Blog Posts - Jim Oliver's Insurance Agency (805)985-5488

Why Do I Need Renter’s Insurance?

1/11/2018

In the aftermath of the recent Thomas Fire, there is one group where a majority suffered uninsured losses, and this is people who rented apartments or homes. Many people lost their personal belongings in the recent fire but their lives were also made more complex because they had to find a new place to live. This involves paying first and last month’s rent along with a cleaning deposit, but before they even sign a new lease, they probably spent several days to weeks in a hotel or short term shelter.

These additional living expenses are paid by the Insurance Company for those who had a Renter’s Policy. To file a claim for Additional Living Expenses, the whole place does not need to burn down. I have had clients that had to vacate their apartment for a week while the Landlord repaired a broken water pipe or because the downstairs neighbor had a fire creating some smoke problems in their place.
What is the cost of a basic Farmers Insurance Renter’s policy in the Ventura/Oxnard area? About $11 per month. And if you have your cars already insured with Farmers, and you figure the discount added to your auto policies, the monthly cost is even less.

So if you fit in the “Renter” category and do not yet have a Renter’s policy, you might want to look into covering this area of your life. If you have any questions on this or would like to know what your specific cost would be, give me a call, (805)985-5488, or send me an email, joliver@farmersagent.com

What is Happening with Health Insurance?

10/13/2017

It’s that time of year again when if you are on Medicare with a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, you can move to another plan if you want. Open enrollment runs from October 15th to December 7th for an effective date of January 1, 2018.

Open enrollment for Covered California begins November 1st and runs to December 15th so if you have been uninsured and want to get coverage, possibly with a premium subsidy, this is the time to sign up. A breaking news item here is that Anthem has announced they are leaving 16 of their 19 pricing regions in California. This will leave a big hole as 153,000 consumers will have to find another company to get coverage with.

A few years ago, because my health insurance had become so expensive, I began looking for an alternative. What I found was Health Sharing Programs where I could get help with my medical expenses for 40% of what my Anthem policy was costing me.

So what are Medical Cost Sharing Plans? Boiled down, medical cost sharing, or health sharing ministries, are a group of like-minded individuals that agree to come together and help each other pay their medical expenses. They offer faith-based programs for planning for unforeseen medical expenses. There is underwriting so not everyone will be approved, but if you do fit their profile, you can save substantial money over what you are paying in health insurance premiums.

If you have any questions regarding your health insurance circumstances, give me a call at (805)985-5488 or email me at jimoliversinsurance@gmail.com

Jim Oliver

Projects

9/29/2017

Have you ever had a project you wanted to work on but there was always something coming between the two of you? Well I have one of these. In 1977 I bought a Triumph TR-6 which I drove everywhere for the next 5 years. Sometime in 1990 I drove out of my garage and up the street, and when I stepped on the brakes, the pedal went to the floor. Turning around I drove back to the house pulling CAREFULLY into the garage. And this is where it has sat since that day.

After calling to me all these years I have finally answered and have decided to see if I can get the old gal back on the road. Amazingly, all the necessary parts are still available.

There is an insurance message in this story and that is, even though my Triumph has not been on the road for 28 years, I have insured the car for Comprehensive and Collision losses. If there is a fire at your home and a car in the garage is burned, the damage is not covered under your homeowner’s policy. If you hit the classic vehicle with your other car while pulling it in and out of the garage, that damage is not covered under your liability policy. I once had a claim where the gentleman was pulling one of his cars into the driveway, he accidently pressed the accelerator instead of the brake, ramming the car already in the garage and pushing it into the kitchen of his home. The parked car and the home were repaired on their individual policies and each policy deductible was applied.

So insure your classic vehicle even if you are only looking at it and occasionally waxing it. If you have questions in regards to insuring your classic vehicle, or if you think you might not be adequately insured, give me a call. I love talking about planes, trains, and automobiles. (Wasn’t that a movie?)

Jim Oliver
(805)985-5488
joliver@farmersagent.com

Italian Food for Lunch!

9/8/2017

A few doors down from my office at 233 E Channel Islands Blvd, is an Italian restaurant that is owned by a Port Hueneme local. It was formally Angelo’s Italian Restaurant, but when Angelo passed, his wife was unable to run the restaurant, so a kid who hung around the restaurant bought the place. Mike renamed the restaurant Rico’s Italian Villa and has kept the recipes which gave the restaurant it’s old country uniqueness. It continues to be a great place to get an Italian dinner.

Mike has now decided to open for lunch and has added some lighter fare to his menu. If you are looking for a place to grab a great lunch or need a place to have a business lunch, give Rico’s a try. If you come by my office I can get you 15% off your bill through October 1st.

Bon appetite!

Jim Oliver
249 E Channel Islands Blvd.
Port Hueneme, CA

2017 Solar Eclipse: An Amazing Driving Distraction

8/18/2017

This coming Monday, August 21, we will have the opportunity to see a total eclipse of the sun which hasn’t happened since June 8, 1918. (This is more rare than getting to see a perfect game pitched in baseball). If you are driving during this time, it will be quite noticeable that something strange is going on, and if you have any curiosity at all, you will want to see what it is. But looking at the eclipse will be more dangerous than texting while driving because of what it will do to your eyesight.

We were all cautioned as kids to not stare at the sun as it will burn your retinas, but when unusual things happen, we will often throw caution to the wind and take a chance. Yet it is one thing to ruin your own eyesight, but if you cause an accident in the process, injuring other people, this is a chance one should not take. If you want to see the eclipse, please be off the road and take the precautions given at the Weather Network web site. If you have to be driving, please keep your eyes on the road so you can avoid those drivers who choose to drive distracted.
Be safe out there!

Jim Oliver
(805)985-5488

“You Could Be Right, But You’d Be Dead Right”

7/21/2017

This is one of the “Dad-isms” I recall from my childhood. I used it over the years on my kids but they would just look at me as if I had lost my mind. When I was 8 years old we lived on a busy street and across this busy street was the library and I loved to go, by myself, and check out books to read. (I belonged to the Book Worm Club) My father’s instructions were to walk up to the corner where there was a signal and use the crosswalk. Yet beyond that he told me to always pay attention, because even though I was in the crosswalk, those two lines did not guarantee that all cars would stop. Thus the, “you could be right but you would be dead right”.

I bring this up as it is almost time for school to start and I worry about kids paying attention as they cross streets, navigate drop off/pick up areas, as well as parking lots. I still see too many accidents where the driver is texting or fiddling with their phone to get the song they want on their Bluetooth radio. I have witnessed countless teenagers, (and adults) walking across streets and through parking lots with their noses in their cell phones, never even glancing at oncoming cars to see if they look like they intend to stop. I have a client whose son was a passenger in a car that was hit by a drunk driver. The boy’s friend was killed in the accident. Not all drivers follow the rules and our kids need to be made aware of this because the world can be a dangerous place even when they are following the rules.

So please impress upon your children that when they are moving around in the same space as automobiles, that they need to pay attention to what is going on around them. Because even though they might do everything right, they could still be injured by someone who isn’t.

Have a great rest of your summer!

Jim Oliver
(805)985-5488
joliver@farmersagent.com

What To Do Before You Leave On Vacation

5/19/2017

It is almost summer, the kids will soon be out of school, and vacation plans are being made. This is a great time of the year and planning a great getaway provides family fun that creates great memories for you and your kids for years to come. Over the past 26 years I have had more than a few instances where families returned home from the vacation to discover a water supply line had burst while they were gone, flooding a large portion if not the entire home. The kids think it is great as you get to move into a hotel room for several weeks, so the vacation is still on, but for Mom and Dad this is a giant headache.

This experience can be avoided by taking a few minutes to inspect the supply lines to the sinks, toilets, washing machine, and icemaker/water dispenser if you have one built into your refrigerator. If they look old or have a lot of corrosion built up around one of the ends, replace them. They are not very expensive if you do it yourself, and if you are in the least bit handy, it is not a difficult job. The hardest part will be climbing under the sink on your back so you can get a good view of the hose. If you are not handy at all, you can hire a handyman to come replace the line(s) and it should not cost you too much, certainly less than the headache you will have if you have a large water leak. If you would like a referral for a good and honest handyman, give me a call at 805-985-5488 or send me an email at joliver@farmersagent.com

Have a great summer!

What Are the Benefits of Pet Insurance?

5/5/2017

Perhaps you have a dog or cat in your family and you have heard about insuring your pet’s health and have wondered about the benefits of doing so. As with all types of insurance, we must balance the amount of risk we are willing to accept verses what it costs us to have someone else assume the risk for us. I ran across what I thought was a very good article on this topic written by a veterinarian.

He covers both types of pet owners and explains the upside and downside to paying someone to assume your risk of having a large medical bill for your pet.
Farmers Insurance is in the business of insuring your life against a catastrophe, and because our pets have become such an integral part of our families, we have partnered with American Pet Insurance Company, to offer medical coverage for your pet. If you insure your home or auto with Farmers, Pets Best will give you a 5% discount off their rates. You can call my office for information at (805)985-5488 or go to this link, http://www.farmers.com/pet-insurance/ Don’t forget to let them know you are a Farmers client to get your 5% discount.

Why A Will Is Important?

3/10/2017

This past year I have spoken with many people regarding the importance of life insurance to protect their family financially in the event of their untimely death. From these conversations I have been surprised at how few families have a Will or Trust in place. A Will is a simple and inexpensive legal document that can save your family from additional stress, and possibly legal expense, after your passing.

The most common problem I see involves families with young children. If both parents are killed in an auto accident, for example, who will become the guardians of their children? And if you have assets such as a home, savings, or life insurance, who is the beneficiary of these?

Becoming the guardian for your children is a big decision and it is one you should have a conversation about. Wouldn’t you also want the guardian to be the beneficiary of your assets to aid them financially in the care of your kids? Of course you would, but this might not happen if left up to a probate court. I have witnessed crazy outcomes following the death of someone. Family and friends come out of nowhere sometimes making claims on the estate. The good news is this is easy to prevent if you have a Will, and with the internet it can even be inexpensive.
Of course, if you have a lot of assets, you might want to consult with an attorney.

So if this describes you; get it cleaned up! If you have questions or need help, please contact me at (805)985-5488 or email me at joliver@farmersagent.com

Why Do Smoke Alarm Batteries Die at Night?

2/24/2017

Many years ago I needed to replace the smoke alarms in my house, and when I went to the hardware store to buy new ones I bought the ones with the battery backup instead of the A/C-only type which I was removing. I liked the idea of the smoke alarm working even if the power to my house is out. The downside to this type is it will chirp at you when the battery gets low.
I have noticed 2 things regarding this type of smoke alarm. The first is they only chirp at night after you have fallen asleep. Not sure if this is a programmed feature based on the probability that you will be home in the middle of the night verses the middle of the day. It is inconvenient though as you are not dressed to go out and buy new batteries, and the only store open is the local “Quicky Mart” where the 9 volts are real expensive.
The second thing that always happens is all the smoke alarms begin chirping the exact same night! Now this has happened to me multiple times, but what are the mathematical odds of all the batteries getting weak at the same time? The last set of alarms were advertised to have 10 year lithium batteries, and I can’t find the receipt to verify they are 10 year old, but even if they are only 7 or 8 years old, how could the batteries all go bad on the exact same night?

So the moral of this story is that smoke alarms are an important safety feature for your home. The smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) are at least as dangerous as the fire producing them.

Your best chance of survival is before the fire gets too big. I think the battery backup type is good as I have had insureds that had a house fire that began with an electrical problem which shorted the breaker shutting the electricity off. So keep some backup 9 volt batteries for the night your alarms begin chirping at you. Otherwise you will be like me; up in the middle of the night dismantling your smoke alarms because I can tell you that even if you remove the offending battery, the alarm will still chirp.
For more homeowner’s insurance tips, call me at (805)985-5488 or email me at joliver@farmersagent.com