Frequently asked questions

Officially we operate Monday through Friday from 9.00 AM to 5.30 PM PST, except Holidays. We are always closed on the weekends.

In Northern California:

Telephone - (408) 224-4650

Fax - (408) 224-4647

Electronic Mail -        

US mail - 5450 Thornwood Drive, Suite K, San Jose, CA 95123

In person - 5450 Thornwood Drive, Suite K, San Jose, CA 95123
 

In Southern California:

Telephone - (858) 569-8100

Fax - (858) 569-8102

Electronic Mail -        

US mail - P.O. BOX 2178, Santa Clara, CA. 95055-2178

In person - 3914 Murphy Canyon Road., Suite A164, San Diego, CA. 92123

IMPORTANT: Binding your insurance coverage or making changes to an existing policy can only be accomplished by telephone or in person.

Presently we are licensed in California only. Our office is located in San Jose, CA., and we offer business state-wide. Please feel free to contact us regarding a quote for your business or personal insurance need anywhere in California.

We first opened our agency in 1977.

Yes, We do for all types of Liability insurance for businesses and individuals including the products below:

Comprehensive Personal Liability;

General Liability for all types of businesses;

Product Liability for manufacturers;

Professional Liability including "Errors and Omission policies for professionals";

Directors and Officers Liability;

Employment Practices Liability.

If you don't see the type of liability coverage you're interested in , please contact our office by telephone, fax or email.

We also write most other types of insurance policies. If you have a question about a specific line of insurance not mentioned on our website, or you want to know if we have coverage for your special need, please contact us. "We will find a way to help you."

Yes. Many of our insurance markets now require that Workers Compensation coverage be supported by at least one other line of Insurance (i.e., they write your business policy, general liability or commercial auto policy). However, work comp specialty insurers do not have this requirement. We have access to both types of these markets. Complete our simple quote form, and we'll do our very best to obtain a quote for your business.

There is no one answer to this question as each company has a different minimum premium. Also, minimum premiums are always changing. The minimum premium for a given insurer will also depend on your business type, the line of insurance, and the type of policy.

Some insurance companies writing small business policies still have minimum premiums of $500. However the current trend is towards raising the minimum premium to at least $750 or $1,000. Very few companies are writing policies with premiums below $750. In addition to the premium there are generally fees, and if the company is a non-admitted, surplus lines insurer additional taxes are always applicable.

Personal insurance policies, such as auto and home insurance, generally have smaller minimum premiums. Some companies offer these policies with premiums as low as $200 to $350.

The short answer is "Yes." But, before we use "non-admitted insurers" (companies not licensed or regulated by the California Department of Insurance), we make a diligent effort to find for our clients insurance through California admitted, licensed and regulated Insurance companies.

It is not always possible (or in the client's best interest) to be insured by an admitted insurance company. Admitted insurers do not offer certain types of insurance, and often do not offer coverage to certain business classes or certain insurable exposures. For this reason an alternative marketplace exists, and for many business and personal insurable exposures a non-admitted insurance company may be the only market to find insurance through. When we use a non- admitted insurer we only offer coverage through companies that have received the approval of the California Department of Insurance to transact business on a non-admitted basis.

To check whether a non-admitted insurance company has been approved to do business in California, please go to our link to the California Department of Insurance's website.

We cannot guarantee that an insurance company is solvent beyond the date we place or renew your insurance coverage with it. Within the course of a policy period an insurer's financial status can go from fiscally sound to insolvent, especially in today's marketplace.

However, before placing your insurance with a carrier or renewing it with them we do our "due diligence", and we advise you to do the same. There are a number of independent firms (such as Standard and Poor) that rate Insurance companies on such matters as solvency, integrity in handling claims, and many other aspects of their business. On our Website we have a 'FREE' link to AMBEST Insurance Rating Company, one of the rating companies. We use them to reference an insurance company's solvency and we recommend that you start with them in reviewing any insurance company we suggest placing your insurance coverage with.

There are other resources that you can access through our website to review and monitor the insurance companies . We've added them to our site so you can keep updated on what's going on in the Insurance market and we welcome your use of our site for that purpose.