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Can Insurance Have a “Cool” Factor?

Cool = Smoothly Effective

Mariano Rivera is cool. He was — and will be again — smoothly effective as he routinely took the bump and tossed about three cutters pass the players trying to hit the dancing baseball. Richard Petty is cool. Putting the pedal to the medal in his cowboy boots no less, The King won a record 200 races during his career, including seven NASCAR championships. Michael Jordan is cool. He not only wears undershirts that don’t pucker, this six-time NBA champion began winning accolades first as an Olympic gold medalist in 1984, Rookie of the Year in 1985 and never seemed to stop winning for over a decade. These sports legends are cool because they are, or were, smoothly effective.

So, when we ask the question, “Can insurance have a cool factor?” we aren’t passing judgment on an insurance agent’s choice of a tie, a claims adjustor’s telephone whiney voice, the humor in their television commercials or even an insurance company’s hired celebrity spokesmen or cartoon. No, our question has to do more with the extent to which an insurance company can lend us an air of being smoothly effective, of “cool.” Being adequately insured doesn’t mean you’re a nerd, a pessimist or paranoid. It means simply that in the event of a loss, your property will be replaced: you will be cool.

So-Cal Cool Examples

Since the rest of the United States has been convinced that TV characters are as real as celebrities and live among you in Southern California, let’s examine a few examples:

  • The Fonz

Depending upon the year and episode of Happy Days, The Fonz rode a variety of expensive custom motorcycles, including a Triumph Bonneville with customized h andlebars. Episodes of Happy Days may not have shown Fonzie writing out a monthly check for motorcycle insurance, but you can be sure he must have. How else would he have been able to protect his image? Somehow, The Fonz pedaling up the Cunningham’s driveway on a Schwinn bicycle just doesn’t have the same panache.

  • Sonny Crockett

Miami Vice wouldn’t have been the 80’s show without Don Johnson tooling around south Florida in a midnight black Ferrari Daytona Spyder. It’s a good thing the show’s writers were wise enough to make the Ferrari the property of the Miami police department on loan to his undercover character and not Crockett’s personal automobile. Monthly car insurance payments on a Ferrari would have taken a healthy chunk out of a police detective’s take-home salary. But the car helped make the show. Somehow, Crockett and Tubbs in a VW convertible bug doesn’t make me believe the series would have made it through its first season.

  • 007

Bond, James Bond, drove — and wrecked — so many exotic cars that I’m not sure he could have qualified for SR-22 coverage. The cars and their policies were probably purchased in Miss Moneypenny”s name. He was, nonetheless, as smoothly effective as a man can be and was never without premium transportation.

You don’t have to be a celebrity, a super athlete or any of these cool characters to be “cool.” If you’ve worked with your insurance agent to adequately protect your property, you too can be cool.

Karl Susman, Cool Insurance Agent

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How important is your small business?

Dale’s small business was very important to him.  He felt a responsibility to his employees and to his family.  He found a way for Life insurance to protect and provide for them all.  Take three minutes to watch and see how.

Protect your business with life insurance

We work hard to start a small business.  Remember to take the simple step to be sure your hard work continues to pay for generations to come. We can show you how with Life insurance.

Karl Susman, Agent

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Cash was there for Michael and his family

Michael was a great father.  One day when he was diagnosed with brain cancer, he realized the true value of the universal life insurance policy he had purchased.  The life insurance proceeds were there to help his family maintain the st andard living they had.  The insurance was even there to help one of his children through rehab.  Take four minutes to watch and see.

Life insurance was there when needed

Life insurance is there, it is the gift that can keep giving even when you are no longer able to.

Karl Susman, Agent

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Who Needs Disability Insurance?

Any insurance policy is designed to protect the policy owner from suffering financial loss when their life is changed by a disastrous event. But what happens when life is changed because of an injury or illness  and you have to stop working in order to recover? The answer is without a disability insurance policy the injured will lose money and will not be able to pay their bills.

Disability insurance is a product that is designed to protect people from life changing disasters and financial destruction. If you end up getting hurt or sick and can’t work,  you will end up with some pretty serious medical bills and a loss of income. The person who got hurt may feel that the source of the injury should be the one who pays for their injuries. While that may be true that the responsible party should care for the expenses of the injury the truth is it will take a long time for the issue to be settled in court. While you are waiting for the settlement your bills will continue to pile up. If you had purchased a disability insurance policy, you would have an income to meet the expenses of everyday life.

The benefits of a disability policy are fairly simple.

  • The protection that it gives to the policy owner is priceless. The policy helps by keeping the st andard of living close to what it was before the injury. It pays wages that would otherwise be lost because of lost hours..
  • The money the policy pays is allowed to be used for the expenses of everyday life. It can be used to pay for food, overdue bills or any other expense that you may have.
  • Depending on the policy it can also cover rehabilitation needs of the injured.
  • The coverage amounts can continue as long as the individual is still under medical care. The coverage usually ends when the policy owner can return to work or is released by the doctor.
  • The policy pays for the medical bills of the injured. It will pay for all the scans and test that are needed to help the person get well.

This type of policy should also be purchased by anybody who works and has the potential to get injured or ill, which is, well everybody!  No one should lose their income and way of life because of an injury or serious illness.  Talk to one of our agents today.

Karl Susman, Susman Insurance Agency

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Can life insurance finance a new business?

Take four minutes to watch Debbie’s story.  In this story, you will see how Bob, a caring husb and found a way to protect his family while saving to start a new business.

Bob protected his family while saving to start a new business

A little bit of planning went a long long way.

Karl Susman, Agent

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Is it Earthquake Weather?

How would you like to wake up to Mike Tyson – specifically, the scary, ear-biting, late-1980s-to-mid-1990s Mike Tyson — punching the wall of your house? On the morning of April 23, 2012, that’s exactly what woke Los Angeles resident Kevin V andever. Except the shaking V andever felt wasn’t Tyson’s legendary fists: It was a 3.9 earthquake.

Whether you live in Los Angeles, Brentwood or Santa Monica, you’ve probably experienced a few earthquakes. In fact, it’s always “earthquake weather” here in SoCal; written history of earthquakes in the region stretches back to 1769, when an expedition about 30 miles from L.A. felt four strong shocks. Forty-three years later, four people were killed when a quake demolished a church at San Juan Capistrano, and an 1857 quake in Fort Tejon was an incredible magnitude 7.9 — and was felt all the way to Las Vegas!

Over the next half-century, earthquakes killed almost 50 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings across California. The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake killed at least 700 people, opened a 296-mile rupture in the San Andreas Fault, and caused more than $500 million in damage. And, of course, L.A.’s 6.7-magnitude Northridge Earthquake killed 57, injured more than 800, and displaced 20,000 residents, causing $20 billion in damage.

From 1769 to today, more than 200 earthquakes have rocked SoCal – and that’s just counting magnitude 5.2 and higher.

That’s a lot of shaking and quaking and it’s all centered around one area: The California-Nevada Fault and its many offshoots, some of which run right through L.A.

Sounds a lot scarier than Mike Tyson, right? When you build a major metropolitan area along a huge fault line that’s constantly shifting, quake damage is bound to be a concern. Given Southern California’s long, earthquake-filled history, it’s no surprise that high-tech study after high-tech study confirms what many seismologists have long predicted: The Los Angeles area is long overdue for a massive earthquake.

Scientists have found that major earthquakes occur every 88 years or so. It’s been about 150 years since the last monster quake hit, making the probability of a large quake extremely likely. Even worse, predictions indicate that this quake may be as strong as 8.1 on the Richter Scale — with the potential to release more than 100 times the energy as the Northridge quake! Recent concerns about fracking in L.A. have intensified fears of a major quake.

As if that isn’t terrifying enough, scientists project that an earthquake that large could cause between 2,000 and 50,000 deaths and billions of dollars in damage in L.A., Anaheim and San Diego.

How can residents prepare themselves? Experts recommend building up stores of food, water and supplies, establishing an emergency plan, and safeguarding possessions in advance. In addition, earthquake insurance protects your family from loss, helping you to get back on your feet after the disaster is over.  Get the hint, talk to one of our licensed agents about Earthquake Insurance today.

So the next time you wake up to shaking walls, cross your fingers and hope that it’s just Mike Tyson!

Karl Susman, Agent

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3 Uplifting Stories About Insurance Agents

Teen Driver Behind The Wheel? An Insurance Agent Tells You Why Full Car Insurance Is Essential

I suppose it happens to every parent. Their teen becomes old enough to drive. Yikes! The moment I saw her jump behind the wheel of our vehicle and back into the house planter while scaring the dog biscuits out of Miss Daisy, the neighbor’s pet Doberman, I knew it was time to get in touch with my insurance agent.

I wanted to make sure we had the most comprehensive auto insurance to protect my family and other drivers on the road in our Brentwood, Southern California, neighborhood. Our agent is great. Not only did he make sure we had collision and liability insurance, but he explained how important it was to have uninsured motorist bodily injury and uninsured motorist property damage insurance. I never even heard of this coverage before.

According to the California Department of Insurance, uninsured motorist bodily injury and uninsured motorist property damage coverage protects my family when injured and my vehicle when damaged by a driver who doesn’t have insurance.

The next time my daughter asks for the car keys to meet her friends at Topanga State Park, I won’t hesitate to let her go. Thanks to my insurance agent, I am more at ease when my daughter gets into the driver’s seat.

An Insurance Agent Who Treats New Homeowners With Respect

I am now a homeowner of a small bungalow in Brentwood Glen. I’ve been doing the happy dance for the past six days as I moved my things from my cold, wet New Engl and home and rode out to sunny California. As I sashayed my boxes up to the house, I almost did a head-slap moment. Or rather, a dead branch from the juniper tree bounced off my roof shingles and hit the grass only feet away, causing little damage to my new home.

Homeowner’s insurance. I forgot to get homeowner’s insurance.

Yeah, it wasn’t the brightest moment in my life. I definitely felt like putting on my “I’m with Stupid” tee shirt with the arrow pointing up at me. But at least I figured it out before something serious happened to my home. Being new to California, I wanted to make sure I had the right residential insurance, as stated by the California Department of Insurance. The agent I found explained the entire policy to me while indicating what would be best to get, such as earthquake coverage, which I never had to deal with for my New Engl and home. Despite my boneheaded moments, the insurance agent treated me with respect and underst anding. I am so glad to have met him.

My Superhero Insurance Agent Saved The Day

I feel like marrying my insurance agent. At the very least, I want to make her a superhero costume with large “IA” letters stenciled on the front, because she sure saved the day for me.

My ex-spouse didn’t inform me when she canceled the insurance policy on my car. I received a suspension notice from the California Department of Motor Vehicles about how they didn’t receive a replacement policy in the specified 45-day period, as explained on the California Department of Motor Vehicles website.

I contacted my insurance agent immediately and explained the situation. She worked fast to get everything squared away with my insurance policy and make sure I submitted the right reinstatement forms and fees so that I won’t be driving illegally. Now, I have my up-to-date vehicle registration with the required insurance policy.

I’ll never leave my superhero agent. Boy, they are really there at all hours when you need them.

Stories like these are the stories that we strive for at Susman Insurance Agency.  Let us earn your business and become your superhero!

Karl Susman

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Do low income households need Life Insurance?

If you’re already struggling financially, why in the world would you allocate some of your hard earned and stretched dollars for life insurance?  Jermaine has a real life answer to this question.  Take three minutes to watch and see, then ask yourself the question again.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KIjeQImOOc[/youtube]

What do you think?  Comment below –

Karl Susman

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Finding the Best Homeowner’s Insurance

Buying homeowners insurance can be confusing. If you are in the market to protect your home and possessions, you may want to do some research before committing to a policy or one specific insurance company. Ask questions and find an agent you trust that works with a company that has a good reputation for keeping their clients happy.

Your home is your castle and your possessions represent not only your past, but your present as well. You have worked hard to be able to live in the fashion you have become accustomed to, so it is in your best interest to make sure things can be replaced if a tragedy or accident occurs. When buying a policy make sure you know what it will cover. Some policies may focus more on the replacement value of a house or specific possession instead of its actual cost. Knowing the difference between these two amounts will affect how much you will want to ensure the property for and how the much the premium for the policy will be. For example, a 2 story, 4 bedroom home may be valued at only $65,000, but to build the exact same home at today’s prices, the replacement value may exceed $100,000. It will be up to you what you decide to insure the property for. If you would replace your home with a smaller one that would cost less to build then insure the property for its actual value. If you want a house similar to what you have now, bit the bullet and insure for the replacement value.

Many homeowner policies cover a variety of things including roof and fire damage, theft and various forms of liability. Liability can be anything from your dog biting the mail man to you cat Skippy tripping the neighbor lady as she walked to the front door to trade the daily dose of gossip. Most insurance policies have liability clauses that cover all types of accidents that occur on your property.

A family’s possessions can also be replaced if an itemized list of valuables is included within the policy. The contents of the home that have considerable value, such jewelry and works of art, should be listed in great detail within the body of the policy.

One of the biggest areas of confusion when purchasing a homeowner’s policy is the phrase “Act of God”. Many policies claim that “acts of God” are not covered. This can include damage to due ice and wind or other natural disasters. In recent years, people have discovered that water damage caused by flooding can sometimes be a gray area when it comes to insurance. Most companies offer a “Flood Insurance” rider that is attached to the policy and covers several types of water damage.

Never buy insurance without reading the fine print. Know what you are signing up for and what a policy will cover. Making sure you have the answers to help you make an informed decision is the best way to cover your assets in this type of situation.

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Should You Use an Insurance Agent or Broker?

The options when you are shopping for insurance can seem overwhelming. Do you want a captive agent or an independent broker? What is the difference? While one option may seem equal to another, the coverage you get and the price you pay can wind up being quite different depending on the path you take. Lets look at the two major options when you are shopping for insurance:

In many ways, insurance agents and independent insurance brokers are similar to one another. Both are required to be licensed in the state where they work. Neither position requires special education or degrees  and although most brokers and agents will take classes to increase their level of knowledge. Both insurance agents and independent brokers can help you assess your personal insurance needs to help you find a policy with the right benefits. Both put together insurance policies and help people settle claims. Both typically work on a commission basis. However, there are significant differences between the two, as well.

Insurance agents works for an insurance company. Their primary allegiance is to that company, rather than to you, the buyer. This is particularly true for a captive agent, also known as an exclusive agent, think State Farm or Allstate.  A captive insurance agent works exclusively for one insurer. In return, they receive benefits from that company like health and life insurance, paid vacation, an allowance to cover their office costs, and other benefits. They are almost always not allowed to sell insurance policies from other companies. This means they can only offer you policies that are available from the insurer they work for. If the insurer they represent does not have a policy that fits your needs, they are usually not allowed to refer you to someone who can help. If the need to make a claim against your insurance policy ever arises, you insurance agent merely acts as a liaison between you and the insurance company.

By contrast, an insurance broker works directly for the buyer. A broker is an independent agent who can work on your behalf to get the best coverage. They can work with a range of different types of insurance products, or choose to specialize in a single one, such as life insurance or home owners insurance. Independent brokers are not contractually bound to offer just one insurance company’s products. They are able to sell insurance policies from many different companies, which means that they are often able to get you the best deal for your personal situation. If you need a type of insurance policy that is outside the range of what they offer, they are in a position to refer you to another broker who can sell you the policy you need.

If you ever need to make a claim, an independent insurance broker is in a position to be of more help to you. In addition to preparing claim forms for you, they are able to advocate on your behalf. While not all insurance brokers offer this service, it is one they are in a far better position to provide.

When comparing your options for purchasing an insurance policy, it just makes sense to pick someone who, by definition, works for you and is on your side. Adequate insurance and successful claims can sometimes make the difference between a quick recovery from an incident and suffering serious financial problems after the fact. Pick the person who can sell you the product that is best for you and who can advocate for your interests to help ensure your best peace of mind.

Pick a fully independent insurance broker that works for you, say, like us, at Susman Insurance Agency!

Karl Susman