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Debunking Some of the Most Common Myths About Life Insurance

Most of us don’t like to think about what happens when we die, it’s important to prepare ourselves and our loved ones whether we like it or not. Having life insurance on your side can only help for when the time comes, but there are some myths and fears about the plan that may deter people away from it. To clear up any confusion, we have debunked some of the most common myths about life insurance. The truth might surprise you!

 

Myth 1: It Costs Too Much

It is very understandable that when looking into investing in insurance, you don’t want it to cost you an arm and leg. While the coverage is important to have, you want it to fit comfortably into your budget. One of the main reasons people turn down life insurance is this belief that it’s too expensive, but that is not necessarily the case. According to a study performed by Life Happens, approximately 80% of people misjudge how costly life insurance truly is. In fact, plans such as term life insurance are more affordable than you might think. Plus, you can always change or add coverages to your plan over time. If you’re on a budget, give your agent a call to see what plan works best for you.

 

Myth 2: It’s Unnecessary If You Are Young and Healthy

There are many factors that go into how much your life insurance will cost, including your age and health. While many think that being young and healthy means you don’t need life insurance, it’s actually not true. Chances are you will need life insurance down the road when you are older and your health has changed. If you wait until then, your life insurance premium will be higher than when you were young and healthy. It’s best to go ahead and purchase life insurance so you don’t have to worry about major expenses later on. Take advantage of this part of your life so if you are not in good condition later, you don’t have to pay for it.

 

Myth 3: It’s Not Available to Those Who Have Health Problems

As stated before, your health does influence the cost of life insurance. While you may be paying more on life insurance for serious health problems, this does not mean it’s not available at all. However, it is true that if you have a terminal illness, some coverages may not be available. In any case, it would be wise to speak with your agent about your options when your health changes so you receive the best coverage for the right price.

 

Myth 4: It’s Not Available for Older People Either

While it’s true that health typically declines as you get older, this still does not mean life insurance isn’t available for the elderly. In fact, there are important coverages available such as final expense which can help with funeral and burial costs. While we may not like to think about this stage of life, it cannot be ignored. Therefore, the elderly are able to have life insurance available even in their final moments to help after they are gone.

 

Myth 5: Single People Don’t Need It

While it is true that life insurance is beneficial to those who have others depending on them, such as children or their spouse, that doesn’t mean single people don’t need life insurance at all. In the event that you are single and pass away, you can still be left with debt from loans that were previously drawn out. The expenses will be transferred to co-signers or immediate family to take care of which is the last thing that needs to happen after losing a loved one. However with life insurance, you don’t have to worry about anyone taking on your debt after you are gone. Life insurance will also handle any burial and funeral expenses so the family can properly grieve. Also, keep in mind that plans change throughout time. So while you may be single now, that doesn’t mean it is a permanent deal. In the event that you may have children in the future or get married, having life insurance now can benefit you later.

 

Myth 6: All You Need is Your Work’s Life Insurance Plan

While it is great to accept life insurance through your work, keep in mind that it is not transferable when or if you leave for another job. If you have your own life insurance account not through your work, you don’t have to worry about the possibility of not being insured when something changes.

 

If you have any questions about how life insurance works or what plan works best for you, get in touch with one of our agents!

Understanding, Preventing, and Treating Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

The odorless poison, carbon monoxide, is a preventable but deadly gas that results in more than 400 deaths each year. Although most families are aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide, they may not be aware of what needs to be done to prevent carbon monoxide (CO) from building up in their households. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered with a compiled list of what you need to look out for and avoid so you and your family are not harmed by the deadly gas. That way you are your family can continue making lasting memories in your home.

 

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

CO is a natural gas, but is also produced through many different appliances found in most households. If you or a family member starts to feel flu-like symptoms, it could be CO poisoning. If so, make sure to evacuate the house immediately and alert the authorities of the gas buildup.

 

Where Do CO Buildups Come From?

Various gas appliances like furnaces, fireplaces, oil heaters, and any engine powered by gasoline can cause a buildup of carbon monoxide in your home. This is also true of generators. During power outages or any time a generator is necessary, let it run outside. If being used inside, be sure that it is within 20 feet of a window or door so that the CO can disperse. This is a great rule of thumb when running any sort of equipment that could result in a CO leak. If you suspect you need to, open a window and ventilate your house to allow the CO to circulate.

 

Symptoms of CO Poisoning

With all of this being said, there are symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning once your CO levels are higher than 10% in the bloodstream. These symptoms, often compared to symptoms of the flu, include headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. Because these symptoms are so similar to the flu, be aware of other members of the family having these same symptoms showing up around the same time. Also, take notice of your pets acting strange. Although animals can get sick, animals do not get the human flu, so if you notice your dog is exhibiting flu-like symptoms, these could be due to carbon monoxide poisoning.  By taking notice of these warning signs, it could save the lives of the entire family — pets included! Fortunately, CO poisoning does not become fatal until the CO levels in the blood reach 20%, so there should be noticeable symptoms before that becomes a reality.

 

Action Plan for CO Poisoning

So, what should you do if you think you or a family member is experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning? That answer is pretty simple; leave the house. The first thing you should do if you feel you have symptoms of CO poisoning is alert someone else in the house and evacuate immediately. Although not quite as time sensitive as a house fire (in the sense that you need to make a break for the nearest exit) you should get everyone out of the house immediately. Next, call the police and alert the fire department, as carbon monoxide incidents need to be reported. If anyone feels their symptoms require medical attention, do so immediately. Carbon monoxide results in more than 20,000 emergency room visits, and around 4,000 hospitalizations per year. CO poisoning should be taken seriously, even if there are no visible symptoms, because around 400 deaths occur each year due to it.

 

CO Poisoning in Your Vehicle

Carbon monoxide buildup isn’t limited to just your home either, they can also happen inside your vehicle. As with most other engines, simple maintenance checkups are the best way to prevent CO buildup within your car. Your vehicle’s exhaust system should be checked yearly, as small leaks can result in a buildup of CO. Also, just like with generators or any other gas powered engine, you should never run your vehicle inside a closed garage, whether attached to your house or not. It’s important to keep your garage door open whenever a vehicle is running. It can be tempting to start your car a few minutes early to let the engine warm up. However, the rule still applies in this case, and you should not let the car run inside a closed garage because vehicles create an enormous amount of carbon monoxide.

 

Preventing CO Buildups

Now that you’re aware of what can cause carbon monoxide buildup, and what the symptoms are, how can you prevent it from happening altogether? Be sure to have all of the previously listed appliances serviced by a qualified contractor once a year or so to ensure that there are no malfunctions that could cause a CO buildup. This should be done at the start of the colder months, when you will most likely be using appliances to keep your house warm. Another simple and preventative measure to take when dealing with CO buildup is simply opening a window. Ventilating your house is a surefire way to disperse poisonous carbon monoxide and keep your family safe. Have CO detectors installed near any areas that may be susceptible to carbon monoxide buildup, as well as in common sleeping areas. Detectors are another preventative step to take in avoiding CO poisoning, and are not reliable by themselves. Make sure you’re taking other steps to prevent carbon monoxide leaks as well!

 

What is most important here is making sure you and your family are safe and covered in case of all emergencies. Anytime a loved one requires medical care, it could be costly. Make sure your family has the right coverage in place so that you can focus on what’s important during life events such as this one. Having financial stability during periods of high emotional stress is just another thing you don’t have to worry about.

 

Give our office a call so that we can make sure your family is covered properly. We have plenty of options for all households and would love to show you how we can best protect you. Our agents specialize in risk management, and can help your family find coverage that’s right for you. By taking advantage of this, you can rest easy knowing that we are taking care of everything on our end, so you don’t have to.

Why Life Insurance is Important for Single People

While it is true that life insurance is very beneficial for married couples and those with kids, that does not mean life insurance can’t be for singles too. Regardless of the fact that nobody is dependent on a single person’s income, there are still instances when life insurance is necessary for singles. Take a look at our top reasons that you may not have thought about at first.

 

It Will Help Cover Your Debts

Take a moment to consider all of your expenses. Are you paying off any loans or debts from college or a mortgage? Despite what some may think, if anything were to happen to you, that debt doesn’t disappear if you have a cosigner. Instead, the debt will go to them, whether it be your parents, your roommate, or your significant other. In some cases, the loaner (usually the bank) asks for the debt to be paid in full after a death. For the cosigner, this can be very difficult to take in, especially after losing a loved one. Nobody should pay off a debt that they may not have the expenses for while grieving. However, when you invest in life insurance, all lingering debts will be paid off rather than have the burden be handed to your grieving loved one.

 

It Helps Pay for Funeral Expenses

Although nobody wants to think about what happens when you die, your funeral service has to be paid for by somebody. Regardless of how big the funeral ceremony is, it will still be costly and not something your loved ones should have to worry about. In some places, small ceremonies are a large expense costing more than $7,000. Thankfully, your life insurance policy will cover the cost so your parents, partner, or family members can grieve in peace.

 

It Helps if Your Health Changes

There are two major factors that determine how much your life insurance will be: your health and age. You may be young and healthy now, but if your family has a history of serious health problems, you should look into purchasing life insurance before it becomes too expensive. If you wait too long, you may not be insurable at all which is why it is good to talk to an agent today rather than later.

 

Having It Now Will Help Down the Road

Although sometimes we don’t want to think about the future, for life insurance purposes, it would be wise. If you know that down the road you may have kids or you will take care of family members, save yourself the hassle by purchasing life insurance today. That way you know you will have the right support before it gets too expensive.

 

You May Not Be Single Forever

As we all know, not everything in life stays the same. Although you may decide that you are going to stay single, not everything goes to plan. There may be a point in your life when someone will depend on your income whether you want it to happen or not. That is why having life insurance now can only help you for any stage in life.

 

When you are looking into insurance policies, having the right insurance agent on your side can make all the difference. Let our expert team help you determine your best policy by giving us a call today. We can help you find the right coverage for any stage in life.

How to Save Money on Business Insurance

The last thing you want to focus on when starting or running your business is what could go wrong. While you aren’t necessarily going to face struggles right away, if you aren’t covered with a good insurance policy, you’ll likely experience some issues down the road. Since running a business is risky, you should plan on being prepared to handle anything that comes up with the proper business insurance policy. But how do you avoid spending too much? Here are some tips that could save you some money on your insurance plan.

Know What You Need

Not every business needs the same amount of coverage. It all depends on what your business does and the risks involved. At the minimum, most businesses are required by law to have policies for workers’ compensation, unemployment, and disability insurance. But that’s just the minimum. When looking at how much coverage you need, you can start by looking at general liability insurance which will cover your business for any third-party damages, legal defense costs, and reputation damage from libel, slander, or copyright infringement. In addition, also consider a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) to cover your business’s property and typically cover more for less money that a general liability policy. Other coverages will depend on the nature of your business, which your insurance agent can discuss with you your options in more detail related to your situation.

Increase Your Deductible

For most insurance policies, not just business insurance, you can lower your premium by increasing your deductible. Paying a higher deductible means less money the insurance company will have to pay after you make a claim on your policy. Because of this, insurance companies are willing to offer coverage at a lower price. Your agent will be able to discuss with you whether or not this would be a favorable decision for your business and the pros and cons of each choice.

Bundle Your Policies

Bundling your policies means that instead of buying separate policies for every type of coverage you need, you can purchase a package that will offer the same coverage for a lower price. Think of it like going to a restaurant. If you order an entree, side, and drink separately, you’ll end up paying a bit more than if you had ordered the combo that includes those items at a lesser cost. Bundled policies are the “restaurant combos” of insurance.

Be Safety-Minded

The higher the risk of injury at your business, the higher your insurance premiums will be.The safer your work environment is, the better deal you’ll get with your insurance. To get a better price, follow all safety recommendations from your insurance company such as enforcing safety precautions to avoid having your premiums raised to cover the extra risk.

Review and Update Your Coverage Every Year

As your business changes, so will your coverage needs, which means you should review your policies each year around the time of renewal to see if there are better options for either coverage or price. Also, by reviewing your policy with your agent, they will be able to make sure you aren’t paying for any policies that you may have needed for the previous year but not the upcoming year.

Consult with Your Independent Agent

Remember when you are reviewing your policies or looking at what kind of coverage to get for your business, consult with your insurance agent to help you shop for the best deals. They know insurance policies inside and out and will be able to guide you through making the best decisions for your business. If you have any questions or think you could be spending less on insurance for your business, give us a call today.

Why You Must Buy Home Insurance Before Closing on a Home

Buying a home isn’t as exciting of a process as it may look like on HGTV. It involves a lot of paperwork and finances to bring you to that happy closing day. But if you haven’t purchased home insurance yet, you’d better start shopping around. For most homeowners, lenders are required to help them obtain the home of their dreams, unless you happen to have enough cash to purchase the home in full. However, if you are like most people, here’s what you need to know about buying home insurance before closing.

 

Do I Have to Buy Home Insurance Before Closing?

Just in case you are still thinking you can get out of home insurance, yes, you do have to purchase it for at least a year in order to close on your home. In order to protect their investment (your new house), lenders will require you to cover your home against disasters. Until you have paid off your mortgage, your lender as the stakeholder has the right to hold possession of your property to protect what is technically their property. Home insurance is designed to protect both you and the lender, which is why lenders typically will not agree to lend you the money for your home until they know it will be protected. Plus, keep in mind that there are some advantages to paying homeowners insurance up front at closing, as you can sometimes exclude that premium from your closing costs.

 

How Much Coverage Do I Need?

Home insurance policies can protect your physical house, your belongings on the inside, and the cost of medical expenses for a person injured on your property. The amount of coverage you need typically depends on your lender. However, the general rule is that you need enough to cover the cost of rebuilding your home from the ground up in case of disaster.

 

A standard home insurance policy will protect you against:

  • Damage from the weight of ice or snow
  • Explosions
  • Falling objects, such as tree branches
  • Fire
  • Frozen plumbing, heating, AC, or other household systems
  • Hail, windstorms, and lightning
  • Smoke
  • Theft and vandalism
  • Vehicles

 

By having homeowners insurance, you and the lender are protected in the event that the house is damaged or destroyed. Additional coverage can also be added such as flood or earthquake insurance, depending on your situation.

 

Types of Homeowners Insurance

 

Replacement-cost policy–  This type of policy covers the current cost to replace your home. For example, if you were to buy an older home that has unique features, the cost to restore it may be higher. A replacement-cost policy runs about 10 percent more than a cash-value policy but will cover the cost of rebuilding.

 

Cash-value policy– This type of policy costs less than a replacement-cost policy and covers the market value cost of your home and its contents. So rather than reimburse you the amount you paid for something, you will only get back its depreciated value amount.

 

While some types of insurance may be optional, homeowners insurance is a must if you want to own a home. You do always have the option of finding ways to reduce your premium such as by adding security systems, storm shutters, or deadbolts.

 

We’ll shop around for you to find the best policy with the right coverage and price. Let us know how we can help you by giving us a call today.

What to Do If An Employee Gets Hurt on the Job

No matter what sort of business you run, accidents can always happen. Even in a “safe” office environment, an employee could be badly burned from a pot of coffee or slip on a wet floor. Since an accident could happen at any time, you’ll want to already have a worker’s compensation plan in place before rather than after an incident. To make sure you have all your bases covered, here are the steps you should take when an employee gets injured at the workplace.

Seek Immediate Medical Attention

Regardless of if you think the injury is minor or not, medical attention must be provided to the employee to assess the damage. Remember that safety always comes first and the faster you get professional help, the more likely your employee is to recover faster from their injury.

Keep a Record of the Accident

Accidents usually happen so fast that no one remembers the story right, but the second the craziness dies down, talk to everyone who witnessed it. Even if a coworker wasn’t watching the injured employee specifically, they may remember some detail that will be of use later. You will need to write down their statements of what happened, from the accident to the aftermath, as well as take pictures of the scene that caused the accident to happen. File these records away in case the employee ever tries to come back and sue you over the incident.

File the Workers Comp Report

If the injury is bad enough, your employee will likely claim workers compensation for the doctor bills. If they choose to file, as is their right, you are legally required to provide them with a form and report their claim to your insurance agent. This claim is the most important reason your business should have workers comp in place, because it will save you financially from any fees and costs that come from the injury claim.

Stay On Top of the Claim

Once your employee files for workers comp, your insurance agent will request some documentation and evidence of the accident (this is where your record-taking and pictures of the scene will come in handy). During this time, you should be open with your agency about all the details of the situation as well as check in on your employee to make sure they are recovering well.

Prevent Future Accidents

If an accident happened once, it will likely happen again. Prevent a repeat incident by looking at what caused the first injury and making adjustments. If the building was responsible, preventative measures may include a simple repair. If the injury was a result of lack of training, a company-wide education class may be in order. You could also take this time to ask your employees about other possible dangers around the workplace. For instance, maybe they need better equipment or more safety items such as gloves or masks. By taking proper precautions, you can eliminate future workers comp claims and injuries, thereby making your workplace a happier environment for your employees.

Welcome Back Your Employee

Once your employee has recovered from their work-related injury, you are legally required to allow them to return to work at your business, regardless of whether their claim was successful or not. The injury was likely not their fault and they shouldn’t be punished for something they couldn’t control.

 

By having workers compensation in place, you can protect both your employees and your business. And since your employees are essential for your business to keep running smoothly, you should want to protect them as best as you can. If your business is operating without workers comp or you need help deciding which policy to choose, give your insurance agent a call today and they will discuss the best options for your industry and amount of employees.

 

Why and How You Should Create a Home Inventory for Insurance Purposes

Most people have heard that they should keep inventory of the things they own in their home, but very few actually do. And those that do, rarely have one that is kept up-to-date. The good news is that putting together an inventory isn’t hard. It’s just very time consuming to make a list of everything you own and document what it is worth. However, if anything were to ever happen to your home, you’ll be glad you spent a few hours documenting so you get reimbursed for everything at their worth.

Why You Need to Take a Home Inventory

Take a few minutes to try to make a list of your belongings without looking around your house. Would you be willing to bet that you can remember everything in the event of a disaster or burglary? Odds are, you’re going to forget a few things and not get reimbursed for them. If anything were to happen to your home or possessions, a home inventory can help you be fairly compensated for your lost items. In most cases, you can just tell the insurance company that you lost certain things, but if they don’t have a specific model number of the item, you’ll be reimbursed for the cheapest version. A home inventory can also help you decide how much coverage you need. If you find that you don’t have many expensive items, you wouldn’t need as much coverage as you would if you collected a lot of valuable things.

How to Create Your Home Inventory

The key to putting together a good inventory of your home is to document thoroughly. It starts with a list. Move from room to room throughout your home to take note of everything you own, including items in your attic, basement, garage, and shed. You can either take pictures of each item, or even better, take video for proof of ownership. While recording the video or taking pictures, just make sure that any serial numbers are visible and that you also record any receipts you still have for the item.

Aside from the visual inventory, you should also gather other documentation to help the claims process such as:
● Receipts
● Credit card statements
● Other transaction documents
● Appraisals (include the appraiser’s name and address)

If you have a receipt to show proof of purchase, you will often be reimbursed for the amount you paid for the item. Also take advantage of apps such as Sortly that you can download to help make taking inventory a little easier. If you want to avoid such technology, you can create your own system by using a spreadsheet to document the item, description of the item, cost, serial/model number, and anything else you think useful. Whichever method you choose, just make sure you scan your receipts in just so you have a backup. Otherwise, if your house catches on fire or other catastrophe happens, those receipts won’t be there when you need them.

What You Should Keep Track Of

It would be unreasonable for you to document literally everything you owned down to your toothbrush. That’s why you should start with your most prized and expensive items. Carefully document items such as TVs, DVD players, cameras, furniture, and jewelry. The best way to do this besides taking pictures is by taking video. Start at one end of the house and video everything of importance in detail (make sure model numbers and any receipts you may have are visible) and do a broad video scan of areas such as your cabinets and closet for a general idea of lower priced items you own.

Once you’ve created your home inventory, make sure to update it as you acquire or get rid of items over time. An outdated inventory won’t be very useful to you if you buy several big-priced items right before disaster strikes your home. The most important thing to remember is that once you make your home inventory, make sure that it is stored or backed up somewhere besides your home, preferably somewhere that can never be destroyed. If you have any questions about what is covered under your insurance policy, give your agent and they’ll be glad to help you out.

How to Lower Your Premiums on Home Insurance

As long as you own a home, homeowners insurance doesn’t go away. What’s worse is that insurance premiums have the tendency to increase over the years. Whether you are shopping for homeowners insurance for your first home or looking to decrease your premiums for your current home, here are a few tips to help you make your insurance more affordable.

Improve Your Home Security

By decreasing vulnerabilities in your home, you can potentially cut your insurance premiums by as much as 15-25 percent. Methods of improving your home security can include adding a smoke detector, burglar alarm, dead-bolt locks, sprinkler system, and professionally installed storm shutters and doors. With these added safety measures in place, your house is less likely to receive damage from unforeseen instances such as storms, floods, fire, or burglary. If you do make these safety upgrades to your home, keep a record of your receipts in case your provider wants proof before lowering your premium.

Know Your Location

If you haven’t bought your home yet, check the CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) report of the home you are interested in. These reports will be able to tell you the property’s insurance claim history so you can be familiar with any problems the house has had.

Increase Your Deductible

A deductible is the amount of risk you agree to accept before the insurance company starts paying on a claim. The higher your deductible, the more money you can save on your insurance premiums. You could save up to 25% on your premiums simply by doubling your deductible.

Bundle Your Home and Auto Policies

If you already have auto insurance, consider either purchasing your home insurance with the same provider or moving your auto insurance to your new home insurance provider. More often than not, you can save a lot of money on your premiums by bundling the two with the same provider. In fact, bundling can save you anywhere from 5 to 15 percent on your monthly payment.

Determine if Loyalty Matters

Insurance providers typically reward their loyal customers by offering policy discounts. Some insurers will reduce your premiums by 5 percent if you stay with them for three to five years and by 10 percent if you remain a policyholder for six years or more. However, while loyalty has its benefits, some providers offer cheaper discounts to new clients who switch over to their agency.
Make sure you do not ignore such opportunities by occasionally checking your price with other policies that could potentially be cheaper from the beginning.

Don’t Buy What You Don’t Need

This might sound obvious, but don’t have insurance for things you don’t need to cover. For example, if you aren’t in a flood zone, flood insurance may not be the best option for you. Or, if you don’t have any expensive jewelry, you shouldn’t need a jewelry policy. So unless you have a good reason for having a type of insurance, you probably shouldn’t have it. With that being said, it would also be a good idea to reevaluate your coverage each year to make sure your policies are relevant to your current lifestyle. Having one that is unneeded will only make you spend unnecessary money that could be used elsewhere.

Shop Around

Odds are that you aren’t going to pick the cheapest insurance provider with your first choice. In order to make sure you don’t pay more than necessary, shop around either before purchasing home insurance or before renewing your current policy. Ask your friends who they are covered through and check consumer guides to be sure you get the lowest rates that fit your current situation.

To be sure you get the lowest premiums on your homeowners insurance, contact our agency today. We’ll do the shopping for you to get you the best coverage at the best price, whether it’s your first time or you need a readjustment upon renewal time.

How Will Adding a Teenage Driver Impact My Car Insurance?

So, your teen is ready to get their license. It’s an exciting time for them! And maybe for you too, although you may have a number of concerns when it comes to adding a less experienced driver to your insurance plan. There’s the matter of their safety, whether or not they will break certain rules and restrictions on the road, as well as how they will affect your car insurance rates.

Keeping a teenage driver covered under an insurance plan can be extremely expensive, but going without insurance is not an option. While adding a teen driver may be pricey and stressful, there are many ways to lessen the cost. Below are just a few ways you can keep costs down while sending your new driver out on the road.

Mentor by Practicing Good Driving Habits Yourself

If you’re not practicing good driving habits yourself, how can you be your teen’s best mentor? To avoid additional costs, you’ll want to do everything in your power to help them avoid an accident. Have your teen strictly follow safety practices when driving such as putting their phone away, limiting distractions, and buckling up. Make sure they know and follow basic rules of the road every time they drive with you, and hold yourself accountable as well.

Increase Your Liability Coverage

You’ll probably want to increase your liability coverage before your teen even gets behind the wheel. The car they will be driving is in your name, so that means YOU are liable for whatever happens when they’re on the road. Because they are just learning to drive, you’ll definitely want to make sure you have the right coverage plan in case you are held accountable for something you did not do. While you probably do not wish to add an additional amount to your bills, liability will literally save you should a bad accident and subsequent lawsuits occur.

Have Them Drive an Older or Used Car

Because teenage drivers are at a greater risk of getting in an accident, it would be wise to have them drive an older or used car. The car shouldn’t be so old that it’s not up-to-date regarding safety, but having them drive in a well-running vehicle that’s a bit older could save you a great deal of money in the future. These cars are much less expensive to repair should damage occur to them.

Enroll in a Driver Tracking Program

Today, a number of insurance companies provide small devices that monitor driving habits and patterns. These trackers can tell how fast you’re going, the distance at which you break, and other important factors that can give your teen insight as to how they are regularly driving. With this type of information feedback, teens should be able to recognize where their driving could use improvement. Once your teen begins implementing better driving habits, you may see your monthly rates gradually decrease.

Ask About a Distant Driver Discount

When the time comes for your teen to head off to college, they may not take a vehicle with them. Less than half of teenage drivers head off to college with a car in tow. If your child falls into this category, you may be able to get a discount during the time they are away and not driving. In many instances, they don’t have to be very far from home to qualify for a distant driver discount. Check with your insurance provider to see if your teenage driver qualifies you for this type of discount today.

As soon as your teenager begins to think about driving, you’ll want to inform your insurance agency so that your son or daughter can be added to your current plan. This way, they will be covered throughout the experience of learning this important life skill. Make sure they are under the right car insurance plan by having them covered with our agency. To get started, give us a call and let us insure you for all of your major life moments.

Retirement Plans: What You Are Truly Saving For

At first, it may seem like all that money you put into retirement savings over the years is pointless. However, in actuality, you will be thanking yourself for setting aside so much money once the time comes. Take a look at what you can look forward to after saving for retirement for so long.

Savings For: Travel & Vacation

Now that you have so many hours in the day to fill up, why not spend it going to places you’ve always wanted to see? Instead of daydreaming about paradise, you can actually go visit it with all the money you have saved up in your retirement plans! Retirement is the perfect time to see the world and all it has to offer. You may be surprised what you find out there. And with the right amount in your 401(k) or IRA plans, you can even make a vacation out of your adventure. You don’t have to worry about taking a personal day when you can have as many as you want to do whatever you want!

Savings For: A New Hobby

Have you ever wanted to take cooking classes? Or maybe even dancing classes? You may not have had time for hobbies in the past, or money, but now you do! Enjoy the things in life you couldn’t before by putting your savings to use the way you want. There is no better time to do this than during retirement.

Savings For: Your Loved Ones

When saving for retirement, you are not just trying to put aside money to spend on things you couldn’t afford before. You are also ensuring time with your loved ones. By saving enough money to enter retirement through various plans, you can spend your free time with your loved ones and bond like never before instead of focusing on work. You have worked so hard to ensure they have a good and happy life. Now you can be a part of it too.

Savings For: Volunteer Services

Volunteering is a great way to help those in need, but it can be difficult when you have to take care of yourself first. However, with your savings on your side, you don’t have to worry. Instead, you can spend your time volunteering without worrying about the fact that you do not make money profit because you know you are safe and secure with your retirement plans. Instead of constantly working to make ends meet, you can work the way you want by helping others.

Savings For: A Better Future

Many people look forward to retirement because it provides a time that is dedicated to the things you want. You can finally live happily after all the work you’ve put in. Without saving or investing in an insurance plan, your retirement may not be a fun time filled with all the opportunities listed above. Enjoy retirement by having our agency go over with you the best options for your retirement plan so your future is filled with joy.