So, what do they drive day-to-day?  Remember, like all of us, whatever they drive it will need to be insured.

Here is a nominee and surprisingly…what she drives.

Zero Dark Thirty – Jessica Chastain

The beautiful lead actress in the box office hit “Zero Dark Thirty” drives a hybrid. When asked by Parade magazine how she spent her ‘first paycheck’, the actress replied, “I don’t spend a lot of money on things. I still drive my 2006 Prius!” Not only is she concerned about the planet but she is frugal as well.

Being frugal is a great quality. You could save some money by having Insurance brokers at Alandale Insurance help you get the right price for your insurance needs.

Nowadays, the library is not used as much by the community because we have computers. But there are some ways our local libraries are still worth giving some time to.

1. Local libraries can expose you to books that you can “try” without buying them. Read a few chapters of a new author and then go out and buy the book if you want to finish it or just finish it and put it back. My point is its free.
2. DVD’s – Okay, they don’t get as many copies of new releases as Redbox but you can still rent out some great movies for FREE.
3. Local libraries provide a great environment to sit and read.
4. Libraries are community specific. This means they order resources based on the needs of the community.
5. If you have children, you know when you buy a children’s book a good percentage of the time they read it once and are done with it. Free up some space on your book shelves and check out books from the library. The choices are endless.
6. Periodicals and magazines for free. You can also request something if the library does not have it.
7. Local libraries also give you an opportunity for community involvement. There are crafts for children, reading challenges for kids, group readings, and community projects.

Take a trip to the library and look around…for FREE.

Cerritos: http://menu.ci.cerritos.ca.us/
Lakewood: http://www.colapublib.org/libs/nye/index.php
Long Beach: lbpl.org

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It’s the season for spooky trick and treats in the Orange County Area! There’s plenty to do this month in celebration of Halloween. If you want to wear your costume more than just once this month, check out these fun events where you, your friends, and family can enjoy:

• October 20, 21, 26, 27 & 28, Boo at the Zoo, Santa Ana Zoo: This family-friendly costumed extravaganza will bring FUN, SAFE, trick-or-treating in a “Merry not Scary” Zoo atmosphere, with educational animal presentations, storytelling, and entertainment throughout the evening, with a grand finale costume parade! Visit http://www.santaanazoo.org/boo.htm for more information.

• October 20^th, The 5th Annual Great Park Pumpkin Harvest, Orange County Great Park in Irvine:The Pumpkin Harvest is a festive event with family-friendly entertainment, including carnival-style games, arts and crafts activities, master pumpkin carver demonstrations, a scavenger hunt and more. Visitors are encouraged to bring canned food items to the Pumpkin Harvest to benefit local food banks and help families in need. Visit http://www.ocgp.org/pumpkin-harvest/ for more information.uklk

• October 26^th and 27^th, 9^th Annual Haunted Garden, Fullerton Arboretum: Every year the garden is transformed into a guided spooky maze with ghouls and ghosts. Tours last 30-40 minutes and begin at 6:30 p.m. and run until the last tour leaves at 8:30. The end of the tour features a Haunter’s Ball, where you can enjoy games and activities. Visit http://www.fullertonarboretum.org/event_haunted.php for more information.

• October 28^th, 15th Annual Trick or Treat Festival & Halloween Hearse Show: En celebración de día de los muertos (Day of the Dead Celebration), Orange County Marketplace: This year’s event will include a Day of the Dead Celebration. Featured will be Azteca Dancers presenting traditional Mexican holiday dances and Artisans with their Day of the Dead creations, jewelry and other work, and face painting for this holiday. For more information, visit http://ocmarketplace.com/contents/Entertainment.aspx#10/28/2012

If you would like more information on events for this Halloween and other upcoming holidays, visit and “like” our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/alandaleins for updates!

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Looking for that really amazing car, but also worried about the safety of you and your family? Here’s some news to consider! The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently named the top four 2013 models in safety, which will be included in a complete official report come December of 2012.

The four 2013 car models to receive this high honor and be announced prior to the official report by the IIHS are the 2013 Dodge Dart, the 2013 Hyundai crossover Santa Fe, the 2013 Lexus ES 350 midsize luxury sedan, and the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek hatchback. Each of these 2013 vehicles were introduced to consumers within the last several months.

IIHS tested 180 vehicles for the 2012 model year, in which only 132 were awarded the Top Safety Pick designation. The rating means that each vehicle performed well in test crashes assessing the front, side and rear impacts, as well as rollovers.

73 percent of the models IIHS tested last year received the top safety rating, but now next year’s test will be more rigorous. The new front crash tests will test a vehicle’s safety in a crash that impacts the front corners. This will be tougher for auto engineers and designers because most manufacturers create a structure for vehicles that can better absorb middle-front collisions.

The IIHS will issue in December its annual list of the safety report for vehicles sold in the U.S. market. These four models were tested after manufacturers requested the tests ahead of the normal IIHS schedule and were introduced to the auto market within the last several months.

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Autumn is now finally upon us in Southern California.  Along with the changes in season, comes the change in weather. Summer brought heat and risks of fires, which many homes were lost to. Now with fall and winter come rain storms, floods, and mud slides. Whatever the weather may be like, ask yourself, “Are you prepared for the unexpected?”

Homeowners have insurance to protect your home, but when a large claim is reported, their insurers may not live up to their expectations. According to a survey conducted by ConsumerReports.org, there were 11,250 of their subscribers unhappy with the way their insurer handled their large homeowners claim.

The greater the damages, the greater the likelihood that home insurers paid less than expected, our survey found. Overall, almost 10 percent of respondents reported that they disagreed with their insurer over the amount of a claim payment.

But when damage was $25,000 or more, 19 percent disagreed with their insurer’s assessment of what was due. Those in the higher-damage group who disputed estimates, the insurers paid a median of $7,000 (or 20 percent) less than the claimed loss, leaving the policyholders upset.

Insurance carriers have shifted severe risk damage to policyholders through higher deductibles on claims from hurricanes, wind, and hail. Because a home may be insured for $200,000 and the policy has a 3 percent deductible for hurricanes, the policyholder would pay $6,000 out-of-pocket on a storm-related claim.

Insurers are also using their contract language to avoid paying claims. If there was a hailstorm that destroys your home or a flood covers half the house, the insurer would not cover and pay for the specific damage unless you pay the additional $40 to $50 a year for a specific endorsement that covers it.

With all these changes in insurer’s policies, the premiums have also increased by 5 to 10 percent annually, which depends on the region. What is even more bad news is that industry sources say insurance rates will hike up to 12 percent this year.

In addition, policy holders are unaware of things not covered until they file a claim. The average homeowner files a claim only once every 6 years, and many policyholders don’t read the disclosures, renewal contracts, and updates that insurers send them.

If you need help looking over your coverage and have questions, the agents at Alandale Insurance can help you. They can answer all your questions, look over your current policy, and get you the correct coverage for your home. Call Alandale Insurance at (888) 854-4501 or visit them online at www.alandale.com.

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After the passage of the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as “Obamacare,” health insurance exchanges have been widely spoken of since the beginning. It’s the constant topic of discussion and debates among state officials and those Americans interested.

Majority of states and federal health offices are preparing for those who cannot afford to purchase health coverage from a private insurer. Those who do not want to pay the Affordable Care Act fine in 2014 are already looking into what their state plans are.

Private insurance companies are starting to look into creating their own exchanges for customers to buy from for the 2014 health insurance deadline. A small amount of companies have already used private health insurance exchanges. The programs just weren’t called “exchanges” until after the Affordable Care Act made this term popular.

Large companies are now setting out rapidly increasing offers of private exchanges which will soon become a common strategy for delivering health benefits to corporate employees. Talk about these programs has grown rampant and interest in using them is growing and spreading.

When referring to exchanges, either private or public, they typically refer to online portals designed with a variety of easily similar health-plan options. It’s like online shopping for health insurance. Their webhosts build or license technology platforms to deliver options of shoppers, and they request participation from and contract with insurers.

If you would like more information on health insurance, Alandale Insurance can help you and find the best coverage that fits your budget. Alandale agents are the best at giving stellar customer service along with honest insurance advice. Please call (888) 854-4501 for more information or visit them online at www.alandale.com.

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Starting on Sunday, October 7^th through Saturday, October 14^th, all across the nation, fire departments will be promoting fire safety for the cities they serve in recognition of National Fire Prevention Week. The National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) has announced that this year’s theme is “Have 2 Ways Out!”

National Fire Prevention Week was established in memory of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. The great blaze killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire began on October 8, but continued into the next day, October 9, 1871, which resulted in even more damage.

There was also another fire that began on October 8^th, 1871 – the Great Peshtigo Fire in Peshtigo, Wisconsin. The Peshtigo Fire was the most devastating forest fire in American history. The fire blazed through Northeast Wisconsin, burning down 16 towns, killing 1,152 people, and scorching 1.2 million acres before it ended.

On the 40th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire, the Fire Marshals Association of North America (known today as the International Fire Marshals Association), decided that the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire should be remembered in a way that would keep people educated about the importance of fire prevention. In 1920, President Woodrow Wilson declared the first National Fire Prevention Day, and since 1922, Fire Prevention Week has been observed on the Sunday through Saturday period in which October 9 falls.

This year’s theme, “Have 2 Ways Out!” focuses on having a home fire escape plan that prepares families to think fast and get out quickly when the smoke alarm sounds. It also emphasizes on having a plan b, in case the first route out is blocked by a blaze or heavy smoke. Fire departments all across the nation will be teaching the public on the importance of fire escape planning and practice using this year’s theme.

In learning about local events to help inform families about fire prevention and safety, please visit your local fire station. For more information about National Fire Prevention Week, visit the National Fire Prevention Association’s site at www.NFPA.org.

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The great heat wave of 2012 in California has been under examination recently. With record heat and dry weather, the long-term weather outlook is grim. This past week, the current surge in rising temperatures are expected to cool off starting Wednesday, but there is absolutely zero percent chance of any rain to come. This spells only one thing for our currently dry state, a serious drought.

The drought condition in California has worsened across compared to one year ago, and are expected to get more severe through December. According to the National Drought Mitigation Center, 69 percent of the state is now considered to be in moderate drought conditions. One year ago, no part of the state was in this condition.

Unfortunately, California’s Department of Water Resources is a long way from declaring a drought, saying it depends much more on local conditions and regional demand. State officials base a drought on whether residents’ water needs are being met, but acknowledges that we may be in one soon.

A key issue currently in danger is that most of the state’s major reservoirs are at below-average storage levels. California avoided drought this summer because those reservoirs were filled to the brim by a wet winter in the early months of 2011. Such was not the case this last January through March, and now the surplus is gone.

With record breaking heat comes the danger of wildfires, which can get extremely out of control in very dry and hot conditions. There is also another bad outlook on the weather: the National Weather Service has also declared that a type of “El Nino” weather to occur this winter. This means the tropical Pacific Ocean is warmer than normal. This cycle typically alters climate patterns to produce dry conditions in Northern California and wet conditions in Southern California.

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As states work to comply with the federal standards of the newly approved Affordable Care Act, many are currently designing their own health benefits exchanges. Health benefit exchanges are state programs created for residents to purchase health insurance to meet the federal requirements of the Affordable Care Act.

States are going as far as changing the names from “exchanges” to something more appealing to the marketplace. They want to make the exchange more attractive for residents so they may consider purchasing their coverage through the state rather than a private insurance carrier.

For specifically the state of California, they want the new health benefit exchange to sound fresh, innovative, and dynamic. The powers that be are currently brainstorming a new name.

The exchange will also have a website where people can buy private health insurance, and many residents will have government funding to help them purchase their coverage. State program designers hope that at least 3 million customers will enroll for benefits starting in 2014. Since the 3 million is such a diverse group, planners want a name that will grab all of them.

California is expected to release its new name and logo in November. As of recently, new names in contention are “Eureka”, a reference to the gold rush; and “Ursa”, which is Latin for bear, and a symbol on California’s state flag.

If you need help in obtaining or lowering your health insurance rates before the required federal deadline, the highly qualified agents at Alandale Insurance are here! For a free. no-obligation quote, call Alandale Insurance at (888) 854-4501 or visit us online at www.alandale.com.

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Has your homeowners’ insurance rate gone up and will take some more money out of your budget to protect your home? You’re not alone, because rates are rising for everyone. Homeowners insurance claims have been rising in costs very quickly because of the combined effects of the amount of claims reported and the severity of damage that was caused for a claim.

According to the Insurance Research Council, from 1997 to 2011, the average homeowners insurance claim payment per insured home nationally rose 173 percent, from $229 to $626. In 2011, homeowners insurance claim costs per insured home increased 27 percent beyond that. During that entire period overall, the annualized rate of increase was 7.4 percent.

The IRC examined separately individual claims that were and were not related to natural disasters and events then compared the both data collected. The severities of the claims for both groups were also examined. For both groups of claims, the national claim severity increased almost 200 percent and ended the 15-year period in 2011 with similar numbers: $8,077 for non-catastrophe-related claims and $7,553 for catastrophe-related claims.

The homeowner claim report frequency had very different numbers for the two groups of claims over the 15-year study period. The frequency of claims reported that were unrelated to catastrophic events had fallen substantially from 1997 to 2005 because of a variety of factors. Since 2005, however, non-catastrophe-related claim frequency has increased at an annualized rate of 2.9 percent. Catastrophe-related claim frequency, while much more volatile, remained fairly flat through much of the period.

If your homeowners insurance premium is becoming a financial burden, Alandale Insurance can help you lower your costs. We can get you all the coverage you need to protect your home and valuables at an affordable price. Call an Alandale Insurance agent at (888) 854-4501 or visit us online at www.alandale.com for a free, no obligation quote and see why our clients love us!