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Alta Vista Insurance Agency

2585 Pio Pico Dr, Suite 100
Carlsbad, CA 92008

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Why Having Renters Insurance Is Important

Is renters insurance coverage necessary? This is a question that we get a lot here at Alta Vista Insurance Agency in Vista, CA. After all, if this is not your property, shouldn’t it be the landlord’s responsibility to protect it? But our answer will always remain a resounding yes!

Here’s why renters need to purchase this type of coverage:

Protects Your Personal Belongings

Take a look at all the items you have in your home. If disaster was to strike, how would you replace your electronics, furniture, appliances, and clothes? No one predicts things like fire or theft, yet they happen. Purchasing renters insurance allows you to protect all these items because you’re covered should you be exposed to risks.

Your Landlord Insurance Doesn’t Cover You

Most tenants assume their landlords’ insurance coverage extends to them, but that’s not true. The landlord’s policy is specifically for the structure itself. If the common area or fence is damaged in an accident, your landlord’s policy will cover that. But how about your personal items? Those are your responsibility, and you need coverage for that.

Protects you Against Liability Claims

If a visitor gets hurt in your home, you are required to cover their medical bills. And if they sue you, you will have no option but to pay the following legal fees. Renters insurance takes this burden from you through liability coverage. If someone gets injured on your premises, the policy will cover the resulting expenses up to your liability limit.

Coverage for Additional Living Expenses

At times, the damage to your home can be so bad that you have to move out as the house is repaired. In such cases, your policy will cover expenses like accommodation, transport, and food.

Get Renters Insurance Today

As you can see, renters insurance is necessary to protect your assets and peace of mind. If you’re renting in the greater Vista, CA community, get in touch with Alta Vista Insurance Agency and get started on important insurance coverage.

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Will Renter’s Insurance Replace Your Baseball Card Collection?

Alta Vista Insurance Agency has helped many Vista, CA home or apartment renters find great renter’s insurance policies for their needs. For example, we have helped people with extensive baseball card collections protect this investment from various serious dangers.

What Renter’s Insurance Covers

Renter’s insurance covers a handful of unique elements: liability, personal property, medical expenses, and loss of use. The most important coverage option for your baseball card collection is personal property. If you have a high-value collection in your rented home or apartment, your policy may protect you.

It is important to get an estimate of your collection’s overall value and to get that estimate in writing. Store this information somewhere protected, such as in a deposit box or a safe. A standard renter’s insurance policy should have enough protection to pay for your replacement.

Your Policy May Cover Many Issues

What exactly will your policy protect your collection from experiencing? Your renter’s insurance may cover the replacement cost if your cards are destroyed or stolen, up to your policy limit. That’s why it is important to get coverage that is broad enough to pay for your baseball cards.

Note that your policy may cap off at a specific percentage if your items are stolen from your vehicle. This limit means that you may want to store your baseball cards in your home, rather than in your car when buying renter’s insurance. Doing so can minimize your risk of loss.

Do You Need a Policy?

If you need a renter’s insurance policy, please contact us at Alta Vista Insurance Agency. Our team will work with you to find a Vista, CA renter’s policy that will cover your baseball card collection. In this way, they are safe for that day when you finally sell them and make big bucks.

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No Worries Podcast #3 Solar For Homebuyers and Real Estate

In this episode I talk with my good friend Alec about the basics of solar when it comes to homeownership. We talk about some important things to know when thinking about adding solar to a home and what to look for when purchasing a home with solar installed.

Alec also shares some great information about other home improvements that can reduce your power usage and out of pocket expenses.

We had a great conversation and I learned a lot about the benefits of solar and ways to be more efficient with our power usage when it comes to residential real estate.

Learn how to properly insure your solar! Setup an appointment and we can review your insurance and help you be financially protected. Looking for a better solution to insure your real estate property? Save money and get a quote today!

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Property Insurance FAQs

If you own properties, you know how much time and resources it has taken you to accumulate your assets. With this in mind, you may not want anything to happen to your valuables. As such, investing in property insurance from Alta Vista Insurance Agency in Vista, CA, is the best decision you can make.

Do you have questions about property insurance? Worry not. We have put together a property insurance FAQs section to help you understand this coverage in detail.

What does property insurance cover?

This coverage protects your assets against loss or damage from perils like fire, theft, vandalism, and other risks included in your policy. Property insurance shields your buildings, equipment, inventories, and other assets from damages or losses that can inflict significant financial losses on your business.

Do you want peace of mind? Do you want to keep financial disturbances away from your assets? Investing in property insurance should be your number one priority. While property insurance doesn’t prevent risks from happening, it ensures you are not alone when catastrophes strike.

What does property insurance exclude?

Like other insurance coverages, property insurance doesn’t cover you against all risks — it has exceptions and exclusions. Typical property insurance doesn’t cover damage or loss from:

  • Floods and earthquakes
  • Employee theft
  • Intentional acts
  • Damage from neglect
  • Product defects due to manufacturing errors
  • Equipment breakdowns

Who needs property insurance?

Like general liability insurance, property insurance isn’t mandatory, but you must invest in it to protect your assets. Whether online or physical, all businesses should invest in property insurance to ensure they don’t start from scratch when the unthinkable strikes.

Invest in property insurance today!

Would you like to invest in property insurance in Vista, CA, and its environs? Look no further than Alta Vista Insurance Agency. Since we understand that the asset portfolio of one policyholder differs from the other, we provide personalized property insurance coverage to fit your individual needs.

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How Does Renters’ Insurance Work?

When you are renting a home, you always need to keep renters’ insurance in order to protect yourself and your wallet. If you rent and don’t yet have renters’ insurance, give us a call now at Alta Vista Insurance Agency in Vista, CA.

Coverage for Your Belongings

If you have a home full of items, you aren’t alone. We all like to have our things around us, and it can be upsetting not to. If there were an incident that harmed your belongings, ruining or destroying them, your renters’ insurance policy would help you to pay for replacements for everything lost. This can help you significantly by getting you back on your feet financially after a disaster or other incident. 

Coverage for Your Liability

If you rent a home, you don’t own it, so there are certain things that you don’t have to insure, such as the dwelling itself. However, since you are living in it, you can be held liable for someone else’s injuries if they should have an accident in your home. This can be unlimited amounts of medical bills, even if the accident wasn’t that bad. With your renters’ insurance, these bills get paid by the policy up to the maximum amount on the policy. 

Protection for Yourself

If something major like a disaster happened that caused serious damage to your rented home, you don’t have to live in it while it’s being fixed. A home that is uninhabitable may be your only option if you can’t afford to pay to live somewhere else while the repairs are being completed. However, your renters’ insurance policy will pay for you to do so. 

Protect Your Home

If you rent and don’t have a renters’ policy yet, contact us right away at Alta Vista Insurance Agency in Vista, CA to speak to an agent.

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Is condo insurance in Vista a good investment?

If you are in the Vista, CA area, you will find that owning a home provides many advantages. This includes having a stable place to live and benefiting from long-term price appreciation. If you decide to purchase a home here, getting the right insurance is important. For condo owners, having a condo insurance plan is a good investment due to the valuable coverages it provides. 

Coverage Protects Assets

A key reason that you will want to have a condo insurance plan is that it can protect your assets. If you are going to purchase a condo, you will be making a major investment that needs protection. With the insurance policy, you are going to have the right coverage in place to ensure you can repair your condo if there is damage or another incident that results in a loss. 

Liability Coverage

You should also get condo insurance as it will give you liability protection. Condo owners could face liability claims if a leak or other mechanical flaw in their property causes damage to another unit or public parts of the property. Further, you face liability risk if a guest in your condo gets hurt. This risk can always be mitigated by getting a condo insurance plan for your property. 

Condo owners in the Vista, CA area need to take their ownership and insurance needs seriously. As you are looking for a new condo insurance plan in this part of California, a great option is to work with Alta Vista Insurance Agency. You will have a lot of important choices to make when looking for condo insurance and Alta Vista Insurance Agency can be quite helpful. The team can address your questions and concerns while providing any support needed to choose an appropriate policy. 

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Alta Vista Insurance Was Chosen As One Of The Best Homeowners Insurance Agencies in Vista, California By Expertise.com

Expertise.com scored 65 agencies in Vista, California and selected the top 8 for 2021!

Recognition as a subject matter expert in homeowners insurance in San Diego, California shows how dedicated we are to helping our clients protect their lifestyles and their most valuable assets, their homes. So, when Alta Vista Insurance was selected as one of the top 8 personal lines insurance agencies in Vista, California for homeowners insurance by expertise.com we were very excited to be recognized for the amazing service we provide to our San Diego community and throughout California.

Our goal is to be an expert in real estate asset protection in San Diego, California. Focusing on property insurance is one of the cornerstones of our clients’ asset portfolios and that’s where we shine. Providing the proper education about the importance of financial protection gives our clients a solid foundation to build wealth and achieve financial freedom. Partner that with a subject matter expert that specializes in personal insurance like homeowners insurance, auto insurance, landlord insurance, flood insurance and earthquake insurance along with commercial property insurance, general liability insurance, commercial auto insurance, workers compensation, and cyber liability insurance in California and you have a healthy ecosystem to protect your personal and commercial assets.

“We want to give our clients the personal guidance and advice, so they feel empowered to make educated choices about their insurance. Be the guide in their story. We want to guide our clients through their insurance protection and put a plan together that leads our customers to success, so they can reach new heights. We invite our clients into a story where they have peace of mind and all their assets are properly protected.”

This is another feather in our cap and award to put on our mantel. The last two years, 2019 and 2020 Alta Vista Insurance was selected as Agency For The Future with Safeco Insurance and Liberty Mutual!

“This group includes some of the most innovative agencies in the entire independent agent channel. While they are all unique – each with their own distinct value proposition, customer focus and company culture – what they have most in common is in just how prepared they were to tackle the challenges of 2020 head on. They quickly adapted to the changing market conditions brought about by the pandemic, fully embraced digital to ensure the customer experienced remained strong, and continued to cultivate great corporate cultures to keep their teams engaged.”

-Tyler Asher, President of independent agency distribution for Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance.

The “proof is in the pudding”. I could go on and on and tell you all about the great work we do for our clients but it’s better to hear their stories. Check out some our client testimonials on our Google Business Page.

As an independent agency here in Vista, California since 1978, we’re no stranger to the neighborhood. Ever since then we’ve focused on personal and commercial property in San Diego, California working with real estate investors, property owners, homeowners, and new home buyers to give them the right plan to protect their lifestyles. We also focus efforts on helping other strategic partners in San Diego, California grow their businesses through our expertise and knowledge as an insurance guide to help them reach new heights in their businesses and provide their clients with a personal risk manager. We form long lasting relationships throughout Vista, California and all of San Diego with real estate agents, commercial real estate agents, property managers, mortgage lenders, bankers, CPA’s and attorneys.

We work strategically with business partners, especially real estate agents, to help those individuals grow their businesses, save time, and save money. One of our main focuses is to help agents close their transactions smoothly and on time and provide their clients with the proper protection they need for their lifestyles so they can live their best life. Insurance is a relationship business. Our goal is to build long lasting relationships with our clients, business partners, and our community.”

Expertise.com based their selections on a number of different criteria. They also looked at our online presence and social proof. They even took the time to test our strengthens with their surprise “mystery shopper” calls to ensure their list of insurance agencies are of the highest quality. Let’s just say, we passed with flying colors! Our staff was friendly, accommodating and answered all questions about bundling personal insurance and available discounts. Their selection criteria consists of five major categories.

Top Homeowners Insurance Agencies in Vista

1. Availability

Consistently approachable and responsive, so customers never feel ignored.

2. Qualifications

Building customer confidence with licensing, accreditations, and awards.

3. Reputation

A history of delighted customers and outstanding service.

4. Experience

Masters of their craft, based on years of practical experience and education.

5. Professionalism

Providing service with honesty, reliability, and respect.

Recognition and awards tell a story that we’re doing things right and putting our clients in San Diego, California first and we’re just getting started. Leveraging technology and our systems to create a seamless positive customer experience is a big focus as we look at new ways to meet the needs of our customers in the 21st century. We’re using more video and social media to educate our clients throughout the customer journey. Text messaging alerts and automation to keep clients informed about policy notifications and upcoming renewals has been a great addition to our client experience. During COVID-19 we’re able to reach our customers through virtual meetings using Microsoft Teams and book appointments using our online virtual calendar. If you’re looking for a better insurance experience and a personal guide to keep you informed about how to protect your lifestyle, we’d like to welcome you to Alta Vista Insurance.

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Morgan and Seth Podcast Episode 2

Episode 2

Morgan and Seth talk about the crazy week the stock market experienced with the GameStop short squeeze, retail investors and the market manipulation, the real estate market in Southern California and how to protect those assets and why real estate continues to be a healthy and strong investment strategy.

Don’t miss this episode and make sure you like, comment, and subscribe because we love doing this!

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Morgan and Seth Podcast Episode 1

Episode 1

We started a podcast! This is not your regular insurance podcast.

Since we’re in the business of protecting our client’s real estate assets, we thought it would be valuable to talk about real estate as a primary investment strategy, how to build wealth through real estate, and the best way to protect those assets.

We also talk about current events and how they relate to investing and talk to subject matter experts in the industry to hear their stories and give us some guidance on best practices so you can be financially protected, build wealth, and live your best life. We also have some fun along the way!

Check it out! Time for the call to action! Like, comment, subscribe!

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Coronavirus Insurance Relief

California Department of Insurance Orders All Insurance Companies to Offer Relief Refunds

In these rapidly changing times one thing remains constant, protecting your lifestyle. Taking care of our clients, our employees and our community is our top priority. I am proud to see that our industry is taking the necessary steps to provide financial relief to consumers and business owners throughout California. Since the shelter in place order many consumers and businesses have been doing their part to stop the spread of the Coronavirus. Now, the insurance companies are providing a little more relief from paying insurance premiums for specific lines of business. We’ll breakdown the latest bulletins from the Department of Insurance highlighting which types of policies are getting relief refunds. It’s important to contact your agent or insurance company and inquire about the steps each company is taking to implement their refunds to policyholders.

According to the Department of Insurance’s Bulletin 2020-3, to protect consumers and to provide consistent direction to the insurance industry regarding misclassifications of risk resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and to address certain issues raised in CFC’s petition, Commissioner Lara hereby orders insurers to make an initial premium refund for the months of March and April to all adversely impacted
California policyholders in the following lines of insurance, as quickly as practicable, but in any event no later than 120 days after the date of this Bulletin:

  • Private passenger automobile insurance
  • Commercial automobile insurance
  • Workers’ compensation insurance
  • Commercial multiple peril insurance
  • Commercial liability insurance
  • Medical malpractice insurance
  • Any other line of coverage where the measures of risk have become substantially
    overstated as a result of the pandemic.

Commissioner Lara grants each insurer reasonable flexibility in determining how best to quickly and fairly accomplish the refund of premium to policyholders. Insurers may comply with the premium refund order by providing a premium credit, reduction, return of premium, or other appropriate premium adjustment.

It’s important to check with your individual insurance company to inquire about their method of premium adjustment. 

Read the full bulletin from The CA Department of Insurance Commissioner, Ricardo Lara


CA Dept of Insurance Bulletin 2020-3

California Department of Insurance Requirement to Accept, Forward, Acknowledge, and Fairly Investigate All Business Interruption Insurance Claims Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic

Business Interruption insurance is an optional coverage that may be purchased as part of a comprehensive multi-peril commercial policy, business owners’ policy, or on a stand-alone basis. Many small and large California businesses purchase Business Interruption insurance to protect against the loss of income and other losses caused by an interruption to the normal operations of the business.

The California Department of Insurance (Department) continues to encourage businesses to review their policies, including policy exclusions, coverage limits, and applicable deductibles, and contact their insurance companies to determine what their policies cover as each insurance policy is different and the coverage varies. However, despite the Department’s on-going guidance to businesses statewide during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has received numerous complaints from businesses, public officials, and other stakeholders asserting that certain insurers, agents, brokers, and insurance company representatives are attempting to dissuade policyholders from filing a notice of claim under its Business Interruption insurance coverage, or refusing to open and investigate these claims upon receipt of a notice of claim.

Therefore, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara finds it necessary to issue this Notice to ensure that all agents, brokers, insurance companies, and other licensees accept, forward, acknowledge, and fairly investigate all business interruption insurance claims submitted by businesses.

After conducting a thorough, fair, and objective investigation of the claim, the insurer must accept or deny the claim, in whole or in part, immediately, but in no event more than 40 days after receipt of the proof of claim. The amount of the claim accepted or denied by the insurer must be clearly documented in the claim file unless the claim has been denied in its entirety. (Regulations, section 2695.7(b).)

If you’re a business owner that has been physically impacted by COVID-19, we highly recommend reviewing your policy along with any exclusions, coverage limits, deductibles and endorsements and contact your insurance company to determine if there is appropriate coverage provided.


Business Interruption Insurance Claims Caused by the COVID-19

We’ve compiled a list of our insurance companies we represent and their claims department information. If you do not see your insurance company listed, refer to your current insurance policy. 

Liberty Mutual 

  • Small Business Claims 844-325-2467 
  • Mid/Large Business 800-362-0000

CIG 800-986-9974

Travelers 800-238-6225

Mercury 888- 313-6372

Nationwide 800-421-3535

Progressive 800-274-4499 

Safeco 800-332-3226

Encompass 800-588-7400 

Kemper 888-252-2799

Chubb 800-682-4822

American Modern 800-375-2075

First American Property and Casualty 800-348-3782

Mapfre 877-627-3735

Stay healthy and safe. Practice social distancing, wear a mask when entering retail establishments, and wash your hands. Everyone is doing their part to flatten the curve. We appreciate everyone’s efforts to assists families, local businesses, and their communities. Thank you for being a part of Alta Vista Insurance

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