Make the Wise Choice and Have Peace of Mind... Wisdom and Understanding

For the best prices and companies around get a quote from us! 

*To the trash with buying and doing your own risk taking! Here are just a few tragic examples of "doing-it- yourself" insurance purchasing online or with a "person" that has only been trained in Personal Insurance and not both Commercial and Personal Insurance and extended training in Construction Risk training and/ or Farm Certification.

• A very wealthy business owner purchases his insurance through a vary large "Cost savings retail chain store" and saves $300.00 per year. He is insured with this Retail outlet for nearly five years. All during this time here were the assets that he owned.
  • A Custom home - Estimated market value $1,200,000 This was his Primary residence Owner occupied
  • 60 Acres of prime unimproved land - value unknown but it is in Sonoma County -Used for grazing his Cattle for several months of the year
  • 120 Acres of prime grazing land in Oregon - value unknown - leased to long time known Cattle rancher
  • 200 Acres of prime grazing land in Oregon - Value Unknown - leased to long-time known Cattle rancher
  • Great occupation making "bank"  BIG BUCKS!!
  • And at no time was he covered for the business exposure of leasing the land, animal liability exposure or workers compensation insurance!  All could have been lost because "he" chose to do it himself!

Risk is something you transfer, accept or avoid. There are no other options!

1. This This individual "Wealthy Brain Surgeon" - calls us and is in complete panic! He just decided to read his policy due to some liberalization clauses being provide to his contract (this triggered a legal notification that some change has been added to his policy) and he, just by chance, happen to come across this item dealing with vacant land.  Wow! Double Wow! He had to call the Insurance Company that provided his insurance through this "Store" because he could not believe what he was reading! At no time was he everywhere... COVERED FOR THE ANIMAL LIABILITY EXPOSURE IN ANY WAY!!! (by the wombats of those law suits begin at a million dollars based upon my experience) Was it worth it? This Insurance Agent/Broker says "No!" It does not take a Rocket Scientist to see that he had millions of dollars at risk for the mere savings of $300 per year. In this instance he chose to accept the risk by doing his own shopping and avoiding the expertise of an experience Agent. Had someone been injured his life could have been a financial disaster.  A disaster that he could never have recovered from.
2. Here's another one! This "Long Time Experienced Contractor" - has been with the "Triple Alphabet Insurance Agency" for over twenty years! his family's Home, Recreational Vehicles, personal Autos and his Construction Truck are all insured properly. To this end he feels that his assets of his Estate are well protected he thinks!  The other asset is his Construction Business...  One day he decides to contact us for an comparative quote. I perform a fact finding interview so as to gather important information about him, his business and Estate. Knowing the particular carrier... I asked a question..." Are you insured with a Commercial Auto policy with your Company?" Reply: "Yes! They know that I am a contractor! It says so on my Declarations page."  My response: "Do you ever carry employees, your tools, ladders or tow equipment trailers?"  His response: "Yes, all the time"  Now I am concerned and make note of these discussed points. Later I present my quotes. On some we are cheaper and on some...such as the Business Auto we are more expensive. He does not like the higher price. I explain to the Contractor that in the "Exclusions" section of a Personal Auto policy are many items of great concern to him and that he alone is responsible for reading his policy.  He refuses to read it stating... "They have had me insured for years! The know what I do for a living."  (notice he did not say they know how he uses his truck?) So, I all but beg him to do a simple test. Call your company and see if they can endorse your personal auto policy to add 1. Hired Auto, 2. Non-owned auto and 3. Add a separate entity as a Named Additional Insured." He agreed to do this simple test. Soon my phone rang and he was amazed! This whole time his truck used in his Construction business had not been insured for how he used it and thus coverage would have been declined. He discovered... They could not issue the endorsements in a Personal auto policy and his entire Estate had been exposed for years without his knowledge until I pointed it out! Thankfully we were able to council him and he was able to make the changes before he possibly lost it all!
3. Cheap insurance may be exactly that! Cheap Insurance! - This one happens everyday. And we are powerless to change the way consumers buy insurance because most television commercials are NOT INTENDED to educate drivers but to humor them and dangle a carrot of savings! That is the truth! Really, would you buy insurance from lizard, a cave man, a cartoon character.... I could hear you know... " My agent is slither the snake!" haha...  It's only funny until you get bit!  For example, many driver will call and ask to just get insurance to be "legal." What does that mean? In California for instance... It means that BI or Bodily Injury limits only need be $15,000 per person and $30,000 per occurrence plus... property damage to others only need be $5,000.  Yep!! That is it. These limits were imposed several decades ago and are out of date. In fact we ponder at the fact that when the limits were created the median home value was most likely at around $15,000. Is this adequate today? NO!  Next...  so they purchase these minimum limits, possibly pay a $150 broker fee and go without under insured coverages. They possibly have purchased a policy with no permissive use too... What does permissive use mean? Wow!  Maybe even drop down limits?? Double WOW!  We...do not charge broker fees on our Personal lines of Insurance. We would rather you purchase better limits and coverages.
4. Broker Fees each time for decades? - If you paid $150.00 in broker fees and your Agent moved your insurance twice per year...that would equal $300.00 per year. Over the course of 20 years that would equate to $300.00 x 20 = $6,0000.  Less coverage and more fees? How much less is your insurance costing you?

Remember the story of Tom Henry? How about Robotics and the Automobile assembly lines? - Man and his search for larger profits includes them trying to computerize and automate just about everything they can. Unfortunately they cannot build a program large enough to view human events that will be able to assist you like an experienced Agent can.  If we as a Society continue to support such devices then "we" as a Society will have transferred and accepted the risk by our actions of always choosing the "cheaper" way.  Remember..."cheaper is always cheaper."

Make the Wise Choice and Have Peace of Mind.

Steve Valencia
Owner / Agent / Broker

04/18/2012 More Good News!

We have been appointed with a fantastic Trucking and Transportation Company. This means wonderful savings to our Client's and future prospects. Now we do have Long Haul, Ag haulers, Sand and Gravel and Logging rates that are extremely competitive! Tell a friend. Call trucker today!

More for the Contractor's... "Never leave a Contractor Behind" promo is heading into full swing. Athena Insurance will co-fund the sub-domains of any contractor for a one page site! The annual cost to produce and host the one page is estimated to be $150.00 and for a contribution of $50.00 you can have your site designed by template and hosted by www.BringItHosting.com. For example the business name would be something like. "http://DemoSite.AmericanContractorExchange.com. In fact we will use this sub-domain as and example. Call 209-257-3400 to get started. or click here for more information.

04/17/2012 Great News! This is Huge!

Our Commercial Property Program will entertain all types of lessor’s risk only (LRO) Property with many built in advantages to provide you with peace of mind.

Highlights of the Program

v  Guaranteed Full Replacement Cost (for qualifying locations)

v  No Co-Insurance

v  A Rated Carriers

v  $1 billion Per Occurrence Limit with automatic reinstatement of the limits after each

occurrence

v  Rental Income Coverage for the Actual Loss Sustained, not subject to any time limit

v  Earthquake Sprinkler Leakage Coverage included up to $1b per occurrence policy limit

v  $5,000,000 for Debris Removal

v  $50,000,000 Boiler and Machinery Coverage Included (Comprehensive Form)

v  Up to $75m Excess Liability Limits dedicated per location

v  Non-Owned and Hired Automobile Coverage Included in General Liability Coverage

v  Limited Third Party Pollution Legal Liability Coverage

v  Loss Control/Risk Management Seminars

v  Professional Claims and Loss Adjustment Services

v  In-House Legal Services

Properties for the Program

ü  Office Buildings

ü  Industrial Buildings

ü  Warehouses

ü  Business Parks

ü  Shopping Malls and Complexes

ü  Mixed Use Projects

ü  High Value-Highly Protected Risk (HPR) Buildings

ü  Commercial Self Storage Facilities

ü  Vacant Land

ü  Apartment Complexes

ü  Homeowners Associations (HOAs)

ü  Mixed Use Properties (habitational and commercial)

Broad, Comprehensive Property Coverage

The Program’s insurance coverages and limits have been specifically designed for the owners and managers of commercial property to ensure each participant’s real estate investment can be adequately protected; providing many of the coverages that are excluded from standard insurance policies.

Customer Service for only Athena Insurance and Financial Service's clients. If you need a quote for new business call our office. Please note we only provide services in the following States: Arizona, California, Idaho, Iowa, Nevada, Oregon, Nevada and Texas.  For all Claims

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FARM INSURANCE FROM ATHENA INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES - " KEEPING THE FARM IN THE FAMILY"

COVERAGES *

• Farm Property
• Residential Property
• Farm Liability
• Personal Liability
• General liability
• Crime
• Commercial Auto
• Inland Marine
• Commercial Umbrella
• Trucking / Haulers liability
• Cargo
• Animal Mortality

CLASSES *

• Fruit & Vegetable Distributing
• Wineries
• Feed, Grain
• Hay Dealers
• Feed Manufacturing
• Fertilizer Dealers & Distributors
• Seed Manufacturing
• Food Products Manufacturing
• Produce Handling or Packing
• Grain Elevator Operations
• Fruit or Juice Manufacturing
• Cotton Gins
• Poultry Farms
• Row Crops
• Fruits, Vegetables & Nuts
• Orchards
• Cattle and other livestock Ranches
• Hog Farms
• Dairy farms
• Ornamental Tree Shrub or Flowers
• Vineyards

BUSINESS INSURANCE FOR ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, IDAHO, IOWA, NEVADA, OREGON AND TEXAS BASED OPERATIONS

Call 209-223-1870 for assistance or use the Search Tab above

Hello. My name is Steve Valencia. I am the Agent / Broker for Athena Insurance.  I have been assisting Business Owners of many types for many years. I originally started in the Insurance Industry in 1980.

Here is an analogy.  If insurance companies and their products for a regular captive agent were like a tool box... our agencies tool box would be like the size of a 40' trailer. You know like the kind towed by a Big Rig!  lol. 

Really, we have over 150 insurance companies and write virtually every kind of insurance product there is.

For our Business Owners we have Property & Casualty, Life, Health and Disability insurance products and services. We can assist you from the Womb to the Tomb and all along the way!

As our site continues to expand, you should be able to use the Search tab section about and just type in your need by using Key word or key word combinations.

Our business of obtaining information about you is analogous to you going into a new Doctor's office. What is one of the very first things they do? They hand you a clip board and a pen and ask you to fill out their questionnaires. Our process is very similar. I hope to have just about every type of questionnaire form available to you for whatever type of business it is that you have. So...the point here is... you can call us and we can ask you the questions to complete the questionnaire with you over the phone or you can attempt to complete a questionnaire "web form" and submit it to us and we will begin the process and contact you. It's up to you.

LIFE AND DISABILITY

Insurance is something that many consider to be "a necessary Evil. "  To that comment, in our Society I would have to agree. However we can research other Cultures that do not have Insurance systems in place to see that Insurance does play a very important role in many respects. It helps keeps the wheels turning even when the negatives arise. To what end? OK lets see..

My name is Steve Valencia. I am Ole timer graduate of L.U.T.C.  Life Underwriters Training Council Graduate of 1983.  I have worked as an agent for such companies as Prudential Insurance Company of America and New York Life. These are to fantastic Institution that I have a very high regard for. Now as an Independent broker I represent my Client instead of the Company.

With having said that... I need to return our focus to the value of Insurance.  Insurance is a method by which we may, under certain conditions, transfer some or all of our responsibilities to another for a give premium, if we qualify!

Risk is something that we can choose to either "Accept", "Avoid" or "Transfer."  Here are some examples:

First,  on a personal home and family basis, A man and woman decide to begin a family. Soon they may have credit card debt, a mortgage debt or rent expense, health insurance expenses, food, clothing, vehicle maintenance, education....well you get the picture. Today, in most instances it takes two incomes to meet the financial obligations of paying for all of those needs. 

Now, what happens if one or both of the income earners is injured? How will the obligations get met?  The answer is they will not! Not unless you chose to Avoid them...nearly impossible...or Transfer them for a premium dollar...if you qualify.  Some Cultures do not have these options. If we transfer these obligations to another..a good choice would be to talk to a life and disability agent. Here you are in luck.

What we do for our Client's and Prospects is to perform what is deemed a Financial Needs Analysis. We do this for free.

Early in my indoctrination into the Insurance Industry I had a seasoned Veterans say to a couple...there are only three things that can happened to you in life. " You will 1. live to retirement, 2. die before retirement or 3. become disabled. Can you think of any thing else that could happen to you? " I thought about that many times in life and have repeated it many times since.

Think about it too... 

Here is another scenario for a Business Owner. All Business Owners, Incorporated or not, face the Life cycle of business ownership. Many business Owners incur debt to begin the business. They may have credit lines or inventory to pay for, wages accrued and lets not forget taxes. The things that happen to a business owner are similar to those listed above. If you are the key person of your company that income stream that your family depends on could be severely curtailed or even stop.  Now taking into consideration those three things that can happen to us in life... are you prepared to answer the question. What are you doing with your risk.

For the business owner there are other concerns too... There may be the need for life or disability insurance on a key person within your company. What would happen to your company if you your key person would to die or become disabled. Would your business discontinue or be injured?

Ok...here is the test. What can we do with Risk? Accept, Avoid or Transfer is the answer.

Life insurance can replace some or all of the loss of income in the event of a death. Disability insurance can replace some of the income loss during a period of disability for given period of time, if you qualify.

For a free risk assessment please feel free to call 209-223-1870. Our service is free and you are under no obligation to purchase. Our services are available in the States as follows:

• Arizona
• California
• Idaho
• Iowa
• Nevada
• Oregon
• Texas

OTHER PRODUCTS

• EXECUTIVES
  • Individual Disability
  • Key Person Disability
  • Buy Sell Disability
  • Critical
• ATHLETES
• ENTERTAINERS
• EVENTS
• TOTAL EVENT®
• PRIZE & PROMOTION
• FILM/TV PRODUCTION PACKAGE - STUDIOS
• CRISIS MANAGEMENT
• PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY
• EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES LIABILITY
• PUBLIC RISK
• DIFFERENCE IN CONDITIONS
• LONDON MARKET OPERATION

COMMERCIAL PACKAGE DIVISION

• Lumber and Wood Products
• Used Auto Dealers
• Musical Instruments
• International Travel Health Insurance Plans
• Bowling Centers

Recreational Vehicles of all types

What can we do for you and your toys? With us you get our shopping expertise, time savings, written coverage quote proposals, answers to your questions, customer service and a dedicated Agent.  Do you get all that with your current company or do you only get one choice? Plus we do not add any fees! Does it not make sense to "Make the Wise Choice!"