Advocate Insurance Brokers Owner: Jeffrey VanWagenen

12/02/2024

PLEASE DONT SCROLL PAST THIS ONE.

I apologize for the late notice but we're doing our 3rd Annual Delivery of Food and Supplies to the Hopi people December 6th and 7th in Arizona.

I've attached a few photos from last year's visit.

Based on past visits, we’ve learned that their needs are simple but urgent: basic food items like flour, oil, raw beans, baby formula, warm clothing, blankets, lump coal, and other essentials.

These folks are truly in need, they're not asking for a game console or candy they're just trying to stay alive through the upcoming cold winter months.

We invite you to contribute to this cause. Your donations—whether supplies or funds—can help us deliver even more to this humble and deserving community. Together, we can ease their burdens and show solidarity with their enduring spirit.

As we approach the holiday season, we’re reaching out to share the story of the Hopi Tribe, a resilient community in northeastern Arizona, and invite you to join us in making a meaningful difference.

The Hopi people, known for their deep spiritual traditions and cultural preservation, face significant challenges today. Their villages—First Mesa, Second Mesa, and Third Mesa—stand on rugged mesas that have been their home for centuries. Despite this rich heritage, many Hopi families live in extreme poverty. Homes often lack basic amenities such as electricity, heating, or running water, leaving residents vulnerable to freezing winter temperatures. Tragically, infant mortality spikes in the winter months due to exposure and inadequate heating resources.

Unlike many Native American tribes, the Hopi never signed a treaty with the U.S. government. This unique historical stance has left them without certain federal benefits granted to other tribes. The community continues to face obstacles in securing resources like clean water, essential for both daily life and agricultural needs. Efforts to gain better access to water and funding for infrastructure have been met with limited success, leaving three-quarters of the tribe reliant on arsenic-contaminated wells and seasonal streams.

How You Can Help:

1. Donate Supplies: Drop off items like non-perishable food, winter clothing, or blankets at Advocate Insurance (between 12-5pm) 378 N. Main St. Centerville, Ut. 84014.
2. Monetary Contributions: Donate funds for additional supplies via Venmo at -VanWagenen.
3. Spread the Word: Share this initiative with friends and family to expand the impact.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of the Hopi people. Let’s come together to brighten their winter and preserve the remarkable spirit of this enduring tribe.
If you need a tax write this is a great opportunity, we can supply you with a tax document.

09/13/2024

With the chill in the air this morning, it's getting to be that time of year... It's time to winterize the boat! Let us help with all your Boat & RV maintenance needs. Book an appointment online at www.tylersboats.com

02/05/2024

Drive with confidence! Let us help you get the best insurance to protect you and your vehicle. Give us a call today!

08/21/2023

This phrase bugs me since no policy has ever existed with “full coverage“ all policies have limits and usually people who say that they have “full coverage” have their limits set too low.

08/20/2023

Especially in California …

08/20/2023

PSA: I hope that it helps explain what is happening in the insurance world today. It won’t matter what carrier you are with, this is an industry issue.

The insurance marketplace is tightening up and it's happening fast. It’s happening especially fast for home and auto insurance companies. This is regardless of what state you are in, however California, Florida, Louisiana and Texas are being hit especially hard. Carriers are pulling a full hard stop on issuing any new policies across the country, and carriers that have NOT put a moratorium on binding new coverage, are actually just leaving the market or they are selling to other carriers/merging. They simply can't operate profitably in this inflationary market. *EVERY DAY* we are hearing about a pause on new business, or a carrier putting a full stop on writing new policies. Some carriers are requiring *full premium payment* up front for new business or requiring a 20 to 30 day hold on new applications. Carriers may shift underwriting guidelines, so they *only* want preferred business… no claims within 5 years (not 3 anymore), home and auto bundles, etc. Some carriers will NOT reinstate coverage if it lapses, no matter the reason.
The market is disrupted and it WILL affect you. If it hasn’t yet, it will. I have personally seen premiums double and triple what they were the year before.

The cost of claims has risen exponentially in the past 2 years, thus resulting in the carriers having to raise premiums or pull out of some markets. In some states, carriers have applied for rate increases, but have not been able to get them approved, so they simply shut down for new business.

If you have an auto or home insurance policy, your rates have gone up, and if they haven’t, they will. This isn't personal, it’s not based on a claim you may or may have not had, it’s simply the cost of doing business. If you have *not* gotten a rate increase, be prepared for one at your next renewal, if you get renewal terms at all.

➡️The cost to rebuild your home is up dramatically due to the rising cost of materials and labor. Supply chain for materials continues to be an issue. We can all agree that everything has gone up in price. Carriers simply can’t survive paying these higher prices without charging more themselves.

➡️The cost to repair your car is up dramatically due to the rising cost of auto parts and labor to fix your car. In addition, parts in vehicles now include some technology features. Replacing a side mirror or windshield used to be $500 - now it’s more than triple that.

➡️The cost of medical care continues to skyrocket. Bodily injury on auto accidents is off the charts.

➡️Litigation is expensive and settlements are rising at an unprecedented rate.

➡️Both the frequency and severity of auto accidents are WAY up post COVID along with the rising frequency of auto fatalities.

➡️ReInsurance (the insurance your insurance carrier buys to help cushion catastrophic loss) is at or approaching capacity in many markets, and rising rates are unsustainable.

This is a significant issue affecting the property & casualty industry, and pricing correction is anticipated at least through 2024. It won’t be for forever, but it is here now.

There are some things you can do to help get through this current insurance market:

✅ Consider Higher Deductibles. This will help save some money on your policy.
✅ Safe Driving Telematic Programs. Telematics can reward you by giving you a discount for good driving.
✅ Discount Reviews - make sure you're getting everything you're entitled to. Every carrier has different discount opportunities. Make sure you go over those with your agent.
✅ DO NOT let your policy cancel or lapse *for any reason*. Carriers are not reinstating coverage as easily as they once did. If it does cancel, they may require premium in full before reinstating. This is across the board for every line of coverage.
✅ Bundle your Auto and Home for more discounts and more stable pricing. Bundled/Packaged policies most always include better coverage and benefits and the cost savings is usually 10-15% (or more) on each policy. Many business risks can also bundle options.
✅ Consider tenure - jumping companies too often will hurt you in the long run. In addition, some carriers won’t take you as a new client if you have less than two years with a carrier. And more importantly, carriers are getting off of some risks if a claim happens in the new business term or for the number of claims in a 3-5 year window. Tenure matters with a carrier.
✅ Follow the laws so you don’t get any tickets. Those tickets really add rate to your policy and stay on your record 3-5 years, depending on the carrier.
✅ Absorb small claims when you're able, and save coverage for catastrophic losses. Talk with your agent and let them claims counsel you should a loss happen. Stop using your towing or roadside assistance as a maintenance policy. Frequency of claims REALLY matters. A lot.
Lastly, please remember that we are agents for the carriers. We don’t make the rules, we don’t have control over the rates and we don’t make the decision if your policy is cancelled by the carriers. We are here to help educate, make sure you have the best insurance for your situation, manage your account and claims counsel when needed.

I hope this message explains a little bit of what is going on in the insurance marketplace. Please be nice to your insurance agent whatever company or companies they represent - they are also taking the same increases and doing their best to help you through this.

Thank you.

05/14/2023

03/29/2023

Here’s another reason auto insurance rates are on the rise. . . Does this car look "totaled" to you? That crack in the front bumper was originally estimated at $2,000 but now its up over $6,000 after they took it apart and found that the parts are all on an extremely long back order.
The insurance company decided the car is worth $8,000 -- but with $6,000 in damages (more than 70%) therefore it is "junk" so they buy the car from the owner and take it to a wrecking yard. That cost gets absorbed into the rates everyone pays (even those with no claims).

12/15/2022

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