The importance of appraising your prized possessions
When developing a comprehensive insurance program, it is important to value all assets properly. There are, in fact, several circumstances that commonly require applying dollars-and-cents fi gures to your possessions.

Guarding against dangerous gases
You can?t see them, you can?t taste them, you can?t even smell them, but they may be in your home. Both carbon monoxide and radon can be a danger to you and your family. Similar to lead, carbon monoxide and radon enter the blood-stream through breathing and can cause serious health problems when ingested in great amounts.

Homeowners insurance?protection in more ways than one
Most homeowners are familiar with Part I of their homeowners insurance policy, which covers damage to their property. However, their many policyholders may be surprised to discover the extent to which Part II of a standard policy protects them against bodily injury and property damage a family member may cause others.

Cold Winter = Burst Pipes
Frigid winter days bring the risk of burst pipes. If water in your pipes reezes and expands, your pipes can burst, causing severe damage to your home.

Cleaning up after a disaster
Once the shock of a disaster wanes, it?s time to regroup and pick up the pieces. When cleaning up after a fire, storm, or flood, the homeowner has to decide what can be salvaged and what must be thrown away. In worst case scenarios, such as in the Gulf Coast region devastated by Hurricane Katrina, standing water, sludge, and sewage can destroy entire homes. But even a flooded basement, leaky roof, or small fire can cause extensive property damage for many homeowners.

Review your insurance needs annually
The amount of insurance you need can change a great deal from year to year. As a result, evaluating your insurance coverage should always be added to your list of annual reviews. To refresh your memory about the amount of insurance you have and its coverage limits, carefully re-read both your auto and homeowners or renters insurance policies.

Six easy ways to trim auto insurance costs
Would you like to reduce the cost of insuring your vehicle? Here are some tips that can help you save money on your auto insurance: Raise your deductibles, Drive defensively, Buy a low-profile car, Reduce insurance on older cars, Inquire about discounts, Update your policy, as necessary.

Safety tips for older drivers
Cars and travel are American classics, and nobody wants to relinquish mobility, regardless of age. Older drivers have decades of safe driving experience behind them, but the aging process may bring about a gradual decline in vision, hearing, and/or the ability to react quickly to abrupt changes in driving conditions. To maintain independence as traffic becomes heavier, speedier, and more congested, it may be helpful for seniors to take a refresher course in driving safety procedures

Insurance 101: the basic terms
You’ve heard time and again how important it is to be familiar with your insurance policies. However, we understand that this isn’t as easy as it sounds. The insurance business, like most industries, has its own, often confusing jargon. To help you gain a better understanding of your policies, and of insurance in general, here are some common insurance terms and their definitions:

Weathering the storm: how good is your homeowners policy?
No matter where you live, severe weather, in one of its many forms, is always a threat. Whether from a hurricane, tornado, flood, or blizzard, weather-related occurrences may leave behind a trail of widespread damage. Sometimes, weather-related damage to a house and property is minor; at other times, it may be catastrophic. In any event, it is always good to know what natural perils your homeowners policy covers and what may be excluded. Let’s take a closer look.

Buying a new home? do your ?homework?
Before buying a new home, you?d be wise to do your ?homework? to avoid taking on some problems that your home-owners insurance may not cover. Having a home inspection is an important step when contemplating the purchase of property. A professional inspector should be familiar with building codes and be able to determine if any problems exist...

In the doghouse with vicious breeds
If you are a dog owner, your pet may be your loyal friend and constant companion. However, if you are a homeowner, your dog could cause a few problems. Sometimes your dog’s breed can affect the approval or renewal of your homeowners insurance.

Check the health of your homeowners insurance
When was the last time you reviewed your homeowners insurance? For your financial health, it?s important to make sure that costly coverage gaps haven?t developed since you purchased your homeowners policy.

Protecting your home against mold
Mold damage is a potential threat to any building. Whenever water enters a home, fungi commonly referred to as mold can form on a wide range of materials, including drywall, wood, and carpeting. Because mold survives by breaking down and feeding upon organic material, it can cause serious damage within a short period of time...

A close look at condo insurance
Unlike most homes, part of a condominium is "shared" property, and part of it belongs to the unit owner. Most condo associations provide a certain amount of insurance protection, which sometimes causes confusion over the condo unit owner’s individual responsibility.

Your personal checklist
When was the last time you reviewed your homeowners insurance? For your financial health, it?s important to make sure that costly coverage gaps haven?t developed since you purchased your homeowners policy.

Homeowners insurance
Over 3,000 years ago, a written code of laws, inscribed on a stone monument in the center of an ancient city, included what may be the first recorded mention of insurance. Under such laws, the neighbors of a resident who fell victim to a robbery would pay restitution for stolen goods if the was not found and tperpetratorried...

Operating a business from home—what’s covered?
The typical risks of a home-based business may seem less significant to a larger company, but they can have an extreme impact on the financial situation of a home-based business owner. Consider what might happen to your company if your computer were stolen while your're away for the weekend, important business files were destroyed when water flooded your basement during a heavy downpour, or a courier fell in your driveway while delivering a package...

Let's talk about fire prevention
According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA, 2006), 388,500 U.S. home fires resulted in 13,650 injuries and 3,145 deaths in 2003. Children under the age of five were twice as likely to experience death in a home fire during that year; they accounted for 14% of home fire deaths, but only 7% of the U.S. population.

Valuation “insures” protection
Is your family heirloom a hidden treasure? Television shows featuring auctions and appraisal fairs have ushered the art of appraising into the limelight with fascinating stories—an ancient artifact unknowingly passed down from generation to generation, a rare trinket picked up at a yard sale, or an historic relic found tucked away in the corner of an attic.

Do you know what your insurance doesn’t cover?
When you buy homeowners and motor vehicle insurance, you probably file your policies away without looking at them. And, chances are, you may not take them out again until you need to file a claim. However, it’s worth taking a few moments to review your policies before you suffer a loss. Generally, insurance policies carry exclusions—restrictions on what is and is not covered. Here are some common exclusions you may find in your coverage.

Flood insurance: staying high and dry
If you don’t live in an area considered to be at high risk for flooding, you may not be aware that your home could nonetheless be vulnerable. Almost one-quarter of flood insurance claims are filed by people living in areas with minimal flood risk, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Handling an auto accident after it occurs
Even the best drivers may find themselves involved in an auto accident at some point. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s important to know what to do. An accident can leave you feeling shaken, or you may be faced with serious injuries or property damage. Even if the incident is only a minor fender-bender, it could very well set your nerves on edge.

Identity theft: protection and prevention
Identity theft—using another person’s personal information to commit unlawful activity—has become a crime epidemic in recent years. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC, 2007) reported that their complaint database, Consumer Sentinel, received over 670,000 complaints of fraud and ID theft in 2006. Identity theft can be emotionally and financially devastating.

The basic three: life, health, and disability insurance
Death, illness, and disability can bring financial, as well as emotional, stress. Although the thoughts of losing a loved one, of becoming sick, or of losing the ability to earn a living are not pleasant subjects to consider, they may drastically change your life at any time.