February Home Maintenance Tasks

Each month in 2016, we’ll be sharing a short list of tasks and ideas of things you can do to help take care of your home, vehicle, and family. Consider them a helpful reminder of what needs to get accomplished throughout the month to keep your important items protected.

Here’s what’s on the list for February:

Add New Jewelry On Your Insurance Policy - If your Valentine surprised you with a new bracelet or ring, make sure it’s covered! Bring in a copy of the appraisal or receipt and we’ll add it to your Home or Renters insurance policy. (This also applies to artwork, guns, and other collectibles or antiques if you’re not a jewelry person.)

Purchase A Fire Extinguisher - If you don’t have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen, now is the time to get at least one. Plan a family meeting and teach everyone in the household when and how to use it. It’s an easy way to prevent a small kitchen fire from getting out of hand.

Getting Married? - February 14th is a popular date for weddings! If you’re tying the knot this month, call us to discuss your insurance. We’ll look at your individual policies and discuss how best to combine them for your new household. (Plus you might qualify for more discounts!)

Show The Love! - There is no better way to show your family how much you love them, then with the proper amount of life insurance! We can give you a quote on an affordable term policy and help you get this important coverage in place quickly.

We LOVE to help our clients! Let us know if we can assist you in any way with your auto, home, business, or life insurance.

Top 10 Reasons To Be Thankful For Insurance

Since Thanksgiving is almost here, what better time to think about what we’re grateful for?  And while we love insurance all year long, we’re especially thankful for all the things it does for our clients.  Here’s our top 10 list!

10.  You don’t have to panic when a hail storm comes along (and you don’t have a garage).

9.  You can rent the apartment and know that your possessions are still protected, even if you don’t own your own home yet.

8.  You don’t have to empty your savings account when an uninsured driver hits your car.

7.  You don’t have to worry about losing your home to a lawsuit from an honest mistake.

6.  You can invest in nice things without worry that they’ll be stolen.

5.  You know that if a big storm comes, you can evacuate to safety without worrying about your home.

4.  You know that if you were to lose your spouse, you would be able to survive financially.

3.  You know that your assets are protected, even if you can’t predict the future.

2.  You know that even if there is a disaster, as long as your family is safe, everything will be okay. 

1.  You don’t have to worry.  We’ve got you covered.

Why You Should Buy Life Insurance During The Holidays

Have you ever considered Life Insurance to be a gift?

No it doesn’t come wrapped in a box with a big bow.  And it’s not all that exciting.  But, in my opinion, it really is the gift that keeps on giving.

Life Insurance has gifted families in so many ways.  After the loss of a breadwinner, children have been able to go to college without debt.  Parents have been able to stay at home with their children without needing to go back to work.  Homes have been paid off and long-term dreams have been realized.

All because a family member made the decision to purchase life insurance.

No one wants to think about this coverage, but if there is someone out there counting on your income and support right now…then you need it. 

And we can help you make it extremely easy and affordable.  In fact, studies have shown that most people overestimate how much life insurance by as much as 10x it’s actual cost!  There are options for everyone.

So why think about it now? 

If you currently don’t have any life insurance or you only have it through you work, then it’s time to come in and talk with us.  We can look at all of the options and find the best solution for your family. 

And if you’re struggling with what gifts to buy at Christmas….then look no further!  Your family members don’t need another sweater they’ll never wear or a new set of pots and pans.  They need long-term peace of mind and protection.

Let us help you gift that today.  Give us a call at 508-347-9343 to set up an appointment.

Your Insurance Financial Plan

There are many aspects to successful financial plans.  Most include a family budget, emergency savings, retirement savings, and…insurance!

So today, let's review the important parts of your insurance financial plan.

Protect Your Stuff - 

This is what we think of first when it comes to insurance.  Fixing your car after an accident and replacing your belongings after a fire.  When you review your financial plan, you want to make sure that all of your valuable assets are protected.  Cars, homes, high priced jewelry or artwork, boats, motorcycles, ATV's, etc.  Protect it all and make sure that the deductible is reasonable and that you have full replacement cost coverage.  (We can explain all the details.)  

Protect Your Money - 

Liability is a misunderstood coverage, but it's extremely important.  When you are held responsible for an accident, your assets and money are at risk!  What if your teenager caused an accident and your were sued?  What if you caused a major accident and didn't have enough liability coverage?  Good insurance can make sure this doesn't happen!  We look at how much you have to protect (total assets) and create a plan to cover it all.

Protect Your Family - 

You can protect all of your belongings, but the ultimate way to protect your family is with good life and disability insurance.  If something happens to you, you don't have to worry about your family being protected.  You can plan to pay off debt, pay for college, or anything else that is important to you.  

All of this might seem like a lot for think about, but it doesn't have to be.  With a great insurance agent, you can meet once a year and trust that all of these things are taken care of.  Why not take a few minutes to schedule an insurance financial planning review with one of our agents?  Call us today at 508-347-9343!  

Life Insurance Is Affordable

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. You’ll probably see TV commercials and magazine articles talking about why this coverage is so important all month long. And you probably already know it’s important. But that doesn’t mean that you’ve got your policy set up yet!

The Life Foundation says that only 62% of people who believe they need life insurance, actually have it. And even those that have it only carry enough to replace their income for 3.6 years. If you have young children to support, that is simply not enough time! And if you're skipping life coverage all together, then you are putting your family at risk.

So why do people wait too long to purchase life insurance? Well, the Life Foundation also says that 86% of Americans say they haven't purchased it because it's "too expensive,” yet overestimate the cost by more than 2X!

Life Insurance rates are based on a number of factors, including age, health conditions, and smoking status. By not smoking and purchasing when you're younger, you can save substantial money. In fact, many term life policies are less than $30 per month!

Here’s what we recommend...call the office and set up an appointment with Dennis McCurdy, our life insurance specialist. Bring information on your annual income, as well as any debts (like your mortgage). We’ll give an accurate picture of how much coverage you need as well as different ways to make it affordable. Don’t wait another minute! Call us today to set up an appointment.

Life Insurance Is For Those You Love

A lot of people put off purchasing life insurance because it seems like a hassle.  You don’t want to do any sort of medical appointment.  It’s an extra expense.  And, for the most part, you just plain don’t want to think about death.

But life insurance isn’t about you.  It’s about the people you love.  And what better time than now to think about the people you love! 

So let’s get real.  You do a lot for your family and if you have family members who depend on your income, then you need life insurance.  And the sooner, the better.

For one, life insurance is cheaper when you are young and healthy!  With each birthday you’ll see your quote go up unless you lock in a great rate now.  And you don’t want to look for life insurance after you’ve been diagnosed with an illness.   

Another great thing about life insurance is that there are a lot of options.  And we’re here to discuss all of them with you.  You can purchase a policy for the short term or even as a long term investment.  It all depends on how much you can afford to spend and what your family needs are. 

Whatever your situation, sitting down and discussing your needs and budget with an agent is a great first step.  Call us today at 508-347-9343 to set up a free, no-obligation appointment!

Life Insurance Reality Check

Do you have enough?  Most Americans don't.  More than a third don't have any life insurance at all, and those who do don't have enough.  Most experts believe that coverage equal to 10 times one's annual income is a reasonable rule of thumb.

There are many types of life insurance, but for all of them, the bottom line is the same:  they pay cash to your family after you die, allowing loved ones to remain financially secure.  Life insurance payments can be used to cover daily living expenses, mortgage payments, outstanding loans, college tuition and other essential expenses.

There are plenty of resources you can turn to for life insurance answers.  For a general sense of your life insurance needs, you can go to a Needs Calculator like the one at www.lifehappens.org/lifecalculator.  Call your insurance agent for professional advice.