Friday the 13th -

Every Friday the 13th we run a poll on Facebook on what the office 

staff has to wear that day. 

April 13th the fan's picked 

"PJ Day" 

Karina 

Renee

Yesenia 

Teri 

Kimberly

Ashley

Heidi

iClaim

With Farmers iClaim, you can:

• Find agents and store your agent information.
• Report a claim.
• Document claim details.
• Find Farmers preferred vendors and services.
• Receive weather, catastrophe and pandemic alerts.
• Document your home details.

The Farmers iClaim application has something for everybody, whether or not you're a current Farmers customer.
With Farmers iClaim, you're never far from your agent information. You can find a local agent in your area or store your agent's contact information for fast, convenient access.
Get connected to HelpPoint^® Claim Services with a simple shake of your phone and instantly report your claim electronically. A HelpPoint^® Claim Services claims professional will contact you to complete the process.
Collect and store accident photos, driver information and vehicle information, and then e-mail them to your agent or a claims representative.
Homeowners can photograph property damage, and then e-mail the photos to their agent or claim representative. There's even a home inventory function that allows you to document your home and valuables.
If you need to file a claim with Farmers, the Farmers iClaim application has important contact information, and it keeps you connected with status updates.
Stay up-to-date on the latest information for your area. Subscribe to weather alerts and major catastrophe information (including pandemic alerts) Alerts are based on the ZIP code you enter and made available in real time.
With Farmers iClaim, you can also find Farmers preferred vendors and services, including auto repair facilities, and car rental services.

Also available for the Blackberry Platform, click here for more info

Distracted Driving Not To Be Taken Lightly

Recently, the U.S. Transportation Secretary applauded West Virginia for enacting a new law that prohibits text messaging and hand-held cell phone usage while driving. West Virginia becomes the 36th state to prohibit texting behind the wheel and the 10th state to outlaw hand-held cell phone use by all drivers. The new law takes effect on July 1st and violators will be fined $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second offense and $300 for the third offense. Three points will also be assessed against driver’s licenses on third and subsequent violations.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration distraction.gov, distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving and all distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. The NHTSA lists the following as types of distractions:

• Texting
• Using a cell phone or smartphone
• Eating and drinking
• Talking to passengers
• Grooming
• Reading, including maps
• Using a navigation system
• Watching a video
• Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player

And, according to the NHTSA, because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction.

In November 2010, the Department of Transportation launched “Faces of Distracted Driving,” a video series featuring people from across the country that have been injured or lost loved ones in distracted driving crashes. To watch videos from the “Faces of Distracted Driving” series, and to learn more about the Department’s campaign against distracted driving, visit the Distraction site.

So, make sure you are not distracted while driving; it could save your life and others.

5 Life Insurance Myths

When people talk about life insurance, it seems to cause a great deal of apprehension and confusion. Unfortunately, the common myths surrounding coverage result in too many people waiting too long to buy or not buying at all. Clearing up these myths may help you get the right coverage at the right price and at the right time in your life.
Myth #1: There’s no reason to buy life insurance when you’re young.
Many people believe they should wait until they have large debts to cover or dependents to provide for before purchasing a life insurance policy. The truth is there are many reasons to acquire life insurance at a young age. If you provide financial support for aging parents or siblings, you may want to consider it. It may also be appropriate if you have substantial debt you wouldn’t want to pass on to surviving family members if you were to die prematurely. Other types of insurance are a must, even for single people. If you borrow money to buy your car, the lender will require you to purchase at least some insurance to protect your investment, and if you buy life insurance when you are young, it will mean lower premiums.
Myth #2: No-medical exam life insurance is the best choice.
While it may be a good choice for some, those who are in good health would do well to consider a traditional policy. The health exam might take a little more time, but taking that time can mean qualifying for much lower rates. Traditionally underwritten policies also offer more options in terms of policy length and coverage amounts, letting the buyer choose what they really need.
Myth #3: Buyers need to choose between term and permanent insurance.
These are the two main types of life insurance, and choosing between them can be difficult. Term life insurance, the most affordable type of insurance when initially purchased, is designed to meet temporary needs. It provides protection for a specific period of time (the “term”) and generally pays a benefit only if you die during the term. This type of insurance often makes sense when you have a need for coverage that will disappear at a specific point in time. For instance, you may decide that you only need coverage until your children graduate from college or a particular debt is paid off, such as your mortgage.
Permanent life insurance, by contrast, provides lifelong protection. As long as you pay the premiums, and no loans, withdrawals or surrenders are taken, the full face amount will be paid at your death. Because it is designed to last a lifetime, permanent life insurance accumulates cash value and is priced for you to keep over a long period of time.
It’s impossible to say which type of life insurance is better because the kind of coverage that’s right for you depends on your unique circumstances and financial goals. Often, a combination of term and permanent insurance is the right solution.
Myth #4: Life insurance is expensive.
There are so many options for life insurance today that it can be affordable for just about anyone. The key is to shop around and to obtain life insurance as soon as possible—the older you are, the higher the premium is likely to be. Term life insurance policies are surprisingly affordable, and provide the coverage when it is most needed.
Myth #5. Life insurance isn’t available to senior citizens.
Many companies provide life insurance to seniors. Seniors who lose work-related coverage as they retire may be at a loss to provide for final expenses, but they can get coverage at affordable rates, and those who are continuing to work may still need life insurance to cover lost earnings when they die.
There are 95 million Americans that have no life insurance, many because they don’t understand the need or are confused about their ability to qualify. The truth behind the life insurance myths is that most people do need life insurance, and it is easier and more affordable to obtain than most people think. Don’t procrastinate. Do the research and make the decision to buy your life insurance today.

First Day of Summer

Straight answers to the nagging questions about Rental Car Insurance

You've just started your vacation. You've arrived at your destination by plane, collected your luggage, and are in the process of renting a car. You've given the person behind the counter your driver's license and credit card, and now you are being asked if you want to buy "coverage" from the rental car company.
Do you need it?
Probably not, but how can you be sure? The best way is to be prepared and know the answer to this question before you leave on your vacation.
Why shouldn't you buy insurance from a rental car company? The person behind the counter is (usually) not a licensed insurance professional. He or she is not conversant with insurance laws and won't know whether or not your personal auto policy covers you when you rent a vehicle (in most circumstances, it does).
Some rental car company personnel may say you are required to buy the coverage (not true) or you will be personally liable for any damage to the car while you're renting it (most likely, not true).

This Coverage Is Incredibly Expensive

* Fact. While it's true you could be making a costly mistake if you need the rental car coverage and don't buy it, you're also making a costly mistake if you buy it when you don't need it.

Rental car insurance is incredibly expensive. On a daily basis, which is how it is sold, the rental car coverage can cost 10 to 20 times more than your personal auto policy. If you buy all the coverages offered by the rental car companies, you could easily double the daily cost of your rental vehicle.
So who needs to buy the rental car coverage? Well, here's who doesn't. If you have insurance for your own cars, including collision and comprehensive coverages, you don't need the rental car insurance - provided you are not renting the vehicle for business purposes.
If you're on vacation, no problem. Just say no. If you're on vacation but planning to do some business, you're probably OK. But you should talk to your auto insurance agent if you mix business and pleasure on the trips where you plan to rent a car.

* Note. One thing to keep in mind: Your collision and comprehensive coverages on your personal auto policy have deductibles (the amount you must pay before the insurance kicks in). Those deductibles apply to damage to rental cars as well.

What if You Don't Carry Collision Coverage?

So what happens if you don't carry collision and comprehensive coverages on your own cars? Many people don't, particularly if they have vehicles that are at least 10 years old.

* Note. If you don't have collision and comprehensive, your personal auto policy won't cover damages to the rental car if it is in an accident, stolen, vandalized, collides with an animal or burns.

So what should you do?
You can risk it, not buy the rental car company's collision damage waiver (CDW) or loss damage waiver (LDW), and hope you don't have an accident or encounter anything that damages the vehicle. You'll save money, but it might not do much for your peace of mind, particularly if you're driving in a strange city or area.
* Tip. If you're averse to risk, you probably should buy the CDW or LDW. Some rental car companies offer some options with their CDWs or LDWs. Some come with deductibles, like regular collision and comprehensive coverages, while others provide first-dollar coverage.
First-dollar coverage comes at a higher price and some options limit the coverage. In other words, after a certain amount of damage to the vehicle, say $5,000, you would be responsible for paying the remaining damage costs.

What if You Damage Another Vehicle When You're Renting a Car?

What about damage or injuries you cause to other vehicles and people while you're driving the rental car? If your personal auto policy includes liability insurance (most states require some level of such coverage), your policy will pay for any damage or injuries you cause to other cars or people - up to the limits of the policy, of course.

* Note. If you are comfortable with the amount of liability coverage you have for your own cars, you don't need to buy additional liability insurance for vehicles you rent.

If you don't have liability coverage - if you don't have a car, you're probably not going to carry auto insurance - you actually may not need to buy the rental car company's liability policy, either.
Most states require rental car companies to provide some liability coverage to you at no charge. The limit of the free liability coverage is equal to the state's minimum liability limits.
Is this enough? Probably not, and certainly not if you cause a serious accident.
The minimum liability limit requirements are something like no more than $15,000 for injuries to any one person, no more than $30,000 for injuries to all persons, and no more than $5,000 for damage to the vehicle(s) you hit. That's not much at all.

* Tip. If you have any assets to protect, you should strongly consider purchasing the rental car company's liability coverage, which costs $7 to $15 a day depending on the state and level of coverage you choose. Higher liability limits mean higher daily costs.

If you have any concerns about whether you need to buy the coverages offered by rental car companies, you should talk to your auto insurance agent. Rental car insurance can double your daily rate. That's a lot to pay for something you don't need.

Flag Day

The History Of Flag Day

The Fourth of July was traditionally celebrated as America's birthday, but the idea of an annual day specifically celebrating the Flag is believed to have first originated in 1885. BJ Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6, to observe June 14 (the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of The Stars and Stripes) as 'Flag Birthday'. In numerous magazines and newspaper articles and public addresses over the following years, Cigrand continued to enthusiastically advocate the observance of June 14 as 'Flag Birthday', or 'Flag Day'.
On June 14, 1889, George Balch, a kindergarten teacher in New York City, planned appropriate ceremonies for the children of his school, and his idea of observing Flag Day was later adopted by the State Board of Education of New York. On June 14, 1891, the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia held a Flag Day celebration, and on June 14 of the following year, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution, celebrated Flag Day.
Following the suggestion of Colonel J Granville Leach (at the time historian of the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution), the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames of America on April 25, 1893 adopted a resolution requesting the mayor of Philadelphia and all others in authority and all private citizens to display the Flag on June 14th. Leach went on to recommend that thereafter the day be known as 'Flag Day', and on that day, school children be assembled for appropriate exercises, with each child being given a small Flag.
Two weeks later on May 8th, the Board of Managers of the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution unanimously endorsed the action of the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames. As a result of the resolution, Dr. Edward Brooks, then Superintendent of Public Schools of Philadelphia, directed that Flag Day exercises be held on June 14, 1893 in Independence Square. School children were assembled, each carrying a small Flag, and patriotic songs were sung and addresses delivered.
In 1894, the governor of New York directed that on June 14 the Flag be displayed on all public buildings. With BJ Cigrand and Leroy Van Horn as the moving spirits, the Illinois organization, known as the American Flag Day Association, was organized for the purpose of promoting the holding of Flag Day exercises. On June 14th, 1894, under the auspices of this association, the first general public school children's celebration of Flag Day in Chicago was held in Douglas, Garfield, Humboldt, Lincoln, and Washington Parks, with more than 300,000 children participating.
Adults, too, participated in patriotic programs. Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior, delivered a 1914 Flag Day address in which he repeated words he said the flag had spoken to him that morning: "I am what you make me; nothing more. I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, a symbol of yourself."
Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress
 designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

Need an umbrella?

Protecting yourself from a lawsuit

Legal costs and lawsuits are on the rise. It is important to have an insurance program that is set up to defend you in the event of a tragedy. As incomes grow and assets of individuals climb, it might be necessary to have more coverage than the 'average person'.

An umbrella policy can do just this! An umbrella policy give excess liability coverage to the underlying policies 'under the umbrella'. Consumers can purchase umbrella policies in increments of $1 million dollars.
 Talk to a professional insurance agent from my office today to help you determine the amount of liability insurance you may need.