Summer is here and the moving season is on. If you are preparing for a new home or apartment you are not alone; the U.S. Census Bureau found almost 36 million people moved to a new residence between 2012 and 2013. Most wanted to find a new place to live, followed by relocation for a new job.
While it can be an exciting time – you get to pick the paint colors you love, there is a new yard to plan and you finally get that extra room you always wanted – preparing for a moving adventure can be a stressful experience.
To get copies of your family’s medical records and veterinary records for your pets, as well as copies of prescriptions you may need to transfer
An official copy of your child’s school records (needed to enroll them into a new school)
Valuables you had hidden around the house (jewelry, stamps, coins)
Important phone numbers and email addresses
The items you may have taken to the cleaners but hadn’t picked up yet (or the watch at the repair shop)
A copy of your new address
To leave some cleaning supplies for the after move clean up
To leave the garage door opener – many people forget to take them out of their vehicles
To open a checking account in your new city a month prior to the move
To gather all the keys to the house you have hidden or given to neighbors and friends
The time of year you move can save you money. In 2014, June and August were the most popular months to move. November and December were slowest, meaning more room for price negotiation.
Keep in mind there are other expenses to consider: hotels, meals out and establishing utilities, internet and cable or satellite TV at your new location. Moving.com calculated that people spend more money during the three months around the time of their move than non-movers spend in five years. When you add it up, relocating homeowners spent as much as $10,000 on furniture and accessories, apartment dwellers around $4,000.
Insurance is also an essential part of your move! While most renters and home insurance will cover your items before and after a move, very few provide coverage while your goods are in transit. It’s recommended that you purchase insurance from a moving company to protect your items from point A to point B.
You will also need to contact your insurance representative BEFORE-hand to get the appropriate coverage when you get to your new dwelling.
Just like preparing for a move, you need to plan ahead to make sure you get the best value in protecting your home and the valuables inside. Contact a California Casualty advisor today for a homeowners or renters policy comparison or review at 1.800.800.9410 or at www.calcas.com.
For many companies, customer service is just a necessary expense. At California Casualty, it’s the very core of what makes us an exceptional company. It’s not just a job here – it’s a career. We back it up with educational and growth opportunities, benefits, and compensation that retains the best customer service reps in the industry.
2) You enjoy being challenged.
Customer service at California Casualty is vital to our ongoing success. You’ll be asked to counsel our customers on coverages, drive additional sales, and occasionally deal with some difficult situations. This job doesn’t get boring, and you’ll see the impact you make on the company every single day.
3) You want to be a part of something important.
We are a 100-year-old company with a very specific mission. We protect those who make our communities better. We take our responsibility to our customers very seriously. So seriously, in fact, we developed a Code to govern our actions. Each interaction you have with one of our customers can have a profound effect on their lives.
4) You live to serve others.
Our customers, Educators, Firefighters, Peace Officers, and Nurses, have dedicated their lives to serving others. It’s our job to serve them. If you enjoy helping truly great people, you’ll fit right in here.
If you think you fit the bill – visit our careers page to see current openings. It’s time to pursue a rewarding and fulfilling career in customer service!
For many of us there is nothing better than reading a good book. Whether you’re like me (a traditionalist who loves the feel of turning pages), or you prefer to use your e-reader, getting a recommendation on a great read is always appreciated. Here are some of the best summer books of 2015 from the staff at Publishers Weekly:
Modern Romance: An Investigation, by Aziz Ansari
The Argonauts, by Maggie Nelson
Meanwhile There Are Letters: The Correspondence of Eudora Welty and Ross Macdonald, edited by Suzanne Marrs and Tom Nolan
Let Me Tell You: New Stories, Essays and Other Writings, by Shirley Jackson
The Silenced, by James DeVita
Flash: The Homeless Donkey Who Taught Me about Life, Faith and Second Chances, by Rachel Anne Ridge
Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life, by William Finnegan
Speak, by Louisa Hall
Love and Other Wounds, by Jordan Harper
As If! The Oral History of Clueless As told by Amy Heckerling, the Cast and the Crew, by Jen Chaney
Bull Mountain, by Brian Panowich
Personally, I am finishing up a couple great books: Hope to Die, the latest Alex Cross mystery from James Patterson, and Dan Brown’s, Inferno.
And of course, readers are clamoring over the release of Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman.
Whether it’s to escape to another land, solve a mystery or learn about someone who inspired you, what’s the best book you’ve read this summer? We’d love to hear.
And speaking of good reads, when’s the last time you reviewed your auto or home insurance policy? Make sure everything has a happy ending; call a California Casualty advisor today for a policy review at 1.800.800.9410 or visit www.calcas.com.
We’ve often wondered how they do it. We are talking about cooking for the crew at a fire station. Think about it; it’s hard enough preparing food for a family, but it’s even harder for a couple dozen men and women who might have to bolt at a moment’s notice. Any firehouse cook knows preparation and cooking time has to be easy, the meal nutritious, and it must be as good later that day or night as it was fresh out of the oven. We are not talking about the typical “5 Alarm Chili,” but quick, healthy meals that will nourish men and women in a physically and mentally demanding job.
While there are myriad recipe sites, we culled (we wish we could have tasted) through a half dozen to come up with these top 10 Firehouse Recipes:
Fettuccine with Ham and Chicken (submitted to thefirestations.com recipe page by Lake Jackson Volunteer Fire Department Chief Eileen Williams), https://thefirestations.com/recipe.htm
Chief 53 Salad, also submitted to thefirestations.com recipe page by Snohomish County Fire Dist. #26’s Linda Larson, https://thefirestations.com/recipe.htm
California Casualty understands that fire personnel work hard to protect their communities. That’s why we created the Work Hard/Play Hard contest, where one lucky first responder will win a custom Harley-Davidson FLHP Road King or $25,000. Don’t miss your chance; the entry deadline is October 7, 2015 with a winner announced later that month. The complete rules and entry form can be found at www.gocalcas.com/harley.
Auto and home insurance isn’t something that should wreck your appetite – contact a California Casualty advisor today to learn about quality insurance designed for firefighters with exclusive benefits not available to the general public. Call today for a policy review or comparison at 1.800.800.9410 or visit www.calcas.com/FireFighters.
Here are all the songs you need for Summer. Pool side, in the car, or jamming out with headphones these are the perfect songs for fun in the sun. Which songs would you add to the list? Share in the comments below. *May not be appropriate for all audiences.
Summertime- Billy Stewart
School’s Out- Alice Cooper
Summer Breeze- Seals and Crofts
Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer- Nat King Cole
Summer Love- Justin Timberlake
Summer- War
Summertime- Kenny Chesney
Summer of 69- Bryan Adams
In the Summertime- Mungo Jerry
Boys of Summer- Don Henley
Summer Nights- Grease Soundtrack
Hot Fun in the Summertime- Sly and the Family Stone
Have you ever wondered what it might be like to work at Calcas? Have you ever thought of applying to work here? Below are some of the things we think set California Casualty apart from other companies.
Celebrations
Our employee celebrations have delicious food and occur almost every month! Recently, we’ve had phenomenal barbecue lunches as well as tacos and other fantastic food.
Holidays
If a holiday occurs on a weekend, you still get your extra day off the Friday before! Enjoy more time with your family or just relax and have some time to yourself.
Cheerful Atmosphere
Work will always be difficult and at times a little dull, but at Calcas we are always cracking jokes, laughing and having a good time.
Locations
We have offices in California, Colorado, Arizona and Kansas. Whether you’re a fan of the mountains or the desert, chances are you will like where you work.
Support
The people here are very supportive and encouraging. We are always collaborating on projects and giving constructive feedback on each other’s work.
Comfort
We have a very casual and comfortable work environment, allowing for a relaxing, calmer workplace. Spacious desks, comfortable office chairs and a double-screen computer help make work as easy and efficient as possible.
Interesting Work
Insurance is more exciting than you may think. Whether it is coming up with a clever marketing idea or trying to close an important sale, there is always something interesting going on.
Gratification
We specialize in giving quality insurance to educators, law enforcement, firefighters, and nurses. By working with us you will get the opportunity to offer the highest quality product to those that serve our country.
History and Experience
We recently celebrated California Casualty’s 100th anniversary, meaning that we have been around longer than nearly all of our competitors. In those 100 years, we have learned what works and what doesn’t and how we can become the best company for our customers and our employees.
Choices
One common misconception is that the only jobs at an insurance company involve selling insurance. In reality, there are many different jobs for you to apply for, including sales, claims, customer service and marketing.
