According to Yahoo, the city of Green Bay has the 2nd least expensive car insurance in the nation, with an average annual premium of $999. The most expensive was Detroit at $5,941. This shows you, we are lucky to live in Wisconsin! Check out the article
There are many myths and misconceptions about home insurance. As a homeowner, you should learn all the facts to make sure that you get and maintain adequate coverage for your home and possessions.
Here are the most common home insurance myths:
Myth #1: Flood damage is covered by standard homeowner’s insurance. Fact: Home insurance doesn't cover flood damage. A separate flood insurance policy must be purchased in addition to your standard policy in order to be covered.
Myth #2: My medical expenses are covered in case of injury. Fact: The medical payment portion of your home insurance is designed to protect you if a guest gets hurt on your property. You and your family are not covered in case of injury on your own property.
Myth #3: Making an inventory list of your possessions is a waste of time. Fact: An inventory list is the proof of your ownership. When you file a claim, you will be asked to list all the items that were lost. To make sure that you don't forget anything and to maximize your reimbursement, prepare the list of your possessions ahead of time.
Myth #4: Home insurance covers all valuables, including jewelry and furs. Fact: Home insurance has a limit on the amount of coverage for valuables. If particular possessions are worth more than that amount, you should purchase an additional rider for those items.
Myth #5: Home insurance covers damage caused by lack of maintenance. Fact: Home insurance does not cover damage caused by poor maintenance. You are responsible for the maintenance of your home. That is one way to prevent major repairs and to keep your home safe for all.
Myth #6: Flood insurance is only for those who live in flood zones. Fact: Floods can happen anywhere, not just in a flood zone. A standard homeowner’s insurance policy doesn't cover damage caused by flooding. Flood insurance will keep you covered.
Myth #7: To lower your insurance premium, you have to lower coverage. Fact: Reducing your insurance coverage in order to save on your premium is a bad idea. You should always be adequately insured. To keep your premium low, learn what options you qualify for that might lower your premium. For example, you can increase the deductible or install a burglar alarm system.
Myth #8: Dwelling coverage amount is based on the purchase price of your home. Fact: Your dwelling coverage should be based on the replacement cost of your home. It doesn't need to include the land part of your property. Replacement cost is usually calculated by multiplying the square footage of the home by current local construction costs.
It is important to learn all the facts about home insurance to avoid major mistakes that many homeowners make. You want to have sufficient insurance coverage for your home – just in case
Thinking about frying a turkey for Thanksgiving this year? Each year there are many house fires and injuries are caused by turkey frying. Follow these tips from FireSafety.gov to prevent fires and injuries:
Place the turkey fryer on a level surface, in an open area away from homes, fences, sheds, and other structures.
Never place the fryer on a wooden deck or porch or in a garage or carport.
Leave at least 2 feet between the fryer and the propane tank.
Keep the fryer in full view at all times.
Keep children and pets away from the fryer.
Check the oil temperature often. If you see smoke coming from the oil, turn off the gas right away.
Completely thaw and dry the turkey before frying. Adding a partially frozen or wet turkey to the pot makes the oil splatter a lot, causing a fire or explosion hazard.
Cover bare skin before adding or removing food from the fryer.
Raise and lower food slowly to avoid splattering or spilling oil.
Use the right amount of oil. To find out how much oil to use, read the fryer's instructions, or:
Place the turkey in the pot.
Fill with water until the turkey is covered by an inch of water.
Remove the turkey and pat dry.
Mark the water level in the pot.
Dump the water, dry the pot, and fill oil to the level marked.
If the fryer catches fire, call 911 right away. Do not try to put it out with water.
If you see deer on your regular route, you are at a high risk of being involved in a vehicle/deer accident. This is because deer have a pattern of behavior, and once they settle into a location, they are likely to come back many times over. However, there are many ways you can protect yourself from a vehicle/deer accident:
Highest-risk periods are from sunset to midnight and the hours shortly before and after sunrise. Be more careful driving during these times.
When driving at night, use high-beam headlights when there is no oncoming traffic. The high beams will illuminate the eyes of deer on or near a roadway. Watch for the reflection of deer eyes and for deer silhouettes on the shoulder of the road. High-beam headlights will not necessarily frighten a deer, so do not rely on the high beams to deter deer. Rather, rely on the lights to better illuminate the animal.
Deer are often unpredictable, especially when faced with glaring headlights, blowing horns and fast-moving vehicles. Sometimes they stop in the middle of the road when crossing or cross quickly and come back. Sometimes they move toward an approaching vehicle. Assume nothing. Check your rear-view mirror for traffic. Slow down and blow your horn to urge the deer to leave the road. If the deer stays on the road, stop. Put on your hazard lights and wait for the deer to leave the roadway. Do not try to go around the deer while it is on the road.
Deer frequently travel in groups and in single file. If you see one deer on or near the road, expect that others may follow.
Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near your path, but stay in your lane. Many serious crashes occur when drivers swerve to avoid a deer and hit another vehicle or lose control of their cars.
What do I do if a deer suddenly jumps in front of the car?
Of course every case is different, but there are a few things to consider if you find yourself in this situation. The most important is to maintain control of your car. Apply the brakes in a controlled manner. Deer are quick and agile animals and it is more likely that they will leap out of your path before you are able to brake and steer around them. Most serious injuries occur when a driver skids out of control and leaves the road or, worst of all, swerves into oncoming traffic.
Obviously these circumstances arise quickly allowing very little time to react. Try to think ahead. When you see a deer crossing sign, think about what you would do if you suddenly had a deer jump into the road. Mentally practice keeping a cool head and reacting in a controlled fashion. If it should happen one day, you will be more likely to react appropriately.
In the insurance industry we are notorius for using acronyms when talking about coverage. Two of the most important acronyms involving Property Insurance are: ACV and RC.
ACV stands for Actual Cash Value. The definition of ACV is: the cost to replace the property with materials of like kind and quality, less an amount determined for physical depreciation. In simple terms, ACV pays the replacement cost minus depreciation. One very important distinction with ACV is that it is NOT market value. Market Value is something that is used to show what someone would pay for the item. Market Value should never be taken into consideration when insuring property.
RC stands for Replacement Cost. Simply put this coverage is purchased when you want to replace your property without a deduction for depreciation. The main point with RC is that you want to make sure you insure your property adequately. Because of this, RC policies have higher limits of coverage and therefore typically higher premiums.
When assessing which valuation method is correct for you, ask yourself:
"What would I do with the property if it was destroyed by fire?"
If the property is a very important factor in your daily life (your house or office building), then you would probably want to replace it, making a RC policy the best solution. If the property is something that you could do without and just want to payoff a mortgage, then an ACV policy may be the way to go.
It is important to understand the difference between ACV and RC and how it would affect your situation. If you have any questions specific to your needs, contact your insurance agent for futher explanation.
Collision Test -1959 Chevrolet vs. 2009 Chevrolet You've probably heard the old adage that "they don't build 'em like the used to", thank goodness. Interesting video to watch. You know how we always think about what big huge tanks the old cars of the 50's and 60's were for size?
And how we talk about how there is so much plastic on the new cars that if one of the old tanks ever collided with a new car, the new car would be demolished? Well, someone in the insurance industry put that theory to the test and let me tell you something, after watching this video, you may just change your mind.
The 2010 health-care reform law includes benefits for small business owners who pay at least half the cost of their employees' health insurance. That's because qualifying small businesses can get a 2010 federal tax credit of up to 35 percent on health, dental and vision insurance premiums. In 2014, the credit goes up to 50 percent. That's in addition to certain state credits and subsidies.
Here's How the tax credit works:
Sample Company
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# of Employees: 10
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Average annual wages: $25,000
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Total Annual employer contributions to health insurance ($7,000 per employee): $70,000
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Federal Tax Credit (35% of $70,000): $24,500
*For companies with fewer than 25 full-time employees and less than $50,000 in average annual wages.
