San Diego Personal Insurance

Personal insurance comes in many different shapes and forms, so it may be hard for the average person to determine exactly what kind of protection is necessary for their particular needs.  If you try to buy personal insurance online, it may be impossible to get the best combination of coverage, price, and service.  As an independent insurance professional, we can offer many options for your personal insurance needs.  We have access to many competitive personal insurance lines and have a team of professionals ready to serve you.  We will design a competitive personal insurance program that meets your individual family’s needs.

There are many different kinds of personal insurance products for people to consider.  Therefore, we thought we would review common questions, facts, and issues sounding personal insurance.  Personal insurance includes many different kinds of protection including:

  1. Personal Liability
  2. Property Damage
  3. Health Insurance Related Coverage
  4. Auto Insurance (required by law)
  5. Identity Theft
  6. Home, Renters, and Condominium Insurance
  7. Insurance for Your RV, ATV, Boats, and Motorcycle
  8. Coverage for Vacation and Rental Homes

In most cases, competitive personal insurance is not legally required, but we always recommend you buy personal insurance for the following reasons.

Why Buy Personal Insurance?

  • It is very inexpensive and cost-effective.
  • You have many options.
  • If you damage someone’s property, you will be held liable.
  • It is better than trying to defend yourself in the event of a claim.
  • You can be sued even if you are in the right.

Here is the average cost of the top homeowner’s insurance claims from 2011 through 2015, according to the Insurance Information Institute.  About one in 15 homes has some kind of claim annually.  One in 35 homes have a property damage claim related to wind or hail, and one out of every 250 homes has a theft, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

  • Fire                    $43,000
  • Bodily injury    $22,000
  • Water damage $ 8,000
  • Theft                  $ 3,000

Californians spend about 54% of their monthly income on rent and utilities, making this expenditure a large part of their income.  Therefore, it is important to protect your investment with a competitive personal insurance program.  Here are the kinds of personal insurance products that should be included in your insurance portfolio.

Personal Liability

Personal liability protects you from damages for which you become legally liable.  This could include damage you do to another person’s property, injury to their body, or liable and slander.  This coverage usually is included in a renter’s, homeowner’s or condominium insurance policy.  You can buy personal liability insurance in various levels or limits of coverage.  We recommend limits of at least $300,000 to $500,000.  In many cases, we also might recommend a personal umbrella policy if you own your home, or have higher than average income.  A personal umbrella is also useful if you own an RV, boat, or vacation home.

Property Damage

Property damage coverage is also part of your renter or homeowner’s insurance and covers your liability associated with the damage you cause to someone else’s property.  Examples would be if your tree falls onto a neighbor’s home, or your child throws a ball through your neighbor’s window.

Health Insurance Related Coverage

There are many unique kinds of personal health insurance products that are smart for individuals to consider.

  • Long-Term Disability—covers you in the event you are unable to continue to work due to an illness or accident. This coverage offers income replacement with different options for limits of coverage and deductibles.
  • Long-Term Care Insurance (LTC)—provides coverage (up to a predetermined amount) in the event you need full-time nursing care. This can include in-home care at an assisted living center.

Auto Insurance

Auto insurance is intended to cover your liability for operation of a vehicle.  This includes accidents for which you become legally liable because of your actions.  Auto insurance can also include coverage for damage to your vehicle under the collision and comprehensive coverage.  Collision covers damage to your vehicle caused by running into something and comprehensive covers theft and damage from falling objects.  All coverage is subject to the limits and deductible you select.

California State law requires auto insurance.  The state of California requires drivers to carry at a minimum the following:  Bodily Injury Liability Coverage $15,000 per person/$30,000 per accident minimum; Property Damage Liability Coverage $5,000 minimum; Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident minimum.  We always recommend you have more coverage than the State minimum.

Identity Theft

Identity theft insurance can protect you if your personal information is stolen. Typically, this includes your Social Security number, bank information, or credit card numbers.  Identity theft can offer restoration services and help offset the cost of restoring your credit.

Home, Renters, and Condominium Insurance

The most common kind of personal insurance involves protecting your house, apartment, or condominium and is called a homeowner or renter’s policy.  A standard homeowner’s policy can include coverage for the home, personal property, and personal liability.

Insurance for Your RV, ATV, Boats, and Motorcycles

It is essential to insure your RV and other toys to make sure you are protected in the event of an accident. These are not covered under other “standard” personal insurance products.

We are an independent agent and can find the right combination of coverage price and service form dozens of your insurance companies.