In todays world of On Line Shopping for Affordable Auto Insurance we are all bombarded by Little Green Lizards, Cartoon Secret Agents and even a guy named Mayhem...
We all are looking to save money on our Auto Insurance. Looking for Low Cost Auto Insurance has been the focus for most Americans. "Cheap Auto Insurance" is just the term for the most of us who have to find ways to save money, so they can comply with the law and still manage to feed their family.
10 Ways to Avoid Disaster Buying Auto Insurance On-Line.
#1 - The Simple way to Avoid Problems is not to buy insurance On Line. Find the Agent and Walk into the office and buy it. Most people feel better when they can work with an actual person. Look them in the eye and walk into the office if there is a problem.
#2 - Do your home work and know what your Buying. Just like this BLOG you can get as much information regarding the coverage you are looking for on line.
#3 - Shop multipule Agencies so you can have a choice of Companies and chose the best for you.
#4 - Shop with a Broker/Agent who Partners with Multipule Quality Companies. This give you more choices. When you call these Big Companies spending Billions of Dollars on line, they can only offer you ONE product!! Yep, just One!
#5 - Stay away from companies offering to give you a gift card for giving them your information. They are information sellers and will give your information to 20 to 50 agents. Be prepared to constantly answer and hang up your phone. Extremey annoying.
#6 - Shop your Local Google Places to find an Agent or Broker you can talk directly to.
#7 - When you decide to give your information on line. Make sure that they are not going to sell it to other Agents/Companies/Brokers. Call their support number and ask the question, could save you big headaches.
#8 - Just be careful if you have done a completely on line transaction and no one has actually spoken to you. Keep copies of all paperwork in an easily accessible file and Follow up with the customer support number to confirm you have a policy. Call them right after to make sure you have something!
#9 - Check with the Department of Insurance for your state and make sure the Insurance you bought is a company registered and approved by the state. In California it's www.insurance.ca.gov
#10 - Monitor your on line payment choice to make sure that someone did not take your information. You can buy on line protection services like LIFE LOCK. Your bank and credit card company's have programs that you can subscribe to or they even offer some free.
Follow these simple Rules and you will be a winner!
Now that we are in the digital age and the internet is the means of most all financial and information sources it is wise to be aware. I recall a statement that I was told when I was younger, "If you are aware of Danger around you, you will be prepared to act and avoid any situation becoming a Huge Disaster."
It is always easy to become confused when buying Production Insurance for your TV series, independent or Feature Film or Event Insurance too. Especially when it is the first time that you are handling this facet of the the business. I will tell you now that a good agent will help you and make this confusing process, simple... OK not simple but it will be a much easier process.
First, this is a business Insurance policy.. The Entertainment Business! The policy is really very similar to 99% of all business policies out there. Your main Focus on Film Insurance and Production Insurance is the General Liability, Which covers things that you could be sued for, things that you are liable for if something went wrong.
When a client calls our office we get as much information as possible to make sure that we can address any exposure (RISK) that might come up. This is the main purpose of a good agent.
There are many area's of Production Insurance coverage that I will list to give you an example of a Short Term Production Entertainment Insurance Policy. (similar coverage to most all Entertainment Insurance Policies)
General Liability Insurance; - at a minimum, limits are at 1,000,000. This is the portion that covers the filming locations, Vendors and we issue certificate of insurance to them to protect their interest while you are using their property.
Inland Marine Insurance; General description is Equipment, Props, sets, wardrobe, Cameras etc..
Automobile Insurance; Vehicles associated with the shoot. Owned by production, Rented or non-owned (employees vehicles). Covers accidents for Liability or Physical Damage.
Workers' Compensation; Standard Workers Compensation Insurance that covers employees working on the production in case they get hurt. Pays for their medical bills.
Most all of these coverages can be adjusted to fit your specific production Insurance needs and budget. The main thing to remember is that when you have a great agent who knows your artistic arena, you are halfway there!! Organizing the whole Production behind the scenes can be a nightmare. An Experienced Entertainment Insurance Agent has done the homework to make you look like a star, even when you are not in front of the camera!
When When it comes to getting a new business off the ground one of the most important parts of not only protecting your busines but protecting yourself is General Liability & Workers Compensation Insurance.
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It is required to carry by the State of California. If you are caught not having Work Comp the fines can be ugly. Fines can be up to 20,000 per violation or employee.
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Worker's Compensation Insurance is simply coverage for your employees incase they get hurt. You do not need to carry Work Comp if you do not have employees. If your Employee is hurt then your Workers compensation will cover the medical cost associated with their injury, thus protecting you and your business.
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The way Workers Compensation is rated is based on the type of work performed by the employee. The lowest exposure (Low chance of claim) the lower the rate. ie Office / Clerical - Code #8810. The Highest Exposure (High chance of claim) the higher the rate, Roofers, Electircal power Poles. You rate is based on the amount of pay for all of your employees.
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What you want to do if you are starting a business as not to pay alot of money for California Workers Compensation. When getting started you should guess a modest amount of payroll for your first year. KISS ( Keep It Simple Stupid) guess accurately but low because the rate will be based on that low number. Lets face it, you really do not know how your business will perform in the first year and it is always best to keep your costs low. Less money for down payment and less money for month payment.
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You should always talk to a trusted Insurance Agent/Broker to help guide you through the process of of properly covering your business. Workers Compensation in California can be tricky if you do not know the ins and outs of finding the best coverage and the best rate at an affordable price. A good agent will shop the market and have multiple choices for your California Workers Compensation Insurance.