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2015’s Top Safety Picks

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Which Cars Measured Up To This Year’s Safety Tests?

Each year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tests the year’s cars by running them through rigorous crash tests. They have released the champions for 2015, with the Hyundai Genesis emerging as the forerunner with perfect scores. Take a look at this year’s seven safest rides on the road.

  1. 2015 Hyundai Genesis: This luxury car excelled in the crash tests, even stopping the car moving at 25 mph before it hit a solid object with its automatic brake function.
  2. 2015 Subaru Legacy: Surpassing the safety of last year’s model, the 2015 Legacy earned high marks on every crash test it endured. Especially notable was its “superior” rating for the optional collision warning system Subaru offers.
  3. 2015 Chrysler 200: Also scoring high in every test, the Chrysler 200 was noticed for its auto brake collision warning system that helped it earn a “superior” rating in front crash prevention tests.
  4. 2015 Volkswagen Golf/GTI: With “good” scores in the side crash test, rollover test, roof test, head restraint test and small overlap front crash test these smaller Volkswagen cars both earned Top Safety Pick titles.
  5. 2015 Hyundai Sonata: This midsize car earned a “good” rating in the majority of its safety tests, and with a mid-range price tag it is sure to become a popular pick this year.
  6. 2015 Subaru Impreza WRX: This famously fast car will keep its passengers safe, as it earned a “good” score on all of its safety tests.
  7. 2015 Honda Fit: When this car failed to pass the small overlap front crash test, its engineers redesigned its bumper. After running the tests again, the car received high enough ratings to be named a Top Safety Pick.

Let Cappuccino Insurance Agency in Westlake Village, California protect you in ways even your car cannot with a great insurance policy. Our dedicated team is committed to getting you the coverage you need for the most competitive rates. Contact us today for all of your Conejo Valley auto insurance needs!

Do You Need Renters Insurance?

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Get The Protection You Need For Your Residence

With homeowners insurance almost constantly marketed, it can be easy to think that you do not need to secure an insurance policy while you are a renter. If, however, a situation should arise where you need liability insurance, lacking coverage could create a financial situation that could be too much for you to handle. Safeguard your residence and your livelihood by securing renters insurance today.

When choosing a renters insurance policy, make sure you select one that will cover both your liabilities and the contents of your home. If you are unsure about the coverage you need, estimate the amount of personal property you have in your rented space. Include clothing, furniture, electronics, landscaping equipment, appliances, jewelry, tools and any other valuables. Make sure that your policy would cover the cost of replacing all of your belongings. If you are not sure about how to get them covered, contact your insurance agent today so you can avoid a gap in coverage that could cost you down the road.

If you were not expecting the additional expense of renters insurance, do not worry. These policies are generally very affordable, running between ten and twenty dollars a month. In most cases, the policy will also cover other adults living in your residence with you. You can also explore adding extra coverage, such as water and sewer coverage or pet damage coverage, without expecting your premium to increase by a large amount.

To learn more about the options for renters insurance that is available to you, contact Cappuccino Insurance Agency in Westlake Village, California today! We can offer you comprehensive coverage at competitive rates. Call us today for a free assessment of your coverage needs so you can get the right policy for your lifestyle. Whether a renter or a homeowner, you deserve the peace of mind that great insurance coverage will bring.

Prevent a Break-In With These Tips

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The holiday season is fast approaching, which means you may be leaving your house vacant while you are visiting family. Before you pack your bags, it is important to make sure you know how to keep your house safe for the season. Keep these tips in mind to help prevent a break-in at your home.

  • Keep it bright – install a timer on a couple of lights in your home so that they will come on at different times in the evening to keep your home bright.
  • Lock up – before you leave, check to make sure all the doors and windows, even the ones on the second story, throughout your home are locked.
  • Keep your gardener – if you are leaving for an extended period of time, make sure that your gardener keeps up with your landscaping. Nothing says vacant house like overgrown grass and bushes.
  • Stop your mail – ask the post office to hold your mail until you get back, or ask a trusted neighbor to pick it up each day so that it does not pile up.
  • Close the blinds – keep your blinds closed so that burglars cannot see all the valuables in your home. Also, make sure to lock any small valuables, such as jewelry, away in a safe.

Installing a security system in your home is one of the best ways to protect it! Not only will it deter burglars from breaking into your home, but it can also help to lower the cost of your homeowners insurance.

For all of your home insurance needs throughout the Conejo Valley and to ensure that you are protected in case of any unfortunate situation, contact Cappuccino Insurance Agency in Westlake Village, California. We will work with you to ensure that you have the right amount of coverage for your specific situation.

What can Employment Practices Liability Insurance do for You?

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Owning your own business comes with a lot of responsibility, including making sure that you and your employees are covered in any situation. Having the right employment practices liability insurance can help to make sure that your business has the proper coverage for any unfortunate situation, associated with problems with an employee. Keep these 4 common reasons to invest in an employment practices liability policy in mind when looking into the right insurance policies.

  1. Your decisions impact your employees. You make decisions every day that impact your employees, such as hiring, firing, promotions, compensation, and accommodating disabilities. Each one of these situations can easily lead to a lawsuit if they are not handled correctly.
  2. You can be financially devastated. Especially if you are a small business, one lawsuit associated with employee practices can have a serious financial impact on the company. The small cost of an employment practices liability policy will provide the right amount of coverage, no matter the size of the lawsuit.
  3. You cannot depend on human resources. Even if you have a strong and reliable human resources team, it does not mean that you can avoid all employee issues. Making sure that you are covered with the right employment practices liability policy can give you peace of mind in knowing that you will be able to handle any situation.
  4. You may not know how to handle a problem. Most employment practices claims are very complex, and you may not have the right tools to know-how to deal with the issue. Investing in an employment practices liability policy will ensure that you will have the right people behind you, in case of any unfortunate situation.

For all of your employment practices liability needs in the Conejo Valley, contact Cappuccino Insurance Agency in Westlake Village, California. We can provide you with the most comprehensive business insurance needs, to provide coverage in any situation.

Be Prepared for an Earthquake with These Tips

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Living in California comes with the danger of experiencing an earthquake. There is no way to tell when an earthquake is going to happen, or just how much damage it will cause. Make sure to keep these earthquake safety tips in mind to ensure that you and your loved ones are prepared for an earthquake.

  • Practice drills. The best way to ensure that everyone in your family knows what to do in case of an earthquake is to practice. It will also help everyone stay calm when there is an earthquake since they will know what to do.
  • Take cover. Make sure to identify a safe place to be during an earthquake in each of the rooms in your home. These could be under a sturdy table on next to an inside wall of the house.
  • Have an emergency kit. Make an emergency kit that you will be able to get to in case of an earthquake. This should include things such as medical supplies, water, and nonperishable food. Also make sure that it contains a list of things to grab in case of an emergency, such as medication, family heirlooms, and contact information for friends and family.
  • Think about your pets. Make sure that your pet also has a special emergency kit that includes medication, the phone number of vets, and a carriers.

The best way to make sure that you home is protected in case of an earthquake is to invest in an earthquake insurance policy. A typical homeowners insurance policy will not provide the right amount of protection needed, so you will be left paying for the damage out of your own pocket.

To ensure that your home and family are protected in case of an earthquake in the Conejo Valley, contact Cappuccino Insurance Agency in Westlake Village, California. We can provide the most comprehensive insurance coverage to ensure that you are protected from any damage.

Make Sure You Buy the Right House with These Tips

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Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you will make in your life, which is why it is important to take your time and make sure that you choose the right house. Keep these tips in mind to ensure that you make the right decision when it comes to buying your new home.

  • Figure out what you need. There are many different housing options out there, from single family homes to a condo. It is important to recognize what will work the best for your family to ensure that everyone is happy and to help narrow down your search. Also make sure to decide on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms you need.
  • Figure out what you need. After you have decided the bare minimum of what you want in your home, decide what you need to help narrow down your search even more. These can be anything from the size of the yard to how much counter space is in the home.
  • Get pre-qualified. Getting pre-qualified for a mortgage is a good way to know the price range of homes that you should look at. It will also help the rest of the home buying process go much smoother once you are pre-qualified.
  • Know how much you can actually afford. Knowing how much a lender will loan you is one thing, but there are many other factors that go into affording a home. Make sure that you consider other costs of owning a home, including insurance, utilities, and even the cost to drive to work.

Most importantly, make sure to invest in the right homeowners insurance policy to ensure that your new home is covered in any unfortunate situation. For all of your homeowners insurance needs throughout the Conejo Valley, contact the insurance experts at Cappuccino Insurance Agency in Westlake Village, California.

Insurance Changes after your Wedding

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Getting married is one of the biggest life changes that you will go through. Along with changing your family, it will also cause changes in your insurance policies. Make sure you know how to handle your insurance policies after you get married to ensure that you have the right amount of coverage.

  • Auto insurance. Most of the time, combining your auto insurance policies is the best way to help keep the cost of your auto insurance low after getting married. It can also help to reduce the risk of having any gaps in your coverage. However, if your new spouse has a less than perfect driving record, you may end up spending more money on your auto insurance, so it may be a better idea to keep separate auto insurance policies.
  • Homeowners insurance. After getting married, it is important to make sure both of your names are listed on your homeowners insurance policy for both your current home and any rental property that you have. If one home is going to be vacant while you find a renter, make sure that you have the right amount of insurance to cover the vacant property. You will also need to invest in a different type of insurance once the property is rented out.
  • Umbrella insurance. Once you are married, you now have double the amount of assets, which means your already existing insurance policies probably do not have enough liability coverage. Investing in an umbrella insurance policy will provide the extra coverage needed for all of your new belongings in case they are damaged or destroyed.

For all of your Conejo Valley insurance needs after getting married, contact the insurance professionals at Cappuccino Insurance Agency in Westlake Village, California. We can provide you with the most comprehensive coverage for both you and your new spouse.

Saving on Your Life Insurance Policy

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Life insurance is the best way to ensure that your loved ones are well taken care of after you are gone. With all the life insurance choices available, it can be difficult making sure you have the right policy. Keep these tips in mind to make sure that you are investing in the right policy, as well as help save you money on your policy.

  • Buy a policy when you are young and healthy. Buying a life insurance policy while you are young can help you save money on the policy. The older you get, the more expensive your life insurance will be.
  • Consult with a professional. Life insurance agents will have all of the information about the different policies that are available to ensure that you invest in the right policy for your needs. They can help you avoid any costly mistakes when buying a policy.
  • Consistently reevaluate your needs. Whenever you have a big life change, such as getting married, buying a house, or having children, make sure to reevaluate your life insurance coverage. The more you have to lose, the more coverage you should have.
  • Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Life insurance rates are determined by how likely your death is at the time that your purchase your policy. The healthier you are, the less you will have to pay.
  • Consider different policy types. Make sure to research both term life and whole life insurance policies when choosing the right option. A life insurance agent can help to ensure that you buy the right policy for your lifestyle to ensure that you do not waste your money.

For the most comprehensive life insurance coverage in the Conejo Valley, contact Cappuccino Insurance Agency in Westlake Village, California. We can help guide you through the process to ensure you get the policy that best fits your needs.

Check out These Fun Conejo Valley Events!

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Before the summer ends, it is important to make sure to spend as much time with your loved ones before everyone goes back to a busy school schedule. Luckily, there are plenty of fun, family friendly events in the area that people of all ages can enjoy right in your local community.

If you are looking for something to do with your kids, while also being able to learn important skills, make sure to check out the Kids Panini Cooking Class at Williams and Sonoma in the Oaks Mall. All junior chefs will learn how to make a warm, melty, cheesy Panini. Children ages 9 to 13 are able to create their own delicious savory creation, or go the sweet route and choose to make a melted chocolate Panini. The event starts at 10 a.m. on august 23rd inside the store.

For a more adult event, mark your calendar for the 3rd Annual Kiwanis Club of Thousand Oaks Brew Fest on August 28th. The event will feature beer tasting from many restaurants are breweries, such as LAB Brewing Co., Firestone Walker Brewing Company, and BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, plus many more.

For a fun weekly event, make sure to check out the Thousand Oaks Farmer’s Market at the Oaks Shopping Center. The market happens every Thursday from 1:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. The Farmer’s Market is the perfect place to find the freshest fruits and vegetables that are locally grown. There are also plenty of plants, eggs, honey, nuts, and fresh flowers to bring home from the market. The market also features many pre-made treats, from tamales to baked goods, all from local vendors.

For all of your insurance coverage needs in the local Conejo Valley community, contact the insurance professionals at Cappuccino Insurance Agency, located in Westlake Village, California.

Dangers of Texting and Driving

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There are many dangerous distractions that can happen on the road, with texting one of the most dangerous distraction. With all that cell phones can do, such as browsing the web and texting your friends, most people can be easily distracted while behind the wheel.

Texting and driving is especially dangerous because it involves all three forms of distracted driving, which are visual, manual, and cognitive. This means that texting whole driving not only impacts what a driver sees, but also how they respond to the events and the amount of time that it takes them to respond. Even hands free driving devices can be big distractions on the road. Studies have shown that driving while using a cell phone, with or without a hands free device, is the same as driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent.

Almost 3,328 people were killed in 2012 by distracted drivers, and 421,000 people were injured is distracted driving accidents. Since 2010, it is estimated that at any moment during the day, 660,000 drivers are using their cell phones while behind the wheel. More than ever before, adults are using their cell phones while behind the wheel. Overall,

  • 27 percent of adults admit to texting while driving.
  • 24 percent of fatal accidents with one or more drivers between 30 to 39 years of involved cell phone use.
  • 22 percent of fatal accidents with one or more drivers under the age of 20 involved cell phone use.

Having the right auto insurance policy can help to provide the protection needed in case of an accident with a distracted driver. Contact the insurance professionals at Cappuccino Insurance Agency, located in Westlake Village, California for all of your auto insurance coverage needs in the Conejo Valley area.