Protect the ones you love with life insurance... A Legacy of Love.

Don't wait until it's too late. Inquire about life insurance right now to protect your loved ones. There are different types of life insurance, and we can help you make the right decision -- don't put it off now and leave your family to suffer later.

Pool? Trampoline? Pets? Why YOU may need an umbrella policy.

As an independent insurance agency, we strive to bring you information to keep you protected in any event.  You may have heard of umbrella policies and may be wondering how they can benefit you.  Below, is some information about the policy from insurance.com.

Who needs an umbrella policy?
"If you own a swimming pool, hot tub, trampoline, swing set, or even pets, it would be a good idea to consider getting an umbrella policy. If you don't regularly have people over, and your pooch couldn't hurt a fly, it may not be that important. However, if you generally have guests over and your dog tends to snap or bite people, then purchasing an umbrella policy might be a wise idea."


What does a personal liability umbrella policy protect?
"When you buy a personal liability umbrella policy, you are buying a broader insurance coverage range with higher liability limits. Primary policies generally cover bodily injury and property damage, but with personal liability umbrella policy coverage, you can include personal injury, property damage or bodily injury-which may be caused by you, your pets, or your dependents. Along with a personal injury protection, you may be covered in the unfortunate event of:"

• False arrest
• False imprisonment
• Defamation
• Invasion of privacy
• Malicious prosecution
• Eviction
• Wrongful entry

"After your liability insurance in your homeowners or car insurances has run out, umbrella polices will kick in. They cover the amount above what your homeowners or car insurance policies capped out, up to the limit you selected. The reason that most umbrella policies are so inexpensive is that the policy is just added protection."

Naptown Roller Girls -- Monumental Mayhem

Looking for something FUN to do the weekend of October 7-9? 

Come out to the Indiana Convention Center for the Naptown Roller Girls Tournament sponsored by Erie Insurance.

Local agents will be there giving away FREE goodies! 

 

 Check out the article below or go to http://naptownrollergirls.com/ for more information.

Monumental Mayhem, Oct. 7- 9 – Indiana Convention Center

Indy’s only sanctioned WFTDA roller derby team, the Naptown Roller Girls, will host ‘Monumental Mayhem,’ the 2011 North Central Region Roller Derby Playoffs, Oct. 7- Oct. 9, 2011 at the Indiana Convention Center.

The top 10 teams from each WFTDA (Women’s Flat Track Derby Association) region – East, West, North Central and South Central – face off in a series of four regional playoffs. The top three teams from each region then advance to the WFTDA Championships. Teams qualify for their respective regional tournaments through sanctioned games played throughout the year. These games are used to determine regional rankings.

“To have our team playing in NC playoffs while we host it in our amazing city has been a dream of mine for years,” says founding NRG league member Amber Jones, aka Strawberry Jam.

“It’s an absolute honor to bring in such high level derby from our region. I can’t wait for Indianapolis derby fans to experience a WFTDA tournament.”

What: Monumental Mayhem: North Central Region Playoffs

When: Oct. 7 – 9

Where: Indiana Convention Center , 100 South Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46225

TICKET INFORMATION:
Ticketmaster is the exclusive ticket sales vendor for the Indiana Convention Center. You can purchase your tickets to Monumental Mayhem by visiting Ticketmaster online, by calling (800) 745-3000, or visiting your local Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets are also for sale at the Lucas Oil Box office at 500 South Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. During the weekend of the bout tickets will be available at the Indiana Convention Center Ticket Office at 100 South Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis.

VIP 3-day tickets are $100
Standard 3-day tickets are $75
Single-day tickets for Friday, Saturday or Sunday are $30 apiece.
Tickets for the Friday night Tornado Sirens bout vs Cincinnati are $15. 

To purchase VIP tickets, click on “find tickets” for the 3-day option. You can then select either regular or VIP tix.

All trackside (“suicide”) seating and the first four rows of chairs/bleachers are reserved for VIPs. VIPs also receive a tournament program and lanyard. VIP 3-day tickets are only available through September 1st, 2011.

(photo: Michael Guio)

No Excuses!

These 10 new health insurance freebies mean no more excuses if you've been putting off a colonoscopy, mammogram, or other test.

"Health insurance reform requires that new group or individual health plans created or purchased since March 23, 2010, cover 100 percent of the costs of preventive care. That means you don't have to pay a deductible, coinsurance or copay for a variety of tests and treatments.

Keep in mind, though you still might have to pay a copay for an office visit if the preventive care is billed separately. Also, the law requires health plans to provide this fully-covered care only through in-network clinicians.

Here are 10 new health insurance "freebies." All of the following testing recommendations come from guidelines established by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force."

1. Diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol tests

High blood pressure and high cholesterol levels increase the risk for heart disease. Health insurance reform now covers tests for these conditions.

Blood pressure screening is recommended for all adults. Screening for Type 2 diabetes is recommended for adults with high blood pressure.

Cholesterol screening is recommended for:

• Men 20 to 34and women 20 and older who are at risk for heart disease
• All men 35 and older

2. Breast, cervical and colon cancer screenings

The American Cancer Society estimates health reform preventive provisions could double cancer screening rates among the newly insured, thereby saving tens of thousands of lives a year.

"Evidence shows that we could prevent as many as two-thirds of cancer deaths in this country with a proper focus on prevention," says John Seffrin, CEO of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

Under health insurance reform, fully covered screenings include:

• Mammograms to screen for breast cancer every one to two years for women over 40
• Regular pap smears to screen for cervical cancer for sexually active women
• Colonoscopies to screen for colon cancer for adults over 50

3. Health education counseling

Want to quit smoking but don't know how? Need advice on how to cut down on alcohol? Health counseling is fully covered to help you achieve these goals and others, such as how to improve eating habits and treat depression.

Counseling is eligible for coverage if it comes from your primary care doctor or a specialist or program referred by your doctor. Talk to your physician and check with your insurance plan to see what is covered.

"For decades our health care system has waited to treat people until they get sick, but the Affordable Care Act shifts the emphasis to disease prevention and management as well as improved wellness and quality of life," Seffrin says.

4. Routine vaccines

You don't have to pay anything out of pocket to get your kids immunized, except perhaps a copay for an office visit if the immunizations are billed separately. Fully covered vaccines include hepatitis A and B; tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis; measles, mumps and rubella; varicella (chickenpox); and other standard recommended shots. Routine vaccines for adults are also covered.

5. Flu shots

Each year, somewhere between 5 percent and 20 percent of the U.S. population gets the seasonal flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Most people recover, but flu can be lethal.

New plans now must fully cover the cost of flu shots. The CDC recommended vaccination for everyone 6 months and older during the most recent flu season.

6. Counseling and screening for healthy pregnancies

The U.S. infant mortality rate is about seven deaths for every 1,000 live births, disturbingly high for an industrialized nation, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. About 8.2 percent of babies have a low birth weight, an increase of 17 percent since 1990.

Under health insurance reform, fully covered services during pregnancy include:

• Screening for conditions that can hurt women or their babies, including iron deficiency, hepatitis B, a pregnancy-related immune condition called Rh incompatibility and a bacterial infection called bacteriuria
• Counseling from a doctor to help pregnant women quit smoking and avoid alcohol
• Breast-feeding counseling and education to help nursing mothers.

7. Well-baby and well-child visits

Children in the United States receive recommended health care less than half of the time, according to a 2007 study from the RAND Corporation, Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute and the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Under health insurance reform, fully covered services include:

• Screenings and health counseling to prevent and treat obesity among children, depression among adolescents, and dental cavities and anemia.
• Routine vaccinations and boosters
• Well-child visits to the doctor from birth to age 21 
•  

8. HIV and sexually transmitted disease screening

A new system to track HIV infection estimates that 56,300 U.S. residents were newly infected with the disease in 2006, the latest year such statistics are available, according to the CDC.
Screening for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases and behavioral counseling to prevent infection are now fully covered:.

9. Osteoporosis screening

Osteoporosis occurs when bones become more porous and lose mass, making them susceptible to fractures and breaks with even simple activities, such as picking up a child, bumping into furniture or sneezing.

Health reform calls for routine screening for osteoporosis, which is recommended for all women 65 and older and for women 60 to 65 who are at increased risk for the condition.

10. Obesity screening and weight loss counseling

Two-thirds of Americans qualify as overweight or obese, according to the National Institutes of Health. Even more startling, 17 percent of women and 11 percent of men are severely obese.

Obesity increases risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and a host of other health problems.

Screening for obesity and intensive health counseling and education now is fully covered to promote sustained weight loss for obese adults and obese children 6 and older. Your primary-care doctor may offer the health counseling or refer you to a specialist, such as a dietitian. Always check with your health plan before you schedule services to make sure they qualify for free coverage.


By Barbara Marquand
for insurance.com

Pet car insurance... They're family, too.

Times are changing... and as they change, insurance must also change to keep up with policyholders' needs.  Today's policyholders cherish their pets.  In the case of a tragedy, people's first thoughts -- after themselves and their family -- are about their pets' safety.  For many, pets are no longer just pets, they are family.

You may already be aware of pet health insurance, which covers veterinary costs.  In 2007, Progressive became the first car insurance company to also offer pet coverage.  Progressive's policy covers the people in the accident as well as cats and dogs in an auto accident.  The coverage is built into the company's collision insurance and provides up to $1,000 for vet bill coverage if a pet is injured in an accident or vehicle fire or theft. (Coverage also applies to cats or dogs in commercial vehicles, boats or recreational vehicles.)

Lately, other auto insurers are catching on to pet car insurance.  Americans spend billions of dollars on their furry friends each year... and the confirmation that this is important to customers came from the numerous websites and blogs focused on pet insurance.


Credit to Susan Ladika for Insurance.com.

No more rear-end collisions?

Last month, we learned about Volvo's collision-avoidance feature, called City Safety.  City Safety was designed to prevent rear-end collisions in slow-moving (speeds between 2 and 19 mph), dense traffic -- automatically braking the car using a sensor built into the windshield which detects and reacts to other vehicles within 18 feet of the front bumper.

City Safety is a standard feature on 2010, 2011 and 2012 XC60 mid-size SUVs; 2011 and 2012 S60 sedans; and 2012 S80 sedans and XC70 wagons.

Car manufacturers have introduced many other crash-avoidance technologies.

Lower claims translates into cheaper auto insurance.

To read more on this topic, check out http://www.insurance.com/auto-insurance/safety/rear-end-collision.html.

5 Steps to Cut Your Healthcare Costs

We all want to save money.  Cut costs without sacrificing good care.  A recent article from insurance.com listed these 5 easy ways to cut health care costs:

1. Put more money in your FSA

If you have access to a flexible spending account (FSA), don't leave money on the table. Maximize your contributions.  An FSA allows you to use pre-tax dollars to pay for expenses not covered by your health insurance. Such expenses include:

• Health insurance deductibles
• Doctor visit co-pays
• Prescription drug purchases

Saving money in an FSA and applying it to your health expenses means you're effectively cutting your health costs – and keeping more of your take-home pay.

"Depending on your tax bracket, the dollars in your FSA are actually worth 15% or 25% more than other dollars that come from your net salary."

The trickiest part of using an FSA is anticipating what your health costs will be in the coming year. Make sure you estimate carefully, because if there's any money left unspent at the end of the FSA qualifying period, you'll lose the remaining amount.

2. Switch to an HDHP

As the name implies, a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) is a type of health insurance that has steep annual deductibles of $1,500 to $3,000, or more. So why would you choose such a plan if you are trying to save money? For a couple of reasons:

• Premiums for HDHP health plans are generally lower than those for traditional health plans.
• If you have an HDHP plan, you can use it to channel pre-tax money into a health savings account (HSA). "HSA money can grow tax-free, and can roll over from year to year," says Ellen Laden, a spokesperson for United Healthcare's Golden Rule Insurance Co. in Indianapolis.

But they won’t save everyone money. HDHPs are a bit of a gamble. They can be costly if you go to the doctor often, because your health care is paid out-of-pocket until you reach your deductible.  However, an HDHP can boost your financial bottom line if you're in relatively good health and don't need to visit the doctor often.

"If you can get a high-deductible plan and keep yourself healthy, you're going to save a bundle," she says.

3. Stay in the network

One very simple way to cut your health care costs is to make sure you only see physicians who are in your plan's network, says Laden.

"In-network discounts can save you up to 50 percent on your health care even before you meet the deductible," she says.

Likewise, if you get a referral for a specialist, make sure that provider is in your network, too.

4. Exercise and eat right

Regular physical activity and a good diet can help ward off chronic illnesses that require regular visits to the doctor's office and the ongoing use of prescription medications.

Exercise and a healthful diet are known to reduce expensive health problems such as:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Heart disease

In addition, a growing number of employer health plans now offer financial incentives to employees who join a gym or participate in a weight-loss program.

5. Visit retail health clinics

With names like MinuteClinic, these facilities are usually located within drugstores and supermarkets that have pharmacies. The centers provide routine health services such as flu shots.

Clinics are often staffed by nurse practitioners, and they typically accept insurance. For people who don't have health insurance, there's a fee schedule, and many services are less than $100, she says.

Although clinics can be low-cost and convenient for short-term needs, you should still have a primary care physician who can keep track of longer term issues as they arise, she says.


By Margarette Burnette
for insurance.com

Cities gaining the most jobs

Recently, it was announced that no jobs were added in August, meaning the unemployment rate remains unchanged.  The past year however, has been a good year for job growth.  Just look at which cities are gaining (and losing) the most jobs...

An Asset That GAINS Value

A long-term asset that gains value over time? Life insurance for a child or grandchild.  Some people view this as a negative thing or bad luck... but read on for why this is a positive thing.

According to an article I found on insurance.com, "The thought of buying life insurance for a child may seem grim. But some financial experts say buying a policy for a child or grandchild and allowing the money to build up over decades can provide a financial cushion when the child's retirement eventually rolls around. 

"It's kind of a gruesome idea to buy insurance on a child. It's almost like bad luck," says Rich Arzaga, principal at Cornerstone Wealth Management and a professor at University of California, Berkeley. "If you get past this emotional bias, you leave them a legacy they would not have."

Jean Towell, a spokeswoman with Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., says buying life insurance for a child provides "a long-term asset that gains value over time."

The policy ultimately could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars – or more – depending on factors such as the type of life insurance policy you buy, how well the insurer's investments perform and how long the child hangs on to it.

Children typically don't have to undergo the underwriting process, although a few simple medical questions may be asked. Purchasing a policy when the child is young generally means that as long as the policy never lapses, the child will always be able to get life insurance – even if he or she switches the type of policy when older – without having to go through medical underwriting, Towell says.

Life insurance options for a child

Greg Blake, executive director of life insurance products at USAA, says there are three main types of life insurance to choose from when insuring a child:

• Whole life insurance (also known as permanent life insurance)
• Term life insurance
• A rider on a parent's policy

A permanent life insurance policy continues on indefinitely. The other two types of life insurance policies can be converted to permanent insurance once a child reaches adulthood, but the life insurance rates will be higher at the time of conversion because premiums increase with age, Blake says.

Life insurance companies generally offer children's policies in small sums, such as $10,000 or $25,000, and topping out at about $100,000. However, the amount often can be increased when a child reaches certain ages in adulthood, Blake says.

Andy Hutchison, Mutual of Omaha's vice president for product development, says buying life insurance for a youngster is becoming increasingly popular among baby-boomer grandparents because it gets their grandchildren "started in life, from a financial standpoint."

If a parent or grandparent buys a policy for a child, someone – such as the child or the person who purchases the policy – needs to continue to pay the premiums once the child reaches adulthood in order to keep the policy in force, says Ray Caucci, vice president of product management at Penn Mutual.

Along with providing a death benefit to survivors when the insured dies, the life insurance policy has a cash value. A child who keeps the policy into adulthood can take cash out of it to fund a college education, a new small business or a wedding, Caucci says.

The owner can borrow against the policy and may – or may not – choose to pay the money back. Borrowing against the policy and not paying the loan back will decrease the policy's cash value and death benefit.

Supplementing a child's retirement

If your children hold on to their life insurance policies, the policies will continue to grow on a tax-deferred basis.  A child can decide later whether to cash it in or borrow against it to help supplement retirement income.

Hutchison says one possibility is to convert the insurance policy into an annuity at retirement age so it can generate a set amount of income each month. Monthly income from the annuity would be based on the value of life insurance policy and the owner's age.

When buying life insurance in order to eventually supplement a child's retirement, it's important to choose a company likely to still be around 60 or 70 years from now, Blake says. Before you buy, "evaluate the financial strength of the life insurance company" by checking the company's rating from an agency such as A.M. Best, Blake says."

Credit to Susan Ladika
for insurance.com

The safest (and most accident-prone) cities in America

With roughly 32,000 Americans involved in traffic accidents every year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration... Warning drivers about accident-prone cities seemed like a good story to post, seeing as how we ARE an insurance agency and we DO care about your safety.

SAFEST driving city in America? Fort Collins, Colorado. The average driver gets into an accident just once every 14 years!

Top 10 safest cities in America:
1. Fort Collin, CO
2. Boise, Idaho
3. Lincoln, Nebraska
4. Chandler, AZ
5. Huntsville, Alabama
6. Knoxville, TN
7. Springfield, Missouri
8. Reno, Nevada
9. Eugene, Oregon
10. Chattanooga, TN


Top 10 most accident-prone cities in America:
1. Washington, D.C. - residents are more than twice as likely to get in an accident as the average driver
2. Baltimore - Maryland is one of the states with the highest insurance premiums
3. Glendale, CA - 6th most expensive state to insure a car & Los Angeles just missed the top 10
4. Newark, N.J. - many drivers are commuting to New York City
5. Providence, R.I. - among the top 5 cities with drivers who get into accidents every 6 years
6. Philadelphia - earning its spot with its "dismal state of its bridges", Pennsylvania also made the list for 'worst roads in America'
7. Hartford, CT - informally known as the insurance capital of the world
8. Jersey City, N.J. - 2nd N.J. city on the list... on the bright side, the state ranks near the bottom in driver deaths
9. San Francisco - 2nd California city in the top 10 and the setting for some of Hollywood's greatest car chases
10. Alexandria - many residents commute to Washington, D.C., located just north of this Virginia city

The least (and most) expensive cars to insure

Top 10 least expensive cars to insure are American and Japanese non-luxury minivans, SUVs, and sedans.  The top 4 cheapest cars to insure are minivans.  According to msnbc.com, family-friendly four doors are usually your best best (Chrysler and Toyota to be exact).

Ranking in as the most expensive car in America to insure is the 12-cylinder Mercedes SL65 AMG.  Mercedes, Porsche, Aston Martin, and BMW, all European brands, are among the most expensive to insure.

Brand and price aren't the only factors when determining insurance premiums... Age and driving experience are also factored in.  Because cars such as the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla are popular entry-level vehicles among younger drivers, they don't make the list of cars least costly to insure.

It can also be more expensive to insure cars who are on the country's list of "most commonly stolen vehicles".  However, cars on the list of the most commonly stolen vehicles tend to be older models since at the time, they did not come equipped with the sophisticated anti-theft and tracking devices that many newer vehicles now come with.

Did you know that Michigan, Louisiana, and Oklahoma are the top 3 states with the most expensive average auto insurance premiums?  Michigan holds the top spot mainly because "it is the only state that guarantees unlimited personal injury protection payments to those who are injured in auto accidents"... plus, the state includes assistance to help people with injuries pay for medical care.

Credit to: Althea Chang