California Dogs Behaving Badly

State Farm Insurance announced that California reported more dog bite claims than any other state. 527 claims were filed in 2011- a 31% increase from the previous year. The total amount paid out averaged $38,000 per claim.

The spokesman for State Farm did not have an explanation for the increase. Some speculate that:

• California dogs are descendents of the Mexican chupacabra.
• Left-coast dogs have an inherent disrespect for authority.
• California’s outdoor lifestyle means more walks, thus more ankles to bite.
• California dogs have gangs, which would explain why most victims were joggers wearing either red or blue shorts.
• Budget cuts have forced animal shelters to lie about a dog’s sweet nature on adoption papers.
• Agricultural pollutants have caused mutations, increasing the population of buff, tattooed, double-Y chromosome dogs.
• Dog parks have become hotbeds of anti-human sedition.
• California dogs don’t bite more, but California people sue more.

Whatever the reason, call Allied Brokers for homeowner’s insurance so you can protect yourself when your little Precious behaves badly.

 
Visit our website at http://www.alliedbrokers.com/ for information about all the types of insurance we offer. Or call 1-888-505-7988 for a free rate quote.

Employers Beware - New Laws for 2012

Governor Brown recently signed into law state legislation that directly impacts business owners with employees. Many of these laws will require revisions to employee handbooks, policies and procedures. In addition, several of the laws that expand leave rights and focus on wage and hour practices are sure to lead to an increase in claims. Here are some highlights:

1. Written commission agreements are now mandated by state law: An employer must now provide a written commission plan fully explaining how commissions are calculated and paid.
2. Enhanced penalties for wage theft prevention: Basically, employees get more time to collect wage judgments and penalties from employers and employers pay higher fines for failing to pay.
3. Extended pregnancy disability leave: Employers are now required to maintain and pay group health coverage for an employee on pregnancy disability leave- up to four months maximum.
4. No routine consumer credit checks: Employers and prospective employers are prohibited from obtaining consumer credit reports unless the person has or will have a position in finance, management or law enforcement, among others. Check the Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act for details.
5. Huge fines for willful misclassification of independent contractor: Don’t even think about trying to avoid employee status by calling someone an independent contractor- you can be fined up to $25,000.
6. Paid organ and bone marrow donor leave: Employers are now required to grant up to 30 paid business days for an employee who donates an organ and up to 5 days for bone marrow. Employers can require employees to use their vacation and sick leave, but if none has been accrued, the employer must grant the leave with pay.
7. Out-of-state Workers’ Compensation Coverage: California employers no longer have to buy a separate workers’ comp. policy to cover employees who occasionally work in another state. The State Compensation Insurance Fund will now cover injuries that trigger a workers’ comp. liability outside of California.

Information for this article was provided courtesy of Alan Parker at the Weintraub, Genshlea, Chediak Law Corporation: 916 558-6041

To know learn more about business insurance that meets your specific needs, contact Mimi Watson at Allied Brokers. Mimi, our Commercial Line Manager, works with a variety of businesses. In her nine years at Allied Brokers, Mimi has gained a wealth of experience and is exceptionally knowledgeable about
compliance issues and Workers’ Compensation regulations.

Visit our website: http://www.alliedbrokers.com/ for information on the services and insurance policies
we offer. Call 1-888-505-7988 (toll free) for a free rate quote.

Four Ways To Protect Yourself When Hiring A Contractor To Remodel Your Home

Remodeling a home is a major financial investment. There are many pitfalls that you may encounter during the process. Among of the most potentially costly are those that involve disputes with the contractor. Even with the best of contractors, misunderstandings and communication gaps can turn what should be happy experience into a situation filled with acrimony and financial loss. Here are four simple things you can do to protect yourself from contractor related losses:

1. When signing a construction contract, be sure the General Contractor adds the homeowner as an additional named insured on his liability policy. He should also provide a certificate of liability and workers compensation insurance. The certificate must state that the homeowner is given two weeks prior notice of cancellation and if no insurance is in place, the work will either stop or the homeowner can purchase replacement coverage at the contractor’s cost.

2. Ensure that all payments to subcontractors are made only by the General Contractor. This places primary liability on the General Contractor and his insurance.

3. Ensure that the General Contractor’s policy limits are more than the complete value of the home. If the coverage is not sufficient, an additional amount can be added at a nominal cost.

4. Before buying into an HOA, check who is responsible for replacement, repair and/or rebuilding of damaged property. Every HOA is different but the most common split is that the HOA is responsible for rebuilding all the original building from the interior walls out. The unit owner is responsible for floor coverings, interior walls, fixtures, plumbing, appliances, cabinets etc. along with all of the unit owner’s personal property.

To know more about the insurance precautions that you should take before remodeling your home, contact Allied Brokers. Our many decades of experience in all types of insurance and our focus on client service means that we provide not just the best in insurance policies, products and services but also the advice you need to stay protected at all times and under all circumstances. Visit our website: http://www.alliedbrokers.com/ for information on the services and insurance policies we offer. Call 1-888-505-7988 (toll free) for a free rate quote.

The above information has been provided courtesy of the Law Office of Peter N. Brewer Esq. Palo Alto, CA (phone: 650-327-1900)

Year End Tax Saving Tips

The end of the year is the time when most of us think about taxes and ways to save on them. Two common and effective ways are:

By deferring income. If you are planning to sell off investments on which you have made a profit, consider the potential tax savings if the sale is deferred till next year. Similarly, if you expect a year-end bonus, you could defer the receipt for a month and take the money in January, thus deferring the tax liability till 2012. The same applies to any stock options you may be entitled to. While exercising the option may not be taxable, selling the stock is. For the self-employed, examine which invoices and bills can be deferred (thus deferring the
income) till January 2012.

You can also accelerate deductions. Make a reasonable estimate of your state tax and pay the installment in December rather than the January due date. You can also pay your complete property tax bill for 2012 in December 2011. Please note that this is not applicable to mortgage escrow accounts. Medical and other “threshold” expenses are deductible only to the extent they exceed a defined percentage of the Adjusted Gross Income. If you can group all these expenses into one year, the chance of exceeding the threshold increases; as does the amount of deduction.

At Allied Brokers we do not just sell insurance policies. We work with our clients to provide them the optimum insurance coverage at the right cost. Whether it is life insurance, health insurance, home insurance, various types of business insurance, auto insurance or any other kind of insurance, we customize solutions that are right for our clients. We have been in business over 50 years and are proud of the reputation we
have built. Visit our website at http://www.alliedbrokers.com/ to learn more about Allied Brokers and the insurance services and products we offer. Or call 1-888-505-7988 (toll free) for a free quote.

Information courtesy Orlando, Mitts, Moore & Company, San Jose, CA. Phone: 408 278-0300.

Blue Shield and Lucile Packard Work It Out- Finally

Two of the region’s leading pediatric care providers were locked in protracted negotiations with Blue Shield of California which caused them to remain outside the Blue Shield network from August 31st to October 19th of this year. With the signing of a new two year contract, both Lucile Packard Children’s Medical group and Lucile Salter Packard Children’s Hospital are once again part of Blue Shield of California and Blue Shield of California Life & Health Insurance Company Networks.

It must be noted, however, that since the new contracts are not retroactive, any services provided by the Medical Group and Hospital during the out-of-contract period will be treated as out-of-network or as being non-participating and will be paid at out-of- network rates. However, if the member was approved for Continuity of Care (COC) during that period, services that are covered under the COC will be paid at the old contract rates. These agreements will once again allow Bay Area residents to have a wider choice of pediatric care providers.

Such contract negotiations with health care providers are Blue Shield’s attempt to contain the ever rising costs of medical care. As a result, Blue Shield customers enjoy lower co-payments, deductibles and premiums.

Health insurance is a complex and often confusing subject where potential health risks and care costs have to be balanced against the cost of the policy. Working out the best balance is something that requires both experience and an expert knowledge of health care costs and options. Allied Brokers has over 50 years of insurance experience and expertise which is always at the disposal of our clients. Contact us for all your health and other insurance needs. Call 1-888-505-7988 (toll free). Visit our website at http://www.alliedbrokers.com/ to find out more about us and the insurance products and services we offer. You can also ask for a free rate quote.