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Inspirational Quote:

"Teach your children early not to pass the blame or make excuses, but to take responsibility for their actions."

- Eric Greitens

Trusted Partners

T&T Home Solutions

Home Hardening/Fire Resistant Upgrades

949-606-5822

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Johnny Sheehan,

Paul Davis Restoration

949-877-4442

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

1 Step At A Time... To Hardening Your Home

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 22:38:47 GMT

I was invited to hear the Deputy Insurance Commissioner speak two weeks ago in Anaheim. Unfortunately, she had to cancel last minute. Her replacement from the Department of Insurance had a great presentation though. As I reflected on her words, something became very clear to me...we should be more proactive in taking steps to "harden our homes."

I've written several times about hardening your home, whether it is enclosing your eaves or removing any vegetation within 5 feet of your home. In my opinion, one of the first steps should be to install new wire mesh vents. This will help prevent burning embers from entering the attic and igniting our homes on fire from the inside.

If we look at the homes that did not survive any of the fires; LA, Altadena, Laguna Niguel, most of the homes did not have upgraded, fire-resistant vents.

While there may not be a 100% preventable solution to fireproofing a home, there are many steps we can take to help reduce the risk of our homes catching fire.

I was referred to someone recently, whose business is fireproofing homes. He is a retired fireman and is very informative when it comes to how to help fireproof your home. The company name is T&T Home Solutions and they are listed in my trusted partners section. If you have not done so already, please take some time to talk to a professional about upgrading your vents. Now is the time to start, before we get into the hotter summer months or we are away on vacation.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

Blackberry Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

Chicken

Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp chili powder
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 (6- to 8-oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Dressing

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp blackberry jam
1 tsp honey
Kosher salt

Salad

5 cups packed baby spinach
1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado, sliced
6 oz. blackberries
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted

Directions:

Chicken

In a small bowl, combine lime juice, oil, oregano, and chili powder; season with salt and pepper.
Place chicken in a resealable bag and pour in marinade. Let chicken marinate at room temperature at least 30 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 hours.

Dressing

In a medium bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, jam, and honey; season with salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make Ahead: Dressing can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

Salad

In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Cook chicken, turning occasionally, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165°, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Divide spinach between bowls. Top with chicken, cucumber, onion, avocado, blackberries, feta, and walnuts. Add dressing and toss to combine.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."

- Anne Frank

Have a Claim?

Call our office

(949) 484-7500

We will help you.

Companies We Represent

Nationwide

Foremost

Travelers

Bamboo

Delos

Aegis

Safeco

Steadily

Heritage

Stillwater

And many more...

Contact me:

Inspirational Quote:

"I shouldn't even be here, so if I'm here, I better do something good."

- Tammy Duckworth

Trusted Partners

T&T Home Solutions

Home Hardening/Fire Resistant Upgrades

949-606-5822

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Johnny Sheehan,

Paul Davis Restoration

949-877-4442

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

LA Fires Debris Removal Program & Tow Truck Scams

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 03:46:09 GMT

With the LA fires contained, it is now time to pick up the pieces. LA County, the EPA and Army Corp of Engineers are providing a debris removal program for anyone affected by the fires. This is a FREE program and to qualify for it, you need to OPT IN before March 31. In my opinion, if you or anyone you know, who lost their home in the fires, they should opt in to this program. While there is debris removal coverage inside your homeowners policy (typically 5% of your dwelling coverage), this program seems to be much more robust and at no cost to you. In addition, the rough estimate of the debris removal, if you lost your home in these fires, could be as much as $175,000.

Here are the links to learn more about the program and to opt in .

In other insurance news, there has been an increase in tow truck driver scams in Southern CA. The way the scam works is, you are in an accident, but unbeknownst to you, you were possibly hit on purpose. Next, a tow truck shows up, pretty quickly, and offers to help. They offer to tow you to a local body shop. Then the body shop forces the driver to pay a large amount of money that is not covered by your car insurance to get your vehicle back. Here is a direct excerpt from the Department of Insurance Warning:

"There are a few red flags drivers should be aware of to make sure they are not a victim of this type of scam:

Tow truck shows up within minutes of accident, you may not even have had time to call anyone yet.
Tow truck driver tells you which body shop your car is going to instead of working with you to identify where you want your vehicle to go.
Tow truck driver tells you someone will contact you by phone or asks you to sign documents.
Tow truck driver requests a rideshare for you.

The Department urges drivers if they believe they may be in a situation like this to verify the tow truck with your insurance company or wait for CHP to verify the tow truck was dispatched by CHP. Also, do not sign any documents until you have talked to their insurance company."

We know sometimes things that may seem too good to be true are. In this situation, the debris removal program is a good program and the tow truck situation is not on the up and up. Be safe out there and we are here if you need us.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

Sometimes it is nice to have a little seafood. This months recipe is for Amazing Spicy Grilled Shrimp. The recipe is courtesy of Pat Rota.

Amazing Spicy Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients:

⅓ cup olive oil
¼ cup sesame oil
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon Asian chile paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
12 wooden skewers, soaked in water

Directions:

Whisk together the olive oil, sesame oil, parsley, hot sauce, minced garlic, ketchup, chile sauce, salt, pepper, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Set aside about 1/3 of this marinade to use while grilling.
Place the shrimp in a large, resealable plastic bag. Pour in the remaining marinade and seal the bag. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade.
Lightly oil grill grate. Cook shrimp for 2 minutes per side until opaque, basting frequently with reserved marinade.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"The time is always right to do what is right"

- Martin Luther King Jr.

Have a Claim?

Call our office

or cell

We will help you.

Companies We Represent

Nationwide

Foremost

Travelers

Bamboo

Guard

CSE

Hippo

Safeco

Stillwater

NatGen Premier

And many more...

Contact me:

Inspirational Quote:

"The reward of a thing well done is having done it."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Trusted Partners

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Johnny Sheehan,

Paul Davis Restoration

949-877-4442

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

2025 Here We Go...

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 00:39:39 GMT

It has been a challenging last couple weeks with the fires around Southern California. We feel for everyone, who has been affected by these fires, and know this time is very difficult right now. If you have questions about coverage or need help in any way, please call us to discuss your concerns. You are our priority.

Interestingly enough, there has been a big social media buzz about if you have a trust and your home insurance does not list the trust and that your insurance company will not pay your claim. This is not necessarily true.

Every insurance company handles things differently. There is not a blanket right or wrong answer. However, if you do hold your home in a trust, typically, you can add your trust as an additional insured or additional interest (depending on what your insurance company will allow). Most insurance policies are written for individuals and not for an entity, which is why it will vary. From what we have learned in the last few days, insurance companies want to pay claims...to the right people. When you cannot prove you are the owner of the trust (because your paperwork was destroyed in the fire), the process slows down, as the insurance companies want to make sure they are not writing checks to the wrong people. There are people looking to commit fraud and the insurance companies are trying to help their clients avoid it. That is why it may take longer.

In regards to coverage for your home, if you are worried you may not have enough coverage, in the event your home is lost due to a fire (or other peril), please call or email to discuss it. Every home is different and unique and we want to be sure you are confident that you have the correct level of coverage to help you sleep better at night.

As we emerge from the fires and 2025 continues, we know there is a long road to rebuilding for the people who lost everything. There will be scammers out there trying to take advantage of you, so they can profit. Be mindful and thoughtful about who is trying to "help" you. And if you are not sure, talk to your claims adjuster or agent for some advice. We are in this with you.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

With cooler air here, it is nice to have some warm home cooking to feed your soul.

Here is a recipe for Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bites courtesy of the Kitchn

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bites

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic
1 ounce Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup freshly grated or 1/3 cup store-bought), plus more for serving
3 sprigs fresh parsley
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or a combination
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
Red pepper flakes, for serving (optional)

Directions:

Mince 3 garlic cloves. Finely grate 1 oz Parmesan cheese on the small holes of a box grater (about 1/4 cup) if needed, or measure 1/3 cup store-bought grated. Pick the leaves from 3 fresh parsley stems and finely chop until you have 1 tsp.
Cut 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken into 1-inch pieces. Place in a large bowl, add 3/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and toss to coat.
Melt 2 tbsps of the unsalted butter in a large cast iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium heat. Add half of the chicken in a single layer. Cook until golden-brown and the chicken easily releases from the bottom of the pan, about 4 minutes. Toss and cook until golden-brown on the second side and cooked through, about 2 minutes more.
Transfer the chicken to a plate. Melt 1 tbsps of the unsalted butter in the skillet and repeat cooking the remaining chicken. Transfer to the same plate.
Reduce the heat to low. Add the remaining 1 tbsps unsalted butter, garlic, chicken, and any accumulated juices on the plate to the skillet. Cook until the butter melts and the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the Parmesan cheese, and toss to coat. Garnish with the parsley, more Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes if desired.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people."

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Have a Claim?

Call our office

or cell

We will help you.

Companies We Represent

Nationwide

Foremost

Travelers

Bamboo

Guard

CSE

Hippo

Safeco

Stillwater

NatGen Premier

And many more...

Contact me:

Inspirational Quote:

"The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving."

- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Trusted Partners

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Johnny Sheehan,

Paul Davis Restoration

949-877-4442

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

Thankful...

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:10:24 GMT

It is that time of year, when we begin to reflect on what we have accomplished. We also think about what we are thankful or grateful for.

By now, it feels like the year has flown by...and it has. 2025 is right around the corner and time is not slowing down. Have you made any plans for 2025 yet?

I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to say what I am grateful for. I could not do, what I do, without my wife. She inspires me and keeps me in check. She is an amazing human being and I am lucky to have her in my life.

I am thankful for my son, who challenges me every day, to become a better person and father.

I am thankful for my team at work: Becky, Marelle and Alijah. We recently hired Alijah a couple weeks ago. He comes to us from a strong customer service background and is learning all things insurance right now, hard at work and studying for his insurance exam.

I am also thankful for my family and friends for always being there and believing in me.

And I am thankful for you, for your trust in me to help you navigate this crazy insurance market.

My team and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday and create some memories that will last you a lifetime.

From our family to yours, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

Last year, Aaron made the stuffing recipe below. It is exactly what you want in a stuffing recipe; sausage, onions, bread, flavor. If you do not have a stuffing recipe already, this is a good one. This recipe is courtesy of Jenn Segal at Once Upon A Chef.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Easy Sausage & Herb Stuffing

Ingredients:

8 cups (400g) store-bought unseasoned stuffing cubes
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
1½ cups diced yellow onion (from 1 large or 2 small onions)
1 cup diced celery (from 3 large celery stalks)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (i.e., sausage with the casings removed)
2¾ cups low sodium chicken broth
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter.
Place the stuffing cubes in a large mixing bowl.
In a large sauté pan, melt the butter. Add the onions and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add the vegetables to the stuffing cubes. (Don't wash the pan but scrape out every last bit of vegetables, otherwise they will burn in the next step.)
In the same pan, cook the sausage over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until browned and cooked through, breaking up the sausage with a metal spatula while cooking (the largest pieces should be no greater than ¼-inch). Add the browned sausage and fat to the bread cubes and vegetables.
Add the chicken broth, egg, rosemary, sage, parsley, salt and pepper to the bread cube mixture and mix until the bread is soft and moistened. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish and bake for 65-75 minutes, uncovered, until deeply golden and crisp on top.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone can see."

- Confucius

Empty heading

Have a Claim?

Call our office

or cell

We will help you.

Companies We Represent

Nationwide

Foremost

Travelers

Bamboo

Guard

CSE

Hippo

Safeco

Stillwater

NatGen Premier

And many more...

Contact me:

Inspirational Quote:

"The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving."

- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Trusted Partners

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Johnny Sheehan,

Paul Davis Restoration

949-877-4442

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

Don't Let These Items Haunt You Around Your Home?

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 18:32:26 GMT

With the cooler weather and shorter days on their way, it may be time to do a few household chores....that you may not have done in a long time.

A couple months ago, we had a client's garage burn down. The property is a rental property for them and nobody was hurt when it happened, thank goodness. It was not an electrical fire, though, maybe that would have made sense. The tenants have their washer and dryer in the garage. The cause of the fire was a build up of lint in the dryer vent due to never having been cleaned out before.

Dryer lint is the perfect dust ball that can catch fire, quite easily. It is also listed as the #1 cause of house fires, on a regular basis, here in the US.

I believe most people do clean out the lint tray from their dryer after each use. But, how often do you check the flexible tube (dryer vent) that goes from the back of the dryer to the wall/outside?

A couple weeks ago, a different client called to inform us that they had water dripping onto their car that was parked in the garage. When they looked up, there was a large puddle that had formed in the ceiling above and was just starting to leak. After poking a hole in it and releasing the water, they called a plumber to try to figure out what was causing the leak. The plumber cut into the drywall above, to find the plywood was almost completely rotted away, right under a toilet. My instincts said "wax ring." A wax ring is what connects your toilet to the floor, sealing in what is flushed from your toilet bowl down into the sewer. The wax ring only lasts a certain number of years. When I asked my client when they last changed the wax ring, they replied by saying, "what is the wax ring?"

This past weekend, at my own home, I decided it was time to change the smoke and CO2 detectors. The smoke detectors, we installed about 8 years ago, had about an 8-year battery life. I wrote the date that I installed them on, on each detector many years ago, but failed to write down the change-by date. I decided, since we had already dismantled two of them over the last year or so, it was time to replace them all.

You may be wondering how frequently you should vacuum out the dryer vent (the one that connects in the back of the dryer, through the wall, to the outside of your home)? It is recommended to do this once per year.

How frequently should you change the wax rings under your toilets? According to online resources, the wax ring should last 20 years or more. However, sometimes wax rings can dry out and fail, which is what happened to our client. Other signs you should change the wax ring are:

if the toilet rocks or wobbles

if you see water pooling around the toilet

if you see any mold growth around the toilet

if the toilet smells like sewage

if the floor is moist, damp or spongy

For any of these reasons, please call a licensed plumber to help you.

I have made the decision to change my wax rings every 10 years, at most, to help avoid a potential problem.

How frequently should you change the smoke and CO2 detectors in your home? Typically, the battery life on new models is up to 10 years. The current models installed in your home may have a shorter life span. When installing new ones, make a note of the install date on the detectors and the change-by date for what is recommended by the manufacturer. This will help you remember when you actually need to change them, instead of trying to remember. Please note, all smoke detectors are different and please refer to the manufacturer for maintenance and when to replace them.

All of these items can seem a bit overwhelming, if you try to tackle them at once. Please find time to do them over a weekend or two, if you have not updated them in a long time. Be sure to make a note on your calendar, too, if it helps you remember, when you need to change them again in the future. It could save you a headache or a claim by doing some preventative maintenance.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

With fall in the air, I could not resist sharing a pumpkiny (not skinny) treat. This months Cream Cheese-Filled Pumpkin Bread recipe is courtesy of Averie Sunshine. It combines the best pumpkin bread with a little slice of heaven in the middle.

Cream Cheese-Filled Pumpkin Bread

Equipment:

Loaf Pan (9" x 5")

Ingredients:

1 large egg

1 cup pumpkin puree

½ cup light brown sugar packed

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup liquid-state coconut oil canola or vegetable may be substituted

¼ cup sour cream lite is okay; or Greek yogurt may be substituted

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

pinch salt optional and to taste

Cream Cheese Filling:

1 large egg

4 ounces softened brick-style cream cheese lite is okay

¼ cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray one 9×5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
Make the Bread Batter
In a large bowl, add the first ten ingredients, through ground nutmeg, and whisk to combine.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, optional salt, and fold with spatula or stir gently with a spoon until just combined; do not overmix; set aside.
Turn about two-thirds of the batter out into the prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary; set aside.
Make the Cream Cheese Filling
In a large bowl, add all the filling ingredients and whisk to combine. Alternatively, mix with a hand mixer.
Evenly pour filling mixture over the bread, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary.
Top filling with remaining pumpkin bread batter, smoothing the top very lightly with a spatula as to not disturb cream cheese layer and pushing batter into corners and sides as necessary.
Bake for about 48 minutes or until the top is domed, golden, and the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Note this is tricky because the cream cheese never gets totally solid so the toothpick test is not the most accurate. *
Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Optionally, serve with Honey Butter, Cinnamon-Sugar Butter, or Vanilla Browned Butter Glaze.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions."

- Stephen Covey

Have a Claim?

Call our office

or cell

We will help you.

Companies We Represent

Nationwide

Foremost

Travelers

Bamboo

Guard

CSE

Hippo

Safeco

Stillwater

NatGen Premier

And many more...

Contact me:

Inspirational Quote:

"The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving."

- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Trusted Partners

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Johnny Sheehan,

Paul Davis Restoration

949-877-4442

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

Click Bait? Car Insurance Rates Up 54% in CA

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 03:38:25 GMT

Have you seen this headline, recently? It made its way around the news and social media in the last week or two. It is a headline grabber and is designed to make you look. The one above is from the Orange County Register on August 14, 2024. Think of it as the newspaper trying to sell more newspapers, or the social media companies looking for more clicks to find a way to capitalize off a headline. Either way, there is some truth, but, of course, the headline is not the whole truth.

Are insurance rates up? Yes

Are car insurance rates up 54% this year? No

The real question is why are insurance rates up?

If we look back to Covid, the Department of Insurance mandated that car insurance companies refund premiums, because people were no longer driving as much as they used to. And car insurance rates were then frozen for about 3 years.

The thing is, people started driving again after a few months during Covid. Insurance claims were back to normal very quickly, except the rates could not keep up with what happened next: Inflation!

Inflation spiked and everything became more expensive. Except, insurance rates stayed the same. In March 2023, Progressive was the first auto insurance company to request and receive a double-digit rate increase. They also received a second double-digit rate increase this year.

I had the privilege of attending one of their road shows a few weeks back, where they informed us that they are rate adequate. What that means is, they do not believe they will need to increase their auto rates for the next two years, bringing some stability back to their insureds.

Because insurance companies were not allowed to increase their rates during or right after Covid, we did not experience a slower increase in our insurance rates, like we normally have in the past. If we had a 10% increase each year for the last 3 years, it would be the equivalent of a 33.1% increase. But, because we did not have any real increases, this created the perfect storm. Some are now saying and seeing a 54% increase in auto insurance, which would have happened anyway over the last 3-4 years had the Department of Insurance allowed it.

Fast forward to today, there are still many insurance companies who have filed for rate changes and have not yet received them. The Department of Insurance has promised to have their new regulations in place by December 2024. This promise was made back in September 2023 (link here) .

Once the new regulations are in place, the insurance companies will file their rate changes, which will hopefully, only take 60 days for review and approval. As soon as the rates are approved, they will be put into place for us consumers to start paying. After a year or so of the new premiums being paid by us, I believe the insurance market will begin to stabilize. I am excited for 2027, with the idea of more insurance companies returning to the marketplace and having more options for our clients.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

There is always a good time for a cookie. A really good cookie. A Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie. It is the perfect combination of sweet and salt. This months cookie recipe is courtesy of Erin Clarkson.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients:

1 stick + 3 tbs unsalted butter, cold from the fridge is fine

1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar

1/8 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

8oz dark chocolate, chopped, plus about 5.5oz additional for the tops of the cookies (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°f. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
Place the butter in a medium saucepan, and place over medium heat. Cook until the butter has melted, and then continue to cook, swirling the pan often and stirring with a whisk, until the butter foams and turns golden brown and nutty - this should take 3-4 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 min.
Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl with the brown butter, and mix to combine.
Add the egg and whisk well for 1-2 minutes, or mix using an electric mixer, until the mixture has lightened in color and has thickened.
Add the vanilla and mix well.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine with a rubber spatula until there are some flour streaks remaining - this is to ensure you do not over work the dough.
Add the chocolate and mix to incorporate with a rubber spatula.
Scoop 6 cookies (about 2oz per cookie dough ball) using a 2 Tbsp cookie scoop onto the prepared baking sheet. If desired, flatten each ball of dough, press more chocolate pieces on the top, and roll into a ball (this works particularly well in this recipe). Arrange evenly apart on the pan. Keep the remainder of the batter in the bowl lightly covered with plastic wrap.
Bake the cookies for 11-13 minutes, until the edges are set. Bake for longer if you would like your cookies to be crispier. Remove from the oven and bang the pan briefly on the counter to help deflate the cookies. If you would like to help your cookies to be perfectly round, use a cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookie to ‘scoot’ them into a perfectly round shape.
Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with flaky sea salt. Allow to cool on the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

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- Aesop

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"Your personal life, your professional life, and your creative life are all intertwined. I went through a few very difficult years where I felt like a failure. But it was actually really important for me to go through that. Struggle, for me, is the most inspirational thing in the world at the end of the day--as long as you treat it that way."

- Skylar Grey

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Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

Home Insurance Rates Are Skyrocketing, Including My Own

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 22:12:53 GMT

With all the headlines about increasing insurance rates, it should be no surprise that I am included in this pool of people. Lo and behold, I received my homeowner’s insurance renewal, just the other day. Let me start with my coverage. It is staying exactly the same as last year, according to my home insurance company. So, you would think my rate should not increase that much, right?

WRONG!!!

My home insurance policy is increasing by 50% this year. Yes, 50%!!! I kind of expected 40%, but 50%???

I also realize that some of our clients’ rates have increased by 100% or more, so I really cannot complain. The other item I am recognizing with this situation I am in, and that all of you are in, is that there is no better option for me either. I am kind of stuck. I'm stuck with my insurance company, because I know if I shopped around, I would only find another company who would want me to pay even more than my 50% increase at renewal.

Unfortunately, it is the market we are in. We are receiving bigger bills and we all feel stuck.

I was emailing with a potential new client, just yesterday, about her auto insurance. The renewal is going to be about $10,000 for the year for the entire family's car insurance policy. We worked on an alternative quote and it was about the same; $10,000 per year. She asked if there was anything she could do to change her situation. The fact is, no one in her family did anything wrong. They have no claims. Their rate just increased. I wish we had a better answer and solution.

For now, I am going to pay my insurance renewal. I hope that the insurance market begins to stabilize, so the increases can slow down and hurt less moving forward.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

My family and I were very fortunate to have just taken a trip to Europe. Our first stop was in Switzerland which has provided some inspiration for this months recipe.

Swiss Carmel Walnut Tart is a delicious dessert with a little lemon zest. This recipe is courtesy of Best Desserts.

Swiss Carmel Walnut Tart

Ingredients:

Pastry:

12¼ oz Flour

8¾ oz Cold butter

7 oz Sugar

1 Lemon (zest)

1 Egg

1 pinch Salt

Nut Filling:

17½ oz Sugar

17½ oz Walnuts

17½ oz Cream

1 tbsp Honey

1 Egg yolk

Directions:

Add flour, sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add lemon rind by using a zester and mix together. Slice your cold butter with a butter & cheese knife and work it in the mix to form a crumbly dough. Add one egg and knead until a consistent dough is formed. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In a saucepan, bring sugar, honey and a dash of water to a boil whilst stirring. Keep boiling until caramelized to a light brown color. Heat the cream and add to the caramel whilst stirring swiftly.
Add walnuts to your saucepan and stir well until the mix forms a thickness. Leave to simmer until it reaches a dark golden consistency, keep stirring occasionally. Take off heat and leave to cool.
Take ⅔ of your chilled dough and place in a greased springform. Cover the base and sides (1" high) with dough using a spatula. Pour in the cooled filling and spread evenly.
Roll the remaining dough to form the lid for the dish. Carefully place the circular dough on top of the filling. Join the edges well by pressing the circumference with a cake fork. Whisk the last egg yolk and brush lightly on top.
Place in the oven at 350*F for 50-60 mins. When the tart is cooked, place in the fridge to completely cool. Once the filling has chilled, dislodge the tart from the tin with help from the spatula.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

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Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

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- Maya Angelou

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- Chris Grosser

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Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

My Home Insurance Company Wants Soooo Much Information To Renew My Policy. Is It Worth It?

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 02:01:31 GMT

A lot of insurance companies are still trying to find ways to not renew your home insurance policy, in an effort to reduce their risk and potential exposure from future claims. They may ask you for the age of your hot water heater, photos of the electrical panel, or even the age of your roof. Or maybe they are using satellite images to look at your roof for moss, as a reason to not renew your insurance.

I think the hardest part about this is it feels like a personal attack, but it is not. After all, you may have been with your insurance company for 20 years or maybe just 2. And all of a sudden they are "betraying" you, at least that is how it feels. However, it is strictly a business decision coming from senior management. Cost control measures are being put in place to reduce potential claims, to be able to remain in the insurance market.

We have had several clients opt to not respond to the insurance company’s request for information. As an agency, we want what is best for you, which is to maintain your current policy. The couple of new quotes we have worked on for those clients, who have been non-renewed due to the hot water heater being too old or "moss" on the roof, have been three to four times more expensive than the expiring policy. Yes, 3-4x!

If you receive one of these notices, please do not ignore them. Work on providing the information the insurance company is requesting. Of course, if they are requiring a new hot water heater, because your current hot water heater is more than 12 years old, maybe it's worth spending the extra $1500 to avoid paying a lot more for a replacement policy.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

With the great feedback we received on the last cocktail for Cinco De Mayo, I wanted to share another cocktail recipe. The Sgroppino is an Italian treat with a mix of sorbet and alcohol. This recipe is courtesy of Bar Pisellino, New York City.

Sgroppino

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons lemon sorbet
1/2 ounce vodka
1 ounce prosecco
1 lemon wedge (for garnish)

Directions:

Scoop sorbet, prosecco, and vodka into a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
Pour into a chilled frappe glass and garnish with lemon wedge.
Please remember to drink responsibly and DO NOT drink and drive.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

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"When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves."

- William Arthur Ward

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"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan."

- Eleanor Roosevelt

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714-835-7000

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Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

Renting Back... What Happens If You Have A Claim?

Thu, 30 May 2024 17:33:23 GMT

About two weeks ago, I was able to achieve a goal I set out earlier this year. I wanted to ski race...once again. It has been over 15 years since I last raced. Yes, 15 years. Sure, I get to ski with my family and friends, but not racing.

Earlier this year, my wife, Elizabeth, set up a calendar for the year asking us, as a family, what did we want to achieve this year? She wanted to be sure we put vacations down on paper, because work will always fill in around it. I agreed, of course.

She also looked at me and said, what do you want to achieve? I really had to take a moment to think about it. It was ski racing. I have a love for it and never get to do it any more.

In early March, I tried to sign up for a race at Snow Summit. Unfortunately, I did not have the right credentials to qualify for the race. At that point, I did not think I would be able to race this year and would try to accomplish it next year.

As it turns out, I was able to ski for a few days at Deer Valley. Deer Valley has a Nastar race course set up on a daily basis. The first day I skied, the course was closed for a private event. The next day though...it was open.

I quickly signed the release forms and hopped into the start gate. I placed my poles on the other side of the timing wand (once you touch it, the clock starts). I waited for the countdown and I was off. My first run I qualified for a gold medal (compared to the times of the day for my age category). My second run, I improved my time by about 1/3 of a second and qualified for platinum. I was feeling really GOOOOOD! And then I was exhausted. My adrenaline was pumping for the races and once they were over, I was coming down.

The next day, I wanted to race one more time. There were a couple of random people that pulled up to the race area, when I was chatting with the race department gentleman working the course. The first person was off before I could ask if he wanted to race. I was told that he races the most out of anyone at Deer Valley. The second person who pulled up races the second most and I was able to race against him. The countdown was on to start and away we went. Having someone right next to me, made me want to push myself harder. I hit more gates (the flags you turn past in the race course) than I did the day before. I felt him trying to catch me and he did not. I was able to beat my competition by a 1/2 second. In the photo above, I am on the left, in the blue pants and gray jacket.

After 15 years, I was able to achieve a goal I did not even know I had until my wife helped me identify it. I am so thankful to Elizabeth, for helping me rekindle a passion of mine and help me achieve my goals.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

With Summer almost here, I wanted to include something a little easier....when you have left overs. Quick and Easy Summer Grill Bowls is delicious, full of flavor and may look complicated, but you can adapt it however you need. This recipe is courtesy of Lillie Eats and Tells.

Quick and Easy Summer Grill Bowls

Ingredients:

1 cup Arugula
1/2 Tbsp Quality balsamic vinegar (7 g)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup Cooked brown rice (75 g)
1/2 cup Grilled chicken, chopped (100 g)
1/3 cup Grilled bell pepper, chopped (45 g)
1/3 cup Grilled zucchini, chopped (45 g)
1/3 cup Grilled pineapple, chopped (40 g)
1/4 cup Grilled onion, chopped (30 g)
1/4 cup Grilled corn, sliced off the cob (40 g)
1 1/2 Tbsp Feta, blue or goat cheese (10 g)
3 Tbsp Dairy-free Herb Pesto, recipe below (45 g)
Lemon, basil leaves, and salt and pepper to finish

Dairy-free Herb Pesto (serves 12)1 cup Cilantro (40 g)

1 cup Parsley (30 g)
1-2 cups Fresh basil (30 g)
2/3 cup Dairy-free plain yogurt* (150 g)
6 Tbsp White balsamic vinegar** (90 g)
1/2 cup Toasted almonds (60 g)
3 cloves Fresh garlic, or frozen cubes
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Pinch of kosher salt and pepper

Directions:

1. This bowl is meant to be built with leftover grilled chicken and veggies. If you’re starting from scratch, grill your chicken using your favorite marinade.

Grill Your Veggies
2. The recipe is written using your already grilled veggies, but if you don't have any already, simply grill as many as you’d like! We do a couple of bell peppers, a zucchini or two, half of our pineapple, an onion, and a couple of ears of corn. Build bowls all week with any leftovers! To grill the veggies, wipe your grill down carefully with oil. Slice your bell pepper, zucchini, pineapple and onion into nice large pieces so they’re easy to flip and handle on the grill. Keep that knot on the end of your onion and slice so that it keeps each wedge from falling apart. Spray your veggies with a mist of olive oil spray, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Add a light sprinkle of garlic powder and place all veggies on the grill over medium high heat. Grill until they’re charred and tender. Zucchini will need to come off first so it doesn’t get too soft!

Make Your Dressing
3. Make your dressing by adding all ingredients to a small blender or food processor and blend until pretty smooth. The nuts will leave it a little chunky– that’s good! But blend until it’s your preferred consistency. Enjoy this drizzled on all the grilled meats, sandwiches, bowls, wraps, and salads.

Build Your Bowl
4. Build your bowl by adding arugula with ½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar. I love to use a delicious fruit-infused light balsamic vinegar from Baker and Olive. Lemon and peach are my favorite! Add salt and pepper your greens. Toss gently.
5. To the bowl, add your cooked brown rice, grilled chicken, and all of your chopped grilled veggies and pineapple. Top with crumbled dairy-free feta (or your favorite cheese!) and Dairy-free Herb Pesto. Finish with a squeeze of lemon, some fresh basil, salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving."

- Mother Teresa

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"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it."

- Henry Ford

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714-835-7000

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949-474-0940

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Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

Are You Achieving Your Goals?

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 20:38:10 GMT

She also looked at me and said, what do you want to achieve? I really had to take a moment to think about it. It was ski racing. I have a love for it and never get to do it any more.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

With Cinco De Mayo coming up, I wanted to include something fun and easy to make. Spicy Watermelon Margarita is delicious, fruity and slightly spicey. Perfect for Cinco De Mayo. This recipe is courtesy of Juliana Hale.

Spicy Watermelon Margarita

Ingredients:

2 cups seedless watermelon cubes
1 lime wedge
1 pinch kosher salt
ice cubes
1 ½ fluid ounces silver tequila
¾ fluid ounces orange-flavored liqueur (such as Cointreau)
¾ fluid ounces lime juice
1 thin slice jalapeño, plus more for garnish
1 watermelon wedge

Directions:

Puree watermelon in a blender. Wipe the rim of a margarita glass with a lime wedge; dip rim in salt.
In a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice, add tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, jalapeño, and 2 ounces of the watermelon puree. Shake until very cold.
Strain into prepared glass. Garnish with watermelon wedge and jalapeño slice.

Cheers!

(please do not drink and drive)

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"Everyone has ideas. They may be too busy or lack the confidence or technical ability to carry them out. But I want to carry them out. It is a matter of getting up and doing it."
- James Dyson

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"What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality."

- Plutarch

Trusted Partners

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Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

Are You Worried About Your Insurance Cancelling?

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 23:03:50 GMT

I was sitting at the Orange County Realtors annual meeting this week and speaking with a Realtor I know. She was worried about her mom's home insurance getting cancelled and one of her friend's auto insurance just cancelled too (for no good reason).

After chatting a little bit more, I tried to reassure her that her Mom's home insurance policy, if it were to be cancelled, the insurance company has to provide plenty of notice. The technical answer for "plenty," according to the department of insurance, is a minimum of 75 days. If an insurance company wants to cancel your home insurance for any reason at renewal, they are required to provide a minimum of 75-day notice. While it is no consolation if you do get cancelled, at least you have 2 months to try to find a replacement policy.

If your auto policy gets cancelled at renewal, it is typically due to non-payment (as there are many consumer protection laws that require your auto insurance to be renewed even if you have a shaky driving history). When you do not pay for your renewal before the expiration date, the insurance companies do not provide additional notice. It is just cancelled. Some insurance companies may provide a small grace period after your renewal date to make a payment. However, there is not a lot of grace these days. If you miss paying by just one day or if your credit card was stolen and you forgot to update your automatic payment details, your policy will cancel and there is not a lot you can do to get it reinstated.

Our advice is to double check everything, making sure all your insurance is paid promptly, to help you avoid any headaches.

It is challenging and it seems like it is getting harder. There is a light at the end of the tunnel though. It just may be a couple years away.

We will get there...

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

With summer around the corner, it might be time to eat something a little healthier compared to the cake from last month. Spring Orzotto is full of flavor and will make you smile. This recipe is courtesy of Bon Appetite.

Spring Orzotto

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more
1 lb. orzo
1 cup dry white wine
Freshly ground pepper
6 oz. sugar snap peas, strings removed, thinly sliced
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup)
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ cup store-bought pesto

Directions:

Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Cook 2 shallots, finely chopped, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt and cook, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add 1 lb. orzo and cook, stirring often, until toasted and golden in spots, about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup dry white wine and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Season with lots of freshly ground pepper; cook, stirring often, until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
Cook orzo, adding 5 cups water a cupful at a time, stirring often and waiting until absorbed before adding more, until almost tender, about 15 minutes total. Add 6 oz. sugar snap peas, strings removed, thinly sliced, ½ cup frozen peas, thawed, and another ½ cup water; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are crisp-tender and orzo is cooked through, 2–3 minutes. (Orzotto will continue to thicken as it cools.) Remove from heat, add 1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, and 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and stir until combined and melted. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Divide Orzotto among shallow bowls and swirl a little of ½ cup store-bought pesto into each; sprinkle with more pepper.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you."

-Mary Lou Retton

Have a Claim?

Call our office

or cell

We will help you.

Companies We Represent

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Foremost

Travelers

Bamboo

Guard

CSE

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And many more...

Contact me:

Inspirational Quote:

"What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality."

- Plutarch

Trusted Partners

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

Your Car Is Designed To Save Your Life!

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 21:06:08 GMT

I was speaking with a friend about a month ago. We had not seen each other for several weeks over the holidays. We were catching up about what we did over Christmas/New Years, etc. She said that she had a pretty bad car accident right before Christmas. She had hit a car that was disabled in a turning lane pretty hard. Her car was totaled.

My thoughts went to the worst scenarios in that moment. I asked if her kids were in the car, as I know she has three children. She informed me that everyone, all three kids, were in the car. She said everyone walked away just fine.

Thank goodness!

After finding that out, I thought about her car and how it protected everyone in it. The car did its job. It prevented her and her kids from getting hurt.

I remember watching a Formula 1 show about how race cars are designed with a strong frame around the driver. The design allows the entire car to absorb the impact and keep the cockpit intact, giving the driver a better chance at surviving in the event of a bad crash. When I heard about my friend’s accident, I thought, this is how our everyday cars are designed. They are designed to keep us safe. They are designed to cut down on injuries to us and our loved ones. They are designed to implode, while keeping the cockpit area in one piece.

As owners of vehicles, I don't think we think of our cars as a piece of safety equipment. They get us from point A to point B. They may be fast or slow. They can be fun to drive and full of memories. In reality, they are designed to keep us safe. For the majority of us, we will not be in a major accident in our lives (at least I hope not). For those of us that have been in a bad accident, it's awful; dealing with insurance, the repairs, the PTSD or the injuries. As I get older, I am beginning to look at things from a different perspective. I like to feel safe. I like to know my family will be protected in the event of an accident.

Please stay safe while driving out there. And remember, God forbid you have an accident, hopefully, your car does its job really well. To keep you safe.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

Sometimes you just want a cake. I know not everyone wants to bake a cake from scratch because it can take a lot of time. But if you are ever craving a cake, have about 2 hours, this Coconut Cake is amazing. This recipe is courtesy of Ina Garten.

Coconut Cake

Ingredients:

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

For the frosting:

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, then line them with parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look curdled; don't be concerned.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula.
Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.
For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until just smooth (don't whip!).
To assemble, place 1 layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides. Serve at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

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Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

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- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Rae or Max,

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Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

What Will You Wish For In 2024?

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 14:39:20 GMT

Do you remember the first time you saw the movie "Big"? How incredible that a boy could make a wish and it actually came true.

As I started thinking about the year ahead of us, I am wishing for many things (and I am sure I will miss many in my short list below).

I think we can all agree on wishing for good health, peace, prosperity, more vacation time, better communication skills, more friends, more time in the day to do them all and to be able to eat our favorite cake and ice cream every day without gaining weight. Now, this is how I want to spend my 2024 and beyond! If only I had a Zoltar machine and all of my dreams could come true.

In my world of insurance, I am wishing for rates to not increase, for insurance companies to be profitable, and for us to have more reasonable options for our clients.

As we look ahead in 2024, what I think will happen with insurance is this:

Rate increases will be approved in a slow, but steady way by the Department of Insurance. Once enough rate increases are approved, the insurance companies will start to open back up for new business. We will then start to have more options again. I believe this will happen closer to the end of 2024. It is a good goal to have, which will make 2025 even better.

That is what we want...each year to be better than the last.

As you reflect on your dreams and wishes for the future, what are you hoping for?

Is there anything we can do to help you achieve your goals?

I believe that if we can help you achieve your goals, then we will be achieving ours (even if I do not get to eat cake and ice cream every day).

We thank you for working with us, and if there is anything we can do to help you, please let us know.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

To kick off the new year, I wanted to include a recipe that is a little healthier, even though it may not sound like it. Cheesy Baked Meatball Casserole (Keto style). This recipe is courtesy of Carla at MomSecrets.

Cheesy Baked Meatball Casserole

Ingredients:

1/4 cup red onion chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1/4 cup seasoned keto breadcrumbs or almond flour
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup parsley chopped
1 egg
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp 1 large onion
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
1 cup marinara sauce
1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and butter a casserole pan. Set aside.
Meanwhile, combine ground beef, keto breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper in a large salad bowl. Then, add the sauteed onions and mix everything well to combine.
Use a small cookie scoop to form the meatballs all the same size. Place the meatballs in the prepared casserole dish.
Bake them for 15 to 20 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove the meatball casserole from the oven and drain the grease.
Top with marinara sauce and shredded cheese.
Place the meatball casserole back in the oven. Bake for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese has fully melted.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more."

- Tony Robbins

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Inspirational Quote:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

- Margaret Mead

Trusted Partners

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

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Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

2023 Year in Review

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 14:01:32 GMT

I cannot believe it. The year is over. 2024 is at our doorstep and 2023 is in our rearview mirror. As I was thinking about what to write, I could not help but reflect on the year we are wrapping up.

Here are some of the lessons learned and headlines from my previous newsletters (not in chronological order).

I re-learned how to change a flat tire. It had been more than 20 years since I last changed a flat tire. Wow, have things changed.
My home insurance coverage increased and the rate increased too.
The CA insurance market is on life support. Unfortunately, it is still on life support. Our elected officials are not moving with a sense of urgency to make the necessary changes to fix the insurance system.
Wind driven rain should be covered by your home insurance while ground water is not.
Please expect a questionnaire or a re-inspection from your home insurance companies, as they are trying to reduce the number of policies they have. They are looking for any reason to get rid of customers, especially if you pay your bills late.

I am happy we have weathered the "insurance storm" in 2023 and hopefully, 2024 will be a better year for all of us.

We wish you and your family a joyous holiday season and a fun New Year's celebration.

Thank you for the privilege of serving you.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

As Aaron promised, he made stuffing this year. I am happy to report, it tasted pretty darn good. For next year, the only change he will make is using whole loafs of bread and cutting them up instead of the store bought stuffing cubes.

With all the parties and holiday cheer happening, sometimes it is easier to run to the store or order out for dinner. This month, we suggest looking online for a new restaurant in your neighborhood. We just stumbled upon an Italian restaurant and it has become our new favorite.

I'll be back next month with a new recipe for you to try.

Happy New Year's!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."

- Carl Sandburg

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"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: The only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who have sought and found how to serve."

- Albert Schweitzer

Trusted Partners

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Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

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Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

Thankful!

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 03:23:25 GMT

The past couple weeks, I had the opportunity to spend more time with family and friends. As I reflect on this time, I am feeling very thankful for the family and the friendships I have.

There seem to be many polarizing things going on in the world with too much of a negative narrative. If we can stop for a moment and remember, we all have our own thoughts and feelings and that is ok. When you disagree with someone, wouldn't it be nice if you or the other person could let them know, you still like and respect them, even though you may not be on the same page.

My wife, Elizabeth, has taught me many things over the years. One, of which, is there are many different ways of accomplishing the same thing. Your way is not the only way. While this was difficult to hear at first, because my way is, of course, the best way, she is so right.

As we head into Thanksgiving, I hope you find yourself surrounded with love from your family and friends. I am thankful for you being part of my life.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

This year, Aaron, for his third time ever is planning on making stuffing for Thanksgiving. He has been successful in the past and excited for him to be cooking with me. This recipe is courtesy of Jenn Segal at Once Upon A Chef.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Easy Sausage & Herb Stuffing

Ingredients:

8 cups (400g) store-bought unseasoned stuffing cubes
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
1½ cups diced yellow onion (from 1 large or 2 small onions)
1 cup diced celery (from 3 large celery stalks)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (i.e., sausage with the casings removed)
2¾ cups low sodium chicken broth
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter.
Place the stuffing cubes in a large mixing bowl.
In a large sauté pan, melt the butter. Add the onions and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add the vegetables to the stuffing cubes. (Don't wash the pan but scrape out every last bit of vegetables, otherwise they will burn in the next step.)
In the same pan, cook the sausage over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until browned and cooked through, breaking up the sausage with a metal spatula while cooking (the largest pieces should be no greater than ¼-inch). Add the browned sausage and fat to the bread cubes and vegetables.
Add the chicken broth, egg, rosemary, sage, parsley, salt and pepper to the bread cube mixture and mix until the bread is soft and moistened. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish and bake for 65-75 minutes, uncovered, until deeply golden and crisp on top.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"Aging is not 'lost youth,' but a new stage of opportunity and strength."

- Betty Friedan

Have a Claim?

Call our office

or cell

We will help you.

Companies We Represent

Nationwide

Foremost

Travelers

Bamboo

Guard

CSE

Hippo

Safeco

Stillwater

NatGen Premier

And many more...

Contact me:

Inspirational Quote:

"Always forgive your enemies. Nothing annoys them more."

- Oscar Wilde

Trusted Partners

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

When Should I Replace My Hot Water Heater?

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 19:13:11 GMT

This past Sunday, after my son's soccer game, I was at home, working around the house and went to take a late afternoon shower. When I turned the shower on, the water never got warm. I thought, well this is odd. So I went downstairs, into the garage and looked at my tankless hot water heater. It looked the same as it always had. My son had some friends over for a couple hours earlier in the day. Was it possible a ball hit the hot water heater or did they do something to it? That answer, fortunately and unfortunately, was no. They did not do anything to it.

I decided to remove the face plate from the hot water heater and have a look around. I really had no idea what I was doing, but maybe, I could figure it out. I asked my wife Elizabeth if she knew anything and she mentioned she smelled gas a little while earlier. She has a much better nose than I do and if she smelled gas, there was definitely gas. This made me worry, but the smell of gas was not really present now. I asked her to turn on a faucet to see if the hot water heater would kick on. I listened and it did not make the usual sound when the hot water starts flowing.

With that, I called a family friend who has helped us with plumbing issues in the past. I informed him what was happening with our tankless hot water heater. He said he does not work on repairing tankless hot water heaters and could refer me to someone else. I let him know our tankless hot water heater was manufactured in 2007. I asked him, if he were me, would you repair it or replace it? He said, "replace it."

As I reflected on the age of my hot water heater, I have heard from many professionals over the years and insurance companies that hot water heaters typically last 10-12 years. The fact that I was at a 16-year life span made me feel lucky and very fortunate that it did not explode, leak or cause any damage to my home, which could have resulted in an insurance claim.

I am glad my wife told me about the gas she smelled. After realizing the hot water was not working, I turned the gas line handle off, which was feeding the hot water heater. This would help us avoid a gas leak or accumulation of gas in our garage, which could turn into a potential disaster. I am proud to say, we now have a brand new tankless hot water heater in our house.

When you have a chance, take a look at your manufactured date on your hot water heater. If it is more than 10 years old, be prepared for it to malfunction at some point in the next several years. If it is a normal tank, please be sure to have a drip pan under it to help avoid a water damage problem, in the event it starts leaking or breaks. If it is tankless, keep your senses clear as that little smell of gas may be your sign that it is time for a new hot water heater.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

As the fall season kicks in and the days get shorter and the cooler air settles in, it is nice to eat an old favorite that will warm your tummy. Baked Ziti. This recipe is courtesy of Colleen at Allrecipes.

Ingredients:

1 pound dry ziti pasta
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
1 ½ cups sour cream
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
Meanwhile, brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat; stir in spaghetti sauce and simmer for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Spread 1/2 of the ziti in the bottom of the prepared dish; top with Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 of the meat sauce, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese, and remaining meat sauce. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and cheeses have melted, about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"Every man should lose a battle in his youth, so he does not lose a war when he is old."

- George R.R. Martin

Have a Claim?

Call our office

or cell

We will help you.

Companies We Represent

Nationwide

Foremost

Travelers

Bamboo

Guard

CSE

Hippo

Safeco

Stillwater

NatGen Premier

And many more...

Contact me:

Inspirational Quote:

"Give me a stock clerk with a goal, and I will give you a man who will make history. Give me a man without a goal, and I will give you a stock clerk."

- James Cash Penney

Trusted Partners

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

Finally, Some Good News With The California Insurance Market

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 23:48:00 GMT

On Thursday last week, Gavin Newsom signed an executive order urging Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to take quick action with the insurance markets to fix the problems. Ricardo Lara quickly responded with his multi-step strategy to improve the state's market conditions for consumers. The announcements seemed well orchestrated and was most likely in the works for several weeks, as there were many closed door meetings with multiple parties involved from within the insurance world.

It seemed as if this day was still a long way off. But, we were fortunate enough that there were quite a few headlines to draw attention to the problems consumers and insurance companies alike were facing. Consumers have less options and insurance companies did not want new customers.

For the next 6 months to 2 years, we will have to wait and see what unfolds. What new regulations will the department of insurance allow? Will the insurance companies be forced to accept more home owners' policies, which would allow the CA Fair plan to shrink (resulting in having less risk on their books)? Who knew insurance could be so much fun? Maybe just me... :)

On a personal note, I am working as hard as I can to try to find ways to help reduce the cost of home insurance. I have had the opportunity to meet with several members of our State's Assembly. My goal is to bring ideas to the table from outside the box, that in a roundabout way, could reduce insurance rates in time. One way, we could potentially reduce the cost of insurance, is having an automatic water-shutoff valve in every home. I first wrote about this one year ago, when I met with my first Assemblywoman. In addition, I took some time to reflect on the Workers Comp Reform of 1993. No, I was not in insurance at that time, but I wanted to look back at other moments in insurance history to see if we could learn anything and if it was applicable to today. Lo and behold, there was a lot of fraud back then, which is what caused the system to break. There were kick backs and financial incentives, which helped fuel dishonest people to take advantage of the system. As it relates to today's home insurance market, there are always some bad actors out there when it comes to claims. And it could be the people helping you remediate your home. (*Please note, not all remediation companies are bad. We work with several whom we trust and do the right thing for you.*) I have heard of some remediation companies who pay plumbers $500 cash, just for a referral. That money has to come from somewhere and it gets baked into your claim, which means the insurance companies (and you) are paying more than they should be. And if a remediation company is paying a referral fee, what else could they be doing? I am hopeful there can be some future guidance/reform that will not allow these types of transactions to occur, which means the people who are working on your house are being honest, transparent and looking out for your best interests.

As always, we are knee deep in this with you and on the front lines of trying to make a positive change for everyone.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

The fall season is here and there is nothing better than adding a little pumpkin into your life. Here is a great recipe for a yummy breakfast treat, Pumpkin French Toast. It is extra fluffy, filled with pumpkin spice and tastes amazing drizzled with maple syrup This recipe is courtesy of Just So Tasty.

Pumpkin French Toast

Ingredients:

½ cup pumpkin puree also known as canned pure pumpkin
4 large eggs whisked
⅔ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
12 slices thick-cut white bread such as challah or Brioche
oil or cooking spray for greasing the pan

Directions:

Add all the ingredients (except the bread) to a medium-sized bowl or shallow dish.
Whisk until smooth.
Heat a frying pan to low-medium heat, or a griddle to 350F.
Lightly grease with oil or cooking spray.
Dunk a piece of bread in the French toast mixture, covering each side. Gently wipe/shake off any excess batter.
Grill for 2-4 minutes on one side until golden, then flip and continue frying on the second side until both sides are golden and the bread begins to puff.
Repeat with the rest of the toast, adjusting the burner/griddle temperature as necessary.
Serve immediately with syrup and whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"Every man should lose a battle in his youth, so he does not lose a war when he is old."

- George R.R. Martin

Have a Claim?

Call our office

or cell

We will help you.

Companies We Represent

Nationwide

Foremost

Travelers

Bamboo

Guard

CSE

Hippo

Safeco

Stillwater

NatGen Premier

And many more...

Contact me:

Inspirational Quote:

"Give me a stock clerk with a goal, and I will give you a man who will make history. Give me a man without a goal, and I will give you a stock clerk."

- James Cash Penney

Trusted Partners

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

My Insurance Coverage Increased... Which Caused My Rate To Increase

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 20:17:59 GMT

I received an email from a client last week. He informed me his rate increased on his home insurance by 17%. He also informed me that his coverage increased by 16%. It made me feel really good that he looked at everything and not just the increase in cost.

All things considered that is pretty good. Technically speaking, it was a 1% increase in cost. But as consumers, we are not expecting these big coverage increases, which are ultimately increasing the cost of insurance. I, too, had an increase in both my coverage and cost this year on my homeowners insurance. A 14% increase in coverage and an increase of 8.7% in cost. And that is on top of the 20% rate increase last year and the 20% rate increase the year before (with not that much of an increase in coverage).

At homeowners insurance renewal time, this is the once-per-year adjustment in coverage on your policy. While the cost to rebuild fluctuates throughout the year, the only time the insurance companies can adjust anything is at your renewal time. Some insurance companies have a cap of 6% per year increase in coverage. Others, do not have a cap and some do not change anything. You would have to request an increase in coverage (if you would like). While it sounds like this is the worst thing that could happen, it really is not. The insurance companies want to insure you to 100% of the replacement value of your home (according to their systems). The cost to rebuild has gone up quite a bit in the last few years due to inflation. Depending on where you live, the cost to rebuild used to be $300/sq. ft. at a minimum. Now, it could be as little as $500/sq. ft. (location dependent). GULP! That may sound like a lot, but I would rather have enough insurance than not enough in the event of a loss.

Keep in mind, most insurance companies automatically increase your coverage each year (even if you do not want them to). The replacement cost calculator tool, each insurance company uses, are all a little different. They can calculate different values, and in my opinion, they are not always accurate for most of California (they are usually a little low). It is always a good idea to double check with your insurance agent, if you are unsure about your coverage. The goal is to make sure you are properly insured.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

Zucchini season is here and there is nothing better than Zucchini Bread. Here is a great recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Bread. This recipe is courtesy of Two Peas and Their Pod.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Equipment:

9 x 5 Loaf Pan
Wire Cooling Rack

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa or unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
1/4 cup canola, vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups packed shredded zucchini
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add the eggs, melted butter, oil, vanilla extract, and brown sugar. Stir until smooth. You might have a few small brown sugar clumps and that is fine.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, don’t overmix. Stir in the shredded zucchini until just combined. Stir in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top of the bread. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out mostly clean, you might have some melted chocolate chips on the toothpick and that is fine. You just don’t want a lot of gooey batter.
Remove the pan from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the bread and carefully remove from the pan. Let the bread cool on the wire cooling rack until slightly warm. Cut into slices and serve.
Note-if you use coconut oil, make sure it is melted and slightly cooled. The bread will keep on the counter, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 4 days. This bread also freezes well. To freeze, cool the bread completely and wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost before slicing.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago."

- Warren Buffett

Have a Claim?

Call our office

or cell

We will help you.

Companies We Represent

Nationwide

Foremost

Travelers

Bamboo

Guard

CSE

Hippo

Safeco

Stillwater

NatGen Premier

And many more...

Contact me:

Inspirational Quote:

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched--they must be felt with the heart."

- Helen Keller

Trusted Partners

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

Pay Your Insurance Bills On Time...Or Else!

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 18:53:52 GMT

With all the continued headlines of the insurance market struggling to stay alive in CA, we have heard from several of our insurance companies about making sure clients pay their bills on time. The insurance companies have stated, if you do not pay your bill on time, they may not reinstate you. Period. There are certain circumstances in which they will reinstate clients who miss paying on time, but, for the most part, they will not.

Our agency receives an update of our clients policies that are renewing on a daily basis. Along with that list, we receive a list of policies that are cancelling. Once we see a policy has cancelled, we do our best to uncover why.

Some of the insurance companies have made it very clear to us that they do not want new clients right now. If you are a current client and you do not pay your bill on time, they do not want you back either. We know this sounds harsh, but in the insurance world, they have so many data points on customers who pay their bills late, they are typically the people who are more inclined to file a claim. There is a correlation here.

The insurance companies are also trying to find ways to reduce their risk and this is another way of doing that. By not paying your bills on time, you are removing yourself from their pool of customers.

We want to encourage you to pay your insurance bills on time, or early, to help avoid any unforeseen headaches.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

Summer time is a great time of year for good food. Here is a great recipe for Garlic-Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs. This recipe is courtesy of Jason and Allrecipes.

Garlic-Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

8 (5 ounce) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried basil

Directions:

Gather all ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 400* F (200* C).
Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and sear until brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate.
Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet, stirring to loosen any browned bits on the bottom. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in brown sugar, honey, oregano, thyme, and basil until well combined. Turn off the heat and return chicken to the skillet, skin-side down.
Roast in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 25-40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165* F (74* C).
Drizzle pan sauce over chicken thighs when serving.

Tip: Bone-in chicken thighs take longer to cook than boneless. Be sure to check with an instant-read thermometer to see when yours are done.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."

- Charles Darwin

Have a Claim?

Call our office

or cell

We will help you.

Companies We Represent

Nationwide

Foremost

Travelers

Bamboo

Guard

CSE

Hippo

Safeco

Stillwater

NatGen Premier

And many more...

Contact me:

Inspirational Quote:

"If life seems jolly rotten, there's something you've forgotten! And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing."

- Monty Python

Trusted Partners

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

CA Home Insurance Is On Life Support

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 16:48:55 GMT

CA is feeling a bit blue these days when it comes to insurance. The insurance market is definitely under the weather. At my office last week, I said to my team that the insurance market is on life support. While State Farm made headlines a couple weeks ago for pausing new business, there are a lot of other insurance companies, who have already paused new business or slowed it WAYYYYYYYyyyyyyyy down in the last several months or year.

As I wrote a few months ago in late February/early March, we knew there was going to be a bumpy road ahead. Insurance is a private industry and they would like to make a small profit. What has happened in California is they are in fact doing the opposite. They are losing money. The insurance companies have been filing for rate increases with the Department of Insurance (in order to remain a sustainable business and to try to get back to being at least slightly profitable, which allows them to pay claims to their policy holders, as needed). Unfortunately, the rate reviews can take 6 months or longer and there is no promise of a rate change once the Department of Insurance has reviewed everything.

In fact, historically speaking, according to Inside P&C (in the chart shown below), CA ranks as one of the longest to get rates approved and they have had the lowest success in increasing rates over the last 15 years. (Florida is not included in their data.)

As the news headlines continue to shed some light on the insurance market, our advice is simple; please be patient and sit tight, as the rates are going to increase for everyone. We know having any increase in your cost of insurance is bad. Unfortunately, it is or will be happening to everyone. With so few insurance companies accepting new clients today, the risk is not being spread as much as it used to be, even just one year ago. Insurance companies do not want a monopoly on the market. The insurance business model is about spreading risk to avoid disaster. Plus, the insurance companies, who are still open for new business, are losing money on every new policy they start today.

We are always here for you and please let us know if you have any questions. We will help you navigate this crazy market as best as we can, now and for years to come.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

With summer here, you may want a lighter dish in between the summer BBQs. Here is a great recipe for Balsamic Chicken Lettuce Wraps. This recipe is courtesy of Kristin Maxwell.

Balsamic Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

Grilled Balsamic Chicken

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup olive oil
4 tbs honey
1 tbs dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic Glaze

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Lettuce Wrap

8-12 Whole Lettuce Leaves Butter, Iceberg or Romaine
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup Feta Cheese

Directions:

Mix marinade ingredients, except chicken, in a medium bowl.
Rinse chicken and pat dry. For even cooking, pound chicken to a uniform thickness, about a half inch or so. Season uncooked chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place in a large Ziploc bag. Pour marinade over chicken, press out air much air as possible, seal and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Remove chicken from the bag and discard the remaining marinade. Cook chicken on a preheated grill over medium heat until no longer pink; about 3-4 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Set aside and cover loosely with foil to rest for a few minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the balsamic glaze. Pour about 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and cook over medium low heat until reduced by half. Sauce should be thick enough to lightly coat the back of a metal spoon. Set aside.
To prepare the lettuce wraps, gently peel leaves, wash and pat dry. Chop chicken and layer in the lettuce leaves, followed by sliced strawberries, pecans and Feta Cheese. Top with balsamic glaze.
Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"Most people give up just when they are about to achieve success. They quit on the one-yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game, one foot from a winning touchdown."

- H. Ross Perot

Have a Claim?

Call our office

or cell

We will help you.

Companies We Represent

Nationwide

Foremost

Travelers

Bamboo

Guard

CSE

Hippo

Safeco

Stillwater

NatGen Premier

And many more...

Contact me:

Inspirational Quote:

"We're here for a reason. I believe that reason is to throw little torches out to lead people through the dark."

- Whoopi Goldberg

Trusted Partners

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

Re-Inspections For Home Owners Policies Why...?

Thu, 25 May 2023 12:37:49 GMT

I had an alarming email from a client a couple of weeks ago. There was a home inspector (who did not look like a home inspector) at his home. The funny thing is, this client has had the same insurance company for the last few years.

Why would a home inspection take place after the policy has been in effect for a few years?

I will answer that question in due time...

The inspector startled my client’s family (because they were not expecting this at all) and the inspector did not do a good job of explaining why he was there. Within 15 minutes of receiving the email from my client, I called them. I left a voicemail and immediately called the home inspection company to verify the inspector’s credentials. I had the credentials, because my client did an amazing job of interrogating the inspector and took photos of his badge, which he included in his email to me. Once the company confirmed it was one of their inspectors, my client was on the other line returning my call.

My biggest concern, which was my client’s first concern, was their safety. There are a lot of weird people and scammers out there these days trying to gain access to anything they can. To have an inspection out of nowhere, seemed really odd. As I spoke with my client for the next 20 minutes, we discussed all of his concerns and, ultimately, why an inspection was taking place now after having their home insurance policy in force for the last 3 years. What I surmised was, since their policy started when covid was in full effect, the insurance companies may not have completed a home inspection when we started the policy. During covid, everything kind of went on pause, which would have been a face-to-face interaction. Home inspections were one of them.

A number of insurance companies are also in the process of re-inspecting some of their properties, as well. Typically, this is being performed by the home owner though. The home owner will be given a list of photos to submit to the insurance company for review. From there, the underwriters will look through the photos ensuring the home appears to be in good condition. If the property does not meet their requirements, they will either recommend improvements or set the policy to cancel at the next renewal. Insurance companies are still trying to find ways to reduce their risk and this is one of them.

What we learned from my client's worry and concern from his recent experience with a delayed inspection is, you, the home owner, have every right to question anyone that comes to your property. The diligence he took and the way he interrogated the inspector was great. His quick thinking and asking for the inspector’s ID was very smart. My hope is that, in case you have a random person show up at your front door, who says they are there to inspect your home that you do not allow them inside. Ask for their ID and question them. Exterior inspections are normal and you want to allow them to take photos of the outside once they verify who they are. If you decline the inspection, the insurance company can cancel your policy. In the words of a good friend of mine, “trust, but verify”.

We hope you and your family have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

With spring/summer BBQ season upon us, you may need a side dish to bring or to provide as the host. Here is a great recipe for Mexican Street Corn Salad. This recipe is courtesy of WonkyWonderful.

Mexican Street Corn Salad
Ingredients:

4-5 Ears Fresh Corn - roasted, grilled or boiled
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
2 Tablespoons Avocado or Olive Oil
1-2 Jalapeños - seeds/stems removed, finely chopped
1 Cup Cherry or Grape Tomatoes - halved
Handful Cilantro - chopped
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/4 Cup Crumbled Queso Fresco + more for serving
Salt

Directions:

Grill or cook corn using preferred method. Cut corn kernels from cobs.
In large bowl, stir together corn, lime juice, oil, jalapeños, tomatoes, cilantro and chili powder.
Gently toss in queso fresco. Salt to taste.
Serve with additional queso fresco and cilantro.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"Life's like a movie; write your own ending, keep believing, keep pretending."

- Jim Henson

Have a Claim?

Call our office

or cell

We will help you.

Companies We Represent

Nationwide

Foremost

Travelers

Bamboo

Guard

CSE

Hippo

Safeco

Stillwater

NatGen Premier

And many more...

Contact me:

Inspirational Quote:

"No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world."

- Robin Williams

Trusted Partners

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

When Is The Last Time You Changed A Tire?

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 16:26:35 GMT

I had the misfortune of running over a very large bolt in the road on Tuesday as I was exiting the freeway. I never saw it coming and there has been a lot of road construction going on where we live. It seems that no one really cares if things fall off of their work trucks anymore. And I was the lucky recipient of a flat tire because of it. The bolt I ran over was so large that my tire was hissing air at me when I finally parked it (in my driveway). The bright side of all of this is, I was really close to home and not on a road trip somewhere. With the air spewing from my tire so quickly, all I could think was, how am I going to get this flat fixed, when I cannot keep enough air in it to get to the tire store for them to fix it. And then I remembered, I have a spare. I know how to change a tire. I can do it!

The last time I changed a tire was about 20 years ago. It did not take me very long and I had done it quite a few times growing up. I remember my mom had a flat tire 3 days in a row when I was a young teenager. She said, it is time you learn how to do this. And I did.

Here I am today, with AAA Plus at my fingertips to assist with any roadside problems, additional roadside assistance from the car company itself or YouTube to help me find a "how to" video. Instead, I grabbed the manual and started reading how to change my flat. After browsing through the table of contents, I found the section on tires. Once I was on page 145, I then had to go to page 237 to figure out how to safely lift the car (though it never really mentioned how to use the jack that is included in the trunk of my car). Then I had to go to page 89 to read about removing the tire. What I learned in the first 20 minutes of reading was, there were no clear directions on how to change a tire in one section of the manual.

Now, I have everything ready. The car is up in the air, I removed the flat tire and I have the spare ready to go. Or so I thought. The spare tire in my car did not look like the usual donut. It looked flat and small. Something told me it was not right. There were plenty of stickers on it that said, do not drive over 50mph, 51 psi (which is what the tire pressure should be) and an "i" which I think was referring to the manual, but I could not find a single page about the spare tire in the manual. As I stood there looking at this bright red spare tire (picture above), I knew it needed air. Fortunately, I have a plug-in air pump (for your car) with a psi gauge. I keep it in my car all the time now, because I have had so many nails in my tires over the last couple years. I plug it in, flip the switch and voila, the tire starts inflating. About 2 minutes in, the tire jumped! It jumped because it was rolled into itself for storage in my trunk. It took about 5 minutes to fill with air and then it was ready. I threw it on my car, securely reattached the lug nuts and I was ready to drive off to get my car fixed.

This entire experience took me about 45 minutes. The more I thought about it, as I was going through the process, I kept thinking, "If I were stuck on the side of the road somewhere, with no cell service and no YouTube, how would I change a tire?" That is what drove me to finish the job. I am taking my son Benjamin to Mammoth next week for some skiing and we are going to drive through Death Valley on our way there. Had I gotten a flat in Death Valley, would I be prepared?

Now, I am. 100%!

If you have the time, energy and feel safe, I want to encourage you to change your own tire at home. It is quite the chore, but, you will feel a great sense of accomplishment afterwards. You might even ask your kids or spouse to help you, so they know how to change a tire too. You never know when this knowledge (or confidence) might come in handy.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

Aaron and I just had a really nice vacation. One of the best dishes we had on vacation was Chimichurri Steak. Here is a great recipe that is sure to put a smile on all of your steak lovers faces. This recipe is courtesy of Nagi.

Chimichurri Steak
Ingredients:

CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

1 cup parsley leaves, tightly packed
1 tbsp oregano leaves, tightly packed (still lovely without)
4 garlic cloves, minced
0 - 2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional - adjust to taste)
1/4 cup (65 ml) red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
Black pepper
1/2 cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil

STEAK

700g / 1.4lb flat iron, flank, skirt steak or other steak of choice

Directions:
CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Place all ingredients except oil in a food processor. Pulse until parsley is finely chopped, but not puréed. Alternatively chop parsley by hand.
Transfer into a small bowl. Add oil, gently stir. Set aside for 1 hour before use, overnight is even better!
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3 days. Makes 3/4 cup.

Steak

Take steak out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking.
Heat BBQ or heavy based skillet with 1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil over high heat until smoking.
Sprinkle each side of steak generously with salt and pepper.
Add steak and cook to your liking.
Cook times: for steak 2cm / 4/5” thick, 2 min on each side for medium rare (until internal temp is 52C/125F, will rise to 54C/130F after resting) OR 2 1/2 min each side for medium (internal temp 57C/135F, will rise to 60C/140F).
Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 5 - 10 minutes.
Cut thin slices against the grain and serve with Chimichurri Sauce on the side so people can help themselves.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

Services

Auto/Home/Life, Umbrella,

Earthquake/Flood, Commercial,

Workers'Comp,

Professional Liability,

Cyber

License # 0L56377

Good Quote:

"I think in terms of evolutions, not revolutions. Failure is not part of my vocabulary."

- Shelia Lirio Marcelo

Have a Claim?

Call our office

or cell

We will help you.

Companies We Represent

Nationwide

Foremost

Travelers

Bamboo

Guard

CSE

Hippo

Safeco

Stillwater

NatGen Premier

And many more...

Contact me:

Inspirational Quote:

"Life is really simple, but men insist on making it complicated."

- Confucius

Trusted Partners

Roofing Company

Mike Duby, Beach Cities Roofing

949-697-6561

Remediation Company

Brian Byers, EHS

949-734-9046

Repiping Your Home

Repipe1

866-737-4731

Health Insurance

Mike Primicerio

949-633-3988

Personal Injury Attorney

Eric Traut

714-835-7000

Estate Planning Attorney

William London

949-474-0940

Auto Body

Rae or Max,

South County Auto Body

949-859-7990

Until next time, if you have questions, concerns, or need some advice, please call our office 949-484-7500 .

Ground Water vs Wind Driven Rain Will Either Be Covered By Insurance?

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 21:20:04 GMT

With all the storms over the last several weeks/months, the ground has soaked up a lot of water. We have had numerous calls to our office to talk about water entering client’s homes, either through the walls, ground, roofs or any sort of crack in the home. There is a clear difference between what the insurance companies will cover when it comes to water in your home.

Insurance is for "sudden and accidental damage".

Let's discuss some different scenarios (all of which are real).

1.a. If, during a storm, the wind blew the roof off your home, there should be coverage for your roof and other damage caused by the water entering your home.

1.b. If your roof did not blow off or get damaged by flying debris or a tree falling on it, the roof itself will not be covered. The damage caused by the water inside your home should be covered by insurance though.

2.a. Your home sits on a slight hillside. The hill behind your home, slopes towards your home. With all the rain, water ran downhill into your home, damaging your floors and drywall. Unfortunately, this is an item that would not be covered as it is water coming in from the outside of your home.

2.b. Similar situation, your home has a lower level that sits below ground level. Water leaks through the wall into your home, damaging the drywall and flooring. Unfortunately, this is considered a ground water intrusion and it is an event that is not covered by any insurance company.

3. You have a doggy door in your home. The rain blew so hard, it went sideways, blowing in through the doggy door, damaging your wood floors. This is an item that should be covered by your home insurance.

With the atmospheric rivers having dumped a historic amount of water throughout the west this winter, hopefully, the drying can begin soon. In the future, if you are on the receiving end of a storm or possible claim situation, the first thing you should do is to prevent the damage from getting worse. That could mean calling a plumber, general contractor, roofer, turning off your water main (if you have a leaky pipe), etc. Once you have a good assessment of the damage, if there is water present, you want to dry it out as quickly as possible to help avoid mold from growing. And if the damage is large enough, file a claim with your insurance company.

Ultimately, coverage is determined by a claims adjuster at the time of a loss. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee of coverage and every situation is different.

If you are working with a claims adjuster or just need assistance or advic e, please let us know how we can help advocate for you.

Elizabeth's Corner

My wife, Elizabeth, is a Mom, an amazing wife and an incredible chef. She trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She shares a helpful tip below.

With spring time around the corner, it is time for something yummy. One of Aaron's favorite desserts is Carrot Cake. Here is a little spin on that in a cookie/bar shape. It will certainly bring a smile to your faces when you bite into one of these delicious treats. This recipe is courtesy of Miranda Couse.

Carrot Cake Bars

Ingredients:

½ cup butter melted
1 cup light brown sugar packed
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded carrots
Cheesecake Swirl
4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8"x8" baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside. You can also line the pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with non-stick baking spray.

Carrot Cake Bars

Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. If needed, microwave another 15 seconds to melt the butter completely.
In a medium bowl, add the melted butter and brown sugar. Mix to combine.
Stir in the egg and vanilla extract.
Add in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Stir until completely combined.
Fold in the shredded carrots. Set aside.

Cheesecake Swirl

In a medium bowl, add in the cream cheese and sugar. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
Add in the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy.

Assemble

Add about half of the carrot cake batter into the pan and spread it out with an off-set spatula.
Add half of the cheesecake batter to the carrot cake batter. Do this by dropping dollops of batter over the carrot cake batter. Don’t swirl yet.
Add the remaining carrot cake batter on top of the cheesecake batter and around the cheesecake batter.
Add the remaining cheesecake batter by adding dollops on top of the carrot cake batter.
Using a knife or skewer, swirl the batters together. Swirl as much or as little as you like.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes until the edges are golden brown. There will be very little jiggle to the center.
Cool completely before cutting. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Aaron Rosen

Arc 23 Insurance

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