Guides & Checklists
Free, practical resources to help you understand your insurance and protect what matters. No jargon, no sales pitch — just the stuff you actually need to know.
Commercial Property Insurance Checklist for Bay Area Small Businesses
A practical commercial property insurance checklist for Bay Area small businesses, focused on verifying limits, deductibles, business income, water issues, equipment breakdown, and the common gaps that cause claim surprises.
Insurance for Business Consultants: What You Actually Need
A practical guide for California-based business consultants covering the key coverage types — general liability, professional liability (E&O), cyber liability, hired and non-owned auto, workers' compensation (including "if any" policies and CA owner exclusion rules), and business personal property — written in plain language with real-world scenarios and a checklist format.
What's Actually in Your Insurance Declaration Page (And Why It Matters)
A clear guide to what’s on an insurance declarations page, the 10 items to check (limits, deductibles, endorsements, listed properties/vehicles, lienholders), and why a quick dec page review prevents the most common coverage misunderstandings.
The Umbrella Insurance Explainer
A straightforward umbrella insurance explainer covering what it is, what it typically covers, what it does not cover, why underlying auto and home liability limits matter, and a checklist to help you choose the right umbrella limit.
How to Handle a Commercial General Liability or Work Comp Audit & What Could Trigger It.
A plain-English guide for Bay Area business owners going through a GL or Workers' Comp audit. Covers why audits happen, what happens if you ignore one (estimated high bill or mid-term cancellation), the two audit types, what auditors look for, how misclassification creates surprise bills, records to prepare, how to engage during the process, disputing results, and prevention habits. Ends with a printable prep checklist.
California Homeowner's Insurance Checklist
A simple California homeowners insurance checklist that walks you through reading the dec page, checking dwelling and personal property limits, liability and umbrella, key exclusions like flood and earthquake, and the fastest ways to avoid coverage surprises.
Earthquake Insurance in California: What It Costs, How It Works, and How to Decide
A candid, education-first guide to earthquake insurance in California covering the history of the CEA, how the 15% deductible actually works in practice, the premium-to-deductible math most people don't think through, retrofit options, and a framework for making the intentional decision that's right for your household.