Arizona - Arizona Insurance Blog

The Hanover Insurance Group saw profits jump an astounding 68% in the 4th quarter, from $34 million a year ago to $57 million in 2009.

The 4th quarter profits from Selective Insurance Group rose from $14 million last year to over $20 million in 2009.

Standard and Poors lowered its ratings on Berkshire Hathaway from from AAA to AA+, still an excellent rating.

Senate Democrats are proposing Cobra funding be extended to workers terminated involuntarily, as part of a jobs bill that is soon to be introduced. The stated goal is to reduce unemployment, now somewhere between 10% - 20%, depending upon who you believe.

We hope you will contact us for an Arizona Home Insurance quote to save money.

Looking to upgrade your home? There are still several good tax credits available.

Solar Water Heater - replace your gas or electric water heater and receive a tax credit of 30% of the cost.

Windows - replace those single panes with a dual pane window that has a low "E" rating, which prevents heat from entering your home.

Roofs

Insulation

Doors

Air Conditioning

For a complete list of tax credits, including limits on the credits, go to: http://www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm

Sales taxes mainly apply to things you can touch, hold and feel - a new car, couch, or tv. However, the service industry is not always or usually taxed. This includes businesses such as lawn care, janitorial and accountants.

The service industry pays taxes - through payroll, just not always on the services they provide.

This is a new day.

Just about every state in the United States is awash in debt. Arizona is a reported $1.5 Billion in debt. So naturally, just about every level of government is searching for new sources of income.

Consumer spending accounts for about 2/3 of total consumer spending. Kentucky is now taxing limousine services and balloon rides. Maine now taxes car repair services and dry cleaning. Very often, legislatures will raise existing taxes versus taking on the unpopular route of creating new taxes.

Sales tax rates have risen 52% from 1970 - 2007.

One issue is the generally excellent benefits usually provided by government workers, such as retirement pensions and the sort. The service industry does not have a pension supplied by the taxes of others. Perhaps governments need to freeze payroll and trim benefits as one small solution. It may not fix the entire problem but at least reduce what they have to take out of the pockets of the hard-working American people to pay for government.

Are you seeking to refinance your Arizona mortgage? We can help! Arizona Mortgage Refinance

If you own a home or are buying a home, get a quote from us. We shop Arizona home insurance with leading and top rated insurance companies to save you money!

Everyone who owns a car should be aware of the following information. Some of these tips and details will not change how you buy gas but at least you are armed with the information.

• Buying gas at unbranded gas stations: When you see a national brand sign in front of a gas station that usually means the station can only buy gas from that one parent supplier, which determines how much the station will pay for gas. If you buy from an independent station you may save because they can shop around for their supplies.

• Credit cards and gasoline profits: The typical gas station earns between 10-15 cents per gallon. That profit margin shrinks when customers pay with credit cards, which charge the station about 2.5% of the cost to use their service.

• Which gasoline is better: You will see some oil companies advertise that their gas is better because they add additives, which keeps your car’s engine cleaner. In fact, laws already dictate that additives be added to fuel anyway before it reaches the consumer. The differences between gas quality is likely to be very small.

• Those gasoline credit cards: It’s not totally uncommon for those gas credit cards to carry very high interest rates. If you pay for gas using a gas card and do not pay your balance off each month you are probably way overpaying for fuel. Consider instead, get an all-purpose credit card with a much lower annual interest rate.

• Getting the Gas you pay for: The State of Arizona reportedly has approximately 18 employees to check all the state’s gas pumps for accuracy. That means it could be a several years between inspections before your favorite station’s pumps are verified to ensure that when you pump a gallon of gas you actually receive a gallon.

Solar Power

Everybody knows solar power is a popular talking point among politicians. It's being pushed as one of the major answers to a potential energy crisis and supposed climate change issue.

During the recession the State of Arizona has made a big push to get several solar power projects moving toward fruition.

Yet, what is being lost, or not even being mentioned in this discussion, is how much water solar power actually uses. No one seems to bring up the point of water usage when solar power is discussed, locally or nationally.

Two newer Arizona solar projects are expected to begin generating power in 2-3 years. However, these two projects alone will use 1.5 billion gallons of ground water annually. That is enough water to supply Kingman, Arizona for an entire year.

The result of such usage could be competiting demands from an old Arizona industry - agriculture, versus a new industry, solar. Most experts would likely bet on solar if water has to be directed one way or the other.

Red Light Cameras

No one I know in Arizona likes red light camera's. Sure the argument is they discourage speeding and yellow/red light running. Yet, they remain largely unpopular.

Several states have banned their use - Maine, Mississippi, and Montana. States that have previously done away with them include Nevada, New Hampshire, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Three cities banned their use - two in Ohio and one in Texas.

The Arizona Department of Transportation website states clearly that red light violations in Phoenix have been greatly reduced and crash numbers have actually decreased as well since red light cameras were installed.

Feel free to read this report at the following web address:
http://www.azdot.gov/TPD/ATRC/publications/project_reports/PDF/AZ550.pdf

No one I know in Arizona likes red light camera's. Sure the argument is they discourage speeding and yellow/red light running. Yet, they remain largely unpopular.

Several states have banned their use - Maine, Mississippi, and Montana. States that have previously done away with them include Nevada, New Hampshire, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Three cities banned their use - two in Ohio and one in Texas.

The Arizona Department of Transportation website states clearly that red light violations in Phoenix have been greatly reduced and crash numbers have actually decreased as well since red light cameras were installed.

Feel free to read this report at the following web address:
http://www.azdot.gov/TPD/ATRC/publications/project_reports/PDF/AZ550.pdf