We would like to help you cut through the "Mystery" and Jargon that the Insurance Industry loves to throw at you. Let's start with:

Here it is, start by asking 5 simple questions.

Ask yourself…

1.What it is. Maybe it's your car, your house, desk, chair or computer.

2.What is it worth? If I lose it how much will it cost me to replace it?

3.What has to happen before my Insurance will replace it? Fire? Theft? Etc.

4.How can I be sued because I own it?

5. How Much Can I Be Sued For?

Why should this one worry you? Because there is no concrete answer. You will not know until a judge or jury sets the verdict

In the past the probable answer was: They can't get more than I'm worth.

For us business owners, the answer could be: "Everything I have worked for, planned for and risked."

You now need to consider the possibility of future wages or profits being attached.

What do I do if I have an auto accident?

When you are still at the scene or have a cell phone:
If anyone is injured, call 911!
Call the police.
Get as much information as possible.
Contact your agent.

This is what insurance is all about. This is what you are paying all of that money for. At A. J. Venezia Insurance this is the point at which all of our other activities STOP! Our total focus is pointed to our client.

Keep in mind that in any accident the first reaction is confusion. But you can prepare yourself before an accident happens.

Send us an email and we will send you a guideline for "What do I do when I have an auto accident?"

Can I save money and still protect myself?

Absolutely!

Take a look at other insurance companies. Just be sure you are comparing the protection you are buying, not just the price. What you should be looking for is value. We believe you owe it to yourself to ask for an Independent Agent.

Consider deductibles!

What is a deductible?
Simply put, it is the amount of money you are willing to pay out of your pocket when you have an accident or a loss.

Deductibles can be tricky. Send us an email and we will send you information about "What should I consider when choosing my deductible?"

If our home is damaged, can I be sure we will get enough money to rebuild it?

Step one is to figure out what your home is worth. Think this is simple? Your tax bill says one thing, what your neighbor paid for his house had a different price tag, and your policy has a different limit. Your contractor won't agree with any of these prices. Talk about confusion.

You actually only need to be concerned with your contractor.

Send us an email and we will send you a guide to: "How do I know how much money I will need to rebuild my home?"

One of my cars is over 5 years old why hasn't my premium gone down?

Insurance companies charge based on what it will cost to fix or repair your vehicle today.

Most likely the cost of a fender for a 2004 Honda will cost more today than when the car was made.

Have a specific question about your car?  Send us an email and we'll get you an answer.

The Body shop says: "Your car may be a total loss." What does that really mean?

Let us clear up the mystery.

The action of totaling a vehicle is purely economic. Insurance companies can not pay more to fix your damaged car than it would cost to replace it.

Here we go again! What's it worth?

Just like your house there are different methods used to determine what your car is worth.

Send us an email and we will get you more detailed information about the actual value of your vehicle.

What is an Umbrella Policy?

Finally, the insurance companies have used words that make sense to us mere mortals.

The umbrellas beside your front door do something helpful. They go over you and protect you from rain, snow or sun.

An Umbrella Policy does pretty much the same thing.

This one policy goes over the Liability Sections of your Home Owners and Auto Insurance. It provides layers of $1 Million of additional protection. A million is not what it used to be.

Umbrella Policies give you the biggest bang for your buck! Just ask your financial advisor.

Send us an email and we will get you some simple explanations of what Umbrella Policies do and do not do.

I missed a premium payment. Will my policy be cancelled?

The best answer is to call your agent immediately. Different insurance companies have different procedures. Don't guess on this one! Ask us in an email.

My teenager is ready to get their driving permit. What now?

Ok, relax you were a teenager once and you came through it. Yes! It is going to cost you some more money. Young drivers are involved in more accidents than any other drivers. In most cases it is simply a matter of experience.

Suggestions:

Stay in the passenger seat with you child until you are comfortable that they can handle all types of situations. Remember they have no idea how many dangers will pop up.

Remove distractions.

Set ground rules.

Have them talk to an Insurance Agent, (a Lizard will not help much here). They can tell your child how much more money you are going to pay because they are now driving. (Not to mention how much more an accident or a ticket will cost in increased premiums.)

We are so serious about this that we will make you an offer.

If you have a young driver about to get their license, give us a call or send us an email. We will be happy to talk to them or reply to the email. No obligation. And we mean no obligation. We do not advise changing insurance companies just at the time a young driver is being added.

We will send you an email outlining some suggestions that will help keep your teenager safe. We will be happy (only if you call us) to talk to you or your young driver.

Which of my insurance policies should I be most concerned about?

While they are all important, if there is a "most important" it's YOU!

We've talked about the things that you own, the things that are important to you. This gets a bit uncomfortable for most of us but…

What happens when something happens to you? Who pays for the mortgage? The car? My children's education? Maybe the weddings.

I bet you already know the answer to this one. But can you be certain about how much will they need?

Send us an email and we will send you a "Guide for how much life insurance will my family need?"

In many cases you will have some of the same questions asked by our personal clients. Here are a few that you may have on your mind:

Please back up a step and think about the last question we asked you as a personal client.

What will happen to your business when something happens to a key employee or to you?

There are proven steps to prepare for the orderly (not the IRS solution) continuation of your business.

We will send you some simple steps for you to take.

Some of my policies state that they are: Audited. What does this mean?

The portions of your insurance policies that protect you from lawsuits are usually audited by the insurance companies. Depending on what type of business you run, your liability insurance may be based upon your payroll, sales or perhaps the square footage you occupy.

"Need additional information on Audited Policies?  Send us an email.

Please consider this if you run an Auto Garage: Different insurance companies have different ways of charging you, either by payroll or the number of employees.

Send us an email and we will give you a simple rule of thumb.

Your Workers Compensation policy premiums will always be based upon your payroll.

You do not need us to tell you that insurance premiums are a large part of your overhead. It is hard to budget for an expense after you get the bill.

We will email you a copy of "The facts about Insurance Audits." It will be especially important if you or your accountant uses Quickbooks for your payroll.

We will also tell you the 6 most important words to ask if you are considering a competing quote.

Can anything be done to lower the cost of our Health Insurance?

Usually, yes. Consider alternative deductibles and "out of pocket maximums."

We will email you: "What should I consider when choosing Health Insurance Deductibles?"

My losses seem to be increasing. Will this increase my premiums? What is going on?

Insurance companies look at losses in multiple ways. Severity and Frequency.

How much and how many? Businesses are always changing. The first question you should ask is: Are we doing anything differently? New products, services, employees.

If your insurance company offers Loss Control Services, this can be a great benefit. You should not have to pay for this.

Now it's our turn to ask a question.

Imagine you are driving on a road. You notice a truck or a car with a great logo on it. Then…the driver cuts you off. How are you feeling now?

As businesses we know how important our image is to our customers and to the general public. We spend a lot of time, effort and money to get our brand to them.

A. J. Venezia Insurance Services uses a simple method that helps our clients avoid this embarrassment. Send us a quick email and we will gladly send it to you.

What is an Independent Insurance Agent?

Independent agents can represent more that just one insurance company. He or she is not an employee of any one company.

Is A. J. Venezia Insurance Services an Independent Insurance Agency?

Yes!

If you are thinking: "I bet he is going to tell us why." Yes I am, and here is why.

If you have stayed with us this far, I hope you are convinced of several facts.

Insurance costs you money, it's confusing but it Is a Necessary Evil! You owe it to yourself to know what you are paying for and to get the best value.

We think it is important for you to understand how it is sold.

Option #1 - Directly from Insurance Company (some with cute little cartoon creatures) Is this bad? Absolutely not! It is very much like being a "Do it Yourselfer." If you can be certain of exactly what you need and don't need any advice, it works pretty well.

Will it always cost less?
Absolutely not!

Option #2 - Directly from an Insurance Company through one of the Company's representatives. These agents sell only their company's product. In insurance speak, they may be called: "Direct Writers" or "Captive Agents." They are well trained, helpful in advising you and answering your questions.

Will it always cost more?
Absolutely not!

Option #3 - Through an Independent Agent.

Independent Agents represent several different companies. They are well trained, helpful in advising you and answering your questions.

But they are different because:

As Independent business owners: You are their greatest concern!

They can help you compare different insurance companies and help you choose the ones that fit your specific needs. Not the other way around.

We are small enough to know you by name and experienced enough to satisfy your needs.

We realize that it is our clients who pay for our incomes, our homes, cars and children's educations.

Rebekah and I would like to offer you a second opinion on your Insurance Program.