WHY ARE MY CAR INSURANCE RATES GOING UP?

Have you been asking yourself this question, especially if you have not had any accidents, tickets or claims?

Even if you have personally had no event that should raise your rates, across-the-board rates are impersonally calculated based on general factor affecting the overall area.

Our insurance carriers are telling us rate increases are happening because of such factors as:

• More cars on the road mean more accidents are happening.
• Supply chain issues are making it more costly to repair or replace a vehicle after an accident.
• The higher demand for new and used cars, combined with low current car inventories, is making car prices rise.
• All of these factors are driving up claim costs, which in turn must necessitate an increase in our insurance rates.

Bottom line, we are all in this together, even those of us with great driving record and no claims.  Of course, you can always rely on your personal insurance agent to look out for your best interests when it comes to quoting or servicing your insurance needs.

To learn more about the BIVONA INSURANCE GROUP, LLC go to www.bivonainsurance.com.

(To learn more about this TOPIC, check out “CAR INSURANCE RATE INCREASE .”)

The post WHY ARE MY CAR INSURANCE RATES GOING UP? appeared first on Bivona Insurance Group-Old.

If you have recently acquired or inherited irreplaceable and valuable items from a friend or loved one, it is important to know what options are available to protect your home from theft.

A successful solution is a home security camera system that keeps a watchful eye on your home even when you’re not around. The average burglary costs a homeowner $1,700. Adding a home camera security system to your home makes economic sense, and may deter or even catch a home intruder.

One of the biggest advantages of adding a home camera security system is that it watches your home when you are not able to. Many camera security system packages allow you to be notified on your handheld electronic device, remotely, wherever you are, if someone has entered your property, or has rung your doorbell. Some home security camera systems even enable you to speak directly to the person approaching your front door, notifying them that you are there, actively monitoring and watching your home.

Adding one of these systems might also lower your home insurance premiums. Have your agent check with your carrier for any possible discounts. A homeowner’s insurance policy is designed to cover losses or damages that may occur as a result of several different types of devastating events. A security system may prevent burglary, or assist police in recovering stolen property.

To learn more about the BIVONA INSURANCE GROUP, LLC go to www.bivonainsurance.com.

(To learn more about this TOPIC, check out HOME SECURITY CAMERA SYSTEMS .”)

The post HAVE YOU ACQUIRED VALUABLE INHERITANCE? HOME SECURITY CAMERA SYSTEMS ARE RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS! appeared first on Bivona Insurance Group-Old.

“The information provided in this website is for illustration purposes only. Only the insurance policy itself contains complete coverage information. For premium quotes, specific coverage options, products and services, please contact us.”

Cyber Shopping is a dream come true.  We can buy—or sell—literally 24/7/365, everything from toilet paper to televisions, from comic books to cars.

Cyber Shopping is a dream come true for cyber thieves—and a NIGHTMARE for their victims.

If you are a business owner, you need to be aware of the new threat to businesses of every size.: CYBER ATTACKS.

Our industry resources advise us that:

• The average cost of a ransomware attack is $5 million.
• It takes an average of 191 days for an organization to discover it has been beached.

Speak to your commercial insurance agent TODAY to see how you can protect your business and your assets against cyber crime.  Jim Bivona, at BIVONA INSURANCE GROUP, LLC, has over 30 years experience in personal and commercial insurance, and will be able to guide you. Call 623-256-1000.

To learn more about the threats out there, search CYBER CRIME.

To learn more about the BIVONA INSURANCE GROUP, LLC go to www.bivonainsurance.com.

The post CYBER ATTACKS appeared first on Bivona Insurance Group-Old.

We here at BIVONA INSURANCE GROUP, LLC, want to provide you with the insurance coverages that will protect you and your assets in the event of a loss.  However,  we are also interested in helping our family of clients prevent loss wherever we can.

With our population continuing to age, with many of us are concerned about aging parents and loved ones.

Statistics from the CDC states tell us that falls among older adults are extremely common.  Every year in the United States, approximately 2.5 million older adults are treated for fall injuries, and about 1% of those result in death.  Caregivers, both family and professional, are concerned about fall prevention for their loved ones or patients.

Assisted Living Research Institute, a group devoted to the needs of our aging population, has a section devoted to medical alert systems.  For their information, go to https://www.assistedliving.org/best-medical-alert-systems/

The post THE ROLE OF MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEMS appeared first on Bivona Insurance Group-Old.

Financing a newer car? Then, yes, you probably do need to buy gap insurance to cover any shortfall between the car’s value and the outstanding loan should there be a theft or total loss.
The good news is that you can most likely add gap insurance to your current policy when you add the car. If you buy gap insurance from the dealership, that premium is added to the loan amount and you will be paying for it, plus interest, for the length of the loan. A quick call to your insurance agent is all you need.

Need an agent? Call Jim at BIVONA INSURANCE GROUP, LLC 623-256-1000

The post WHAT IS GAP INSURANCE . . . . AND DO I NEED IT? appeared first on Bivona Insurance Group-Old.

Home Insurance in Arizona is a necessity for any person who owns property and wants to protect their assets. Nature Disasters theft and accidents are a few problems that can happen on your home or property. We are leading providers of home insurance in Glendale Peoria Anthem Phoenix  as well as the entire state of Arizona. For more information on home insurance and how to qualify contact us today at 623-256-1000

Top 8 reasons:

• Theft
• Fire
• Liability
• Wind Damage to Roof
• Water Damage from leaky Pipes
• Accidents
• Natural Disaster
• Unforeseen Event

The post Top 8 Reasons to Purchase Home Insurance in Arizona appeared first on Bivona Insurance Group-Old.

It is probably time to give a thought to giving a close look at all of your Insurance Policies!  Occasionally, we can better understand something if we take a look at where it “came from.”  Such may very well be the case with WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION.

“As is so often the case,” Jim Bivona of Bivona Insurance Group, LLC, an Independent Insurance Agency that serves the Phoenix Metro area regarding Insurance including Phoenix, Scottsdale, Glendale, and Peoria, Arizona to name just a few, shared, with just a hint of reflection in his voice, “WORMEN’S COMP was not an ‘over-night’ success, so to speak.  Rather, it took a while to become what we know it as today.”

Bivona couldn’t be more right.  The whole concept of WORKMEN’S COMP became a reality in the United States in 1855, when Alabama and Georgia enacted Employer Liability Acts.  By 1907, twenty six other states had invoked similar Acts.  The crux of the verbiage in these laws allowed employees to sue an employer, providing an opportunity for them to prove an act of negligence or omission had taken place.  Every state had enacted a WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION Program by 1949.

In the beginning, WORKMEN’S COMP was issued on a voluntary basis.  Mandatory coverage, it was argued, would violate the 14^th Amendment - – creating a situation where the employer would be deprived of “property without due process.”  A United States Supreme Court ruling in 1917 (New York Central Railway Co v White), however, determined that such was not the case.  As a result, many states enacted compulsory WORKMEN’S COMP laws.

“One of the major concerns a company has regarding WORKMEN’S COMP,” Bivona went on to add, “revolves around the cost factor.  What I always assure them is, compared to the good will it affords employees, to say nothing of the security!, the cost is far outweighed by the benefits.”

To say this is an understatement would be a gross understatement in itself!  In a 2010 National Compensation Survey conducted by the BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, it was noted that the cost factor varied per the industry, as indicated below:

• 4.4% – Construction Industry
• 1.8 % – Manufacturing Industry
• 1.3% – Service Industry
• 1.6% – Over-all Average of Cost

Understanding WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION is an important aspect of Business Knowledge. As a result, you should contact Jim Bivona at 623-256-1000 with any questions, and he will be happy to discuss this concept with you in greater detail, and suggest some ways you may be able to improve your Business Coverage.

To learn more about the BIVONA INSURANCE GROUP, LLC go to www.bivonainsurance.com.

(To learn more about this issue, check out “WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION.”)

The post ARE YOU AND YOUR STAFF “UP TO SNUFF” ON WORKMEN’S COMP? appeared first on Bivona Insurance Group-Old.

Does anyone make mistakes in Business on purpose?  Probably not.  Are mistakes made in Business? Probably daily!  As a result, it is wise to have at least a rudimentary understanding of what Errors & Omissions Insurance (E & O) is all about, and access to an Independent Insurance Agent who knows all of the “ins and outs” of E & O Insurance.

“The protection that E & O Insurance offers,” Jim Bivona of Bivona Insurance Group, LLC, an Independent Insurance Agency that serves the Phoenix Metro area regarding Insurance including Phoenix, Scottsdale, Glendale, and Peoria, Arizona to name just a few, shared, “is for a company’s owner, employees, and even sub-contractors.  As every Business has different needs, the policy you purchase should be specific to the Business you are in.”

Bivona went on to share that one of the more important aspects of an E & O Policy is its “Retroactive Clause,” which states how far back the policy offers coverage.

“As strange as it may seem on the surface,” Bivona offered with a tad of incredulity in his voice, “E & O Insurance is important and valuable to you even if it is proven that there was no wrong doing on your part.”

This, Bivona explained, is due to the fact that the E & O Policy helps to cover legal fees and other related expenses, which, if absorbed by a company itself, can put more than a little financial burden on a company.

Understanding Errors & Omissions Insurance is an important aspect of Business Knowledge. As a result, you should contact Jim Bivona at 623-256-1000 with any questions, and he will be happy to discuss this concept with you in greater detail, and suggest some ways you may be able to improve your Business Coverage.

To learn more about the BIVONA INSURANCE GROUP, LLC go to www.bivonainsurance.com.

(To learn more about this issue, check out “ERRORS & OMISSIONS INS.”)

The post ERRORS & OMISSIONS INSURANCE AND YOUR PHOENIX, ARIZONA SMALL BUSINESS appeared first on Bivona Insurance Group-Old.

In our last post we discussed a number of terms associated with DIRECTORS & OFFICERS LIAILITY INSURANCE (D & O).  Our emphasis today is going to be to concentrate on the Policyholder’s Obligations, which will, hopefully, prevent regret on your part by falling victim to the bane of Insurance: Lack of Knowledge!

“For the most part,” Jim Bivona of Bivona Insurance Group, LLC, an Independent Insurance Agency that serves the Phoenix Metro area regarding Insurance including Phoenix, Scottsdale, Glendale, and Peoria, Arizona to name just a few, shared with degree of authority in his voice, “the Policyholder’s Obligations are Claim Related.  However, there are a few others we should probably know about as well.”

These include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• You must, obviously, pay the required Policy Premium.
• You must keep the Insurer advised of Organizational Change, such as change of ownership.
• A Private Company needs to advise the Insurer if the company is going to go Public.

As Bivona shared, most of the issues you need to be aware of deal with Claims.  Some of the things this encompasses are:

• Notice of Claim: Typically within a specified time frame.
• Consent to Counsel: Carrier must approve the lawyers the Insured chooses.
• Cooperation: It is required that the Insured will cooperate with the Carrier.
• Consent to Settlement: The Insured must advise the Carrier of all Settlement Discussions, and the Carrier must approve all Settlements!

Understanding your Obligations is an important aspect of D & O Coverage. As a result, you should contact Jim Bivona at 623-256-1000 with any questions, and he will be happy to discuss this concept with you in greater detail, and suggest some ways you may be able to improve your Business Coverage.

To learn more about the BIVONA INSURANCE GROUP, LLC go to www.bivonainsurance.com.

(To learn more about this issue, check out “DIRCETORS & OFFICERS INSURANCE”)

The post DIRECTORS & OFFICERS LIABILITY INSURANCE AND YOUR ANTHEM, ARIZONA LLC – PART II appeared first on Bivona Insurance Group-Old.

While an LLC does protect an individual’s personal assets in case of litigation against the company, it does not ensure that the principals involved with the company are not above reproach, and may not stand to face litigation which could adversely affect their financial situation.  As a result, it would be to your advantage to make sure that you are fully familiar with DIRECTORS & OFFICERS LIABILITY INSURANCE AND YOUR ANTHEM, ARIZONA LLC.

“Someone is often held responsible for the actions of a company, including an LLC,” Jim Bivona of Bivona Insurance Group, LLC, an Independent Insurance Agency that serves the Phoenix Metro area regarding Insurance including Phoenix, Scottsdale, Glendale, and Peoria, Arizona to name just a few, shared, “and most frequently that ‘someone’ is the Directors and Officers.”

This particular form of Insurance is, without a doubt, one of the more complicated to fully understand, as there are a host of nuances that need to be considered.  These include, but are not limited to:

• A full understanding of the “Claims Made” vs. “Occurrence” aspect of the Policy.
• Fully understanding what a “Claim” is in this particular type of Policy.
• In regard to “Loss,” the D & O Policy stipulates, what, exactly, will be covered. Terms that need to be fully understood here include Indemnity Issues, Attorney’s Fees, and those costs not covered!
• There are, of course, “Wrongful Acts,” for which your Policy may not be able to help you. Knowing what these are in the jurisdiction you are operating is paramount in making sure you have proper protection.
• As might be expected, the more complex the organizational structure involved the more “particular challenges” might be encountered.
• “I think,” Bivona added, “that while I always suggest an Independent Advisor be used when searching for Insurance, for D & O Coverage it is especially imperative!”

As previously mentioned, the complexity of determining the proper D & O Coverage is intensified because of the fact that there are so many mitigating circumstances to be considered. As a result, you should contact Jim Bivona at 623-256-1000 with any questions, and he will be happy to discuss this concept with you in greater detail, and suggest some ways you may be able to improve your Business Coverage.

To learn more about the BIVONA INSURANCE GROUP, LLC go to www.bivonainsurance.com.

(To learn more about this issue, check out “DIRCETORS & OFFICERS INSURANCE”)

The post DIRECTORS & OFFICERS LIABILITY INSURANCE AND YOUR ANTHEM, ARIZONA LLC – PART I appeared first on Bivona Insurance Group-Old.