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Animals and Vacant Homes

2009-01-09T17:01:00.001-08:00

Several years ago I spoke with a friend who is homeowner claims adjuster. He told me a claims story that turned my stomach.

Someone had moved out of a rental home without informing the property owner.

Unfortunately, they left a dog inside. In Arizona. With no air conditioning.

This dog had literally destroyed the inside of that place - walls, carpet, cabinets. There was no food or water left and it was trapped inside, alone and hungry.

The dog died inside that vacant home. Starved to death. And as the claims adjuster approached the home he said the smell was unbearable.

If a home becomes vacant in your area spend a moment and see if you can tell whether an animal has been left behind. It's the humane thing to do.

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Arizona Auto Insurance

Arizona Lemon Laws

2009-01-08T07:49:00.000-08:00

If you buy a vehicle and find it only gives you mechanical problems, you may qualify for help under the "Lemon" law.

Many states have laws that specify if a vehicle qualifies. These rules generally include, for example, that a manufacturer must provide a refund or replacement for a defective new vehicle when the owner has made four attempts to fix the problem. This includes safety defects (two attempts). Or, if the vehicle is out of service for thirty days within the initial 12,000 - 18,000 miles or 12 - 24 months.

When having mechanical issues as described above - keep excellent records. Document everything you do along the way. If a dealership is unwilling to meet your demands under the Lemon Laws your case may go before an arbitrator, who will ask to see your documentation.

Grand Canyon Quotes

Credit Tips

2009-01-03T10:27:00.001-08:00

Some of the rules concerning credit scoring are changing.

Here are some easy to remember tips:

1) Do not max out your credit card. Your score will be greatly dinged the closer you spend towards your max credit limit. Pay down your card and put some distance between what is owed and your available limit. You will likely see your credit score improve in the process.

2) 35% of your FICO score is payment history. Paying bills on time is crucial.

3) Looking for a 30 year mortgage loan? It used to require a score of 720 to obtain the lowest fixed interest rate. That requirement has risen to 760. The better your score the lower your monthly mortgage payment.

4) Have credit cards with a zero balance? Do not close those accounts. It is believed to be viewed as a positive to have open credit cards with a zero balance. Though some card companies have been known to close older, unused accounts.

Get low cost auto insurance: Arizona Auto Insurance

Ford Motor Company

2009-01-03T10:15:00.000-08:00

Ford Motor reported sales of new vehicles in the U.S. fell almost 19% last year.

Vehicles sales are expected to drop from 16.5 million in 2007 to approximately 13.5 million once the 2008 figures are offically released. This would represent the lowest sales totals since 1992.

Those numbers represent a staggering drop in car & truck sales. The company is projecting 2009 sales to be around 12 million.

However, some industry experts are predicting new car sales could slide under 10 million.

High gas prices during the year, tightening loan requirements and consumers concerned about the feds assisting the automotive industry all played roles in the drop in demand.

Save on your insurance by clicking here: Arizona Auto Insurance

Worst Insurance Companies

2009-01-02T10:27:00.000-08:00

Ouch. Who wants to be on this list?

According to the American Association for Justice the following insurance companies are considered the worst, using a wide range of factors including claims and complaints.

1. Allstate
2. Unum
3. AIG
4. State Farm
5. Conseco
6. WellPoint
7. Farmers
8. UnitedHealth
9. Torchmark
10. Liberty Mutual

You will be happy to know we do NOT quote insurance with ANY of these carriers.

Want great rates on Auto & Homeowners?? Get a low cost quote today: Arizona Auto Insurance and Arizona Home Insurance

Uninsured Motorist

2008-12-30T22:42:00.000-08:00

This optional auto policy coverage is perhaps the most misunderstood item on any auto policy.

It does NOT have anything to do with your car or truck.

It DOES have to do with injuries in your car or truck caused by an uninsured driver.

If you or your passengers are hurt you expect the other at-fault driver (their insurance policy) to cover your injuries.

But what if they have NO insurance - an uninsured driver?

That is where your own policy and uninsured motorist kicks in. But remember, it has nothing to do with your vehicle. It has everything to do with "injuries" inside your vehicle.

Arizona Auto Insurance

FICO SCORES

2008-12-30T22:20:00.000-08:00

Remember the term "Fico 08".

A new credit scoring model is due to be released that changes how your credit score is viewed.

One change will make your "available credit line" even more important. That is very important considering credit card companies are trimming the credit lines of many consumers today.

For example, let's say your credit card line is $10,000 and you have a $4,000 balance. You are using 40% of your available line of credit.

What if the credit card company lowered your credit line to $5,000? Now your four thousand credit card debt equals 80% of your available credit. That could ding your score big time.

The new formula will ignore collection debts under $100, stuff caused by library fines or parking tickets. Silly stuff that really should not effect your score.

Need to save money on your insurance? Visit our website - Arizona Auto Insurance

Arizona Homeowner Insurance

2008-12-29T13:50:00.001-08:00

The economy has been taking its toll on nearly everyone.

Still, you cannot be hesitant to seek Arizona homeowner insurance to find a lower rate. We compare home insurance with numerous insurance carriers to find our clients competitive premiums.

Better yet - our carriers are all top rated & top ranked.

Want to pay LESS for home insurance? Visit our website today Arizona Homeowner Insurance and request a quote.

Want an auto quote? Click here: arizona auto insurance

East Valley Tribune

2008-12-29T06:37:00.001-08:00

I subscribe to the East Valley Tribune and have for many years.

It was disappointing to receive a letter in the mail before Christmas that the Tribune will discontinue home delivery after January 5, 2009.

I am a sports guy. Love reading about sports (yes, I eventually read the local and national news too). It is my humble opinion that the Tribune has some of the best sports writers in America - Scott Bordow and Jerry Brown among two of the best.

I will miss retrieving my newspaper from the front lawn and opening the sports section and reading some of the best coverage anywhere. History has shown that life evolves and changes. This is part of that change.

The Tribune can still be read online and the paper can be purchased at locations around the valley. Still, I will miss my home delivery first thing in the morning.

For these two excellent writers and to all employed by the Tribune - we wish you the very best!

Choice Insurance of Arizona

Valley Metro Light Rail

2008-12-29T06:29:00.000-08:00

The folks behind light rail expects traffic to become serious in January, when more people start back to work.

However, with gas prices at a low mark in some time, the decision to ride or drive may not be as crucial as it was just a few months ago. Still, the idea of not putting miles on a vehicle will likely push more to ride.

Metro planners are expecting 26,000 per day to ride light rail. The other benefit are businesses along the route, as they hope and expect to see an increase in foot traffic.

Interested in learning more? Visit Valley Metro

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Uninsured Motorist

2008-12-28T10:12:00.000-08:00

There are reports that as the economy tightens and household budgets become more squeezed - families may elect to not pay for items like car insurance.

Which brings more attention to an optional coverage like Uninsured Motorist, which you can buy and add to your auto policy.

UM is sometimes misunderstood. It has nothing to do with your vehicle. It DOES have to do with injuries in YOUR vehicle caused when another driver hits you.

If someone rear-ends your vehicle and you (and/or passengers) are hurt, you expect the other driver to carry insurance to pay for your needed medical attention and rehabilitation.

But if the other driver has NO insurance, you may be stuck footing those medical bills yourself.

This is where Uninsured Motorist kicks in.

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Get a quote for Arizona auto insurance and save!!

Discount Cab

2008-12-28T09:53:00.001-08:00

It may be the last place you would expect to find a company with a growing list of Hybrids, but Discount Cab is quietly adding more and more Toyota Prius HYBRIDS to its fleet.

The valley's largest cab company is adding 20 more, bringing its Toyota Prius hybrid fleet to 95. Quite impressive!

Each hybrid leaves 20 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions for every 45 miles driven vs 60 lbs for traditional non-hybrid vehicles.

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Celebrate the New Year by paying less for your Arizona Insurance

Arizona Insurance

2008-12-27T18:25:00.000-08:00

The economy is causing lots of stress on most American families. Some have suffered job losses. Others are having trouble meeting their ongoing monthly expenses. Or both.

There is help on the insurance front, however,

Grand Canyon Quotes is an Arizona Insurance Broker, which can shop around with numerous top rated and top ranked insurance carriers to find you great rates on auto and home insurance.

Give us a try. Visit our website and request a quote today!!

Click here: Arizona Auto Insurance

Phoenix Auto Insurance

2008-12-27T18:20:00.001-08:00

Phoenix residents sometimes get the raw end of the insurance deal.

Lots of traffic in and around Phoenix? Higher car insurance premiums are the result.

Older homes in Phoenix? Higher homeowner costs as a result.

Sure, Phoenix is one of the most populated cities in America, but you still should be able to find competitive Arizona Auto Insurance in the Phoenix area.

We can help!

As an Arizona independent insurance agent we have numerous insurance carriers to shop around with to find great rates.

Give us a try. Visit our Arizona Insurance website.

Independent Insurance Broker

2008-08-05T22:02:00.001-07:00

Everyone shops around for insurance at some point in their life.

But where do you start? How do you find a better plan at a lower rate?

One of the easiest ways is to contact an Arizona Independent Insurance Broker, like Grand Canyon Quotes.

We represent many different top rated, top ranked "A" rated carriers, like MetLife, Travelers, Hartford, Progressive, Unitrin and many more.

So the next time you want to pay LESS and not spend hours on the phone, contact us. We'll do the hard part for you.

Arizona Auto Insurance

Bodily Injury - on your Auto Policy

2008-01-22T20:46:00.000-08:00

I've written about the Bodily Injury coverage before but like to repeat it because it is worth repeating.

On an auto policy, Bodily Injury covers the other person if you hit them and cause injury. This could mean you hit another car, a kid on a bike, a pedestrian or even a motorcycle rider. Any of these can cause serious injury or even death.

When someone else is hurt in a car accident, what do they normally do?

They hire a personal injury attorney.

What if you have too little Bodily Injury on your auto policy? Let's say you carry $25,000 on bodily injury and the other driver has $50,000 in injury claims.

You could be potentially responsible for the difference of twenty five grand. Where do you come up with $25,000 to pay off this claim? Take a home loan? Take a loan out of your retirement? Let them garnish 25% of your income for several years?

What if the other person is claiming $100,000 in damages or $250,000? If the injuries are severe enough or the accident results in death, you could see those kinds of damages.

I recommend you ask us about increasing your Bodily Injury to at least $100,000 or even $250,000.

It's a whole lot easier doing that than paying out of your own pocket for a major claim.

The savings and assets you save might be your own.

P.S. If you really want to be careful, get an Umbrella insurance policy too. That will cover you up to One Million Dollars. You'd be surprised how affordable it is.

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Water Back Up Endorsement

2008-01-22T20:40:00.001-08:00

Client #1 had a bathroom pipe break and flood the home.

Client #2 had a toilet clog and back up, spewing water into the home.

Which claim is not covered?

You guessed right - claim number two.

A pipe breaking is covered but a toilet that simply is clogged and backs up is not.

There is an endorsement on your home owner policy called "Water Back Up". I highly recommend you add it.

True Story: This was relayed to me by another agent, whose client was out of town. The person watching the home flushed a toilet and left. The toilet backed up, and flooded the home.

Water Back Up is different from something breaking/bursting.

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Ask your agent about adding this to your home owner policy.

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A Home Owner Suggestion

2008-01-20T20:18:00.000-08:00

During 2007, a friend of mine woke up in the middle of the night (bathroom break) to discover water flowing throughout most of his home. A pipe in a guest bathroom had burst a few hours earlier.

The cost to repair? About $20,000.

The loss was covered, minus the deductible. A very inconvenient claim, this loss completely disrupted their lives for weeks. Holes had to be made in various walls and about 20 loud fans placed throughout to speed up the drying process. Try sleeping at night with those fans blowing, my friend described. New flooring in the kitchen had to be pulled up and new cabintry was also damaged.

This was a Gilbert home not too old. Yet, it still had those bendable metal pipes in nearly every water inlet, the kind known for breaking. I explained to my friend that I had upgraded some time ago to newer, flexible pipe hoses. They were relatively cheap at the hardware store.

Check your hoses at every water connection in your home. If it still has those older pipe hoses, you should replace them immediately. The small cost might save you weeks worth of aggravation.
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Phoenix Life Insurance
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30 Minutes out of 500,000

2008-01-20T20:06:00.000-08:00

You have approximately 500,000 minutes in a year. It's a good idea to use 30 of those minutes to re-visit your insurance once a year or every other year at most.

When you receive your renewal notices each year, that's a great time to contact your agent and go over what you have.

Things change over the course of a year.

My neighbor recently added over 600 square feet to their home. They are not my clients (unfortunately) but I advised them to notify their agent/company to let them know. They had not considered the reasons for doing that.

I relayed to them one story (it's true) about an Arizona east valley home owner who added on 1000 square feet to his home. He never notified his agent or insurance company. The home was destroyed by fire. The insurance company paid out a lump sum of money equal to the original square footage, not the increased amount. They were insuring a home and charging a premium based on the "old" numbers.

You do not want to wait until a claim happens to discuss IF you have the right coverage. Rarely is anyone happy when a claim occurs. How unhappy will you be if you assume you have something covered that you do not.

A review can be very simple, and non-intrusive. It can be done in person, by phone, or even via email.

Phoenix Life Insurance

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Some Life Insurance tidbits

2008-01-16T16:14:00.000-08:00

Ok, no one likes to talk about dying.

In my 14+ years selling life insurance I actually had a couple of husbands tell me they refused to discuss the subject, because they were superstitious. They believed talking about it would hasten their death.

Without getting in too deep, we all will die. It's a part of life.

There is a television ad that says to the effect, "Life Insurance is for those you leave behind".

And it's true.

If you are reading this, there are probably people in your life that you would love to make life a little better, ease their stress.

That's kind of how I see life insurance.

Sure it's a pain paying for something that only kicks in after I kick the bucket. But I know that is a reality.

I sure hope it does not happen too soon, but if it does there are three people in my life that will get a lump sum of money.

I sure would like to ease the struggles in their lives a little bit, ease the stress of losing a loved one.

If you want a life insurance quote, please call or email me.

Gary Brown (480) 659-0229
gary@choicearizona.com

I am a staunch believer in life insurance and think everyone should sit down and make a plan to include it in their budget.

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The Most Important Part of an Auto Policy

2008-01-16T16:01:00.000-08:00

When we buy auto insurance we tend to focus on things like our deductible, whether we have coverage like glass and towing and, of course, our premium.

We all want to pay the lowest rate possible.

But if you are in an At-Fault accident is your first concern your premium?

Probably not.

The first concern is to make sure your policy will take care of the other driver. Otherwise, guess who is going to be held personally liable?

You.

Some may disagree, but we think your Bodily Injury (BI) coverage is vital.

If you injure someone in an accident, or run over a kid on a bicycle or a motorcycle rider your bodily injury coverage will certainly pay out. But what if the injuries total more than your policy limits?

What if you only carry $25,000 BI and the other person claims injuries totalling $100,000? Guess who is responsible for the difference?

You, again.

Likely in that scenario, the other driver will have hired an attorney who will subpoena your assets. It's also possible to have some of your income garnished.

GET A QUOTE

You may be very surprised but taking your BI limit from $25,000 to $100,000 is not a huge jump in premium. Give it a try. Ask us about quoting a limit of $100,000 or $250,000 on Bodily Injury.

Some may think it is the agent's job to give everyone the highest limits. It's not. Our job is to disperse advice and recommendations. But ultimately, you have to decide what type of policy and coverage you want.

And on this occasion, we sure recommend carrying very high Bodily Injury limits.

(and while you are at it, ask us about an Umbrella policy)

Using an Independent Insurance Agent is Smart

2007-10-19T17:02:00.000-07:00

Insurance companies like Progressive and Geico spend millions on advertising. You have to admit - those Caveman commercials are pretty good.

But does buying lots of television advertising make those companies better?

Not necessarily.

What if you want to shop around and get some comparisons? Captive companies do not offer you the ability to shop around.

What is a captive company?

Captive means - a company that only offers one rate, like Geico, Progressive, State Farm, Farmer's, Allstate and American Family. They do not offer any rate other than their own.

Understand, these are all good companies.

But buying from a captive company can be like going to one car dealership to buy a car. If you had gone to three or four the chances are better you could have found a better deal.

That is why you need to use an Independent Insurance Agency - like us.

We can compare your insurance with up to 10 different companies at one time. Now THAT'S comparison shopping!

If you've never used an Independent Insurance Agency to shop for insurance, rest assured we only work with top-rated carriers. And the odds of finding you a better rate increases substantially.

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Our Trusted Insurance Providers

2007-09-20T21:41:00.000-07:00

We are on your side!

Insurance agents for companies like State Farm, Farmers, Allstate and American Family - in addition to companies like Progressive & Geico have slight conflict of interest when quoting your insurance. They can only offer you ONE rate - their own!!

At Grand Canyon Quotes & Choice Insurance of Arizona, we represent lots of different carriers, like The Hartford, MetLife, Travelers, GMAC, Encompass, Fidelity, Foremost, Badger Mutual, AAA, and Austin Mutual.

Our goal? To find you the Best and Lowest Priced insurance plan - regardless of which company it is. AAA has a B+ rating, but ALL of our other carriers have the "A" rating from A.M.Best, so it does not matter which carrier has the best rate for you.

So, give us a try. Fill out the quote form or call for an auto or home owner quote.

You probably will be very glad you did.

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What to do in an Accident?

2007-09-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

THE OBVIOUS: Call the Police, PLUS see if there are witnesses available who can corroborate your story and what happened (particularly if you are NOT-at-fault). Get their name, phone number and story written down, if possible.

You need to obtain the other person's driver's license and write down everything (confirming the address listed on their driver's license is correct).

You need to see their insurance card. Write down the name of their carrier and policy number. Double check the name on the insurance card and make sure they match with the driver's name. If not, find out why.

Get their phone number.

IF YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE: take a picture of the other person's damaged vehicle. I have had clients call me during an ongoing claim stating that the damage to the other vehicle is magically more than what was evident at the time of the accident. This has never happened to me but worth considering. I'd still take the cell phone pics just to be safe.

ADMIT FAULT ?: I know the insurance companies would suggest you do NOT admit any fault at the scene. I will leave that decision up to you. I can say that in some accident cases you may not know for sure exactly what happened, where the other driver came from, and whether they were perfectly within the law or making sound driving decisions up to the time of the accident.

This is where witnesses are so valuable.

CLAIMS ADJUSTERS: Keep in contact with your agent if you have any questions during the process. Claims adjusters are hard working people and usually handling many claims simultaneously. Most of these folks are over-worked. They often are hard to reach because they are out on the road handling claims, seeing damaged vehicles, damaged homes, completing tons of paperwork, etc. Having known several claims adjusters, I would suggest kindness when dealing with them.

PARKING LOT CLAIMS: Often the most irritating type of vehicle claim, you should always try to immediately check to see if there were witnesses. Without witnesses, these claims often become a he said/she said and go before an arbitrator. They usually become a 50/50 claim where both parties are at fault.

If you truly believe you were not-at-fault in a parking lot accident, try to secure witnesses names, phone numbers and their account of what happened.

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Car Insurance Coverage explained

2007-09-18T17:26:00.000-07:00

How many times has an Insurance Agent rattled off a list of auto coverages to you without really explaining what each coverage means?

Here is a quick list for you:

BODILY INJURY - protects the other person and their occupants if you are at-fault in an accident and there are injuries

PROPERTY DAMAGE - protects the other vehicle (or any property) that you damage with your car

MEDICAL - covers injuries in your own vehicle. If someone hits you their policy is supposed to cover your injuries. However, if they are uninsured or you are at-fault in the accident, medical coverage can come into play

UNINSURED MOTORIST - protects you and your occupants for injuries occurring when an uninsured driver hits you

UNDERINSURANCE MOTORIST - protects you and your occupants for injuries occurring from another driver whose policy limits are not high enough to completely cover the injuries in your vehicle

GLASS Coverage - will fix or replace glass on your car while waiving any deductible. This is not usually limited to the windshield, on most policies. Glass coverage usually means ANY glass on the car.

CAR RENTAL - will pay for a rental vehicle if your car is damage and goes into a repair facility

TOWING - will pay for towing costs if your car is disabled and needs towed. This does not have to be a claim situation. Any disablement usually qualifies under the towing benefit

A couple of quick tips: Bodily Injury coverage is VERY important (in my opinion). That is not the coverage to go light on. Consider carrying a $1000 deductible on collision to lower premiums. Ask about Uninsured Motorist coverage. I've heard tell that 1 in 5 driver's (or more) are uninsured at any given time in the Valley of the Sun.

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Teenage Driver's

2007-09-18T00:02:00.000-07:00

I taught my own daughter how to drive. So far, so good (knock on wood).

Recently a client asked me to teach her son how to drive. He is without a father and I understood the need for the mother to step back and allow another male to be a part of the learning and teaching process.

It was fun. We learned about each other and hopefully he is a better driver from the experience. I know my hair is a little more gray from the first couple of lessons, which had me gripping the dashboard.

I tried to keep it simple. My two main suggestions to this new teen driver:

1) Do not drive faster than you are comfortable, and

2) Do Not Tailgate.

I believe that if ALL driver's followed those two simple suggestions there would be far fewer accidents.

GOOD STUDENT DISCOUNT: Do not neglect to tell your agent if your child is getting a 3.0 or better grade average.

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What kind of Auto Coverage should YOU have?

2007-09-17T23:26:00.000-07:00

This question deserves an answer of "depends".

Does a college student need the same level of coverage as a working professional who owns a home, has a family, a 401k, a savings account, and other assets?

Maybe.

We know that if you hit someone and that person is injured - you could get sued.

Perhaps the college student does not yet have tangible assets. But what about their potential "future" income? Can someone sue in hopes that they can attach that person's income in the future. If they are in college it reasons that their income will only grow once they graduate.

Whether you are a young person starting out in life with little or no assets, or are someone who is well established in career and their life, consider at least getting a quote with higher coverage on BODILY INJURY.

Bodily Injury is the one coverage that helps protect the "other" person if you are at-fault in an accident and they are injured.

Sure, you are protecting the other person's potential injuries.

But remember, you also are protecting your assets and income in the process.

My advice - do not skimp on Bodily Injury protection on your auto policy. The assets and income you protect are your own!

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