Sean Paul Insurance Agency - Home and Auto Insurance, Los Angeles 90039

No Longer the New Kid on the Block

Sean — Thu, 24 May 2012 21:35:16 +0000

From humble beginnings in West Virginia and an immigrant background to building one of the most successful companies in the nation, Mercury’s Founder George Joseph has led an inspirational life. As many of our clients at Sean Paul Insurance have Mercury Insurance policies for their home, auto, and business, we know firsthand about Mercury’s great prices and focus on the customer. Now we know why. Joseph is a man who decided that customers should be treated better…so he started his own company to ensure it happened. Check out Mercury’s 50th Anniversary video here and be inspired by this truly American fairy tale.

New Cars for Nonprofits!

Sean — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:39:39 +0000

There are loads of excellent social good campaigns on Facebook. Maybe since our days at Sean Paul Insurance are filled quoting insurance for new cars and homes, this one stood out to us. We hope you agree its worth a vote to bring some NEW Toyota cars to some local community nonprofits. Basically, Toyota is giving away 100 cars to charities that need them (Toyota 100 Cars for Good). There are many Los Angeles nonprofits in the running currently including Bookends, Girls Scouts of Greater LA, Hope for Paws, My Friends House, and Good Shepherd Center, among others. Login to Facebook to vote each day (started May 14th and continues through August 21st) using this link: https://apps.facebook.com/carsforgood/

We hope to see some new Toyota cars with nonprofit logos driving around town soon!

Time to Sell or Buy?

Sean — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:30:37 +0000

For a few months now, experts have been predicting that used car prices were on their way up. Now, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), used car values are peaking and will remain high through May making it a great time to sell your used vehicle. Demand is high since Spring is a strong car buying season and since the recession has forced many to buy used cars vs new. Plus, gas prices are high which is driving up the prices of the fuel-efficient cars.

To give you an idea of how important timing is for your sale, if you have a 2009 Toyota Prius, you could now make almost $2000 more than if you had sold it in January (a 12% increase in 4 months). A 2010 Ford Focus has jumped over $1000 in value (about 10%). (The fuel efficient models have made the most gains of course with such high gas prices.)

NADA is also predicting prices will start to drop in June slightly by .05% and in July by 1.5% – all depending on your make and model.

So if you are considering selling or buying, visit Kelley Blue Book to use their online tool – what’s my car worth. If you create a free account, you can save your auto searches and they will track your cars value to alert you about any rise or drop.

Once you purchase, most insurance carriers give you up to 30 days to report the change for your auto insurance coverage. However, call a Sean Paul Insurance representative prior to give you an auto insurance estimate to budget all of the costs of your new or newly acquired used car.

Brush Inspections Begin in L.A.

Sean — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:18:04 +0000

Los Angeles has adopted revisions to the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone expanding boundaries and requiring many property owners to comply with the City’s Brush Clearance Ordinance. Many of our clients and friends were notified of their new property status and of the upcoming inspections which will begin May 7th in areas throughout Los Angeles including Silverlake, Los Feliz, Echo Park. (Find link to PDF map here – you can also verify if your property is in the new zone). Hazardous vegetation is identified for maintenance so that you can take the necessary steps to protect lives and your property. Its good advice for all homeowners – especially with the beginning of the heat waves – so check out the brush clearance tips here.

Sean Paul Insurance provides coverage for many hard to insure homes like those in high fire risk areas. When homeowners have difficulty buying insurance, we have great carriers and plans to offer as alternatives to the California Fair Plan. If your homeowners insurance policy was cancelled due to high fire risk or other hazards, please contact us for options.

Forbes Named Mercury one of “America’s Most Trustworthy Companies”

Sean — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:20:25 +0000

When you purchase homeowners and auto insurance coverage, its good to know that you have a solid, reliable company behind you. Forbes Magazine recently named Los Angeles based Mercury Insurance as one of “America’s Most Trustworthy Companies.” This is the fourth time Mercury has received this honor. Its good to know that we can offer affordable insurance policies to our clients from a strongly endorsed company like Mercury who is committed to providing lower rates to consumers. Full USA Today article.

An Easter-Egg Hunting We Will Go

Sean — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:24:23 +0000

Chocolate Bunnies. Peeps. Plastics Eggs and Jelly Beans.

Easter weekend is almost here. Whether your holiday plans include gatherings with family/friends, church, or simply a day of relaxation, we hope you have a wonderful holiday! And in case you want to go easter-egg hunting or try something different this season, here are a few picks from around town:

In Los Feliz, the Los Angeles ZOO will be having “Bunny’s Spring Fling” which will include crafts, face painting, music, photo op with a big bunny and more. Friday-Sunday 10am-4pm. See zoo page here.

In Downtown Los Angeles, you can take your little bunny (or dog or cat or any pet) to the Blessing of the Animals at Olvera Street. There will be a free pony ride and petting zoo plus a lively animal-filled procession. The event is from 12-5pm on Saturday, and the procession begins at 2pm. See City of LA page here.

If you are headed for the beaches, there is a Malibu Hoppening at Malibu Bluffs Park with easter egg hunts for both kids and adults this Saturday from 11:30am-1pm. See event flyer here.

And, of course, there are lots of Easter brunches around town including in beautiful settings at Descanso Gardens or the Arboretum.

Happy Easter from Sean Paul Insurance!

txtng + drivng = 35% slower reaction time

Sean — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 17:15:34 +0000

You might have already seen the freeway signage alerting Los Angeles area drivers of the $159 minimum fine for texting while driving. This is an effort by over 50 Los Angeles agencies to crack down on distracted drivers to publicize National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and help reduce distracted driving related car accidents and deaths (over 3000 in 2010) (see full LA Times article). Still not convinced by the $159 fine? Mercury Insurance, a leader in auto insurance and home insurance, has an informative Pledge to Make Our Roads Safe website with videos you might check out.

What You Learned in Driving School Could Be Wrong

Sean — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 18:29:43 +0000

How do you hold your steering wheel when you drive? Is it 9 and 3 position or 10 and 2 position? Ship captain style hand over hand or push and pull?

These questions will make more sense after reading the advice from AAA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and driving instructors published in a recent MSNBC.com article (click here to read). Their tips could save you injury, pain and insurance claims. The key is that when your airbag is deployed, it is powerful and you don’t want your arms or hands blocking its way. Airbags are life savers – preventing 2300 deaths each year according to the NHTSA. And as insurance companies like Travelers, Mercury and Safeco look at safety and injury statistics when determining rates, we can all help by following expert advice to reduce those serious injuries.

Image Credit: New Jersey Department of Transportation

Its Vacation Time…But Before You Take Off…

Sean — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 20:40:39 +0000

In a frantic rush is usually how many of us leave our homes when we are taking off on a vacation (or even to work for that matter). However, in those instances, your home might not be as secure as possible so you are increasing your risk of burglary. So before you head out for that Spring Break vacation, here a few quick tips so you are more equipped to avoid a theft in the first place:

1. Studies confirm that more than 70% of burglars are amateurs searching for an easy target. Make sure all doors and windows are locked securely. Don’t put the spare key under the front door mat or planter – get creative or just give one to a nearby family member or friend. Keep valuables out of plain sight whenever possible.

2. Inform a trusted neighbor if you are leaving town so they can watch your home/check mail. However, don’t alert everyone else via Facebook or Twitter as studies show 65% of burglars are not strangers (post photos after you return just in case one of your followers fits that profile).

3. Add timers to light switches – esp for lengthy time away. And trim brack tall shrubs and trees. Overall, make sure your home is well lit and visible for neighbors so its not an easy target.

4. Stop mail and newspaper service temporarily if you are leaving town for an extended time.

5. Be cautious about lost or loaned keys. If you lose a key, change the lock. If a spare key gets loaned out to a contractor or other person temporarily, consider changing it as a precaution.

And most importantly, have a good homeowners insurance policy with a trusted company that you know will protect you in the event of a loss. As we’ve heard in recent news stories, an insurance policy is only as good as the insurance company. With this in mind, Sean Paul Insurance works with high-rated companies like Mercury Insurance, Travelers Insurance and Safeco Insurance to provide homeowners policies that can provide you with peace of mind. And we also have selected companies that have solid ratings on both auto and homeowners as taking advantage of Auto + Home Discounts for combining your policies is the best way to earn significant savings.

Headed to Apple for the new iPad?

Sean — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:15:50 +0000

For any dedicated apple techies out there who are headed out to buy the new iPad tomorrow, here are some applications to help you justify your purchase from an insurance lens: namely, you’ll have loads of great apps to help improve and protect your home and garden. Examples:

Zillow, Trulia and HomeValue Pro….have access to home values to keep watch on one of your most important assets.

Control4 My Home…have the ultimate home security by combining a Control4 Home system with this app which enables you to remotely control lights, thermostat, security system and much more.

DIY Toolbox…calculate supplies needs for your home improvement projects and combine with DIY Calculator and Sum it Project Cost Calculator to keep track of the expenses and Paint Tester to be sure you pick the right colors.

iScape…looking to protect your home from wildfires with a fire resistant landscaping plan? Test it out on this iPad app which allows you to create a landscaping plan for your home.

And while you’re shopping, add on that protective case to keep your iPad safe as most likely your home insurance policy has a higher deductible than the replacement value and/or excludes those specific electronics if lost or damaged. So protect it as much as possible. And call us at Sean Paul Insurance if you have any questions about this coverage.