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Mission Viejo, CA Office
Email: cathy@elye.com
| Monday | 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Thursday | 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Friday | 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
Have Questions?
We have answers.
All you need to know before partnering with us, without jargon or fine print.
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Usually not. When a wildfire is burning nearby, insurers commonly stop writing new policies or increasing coverage for homes in the area until the danger has passed.
These temporary restrictions can start as soon as a fire is reported within a certain distance of a property, so they can affect a home purchase or a policy change with little warning. If you’re buying a home, especially in the foothills or near open land, get your insurance bound early in escrow so a fire doesn’t delay your closing.
California’s fire season has grown longer, so it’s best to review your limits, deductibles, and rebuilding costs before summer.
Questions about your own policy? Elye Insurance in Mission Viejo helps homeowners and drivers across California and Nevada compare options from multiple carriers.
No. Standard California homeowners policies exclude earthquake damage, so you need a separate earthquake policy or endorsement.
California law requires insurers that sell homeowners insurance to offer you earthquake coverage when you buy your policy and again every two years. You can buy it through the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) or from private carriers. Coverage usually includes the dwelling, with options for personal property and additional living expenses, and it carries its own percentage deductible.
Fire that follows an earthquake is generally covered by your homeowners policy. Older homes, especially those built before 1980 on raised foundations, may benefit from a seismic retrofit, and the CEA’s Brace + Bolt program has offered grants for retrofits in eligible ZIP codes. A retrofitted home may also qualify for a CEA premium discount.
Questions about your own policy? Elye Insurance in Mission Viejo helps homeowners and drivers across California and Nevada compare options from multiple carriers.
California requires insurers to offer discounts to homeowners who take qualifying steps to reduce wildfire risk, under the state’s Safer from Wildfires regulation.
Upgrades that can count include a Class A fire-rated roof, ember- and fire-resistant vents, a five-foot ember-resistant zone around the home, six inches of noncombustible clearance at the base of exterior walls, enclosed eaves, upgraded windows, and maintained defensible space. Homes in a recognized Firewise USA community or another qualifying community program may earn an additional discount.
Insurers must also share your home’s wildfire risk score if you ask and let you appeal it. Discounts aren’t automatic, so keep photos, receipts, and inspection reports, and send them to your agent.
Questions about your own policy? Elye Insurance in Mission Viejo helps homeowners and drivers across California and Nevada compare options from multiple carriers.
Yes. A California insurer can decline or nonrenew a homeowners policy because of roof condition, but it has to follow state rules when it does.
Insurers generally must give at least 75 days’ written notice before nonrenewing a homeowners policy and tell you the reason. If you think the decision is wrong, you can ask the insurer to reconsider, for example after a roof repair or replacement, and you can file a complaint with the California Department of Insurance. After a declared wildfire emergency, the Insurance Commissioner can also order a one-year moratorium on nonrenewals in affected ZIP codes.
Many carriers now review roofs with aerial images. Worn roofs and untreated wood shake roofs are common reasons for a nonrenewal, and older homes may also get questions about electrical panels, plumbing, and water heaters. Keep permits and receipts for any updates, and if you’re nonrenewed, we can shop private carriers and the FAIR Plan for you.
Questions about your own policy? Elye Insurance in Mission Viejo helps homeowners and drivers across California and Nevada compare options from multiple carriers.
Earthquake insurance in California usually has a deductible set as a percentage of your dwelling coverage, often between 5% and 25%, and it is separate from your homeowners deductible.
For example, on a home with $400,000 of dwelling coverage, a 15% earthquake deductible means you pay the first $60,000 of damage to the house. A lower percentage costs more in premium, and a higher one costs less. Many policies, including those from the California Earthquake Authority (CEA), let you choose your deductible and add separate limits for personal property and additional living expenses.
A standard homeowners policy does not cover earthquake damage, but it generally does cover fire that breaks out after an earthquake. We can help you weigh the deductible against the premium so the coverage fits your budget.
Questions about your own policy? Elye Insurance in Mission Viejo helps homeowners and drivers across California and Nevada compare options from multiple carriers.
Yes, if you carry Comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive covers flood, fire, falling trees, hail, and theft.
Liability-only policies, including California’s minimum coverage, don’t pay for damage to your own car. Flood- and fire-damaged vehicles are often declared a total loss, and Comprehensive pays the car’s actual cash value minus your deductible. Your homeowners and flood insurance policies don’t cover vehicles.
Before a big atmospheric river storm or during a wildfire evacuation, move vehicles to higher ground or out of the area if you can do so safely, take photos, and never drive through flooded roads.
Questions about your own policy? Elye Insurance in Mission Viejo helps homeowners and drivers across California and Nevada compare options from multiple carriers.
After a California car accident, move to safety, call 911 if anyone is hurt, exchange information, document the scene, and report the accident to the DMV if required.
- Check for injuries and move vehicles out of traffic if it’s safe to do so.
- Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Police or the CHP should be called for any crash with injuries.
- Exchange names, driver’s license numbers, insurance information, and vehicle registration with the other driver.
- Take photos of the vehicles, the scene, road conditions, and any injuries, and get witness contact information.
- File an SR-1 report with the DMV within 10 days if anyone was injured or killed, or if property damage is more than $1,000.
- See a doctor promptly, even if you feel fine, and notify your insurance company.
Questions about your own policy? Elye Insurance in Mission Viejo helps homeowners and drivers across California and Nevada compare options from multiple carriers.
Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage isn’t mandatory, but California requires insurers to offer it, and it’s strongly recommended. Industry estimates put roughly one in six California drivers on the road without insurance.
UM/UIM pays for your injuries, lost wages, and in qualifying cases pain and suffering when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough. It generally also covers hit-and-run accidents involving injuries, and it can protect you and your household as pedestrians or cyclists, which matters on trails like the Virginia Corridor Trail in Mission Viejo.
To decline or lower UM, you must sign a written waiver. California doesn’t allow stacking UM limits across vehicles. Uninsured Motorist Property Damage can pay up to $3,500 for damage to your car from an identified uninsured driver. A good rule of thumb is to match your UM limits to your Bodily Injury Liability limits.
Questions about your own policy? Elye Insurance in Mission Viejo helps homeowners and drivers across California and Nevada compare options from multiple carriers.
No. California is an at-fault (tort) state. The driver who causes an accident, and their insurance company, is responsible for the other people’s injuries and property damage.
Because California doesn’t require Personal Injury Protection (PIP), your own injuries are paid by the at-fault driver’s liability insurance, your health insurance, or optional coverages on your own policy, such as Medical Payments and Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage.
Under Proposition 213, uninsured drivers generally can’t recover pain and suffering damages, even when the other driver was at fault. Carrying continuous coverage protects your right to full compensation.
Questions about your own policy? Elye Insurance in Mission Viejo helps homeowners and drivers across California and Nevada compare options from multiple carriers.
California car insurance has gone up because repairs, medical care, and injury claims cost more than ever, and insurers have been catching up after several years of losses.
Newer cars are full of sensors and cameras that are expensive to repair, vehicle theft and parts costs have risen, and heavy traffic on corridors like Highway 99 and I-5 leads to more accidents. California also raised its minimum liability limits to 30/60/15 in 2025.
Under Proposition 103, your rate is based mainly on your driving record, the miles you drive, and your years of driving experience, and insurers can’t use your credit score. To lower your premium, ask about the Good Driver Discount (at least 20% for qualifying drivers), report lower mileage if you drive less, bundle with your homeowners policy, raise your comprehensive and collision deductibles, and compare multiple carriers.
Questions about your own policy? Elye Insurance in Mission Viejo helps homeowners and drivers across California and Nevada compare options from multiple carriers.
