Car, home and business insurance questions, answered

An independent agency works with several insurance companies instead of one. We work with 30 insurance companies, including Mercury Insurance, Travelers, Bristol West, Steadily, Obie and NEXT. That includes Mercury Insurance car and home policies, so one conversation shows you options from more than one carrier. A captive agent usually sells one company's policies. Which carriers will offer you a policy depends on what you're insuring and each company's underwriting. Our guide to independent vs. captive insurance agents explains the difference.

Brian Iriana or Dolores Alvarez. We're a two-person, family-run agency, so you deal with the same two people from your first quote to every later change, renewal question or claim. Brian is the owner and licensed agent (CA license #0G73836), and Dolores handles client service. You won't be routed to a call center. Read more about us.

During business hours (Mon to Fri, 9 AM to 4 PM) we usually call back within the hour. If you send one in the evening or on a weekend, expect a call the next business morning. If something is time-sensitive, such as a lender deadline or a DMV filing, call the office at (818) 909-7486 and tell us, or start with the quote form and mention the deadline.

For a car quote: the drivers in your household with their birth dates, the vehicles (year, make and model, or the VIN) and your current coverage. For a home: the property address, roughly when it was built and updated, and your current policy. Your declarations page, the summary page of your policy, answers most of these at once. Quotes are free with no obligation to buy, and the quote form takes about two minutes.

No visit is needed. Quotes, changes and signatures all work by phone, email and e-signature, which is how we serve clients in Bakersfield, Palmdale and Lancaster, Orange County and the rest of California. If you'd like to meet, the office is at 25060 Avenue Stanford, Suite 240 in Valencia. Please call ahead so one of us is there. We're licensed in California only.

For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, California's minimum liability limits are 30/60/15: $30,000 for injuries to one person, $60,000 for injuries per accident and $15,000 for property damage. Before 2025 they were 15/30/5. The minimum is a legal floor, not a recommendation, because a serious crash can cost far more. See our guide to California's minimum car insurance or the DMV's insurance requirements (opens in a new tab).

Under California's rating rules from Proposition 103, insurers must weigh your driving record most heavily, then the miles you drive each year and your years of driving experience. Other factors include the car, where it's kept, the coverage and deductibles you choose, and discounts such as a multi-policy discount. Each carrier applies these differently, which is why we compare several. Our guide on how much car insurance costs in California goes deeper, and car insurance covers the options.

Often, yes. Bristol West, one of the carriers we work with, focuses on drivers with tickets, accidents or an SR-22 requirement, and some standard carriers accept a minor violation. Approval and price depend on each company's underwriting, so we can't promise a particular carrier will accept you. Tell us what's on your record when you call and we'll be straight about your options. More on SR-22 insurance.

An SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility that your insurance company files with the California DMV to show you carry at least the required liability coverage. The DMV usually requires it for three years after a DUI, a collision without insurance or certain other license suspensions. If the policy lapses, the insurance company tells the DMV. We can quote policies with an SR-22 filing statewide, including SR-22 insurance in Santa Clarita.

It's worth pricing both ways. Many carriers offer a multi-policy discount when the same company insures your home and your cars, and having one agent for both makes renewals and claims simpler. Sometimes separate carriers still come out ahead on price or coverage, so we quote the bundle and the separate policies side by side and show you the difference. See home and auto bundles.

A standard homeowners policy (often called an HO-3) usually covers the house, other structures like fences, your belongings, extra living costs if a covered loss forces you out, and personal liability (the part that pays if someone is hurt on your property and you're responsible). What it pays, and how much, depends on the policy and carrier. Earthquake and flood damage are excluded and need separate policies. See home insurance in California.

Call us as soon as it arrives. The notice comes before your renewal date, and that time is your window to shop. We'll check which of the carriers we work with are writing homes like yours. If none of them can, we'll explain how the California FAIR Plan works and what a companion policy can add. Our guide to a home insurance non-renewal walks through each step, and home insurance in Santa Clarita covers local options.

The California FAIR Plan is the state's insurer of last resort for property owners who can't get coverage in the regular market. It's a basic fire policy, so coverage for things like liability, theft and water damage usually comes from a separate difference-in-conditions (DIC) policy from another insurer. Our California FAIR Plan guide explains how the two fit together, and the FAIR Plan's website (opens in a new tab) has the official details.

Fire, including wildfire, is usually a covered cause of loss on a California homeowners policy. Earthquake is not: standard policies exclude it, so earthquake coverage is a separate policy from the California Earthquake Authority or a private insurer. In high fire-risk areas, getting and keeping coverage can be harder, which is where comparing several carriers helps. See earthquake insurance and wildfire risk and home insurance in Santa Clarita.

Yes. A condo owner usually needs an HO-6 policy, which can cover the inside of the unit, your belongings, liability and HOA loss assessments, because the association's master policy usually covers the building itself. A home you rent to tenants needs a landlord (dwelling) policy instead of a homeowners policy, and we work with carriers such as Steadily and Obie for those. Tenants need their own renters policy, because the landlord's policy doesn't cover their belongings. See condo, landlord and renters insurance.

It depends on what you do, but a common starting point is general liability, which can cover injuries and property damage your business causes to other people. Add commercial property or a business owner's policy if you have a space or equipment, commercial auto for vehicles used for work, and workers' compensation once you hire employees. Carriers we can quote for business coverage include NEXT, Travelers and Mercury Insurance. Start with business insurance in California or general liability.

Yes, for almost every employer. California requires employers to carry workers' compensation insurance even with a single employee, and the Department of Industrial Relations explains the rules on its employer page (opens in a new tab). Workers' comp pays for medical care and part of lost wages when an employee is hurt on the job. Owners with no employees usually aren't required to carry it, though some contractor licenses have their own rules. See workers' compensation.

A business owner's policy packages general liability and commercial property insurance together, usually for smaller, lower-risk businesses such as offices, shops and some service companies. One policy is simpler to manage than two. Eligibility depends on the type and size of the business and on the carrier's underwriting. A BOP does not include workers' compensation or commercial auto, which are separate policies. See business owner's policy and commercial auto.

Most contractors need general liability, commercial auto for work trucks, and workers' compensation if they have employees. Clients and general contractors often ask for a certificate of insurance before a job starts, so tell us the deadline when you call. The Contractors State License Board (opens in a new tab) also has bond and workers' comp rules for license holders, and some classifications, such as roofing, concrete, HVAC and tree service, must carry workers' comp even with no employees. NEXT is one of the carriers we can quote for contractors. See contractor insurance and business insurance in Santa Clarita.

Call your insurance company's claims line or use its app or website. The number is usually on your ID card and policy documents. Report the claim as soon as you can, take photos and keep receipts for emergency repairs. The insurance company handles the claim and decides what it pays, but you can call us first and we'll help you figure out what to report and what happens next. After a crash, see what to do after a car accident in California.

Call or email us with the details, such as the new driver's name, birth date and license number, or the new car's VIN. We'll send the change to your insurance company and get you updated ID cards or documents once it's processed. Some changes need your signature, which we can usually handle by e-signature. A change can raise or lower your premium, and we'll explain any difference. Adding a teen driver? Our car insurance page explains how drivers affect the price.

Most policies are billed by the insurance company, so payments usually go straight to the carrier through its website, app or phone line. If you're not sure where to pay, or you need ID cards, a copy of your declarations page or a certificate of insurance for a lender, landlord or client, call or email us and we'll send it or point you to the right place. Tell us if there's a deadline. Our contact page has every way to reach us.

Yes. You can usually cancel at any time, and any refund of unused premium depends on the insurance company's terms. When you switch car insurance, have the new policy start before the old one ends: California requires drivers to carry insurance, and even a one-day gap leaves you driving uninsured. We can line up the new policy, the start date and the cancellation of the old one so there's no gap between them.