All Categories - Jim Oliver's Insurance Agency (805)985-5488

When it is Hard to Get Fire Insurance

6/17/2019

After the large fires in California the past few years, there are areas where some Insurance Companies are no longer going to insure homes. This becomes a problem if you purchase a home in one of these areas or if the company you currently insure with decides to non-renew the policies they have in these same areas.

This can create some anxiety but I want to tell you that you can still get coverage. Depending on your home’s location you might even have some options. So if you are facing non-renewal or the home you have fallen in love with and would like to buy sits in one of the high Fire Line areas, give me a call at (805)985-5488 and we can discuss your options.

Insuring Your Classic Car

4/30/2019

I know So Cal is where summer never ends but I always get antsy in the spring to get driving my old cars.

Last spring I began replacing the entire brake system on my Triumph but when finished the brakes did not work properly so concluded the brake lines must have rusted shut. So I have purchased new brake lines and am in the process of replacing them. I am determined to get the car back on the road this summer. As it hasn’t been registered since 1988 I may have some kind of fight coming with the CA DMV; we will see.

On the topic of old cars that are cool to drive it seems there are many cars from the 1980’s and ‘90’s that are beginning to see their values appreciate. RX-7’s, MR 2’s, S2000’s, Corvettes and more. If you have a car from this era sitting around you might want to see what it’s worth. You might have a diamond in the rough. If you need help evaluating give me a call at (805)985-5488 and we can figure it out. If you have a collector car already but have not updated its value recently, you might want to look at that again to make certain it is not under insured.

Happy motoring!

Life Insurance

3/21/2019

This blog is about that which none of us want to think about yet is something most of us need to seriously look at. It is about Life Insurance.

I lost my kid brother a few weeks ago. He was 57 years old. His life was running along great; perfect family; been a Ventura County Fireman for 20+ years; looking forward to retirement. A few years back during a routine physical he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Last month it got the best of him and it has been tough for his wife, kids, grandkids, and his extended family as we have all been close.

It is difficult to see any bright spots in these circumstances but something I am thankful for is my brother bought life insurance 20+ years ago. He thought ahead and made sure that in the event the unthinkable happened, those he loved and cared for did not have to scramble around to figure out what to do. The family home is still in the family. The bills still get paid.

So please take some time to look at how you have prepared for your family in the event that which none of us want to think about happens to you. If you think you may have some holes in your plan or you have no plan at all, please give me a call, 805-985-5488 and we can figure out what works best for you and your circumstances. Of all the claims I get involved in, none give me greater satisfaction than giving the family who has lost someone they love, the life insurance proceeds so that their lives can still go on.

The Rain Has Arrived!

2/1/2019

It has been so long since the last wet winter I have forgotten what it is like and how to prepare for it.

I had to replace the wiper blades on my cars. I don’t understand how something I seldom use could possibly be worn out?

What about the rain gutters on the house? And all that junk you have piled up on the side of the house where the rain water runs off your property to the street? You should clean both of these up so the water doesn’t end up on the inside of your home.

And don’t forget about that furnace filter. When was the last year you replaced that? It is always nice to sit at home on a rainy evening with the heater on and a fire in the fireplace.

But if you must go out be careful. Watch out for giant puddles and those people who insist on driving like it’s warm and sunny.

If you can’t handle these tasks yourself, I know several handymen who are reasonably priced. Give me a call, (805)985-5488 or send me an email, joliver@farmersagent.com, and I will give you their phone numbers.

Fire & Rain

12/10/2018

So for the second year in a row we Ventura County residents have experienced fire and rain. Some have experienced a catastrophic loss of their homes, personal property, and memories. It is a giant ordeal to put your life back together following an event like this.

For those of us that have not lost our homes to either of these fires, we should use the occurrence of these fires to inspire us to review the policies we have insuring our homes. Call your agent to get an understanding of what coverage you currently have. If that coverage needs to be changed to insure your unique circumstances, then get those changes made. Along with your coverage also look at the deductible on your policy. If you can afford a larger deductible, then make that change too. Accepting more of the risk yourself can save you money on the premium every year.

If I can answer any other questions regarding this topic send me an email at joliver@farmersagent.com or give me a call, (805)985-5488

After an Auto Accident. What Should You Do?

10/1/2018

Lately I have seen an increase in the amount of time it takes some carriers to accept or deny liability after an accident. If you have Collision coverage on your vehicle, this is not a problem. You can begin repairs right away using your policy, and the worst case scenario is you will pay your deductible up front.

But if you drive paid for cars like me, and don’t carry Collision coverage, what should you do when someone runs into you? Smart phones have made this part much easier.

Get photos of the other car and be sure to get one with the vehicle’s license plate in it.
Take a picture of the other party’s driver’s license.
Take a picture of their registration.
Take a picture of their insurance card.
Get their phone number.

Of course the other party may want this information from you as well.

It can still take several weeks for their insurance adjuster to make a decision if they cannot reach their client to get a statement of what happened. But having these items will help, especially if the other party is uncooperative.

An additional item to get if possible is a police report. This is actually the best item you can get, but because police departments are stretched thin these days, they will not always send an officer out if there are no injuries or traffic being blocked.

The best thing to do though, is to stay out of the way of the knuckleheads although this gets more difficult everyday as they seem to be breeding very fast.

Who Needs Life Insurance?

8/15/2018

Life insurance is something few of us like talking about because using it would mean we are no longer alive. According to 2017 statistics from the industry groups Life Happens and LIMRA, while 70% of Americans consider life insurance a necessity for themselves, 41% have no life insurance at all.

So who needs Life Insurance?

When you are the family breadwinner. Life insurance can provide “income replacement” so that your family can continue to pay everyday expenses. Dave Ramsey recommends 10 to 12 times your annual salary.

When you are a stay at home parent. Life insurance would cover the cost of paying for services the parent does for “free,” such as child care.

When you are a divorced parent. A policy could cover the support payments that a divorced parent makes.

When you are the parent of a special needs child. Life insurance can make sure the child will have financial support no matter when a parent dies.

When you are a homeowner with a mortgage. A policy can cover mortgage payments, so your family doesn’t have to move if you die.

Someone with co-signed debt (such as student loans or credit cards). Life insurance could cover the cost of the debt.

If you are in one of these categories and do not have life insurance, you can give me a call, (805)985-5488, and we can discuss how to address your situation.

Does my policy cover rental cars?

7/19/2018

With summer here and people traveling we get 2 questions asked almost every day.

I’m off to Seattle and need to rent a car. Does my policy cover a rental car?
My parents have flown in for a visit. If I let them drive one of my cars do they have coverage?

These are both good questions and it is good to ask before your visiting parents have an accident in your minivan.

The short answer is, with your Farmers’ auto policy you have coverage extended for both of these events.

The coverage for you allowing someone to drive your car is called Permissive Use. The requirements are that the driver has a valid driver’s license and your permission to drive the vehicle.

Extending coverage to a vehicle you do not own is called Non-Owned Auto coverage. This is most commonly used for a rental car but I have also had claims for clients who had borrowed a friend’s car, had an accident, and it turns out the insurance on the car had lapsed. Oops! The coverage is equal to the best policy coverage you have on your cars and the deductible for comprehensive or collision losses is applied.

If you don’t have Farmers auto coverage then you will need to check with your carrier to see if you have these coverages endorsed on your policy as not all carriers include these. If you have any questions on these coverages or would like a Farmers auto quote, give me a call, (805)985-5488, or send me an email, joliver@farmersagent.com.
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Mad Max Drivers

6/15/2018

Over the last year it seemed to me that California drivers were driving much more aggressively, and a recent trip to Oklahoma City to attend my son’s college graduation confirmed this. Several times each day we had to navigate a section of road, that due to construction, had been thinned to one lane in each direction. I noticed the very first time we passed this section, that when the sign saying the left lane ahead was closed, everyone pulled into the right lane, and there was no one that took advantage of the open lane to get ahead of everyone else.
Now back here in California, I don’t expect that people will miraculously become more courteous, but it has made me mindful to drive more defensively. I give myself more space between me and the car in front and at red lights I don’t pull up to the bumper of the car in front. I have seen an uptick in accidents in parking lots and at street intersections and most could have been avoided if drivers were not in a big hurry and were paying attention to what they were doing.
In 1979 I went to see the movie Mad Max and enjoyed the wild scenes with all the vehicles trying to take each other out. Driving today, in 2018, it often seems I am driving in Mad Max’s world, only now the streets are paved and there aren’t any people hanging off the sides of the other cars, and I thank God for that.
Drive safely out there.
(805)985-5488
joliver@farmersagent.com

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

3/30/2018

It was 1974 and I was in high school. There was a girl, who I occasionally rode with in the car she was driving, and I recall she liked to talk but she always had to look at the person she was talking to. She eventually had an accident where she rear ended a car, and I’m certain it was because she was looking at the person she was talking to and not the road in front of her.

Forty years later, we have a more prevalent distraction, and that is the cell phone. People are funny creatures. I hear them complain all the time about how crazy people are driving yet not a week goes by that a client of mine gets in an accident where one of them was not paying attention, (that means distracted).

So put down the cell phones. Watch the road in front and use the mirror to avoid the guy coming behind you who thinks he is in a NASCAR race. Then the worst thing that will happen to you is you will be late getting to your destination because Mr. NASCAR collided with guy who was texting.