Are you Married?

• If so would you like to provide an income for your spouse in the event of your death?
• If so how much income?
• What are the final expenses you may incur?

Do you have dependent Children?

• If so how many How old are they?
• Would you like to provide for their education?
• Would you like to provide for their wedding?
• Is there any thing else you want to provide for them?

Do you have debt that needs to be paid in the event of your untimely death?

• If so who are the debtors that you need to pay?
• How much do you owe?
• Are there other items that you may owe that are no formal loan agreements?

Are there Charitable Donations that you would like to provide?

There may be other questions that you should answer as well.  The main thing to keep in mind is what would you want to provide for in the event of your untimely death that you do not have the cash on hand to handle. These provisions may have to do with people that you care for, or causes to which you are committed.

If you have sufficient liquidity to handle all of these expenses perhaps life insurance is not the answer to your situation.  If you have a larger, more complicated estate perhaps you should discuss it with a financial planner, or legal council.  If you need suggestions for this please feel free to give us a call.  We have some trusted professions that we work with in similar situations.

To talk with one of the insurance professionals at AssociatedInsurors simply call the toll free number 800-301-3585.  Additionally you can sign up for our newsletter. We will from time to time publish Life Insurance tips as well as other cost saving tips on insurance.

Typical Alabama and Tennessee homeowners insurance policies protect against winter-related disasters such as burst pipes, ice dams, wind and damage caused by the weight of ice or snow. But you can save yourself a huge headache and probably higher insurance premiums by acting now to head off these winter-caused damages.

Bursting pipes also cause significant damage to homes. Frozen water increases pressure in pipes, causing the pipe to burst. Pipes located in attics, outside walls and crawl spaces are most susceptible to freezing in cold weather. To prevent bursting pipes take these preventive steps:

1. Wrap exposed pipes with insulation. The more the better.
2. Caulk cracks and holes in outside walls and in the foundation near water pipes.
3. Open cabinet doors during very cold periods to allow warm air to circulate around the pipes.
4. Leave faucets on at a slow trickle; use this step especially when the plumbing runs through unheated or exposed areas.

There are other things you can do to protect your family and home from injury or loss this winter. For instance:

1. Be sure you have plenty of rock salt, sand, and snow shovels so you can remove snow and ice immediately and completely from the sidewalks on your property after a winter storm. Doing so will minimize your exposure to liability lawsuits filed by people who are hurt when they slip and fall on your property.
2. Have your heating system inspected by a certified technician to ensure that it is working properly. Doing so could prevent more costly repairs and a couple cold nights.
3. Check your smoke detectors to ensure they are working properly. Also, buy a carbon monoxide detector if you don’t already have one.
4. Check and clean the gutters. Clogged gutters can contribute to ice damming and cause basement flooding when snow melts.
5. Replace missing or worn roof shingles.
6. Have your house’s chimney checked and cleaned, if necessary, to minimize fire hazard.
7. Trim trees and branches away from your home. Ice, snow and wind can cause dead trees and branches to fall on your home.
8. Drain and shut off outside water spigots.
9. Keep the temperature inside your home no lower than 65 degrees. This step will help prevent freezing pipes.
10. Repair broken stairs and banisters located outside. People need these more than ever when the sidewalks are slippery.
11. Turn off portable or space heaters before going to bed or leaving your home.
12. Never use heaters that burn kerosene or similar fuels in the home. They could ignite a fire and cause a build-up of carbon monoxide gases.
13. Store combustible materials away from furnaces, fireplaces and portable heaters..

Associated Insurors is a Trusted Choice^® insurance agency that represents multiple insurance companies, so it offers you a variety of personal and business coverage choices and can customize an insurance plan to meet your specialized needs. You can visit Associated Insurors online at www.aii2000.com or call it at 256-766-7773

Personal Insurance

Consider the iPod. Their owners span every demographic. For some, the iPod is as important to getting through the day as morning coffee or sunshine.

This pervasive product ranges in cost—usually a few hundred bucks or less depending on bells and whistles—and that’s just for the hardware. Downloading music can cost a dollar a song, videos and “podcasts” even more. Add in time spent collecting this information and you’ve got thousands of dollars invested in this thing. The same is true for other portable devices.

The good news is that most homeowners policies cover personal property while it is anywhere in the world—a positive considering the nature of these devices. The bad news is that coverage is limited—meaning the check you receive after the loss may not be what you expect.

While many believe their iPod is “worth” thousands of dollars, a homeowners insurance policy is designed to cover “direct physical loss” to property. Therefore, a typical policy will cover the cost of the device itself but not the cost of the information stored on the device. Some homeowner policies include coverage for loss to “personal records,” which may include information stored on a portable device. However, not all will do so and those that do likely limit coverage to a relatively small amount. If you have questions, consult your insurance agent.

Business Insurance

More and more people are using PDAs, such as BlackBerrys, Treos and iPhones, to conduct business on the fly. These devices keep them wirelessly connected to their work through email, Internet and phone.

If you own the device personally and use it for business, coverage under your homeowners insurance policy is less generous. Personal property used for business may not be covered worldwide and is subject to an amount of insurance that is lower than other personal property. A further restriction is that any limited coverage available for “personal records” does not apply to business records.

If the device is owned by your employer, it’s likely covered under a business insurance policy. Such policies contain similar limitations for loss of information. Business owners should call their business insurance agent for information about electronic data coverage.

Back it Up

Whether used for business, personal, or both, cost to replace the device itself is likely the extent your insurance will pay if it is damaged or stolen. The best way to protect the information contained in the device is to back-up data periodically. Then, even if you have to replace the device, you won’t have to start from scratch.

Associated Insurors, is a Trusted Choice^® Independent Insurance Agency that represents multiple insurance companies, so it offers you a variety of personal and business coverage choices and can customize an insurance plan to meet your specialized needs. You can visit Associated Insurors online at www.aii2000.com or call it at 256-766-7773.

The Associated Insurors insurance professionals also know that the winter holidays bring greater-than-usual risks of fire in homes.  The National Fire Protection Association reports that, over the course of a calendar year, the 10 worst days for fires in homes fall between December 24 and January 6.

Fortunately, these risks can be reduced with safe practices that address the “four Cs” of winter fires: chimneys, candles, Christmas trees and children.

Chimneys

Buildup or blockage within a chimney can catch fire. Chimney fires are unpredictable: they can be noisy and fierce, or can smolder undetected.

Common-sense tips:

• If you haven’t checked or cleaned the chimney in the past two years, don’t use it.
• Have a pro inspect the chimney for creosote (which is what builds up in a chimney and fuels a chimney fire)
• Use dry wood. This minimizes creosote buildup.
• Don’t burn wrapping paper, boxes, trash or Christmas trees.
• Don’t use liquid to start a chimney fire. Use kindling.

Remember fireplace basics, too: use a screen to contain sparks; and let ashes cool before disposing of them in a metal container.

Candles

Home-candle fires happen on Christmas Day more often than any other day, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Next worst: New Year’s Day and Christmas Eve. How do they start? Half of home-candle fires begin because an item is left near a lit candle. Four of 10 home candle fires start in bedrooms, with bedding, furniture, and curtains igniting.

Common-sense tips:

• Make sure all candles are out before you leave a room or go to bed.
• Keep clothing, curtains, furniture, and other flammable items away from candles and flame.
• Use candle holders that don’t tip over.

Christmas Trees

The National Fire Protection Association notes that 300 home fires start each year with Christmas trees. It’s not just live trees; artificial trees also burn. Three major reasons Christmas-tree fires start: electric malfunctions, heat too close to the tree, and children playing with matches, candles, or fireplaces.

Common-sense tips:

• Buy a cut tree that has green, fresh needles.
• Buy a fake tree that is fire resistant.
• Use a secure stand.
• Locate trees a minimum of three feet from heat sources such as fireplaces and radiators.
• Water live-cut trees every day.
• Use lights listed by an industrial laboratory. Link together, at most, only three strands of bulbs.
• Throw out lights that have frayed or broken cords.
• Pull the plug on lights before going to bed or leaving home.
• When a tree starts dropping needles, it’s time to dispose of it (outside, not in the house, garage or basement).

Children

Perhaps the most unpredictable risks for winter fire are those young people who are, naturally, exploring and experiencing the wonders of the winter world for the first time. Remember that lights and flames are fascinating to children.

Common-sense tips:

• Watch the wires. Keep kids away from light strands and power cords.
• Matches, candles, stoves and ovens often get extra use during the holidays, at a time when adults are occupied with cooking, cleaning and entertaining. Stop and ask: “What might draw a child’s curiosity in this house?” Then shield children from those items, physically and through discipline and direction.
• Put matches/lighters out of children’s reach. Use lighters that have a child-resistant safety feature.
• Train children to tell an adult if they see matches or lighters.

Our Associated Insurors agents and brokers stand ready to assist consumers with a homeowners insurance claim. The best claim is no claim, though. Use these common-sense practices to prevent home fires.

As I entered the plane I had to walk through first class to get to my seat much like the rest of the economy flyer’s.  As I walked through this section of the plane I noticed a young member of the Air Force sitting in first class.  I thought to myself  “that was strange”.  I could tell that he was probably an enlisted airman because of his uniform and his age. He was a good looking young black man who could have been a model for the recruiting posters of the Air Force.  Very well groomed, well mannered and looked the military part.   First Class is quite expensive and I knew that members of the military typically did not travel first class.

The remainder of the trip was for the most part uneventful until we reached our destination with one exception.  A gentleman two rows ahead and to the left was receiving a tremendous amount of attention from the flight attendants and the people sitting around him.  He was in his early 60’s white,  very well dressed.  He had a very formal look to him. Quite honestly he looked like he should be sitting in first class.   I saw a flight attendant approach this gentleman and say “sir is there anything we can do for you?”  His reply, “no, I’m just fine”.  I overheard another of the attendants approach him and say, “sir thank you so much for what you have done”.  Some of the other folks around him made similar comments, one said “what you have done is really a stand up thing to do.” His reply in a very humble tone, “believe me it was nothing”, and he said it several times during the flight. This tremendous amount of attention was given to this gentleman and I couldn’t understand why.  I thought to myself, we must have a celebrity on board, I just can’t figure out who.

When we arrived at Raleigh/Durham and as we were approaching the gate the airplane stopped and the pilot came on the intercom and said  “Ladies and gentleman some of you may not know but we have a special passenger on board today.  He is on his final trip home from military service.  He was killed in Afghanistan earlier this week.  His friend and escort is aboard as well.  We ask as we approach the gate that you keep your seat out of respect for this special passenger, while his friend deplanes to attend to his escort duties.”

Most of the faces on this plane had tears running down their cheeks, including my own.  We all knew that somewhere in Eastern Carolina there was a family in mourning as we sat there.  We all knew in the coming days the grief would seem unbearable to this family because of the sacrifice that was made buy this young man, and we all wished that there was something we could do to comfort them but there was nothing.

I discovered as I was leaving the plane why the gentleman a couple of rows ahead was receiving all of the attention.  Originally he was sitting in first class.  He had seen the flag draped coffin being loaded into the airplane in Atlanta and recognized the young soldier as the escort for the special passenger aboard our plane.  When the young soldier walked by this gentleman’s seat in first class, the gentleman got up from his first class seat and asked the young soldier “Will you honor me by taking my first class seat in exchange for your economy seat?”. What a wonderful expression of support and esteem for what was taking place.  As I understood what had taken place, his reply to to the flight attendant seemed very appropriate “believe me it was nothing”.  This gentleman understood that there was no comparison to the small sacrifice that he had made when held in contrast to the ultimate sacrifice that was made by the special passenger aboard that day, nor was it much when compared to the sacrifices that are made every day by the soldiers serving today, or the sacrifices made by our veterans in years past.

I trust and hope that each of us have the understanding of Mr. “believe me it was nothing” of the sacrifices that have been made for all of us and we express it as much as possible to those who have served.

To those who have served, I say THANK YOU, realizing that there are no words that can express the gratitude that our citizens should feel toward you for your contribution to our society, both in service, and in our day to day lives.

The FMCSA study calculated the increased risk factor for an incident to determine which activities present the greatest hazard. For example, the study found that drivers texting while driving are 23.2 times more likely to be involved in an accident. Those dialing a cell phone increase their risk by a factor of 5.9.  Commercial drivers who use computerized dispatching devices while driving increase their odds by 9.9.

The other factor studied was the percentage of the population that engages in these activities. While the percentage of drivers in the FMCSA study who admitted to texting was very low, a study conducted of the general population indicated that two-thirds of the 1,049 adult respondents admitted to reading emails or text messages while driving. This suggests that as texting while driving becomes more prevalent, the frequency of incidents will increase.  The federal and state governments have gotten the message and have enacted laws that ban texting and the use of handheld cell devices while driving. The number of states enacting laws is rapidly increasing.

While a Driver Distraction Policy addressing texting and cellphone use is very important, there are other significant factors.For example, here are a few activities drivers engage in and the increased risk factor according to the study:

Write on a pad or notebook…….. 9 times more likely

Look at a map…………………………. 7 times more likely

Personal grooming…………………. 4.5 times more likely

Reach for an object…………………. 3.1 times more likely.

Sound familiar?  Anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road increase the chances for an accident.  In fact, the study found that the most common distraction is reaching for an object when eating, drinking, or adjusting the radio and other controls.  The study also noted that reaching for unsecured objects such as a clip board that just slid off the seat or a water bottle rolling on the floor are common distractions.

Now it seems that there is a new influence that is creating quite a problem and it is texting while driving.  Instead of being intoxicated now then they are intexticated.  To read about this study click here , there are some very sobering statistics.

If you talk to “people in the know” the lack of Workers Compensation availability in the 1980′s was brought about many things but there are two main areas of thought.  Some would say that it was brought about by an “out of control” judicial system while others w0uld say that it was brought about by greedy insurance companies.  Whether you believe one side or the other, the fact remains there was a Workers Compensation availability crisis in Alabama during this time.

During the 80′s several different associations and other groups formed Self Insured Funds.  The concept behind the fund was that as a participant in the fund you would share in the surplus’ , or profits of the various funds so you would be motivated to run a safe operation.  The percentage of the surplus that you were able to participate in was based upon several variables.  Some of those variables included profitability of the customer, profitability of the fund itself, adherence to safety programs as well as many other variables. During the 80′s and 90′s the funds were quite successful not only in reducing premiums but also returning the profits of the fund (which are refereed to as dividends) to the fund participants.  The overall reduction in insurance cost was dramatic.  How could this happen you may ask.

• Fund immaturity-  Because the newly formed insurance funds did not have old claims hanging over their head they were able to offer premiums at much lower cost than the traditional insurance company.  Some Workers Compensation claims will stretch out for years.  There has been evidence in recent years that some of the funds have begun to mature.  This is indicated by the  reduction in the gap between what a fund will charge for premiums and what the traditional insurance company will.  Eventually this advantage will disappear if it has not already occurred with some of the funds.
• Insurance Premium Tax- There is a disctinct advantage that the funds have in the State of Alabama and probably will always have,  that being the advantage they have in the insurance premium tax.  The funds are not required to pay the full insurance premium taxes that are required of the insurnace companies.
• Industry Specific Safety-  During the time that the funds have been in existence in the state of Alabama they have for the most part been affiliated with some type of a trade group.  This allowed the insurance funds to structure the funds so that they were homogeneous funds.  In other words they are industry specific.  This allows the association and the fund to produce industry specific safety programs, and do the research into the specific claims to learn how to manage the claims, as well as how to implement safety procedures that can more practically be implemented.
• Association Camaraderie- Because many of the funds are affiliated with some type of  Business Association there is a camaraderie that goes with the association.  Many folks feel an allegiance to the group because of their affiliate with an industry group.  Because of the Association affiliation and other benefits that come as a result of being a part of that group Companies will often choose to participate in the self-insured fund.
• Regulatory Advantage- Insurance Companies are required to submit themselves to the Alabama Department of Insurance for regulation, the Self Insured Funds are not.  The funds are regulated by the Department of Industrial Relations.  If disputes should arise with regard to claims, premium payments, dividend distributions etc., those disputes would be handled by the Deparment of Industrial relations rather than the Deparment of Insurance.  The question is, would they become involved, or would they defer to the Court System.
• Joint and Several agreement-  The funds in Alabama are Joint and Several with regard to the liabilities of the fund participants.  We have the good fortune of having funds that are for the most part well managed.  Although they are well managed Joint and Severabiliy remains a posibility.  Should one of the funds experience financial difficulty, the fund members are jointly, and severally obligated to the remaining liabilities including existing claims and potential future claims.

That brings us to this question,  should I be insured with an Insurance Company, or should I be insured with a self-insured fund?  That’s where you need the advice of someone who works with this issue every day.  If you do not know someone who can guide you through this process, please feel free to give one of our insurance professionals a call.

OSHA provides the following tips for preventing injury or death from improper ladder use:

• Read and follow all labels/markings on the ladder
• Always inspect the ladder prior to using it.  If the ladder is damaged, it must be removed from service and tagged until repaired or discarded
• Use ladders and appropriate accessories (ladder levelers, jacks and hooks) for their designed purposes only.
• Ladder must be free of any slippery material on the rungs, steps or feet.
• Do not use a self-supporting ladder (e.g., step ladder) as a single ladder in a partially closed position.
• Do no use the top step/rung of a ladder as a step/rung unless it was designed for that purpose
• Use a ladder only on a stable and level surface, unless it has been secured (top to bottom) to prevent displacement.
• Do not place a ladder on boxes barrels or other unstable bases to obtain additional height.
• A ladder placed in any location where it can be displaced by another work activities must be secured to prevent displacement, or a barricade must be erected to keep traffic away from the ladder.
• Be sure that all locks on an extension ladder are properly engaged.
• Do not exceed the maximum load rating of a ladder.  Be aware of the ladder’s load rating and of the weight it is supporting, including the weight of any tools or equipment.