Fire Risk and Homeowners Insurance

July 29, 2021 The devastating wildfires in California that did so much damage in the past few years are now impacting pricing and availability of homeowners insurance coverage in the state, affecting everything from primary residences in many suburban locations to popular vacation home spots like Napa Valley, Sonoma, Lake Tahoe and elsewhere. This comes … Continued

The Changing Landscape of Homeowner’s Insurance in CA Due to Fire Risk

May 24, 2021 Sand Hill’s Senior Wealth Manager Steve Peterson and Senior Managing Director at the specialty brokerage firm Risk Strategies, John O’Neill, discuss the the changing landscape of homeowner’s insurance in California due to fire risk. The devastating wildfires that have hit California in recent years have had a direct impact on both the … Continued

California’s Proposition 19 Institutes New Property Tax and Transfer Rules

January 8, 2021 In the November 2020 election, California voters narrowly passed Proposition 19, a measure that impacts two major areas related to property tax and property transfer. First, it gives homeowners more flexibility to change residences anywhere within California while retaining their property tax base as long as the new home is purchased within … Continued

It’s Time to Get REAL, California

If Dante’s Inferno had named a 10th circle of hell, it might have been called the “Line at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)”. The experience is typically so painful, you try everything to avoid it. But before October 1, 2020, you may choose to spend some time at the DMV to save yourself an … Continued

Trading Places — Changing Residency from a High Tax State

Welcome to California, such a lovely place … you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. Despite its natural beauty, mild climate, and other attractive attributes, some people — who once made California their home — eventually choose to leave it. Many others try to avoid establishing California residency in … Continued

Shaken, Not Stirred…to Action

It used to be that earthquake insurance in California had to be offered by the same company that underwrote one’s regular homeowners policy.  Then in 1994, the devastating Northridge earthquake literally shook up the entire industry, and subsequently many insurance companies simply refused to write either type of policy.  Out of necessity, a new entity … Continued

Enough Is Enough! Or Is It?

Are you adequately insured on your Homeowners insurance coverage? It was not that long ago that many homeowners in California could purchase “guaranteed replacement cost coverage” for their dwelling, and thus not really worry too much about the potential cost of rebuilding if they suffered great damage or even total destruction.  This type of insurance … Continued

The Improving State of the State

“I busted a mirror and got seven years bad luck, but my lawyer thinks he can get me five.” – Steven Wright Seven years ago California was facing a severe budget crisis. The state’s expenses exceeded revenues, creating an unsustainable path for the state’s finances, which ultimately unwound with the Great Recession in 2008. By … Continued