With the fast growing COVID-19 outbreak, KCAL has received a lot of questions on how the coronavirus might impact their insurance. We’ve gathered all your FAQs on different kinds of insurance and answered them here!
After seeing these FAQs, if you still have any questions that were not covered, feel free to contact us!
Health Insurance Related FAQs
If you feel you have any symptoms, please call your family doctor first. The family doctor can help you arrange your needs based on your description of your symptoms. Please coordinate and cooperate with your family doctor’s instructions for testing and site details.
Many health insurance providers also provide online consultations at no charge. You can contact your insurance company to confirm.
In the unfortunate event that you are diagnosed with the virus, treatment costs will be based on the insurance policy you purchased.
As long as you are a California resident under the age of 65, you are eligible to apply for and purchase health insurance.
Visitors coming to the United States for a short period of time or those on tourist visas can apply for certain insurance policies. Feel free to contact us for more details.
All California residents under the age of 65 can purchase health insurance from Covered California.
If you don’t qualify for Medi-Cal anymore due to an increase in income, you can apply for health insurance from Covered California within 60 days of your Medi-Cal termination date.
If you submit your application by the end of April, your insurance will become effective on May 1.
The deadline to purchase insurance is June 30. After this Open Enrollment Period is over, you will be unable to purchase health insurance unless you qualify for special enrollment.
If you want to keep the same benefits you originally had, you can contact the insurance company directly to apply for COBRA. Otherwise, you can purchase individual health insurance within 60 days of the company’s termination date.
You can contact the phone number located on the back of your insurance card to directly contact the insurance company, or log in to the insurance company’s official website to create an account. You can also contact us to help you setup an account.
If you do not have health insurance, insurance companies won’t cover any screening and treatment costs.
Individuals without health insurance can contact the Social Security Administration for more details.
You can email us your most recent paycheck slip, 2019 tax forms, W2 or 1099, and we will update your income and make changes to your insurance policy.
If you missed the original deadline and would like to apply for health insurance, you must do so before the end of Open Enrollment Period.
If you would like to make any changes to your current plan, you can make changes at the next Open Enrollment Period.
Those who go without health insurance for more than three months will be fined when filing your 2020 tax report.
You can call us or chat with us online and our customer service representative will be able to assist you with paying your premiums, setting up automatic billing options, as well as help you check and resolve any billing errors and other issues.
Of course! You can call us or chat with us online and our customer service reps will teach you how to change your insurance broker to KCAL. We would be honored to assist you with any of your insurance needs.
KCAL provides services to all of California. Even if you are not located near any of our offices, you are always more than welcome to call us or chat with us online and we will be more than happy to assist you!
Business Insurance Related FAQs
With the recent COVID-19 outbreak, if your business is temporarily shut down due to government order, or cannot operate due to insufficient profit, then commercial insurance will not cover this type of case. Commercial property insurance only protects your commercial property from fire, theft, natural disaster, etc., and those that cause physical damage to the insured commercial property causing the company to become unable to operate.
Since the virus did not cause physical damage to the company and it did not cause any property damage, it is not covered by commercial insurance.
It’s also important to note that each company’s claims are different, so it’s best to consult your accountant or insurance company before taking any action.
If your business is affected by COVID-19, you can apply for the Unemployment Insurance Work Sharing Program instead of laying off your employees. This program helps you retain your employees by reducing their working hours and wages. Employees would be able to receive unemployment benefits. The reduced working hours and wages can’t exceed 60% of their normal hours and wages. This could help you avoid the cost of hiring and training new hires and help your employees keep their jobs while getting some financial assistance. When business improves, you and your employees will be able to adjust faster.
Eligible employees who are laid off can apply for unemployment benefits. If employees will be returning to work within a few weeks, then they won’t need to actively look for a new job while unemployed. The EDD will explain the requirements when employees apply for unemployment benefits.
If you are dealing with potential layoffs or business shutdowns, you can get help from the Rapid Response Program. Their team will contact you to discuss your needs, help you avoid layoffs where possible, and assist your employees throughout the process. Services provided by the program include incumbent worker training, customized training, work sharing, career counseling and job search assistance, resume preparation and interviewing workshops, unemployment insurance, information about education and training opportunities, and more. For more information, you can read more on the Rapid Response Services for Business Fact Sheet. You can also contact the EDD office for more info.
Updated on March 23: IRS has extended the deadline to file taxes to July 15.
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According to Governor Newsom’s executive order, if your business is directly affected by COVID-19, you can apply for an extension of up to 60 days to file a state tax report and pay state tax without any penalty or interest. Companies must submit a written request for extension within 60 days of the original deadline stating that their business was affected by COVID-19. See the State of Emergency or Disaster Information Sheet for information on where to submit the application and for more details.
For further information, you can call the Taxpayer Assistance Center:
- Toll-free from the U.S. or Canada: 1-888-745-3886
- TTY: 1-800-547-9565
- Outside the U.S. or Canada: 1-916-464-3502
Employees temporarily staying at home due to the epidemic do not need to notify the insurance company. However, the employer must take note of the employee’s home address. If employees work from home for a long period of time, then you will need to add their home address to your workers’ comp policy.
What’s covered under the policy varies among industry, profession, and source of infection. If your employee is infected with COVID-19 during working hours, please apply directly with the insurance company.
Due to constant updates on the coronavirus, please refer to the federal, state, and local government’s requirements to ensure that you meet their requirements. Employers should provide a safe workplace for their employees above all. Consult with a legal professional to ensure that your business is meeting the latest requirements.
The CDC providers proper guidance for businesses and employers in response to COVID-19 including how to wash your hands properly and ensure that your paid sick leave policy meets public health guidelines. You can read more about Cal/OSHA’s guidance on requirements to protect workers from coronavirus.
Employees injured during working hours can apply for workers’ comp but employees who are in isolation at home who have not been injured will not be covered by workers’ comp.
If an employee is infected with the virus at work, please contact the insurance company directly to apply for compensation.
There are several ways to renew your commercial insurance:
- Most major insurance companies in California will notify you to renew by mail (unless your company opted in to be contacted by email)
- If your company’s policy is underwritten by an out-of-state or non-mainstream insurance company, our representatives will contact you through email.
If you have any questions, you are always more than welcome to contact us at any time.
In terms of claims, the method of contact will vary based on the insurance company.
There are many reasons as to why your premium could change. As of this moment, we have not received any news from insurance companies saying that the premiums will increase due to the effects of the virus.
Auto & Home Insurance Related FAQs
Due to the current situation of the epidemic, KCAL is unable to take any walk-ins. If you need to make a payment, you can call the insurance company directly or mail a check to them. The policy number can be found on your renewal notice or on your insurance card. You can also contact any of our representatives to assist you.
After an accident, the most important things are to get the other party’s information, find a third-party witness, search for and document any evidence, and contact your local police department. After obtaining this information, you can call the insurance company or contact us when you return home or arrive at a safer location.
Don’t worry! Insurance companies have various language translation services to assist you in the claim reporting and settlement process. You just need to mention the specific language you’d like to communicate in.
If you call your roadside assistance company from your mobile phone, with your approval, they will be able to use your location to find out where you are. You can dial 511 for roadside assistance and 911 for emergencies.
It can be found on your current and renewed insurance cards.
For most insurance companies, you can register and access your account online to download your insurance card or insurance policy. You can also contact us if you need any assistance.
If you need to make any changes to your current policy, you can contact us by phone, email, or online chat. Documents that need to be signed can also be processed electronically.
If you would like to purchase a new policy or get a quote, you can contact us through phone, email or online chat.
Don’t worry! KCAL will send you a reminder when it’s time to renew your policy. If you need to update your phone number or email, please notify us immediately.
The claim adjuster’s main job is to identify the liability and loss of the accident, and to compensate for the amount.
For claims, you can discuss them directly with the insurance company.
If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us!