Arizona Insurance Blog

Homeowner Rates Climbing

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 11:05:39 -0700

If you lived in the Phoenix metro area during October 2010 you should remember a very fierce storm that raged through the valley.

The storm was so strong I could barely see my neighbors home across the street. The winds were racing through sideways. Large hail pounded many parts of the valley.

That storm was a major boon to roofing companies and other home repair businesses.

The loser - Arizona homeowners, who now face higher insurance premiums due to the massive number of claims filed and roofs replaced.

If your homeowner insurance premium goes up do not wonder why. Insurance carriers are not going to replace thousands of roofs without passing those higher claims costs on to consumers.

THE GOOD NEWS: As an independent insurance agent and broker we can shop around on your behalf to find good rates with "A" rated homeowner insurance carriers.

Homeowner expert, Rosie Romero, has some advice on things NOT to do if you want to trim your high utlility costs.

1) Do not shut vents. He says that shutting vents only causes your A/C to work harder. If you want, close them partially but not completely.

2) Do not over insulate your attic. Only 10% of the cost of your utility bill is a result of your attic.

3) Do not install a radiant barrier - a waste of money in his opinion.

4) Do not put portable fans in your attic. More than anything it will only suck the A/C out of your home.

5) Get off the equalizer payment plan to get an idea of exactly what your bills are to determine if you are making progress in saving money when you do implement ideas.

6) His one big suggestion - have an energy audit completely on your home. This will tell you exactly where you are losing money. Often, these can be completed by contacting your utility company and may cost about $100.

To learn more ways to save, go to www.rosieonthehouse.com.

Call us for a quote today!!!
Thanks!!!
Gary Brown, Agent/Owner
(480) 659-0229

Casa Grande Insurance

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:25:04 -0700

While our office is located in Mesa we have clients located throughout Arizona, in other states and even as far away as Canada.

One of the areas we are working to expand is Casa Grande Auto Insurance.

Our insurance carriers are often VERY competitive in Casa Grande. If you live in Casa Grande and want to pay LESS for your Casa Grande Auto Insurance contact us for a quote.

We shop and compare auto insurance with a number of top rated and top ranked insurance companies.

Casa Grande is a growing city about half way between Tucson and Phoenix, though it is closer to Phoenix. The City of Casa Grande was founded in 1879 and incorporated in 1915. Like many Arizona towns in the old days, Casa Grande owes much of its existence to mining and the railroad that was developed and crossed throughout Arizona.

In 2000 there were only approximately 9,000 residents but by 2007 Casa Grande had grown to around 41,000 residents. The town is named after the Case Grande Ruins National Park, near Coolidge. Casa Grande has long been a dairy farm town and agricultural town, raising crops such as cotton.

If you live or near Casa Grande, give our office a call for a low cost Casa Grande insurance quote. We can save you up to 35% as an Independent Insurance Agent and Broker. our office is located in Mesa but we have clients throughout Arizona.

I have a very good friend who lives in Casa Grande. He came over from San Diego, where he had a very successful career in the tech field.

We have spent a little time in Casa Grande and know the town has grown a lot. Like many Arizona towns Casa Grande has grown from a little sleepy community that is well respected in the state.

Our company is an Arizona Insurance Broker. That means we compare and shop insurance to help residents save money. We can help you find LOW rates on Casa Grande Home Insurance.

Our service can help Arizona residents, or those who live outside Arizona - including Canada. If you are a Canadian resident buying a home in Casa Grande, please call us for a LOW rate on Casa Grande Home Insurance.

And certainly if you are an Arizona resident who owns a home in Casa Grande or are buying a home there please let us find you a LOW rate on insurance.

Please call me at (480) 659-0229 or email gary@choicearizona.com.

Thanks!!!
Gary Brown, Agent/Owner

Arizona Retirement Planning

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 06:56:11 -0700

During these past few years just about everyone has wondered about the viability of retiring - if they will be able or when. The economy is simply not in good shape and the next 3-5 years may be just as difficult.

If you are wondering about your investments or your overall retirement plan there is a solution. Or, at least someone I highly recommend to give you answers.

Give me a call and I will tell you about a friend of mine who handles our accounts. I trust this person with my life. He is the person I will rely upon to guide my wife should something happen to me.

No one can predict the future. But the best you can do is rely on someone who is experienced, works for a top rated company, has excellent products at their disposal and has a reputation for doing the right thing for their clients.

This is my friend in a nutshell.

Now is a great time to consider starting a Roth IRA Account. Your deduction can be tax deductible. If you already have a Roth or other IRA but are not satisfied, please contact us.

The Roth IRA specialist we recommend can help you design a plan tailored to your investment risk and needs.
My wife and I met with a retirement planner in 2010. This person really helped us sort out our financial goals and plans for the future. No matter how organized you may believe you are it is highly recommended that you use someone licensed and experienced in helping people with their finances and retirement planning.

Our financial planner has been in the investment and insurance field since about 1994 and has helped hundreds and hundreds of Arizona clients.

While we will not list their name here because of confidentiality reasons, we are happy to give you their name and phone number if you call our office.

If you have a current financial planner - when is the last time you met with them? If you never have met with a financial planner but are curious to know what advice and direction they can offer please contact me for more information.

I can guarantee you that our financial planner is open and honest. He is trustworthy. He will give you sound and solid advice. And he has access to some of the best investment products on the market if you have the need.

Call me.

Thanks!
Gary Brown, Agent
(480) 659-0229

P.S. Just a disclaimer that I am not securities licensed and receive no compensation for recommending or referring our financial advisor. I only believe he is excellent in his field and trust him to help my clients.
P.S. S. Choice Insurance of Arizona provides NO investment advice, counseling or products. However, we highly recommend someone who does.

Protecting Your Family with Arizona Life Insurance

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 06:41:39 -0700

A friend of mine passed away August 2010. He carried life insurance but not enough to completely give his wife the peace and financial security she truly needs. Fortunately, she has many who love and care about her.

Everyone dies.

It is inevitable.

So why do we put life insurance as one of the lowest priorities in our lives? For those of us with a spouse and/or children life insurance can help ease the burden that is living after a loved one passes away.

My friend has struggled since the passing of her husband.

I have read that the normal grieving time after a loved one passes is up to 2 years. Imagine how difficult it is for that person to continue showing up at work day after day, paying the bills and managing a tight budget - especially after a loved one dies.

Do your loved ones a favor - buy life insurance.

I have seen the effects up close and encourage you to do the right thing for them.

Are You Prepared to Die?

Someone I know recently had a loss in their family. Unfortunately, the deceased person had no life insurance - none. And that meant no immediate money for those who are left to figure out the funeral to pay for the funeral and other related costs.

Some reports say that a funeral can cost upwards of $10,000 to $15,000. Even if you manage a bare bones (no pun intended) funeral service the costs can still be in the thousands.

While we can debate the numbers it is worth noting that with zero life insurance the burden to cover this cost will fall to those who will be burdened with more than losing a loved one - that is, figuring out the finances.

Does anyone really want a legacy that they left loves ones with a financial burden to pay for a funeral that was not their own? It is better to do the most responsible thing and at least have enough life insurance to pay for a funeral. But I understand that if your budget decisions come down to paying rent and buying food or paying for a life insurance plan that is an easy decision for most.

What Life Insurance Plan is Better?

A Whole Life or Universal Life Insurance policy is most often the best type of policy to own. The reason is those policies offer a level premium that will never increase. They also pay an interest rate on your premiums (and sometimes even a dividend) that allows you to accumulate savings. These added benefits can even increase your death benefit over time (Whole Life Insurance).

Other types of life insurance, like term life insurance, increase in premiums in our older years. You see television ads offering cheap, low cost term life insurance but they do not mention how those cheap premiums skyrocket as a person gets into those older years.

Just as you get old enough where death becomes a real thought in our lives the term premiums skyrocket on us. That's why you should consider the whole life or universal life insurance policy.

If you are curious about how much Arizona life insurance costs, please contact me if you live in Arizona.

The Battle of Life Insurance Policies

With a teetering economy studies are showing a renewed interest in permanent life insurance products, such as whole life insurance. In the past few years sales of Whole Life Insurance has increased by about 22%.

The main driving force is the same reason that kept people from buying Whole Life Insurance - low paying interest rates.

Whole Life Insurance policies typically pay back an interest rate (3-4% is not uncommon) to their policyholder. That small interest gain was often pooh-poohed not many years ago because consumers could put money into the stock market and do better.

Yet, who trusts the stock market today?

Which is better - Whole Life/Universal Life Insurance or Term Insurance?

A whole life insurance policy offers a level premium for the rest of your life, pays a fixed interest rate on your premiums and sometimes a dividend as well that can be used to grow your death benefit. This type of product has been used by some as a way to stash money inside a product that allows for a conservative growth model but without the immediate tax consequences.

In today's economy earning 3 - 4% on your money would not be an embarrassment - that is what Whole Life can do

Universal Life Insurance also offers a premium that is level as long as you pay your premiums. However, UL policies do not pay interest or dividends. The only advantage they offer - their premiums are usually much lower than Whole Life Insurance premiums.

Term life insurance premiums are often low, especially if you are younger. But the eventually go up and up and up. If you want life insurance well into your elder years you need to escape the trap of cheap term life insurance and find yourself a whole life or universal life insurance plan that fits your needs.

According to a LIMRA report whole life insurance premiums increased 10% in the first quarter of 2010.

Time to think Arizona Life Insurance!

Don't you love it when industries can manage to nominate a cause to something that generates business for themselves?

It is ironic. However, I believe FIRMLY in owning life insurance and recommend you have it as well, regardless if you are married or single, short or tall, athletic or geek, rich or poor. In my humble opinion - everyone should own some life insurance.

Why?

Because everyone dies and dying is not free.

According a recent study:

83% of Americans believe most people need life insurance but only 65% of those interviewed believed THEY needed it and only 59% actually own life insurance.

1/3 of people in a recent survey believe they need more life insurance than they currently own and 28% wish their spouse/partner had more. Leaving loved ones without a financial burden of paying for a funeral is NOT the biggest reason people own life insurance.

Many consumers today are having a harder time putting monies into a permanent life insurance plan. Whole Life and Universal Life are better policies than Term Life Insurance but they cost more. Families are having to make budget decisions in ways they have not in while.

But regardless whether you choose a term life insurance plan or a permanent life insurance policy - your family is better off than buying neither.

If you are curious about whole life insurance, please contact me.

Thanks!!!
Gary Brown, Agent
(480) 659-0229

Arizona Life Insurance

FIXED ANNUITIES

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 21:34:15 -0700

You still want to save money for the future, toward retirement. But where do you feel it is safe to put money in this economy? Not the stock market.

There is one place.

Fixed Annuities.

This is a product backed by an insurance company and pays an interest rate (typically) much higher than CD's or savings accounts. Some Fixed Annuities pay 3% or higher right now.

There is really very little downside to a Fixed Annuity. If you have money sitting in an account and you do not plan on using this money, consider talking to us about a Fixed Annuity. It's a great place to store your long term savings.

You may not be familiar with a fixed annuity. It is a product where you can place your money and receive an interest rate.

Is it like a savings account? Not exactly but it usually pays a higher interest rate than a savings account

A Fixed Annuity is often a great investment vehicle for someone who wants to park money in a safe place where the volatility of the market won't affect their value as much.

If you are nervous or scared about the market, mutual funds and you want to put your money in a safer investment with little to no risk, contact us today. We offer Fixed Investment products like Annuities.

Call us today to discuss if a Fixed Annuity in Arizona can help you keep your money safer.

If you are like many, you are wondering what happened to your mutual fund or stock investments. Many Americans watched helplessly as their mutual funds sank like a rock. And even more people are curious as to where to place their investments to find a secure rate of return.

You should give a FIXED ANNUITY a good look as an alternative.

A fixed annuity carries NO market risk. The rate you receive is locked in for the duration of the contract. We will shop around with numerous fixed annuity carriers to help you find the best fixed interest annuity rate. And Fixed Annuities typically pay a higher rate of interest than C.D.'s. If you are someone who has deposited money into C.D.s you should let us give you a comparison.

Contact us today if you are an Arizona resident. We would love to show you how to lock in a rate of return that you do not have to worry about.

You still want to save money for the future, toward retirement. But where do you feel it is safe to put money in this economy? Not the stock market.

There is one place.

Fixed Annuities.

This is a product backed by an insurance company and pays an interest rate (typically) much higher than CD's or savings accounts. Some Fixed Annuities pay 3% or higher right now.

There is really very little downside to a Fixed Annuity. If you have money sitting in an account and you do not plan on using this money, consider talking to us about a Fixed Annuity. It's a great place to store your long term savings.

You may not be familiar with a fixed annuity. It is a product where you can place your money and receive an interest rate.

Is it like a savings account? Not exactly but it usually pays a higher interest rate than a savings account

A Fixed Annuity is often a great investment vehicle for someone who wants to park money in a safe place where the volatility of the market won't affect their value as much.

If you are nervous or scared about the market, mutual funds and you want to put your money in a safer investment with little to no risk, contact us today. We offer Fixed Investment products like Annuities.

Call us today to discuss if a Fixed Annuity in Arizona can help you keep your money safer.

If you are like many, you are wondering what happened to your mutual fund or stock investments. Many Americans watched helplessly as their mutual funds sank like a rock. And even more people are curious as to where to place their investments to find a secure rate of return.

You should give a FIXED ANNUITY a good look as an alternative.

A fixed annuity carries NO market risk. The rate you receive is locked in for the duration of the contract. We will shop around with numerous fixed annuity carriers to help you find the best fixed interest annuity rate. And Fixed Annuities typically pay a higher rate of interest than C.D.'s. If you are someone who has deposited money into C.D.s you should let us give you a comparison.

Contact us today if you are an Arizona resident. We would love to show you how to lock in a rate of return that you do not have to worry about.

Thanks!
Gary Brown, Agent
(480) 659-0229

Mortgage Crisis a Struggle for many Seniors

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 15:49:12 -0700

According to AARP, more than 600,000 seniors are delinquent in their mortgage or already in foreclosure. One of the problems facing many seniors are bad loans (and the bad decisions preceding those loans) and adjustable rate mortgages.

If you own a home, please consider contacting for Arizona home insurance. We may be able to save you money on your homeowner insurance premiums, which could potential lower your monthly mortgage payment.

Federal Help

A federal plan designed to help homeowners stay out of foreclosure has been saddled with administration issues, causing headaches for many who entered the program hoping to get help. The gaffes may end up causing some to become disqualified due to a pending government deadline.

More than 900,000 homeowners have begun the mortgage modification program but only 7% or so have received permanent changes.

Borrowers must make three payments and provide a hardship affidavit, along with other paperwork, to change their mortgage.

According to President Obama or his administration the program was believed to have the potential to help up to 4 million homeowners. While the program has not been a huge success thus far the pace of completed modifications has picked up steam of late.

Washington is considering other ideas to help those unemployed resist foreclosure, and to help those who have lost jobs reduce their principle amount. Approximately 13.5% of homeowners were delinquent or in foreclosure as of November, a record.

Those who complete the modification program from start to finish could see their mortgage drop from an average of $1,419 to $830 per month.

Plummeting Home Values

With home values plummeting, seniors are not able to take full advantage of products like reverse mortgages, where seniors are able to receiving additional monies to supplement their retirement.

Seniors, like just about every other age group, face owning homes that are worth much less than what is owed. Yet, they are not able to sell it either.

2011 Among Worst for Claims

According to reports 2011 was one the most expensive years in global history, including the United States. Weather related incidents caused around $35 Billion in insured damages last year in the United States.

From 2010, a major storm hurled through Arizona on October 5, 2010 causing massive damages.

Several big insurance carriers are expecting to raise rates, like Allstate, Travelers and State Farm - some carriers as high as 10%.

These are all reasons why you should consider an INDEPENDENT INSURANCE BROKER for ALL of your insurance. We shop and compare Arizona homeowner insurance with several top rated and top ranked insurance companies.

Many insurance agents can only give you ONE quote. Not us. We shop and compare rates with numerous companies to help you save money.

Unacceptible Dogs for Homeowner Insurance

A young lady asked for a homeowner insurance quote. During the question/answer session she revealed that she owned a pitbull dog. Unfortunately, I told her none of our insurance companies accepted that breed of dog.

None too happy, she insured with another carrier to my knowledge.

Some time later she came back and asked for homeowners insurance once again. I reminded her about the pitbull dog.

She revealed that the dog had bitten someone and was put down.

While some dog owners will defend their dogs (and I do understand an owners love of their pet) the statistics readily show that whenever there is a dog bite it is often from a pitbull or rottweiler type breed. Every pitbull owner I have ever met staunchly defended their animal as non-threatening. And more than likely their family pet is not a threat. But the over stats show enough are simply the cause of too many dog bite claims.

Weak Results in Insurance Industry

Thanks to an easy hurricane season it is expected that most insurance companies will return to profitability. This is good news for consumers because higher profits usually means that insurers relax their insurance rates in response.

Yet, there is a potential problem lurking in the shadows.

Insurance companies generally derive income from two sources: premiums and investments. Investment income fell a reported 50% in 2008 and also fell in 2009.

Due to continued low interest rates insurance companies are not expecting to earn much money with their investments. With the fluctuating stock market insurers are preferring to stay in safe investments that pay a guaranteed interest, even if those instruments are paying next to nothing. At least they are safe.

But this means that insurers will need to remain cautious with claims and ensure that they are making a profit through proper premium and pricing policies. If they find themselves losing money on claims vs premiums received they may be forced to raise rates.

Call our office today (480) 659-0229 for an Arizona homeowner insurance quote.

Arizona Home Insurance

Comparing Arizona Auto Insurance

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:01:49 -0700

As an Arizona independent insurance agent and broker one of the best parts of this job is being able to comparison shop with so many different insurance carriers.

We represent top rated and top ranked companies such as Progressive, MetLife, Travelers, The Hartford, Unitrin, Infinity and many others.

Sometimes we help a new client save money by comparing and shopping their new auto insurance. Other time we help an existing client lower their premium by re-shoppping their Arizona auto insurance.

If you think you may be paying too much for your Arizona auto insurance please contact our office today at (480) 659-0229 or click here: Arizona Auto Insurance

This car is a Toyota FT-CH. Concept cars such as this vehicle in the picture are all the rage nowadays, evidenced by the 2010 Auto Show in Detroit. In prior years concept cars were more for show, and no intent on their manufactures to actually produce these vehicles.

Today's concept cars, however, are different. Auto manufacturers like Toyota have a serious desire to build a staple of cars that are hybrid or electric. The Toyota FT-CH, shown above, is one example.

The vehicle in the picture to the left is a GM Granite, a car they hope will gain a foothold with the younger crowd. The Chevy Volt began as a concept car and due to interest from the general public GM put it into full production mode.

Concept cars in days past were big, bold and luxurious. Today's concept cars are a reflection of a new world dictated by high gas prices

Tempe to Reduce Collisions

Police in Tempe are stepping up efforts to reduce collisions at intersections that have a history of high incidents.

The top 10 intersections are being targeted. Officers are being placed in and around those areas to catch speeders and red light offenders. The hope is that by placing officers in a show of visibility that alone will reduce accidents.

Extra patrols are funded through a grant from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety.

At intersections where camera's are equipped, collisions have dropped at 7 locations.

One of the worst intersections in Tempe is at Rural and University. No surprise that it is close to ASU.

Our quotes are free and there never is any obligation. So why delay? Call today or visit our website for a quick quote.

Thanks!
Gary Brown, Owner
(480) 659-0229

Is Your Home Insured Properly?

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Sun, 08 May 2011 21:16:02 -0700

Before the real estate crash, we occasionally would receive phone calls from clients questioning whether their home was under-insured. The reason? They had purchased it for a much higher amount than what it was being insured for. They figured it should at least be insured for the purchase price.

Now, several years into the recession and amid a severe housing slump, clients are calling asking if we are insuring their home for too much. Are we over-insuring their home, they want to know. The reason? Home prices have fallen dramatically up to 40% or more in some areas and read about slumping home values.

When considering your home insurance, be sure to not confuse how much a home is bought or sold for versus what it takes to rebuild a home from scratch in an emergency situation (such as a total fire loss).

Typically our carriers provide very decent coverage on homes, often much more than what a client has paid for it and higher than many other carriers we encounter. While clients may wonder if we are providing too much coverage, the bigger issue is what happens if you are under-insured.

And no doubt we occasionally run into carriers who are willing to insure homes for substantially less than what we do. Can they really rebuild a home for much less coverage than our carriers? Or are they low-balling the coverage to obtain the business? Who is right?

According to a March 15, 2011 article in the Wall Street Journal (online), Marshall - Swift believes that upwards of 2/3 of all homes are UNDER-insured. Marshall -Swift is the company responsible for determining how much a home should be insured for. Their service is used by many insurance companies.

According to Xactware, a company that tracks trends in the property insurance and construction business, the cost of building materials rose sharply in 2008. Now with gas prices up to nearly $4 a gallon in many parts of the country, the cost to deliver building materials is rising as well.

If you believe your home is under-insured or over-insured feel free to speak with your agent. But the bigger issue is whether or not your home is under-insured. In the event of a claim a home that is insured for less than what it takes to rebuild will leave you very dissatistified.

Over-Insuring Homes?

I received an email from a client who was looking at buying a single family dwelling for a rental property. We ran the quote and emailed it. The client emailed back wondering whether we were over-insuring the home.

It is a question that probably every insurance agent has received.

Before the real estate crash there were clients who thought we were under-insuring homes. If they were paying $325,000 but we were insuring for $275,000 they believed we were not adequatly insuring the dwelling. Now that they are paying $150,000 and we are insuring for $275,000 they believe we are placing waaay too much coverage on the dwelling.

It is easy to confuse the two points, perhaps. However, whatever you buy or sell a home for has little to do with the cost of rebuilding that home.

PLUS, there are coverage on a home that have nothing to do with the dwelling itself. A home policy covers your personal property. The home policy pays to clean debris away. It protects you against claims made for liability or medical reasons. It provides money for you to live elsewhere if that home is unliveable. Or, reimburses you if a tenant moves out and you need reimbursed for lost rents.

While no one wants to overpay for their insurance, the fact is everyone wants their home put back like new if it is damaged or destroyed. To that end, you are welcome to ask questions and even question the coverage being placed on your home. However, the end result is that you AND your insurance company wants to see you made whole again if the worst happens with your home.

If you want a quote on Arizona Home Insurance, please contact us today!

Filing Homeowner Insurance Claims

When we buy insurance of any kind there is a premium/cost to us as consumers. All we really ask in return is that the company providing the coverage do their part when there is a claim. And for the most part insurance carriers do a pretty good job handling claims (in my opinion) overall.

But what is often not understood is the repercussion of filing multiple homeowner claims.

In Arizona, insurance carriers commonly non-renew Arizona home insurance policies that have two (2) or more claims within a 5 year period.

One simple piece of advice can save you alot of grief.

Carry a high deductible on your home insurance policy and avoid the temptation of filing a small claim. One person reportedly had a water claim a few years back. Then, a couple years later believed they had been the victim of a theft and called the insurance carrier only to discover the item missing was not missing afterall.

Even though this person tried to cancel their "theft" claim it was too late. The insurance carrier already had reported it to the claims loss underwriting exchange. Now for the world to see they had two claims on their record.

The result? The client was non-renewed for having two claims within a 5 year period. When they shop for new home insurance the rate will likely be substantially more due to their claims history.

Be careful filing small claims. And be especially careful filing two home insurance claims within a 5 year period.

Arizona Homeowner Insurance

Thanks!!
Gary Brown, Agent/Owner
(480 659-0229

Turn $200 into $250,000

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Sat, 07 May 2011 15:48:21 -0700

Would you be interested in a product that could turn $200 into $250,000?

This plan takes some qualifying. You may have to meet a nurse and have your blood pressure read, your weight recorded, your medical history revealed.

This plan is guaranteed to to work and has worked each and every time it has been put into proper use.

What is this unrivaled, guaranteed plan that can turn a few hundred dollars into $250,000??

Life Insurance.

Up to now I only owned term life insurance. However, a few months back I purchased a Universal Life policy for about $200 per month that will pay my spouse $250,000 in the event of my death.

You may think two hundreds dollars is alot of money when you see life insurance commercials on television that advertise rates as low as $14 per month. Those cheap term life insurance plans are short term policies. The policy I bought is a long term, lifetime plan. As long as I continue paying the $200 each month the policy will provide a lump sum of $250,000 to my family at my demise.
With everything going on in the world and our local economy it is understood if people are very nervous about what to do with their money.

Do you invest in mutual funds in a time of such uncertainty? Our federal government is threatened by Standard and Poors with a potentially lower credit rating, which could affect all of us I suppose.

With three military actions taking place, our federal deficit and debt exploding and overall economic uneasiness - where do you invest your money and feel safe?

One area is annuities.

Fixed and Indexed Annuities offer clients a better safety net that many other types of investments. Ask us for more details to see if a fixed or indexed annuity may work for you.

Oh sure, I won't be around to enjoy the money (I will be somewhere better hopefully). But my family will forever be grateful for the financial assistance this money will provide.

If you do not have life insurance, or only have TERM life insurance, please give me a call. I encourage every one to have a long term, lifetime life insurance policy such as the one I just bought.

Thanks for reading!
Gary Brown, Agent/Owner
(480) 659-0229

What is Umbrella Insurance?

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 21:59:23 -0700

Umbrella Insurance is a policy that gives you broad coverage above and beyond whatever protection you receive from your auto insurance and home insurance policies.

Why?

Well, we live in a litigious society for one. Imagine if you hit another car and seriously injure, disable or kill another person. Or you hit a kid on a bicycle, a motorcyclist or pedestrian where there are serious injuries or worse?

It is very likely that you will be sued.

In the best scenario, if you seriously hurt, disable or kill another person you will probably be sued big-time. What if the suit against you is for damages more than is provided on your auto or home insurance policy?

The Umbrella Insurance policy can give you a $1,000,000 protection or $2,000,000 protection against that once in a lifetime situation that you hope never happens, but could happen.

Who needs an Umbrella policy?

Typically, anyone with assets or a decent income. An Umbrella policy can be for any person. But traditionally, those with higher incomes and those with assets tend to be the ones who buy Umbrella Insurance.

How much does it cost?

It really depends on several factors. But a very simply Umbrella policy can cost less than $200 per year perhaps.

If you are interested in finding out more, please call me.
Thanks!!!
Gary Brown, Agent/Owner
(480) 659-0229

Gambling with Life Insurance

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 11:27:36 -0700

You may not realize it but the odds are excellent that you are playing a Las Vegas game of chance with your life insurance. I call it Gambling with Life Insurance. And if you are on the wrong side of the gamble the chances are great that you are playing with a decked stacked heavily against you.

And if you lose with your life insurance bet, it is your spouse and kids who really lose.

Have you ever watched one of those Las Vegas tv shows that show you all the ways to gamble and they also tell you which games have the worst odds of winning?

Term Life Insurance is the game of life insurance with the worst odds of paying off. People are attracted to term insurance because it is the cheapest form of life insurance, at least in the pre-retirement years. So what do most people do? They buy term life insurance.

Yet, insurance companies love term insurance because of three primary reasons:

1) Premiums will go up significantly as you age, forcing you to cancel as they become too expensive to keep. Advantage Insurance Company.

2) With term life insurance, people tend to buy, cancel, buy, cancel their term policies. That means the insurance companies keep all those premiums without ever having to pay a death claim. Advantage Insurance Company.

3) Very few death claims are filed on term life policies compared to other types of permanent life insurance. That means nearly all those term insurance premiums you pay are pure profit for the insurance company. Advantage Insurance Company.

What type of life insurance shifts the odds to YOUR favor? Permanent Life Insurance

Not long ago I surrendered my term policy for a permanent policy. I shifted the odds in my favor that my life insurance will be inforce when I die so that my family will receive that money when I die.

If you have term life insurance just know that your policy will more than likely be expired or cancelled when you die. Those are the odds the insurance companies love because you pay in all those premiums for a policy that will never pay to your spouse or kids.

Life is certainly unexpected.

About an hour ago I wrote an article on my blog about life insurance.

A few minutes ago a client calls. I have her auto and homeowners insurance but we do not have their life insurance. Her husband passed away a few weeks ago due to cancer. He was 34 years old.

While he had a little bit of life insurance he leaves behind a wife and two younger children. To adequately provide for all the needs of a single mom with two young children a person would need several hundred thousand dollars of life insurance (in my opinion).

Are you married?

Do you have kids still living at home?

Do you have a mortgage payment?

Would your family suffer financially if you died today?

Do you provide income into your household?

If you want to talk about shifting the life insurance odds to YOUR favor, please call or email me.

Sincerely,
Gary Brown, Agent/Owner
(480) 659-0229

INSURANCE IN ARIZONA

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 07:11:51 -0700

·Are you an Arizona resident who owns a home?
·Do you live outside Arizona but own a home here?

We are an independent insurance agency and broker that offers Insurance in Arizona. We offer exceptionally competitive HOME insurance in Arizona, even if you live in Canada, California, or in Arizona.

If you own a primary home, vacation/seasonal home or rental property in Arizona, contact us for a quote. We shop and compare Insurance in Arizona with many different top rated and leading "A" rated insurance carriers.

For our friends who live OUTSIDE Arizona and buy a home here, we welcome you to contact us for a quote. We already insure many clients from Canada, California, Nevada and elsewhere.

Our goal - to find you the LOWEST rates on your Insurance in Arizona for your home or auto.

We also offer great rates on AUTO insurance too!!

Call me personally for a quote. The quote is FREE and there is no obligation.
We are an independent insurance agency and broker. That means when we quote insurance in Arizona we are able to quote insurance with a large variety of insurance companies, like MetLife, Progressive, Travelers, The Hartford, Unitrin and others.

Why is this good?

Normally, you may call a carrier or agent for a quote and find that they can only give you ONE quote or rate - their own.

We can compare and shop insurance in Arizona with a number of leading and nationally recognized insurance carriers. This allows you to save a lot of time and money because we do the shopping and comparing for you.

We are an Arizona-based company and can help you save money on your insurance.

If you live outside Arizona or even in Canada, contact us for a quote on Insurance in Arizona. We can help you find a good rate with a top rated carrier.
You can SAVE up to 35% or MORE by using our FREE services. We shop and compare INSURANCE IN ARIZONA with leading and top rated insurance companies!

A phone call came in last week from a gentleman who found our website on Google or Yahoo. He seemed very skeptical about our services so I kept talking with him and asking questions.

It seems the part of our service the caused him hesitation was how we were able to compare insurance in arizona with so many different carriers. He was used to seeing the advertisements by Geico, State Farm and others but none by a company that compared rates with so many various companies at one time.

After understanding his concern I explained our services and how we are compensated. The insurance carriers pay us a commission for finding them clients. Yet, our goal is to always help our clients find the LOWEST rate possible. So it becomes a tremendous win-win for the client, our company and the insurance carriers.

This particular client was thrilled that we were able to find a rate much less than what he had been quoted elsewhere. We signed him up with one of our "A" rated carriers and he was very happy.

Our business is that simple - you save money, we earn a small commission and the insurance carrier gets a new, happy customer.

Our Insurance in Arizona is easy to use and our quotes are FREE to the consumer!

If you live in Arizona, outside Arizona or even in Canada please contact us for a quote.

Thanks!!
Gary Brown, Agent/Owner
(480) 659-0229

Feel free to click the following links to read more about auto and home insurance:

Arizona Auto Insurance

Arizona Home Insurance

ARIZONA INSURANCE FOR CANADIANS

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 17:27:01 -0700

An article recently stated that Canadians buy more vacation homes in Arizona than anyone else living outside AZ. In the past, most of our homes purchased for vacation reasons were California residents.

Not any longer.

Our good friends up north are buying a lot of homes in Arizona. And who can blame them? With incredible prices for homes throughout Arizona now is the best time to buy a home - whether you live in AZ or not.

If you are a Canadian resident and you are searching for Arizona Insurance for Canadians, let us help. We have many clients from all over Canada and we help them find LOW rates on Arizona Home Insurance.

Some of the homeowner policies that we have found for our Canadian clients are as low as $300 per year.

We shop Arizona insurance with top ranked and top rated insurance carriers. Give us a call and get a free quote.

Are you already a homeowner who wants to shop around for new insurance? Or, are you buying a home and need home insurance in Arizona?

Let us help.

We offer great rates on Home Insurance in Arizona by shopping and comparing rates with leading and top rated insurance carriers. There is no obligation and the quotes are free and easy.

We can help if you are an Arizona resident who needs Home Insurance in Arizona. Or we can help if you live outside Arizona (Canada or California for example) and you are buying a home in Arizona.

We have many clients who live in Canada, California or elsewhere but they own homes in Arizona.

Need to insure your primary home? Rental Property? Vacation/Seasonal Home?

Let us handle your Home Insurance in Arizona and you will find our rates to be extremely competitive.

If you buy home insurance in Maricopa or any other town outside a major city, be sure to check into the fire department coverage available. Some smaller communities in Arizona do not have a fully staffed fire department. Instead, they often rely on private service from companies like Rural Metro Fire Dept.

Playing around with your fire protection service is dangerous. If your town has no official fire dept and you choose not to subscribe to a service like Rural Metro, you could be potentially on the hook for major costs should your home catch on fire.

In areas where Rural Metro is the available service it is my understanding that they will still reply to your call for help. However, if you are a non-subscriber they will bill you a ton of money per hour their services are used. And these costs are not covered by your insurance policy.

If you want a quote for your primary home, vacation-seasonal home, or rental property please contact me. We offer rates through a variety of top ranked and top rated insurance carriers.

Our goal is to save you money while providing Home Insurance in Maricopa with a top insurance provider.
It's been amazing watching the number of our northern neighbors buy homes in Arizona. And who can blame them? Arizona home prices are probably half price of what they sold for just a few years ago.

According to the National Association of Realtors Canadian residents were the # 1 foreign buyers of U.S. properties in 2009. And my hunch is they will again lead the pack in 2010.

What do I have to say about that, you might ask. Welcome to Arizona, Mr. and Mrs. Canadian resident. We welcome you!!

It's not uncommon for Canadians to pay 3x or 4x the price in their own country, so why wouldn't they invest in a home that will likely appreciate in the future and offers them a great place to vacation.

IF YOU ARE A CANADIAN AND NEED HOME INSURANCE - please contact us for a quote. We shop Arizona Home Insurance with a number of leading and top rated insurance carriers to find great rates.

As an independent insurance agent and broker, I am pretty lucky. My job allows me to contract with various insurance carriers and offer insurance to clients through many different insurance companies.

Which brings me to the subject of offering vacation home insurance in Arizona.

Some people call for a quote but live out of state. Not every insurance company wants to insure a home when the owner lives far away. Yet, there are insurance companies that are ok with that risk.

If you are buying a vacation or 2nd home and need Arizona vacation home insurance, please contact us for a quote. We can insure single family dwellings, condo's and townhomes.
Over the past two years we have received quite a few calls and emails from Canadian residents buying a home in Arizona. Usually the home being purchased will be used as a vacation home or 2nd home.

We are very grateful that so many of our neighbors to the north are buying homes here. It helps our economy tremendously. And knowing they own homes in Arizona will virtually ensure they spend time and money here. So welcome to all you Canadian citizens who are buying your Arizona vacation home and Arizona 2nd home.

We also help with those buying homes in Arizona for investment purposes as rental properties.

If you live outside of Arizona, even in Canada, and are buying a home in Arizona please contact us for a great rate on Arizona home insurance.

Thanks!!!
Gary Brown, Owner
(480) 659-0229

Long Term Care Insurance in Arizona

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 17:19:38 -0700

Long Term Care Insurance may be one of the most least known insurance plans in our country.

LTC Insurance helps pay the cost of a nursing home, assisted living facility or at-home care if you are too sick or injured to care for yourself.

Surprisingly, many young people need Long Term Care. Yet, for the most part, LTC is a product designed for our senior population. Senior citizens usually understand long term care and the impact of paying for it.

Nursing homes can easily cost $50,000 or more today - and those costs are rising. Imagine needing 3-4 years of long term care. How much of a dent will that put into your savings and investments?

If you are age 55 or older you seriously should consider asking us for quotes on Arizona Long Term Care Insurance. We can shop your LTC quote with a lot of top rated and top ranked insurance companies to find the BEST plan for you.

Our goal is to assist you in finding a LOW rate with the BEST carrier.

If you are unfamiliar with long term care or Arizona long term care insurance, please call our office today.

As always, we never pressure anyone and there is no obligation to get more information.
Are you getting older? Concerned about what will happen if you become sick and need assisted living care, at-home nursing assistance or even a nursing home?

A nursing home can cost upwards to $75,000 per year. How long can your finances hold out at that cost? Also, if you need a nursing home care you will need to spend most of your assets before government assistance will kick in.

Long Term Care Insurance is the one product that can help you:

1) Pay for long term care expense
2) Gives you or your family control over where you stay
3) Protects your assets

Call us if you want to learn more about Long Term Care Insurance.
MetLife recently announced they are pulling out of the Long Term Care Insurance market. They still have to continue servicing existing LTC clients and paying claims.

Other carriers may follow suit or make changes to their policies. It was also reported one other long term carrier provider lost a billion dollars, primarily due to costs associated with their long term care payouts.

When insurance companies began selling LTC insurance policies they likely expected a certain percentage of clients to keep their policies for a few years before stopping payments and letting them expire. That has not happened.

To their surprise, a vast majority of clients who bought LTC insurance are keeping the policies.

Truly, it really should not have come as a surprise to insurance companies that this happened. The majority of people who LTC insurance are older and in better shape financially - they can afford those higher LTC premiums.

Plus, Americans are living longer and needing more care than ever before.

There are still companies offering Long Term Care Insurance in Arizona. If you believe you may need this type of coverage, please call me. We can help you make sense of which companies are "A" rated and offer the best rates.

Do we still recommend LTC insurance? Absolutely, maybe now more than ever. If you want to discuss or get a quote, please call me.

Thanks!!!

Gary Brown, Owner
(480) 659-0229

Mesa Arizona Insurance

nospam@example.com (Choice Insurance of Arizona) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:30:47 -0700

Is Mesa's population on the decline?

Recently the city was ranked as the 39th largest city in the United States. That is a drop of one position as they were ranked 38th. Mesa grew by 3,300 people from 2008 - 2009, which is the smallest increase in many years. Once the 2010 numbers are available toward the middle of next year the city will have a better handle on whether their population base is indeed shrinking or going flat.

The city is littered with vacant commercial and residential buildings. Schools have seen a big drop in enrollment. And even trash collections have been reduced by 12%.

BY THE WAY, if you live in Mesa or are moving to Mesa please contact us for a quote on your insurance. We can save you up to 50% by shopping around with a lot of top rated and top ranked insurance carriers to save you money.

After witnessing how Tempe has completely rejuvinated the Tempe Town Lake area, Mesa has its eyes set on revitalizing downtown Mesa.

City leaders are planning several big events for 2010, including a spring break festival in March, July 4th celebration and an Old West Days in November. A fourth event may include classic cars.

Downtown Mesa once was a destination place as past events used to draw thousands, such as Mesa Fine Folk Festival that drew upwards of 125,000 people and a Christmas event that was hugely popular.

As the valley grew other cities began competing more successfully and the events were also subject to budget restraints.

Here is hoping Mesa is successful. It would likely boost tourism to the state once these events became more solidified and well known. Mesa already has a leg up when MLB spring training comes around each spring.

I have lived in Mesa for about 25 years or so. Somehow when I moved to Arizona the Mesa area ended up being home for me. It has always seemed like a small town, though the boundaries and borders of our various valley towns overlap these days.

When I moved here the I60 ended at Power Road. You could get off at Power Road and go north to Apache and continue east if you wanted to visit the Superstition Mountains. Now, the traffic is much more substantial, but at least the freeway now extends the entire drive.

I love quoting Mesa Insurance. Our Mesa Arizona Independent Insurance Agency and Broker represents a number of top rated and top ranked insurance carriers - MetLife, Travelers, Hartford, Kemper, Progressive, Unitrin and many others.

If you want a quote, click this Mesa Insurance link or call (480) 659-0229. The quote is FREE and there is no obligation. We can either save you money or not. So go ahead and request a quote to find out.

Some of our clients saved $100 up to $2000 per year simply by asking for a quote.

While it is true we are a Mesa based insurance broker we do serve ALL of Arizona. However, our family has lived in Mesa since 1988 and love the city and the area.

As an independent insurance agency and broker we shop Mesa Auto Insurance with a lot of top rated insurance companies. Our goal is to help our clients pay LESS for their insurance.

If you own a car and pay for auto insurance, please contact us for a quote.

We shop Mesa Auto Insurance with leading carriers, such as Travelers, Hartford, MetLife, Unitrin and many others. Why not save yourself some money? Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote. Some of our clients saved hundreds of dollars by letting us shop for their insurance.

Click Here to begin: Mesa Auto Insurance

We love saving Mesa residents money on their insurance. While we offer and sell insurance throughout Arizona our home is in Mesa. However, we have clients in Phoenix, Tucson, and even in rural communities around the State of Arizona.

The population in Mesa is around 450,000. The city is split almost evenly between men and women, though there are slightly more females than males in the city. The average Mesa resident is 32 years old while the average age of an Arizona resident is around 34 years of age. The medium income in Mesa Arizona is just over $50,000, a little higher than the average Arizona resident when comparing the state as a whole.

If you want to pay LESS for your Mesa insurance ask us for a quote and save up to 35% on low cost Mesa Arizona insurance.