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  • Antioch, CA Office 925-775-2003 Stan Wristen
    stan [at] cbi-agency [dot] com
  • Groveland, CA Office 209-732-3514 Jess Skelley
    jess [at] cbi-agency [dot] com

Commercial Business Insurance Agency Blog

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Insurance

How to Choose the Right Contractor for Home Improvement Projects and Avoid Liability Claims

If you’re planning a home improvement project, you probably have many contractors available to choose from. How do you pick the right one that will get the job done safely and without liability issues? Follow these tips....

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Top Home Improvement Projects That Can Increase Your Home Value

When you tackle home improvement projects, it’s wise to prioritize those that add the most to your property’s value, especially if you might put your home on the market in the next few years. Here are the renovations...

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Preparing Your Teen Driver for Different Road Conditions and Situations

If you have a young driver in your home, you may be fearful about them driving on their own, especially in bad weather or road construction. Here are some tips to share with them to improve safety by adapting their...

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How to Winterize and Properly Store Your Boat

Your boat is an investment that gives you tons of fun all summer long. But come the cold weather months, you want to make sure it’s properly winterized before you store it, so it’s protected from weather and other...

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Save Money With These Smart Home Devices That Make Your Home Safer

Homeowners today have never had more ways to save money through technology. Here are five smart home devices that will help you cut down on your bills and improve your home’s safety. Better safety can mean fewer...

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Renting vs. Owning a Home: Protect Your Property No Matter Which You Prefer

If you’re on the fence about renting or owning a home, here’s a helpful look at the upsides of each option. Remember to get the right insurance when you make your choice, so your property is fully protected. The...

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Defensive Driving Techniques to Avoid Accidents and Insurance Claims

If you want to reduce your risk of traffic accidents and the insurance claims that accompany them - which could cause your premium to go up - you need to drive defensively. Here are some driving tips to help you avoid...

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What to Look for When Buying a House to Avoid Unnecessary Insurance Claims

If you’re house hunting, you’re probably looking at many elements like the number of bedrooms or how updated the kitchen is. Don’t forget to check for these things too, which which may help avoid home insurance claims...

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Benefits of Safe Driving Apps

Many insurance carriers today offer smartphone apps that track telematics to monitor driving. Here’s how they work and how these apps may help you lower your auto insurance premium, along with a few other advantages. ...

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4 Water-Saving Tips for Your Garden

Water has been in short supply in many areas of the United States lately. And even if it’s bountiful where you live, you may be paying more for water than you’d like. Here are some tips for using less water and saving...

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The Importance of Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Your auto insurance is one of the most important elements of your personal insurance portfolio. But some people purchase only the minimum required liability coverage, not realizing they may be leaving themselves open to...

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Keep Your Home Safe While on Vacation

Whether you’re just getting away for a long weekend or spending a few weeks out of the house, it’s important to ensure your home is safe while you’re gone. Follow these tips to help prevent break-ins, fires, and water...

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Who Needs Life Insurance and How Much Do You Need?

It’s an unfortunate fact that life expectancy in the US has dropped recently. This has led many people to examine whether or not they should have a life insurance policy and, if so, how much coverage they should have....

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Family Emergency Preparedness Checklist

It seems like every day on the news that we hear stories about a hurricane, flood, or wildfire creating massive damage in the U.S. and putting people out of their homes. Have you thought about how your family would...

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What to Check Before Buying a Used Car

With the new car market impacted by shipping delays, many people are choosing to buy used cars lately. And some people only purchase a used vehicle because it saves them money and lets the first owner figure out if it’s...

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Should I Notify My Insurance Company About a New Puppy?

Having a new puppy join your household can change your life. The snuggles and kisses make getting up in the middle of the night for potty breaks worth it, but in the whirlwind of change, it’s easy to forget some...

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How to Choose the Right Smart Security Camera

A security camera can help protect your property against intruders or provide evidence in the event of a break-in. But with all the technology available today, it can be tough to figure out which smart security camera...

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Things to Know When Shopping for Home and Auto Insurance

If you’re looking around for home or auto insurance, you may find the process confusing, especially if you’re new to buying coverage and aren’t familiar with the terminology. Here are five essential things you should...

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Grill Safely With These Outdoor Cooking Tips

Grilling food is a fun pastime, and it’s ideal on those summer days when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen. But every year, there are accidents and home fires because people don’t grill safely. Follow these tips to...

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Simple Household Pest Control Methods

No one likes the thought of having pests in their home, whether they be rodents, cockroaches, ants, or any other common household pests. If pest activity is common in your area, it is important to take steps to prevent...

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Landscape Maintenance Tips for Your Yard

You've worked hard to create a beautiful garden for your yard, but there is more to yard maintenance than simply mowing the lawn and watering the plants. There are plenty of other tasks you'll need to complete in order...

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Avoiding Water Issues in Your Home

Water damage is one of the worst problems that homeowners can run into. Not only can it be incredibly expensive to repair, depending on the extent of the damage, but it can also create the potential for mold and mildew...

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Commonly Overlooked Spring Cleaning Tasks

Spring is a common time for people to take on all of the cleaning tasks that they put off during the winter. With the weather getting warmer, it's the perfect time to tackle jobs both inside and outside your home. While...

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Tips for Saving Money on Heating and Cooling Your Home

If you're like most people, you like to keep your home at a comfortable temperature throughout the year. However, running your heater or air conditioner constantly uses a lot of energy, and your electric and gas bills...

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How to Evaluate and Choose Energy-Efficient Appliances

Today's modern appliances are much more energy-efficient than their predecessors, and some are even better than the rest. When shopping for appliances, you'll likely be overwhelmed by choice, so it is important to know...

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How to Choose Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are essential for any home, so you should ensure that your house is equipped with them. You should have detectors in the main living areas on each floor, including in every bedroom...

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How to Make a Fire Safety Plan

No one likes to think about the possibility of a fire in their home, but this is one situation where it definitely pays to be prepared. This is especially true if you have children or pets in your home. Read on to learn...

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How to Decide If Solar Panels Are Right for Your Home

Solar panels can provide clean electricity for your home, helping you to save money on energy costs while also doing your part to help the environment. However, not all homes are suited to solar energy. Here's what you...

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How Independent Agents Are Different from Captive Agents

When it comes to buying insurance, you have two primary options available to you: independent agents like us, and captive agents. While both can provide insurance services, these two types of insurance agents are not...

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Benefits of Using a Dash Cam

More and more people these days are choosing to add dash cams to their vehicles, and for good reason. These small cameras can be highly useful to you, especially in the event that you get a traffic ticket or are...

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Swimming Safety: 10 Tips for Summer

Summer is here and people are flocking to the water — whether it’s the beach, a lake, a river or a backyard pool. But, wherever there’s water, there’s also danger. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and...

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Why a basic Homeowners policy isn’t always enough

Sometimes a basic homeowners policy just isn’t enough. So as your career advances and your income increases, it’s important to keep your insurance protection up to date. This helps you avoid expensive gaps in coverage...

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10 Tips to Help Prevent Identity Theft

Shopping online. Visiting the doctor. Buying gas. In nearly all of the things we do from day to day, there’s the risk of identity theft. You could unknowingly give your information to a fraudster thinking you’re...

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Own a home? Here are two policy options you should know about

If you have a homeowners policy, you probably expect it to cover all the costs of rebuilding your house in case it’s damaged or destroyed by a covered hazard. But are you certain you have enough coverage? Read about two...

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Porch Safety: Should You Leave the Lights On?

It seems like a no-brainer to leave the lights on outside your home to deter burglars while you’re away (or even while you’re asleep). But does that really work? Or is it just a waste of electricity — particularly this...

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Don’t Delay — Start Thinking About Winterizing Your RV Today

Unless you’re headed to a warmer climate for the winter - or you live in one already - fall is the time to start preparing your RV for winter (as long as you’re done using it for a while, that is). And just because you...

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10 Things to do to Prepare Your Home for Fall

Fall is a wonderful time - if your home is ready for it. So enjoy the last few weeks of warmer weather, but do a little preventative maintenance while you’re at it. You’ll fix small problems before they become big, and...

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Tips for Power Tool Safety

What would you do without power tools? Well, you’d probably take on fewer home-improvement projects — and probably have a lot more calluses on your hands. Thankfully, you don’t have to do without. But you do have to use...

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How to Update your Home — Without Spending Thousands

It doesn’t take a massive remodel, or a big budget, to make your house feel a little more like home to you. Inside or out, small improvements can make a significant difference - and whether you’re handy or not, you can...

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Keep Your Pets Safe in a Disaster

A safe home, a regular routine, a soft bed – the things that bring you comfort bring your pet comfort, too. It’s so important to give some advance thought to how you’d handle your pet responsibilities during and after a...

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Why You Need Service Line Coverage

Let’s spare a moment for something most of us use every day yet probably take for granted: our service lines. We rely on them for access to water, electricity, gas, Internet connection, and more, but only think about...

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What to Consider When Choosing Auto Insurance

Carrying a minimum amount of auto insurance is required by state laws, so you can’t legally drive without it. Yet while the minimum amount keeps your premiums lower, it can also put you at great risk if you have an...

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5 Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips

Every year, unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning (not linked to fires) sends 20,000 people to the emergency room and causes more than 4,000 hospitalizations. And, you might consider them the fortunate ones. CO...

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When Roadside Assistance Isn’t Enough

If you’ve ever been stuck on the side of the highway with an RV issue, you know what a life saver roadside assistance can be. Whether you need a battery charged, a tire changed, or a tow you’re often back on the road in...

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Home Security Technology: Keeping you ahead of the burglars

Back in the early days of home security “systems,” around the end of World War I, it was common for homeowners to hire “door shakers”-night watchmen who would literally walk around and check doors to make sure they were...

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Looking at a new piece of jewelry? Make sure to look at your insurance, too

Whether it’s a gift from someone special or a gift to yourself, a new piece of jewelry can bring some sparkle to your life. However, many people who find themselves victimized by burglars—or a fire or some other...

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Is your home as efficient as it could be? An energy audit can tell you

Drafty windows. Leaky faucets. Dirty air filters. All are common issues in homes across the country, and they’re not just annoying-they also cost you money in decreased energy efficiency and higher bills. The U.S....

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Let's Keep Our Lawns and Ourselves Safe

For many of our neighbors, summer means more than sunshine and vacations. It also means working in the yard – often with tools that can be dangerous if not used properly. Each year about 400,000 people are treated for...

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6 Tips for Getting to Work on Two Wheels

Did you know that hundreds of thousands of people in the United States commute to work by bicycle, according to the U.S. Census Bureau? That’s a lot of cars off the road each day, a lot of gasoline saved and a ton of...

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Essential Safety Tips for Nighttime Boating

If you own a boat (or better yet, as the joke goes, you know someone with a boat), you’ve probably thought about spending some evenings on the water - especially in the summertime. It’s a great thought, of course. But,...

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Summer Driving Tips

Summer’s almost here. The sun will come out of hiding, and people will, too. As crowds swell at the beach, in parks, and even on roadways, it all makes for some challenging driving conditions. More people are out and...

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Protecting Your Home: Understanding Your Home Insurance Policy

As a homeowner, one of the most important aspects of your home isn’t something you use daily. And it isn’t something flashy you show off to friends. It’s your homeowners insurance policy, and it protects you in more...

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Protect yourself from Carbon Monoxide at Home and at Work

Every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hundreds of people in the U.S. die from carbon-monoxide (CO) poisoning-and the invisible, odorless gas sickens thousands more. The numbers seem...

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Insuring Jewelry: How to Know if Your Coverage is Enough

A ring from a loved one. A bracelet handed down through generations. A watch or necklace marking a special occasion. Every reason you treasure a piece of fine jewelry is a reason it should be insured. However, calling...

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Why Today’s Homes Burn Faster

From building materials to furnishings, many of the things in your home likely aren’t as flame-resistant as those from yesteryear. A fire in a modern home is a “perfect storm,” according to safety consulting and...

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How to Lower Your Auto Insurance Bill

It’s easy to lower your insurance costs - especially if you have a great driving record, or don’t mind having higher deductibles. Who doesn’t want to pay less for car insurance? Billions of dollars are spent on ad...

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Three Ways a Pool May Affect Your Homeowners Insurance

That oh-so-covetable experience of taking a dip in your very own pool? Millions of American households enjoy it, at least when the weather’s nice. With the summer heat ratcheting up, you may be coming down with a...

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Easy to Forget Cleaning Projects

As a busy homeowner, it's easy to fall into the trap of pushing off tasks that maintain the long-term value of your home in favor of more pressing problems. That’s OK, to a point, as certain house-cleaning projects...

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Heavy Rain? Be on the Lookout for Heavy Damage

Your home protects you from the elements, but heavy rains can weaken that protection. With a little maintenance and a lot of vigilance, it’s not hard to stay safe and dry. Spring rainstorms are a fact of life in many...

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Want a Safer Home? Consider these Inexpensive Fixes

Home improvement: It’s a never-ending process for many people, and for those of us who aren’t necessarily handy, it can be a hassle, too. But there are plenty of simple maintenance tasks and other improvements you can...

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Help Your Dog Love Apartment Living

Apartment living can have many advantages: low maintenance, close to work and entertainment, and ease of changing residence. But, if you’re a dog owner, apartment living can present some difficulties. You probably won’t...

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Love Bites – Get Umbrella Coverage

In today’s economy, everyone is pinching pennies. So why worry about umbrella coverage? Shouldn’t a home and auto policy leave you adequately covered? Unfortunately, we live in a world of lawsuits. Large damages can be...

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Which Home Alarms Do You Need?

Technology has made home alarms of all kinds — from security to smoke, radon to radiation — more accessible than ever. Many of them can be configured to work together, and some even alert you to trouble through your...

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How to Deal With Road Rage

Have you ever noticed that, with roadway anger, it’s always the other guy’s fault? And, it very well could be. The thing is, you can’t control how other people drive. But, you can control how you respond to situations...

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Identity Protection Tips for Tax Season

What’s the most important number for you this tax season? The amount of your refund? The amount you owe? The number of hours spent poring over all the other numbers? All of those are pretty important, but none of them...

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Thrifty Security: Burglar-Proof Your Home for the Holidays

It's not unusual, when you set out on that holiday trip, to look back at the house a little nervously. Sure, you remembered to lock the doors, but just how secure are things? What might happen while you're away?One way...

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Your Home Maintenance Checklist for Fall

Fall brings more than just changing leaves and shorter days. In many areas, it also comes with a shift in weather conditions that can have a serious impact on your home. And, don’t forget, winter is right around the...

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4 Ways to Help All Children Have a Great School Year

It's back-to-school time, and, if you have school-age children, your household is likely bustling with activity and filling up with books and backpacks. There are other households and school districts in your community,...

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Tips for a Safe Fourth of July — From Food to Fireworks

Memorial Day might be the unofficial start of summer, but Independence Day is when the season truly kicks into high gear. July 4 is a holiday that has something for everyone, whether you like to host (or attend)...

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Commuting by Bike: How to Get to the Office on Two Wheels

There are plenty of great reasons to bike to work: Commuters who ride save money on gas and car insurance, stay fit and help the environment (they don’t get stuck in traffic, either). And they even have fun — as long as...

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Getting Your Boat Out of Storage and Into the Water

Spring is here, and you’re ready to get out on the water. But is your boat ready? Even if you’ve kept it properly stored for the winter and protected from the elements, there are still a number of things you need to do...

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How to Create Your First Garden This Spring

From genetically modified crops to the environmental and health effects of pesticides, more and more California residents are questioning whether they should grow what they eat. Wherever you stand on the issues...

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Celebrate National Night Out With Your Neighbors

In 1984, National Night Out - "America's Night Out Against Crime" - began as a way to promote crime prevention through neighborhood camaraderie. Since then, according to the National Association of Town Watch (NATW),...

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Make Recycling and Reducing Routine

"Reduce, reuse, recycle." Most likely, you've heard that catchy phrase connected with information about saving natural resources and even saving your family money. But how many of us really make reducing, reusing and...

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Protect Your Most Cherished Possessions

If you're like most people, there are certain items you own that you can't imagine ever losing - possessions you deeply cherish or those that would be impossible to replace due to the cost of re-purchasing them or...

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Keep Water from Going Where it Shouldn't

One of the most disheartening experiences is to find flooding or extreme water damage to your treasured home. At CBI, we know you want to protect what's important. That's why we're offering these tips to help you...

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A Little Extra Caution Can Go a Long Way While Driving at Night

While fall and winter have their own pleasures, longer nights mean increased danger on the roads. You might think you drive just as well at night, but consider this: Even though nighttime driving accounts for just 23%...

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Home Security Tips

Everyone wants to keep their home safe from burglars or intruders, but not everyone wants to have an alarm system installed. There are plenty of people who prefer the do-it-yourself route, whether it's home improvement...

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Five Sure-Fire Ways to Get Your Car Stolen

Most people would say their car is one of the most valuable assets they own – if not the most valuable. Despite that, however, some people make it downright easy for thieves to drive off in their pride and joy. At CBI,...

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Make Football Season Fun and Safe

Finally, we're welcoming fall, that eagerly anticipated season when we get to enjoy cooler temps, colorful leaves and, of course, football season in California. Football brings with it a whole host of seasonal...

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Back to School Safety Reminders

The end of summer in California means many things, such as cooler weather, shorter days and ... the start of football! But most important, it means kids are headed back to school. And that means we all should be extra...

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Flood Insurance - What You Should Know

You've probably heard this horror story before - someone loses a home due to a flood and learns after the fact that standard homeowners insurance doesn't cover flood damage. At CBI we want you to be educated about all...

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When Things go BOOM in the Night - Fireworks Safety

For most of us, the Fourth of July is a time to enjoy the company of family and friends, having fun and creating memories - whether at home or away But for some families, the holiday is a nightmare. Each year, homes in...

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Do You Own a Classic Car of the Future?

There's nothing quite like driving a speedy, shiny classic car that turns heads and starts conversations. In fact, the beauty and elegance of old collectibles - like the 1964 Aston Martin DB5, the 1963 Corvette Sting...

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It's Time for Spring Cleaning!

Spring is a time of new beginnings in California - and now is a great time to take on some cleaning and organization tasks around your home. If you're anything like many of us here at CBI, some of these tasks are long...

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Be the Pinnacle of Health & Wellness This Winter

It goes without saying that keeping yourself and your family healthy through the winter months in California can be a challenge. When you combine chillier temps, housebound days - not to mention kids passing around...

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Make Sure Your Holidays Stay Happy … and Safe

You'll no doubt hear the phrase "Happy Holidays!" about a thousand times over the next month. Here at CBI, we'd like to change that a little bit: "Happy - and Safe - Holidays!" While the holidays certainly bring cheer...

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Tips for Preparing for Your Holiday Driving Trip

Millions of Americans will do some traveling this holiday season - the majority of it by car. Of course, winter weather creates a unique set of challenges on the roadways, whether you're simply driving around in Antioch...

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Halloween Safety: Be Ready When the Little Goblins Come Out

It's a night full of treats for both kids and adults in Antioch. But a number of factors - including lots of people walking in the dark, the threat of wet and stormy weather, strangers coming to your door - mean that...

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When the Kids Head for College, Put “Insurance 101" on Your Class List

It's an exciting time when your child heads off to college. Whether they're attending school in California or have moved all the way across the country, there were a ton of things to get done last month, but did you...

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A Home Inventory Will Help You Know What You Own

Why should I have a home inventory? - Your furniture and appliances, clothing, sports or hobby equipment, and electronic goods are all regarded as personal property. Like many people in California, you may own much more...

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Safety Tips for Your Boat Trailer

When purchasing a trailer in California or elsewhere, stay within recommended capacity guidelines. When determining capacity, remember to include the weight of fuel and accessories in addition to the weight of the craft....

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Be Safe on Your Motorcycle

To stay safe on Antioch streets, you need the right skills to control your ride, and the best safety equipment for just-in-case. CBI cares about your safety - so keep these helpful tips in mind when you ride: When You...

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Spring is Coming!

With the days getting longer and the weather getting warmer, we're starting to think about spring. (Or at least hoping that springtime is coming, anyway.) And whether spring arrives on time, we've got you covered with...

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Managing the Cold Chain

Protect your restaurant, your customers, and your reputation Restaurant and foodservice owners across California know the importance of managing "the cold chain" and how seriously it needs to be followed to prevent food...

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Things to Keep in Mind When Buying a Car

Buying a new car is an exciting time - but it can also be stressful. After all, you're trying to get the best deal on price, while also deciding on the make, model and features you need. We can't really help you become...

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Preventing Outdoor Slips & Falls at Your Business

Slips, trips, and falls in outdoor environments can be caused by rain, sleet, ice and snow, and particulate soil that cause surfaces to become slippery or produce poor traction. While we cannot control environmental...

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Avoid Slips and Falls at Your Workplace

Slips and falls are the second leading causes of loss for business in California. And they can be prevented with a few maintenance and cleaning procedures. Most slips and falls are caused by the floor surface being too...

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Hiring a Subcontractor in California?

As many commercial building owners and contractors across California begin remodeling or construction projects, they realize the value in subbing out some of the work to skilled and technical professionals. But there...

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RV & Motorhome Safety Tips

Avoid any delays and unexpected problems when you take your recreational vehicle or motorhome out for what should be a relaxing trip. Follow some of our suggestions below, and consider investing in some maintenance and...

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Living on Shaky Ground in Antioch

Believe it or not, every state in the U.S. has some degree of risk from earthquakes, including California. If you live in an area susceptible to earthquakes, make sure you speak with us in order to determine whether you...

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