Labor Day falls on Monday, September 1st this year. In observance of the holiday, Scurich Insurance Services offices will be closed on Monday. We will reopen on Tuesday, September 2nd.
Not sure how you want to make the most out of your Labor Day weekend? Here are a few suggestions:
- Go on a nice long hike with your family. Some great hikes to go on? Meadow Trail Loop at Mount Madonna, Mt. Madonna Loop, or Sprig Trail and Merry-Go-Round Loop. Don’t forget to pack a picnic!
- Spend your time giving back. Volunteer at your local charity organization.
- Indulge your taste buds. Food festivals happen all the time and man do they have some delicious tasting treats for you. Go ahead and yum it up!
- Go fly a kite. Okay, so this doesn’t happen as much as it did in the past, but flying a kite is a lot of fun. Head out to the beach and take your kite with you.
- Go camping. In your backyard. Remember the good ol’ days, when you pitched a tent in your backyard and pretended you were camping. The thrill and excitement of it all? Get in touch with that inner child and camp.
Whatever you decide to do this Labor Day weekend, we hope it’s a fantastic one! Be safe!
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
Sources: http://www.rd.com/slideshows/10-ideas-for-labor-day-family-fun/#slideshow=slide2 and http://www.everytrail.com/best/hiking-watsonville-california
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Getting into an accident is an inconvenience and there are certain states that don’t make it any easier. When you file a claim auto insurance rates have a tendency to rise. Did you know that if you file a claim for anything $2,000 and higher can cause your insurance to jump up to 40% in some places?
If you live in one of the places listed below, you could find yourself on the short end of the stick when it comes to rate increases.
- Massachusetts rates jump up 67% when claims are filed.
- California claims will get you a 62% increase.
- New Jersey has 59% increase.
- North Carolinians will see a 47% increase.
- Minnesota raises their rates 45%.
If you have a claim that is $2,000 or less and you can afford the repair, it would be better for your insurance rates in the long run to pay out of pocket than it would be to file the claim.
On the flip side of things, here are the states that have the lowest rate increases:
- Maryland with just a 20% increase.
- Alabama at 22%.
- Michigan & Wyoming both have a 23% increase.
- Oklahoma has a 25% increase.
If you find yourself in this situation, Scurich insurance services can help. Anyone of our friendly staff will be able to help guide you through this process.
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
Sources: http://www.ibamag.com/news/5-states-where-you-dont-want-to-file-an-auto-claim-16616.aspx
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On Saturday, August 9th a 2014 Ford Fusion was involved in a one car crash that left one person dead. 24 year old, Gwynne Coye of Aptos, a passenger in the vehicle, was killed and the driver, Marquis Edwards was arrested. Murder, Felony evading a police officer resulting in death, and other charges were filed against Marquis Edwards.
If Marquis is convicted on all counts, he faces life in prison. His next court date is Aug. 22nd.
Watson Murder Law
The Watson Murder Law was enacted after the case of People v. Watson. Defendant Watson had several prior convictions for drinking and driving. In this case, his actions resulted in the death of another human being. Implied malice is the term prosecutors use in order to charge a defendant with murder. When you drink and drive, a person knows that their actions can cause the death of another human, hence implied malice. Generally, murder charges in a drinking and driving case are only imposed against a defendant who has prior convictions for DUI.
Insurance and DUI
If you have been convicted of a DUI, you could find yourself without insurance. If you find an insurance company who will provide coverage, they will need to provide you with an SR-22 so you can file with your local DMV.
Scurich Insurance Services can assist you with any questions you may have if you are in this situation.
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
Sources: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/santacruz/ci_26332756/driver-charged-murder-santa-cruz-crash
http://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/california-dui-murder-aka-the-watson-murder-rule
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As most of you know, the Affordable Care Act, or what most of you know it as Obamacare, will take effect in 2014. When this bill takes effect, it will become mandatory that you purchase some sort of health insurance, and if you don’t you will end up finding yourself being penalized by the federal government. But, what are these penalties and how will the effect you.
According to MSN Money, “The actual individual mandate penalties under the Affordable Care Act are perhaps the easiest part of the program to understand:
- In 2014, the annual penalty will be $95 per adult and $47.50 per child, up to a family maximum of $285 or 1% of family income, whichever is greater.
- In 2015, the penalty will be $325 per adult and $162.50 per child, up to a family maximum of $975 or 2% of family income, whichever is greater.
- In 2016, the penalty will be $695 per adult and $347.50 per child, up to a family maximum of $2,085 or 2.5% of family income, whichever is greater.
“Most people think of it as an annual penalty,” notes Larry Levitt, a senior vice president at Kaiser. “But it is in fact a monthly thing, and you would pay a penalty for any month that you are uncovered.” However, a person may be without coverage for up to three months without triggering the penalty.” (1)
So don’t be caught without insurance. Contact Scurich Insurance Services located in Watsonville, California. at 831-722-3541 and let us shop the health insurance market for you so that you can get the best health insurance plan out there.
(1) http://money.msn.com/health-and-life-insurance/how-obamacare-penalty-will-work
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It’s not just diet and exercise—where people live matters to their health.
And in California, Santa Cruz County earns a decent rating for community health, according to the 2013 County Health Rankings released this week.
Santa Cruz comes in No. 13 in the state for health outcomes, measured by mortality and morbidity. The county ranks 10th for health factors, a broad category that includes health behaviors (like smoking), healthcare, the physical environment, and social and economic factors.
“These ratings are a snapshot of the health of the community,” said Dr. Lisa Hernandez, Santa Cruz County Health Officer.
Fifty-seven of California’s 58 counties were ranked. Rural Alpine County was too small to measure in many of the categories, officials said.
Santa Cruz County’s marks puts the county ahead of neighboring Monterey County but lagging behind Santa Clara County.
| County Health Rankings 2013 |
| County |
Health Outcomes |
Health Factors |
| Monterey |
21 |
29 |
| San Benito |
10 |
23 |
| Santa Clara |
3 |
4 |
| Santa Cruz |
13 |
10 |
Santa Cruz has earned better ratings in prior years. Officials attributed the decline in rankings to other counties’ improving health, not worsening conditions in Santa Cruz County.
Some highlights from the report:
- The county saw improvement in the number of adult residents who have graduated from high school, which up to 86 percent at last count. The low in the past four years was 77 percent.
- Santa Cruz County ranked 16th in the state for access to recreational facilities.
- The county’s motor vehicle crash death rate is the 9th lowest in California.
But 19 percent of children in the county live in poverty, and the ratio of physicians to patients climbed, from one doctor per 923 patients in 2012 to one per 1,047 this year.
Check out Santa Cruz County’s rankings in various categories over the past four years below. A lower rating is better.
| Santa Cruz County Health Rankings |
|
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
| Health Outcomes (total) |
8 |
7 |
10 |
13 |
| Morality |
6 |
7 |
10 |
10 |
| Morbidity |
7 |
7 |
13 |
20 |
| Health Factors (total) |
8 |
20 |
10 |
10 |
| Health Behaviors |
2 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
| Clinical Care |
19 |
24 |
13 |
12 |
| Social & Economic Factors |
13 |
17 |
23 |
21 |
| Physical Environment |
37 |
5 |
10 |
9 |
The County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program began in 2010 as a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin.
To avoid unpleasant surprises, it is important to work with a professional in this area. Additional questions? Ask us, we’re here to help! For additional information about our insurance products, no-cost advice or for your free, no-obligation insurance quote, please contact the professionals at Scurich Insurance Services today at 800-320-3666 and we will be more than happy to assist you.
This story was taken form www.watsonville.patch.com and was written by Jennifer Squires. Scurich Insurance did not create this content–we just wanted to share it with you!
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Engineers, firefighters, lawyers, teachers, and police officers all have one thing in common: they qualify for Auto insurance discounts with some insurers who have found that people in certain fields tend to be less risky drivers than those in other occupations.
A number of insurance companies offer discounts to those in a variety of professions everything from architects, CPAs, and college professors through librarians, military personnel, and pilots, to physicians, registered nurses, and scientists.
Here’s why: although practicing architecture or flying a plane doesn’t necessarily make a driver more responsible, insurance underwriters don’t have to prove cause and effect when setting rates. They need only show a relationship between these rating factors and risk.
A variety of factors can come into play in determining discounts. One Auto insurance company offers up to a 5 % discount to first responders, such as firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians and paramedics. Because these people tend to work in the communities where they live, they probably don’t commute long distances. First responders might speed down the road in emergencies, but not in their own vehicles, and they tend not to work from 9 to 5 “which means that they’re at lower risk for accidents.”
Discounts vary by occupation, insurance company, and state. Some companies offer discounts for a long list of occupations and professions, while others provide them to only a few, or none at all. Some jobs receive larger discounts than others.
Rules for discounts also vary by field. To qualify for one company’s discount, health care providers must have a license to practice, as well as a degree. However, policyholders who have earned at least a bachelor in engineering, math, or science qualify for an 18% discount, even if they work in other fields.
Your occupation or profession might well entitle you to a substantial discount on your Auto insurance even if you’re retired.
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