Most people won’t notice today’s meaning and will simply become irritated because they can’t get their mail. It’s an important day to me because it always reminds me of my grandfather. He retired from the Air Force with over 30 years of service. Listening to his stories of what he did before he shipped off to serve during World War II, what happened during the war, and his travel and life after the war are some of my favorite memories.

He passed away a few months after my son was born. He was the greatest guy I ever knew.

The other day IIHS announced its list of 2009’s "Top Safety Pick" cars and trucks. Here’s their list by class:

Small cars:
2009 Honda Civic with optional electronic stability control,
2009 Mitsubishi Lancer with optional electronic stability control,
2008-09 Scion xB,
2009 Volkswagen Rabbit

Midsize cars:
2009 Volkswagen Jetta and 2009 Volkswagen Passat

Large luxury car:
2009 Lincoln MKS

Midsize SUVs:
2009 Ford Flex and 2009 Honda Pilot

Small pickup:
2009 Toyota Tacoma

Midsize convertible:
2009 Volkswagen Eos

You can see the list and their criteria for evaluation at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s press release website or visit them at www.iihs.org .

While speaking with other insurance agents our there I’ve heard many saying this is a great opportunity to switch clients from AIG to another ‘safer’ insurance company. In fact, I can see a lot of people falling victim to scams and lies based on fear. The fear that money in annuities or life insurance products issued by AIG is unsafe and ‘needs’ to be moved.

From everything I’ve read and found on this issue, the insurance side of AIG is completely solvent. AIG has more than enough in reserves to pay its claims and continues to pay millions of dollars each day in claims.

If you have a policy with AIG, what are you to do now?

Well, in my opinion, nothing.

AIG owns 71 US based insurance entities. They’re all solvent. Not one is related to the financial problems they’re experiencing. And, the best part, the money inside these companies reserved to pay claims is protected by law.

So, you can relax and put the anxiety medication away for another day.

If you don’t believe me, check out the AIG Consumer FAQ put out by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners .

If you’re ever in doubt or have concerns or complaints about your insurance company, contact Arizona’s Department of Insurance and check up on them. It’s your money and security at risk.

As a child growing up here, I remember sitting in the garage with my parents watching the wind blow the trees, the lightning electrifying the sky and the rain soaking the yard. So, I figured this would be a great time to take my son out back and let him build some of these memories. Wrong. As I started to open the door he grabbed my leg and said, “No daddy. Don’t open the door. It’s scary.”

I forgot how scary it was when I was a child too. So, I comforted my son instead.

What does this have to do with insurance?

Flooding.

Water damage.

Fallen trees.

Lightning strikes.

Power outage.

Bugs.

Not all are covered under your base home policy and some are. Here’s a quick list:

Flooding – not covered. Need separate flood policy to cover this.

Water damage – depends on the cause. If you leave the window open at your home and the rain comes in because you’re forgetful, not covered. If the rain breaks the window and causes damage, you’re covered. You’re also covered, if the wind blows the rain under the shingles on your roof and leaks into the drywall in your home.

Fallen trees – generally not covered, unless it’s touching your home.

Lightning strikes – covered. If it hits your home or detached structures (pool equipment, sheds, etc.) you’re covered for the damage and any resulting fire, if any.

Power outage – depends on the policy. There’s usually some amount for spoilage but call your agent.

Bugs – no coverage. Unfortunately, the rains cause the scorpions and other fun critters we have here to migrate to the dryer climate inside your home. This just isn’t covered by your homeowner policy. Sorry.

Naturally, this is not an exhaustive list of the coverage in your particular policy but a good start. If you have a fallen tree, it shouldn’t hurt to call your agent and ask, “What would happen if a tree blew over? Would the insurance company pay to clean it up?” Every home insurance policy is different and has unique coverage options.

If you don’t have an agent and use an 800# insurance company for your insurance you may want to be careful how you ask your question. The person answering the phone may enter your question as a claim inquiry on your policy which will show up on your CLUE (loss history) report. This could affect your rates and future ability to find coverage.

Please leave your comments or questions below. Or, if you want an agent you can trust and ask questions about your unique situation fill out our home insurance quote form .

During this year I’ve had the fortune to oversee the production of several different events to raise money for our chosen charities. This year our charities are Packages From Home and the Maricopa County Animal Care & Control . The photos here are the presentation of $1000 checks to each charity.

As an independent insurance agent it’s very interesting to see the price difference in car insurance or home insurance from one company to the next.

Here’s an example:

I recently quoted one family for their three cars and home insurance . They also have a 16 year old teenage driver.

• With three of our insurance companies the car insurance alone was around $4000 for the year ($333/month).
• With two other companies the rates were $2200 & $2800 for the year ($183/month).
• They’re currently paying around $3600/year with an ‘on the corner’ insurance company.
• All are ‘A’ rated companies.

So, why is there a $2000 difference in price?

Well, every insurance company has a different taste for what they consider an acceptable risk. While you may be a good driver with no tickets and accidents, if you live in zip code 85207 instead of 85215 (they’re right next to each other) it could be a huge difference in pricing. They may also take into account your age, age of home, types of cars, credit rating, security discounts, prior insurance history and more when determining your rate .

So, if you haven’t shopped around in a while you may want to consider it now. You may be surprised at how much you can save, or how much more you can get for your money. The insurance market is like a third world country marketplace. If you don’t watch your pockets you won’t realize how much has been picked out until it’s too late.

As an independent agency we always have the luxury of being able to shop some of the best companies for you to make sure you’re getting the best price available .

Give us a call at 480-699-7222 or fill out our easy one page online quote forms.

"Matt, I smell smoke."

I did too. It was strong. I immediately jumped out of bed.

Kathy runs to check on our 3 yr old and 1 yr old and call 911 while I start searching the home for the source. She says the kids are safe and nothing in their rooms is burning.

Now that I know the kids are safe I begin thinking about our home insurance policy and the coverage for additional living expenses, changes in building codes, the cost to rebuild our home and replace everything in it. Yes, we’ll have enough coverage for the ‘stuff’ but there’s no insurance for the major disruption and stress on a family from a major loss…Maybe Prozac, right?

Nothing inside is burning. That’s good.

I turn off the alarm and run out the front door. The smell of smoke is very strong outside. Nothing’s burning in front or around the back!?

I’m trying to remember if all the orange trees covered if they burn to the ground? They have to be over 80 years old.

I don’t see any fire or smoke coming off our home. The neighbors’ homes look fine too.

I rush back inside nervous it’s in our attic and haven’t seen something yet.

Kathy is hanging up the phone. "There’s a home a couple streets over that’s burned to the ground. They said they had to dispatch a lot of resources to put it out and the smoke is probably coming in through the air conditioner. Did you want them to come and check the house just in case or do you think it’s coming in through the A/C?" she asks.

Fortunately, all was well with our home and our family. As I lie back in bed I thought of my bride and kids. I am thrilled they’ll be okay.

If you don’t know what your home policy covers, give me a call. The last thing you want to be doing is standing in front of your burnt house asking your agent , "So what’s covered?" You may be in for some surprises.

A friend, and client of our firm, was having their car washed before heading out of town last week. In the windshield there were two dime size rock chips. Naturally, the friendly windshield repair company that rents the opportunity space from the car wash quickly runs over and says, “We can replace that windshield while you wait and if you have full glass insurance it won’t cost you anything. We just need to call the insurance company with you and we’ll get it done.” (If you’ve been to any car wash you’ve seen the nice smiling young kid running up to your car and running his finger over spots on your windshield with scientific precision.)

Well, my client agreed. While talking with the insurance company the adjuster said they wouldn’t pay to replace the windshield but if the glass company would repair the chips they would gladly pay for it. Of course, the glass company only wanted to replace the windshield so nothing was done at the time.

Now you may be screaming about the injustice of the insurance industry and what a scam it is to pay for all this coverage and the insurance company won’t even pay for a simple and obviously damaged windshield. And, you will be partially right but read on…

Auto manufacturers engineer cars and trucks with safety designs you would never consider. The windshield is part of the structural integrity of your car/truck. When you replace a windshield you’re replacing a huge safety mechanism designed within certain specifications. This can alter the way a car absorbs a crash and the effectiveness of airbags. It’s considered to be the third most important safety feature right after seatbelts and airbags. Keep this in mind…

I contacted the insurance company to ask why they declined coverage and find out how to help our client get this fixed. There answer was, the dime size chips were repairable and the glass company is not on their approved list because they habitually replace 97% of the windshields they want to repair.

A glass company makes a lot more money when they replace a windshield instead of repairing the chip. This glass company has a bad history with insurance companies and has been through many name changes. They’re also known for the use of lower quality glass and glue. The two important parts of replacing a windshield.

If you don’t have to replace the windshield, don’t. Get it repaired. A good glass technician can repair a windshield so you would never even know there was a chip or crack.

If you ultimately need to replace your windshield contact your insurance company to start the claim process. If you don’t know a reputable glass company the claims department can refer you to a couple on their approved vendor list to choose from.

In my opinion, this is safer for your family and more convenient too. The glass company will repair or replace your windshield at your home or office. This beats sitting for an extra 30-60 minutes in an uncomfortable and smelly car wash.

With the price of gas over $4 a gallon right now, I’m not surprised to find more people trading in their gas guzzling SUVs and buying hybrids, motorcycles and scooters. I’m also not surprised to find more people changing their grocery and clothes buying behavior too. I don’t know why it surprises me to have the large amount of people using the price of gas to shop for insurance.

Don’t get me wrong, it makes sense. You have to drive to work. You need to drive to the grocery store. You need a home to live in. And, you have to insure these things to keep your license plate and to qualify for the mortgage on your home.

They’re also telling us they called because we’re an independent insurance agent and can save them time by shopping multiple companies for them with one phone call. (Again, that makes me happy because I love hearing the truth.)

So, if you’re fed up with high gas prices and want to put a few bucks back in your pocket, give us a call (480-699-7222) or fill out one of our online insurance quote forms . Like the sign on the dentist office down the street, "We’re taking new clients!" So, what do you have to lose?