http://www.birchellins.com/blog/View Birchell Insurance Agency's Website Blogen-uspostmaster@www.birchellins.comInsurance Website Builder - www.insurancewebsitebuilder.comurn:uuid:ec05f638-ad2a-4150-87a5-343e2eec20f8urn:uuid:b90c84aa-c742-4a04-bbde-4c00f81bc2f0Have You Ever Wondered What Your Home Owners Insurance Policy Doesn&rsquo;t Cover? &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Most of us know that home owner&rsquo;s insurance policy&rsquo;s cover our home, our personal belongings, additional structures, liability ...Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:32:26 -0600<p><b>Have You Ever Wondered What Your Home Owners Insurance Policy Doesn&rsquo;t Cover? </b></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp; Most of us know that home owner&rsquo;s insurance policy&rsquo;s cover our home, our personal belongings, additional structures, liability (to some extent) and a few other issues that might present the opportunity for a &ldquo;loss&rdquo; when owning a home. The question here is &ldquo;what doesn&rsquo;t my home owner&rsquo;s insurance policy cover&rdquo;? &nbsp;You might be surprised to find some of the risks that the normal home owner&rsquo;s insurance policy doesn&rsquo;t cover.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Screened Pool Enclosures</b>- Screened pool enclosures account for roughly 10.3% of the entire home value, according to a recent study, and they fail often in high winds and become a source of wind borne debris. Some insurers decided that they were too risky after hurricane Wilma. Other insurers base their decisions on how strong the enclosure is and how it is anchored to the home.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Pools With-out Fences</b> &ndash; Without a fence (or cage) pools are pretty much ineligible for insurance coverage and, more importantly, violate state law. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Pool Diving Boards and Slides</b>- Insurance companies often won&rsquo;t cover liability risks from diving boards and slides on pools. A diving board or slide may disqualify you r house for a policy with some insurers.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Trampolines</b>- few insurers in Florida or in the Nation for that matter will cover trampolines. Owning a trampoline may even again disqualify you from getting property insurance from some companies. &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Aggressive Dogs</b>- Here&rsquo;s another reason to check the liability section of your coverage. Florida-based insurers often exclude coverage for bites and other accidents caused by dogs considered &ldquo;high risk&rdquo; such as Pit Bulls, Dobermans and Rottweiler&rsquo;s. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Cash</b>- Some policies cover small &ldquo;named amounts&rdquo; but most don&rsquo;t cover money left in the home or in a home safe. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Some Water Damage</b>- Damage from accidents and other issues such as pipes bursting are typically covered. After this it gets quite a bit more complicated. For instance water that backs up through sewers or drains or discharges from a sump pump is not covered unless you purchase sewer back up coverage separately. Slow leaks are another issue. Many policies now deny claims for leaks that occur over more than 14 days even if the leaks are hidden from sight. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp; Flood insurance is another policy all by itself. Your hurricane insurance wouldn&rsquo;t cover damage from rising water even if it occurs during a storm. Flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program is highly recommended in most parts of the state.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Construction Work</b>- You can&rsquo;t file a claim for faulty, inadequate or defective workmanship, materials or maintenance. Always use State Certified contractors that are insured when having any work done on your home. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Jewelry, Fine Art, Collectibles</b>- if you want coverage for jewelry, fine art and &ldquo;collectibles&rdquo; such as baseball cards you will need to talk to your agent about an extra policy called a &ldquo;rider&rdquo;.&nbsp; Some policies automatically cover losses up to a specified amount usually between $ 500 and $1,000.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Mold</b>- Most policies don&rsquo;t cover it, but you can buy coverage separately. Any damage caused by mold almost always has to be &ldquo;sudden and accidental&rdquo; to be covered.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Make sure to always read your policy carefully. Make sure to pay special attention to the section of the policy that lists &ldquo;exclusions&rdquo;. If you have questions about your existing policy, please call <b>Birchell Insurance Agency</b> at <b>800-978-8813</b>. We are always here to help you. </p>urn:uuid:73c17865-70fe-4da4-8ea4-445d05362b9d&nbsp;&nbsp; A couple of months back, we spoke to a client that asked if there was a "discount" on his insurance for "going green". Though we couldn't find him any more savings it got us thinking about our responsibility to the community. We did some...Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:48:52 -0500<p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;&nbsp; A couple of months back, we spoke to a client that asked if there was a "discount" on his insurance for "going green". Though we couldn't find him any more savings it got us thinking about our responsibility to the community. We did some research, spoke to the power company and spend some time just looking into changing our office operations so that we could do our part.&nbsp; <br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; The term "going green" refers not to the color green of course but to any of the various ways of using&nbsp;individual and general resources efficiently so as to conserve the earth's natural resources and limit&nbsp;harmful effects on the environment. At Birchell Insurance Agency we&nbsp;are proud to have made as many of these changes as we could find. These changes include&nbsp;purchasing recycled products whenever possible,&nbsp;recycling printer cartridges, using an agency management system to drastically cut down on the actual amount of paper and paper products that we use, using "energy efficient" light bulbs in the office, restricting our use of air conditioning and heating and making sure that all&nbsp;office equiptment is turned off when not in use.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> &nbsp; We aren't a big company (yet) but&nbsp;we are doing our share to help save our community. At Birchell Insurance Agency, we care that we are part of the community and are concerned about the "foot print" that we create on the earth.&nbsp;If you have any questions, feel free to call us 800-978-8813 or locally 407-936-1572.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>urn:uuid:5adcd7fe-1c66-4d7e-bd02-6b33f3524aa9&nbsp;&nbsp; Commercial Auto Insurance Policies are designed to cover the driver and the vehicle for a company where these vehicles would be excluded from personal auto policies. While a Personal Auto Insurance Policy is used to insure the automobile...Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:43:24 -0500<p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_insurance" title="Vehicle insurance" class="zem_slink" rel="wikipedia">Commercial Auto Insurance</a> Policies are designed to cover the driver and the vehicle for a company where these vehicles would be excluded from personal auto policies. While a Personal Auto Insurance Policy is used to insure the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automobile" title="Automobile" class="zem_slink" rel="wikipedia">automobile</a> exposures of individuals and families; the Business Auto Policy <a href="http://www.wikinvest.com/industry/Insurance" title="Insurance" class="zem_slink" rel="wikinvest">insures</a> the automobile exposures of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business" title="Business" class="zem_slink" rel="wikipedia">businesses</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>The kinds of autos owned by businesses and covered under a Business Auto Insurance Policy include:<br /> </strong></p> <p>Private passenger type autos, including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Station_wagon" title="Station wagon" class="zem_slink" rel="wikipedia">station wagons</a>, jeeps, pick ups, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panel_truck" title="Panel truck" class="zem_slink" rel="wikipedia">panel trucks</a>, vans and utility trailers designed to be pulled by private passenger autos.</p> <p>Commercial autos, including trucks other than those listed above, truck tractors, semi trailers, commercial trailers and service trailers.</p> <p>Public autos, including vehicles used as public or livery conveyances (buses and taxicabs) and private passenger type autos rented to others without a driver.</p> <p>Special <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle" title="Vehicle" class="zem_slink" rel="wikipedia">types of vehicles</a> including self-&nbsp;propelled vehicles with certain permanently attached equipment&nbsp;(equipment&nbsp;for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_removal" title="Snow removal" class="zem_slink" rel="wikipedia">snow removal</a>, road maintenance and street cleaning, cherry pickers and air compressors.</p> <p><strong>Some of the reasons for having a commercial auto <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurance_policy" title="Insurance policy" class="zem_slink" rel="wikipedia">insurance policy</a>:<br /> </strong><br /> If you are using your auto to transport goods or people for a fee or if you use your auto to conduct a service, you may need a commercial insurance policy.</p> <p>A commercial auto insurance policy may be appropriate if you need higher limits of liability because of the nature of your work.</p> <p>Hauling a considerable weight in tools or equipment or towing a trailer used to conduct your business may require a commercial auto insurance policy.</p> <p>A commercial insurance policy may be needed if employees operate the auto or if its ownership is in the name of a corporation or partnership.</p> <p>The Business Auto policy includes one of three coverage forms in addition to the Commercial Package Policy&rsquo;s Conditions and Declarations:<strong></p> <p>The Garage coverage form is used to insure businesses engaged in selling, servicing, repairing, parking or storing autos.</p> <p></strong>The Garage coverage form is used to insure businesses engaged in selling, servicing, repairing, parking or storing autos.</p> <p>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truck_driver" title="Truck driver" class="zem_slink" rel="wikipedia">Truckers</a> coverage form is used to insure businesses that are hired to transport goods for someone else.</p> <p>The Business Auto Coverage form can be used to insure the auto&rsquo;s exposure of all businesses other than garage or trucking businesses.</p> <p>Commercial&nbsp;trucks and trailers&nbsp;are also &ldquo;rated&rdquo; based on the territory where they are kept (or &ldquo;garaged&rdquo;), the distance that they cover (radius) the size (or type) and the business use. Trucks which operate&nbsp;within a radius of fifty miles are&nbsp;rated &ldquo;local&rdquo; and receive the lowest rates.&nbsp;If the radius is over fifty miles but less than two hundred miles they are called &ldquo;intermediate&rdquo;. Vehicles traveling over two hundred miles are listed as &ldquo;long distance&rdquo;.</p> <p>There are many more&nbsp;factors that go into the coverage of a Commercial Auto Policy; call us today to speak with one of our knowledgable agents or to receive a free&nbsp;quote. At Birchell Insurance Agency, we are here for you&nbsp;just call 800-978-8813.</p>urn:uuid:68f0b068-af55-409e-939c-88d9db001b92None of us want to consider it; what do you do to be ready for tornadoes or hurricanes (or the power outages after the storms? We took a look at some of the things that you should have on hand if you&rsquo;re at home during and after catastrophic sto...Tue, 09 Aug 2011 10:32:39 -0500<p>None of us want to consider it; what do you do to be ready for tornadoes or hurricanes (or the power outages after the storms? We took a look at some of the things that you should have on hand if you&rsquo;re at home during and after catastrophic storms; items that could make a big difference to you and your family. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Emergency Preparedness Supply Kit</b></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Water</b>- You should have at least 1 gallon a day (per person) for 3 to 7 days. Also consider water purification tablets.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Food</b>- Have enough food for 3 to 7 days (these should be non thirst provoking items). Items should be non perishable packaged or canned food and juices. Military style &ldquo;MRE&rsquo;s are also an option that can be picked up at most hiking stores. Do you need special foods for infants or the elderly? Have a &ldquo;non-electric&rdquo; can opener handy. Cooking tools and fuel (propane or simple sterno cans) need to be considered as well to cook the food; you will also need paper plates and plastic utensils to serve the meals. You might also want to consider a small fire extinguisher as well. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Clothing &amp; Toiletries</b>- do you have seasonal rain gear and sturdy shoes available and stored somewhere where they will be dry after the storm? You should also have pillows and blankets. Toiletries, hygiene items and moisture wipes will also need to be considered such as toilet paper, soap, shampoo, shaving cream and disposable razors. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>First-Aid Kit</b>- band-aids, gause and gause pads, antiseptic wipes and aspirin are a few of the many items you will need. Don&rsquo;t forget any prescription medication you may need as well. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Miscellaneous Items</b>- Like the rest of this list most of these items will be obvious but in times of an emergency you wouldn&rsquo;t want to overlook any of them. Candles and matches (or a lighter) stored in a plastic bag to keep the matches from getting wet for evenings will be a necessity. You will need either a battery operated or wind up NOAA weather radio; it might be a good idea to have extra batteries on hand as well. &nbsp;&nbsp;Have cash on hand (including some small bills) as banks and ATM&rsquo;s might not be available for extended period of time. You will want to have a flash light or two handy (add more batteries to the list) as well. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Other items to consider would be things like making sure that your vehicle has a full tank of gas and you have keys available. Have your cell phone battery fully charged. Important documents like insurance documents, medical records, bank account numbers and social security cards should also be available to you stored in a waterproof container or water tight resealable plastic bag. &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>If you have children you also might want to have toys, books and games to keep them occupied. Don&rsquo;t forget the family pets; you will need ample supply of food and water for them as well. Remember a muzzle and leash and their proper identification and immunization records too. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>There are many items that you will need and many things to consider before, during and after a disaster. If you can&rsquo;t get to a safe place or decide to &ldquo;ride out a storm&rdquo; or other natural disaster please be prepared, be safe and if you have any questions at all, give us a call at <strong>800-978-8813. Birchell Insurance Agency</strong> is here for our clients, our friends and our neighbors; we do care.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p>urn:uuid:e5b0493b-fc00-4168-8f8d-1c49be84bfdb&nbsp; In today&rsquo;s business world the phone and e-mail dominates our time as a sales tool, for buying, researching, providing service and above all and else making a lasting impression. Are you making that impression a positive one? &nbsp; When ...Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:01:15 -0500<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>In today&rsquo;s business world the phone and e-mail dominates our time as a sales tool, for buying, researching, providing service and above all and else making a lasting impression. Are you making that impression a positive one?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>When a client calls Birchell Insurance Agency we want to be professional but also truly want to &ldquo;sell the smile&rdquo;. I don&rsquo;t mean one of the characters that you see on television where a receptionist is annoyingly &ldquo;happy&rdquo; but do you really want to speak to someone that sounds like they hate what they are doing? The person on the other end of the line can&rsquo;t see our faces but they can hear our voice. The insurance industry here in the State of Florida has gone through a tough time. You call an&nbsp;agency looking to speak to a well educated and well informed professional but don't you also want&nbsp;to speak to someone whos&nbsp;also bright, friendly and cheery. Our clients aren&rsquo;t here for us we are here for them. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Have you ever considered your &ldquo;voice quality&rdquo; when you are speaking to someone on the phone? Are you talking too fast for them to comprehend what you are saying? When you call a business do you even leave a message if you don&rsquo;t get an answer? This post comes after reading something posted by a great friend Gregg on Facebook the other day about this exact question and he made a great point. If the client calls but doesn&rsquo;t leave a message are you supposed to call back? Are you one of those people that scream a message into the phone? Do you even return phone calls and messages? Do you give the person on the other end of the telephone one hundred percent of your attention or are you only partially listening while &ldquo;multi-tasking&rdquo;?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>We want our clients at Birchell Insurance Agency to truly feel like they are taken care of. Our office is a lot like our home; yes it is a place of business and is professional. We do however try and make our clients feel as comfortable in our office as if they were walking through the front door of our home. The same goes for the telephone, professional service with a smile. Doubt it, come visit us; or at least give us a call 800-978-8813. Our partners and staff are here for our client, better yet our guests. My final thought is this &ldquo;If we aren&rsquo;t treating you that well, someone else will&rdquo;. </p>urn:uuid:f805c2d0-035f-4262-9ba0-1acda882a846Earlier this week I posted a blog on "Why Are Home Owners Insurance Rates Rising ... AGAIN?" In that article I brought up Florida Property Bill 408. I did some research on the bill and heres what I found. May, 2011- In an article by Joan Collier of...Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:18:32 -0500<p style="text-align: left;">Earlier this week I posted a blog on "Why Are Home Owners Insurance Rates Rising ... AGAIN?" In that article I brought up Florida Property Bill 408. I did some research on the bill and heres what I found.<br /> <br /> <br /> May, 2011- In an article by Joan Collier of propertycasualty360.com Governor Rick Scott signed Bill 408 , commending the legislature, specifically Senator Richter and Representative Wood. Governor Scott was quoted as saying that &ldquo;A healthy, stable and competitive private insurance market is critical to the success of Florida, given the hazards we face&rdquo;. The bill faced strong opposition most notably Senator Mike Fasano right up until the week before Governor Scott signed the bill.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Senator Fasano who was quoted in March, 2011 as saying that &ldquo;people are being affected throughout this state because of neglect, because of the irresponsible acts by the property and casualty insurance companies&rdquo;. He was also quoted in the same article as saying that &ldquo;In my five years of service in legislature, I can&rsquo;t recall a bill that was so obviously written by the industry.&rdquo; He followed this statement up with &ldquo;For insurance companies, this bill is the Holy Grail. Practically every consumer protection that currently exists in law relating to property insurance claims is under attack in this bill&rdquo;.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">In a synopsis written by Thomas J. Maida and Paul Lowell of Foley &amp; Lardner LLC they detailed several significant reforms in legislation including:</p> <p style="text-align: left;">1-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The exclusions were expanded from losses covered by the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund to include losses caused by perils other than a covered event such as fire, theft, flood or rising water, as well as amounts paid for waivers of deductibles and bad faith awards.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">2-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Limiting public adjuster compensation for reopened or supplemental claims to 20% of the claim payment (10% for Citizens Property Insurance Corp. claims) and requiring additional disclosure statements and notice to certain parties. </p> <p style="text-align: left;">3-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Requiring insurers to provide two replacement cost coverage options for payment of personal property insurance claims. The first option pays the full replacement cost without reservation. The second option pays the depreciated value ad holds back the remainder of coverage until the policy holder provides receipts.<br /> <br /> 4-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Requiring a policy holder to file windstorm and hurricane claims within three years.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">The bill increases the minimum surplus requirements for new residential property insurers (those approved after July 1, 2011) from $5 million to $15 million. For insurers that hold a certificate of authority prior to July 1, 2011, the surplus requirement gradually increases to $15 million over the next decade. </p> <p>SB 408 also addresses sinkhole claims, which have proliferated in Florida in recent years. Carriers sought to have the mandatory coverage language deleted but settled for language specifically defining &ldquo;structure damage&rdquo; to narrow the definition of a sink hole loss. Additionally, the new bill required a policy holder to pay 50% of sinkhole testing after the insurer denies the sinkhole claim; sinkhole claims must be filed within 2 years of the covered loss. </p> <p>Another bill heading through committees would allow insurers to increase rates by up to 15% statewide over the most recently approved rate filing without review, and up to 30% percent on an individual policyholder. At the time of posting this blog, I&rsquo;m not sure where this proposed bill currently stands. </p> <p>&nbsp;At Birchell Insurance Company we truly try our best to offer our clients (and potential clients) the best price for the coverage they request and to do everything we can to keep you up to date on the insurance industry as it pertains to you. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at &nbsp;Birchell Insurance Agency (800) 978-8813. </p>urn:uuid:df75aa4d-226f-4cfd-b341-57b49ae484a2&nbsp; &nbsp; We have received many of the same calls recently; clients wanting to know why their insurance premiums are rising for their home owners insurance? We spent some time doing some specific research to find an answer other than "just becaus...Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:30:53 -0500<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>We have received many of the same calls recently; clients wanting to know why their insurance premiums are rising for their home owners insurance? We spent some time doing some specific research to find an answer other than "just because". Unfortunately the information is simply "disturbing". Below are listed just a couple of headlines regarding insurers in the state and what they are looking for. <br /> <br /> <br /> February 15, 2011- State Farm Requests 28% Increase for home owners insurance impacting roughly 700,000 home owners in Florida.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>April 16, 2011- State Farm Gets Some of It&rsquo;s Requested Rate Increase. The Office of Insurance Regulations approved an 18.8% statewide increase for State Farm. As of June &nbsp;1, 2011 State Farm has been granted a statewide increase which includes a 20% rate hike for their home owners insurance, a 15% decrease for renters insurance and a 3 % decrease for condo owners. Existing customers for State Farm will see this increase in premiums as of July 15^th, 2011. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>May 25, 2011- Fidelity National Property &amp; Casualty requested regulators to allow a 27.6% increase affecting nearly 12,000 currently insured home owners. Steve Alexander, an actuary with the Florida Insurance Consumer Advocates Office proposed a 12% increase instead. &ldquo;We did not receive much background as to why their claims or the severity of their claims are increasing.&rdquo; Fidelity National Property &amp; Casualty reported $17 million in losses to property insurance claims last year. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Jeff Harrington of the St. Petersburg Times posted a great article dated June 1, 2011 on the &ldquo;Five Reasons That Florida Homeowners Insurance Is Still getting More Expensive. Jeff lists five reasons to expect property insurance rates to continue trending up. The reasons that are mentioned are 1- Natural Disasters other than hurricanes hit the reinsurance market hard. 2- New hurricane model opens the door to higher rates. 3- Friendly regulators and politicians 4- Citizens Property rate hikes and 5- Non hurricane costs. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The most disturbing information that I have found is a series of bills currently working their way through Florida&rsquo;s Legislature. Senate Bill 408 specifically needs to be something that ALL Florida property owners are aware of. We are currently researching this bill and will pass along more information to you during our next blog. At Birchell Insurance Agency we are here for our clients. If you have any questions, please feel free to call 800-978-8813.</p>urn:uuid:123f4ed0-0301-4afc-9b58-519bbb482237&nbsp;&nbsp; Headlines in the newspapers over the last six weeks have been horrible. Severe flooding along the Mississippi where residents from Tennessee to Louisiana face the task of gutting homes soaked in polluted water.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Death ...Thu, 26 May 2011 11:22:07 -0500<p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;&nbsp; Headlines in the newspapers over the last six weeks have been horrible. Severe flooding along the Mississippi where residents from Tennessee to Louisiana face the task of gutting homes soaked in polluted water.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; Death Toll from tornadoes in 2011 reaches 508 people in the United States. In mid April we had a three day outbreak from near Jackson, Mississippi to Raleigh, North Carolina. In late April almost 250 tornadoes touch down over a four day period including Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, Alabama. Next a destructive weekend of tornado activity which included a tornado on May 22nd that may have been over a&nbsp;mile wide slicing through Joplin, Missouri. This tornado alone was the deadliest single tornado in the United States&nbsp;in sixty-four years when 181 people were killed in Oklahoma. This was followed by a deadly night of tornadoes in Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. The following day destructive tornadoes sliced through parts of Missouri, Mississippi and the Ohio Valley. <br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; I just finished reading an article&nbsp; posted on Facebook from the NC Insurance Agents, Adjusters and Professionals. The agent that posted it (Mr. Dean Beck, an associate and long time friend) talked about compassion for losses of loved ones so much more so that simple property. Dean also talked about our industry bringing insureds "back to whole" for those property losses. What struck me most of all was a simple thought; if you deal with an agent over the phone (one of those 1-800 agencies that only talk about saving you money and rarely if ever talk about true customer service) for your home, your car or your boat and you have a debilitating loss do these same people really care if you are homeless today?<br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; At Birchell Insurance Agency (like most other independent agencies) we care about our neighbors, friends and family. Are you sure that these 1-800 companies&nbsp;truly feel the same way? Call us at either 407-936-1572 or 1-800-978-8813 and lets see if we can save you money and truly tell you that yes, we do care!</p>urn:uuid:82054181-6520-4bcb-b43b-7c32408136d3&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Recently we have received quite a few calls from homeowners asking for a comparative home owner&rsquo;s insurance quote. The client will give us their address, information about the home and an updates or upgrades (heating, plumbi...Wed, 04 May 2011 09:22:39 -0500<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp; Recently we have received quite a few calls from homeowners asking for a comparative home owner&rsquo;s insurance quote. The client will give us their address, information about the home and an updates or upgrades (heating, plumbing, HVAC and roof) and let us know a &ldquo;little&rdquo; about their existing policy coverage. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp; At Birchell Insurance Agency we take this information and the first step for us is to go to the County Property Appraisers Website. Here we will get the actual square footage of your home, square footage &ldquo;under air&rdquo; and what your home is constructed of (masonry or frame construction), if you have a pool and or a pool screen, the year built and other specific information. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp; From here we take the info and calculate which of the companies that we represent will offer the &ldquo;best value&rdquo; for our client. Please understand here that I mentioned &ldquo;best value&rdquo; not &ldquo;best price&rdquo;. All of&nbsp; the companies that we represent are &ldquo;A- Rated&rdquo; carriers but because they are different some might not cover clients in specific counties or like most they are dropping &ldquo;sink hole coverage&rdquo;&nbsp; (don&rsquo;t worry though you are still covered under Catastrophic Ground Collapse Coverage). Being an independent insurance agency we represent many different insurance companies which actually give us a competitive edge over the &ldquo;captive agents&rdquo; who don&rsquo;t have that option. &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp; We call our prospective clients with the quote and a couple of questions almost always come up. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&ldquo;The current value of my home is $200,000 why are you insuring me for $250,000?&rdquo; </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>When looking at the amount of coverage for your home, you are looking at &ldquo;replacement cost&rdquo; should something happen to it. Building costs here in Florida as a rule of thumb are generally about $100 a square foot. If you have a home with 2500 square feet, it would cost about $ 250,000 to replace it. Replacement cost is NOT &ldquo;market value&rdquo;; it does not adjust to the economy.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&ldquo;I have more (or less) personal property coverage on my existing policy.&rdquo; </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Personal Property Value (just like &ldquo;other structures&rdquo; coverage) on a policy is simply a percentage of the total value of your home owner&rsquo;s insurance coverage. Companies use anywhere between 40- 75% for Personal Property Coverage and anywhere from 2-10% for &ldquo;other structures&rdquo;. If the amount that you receive isn&rsquo;t high enough you can always ask to have it raised. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&ldquo;Why do I need $300, 000 in liability coverage?&rdquo;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Not everyone does but for our home owners we strongly recommend that you have at least that in liability especially here in Florida where we have unfortunately become such a &ldquo;sue-happy&rdquo; state. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>These are all definitely great questions to ask about your home owners insurance coverage. When you are speaking to your insurance agent, never be afraid to ask the &ldquo;how&rsquo;s and why&rsquo;s; it is your property. If you get a &ldquo;just because&rdquo; type of answer give us a call at 800-978-8813; we would be happy to help you. At Birchell Insurance Agency we really are here for you.</p>urn:uuid:8f788a39-7e66-43c8-a158-8c36f33947bfIt&rsquo;s Used for That? &nbsp; When many people think of life insurance, they think of having a policy to help cover final expenses such as a casket, funeral, and maybe some final medical bills. Others take out a policy to pay off their mortgages. ...Wed, 16 Mar 2011 09:44:40 -0500<p>It&rsquo;s Used for That?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>When many people think of life insurance, they think of having a policy to help cover final expenses such as a casket, funeral, and maybe some final medical bills. Others take out a policy to pay off their mortgages. In addition to these common uses, life insurance can be utilized in many other situations. In this blog, I am going to discuss 2 other purposes of life insurance that relate to businesses.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Key person insurance</span></b>-For many businesses, there is a person or persons who play a vital role in the success of the business. For example, a top salesperson, an office manager, or a person that has a special skill. If one of these key persons were to die unexpectedly, it could be a detriment to the business. A business can take out an insurance policy on the key person. This will provide money to keep the business afloat while the business finds and trains a person to replace the key person. If you are a business owner and you have a person that is responsible for a considerable amount of the company revenue, you might want to speak to an insurance agent about this.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Cross-purchase agreement-</span></b> If a business partner dies, the surviving partner might not want to be partners with the deceased&rsquo;s heir. If a business has multiple owners, a cross-purchase agreement should be considered. A cross-purchase agreement is an agreement (many times prepared by an attorney) that lays out how a surviving partner or partners can purchase the heirs&rsquo; interests in the business. It typically will include a formula or method to determine the purchase price. Many times, however, the surviving partner might not have sufficient capital to pay off the heir. This is where life insurance can fill this shortfall. Policies can be purchased on each of the partners and the proceeds can be used to provide the cash for the deceased&rsquo;s heirs. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>If you are a business owner, speak to your insurance agent about these issues. How the policies are set up can have major tax implications. It is important that you work with professionals. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.&nbsp; I would be happy to talk to you. I can be reached at Birchell Insurance Agency&nbsp; (<a href="http://www.birchellins.com">http://www.birchellins.com</a>) or by calling 800-978-8813. Thanks, Christian!</p>urn:uuid:c5a6db90-d8c8-4c26-932c-9e9b0812d126&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;I hear this question a lot. The answer is going to depend on the purpose of the insurance. In this blog, I am going to discuss the pros and cons of both kinds. Hopefully, this will help you determine w...Mon, 28 Feb 2011 09:19:44 -0600<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;I hear this question a lot. The answer is going to depend on the purpose of the insurance. In this blog, I am going to discuss the pros and cons of both kinds. Hopefully, this will help you determine which is more appropriate for your needs.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; With term life insurance you typically pay a premium for predetermined number of years. The most common terms I deal with are 10, 15, 20, and 30-year terms. At the end of the term, typically the policy terminates, renews again for the same period, or renews on annual basis. If the policy renews, it can be at a substantially higher premium (I have seen premiums increase 300%). Many times when this happens, the policy is too expensive to keep.&nbsp; Term has no cash value, so if you cancel the policy you will receive nothing.&nbsp; The reason why a lot of people choose term is that it is initially much cheaper than whole life. Another important consideration is that term insurance might not be available at older ages.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;&nbsp; With whole life insurance, you normally pay for your policy until you reach 100 years old (however this can be younger based on the policy) or until you become deceased. The premium is usually level, meaning it does not change as long as you have the policy. Whole life insurance builds cash value (usually it takes 1-2 years before any cash value has built up). This means that if you cancel your policy, you might get a check from the insurance company for your cash value, less any surrender charges. You can also take out a loan against your cash value. With all these benefits, why wouldn&rsquo;t everyone by whole life? Because, it is usually considerably more expensive.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;&nbsp; Many agents will tell their clients to only buy term, while other agents will tell their clients to only buy whole life. I am under the strong belief that both types serve different purposes and the type should be based on the need. For example, a person typically needs more insurance while his or her kids are young. In this instance, I would probably use a 15 or 20 year term for a bulk of the insurance coverage. If somebody has a 30 year mortgage, I might match it with a 30 year term policy for the amount of the mortgage (if the mortgage is paid off, the person probably will not need as much insurance). If somebody wants a policy to pay for her funeral and final expenses, I would use a whole life policy for this need. I also use whole life for tax planning purposes.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If you would like to know which type is better for you or if you have any questions, don&rsquo;t hesitate to contact me at <a href="mailto:cbeiter@preservation1st.com">cbeiter@preservation1st.com</a>. On my next blog, I will give examples how life insurance can be used for tax planning purposes. </p> <p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;&nbsp; If you have any other insurance questions, call (800) 978-8813 or write to <a href="http://www.birchellins.com/">http://www.birchellins.com</a>&nbsp;. Thanks for taking the time to read my thoughts. </p> <p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Christian</p>urn:uuid:51630297-d07c-402d-9824-0cb163945639&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The question today is this, do you list your jewelry on your Homeowners policy or should you have a separate policy for your jewelry? &nbsp;According to Jewelry Insurance Issues (formerly IM News) 70% of Personal Property Theft Lo...Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:35:36 -0600<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp; The question today is this, do you list your jewelry on your Homeowners policy or should you have a separate policy for your jewelry? &nbsp;According to <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Jewelry Insurance Issues</span> (formerly IM News) 70% of Personal Property Theft Losses (contents) are from jewelry claims. Most Homeowners insurance policies might not cover the full value of your jewelry or only cover a specific amount on losses of jewelry where there is a Homeowner&rsquo;s Policy &ldquo;capacity&rdquo; or a &ldquo;per item limit&rdquo;. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp; As I started looking into this I didn&rsquo;t realize just how many disadvantages there are to relying on your Homeowner&rsquo;s insurance policy to cover your family&rsquo;s jewelry. Filing a claim with your insurance company on a jewelry loss counts as a Homeowners loss as well. Many carriers are reluctant to include higher value items on a Homeowners policy. One of the few remaining discounts that you may receive on your Homeowners policy is a &ldquo;claim free rating&rdquo; a jewelry claim takes that discount away. Last, if the insuring company cancels your policy or decides not to renew it a Home Owners Policy is much more difficult to remarket after a loss.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp; There are actually several advantages of having a separate or stand-alone policy for your jewelry instead of having the jewelry covered under your home owner&rsquo;s insurance policy. Having a separate policy allows you to receive broader coverage (usually at a lower policy cost), you are allowed higher items and &ldquo;schedule values&rdquo; and some policies offer &ldquo;no deductibles&rdquo;. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp; If this is something that you and your agent discuss there is one very important point when purchasing a jewelry policy. You need to make sure that the policy that you are considering includes a &ldquo;cash settlement option&rdquo;. Not all stand alone jewelry policies offer a &ldquo;cash settlement option&rdquo;; some stand alone policies only offer replace or repair settlements (no cash). At Birchell Insurance Agency, we can take care of this for you. Call us at (800) 978-8813 or write us at <a href="http://www.birchellins.com/">http://www.birchellins.com</a> .</p>urn:uuid:4b43b6c0-209c-4d8a-9bdb-384bf57e7a0f&nbsp;&nbsp; We received a call this morning from an existing client that started simply enough. They asked us if they had "sinkhole coverage" on their existing homeowners insurance policy. They told us that they had heard that there aren't any insur...Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:11:56 -0600<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #ffffe6;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-family: arial;">We received a call this morning from an existing client that started simply enough. They asked us if they had "sinkhole coverage" on their existing homeowners insurance policy. They told us that they had heard that there aren't any insurance companies in the state that are covering homes for sinkhole damage any longer. The client was fortunate enough to have still been covered; thats not the case for everyone.<br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; Florida has more sinkholes than any other state in the nation. A recent change in Florida law requires authorized insurers to cover &ldquo;catastrophic ground cover collapse,&rdquo; but damage caused by a sinkhole may not be covered by your policy. Florida law defines a sinkhole as &ldquo;a land form created by subsidence of soil, sediment, or rock as underlying strata are dissolved by groundwater. A sinkhole may form by collapse into subterranean voids created by dissolution (the dissolving) of limestone or dolostone or by the subsidence as these strata are dissolved.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;If sinkhole coverage is included in your policy take it, without question. If you are told that you are in an area where you have to get an inspection you might want to think about passing on the inspection and the large cost, odds are against you passing (especially on older homes).&nbsp; <br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; Insurers today seem to have taken away "preventive care" when it comes to sinkhole coverage with the state requiring "catastrophic ground collapse coverage".&nbsp; We had one of our marketing representatives in our office a couple of days ago and she told us that she had been speaking to a marketing rep from another company here in Florida. He told her that they had sixty-three claims in one five day period in one county. "Preventative care" would have taken care of repairing cracks in walls or the foundation; unfortunately for the insurers and the insured both it generally costs somewhere in the neighborhood of seventy five hundred dollars to have a geological engineer come out to determine if the damage was caused by a sinkhole. These costs inevitably get past along to the insureds. <br /> &nbsp;<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; The alternative to having your home insured for sinkhole coverage with an authorized insurer is having the state mandated "catastrophic ground collapse coverage".&nbsp;The downside is that you lose the opportunity to&nbsp;receive &nbsp;any early diagnosis and treatment option that&nbsp;might have been covered by your homeowners insurance policy in the past. Other than the ground opening up and swallowing your home repair expenses are now the responsibility of the insured. <br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; The state of Florida and the insurers have been at odds over policy premiums and what the insurers can charge for years. We have had many companies appear to use our state as a market with a revolving door; writing business in our state and then leaving as fast as they came in. We have sinkholes and sunshine, the rest of the nation has snow.<br /> Yes it's frustrating to everyone involved but at this point and until a better solution comes along that everyone can agree on, it's all that we have. For more information, call our office (Birchell Insurance Agency) 800-978-8813 or visit us on the web at " ht</span></span><a href="http://www.birchellins.com"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;">tp://www.birchellins.com</span></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;"> ".</span></span></p>urn:uuid:5a48fdd3-a75e-4d9b-92a3-4a77285d2391&nbsp;&nbsp; Last month we dealt with the news in&nbsp;Florida of the violent shooting in Bay County at the school board meeting. Last week each of us was touched by the shooting of Arizona Senator Gabrielle Gifford as she was speaking at a supermark...Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:11:28 -0600<p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;&nbsp; Last month we dealt with the news in&nbsp;Florida of the violent shooting in Bay County at the school board meeting. Last week each of us was touched by the shooting of Arizona Senator Gabrielle Gifford as she was speaking at a supermarket. We hear almost daily about the horrible violence from Mexico to Nigeria to the Middle East. Senators are having a field day promoting tougher gun control. The horrible truth is that we are surrounded by violence. The question today is as simple as this; if violence of any type breaks out in your business are you covered?<br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; According to the "Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries" report of 2009 there were a total of 4,340 fatal workplace injuries that were recorded in the United States in 2009. That number was down from 2008 and the first decrease in workplace fatalities since the Census started in 1992. Numbers for 2010 will not be available until April, 2011.&nbsp;Regardless of what the numbers are unfortunate and bad things happen to good people. <br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (O.S.H.A.) has many publications on their web-site (<a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;ved=0CB4QFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.osha.gov%2F&amp;rct=j&amp;q=osha&amp;ei=dcI1TdDVE4aCgAfR5tywCw&amp;usg=AFQjCNFRr2olyVyAY4R95lPknERo2sXubg&amp;sig2=4zBQeSDRtIaK2LOKQtHW2A&amp;cad=rja" class="l noline" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','1','AFQjCNFRr2olyVyAY4R95lPknERo2sXubg','4zBQeSDRtIaK2LOKQtHW2A','0CB4QFjAA')"><em>Occupational Safety and Health Administration</em></a>). one specifically covers everything from describing "Workplace Violence", who might be vulnerable, what you as the employer can do to help these employees and even suggestions on how employees can help to protect themselves. <br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; As a business owner what can you do to financially protect your business should one of these tragic events ever take place. Most businesses have "General Liability", "Errors &amp; Omissions", a "Businessowners Policy" or other coverage. All policies have exclusions and riders as not all risks are covered by all policies. There are several options available to you through your insurance agent from "Commercial Crime Coverage" Plans,&nbsp;"Owners and Contractors Protective Liability" to actual workplace violence coverage. Call Birchell Insurance Agency today at (407) 936-1572 or reach us on the web at <a href="http://www.birchellins.com">http://www.birchellins.com</a> and speak to one of our agents. Lets take a look at your exposure in business and how best to protect your business.</p>urn:uuid:5da08b99-93f8-477d-8add-4599d4c44f30It's a beautiful Saturday morning and we just finished having&nbsp;coffee from Barnie's here in Winter Springs with a new client (and we believe a new friend).&nbsp;Our new client Ron is in town from Denver, Colorado&nbsp;and could only meet us this ...Sat, 08 Jan 2011 10:46:23 -0600It's a beautiful Saturday morning and we just finished having&nbsp;coffee from Barnie's here in Winter Springs with a new client (and we believe a new friend).&nbsp;Our new client Ron is in town from Denver, Colorado&nbsp;and could only meet us this morning so we had no problem opening up. As we were driving in to the office we stopped for a cup of coffee. Lori called and asked Ron if we could pick him up a cup of coffee&nbsp;too?&nbsp;Ron told us what he drank so we picked it up and met him at&nbsp;our office.&nbsp; This isn't customer service, it's the "Golden Rule" (do unto others...) and the way that we were raised; common courtesy if you will. I'll finish this thought later in the story though.<br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; When it comes to business these days buyers are so much more careful with ever dollar that they spend.&nbsp;The economy has&nbsp;pushed&nbsp;society&nbsp;to spend&nbsp;extra time to find additional savings. With the insurance&nbsp;industry and the&nbsp;law the most that we are allowed to do for our clients is to offer them the lowest premium&nbsp;and the highest rated company.&nbsp;There is however something that can&nbsp;be offered for "free"&nbsp;but isn't always considered which is&nbsp;"customer service"!&nbsp;You can't put a&nbsp;monetary value on it but there is "value-added" when considering what insurance company to&nbsp;have take care of you.<br /> <br /> I have to give credit to the big companies with their amazing advertising budgets and great commercials.&nbsp;They can offer&nbsp;great prices and multi-line discounts.&nbsp;When we speak to potential clients, this comes up in conversation quite a bit. Our answer is that we have to do a little more work to shop&nbsp;around to different brokers to get the best price but we do, it's just part of what we do and who we are.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; Here is where&nbsp;we get to have a little fun though. We ask our potential new clients about the other companies "customer service standards". We ask them if they have someone specific that they can call and speak with directly or are they going to get a call&nbsp;center in another state? We ask them if the other company that they are considering&nbsp;even has a local office?&nbsp;&nbsp;When you spend as much money as you do buying insurance to insure your loved ones, your home, your car or your business wouldn't you like to be able to look someone in the eye, shake their hand and know that your family, your property and your business are all insured by someone that you've met and are comfortable with.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> OK, so we have a beautiful and professional&nbsp;office and an "800 number" to take care of our clients all over the state.&nbsp;We have what most other independent insurance agencies have in the way of staffing and hours of operation and we stay later at night and open on the weekend for our clients when they need us to. We have even driven three hours one way at four thirty in the morning to meet a client for business insurance because that is what he needed at the time. This isn't rocket science; anyone could do this so why do we feel that we&nbsp;are any different?&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> <br /> I guess it's more of a mind-set or a philosophy that Lori has instilled here at Birchell Insurance Agency and it's this simple. With the economy being so tight and people shopping for deals it comes down to doing&nbsp;not the right thing BUT "doing the right thing right". I know that might be a little confusing but please let me explain.&nbsp;The last time you sat with an agent did they explain the difference between "cash value" and &nbsp;"replacement cost"? Did they insure you for the mortgage value of your home (which includes the land that your property is located on) or the replacement cost of your home? It's this simple, we believe that if we can go to bed at night knowing that if something should happen to your property that we've insured we know that we can "bring you back to whole". We have unfortunately have had to "fire some clients" because what they wanted was going to save them money but wasn't in their best interest; if there was a "loss" and they had to file a claim, they were not fully insured. We don't want to be the ones to have to tell&nbsp;a client&nbsp;that we could only replace seventy or eighty percent of their&nbsp;property because they were underinsured. <br /> <br /> Getting back to our friend Ron. Ron came in this morning, introductions were made&nbsp;and we got down to business.&nbsp; While drinking his coffee, Ron told us a story about an agent in Denver. Ron met with him one morning in a coffee shop to discuss quotes on several properties. The agent showed up to earn Ron's business as they sat and talked. Not only didn't the agent offer Ron a cup of coffee but when he got up to get a refill he didn't even consider Ron then either. Needless to say Ron eventually ended the meeting and never did business with that agent. Customer service IS "value added", it's not just being considerate, polite, friendly and courteous; we feel it's in the attention to detail of listening to our clients and getting them what they truly need.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As I mentioned earlier this&nbsp;isn't rocket science so let me ask you this? When considering an insurance agency if you were to have a catastrophic claim and needed to contact your agent at anytime (including nights, weekends or&nbsp;holidays) could you? As we close business with our clients one thing that we give them is our personal cell phone number. If something is going to go wrong, it will at the worst possible time. Don't you want an agent who's always truly there for you? At Birchell Insurance Agency we are; it's just the way that we do business.<br /> <br /> <br /> This blog can also be found on WordPress at "http://birchellins.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/customer-service-doing-the-right-thing-right/"<br />urn:uuid:8140dffc-59bd-41c9-b788-ef274c60c4a9<img src='http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs084/1101946873570/img/160.jpg' align='left' />New Years safety tips are important to remember and follow as you celebrate this holiday.&nbsp;Here are a few New Years safety tips that everyone should keep in mind as they celebrate the start of our new year. 1. If you are throwing a party, set...Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:54:25 -0600<div>New Years safety tips are important to remember and follow as you celebrate this holiday.&nbsp;Here are a few New Years safety tips that everyone should keep in mind as they celebrate the start of our new year.<br /> <br /> <br /> </div> <div> <div class="content_area" id="content_article" style="padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; margin: 15px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; padding-top: 0px;">1. If you are throwing a party, set the rules beforehand. The rules will depend on you and your household.<br /> <br /> 2. Set a limit as to how much alcohol is allowed.</div> <div class="content_area" id="content_article" style="padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; margin: 15px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; padding-top: 0px;">3. Be sure everyone who is driving has a designated driver. If they do not have one, there are three choices:<br /> <br /> A. Ask if anyone can take he or she home.<br /> <br /> B. Allow them to spend the night.<br /> <br /> C. Call them a taxi. There are many taxi services that offer free transportation on New Years Eve.<img alt="" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.160" width="274" height="264" style="margin: 5px; float: left;border: black 1px dashed;" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs084/1101946873570/img/160.jpg" /><br /> </div> <div class="content_area" id="content_article" style="padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; margin: 15px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; padding-top: 0px;"><br /> 4. Do not be afraid&nbsp;to take the car keys of anyone who is too intoxicated.&nbsp;</div> <div class="content_area" id="content_article" style="padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; margin: 15px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; padding-top: 0px;"><br /> 5. If you are using New Years decorations, be sure to keep fire safety in mind. Do not plug in too many items into one outlet and be sure to keep paper and water away from all cords and electrical products.<br /> <br /> 6. If you are going out with a group of people to a crowded area to celebrate, make a list of everyone who will be attending. Do not be afraid to "call role" if you do not think everyone is present and accounted for.<br /> <br /> 7. Some New Years Eve&nbsp;events, especially a fireworks show, can become pretty crowded. Be sure to keep everyone together, especially children. If you have to, pick your child up or hold his or her hand. Even if they protest, do this anyways. It is a crowded area at night, and you want to keep everyone safe.</div> <div class="content_area" id="content_article" style="padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; margin: 15px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; padding-top: 0px;">8. Drive defensively. This will keep you safe and accident free.</div> </div>urn:uuid:3847f950-191d-4a22-8c8c-c4ae94b94c94Adding a Teen Driver to Your Auto Insurance Policy: 5 Ways to Cut Costs Getting a drivers license is a right of passage that every kid looks forward to, and leaves many parents frantic. Adding a teenage driver onto your car insurance policy will inev...Mon, 20 Dec 2010 14:15:16 -0600<h1><span style="font-size: 13px;">Adding a Teen Driver to Your Auto Insurance Policy: 5 Ways to Cut Costs</span></h1> <p><span style="font-size: 13px;">Getting a drivers license is a right of passage that every kid looks forward to, and leaves many parents frantic. Adding a teenage driver onto your car <nobr>insurance </nobr>policy will inevitably raise your rates, since teens are more of a liability to insure. However, there are still ways you can save on your car insurance even while having your teenage driver on your policy.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-size: 13px;">1) Good Student Discounts: Bs or Better = Discounted Rates</span></h2> <p><span style="font-size: 13px;">Most insurers will offer discounts (often from 10-25%) for teen drivers that maintain a B average or better. This could</span> be seen as an incentive to your teenager to keep those grades up; tell them that if they dip below that B average, their driving privileges will be revoked!</p> <h2><span style="font-size: 13px;">2) Clean Driving Record = Level Car Insurance Prices</span></h2> <p><span style="font-size: 13px;">Unfortunately, the statistics don't lie. According to experts, the crash rates for 16 year olds are approximately three times higher than those for 19 year olds, and nearly 6 times higher than for drivers aged 20-24. Many parents find that their new teen drivers are very cautious in the beginning, but then quickly become overconfident and start ignoring basic traffic rules and/or driving recklessly.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 13px;">Your rates are going to go up when you add your teen driver; but that rate hike will pale in comparison to what they could be if your teen driver gets in an accident, or even gets just one traffic violation (such as for speeding or running a red light). Make sure you impart to your children the importance of driving safely, and remind them that driving is a privilege that can be easily taken away if they cause an accident or ignore traffic laws. Not only will a clean driving record help keep your insurance costs at bay, but it will also give you some peace of mind when your child is behind the wheel.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-size: 13px;">3) Higher Car Insurance Policy Deductibles = Lower Car Insurance Rates</span></h2> <p><span style="font-size: 13px;">Many people may know that raising their deductibles on their insurance policy can save them money, </span>but most don't feel the need to do this until they realize how much their insurance premiums are going to increase once they add their teen driver to their policy.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; However, all drivers on the policy must be careful not to get into accidents with that higher deductible, as this is the amount that will come out of your pocket before your insurance company starts paying for the rest of the covered damage. If you've raised your deductibles (for example from $250 to $1000), make sure to convey to your teen driver that accidents are now double whammies; you will have to pay a lot out of pocket and your insurance costs will then go up (usually significantly). However, if you can avoid any accidents, higher deductibles can afford you considerable savings.</p> <h2><span style="font-size: 13px;">4) Older Cars = Cheaper Car Insurance</span></h2> <p><span style="font-size: 13px;">While you might be tempted to buy your teenager a new car with all the latest safety features, remember that newer cars are more expensive to insure. If your insurance company lets you assign drivers to your cars, assign your teen (and have them drive) the oldest car on your policy. And to keep your costs down until you teen driver is older and therefore not costing you as much to insure, you and other drivers on your policy should consider not buying new cars. That way you can keep your premiums down for all the cars covered on your policy.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-size: 13px;">5) Up-To-Date Information And Shopping Around for Multiple Auto Insurance Quotes = Insurance Savings</span></h2> <p><span style="font-size: 13px;">Lastly, make sure you review your policy at least once a year to make sure all the information is up-to-date. For example, your rates could go down once your teen graduates from high school or turns 18. Or, if your college student does not have a car at college with them (and doesn't drive when home on holidays), you could take them off your policy. Just make sure they are really not driving, because if your uninsured teen gets in an accident without insurance, that could really cost you.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 13px;">Most importantly, before you add your teen driver to your existing policy, be sure to compare rates from several companies. Different companies will charge you different rates for adding the new driver, and your existing policy may not offer you the best deal.</span></p>urn:uuid:5edc2b50-9ece-4830-8b1f-c1b01646d3ce Are your gifts covered? And by covered, I don&rsquo;t mean wrapped! Be sure to find out if your homeowners insurance protects your gifts or if you should take up the opportunity at the checkout. The&nbsp;NAIC provides some advice to help you decide....Mon, 13 Dec 2010 13:11:48 -0600<div class="article"> <p>Are your gifts covered? And by covered, I don&rsquo;t mean wrapped! Be sure to find out if your <a href="http://www.birchellins.com/homeowners/homeowners_quote_form.aspx">homeowners insurance </a>protects your gifts or if you should take up the opportunity at the checkout. The&nbsp;NAIC provides some advice to help you decide.</p> <ul> <li>Find out what your insurance policy already covers. If you are covered, do you have a limit? Is it cash value coverage or replacement cost coverage?&nbsp;<a href="http://www.birchellins.com/contact.aspx">Talk with your agent</a> about the conditions of your policy to make sure your new purchases do not exceed the policy threshold. Know what your situation is in order to make sure you do not spend more than you need to. </li> </ul> <ul> <li>If you are a renter and do not have <a href="http://www.birchellins.com/renters/insurance_quote.aspx">renters insurance</a>, now may be a good time to look into it. While you&rsquo;re landlord has protection for structural damage, your personally belongings are not included. The additional $15 to $30 a&nbsp;month may be worth it! </li> </ul> <ul> <li>Understand the difference between insurance and warranties. A manufacturer&rsquo;s warranty offers a guarantee to the quality or performance of a product for a certain period of time. While a warranty is great for repairs and convenience it will not replace your product if it&rsquo;s stolen like insurance will. </li> </ul> <ul> <li>Lastly, update your home inventory. Keep a continuous list of all the valuables in your household with the make, model numbers and receipts. Over time after items are given away or new things are added, your coverage can change. Having this inventory list will be helpful making sure you have enough coverage or save you money. It is also a great thing to have when filing a claim after a loss. </li> </ul> </div>urn:uuid:09acb423-3c1f-4edb-a2de-0038542e2b92&nbsp; When it comes to fire hazards, few things can be more dangerous than a candle that is left unattended or otherwise handled in a careless manner. The latest example of this reality was featured in a Boston Herald report which covered a fire t...Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:24:20 -0600<p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="KonaFilter"> <div class="KonaBody"> <p>When it comes to fire hazards, few things can be more dangerous than a candle that is left unattended or otherwise handled in a careless manner.</p> <p>The latest example of this reality was featured in a Boston Herald report which covered a fire that damaged eight units in an apartment building after children playing basketball indoors knocked over a candle.</p> <p>The newspaper added that the fire did about $30,000 in damage. For homeowners, any kind of fire can quickly result in expensive home insurance claims and other costs, especially when factoring in other details like damage from smoke and water.</p> <p>Consumers who enjoy candles but who want to avert any unwanted home insurance claims can consider some tips offered on the National Candle Association&rsquo;s website. The tips offered by the trade organization should come as common sense to many people.</p> <p>For example, candles should never be left burning or unattended, nor should they ever be kept near potentially flammable objects. It&rsquo;s also very important to keep candles away from children and pets since they may accidentally knock one over. Also, the organization advises people to always use candleholders and to keep wicks trimmed to about 1/4 inc</p> </div> </div>urn:uuid:d659980d-51aa-4772-a7fb-de49a3b3823b<img src='http://www.iii.org/img/pxl.gif' align='left' /> Standard homeowners and renters insurance does not cover flood damage. Flood coverage, however, is available in the form of a separate policy both from the National Flood Insurance Program - NFIP (888-379-9531,...Thu, 02 Dec 2010 14:00:16 -0600<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr valign="top"> <td><a name="ppart_754436"><img alt="" width="10" height="1" src="http://www.iii.org/img/pxl.gif" /></a></td> <td class="iii-std" style="width: 100%;" colspan="2">Standard <strong>homeowners</strong> and <strong>renters insurance </strong>does not cover <strong>flood</strong> damage. Flood coverage, however, is available in the form of a separate policy both from the National <strong>Flood Insurance </strong>Program - NFIP (888-379-9531, <a href="http://www.floodsmart.gov/" target="_blank">http://www.floodsmart.gov</a> ) and from a few private insurers. <br /> <br /> The NFIP provides coverage for up to $250,000 for the structure of the home and $100,000 for personal possessions. The NFIP policy provides <b>replacement cost</b> coverage for the structure of your home, but only <b>actual cash value</b> coverage for your possessions. Replacement cost coverage pays to rebuild your home as it was before the damage. Actual cash value is replacement cost coverage minus depreciation so that the older your possessions are, the less you will get if they are damaged. There may also be limits on coverage for furniture and other belongings stored in your basement. <br /> <br /> <strong>Flood insurance </strong>is available for renters as well as homeowners. You will need flood insurance<strong> </strong>if you live in a designated flood zone. But flooding can also occur in inland areas and away from major rivers. Consider buying a<strong> flood insurance </strong>policy if your house could be flooded by melting snow, an overflowing creek or pond or water running down a steep hill. Don&rsquo;t wait for a flood season warning on the evening news to buy a policy&mdash;there is a 30-day waiting period before the coverage takes effect.<br /> <br /> Excess flood insurance is also available from some private insurers for those who need additional insurance protection over and above the basic policy or whose community does not participate in the NFIP. Depending on the amount of coverage purchased, an excess flood insurance policy will cover damage above the limits of the federal program on the same basis as the federal program&mdash;replacement cost for the structure and actual cash value for the contents. <br /> <br /> Excess<strong> flood insurance </strong>is available in all parts of the country&mdash;in high risk flood zones along the coast and close to major rivers as well as in areas of lower risk&mdash;wherever the federal program is available. It can be purchased from specialized companies through independent insurance agents, or from regular homeowners insurance companies that have arrangements with a specialized insurer to provide coverage to their policyholders. </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>urn:uuid:87d7a1fa-cdb9-4291-8fcd-6bacef638438&nbsp;&nbsp; No matter what you call it, a "fender bender", a "car crash", an "auto accident", after knowing that everyone is ok and after speaking to the police department &nbsp;you need to call your insurance agent.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; With Florida...Tue, 23 Nov 2010 09:14:11 -0600<p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 13px;">&nbsp; No matter what you call it, a "<strong>fender bender</strong>", a "<strong>car crash</strong>", an "<strong>auto accident</strong>", after knowing that everyone is ok and after speaking to the police department &nbsp;you need to call your insurance agent.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; With Florida being a "no-fault state" there are a&nbsp;couple different points to consider&nbsp;before filing a claim;&nbsp;specifically whos insurance will this be filed under (yours or the other drivers) and&nbsp;is the damage more than your deductible?&nbsp;<br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; If its the other persons fault, call their insurance company as they are responsible to fix repairs&nbsp;and take care of a rental car.<br /> <br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; If it is your fault before filing a claim with your carrier get an estimate on the repairs; if the cost is either lower than or not much higher than the deductible&nbsp;you might want to just pay for the repairs "out of pocket".&nbsp; This will actually save you money at renewal time for your auto insurance.&nbsp;Losing your "accident free" standing with the company will cost you more in premiums.<br /> <br /> &nbsp;</span></p>