyway. We are referring, of course, to the earthquake/tsunami that hit Japan 4 days ago. The devastation of that incident is hard to imagine. But this was not a one-time disaster. Christchurch, New Zealand also suffered loss in the last few weeks and relief efforts are still going on for the people of Haiti.

Well, it got us thinking. How many people are really prepared for a disaster to strike in their area? Today’s post is all about the things you can do before a crisis to protect yourself and your loved ones.

This list could go on and on. So, we’ll name the ones we feel are most important and then hopefully you’ll add to the comments.

Before a Disaster Strikes:

Check your area for risks. Do you live in a flood zone? Is there a fault line near you? Know what risks you’re facing. Be sure to get your home insured for those scenarios. Most policies do not cover everything.

Become self-sufficient. Consider putting together a 72-hour kit that includes food, water, first aid, and other medical necessities for your family. When an area is hit hard, it could take several days for relief workers to reach you.

Prepare your home. In some cases, you may need to leave your home, and fast. Install smoke detectors and make sure upstairs rooms have rope ladders should you need to climb out the window.

Have a destination plan and point of contact. Thousands of people are struggling to find family members right now. Decide beforehand who your point of contact will be- it should be someone in another state. If your family gets separated, that person can act as the liaison to help you find one another again. You should also plan on a destination for your family to reach as well.

Keep some cash on hand. You don’t need a lot – just a few hundred dollars. In the event of an emergency, banks will be inaccessible and prices for something as inexpensive as water tend to skyrocket.

Learn basic survival skills for your area. If you didn’t have a car or a way to escape the devastation, could you survive? For example, those in the desert should learn how to avoid heat stroke, what to do for snake bites, and how to find water.

As we said, this is not a complete list, but it does cover the basics. If you have other ideas to share, we’d love to hear them. No one expects a disaster to happen but it’s always a good idea to be safe rather than sorry.

Note: You may want to check your policies now to see what scenarios they cover. If you’re not satisfied, then we can help you find a policy to better fit the area you live in as well as the unique needs you might have.

5 Things You Should Do to Protect Your Home, Even If You Have Home Insurance

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Insurance is great! It gives people the chance to prepare for some of the less thrilling experiences in life. We know that if tragedy should strike we won’t be forking over thousands of dollars… the insurance company will.

But, no matter how great your home insurance policy is, it doesn’t work as a preventative measure. And wouldn’t you rather prevent bad experiences from happening than have them paid for once they do?

Here are 3 stories we heard recently that demonstrate the importance of adding more security than just insurance to your home:

-After working all day, a couple came home to find that everything in their home was stolen. Electronics, furniture, appliances, even clothes had been taken. The thieves had pulled up a moving van during the day, broke in through a back door, and moved everything out of the house without a single neighbor growing suspicious.

-Three college girls living in a rented house woke to find their iPods (which had been sitting beside their beds as they slept) and a few other electronics had been taken from their home. The sliding back door had been easily lifted off the hinges to let the thief in.

-Four bikes were stolen from the front yard of a young family only minutes after the kids they belonged to rode them home.

So, besides having a hefty duty insurance policy (that should cover the cost of the stolen items) how can you protect your home?

1- Consider adding a security system. It may cost you slightly more each month, but its well worth the added protection. You may find the premium for your home insurance drops a few dollars every month if you have one in place.

2- Update older homes with better doors and window locks.

3- Keep all possessions in the garage or back yard – even during the day.

4- Keep your doors and windows locked – even when you’re home.

5- Try to be discreet about your possessions. When door-to-door salesmen come by, don’t open your door wide for them to see inside. Don’t leave expensive items like wave runners and motorcycles out front… park them in your garage. Don’t give a thief a reason to believe your home would be worth breaking into.

For those of us who are a few years older or have lived in rural areas, we miss the days of wide open houses and keeping keys under the mat. But times have changed. And now, a home insurance policy is a necessity, but it’s not enough.

Be smart and do things that keep your home more fully protected.

If you’ve heard of any other great ways to protect your home (or you’ve heard stories about victims of home thefts), tell us about them by leaving a comment below.

Top 5 Reasons to Choose an Independent Insurance Agency

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If you sit down and watch a single television program, you might see as many as five insurance commercials, and they’re all promising the same thing: safe driver discounts, massive savings if you switch companies, or a chance to determine your own price. We have to admit, some of the commercials are really catchy. It seems like there are some really great offers out there.

But what the commercials don’t tell you is that those great offers barely provide you with any coverage. Or, you have to fit very strict guidelines to qualify. Rarely are the deals as good as promised.

However, by the time you figure that out, you’re usually sucked into some “other” policy that may or may not fit your needs.

That’s why we love being an independence insurance agency. We love:

#1 Shopping for the best protection. Do you have any idea how much coverage you need? Do you know the minimum acceptable insurance coverage for the state of Arizona? If something happened to your house, do you know what you would personally be responsible for? Most people have no clue what their options are or what they even need. At Arizona Capital Insurance, we shop the best protection for you. We work with dozens of insurance companies. We know their policies, so we can shop for the coverage that fits you best.

#2 Shopping for the best premiums. Because we work with dozens of companies, we’re not strapped into pre-determined price points. If we think we can get a better deal for you somewhere else, we’ll go somewhere else.

#3 Taking you out of the mold. The one thing we understand as an independent agency is that every person is different, and their needs are going to be unique. When you work with us, we take everything about you, your family, and your possessions into account as we find you a perfect policy. If you don’t fit one company’s ideal client description, we’ll find a different insurance company to better meet your needs.

#4 Being customer-focused. Here’s the thing… we don’t work for the big insurance companies, we work for you. Our goal is to make sure you’re taken care of first. In fact, it doesn’t do us any good to focus on what the insurance companies want or need; they are not our customers. You are. Our independent status let’s us provide you with the ultimate customer service experience.

#5 Providing you with local support. Over the years, we’ve developed some great relationships with local companies. These relationships enable us to provide our clients with discounts and coupons. Plus, if your windshield cracks, you need your car towed, or you’re dealing with other challenges covered by your insurance, we can get you in touch with some great companies.

If you ask us, we’re going to tell you that an independent insurance agency is the way to go every time. We can provide you with a level of service and help that most other insurance companies are unable to provide. So if you want your auto, home, life or other insurance policies reviewed, give us a call.

But go ahead and keep watching those big insurance company commercials. You might get a kick out a few of them.

And, it will give you an advantage in our big company slogan quiz next week. So be sure to check back here on Monday and see just how well you know your insurance companies.

We Are Blogging!

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And we need you to get involved.

Now, before we get carried away, let us tell you a little more about your favorite insurance agents. We are an independent insurance company. This means we have access to many providers, and we can almost always offer you the best policies and premiums for your situation.

The big, big guys – they can’t do that!

But the thing is, we’re not just here to provide you with insurance. We’re here to give you great support and to help build our community. Seriously.

We offer an Insurance Member Discount Page with local businesses, we donate $1 to our troops every time someone “likes” us on Facebook, and we have relationships with local companies to help you with windshield replacements, towing services, etc.

It’s important to us to maintain unbeatable service and a sense of community. That’s why we’ve started blogging. It’s another way for us to connect with you. We fully intend to use your comments and feedback to improve our business, educate you on insurance topics you’d like to know more about, and have fun.

You can expect a new blog post once a week (usually Monday’s if we can keep our eccentric writer on track). Topics will include: everything you want to know about AZ insurance, what to expect when the unexpected happens, contest opportunities, quizzes, driving and safety tips, employee spotlights, and more.

Please feel free to comment on any of our posts, and be sure to share your favorite entries with your friends and family. Our intention is to make this blog as interesting, entertaining, and interactive as any we’ve seen out there, and your comments will help. Please just keep it clean reading for everyone.

We’re looking forward to writing this blog and hearing from you!

The Insurance Team