Here are some things to think about when it comes to carrying insurance as a couple. Use the topics in this article as a way to start a discussion about your insurance needs. We can then help you narrow down your options.

Auto Insurance

If you and your spouse have separate auto insurance policies, it may be wise to combine them. Get quotes from each of your carriers, and shop around to see if any others offer multivehicle discounts.

Keep in mind that it may not always make sense to bundle your car insurance policies. If your spouse has a poor driving record, you may end up paying more by bundling. Nonetheless, you may still qualify for a discount just for being married. Insurers typically offer discounted rates to people just for being married, because of the assumption that married people drive safer.

Renters Insurance

If you rent your living space, you should consider renters insurance to cover the value of your possessions. If you already have renters insurance, don’t forget that you have more to lose now that you have combined belongings, such as furniture, electronics and jewelry. Consider increasing your limits on personal property coverage, which pays to replace or repair items that are stolen or damaged.

Homeowners Insurance

Homeowners insurance is similar to renters insurance, but it covers more than just your possessions. It also covers your home in case of fire, theft or other perils. Both renters insurance and homeowners insurance also provide liability coverage.

Life Insurance

Newlyweds who both have jobs and are not yet dependent on their spouse’s income may not see the need for life insurance. However, as they build their lives together, that dependency grows. If you’re young and healthy, you can benefit from getting life insurance early in your marriage, since you can typically lock in better rates than if you were older. Remember that the older you get, the higher the rates, so don’t put it off for too long.

While life insurance is less urgent for young couples who are both working and don’t have children, it is important for newlyweds with only one working spouse or those who have children from a previous marriage to purchase life insurance early in their marriage.

If you already had life insurance prior to tying the knot, don’t forget to add your new spouse as a beneficiary.

Disability Insurance

Young people are more likely to become disabled than die prematurely. In fact, more than half of Americans identified as disabled are in their working years—between ages 18 and 64— according to the Council for Disability Awareness.

Disability insurance is historically inexpensive, and can pay you between 50-70 percent of your regular monthly income if an accident, illness or injury prevents you from being able to work. If your employer doesn’t offer disability insurance, you can purchase it on your own. This coverage can be critical for you and your loved ones.

We’re Here To Help

Addressing your insurance needs early provides a solid foundation for your marriage. Review your financial situation and objectives with your spouse, and contact us to help you find sufficient coverage within your budget.

When purchasing coverage for their home, too many policyholders often make the mistake of simply insuring it for the resale value. However, should a flood, storm or other event occur, they may find that the cost to rebuild far exceeds the original purchase price. This discrepancy can occur for a variety of reasons, including inflated construction costs following catastrophic events that impact multiple homes in a particular area.

To truly protect themselves, extended replacement coverage is essential. This form of coverage provides a benefit over and above the policy limits for replacing a damaged house. That means, should a covered loss occur, extended replacement coverage will kick in and pay up to a specified percentage over an insured’s policy limit—sometimes as much as 125 percent.

As an example, let’s say your $270,000 home is destroyed by a storm. Because this disaster affected an entire neighborhood, the costs of building materials and labor significantly increased due to high demand. As a result, the replacement value is estimated at $300,000—significantly over the normal replacement cost covered by standard homeowner’s policies. Without extended replacement coverage, you would likely have to pay the extra $30,000 out of pocket.

When considering homeowners insurance, extended replacement coverage is critical. While skimping on this protection may lower your coverage costs slightly, those savings will mean nothing should disaster strike and lead to tens of thousands of dollars in losses.

Get Started

Homeowners insurance can be complicated, and it’s importantto discuss your unique needs with an expert. To secure a policy that’s right for you, contact us today.

Vehicle technology seems to advance each year, as new features improve driver and passenger safety. The following are just a few driver-assist features to be aware of the next time you’re in the market for a new vehicle:

• Adaptive cruise control: This type of cruise control automatically speeds or slows down your car based on the actions of the vehicles in front of you. This tool can help reduce the likelihood and severity of rear-end collisions.
• Automatic braking: Automatic braking devices are designed to reduce the severity of high-speed collisions in the event of a lapse of driver attention. These devices can predict impending crashes and help combat distracted driving.
• Blind-spot detection: Through the use of sensors, blind-spot detection systems sound an alarm in the event that an object is in your blind spot. These devices can help reduce accidents on the highway and are particularly useful for changing lanes.

If you purchase a vehicle with driver-assist features, it’s important to familiarize yourself with how they work. Doing so can help keep you safe on the road and allow you to get the most out of crash-prevention technology.

Lightning storms are incredibly dangerous and more deadly than tornadoes, floods and hurricanes. When a storm is on the verge of striking your area, you need to know the steps to take in order to protect your family and home.

Use these tips to stay safe during a lightning storm:

• Seek shelter in an enclosed building, if possible.
• If you are in a car, stay inside and keep the windows securely rolled up.
• Do not use a small shed, pavilion or lean-to as shelter—they do not provide enough protection.
• Do not use a landline telephone during a storm. Instead, use a cellular or cordless phone that is not connected to the building’s wiring.
• If you’re outside during a lightning storm, get as close to the ground as possible without placing your hands or knees on the ground.
• Avoid seeking shelter near trees, metal fences, pipes or tall and long objects.
• If you are swimming, boating or fishing, seek shelter on land immediately.

If someone you know is struck by lightning, contact emergency personnel immediately. A lightning strike can cause the heart to stop and a person to stop breathing.

If you have the proper medical training, administer CPR to victims who do not have a pulse and treat conscious victims for burns, fractures and other wounds.

Guaranteed asset protection, or gap insurance is an optional automobile coverage that helps you transfer the financial risk if you are involved in an auto accident and you owe more for your vehicle than the amount that it’s worth. This is referred to as being “upside-down.”

Since a new car’s value drops significantly the minute it’s driven off the lot, if you are involved in an accident that totals your vehicle in the first few years you own your vehicle, you may find yourself owing the finance company more than the vehicle’s actual value. Gap insurance provides for the “gap” between the two amounts.

Is Gap Insurance for Everyone?

New vehicle financing options: If you took advantage of a zero percent down payment deal or put a small amount of money down, or stretched the life of your loan past 3 years, gap insurance is most likely a good idea. That’s because the vehicle typically depreciates considerably faster than you have actually paid down the vehicle’s loan.

Used vehicles: Gap insurance is typically not available for used vehicles. To cover your risk, it’s wise to put down an ample down payment and finance the vehicle for the shortest possible timeframe.

Leased vehicles: For those who lease a vehicle, gap insurance is considered an essential coverage because typically there is no trade-in and little cash put down to lease the vehicle. Similar to purchasing a vehicle, if the car is a total loss, you will owe the difference between what you have paid and what you owe on the balance of the lease.

Cost versus benefit: Gap insurance is offered for a nominal fee, which makes it a great value for anyone who finances or leases a new car.

We’re Here to Help

Depending on your vehicle’s make, model and loan terms, we can help you determine if gap insurance is the right choice for you. If you’re purchasing a new vehicle, contact us to learn about how gap insurance can complement your auto policy coverage options and keep you from getting caught upside-down!

Remember insurance needs when flipping a house.

It’s now a popular reality TV show scenario: A young, ambitious couple purchases a foreclosed property and flips it for a huge profit. This quick cash flow seems too good to be true… and certainly can be.

The thrill of flipping a home often overshadows the harsh reality that profitable house-flipping opportunities are few and far between. Potential house flippers should consider some insurance coverage issues before making a commitment:

• Contemplate the cost of insurance when purchasing a home. If the house does not sell within a few months, insurance is a continuing expense that needs to be included in your budget.
• Make sure you do your research when selecting an insurance company and policy. Your local independent agent can help you. Some insurance policies provide additional coverages you may need. Consider choosing one that provides limited coverage for water damage and fungi, wet or dry rot or bacteria. These issues often go unnoticed until after a remodeling project begins.
• Discuss with your agent the need to insure the home for its reconstruction cost. Just because you purchased a home for a certain price does not mean that the home can be replaced for that amount. There can be a huge discrepancy between market and replacement cost values. Your agent can also recommend builders’ risk coverage for the remodeling cost of the project.
• Consider the cost of building materials going into the refurbished home. Your insurance agent can add an installation floater – coverage for movable property – to your policy to insure construction materials in transit and at the jobsite.
• Allow plenty of time to purchase insurance rather than waiting until the last minute. Contact your agent and consider an insurance company that will provide coverage for a house undergoing renovation. Some companies may consider this a vacant home and deny or limit coverage for vandalism, theft or other perils.
• Before you allow contractors to start work on your investment, first confirm that they are insured. The safest bet is to request a copy of each contractor’s general liability policy declarations page. Make sure that the policy has at least a $1 million per occurrence and general aggregate limit.

By keeping these insurance needs in mind, you will better position yourself to reap in the benefits and rewards of house flipping, protecting your investment and personal assets at the same time.

April showers bring May flowers… and often June, July and August heat waves. If you’d like to enjoy your HVAC cooling system to the fullest this summer without breaking the bank, spring is the time to take a few simple steps to prepare.

First Things First

Why not do a test run of your cooling system right now? This way, you can see how well it’s working and troubleshoot any issues before the thermometer soars way out of sight. Besides safeguarding your family comfort, you’ll be able to quickly get professional help for problems that are beyond your DIY scope. Rule of thumb: HVAC technicians are almost invariably easier to get hold of during the off-peak season – and their rates may reflect this.

Next, go outside and inspect the exterior unit for debris, dead leaves and plant growth that have the potential to block the airflow.

Regular Maintenance

Make sure you check your HVAC filter regularly. During heavy summer use, the filter will likely need to be washed or replaced about once a month (possibly more if you live in an especially dusty area or have house pets). While you’re at it, dust the grates as well. Clean the evaporator coils annually, straightening any bent ones.

Schedule your annual HVAC tune-up if you are due for one. A system that is over 10 years old may need some additional maintenance so you want to make sure you’ve got the time to get it all tuned up before you’ll be depending on it.

Save Electricity … and Cash

Use your HVAC system’s programmable thermostat to schedule operation for times when you are at home. Efficient use of this handy device can save you close to $200 per year on your utility bills. When your family’s schedule changes, reassess your needs and adjust the programmable thermostat if appropriate.

For further savings, set the thermostat a few degrees higher than you normally would and use a low-energy-consumption fan to help circulate the cool air. Ceiling fans should be switched to turn in the correct direction (counter-clockwise); this directs hot air upward and away from the center of the room.

Keep Cool Air In, Hot Air Out

Prevent leakage of precious cool air by sealing around the HVAC unit and your ducts’ seams and connections. Then wrap the ducts in insulation. If the ducts pass through an attic space, consider insulating that too. Sealing and insulation require a certain amount of effort but will be well worthwhile in energy efficiency both summer and winter.

It’s recommended to seal around windows, doors and baseboards also or even to replace windows if necessary.

Close your windows and drapes during the day to exclude the hot air; then open them at night to ventilate your home. You may wish to install interior or exterior blinds, shutters, shades or awnings, particularly on south- or west-facing windows. Additional energy effective window treatments such as reflective films and insulated panels are available as well.

Reduce the heat that is generated inside your home by using your electric clothes dryer during cooler hours and cooking at off-peak times, microwaving or barbecuing outdoors.

Did you get your kids a smartphone or tablet this holiday season? With schools using technology in classes and kids being exposed to these devices at an early age, the question is often a matter of when, not if. Parents may have questions and concerns about how to keep kids safe online. Here are some tips and resources that can help.

Set The Rules
The first thing you can do to help protect your children online is to set ground rules:

• Outline how much time during the day they can spend on the device
• Establish who your children can call
• Discuss how to behave respectfully online

Many cell phone providers offer parental controls and location services to help you manage usage times and limit who your child can place calls to and receive calls from.

You may also want to consider having your child sign a cell phone contract with you.

Social Networking Safety
With devices come apps, and many social networking apps involve setting up a profile and sharing information around common interests or activities. These apps can be fun and addicting, but if you aren’t familiar with them yourself, they can be intimidating. Check out the sites and services your child uses.

Discuss what is and is not appropriate to post, so that your child doesn’t share more information online than you are comfortable with. The following tips from the National Crime Prevention Council can help your child think before he or she posts:

• Should I share this? Will the information I share put me or someone else in danger?
• Do people really need to know where I am and who I am with? Is it a good idea to let everyone know my exact location?
• Am I selecting online friends that I can trust? It’s not just about what I post, but how others may use that content.
• Is the information I am sharing transparent? Before I share information to the public, does my post give out too much personal information?

Prevent Cyber Bullying
Cyber bullying involves threats or harassment that happens online. This can be words or pictures that are posted with the intention of hurting someone’s reputation or feelings. The OnGuardOnline website sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission gives tips to recognize and prevent cyber bullying and provides additional resources for parents. The Cyberbullying Research Center also provides guidelines for parents.

With the holiday season fast approaching, many of us are out shopping and enjoying the festivities. In this joyous atmosphere, we also need to be aware of our surroundings and develop a safe routine because unscrupulous individuals may be out to take advantage of our festive mood.

Some things to keep in mind when you are out:

• Never leave valuable items in clear view in your vehicle – thieves target your car for items they see; put your valuables in the trunk
• Always lock your vehicle when you park
• Park in well-lit areas
• Park in an area with heavy foot traffic, not in an isolated spot
• When stopping for fuel, always lock your vehicle if you leave it
• When pumping gas, lock the doors on the other side of the car to prevent thieves from grabbing your purse or other valuables while your attention is diverted
• Never leave your keys in your car or the ignition – your car key ring usually has your house keys on it, and this could prove dangerous and costly
• When you are out at malls, parking areas and ATMs, be aware of your surroundings:
  • Always make sure your valuables are secured.
  • If you carry a purse or satchel, make it safe from people taking it from you; don’t leave your purse in the seat of a shopping cart

  If you do become a victim:

  • Immediately notify police and provide them with as much information as you can concerning the property taken
  • Immediately, while the information is fresh in your mind, note a description of the responsible individual and his or her vehicle, license plate number or other identifying information
  • Make note of the direction the thief fled, and pass that information to the authorities

  Enjoy the holiday season, protecting your family and fun by taking good precautions.

For all those smaller to average sized gifts, here’s a very simple and amazing hack which shows what might be the best way to wrap a gift ever! In the video two gifts are wrapped in under 30 seconds using just 2 pieces of tape and the technique starts with angling the box to the paper’s corner. There’s got to be something to this method we can all learn from.

It’s dark, and the sidewalks are full of young kids walking up to every house on the block and declaring, “trick or treat!” — all while wearing masks. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, but we all know that Halloween is great fun for children and adults alike.

Before all that fun, however, there are some basic precautions you should take to ensure the whole family has a safe and sane Halloween. Here are some tips from the experts at the U.S. Product Safety Commission and other agencies:

Get the right fit for costumes.
Masks that are too big can slide around and block a child’s vision. A cape that is too long can cause trips and falls. Baggy clothing can easily brush against a candle and catch fire. So make sure those costumes fit. And don’t forget accessories. Whether they’re play swords or wands, they should be soft and flexible.

Know where you’re going before you leave.
If you’re going to be out after dark, it makes sense to stick to places you know. Go to familiar neighborhoods and only approach houses that have their outside lights on. Finally, never let kids enter a stranger’s home without an adult accompanying them.

Keep things bright.
Because you’ll likely be walking around at night, it’s crucial that drivers and other people can see your group. Carry glow sticks and strong flashlights, both for your own vision and so you’re visible to others. Put reflective tape (usually available at hardware and sporting-goods stores) on costumes, clothing and candy bags. And, if you’re taking pets out with you, make sure they can be seen, too. You can add reflective tape or attach a flashing light to collars or leashes.

Check out the candy.
Your kids are going to be eating the stuff, so, when you get home, make sure nobody has tampered with it. You’ll want to watch for choking hazards as well if you have young children. Finally, be sure to keep the loot away from your pets. Candy isn’t good for them, and some ingredients, such as chocolate, can be toxic.

There are plenty of opportunities for fun on Halloween, but dangerous situations are lurking as well. Remember that a little planning will go a long way toward safety on October 31.

And don’t forget moderation. A little candy goes a long way, too!

The warm days and cool nights of autumn will soon arrive along with those beautiful leaves that we all enjoy so much. As majestic as those trees look while the leaves are still attached, what do we do when leaves begin falling to the ground, covering the landscape?

Many of us have happy childhood memories of burning leaves. But is that really the best alternative?

Many municipalities now either ban or discourage the burning of yard waste. Before you burn, check with local authorities or your state’s department of natural resources to see whether a permit is required. If you live in an area prone to forest or wildfires, you may have “red flag” burning restrictions in place.

Leaf burning contributes to air pollution, health risks for some, and fire hazards:

• Smoke from burning leaves contains toxic or irritating particles and gases that can increase the risk of respiratory infection.
• Carbon monoxide can result from incomplete burning, especially when leaves are wet. Inhaled carbon monoxide is absorbed into the bloodstream, where it can reduce the amount of oxygen that red blood cells carry.
• Local fire departments can attest to house fires that have resulted due to unsafe burning of leaves.

Fortunately, there are some very good alternatives to traditional leaf burning. You may be fortunate to have a municipality that will pick up the raked leaves if left at the curb, either in a pile or in appropriate bags. Check with your city or county government for details.

Another great option is to compost the leaves yourself or to use the leaves as mulch around garden and landscape beds.

Of course, you also have the option of just mulching the leaves with the lawnmower. They make an excellent soil conditioner. Today’s mowers do an excellent job of shredding the leaves into very small pieces.

After you’re done with your yard work, you can always enjoy a safe fire in your fireplace!

Source: cinfin.com

Having a car at college can give a student the freedom to come and go from work or to explore surrounding areas without depending on others. But having a car also means greater responsibility. Here are some common driving situations that you and your college student should discuss before your student and their car heads to college.

Driving in a new area – Urge your young driver to learn the laws in the new community, as they may differ from your hometown. Are U-turns legal? Can you turn right on red? How about turning left on red on a one-way street? Failing to obey local traffic laws may result in a ticket or an accident. The Governors Highway Safety Association website offers a state-by-state look at traffic laws, including regulations for distracted driving, seatbelts, speed limits and work zones. Most colleges have a community liaison office that can provide information about local laws.

Allowing others to drive or being the default driver – Set rules and expectations for who can use the car. When your student is the only roommate or the only one among a group to have a vehicle at school, he or she may become the default driver. Worse, the student may allow others to drive the car. Both result in the car being used more than expected and having a higher risk of an accident. Check with your insurance agent to understand the terms of your auto policy and make sure appropriate coverage is in place if this is the circumstance you may find yourself in. While you may be confident of your student’s driving skills, the driving capability of roommates and friends is an unknown.

Alcohol – While everyone hopes and expects their college student to be responsible when it comes to alcohol, college is a time where experimentation can occur. Even the most responsible person cannot think clearly under the influence of alcohol and may decide to drive, allow someone else who was drinking to drive, or to ride with an impaired driver. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism offers a resource guide, “College Drinking,” for parents to use when talking to their college students about alcohol use.

Claims resulting from a motor vehicle accident can have an adverse effect on insurability and insurance costs, whether the auto policy is in the parents’ or the student’s name. Accidents, tickets or other violations may cause insurance premiums to increase. If the car is loaned to another person who then causes an accident, the owner of the vehicle may be held liable. Similarly, if your student borrows someone else’s car and causes an accident, you may be liable if the claim exceeds the car owner’s limits of insurance. Your insurance company will consider all of these factors when deciding how much premium to charge or even whether to renew your policy.

The freedom of being able to drive and go wherever you want, whenever you want, is important to those on the cusp of adulthood, but it is equally important to stay grounded with rules about who can drive and when.

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Coverages described here are in the most general terms and are subject to actual policy conditions and exclusions. For actual coverage wording, conditions and exclusions, refer to the policy or contact your independent agent.

Source: cinfin.com

Do you have a young adult attending college?

College can be a fun time for the student but a stressful one for the parent. Reduce some of the stress by planning ahead to make sure your college student has appropriate insurance protection while away at school.

Insurance companies cover full-time students under age 25 in various ways. If you have any questions at all you’ll want to consult with us about your specific policy and situation.

There are three basic ways a student may have coverage:

1. As a percentage of the personal property limit on the parents’ homeowner policy. Many insurance companies consider campus housing a secondary residence for the student and may cover your student’s possessions as a percentage of the personal property limit on your homeowner policy – personal property means items you can remove from your home or premises. For example, if you have $75,000 in personal property coverage, your student may have 10 percent of that, or up to $7,500, in coverage for belongings taken to school. Liability coverage – which insures legal liability for bodily injury or property damage to others – may not be included.
2. As part of the personal property limit included in the parents’ homeowner policy. Some insurance companies offer broader coverage through their homeowner policies. These companies allow the parents’ personal property limit to include the student’s belongings and liability without defining a percentage. For example, if you have $75,000 in personal property coverage on your homeowner policy, this includes items you have in your home as well as those that your student takes to school, and liability coverage is automatically included.
3. Under a separate renter’s insurance policy in the student’s name. Some insurance companies contend that being away at school for nine months of the year is long enough to require a separate renter’s policy to cover belongings and liability. Liability insurance is usually included in a renter’s policy. Keep in mind that a renter’s policy in the student’s name may be the more expensive option. However, renter’s insurance does not cost much to being with. In most situations, each roommate will need a separate insurance policy.

As your child is away at school, remember to ask your independent insurance agent to review your policy if need be so that you and your student can make the transition to college as stress-free as possible.

Coverages described here are in the most general terms and are subject to actual policy conditions and exclusions. For actual coverage wording, conditions and exclusions, refer to the policy or contact your independent agent.

Source: cinfin.com

As early as they start school, children become involved in extra-curricular activities. Adults charged and volunteering with getting groups of kids from home or school to the ball field and back home again are usually more concerned with maintaining their schedules and sanity than auto insurance. However, moving kids around could have a serious affect on your auto coverage needs.

In an auto accident, we all know drivers can be legally liable for their passengers’ injuries. Most personal auto policies will extend some degree of coverage for injuries to passengers when driving your own car. But what if you rent or borrow a large van to take the soccer team out of town for a weekend tourney?

School employees, such as teachers and coaches, who use their school’s vehicles to haul students and players from place to place have another reason to be concerned. In addition to possible size restrictions, there’s a concern with regular usage; specifically, your personal auto insurance policy may not pay for your liability from an accident in a vehicle that is not yours but is provided for your regular use. In addition to uncertainty with whether or not your policy will even respond, another serious concern is adequate limits of insurance. A serious injury to a single passenger could mean tens of thousands of dollars in medical and other costs stemming from the injury, and those dollars increase with the more passengers that are involved. There are published accounts of accidents involving adults driving in a car pool in which damages quickly exceeded $1 million.

Yet, many adults continue to purchase auto liability limits based on the minimum required by state law. In some states, this required amount may be as little as $10,000 per person and $20,000 total for all injuries in an accident—not likely sufficient when you consider the severity of certain injuries and the number of passengers involved. Remember also that this limit applies for all injuries caused by an accident for which you are liable, including passengers of other cars.

Adults driving kids to athletic and other events should consider maintaining the highest liability limits possible, as well as a personal umbrella policy. The umbrella can provide much higher limits of liability, some well over $1 million, and this kind of liability protection is among the least costing insurance there is.

Today’s drivers are faced with a multitude of distractions that pose a risk for accidents. Understanding your personal auto and liability insurance needs should help to bring at least a little peace of mind. So if your involved in the transportation of kids, other than your own from time to time, then a brief conversation about those risks is certainly worth a few moments of your time to discuss with us and we invite your call.