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Protecting What’s Valuable

When you look down, so you see a beautiful, sparkling diamond on your finger? Perhaps there is an amazing piece of jewelry hanging around your neck? Maye you have heirloom earring that always catch everyone’s attention? How about one-of-a kind fur coat, silver serving utensils, or unique patterned china?

Maybe your most prized possessions differ from that list, but regardless of what they are, they need to be insured. I am sure you would be devastated to lose any of those items, but knowing you have at least some protection will provide you with HUGE piece of mind.

Don’t just consider getting valuable items insurance – actually get it!

Okay – you might be thinking to yourself that you already have homeowner’s insurance and/or renters insurance. That is great and you should have those policies, but often times even those policies have limits on coverage – especially if there is theft.  A major dispute can erupt between you and the insurance company if your home gets damaged and the property inside, including the valuables, aren’t properly documented and inventoried.  While you can’t replace one-of-a-kind items, there is still opportunity for you to receive some sort of financial payout for the valuables lost.

This type of insurance offers additional protection for your most valuable possessions – diamond rings, fin art, collections, and more. The coverage provides the protection you need if there is loss through theft, accident or natural disaster. There is usually some type of coverage for such items offered for personal property under the typical homeowner’s policy.  However, that inclusion to the basic policy may not cover some types of loss that may be important to you. Most homeowner’s policies set dollar limits on the amount of protection offered.  It is optional to you to get add-on coverage to the homeowners and exp anded protection for special property.

You can get Floater Insurance – A type of insurance that covers property that is easily movable and provides additional coverage over what normal insurance policies do not. This can cover anything from jewelry to expensive equipment.  You can also look at getting Blanket Insurance which is a single policy on an insured property that covers more than one type of property at the same location, the same kind of property at more than one location, or two or more kinds or property at two or more locations.

If you still feel like your valuable items aren’t protected enough, then you need to seriously speak to your insurance agent (SUSMAN!) about getting a specific policy for those items.

Protect Your Valuables
Protect Your Valuables
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How to save money on car insurance

Every day we are bombarded with advertisements telling us how to save money on car insurance. There is a good way to save money and a bad way. The good way does just that – save you money without taking away valuable coverage that you need. The bad way is, well, not listening to this show and learning how to do it right! This week, Karl Susman and guest Maureen discuss cost savings tips for auto insurance policies.

BEGINNING OF TRANSCRIPT

Karl: This is Karl Susman. Today we are going to be discussing tips and tricks for saving money on your current insurance. And today we have long-time friend and client Maureen on the line. How are you today?
Maureen: I’m good. I’m great Karl. How are you?
Karl: Excellent, excellent. Thanks for taking the time this morning on to be with us. I, it’s funny to say that you are going to be our generic consumer for the call today. So does it feel to be the generic person?
Maureen: I don’t know that. I’ve never been called generic in my life. But I’ll take it [unintelligible 00:54 – 00:55]
Karl: Generic, you’ll have to be, you’re going to be the common person today. What can I tell you –
Maureen: Got it, got it.
Karl: We’ll jump right in and we’re going to talk about today is ways to save money on car insurance which is pre near and dear to many people’s hearts, I think.
The first tip I want to give is to tell people that they need to shop around for auto insurance which seems obvious but it’s not necessarily the easiest or the, there are different ways to do it correctly. How do you, let’s just say if I told you shop around for your car insurance, what does that mean to you?
Maureen: Well, looking at [unintelligible 01:27 – 01:27] places that I have to tell you, shop around to me I [unintelligible 01:31 – 01:31] hopping online, selling out an information [unintelligible 01:36 – 01:37] and then literally just choosing like that’s the cheapest one so, let me take that one instead of looking a little bit more deeper into it more than just prices
Karl: Well you were the, you were the perfect generic person today because that is the, that is what majority people do. They just jump online, whatever looks to me the least expensive, they just grab it. And the truth of the manner is auto insurance is much as its people like to say it. It is not a commodity. It’s not one size fits all. It’s not an appliance that you buy in a whether you get the TV at Costco or you get the TV at Walmart or you order it online then you’re going to get the exact same model make in br anded product. Auto insurance is a lot more complicated than that and unfortunately, a lot of people are sort of falling into that trap in assuming it’s all the same.
Let me give you the right and the correct answer to [unintelligible 02:25 – 02:25] car insurance, it’s not just you go online, r andomly pick the least expensive number. What you wanna do is you wanna work with an independent agent or broker. And the reason for that is independent agents or brokers have the ability to actually shop around for you. So they’ll actually go to the open market and they’ll check with all the top insurance companies and then they’ll come back and they’ll say “ok this company will give us this coverage, and this price. This company will give us this coverage and that price”. And then another show will talk about different coverages and why it actually makes a difference that we’re just talking about saving money in this particular case, the agent will be able come to you and say “this is the best price that we’re able to find for you with the coverages that you need.” And it’s almost always going to be the, the best options for you versus r andomly going online and just picking number out of h and.
Maureen: Alright, I can tell you that I, being the generic person that I am and having pick a r andom number [unintelligible 03:20 – 03:20] internet that I haven’t even spoken with an insurance agent except for the one time I had a call because I forgot my lock and password. So –
Karl: Shame on you.
Maureen: I don’t know all the details, any of the information, what’s covered, what’s not so there is definitely [unintelligible 03:27 – 03:27] it’s not the only [unintelligible 03:39 – 03:39] using an insurance agent.
Karl: Right. For sure. You know the thing is that I have to just correct you because it’s like, it hurts my brain. We pronounce it insurance not insurance. I don’t know why it was just one of my [unintelligible 03:50 – 03:50] So I have to get that correct from you or it’s gonna drive me crazy.
Maureen: In – one more time.
Karl: Insurance. There’s no –
Maureen: Insurance.
Karl: There’s no emphasis on Insurance.
Maureen: [Laughing]
Karl: What can I tell you? Let that be my [unintelligible 04:05 – 04:05] right. Alright.
Maureen: Got it.
Karl: So the first thing is when you’re looking to save money on car insurance, go to independent agent or broker, have them do the shopping for you because you’re getting the added bonus of a person, you’re going to get a better rate, and most importantly you’re going to know what you have and what you’re going to have and advocate for your going forward. So that’s the first thing.
The second thing is, a lot of times people are carrying a deductible on their vehicles, deductibles for the physical damage for their vehicles. You sometimes prefer to [unintelligible 04:33 – 04:33] or collision other than collision. And that’s basically the amount of money you’re going to pay to fix your car in the event of the accident. You’ve heard of that with that sort of terminology you’re used to hearing?
Maureen: Yes [unintelligible 04:47 – 04:47] collision as what I used to hearing.
Karl: So, normally there is a deductible. People will carry a deductible from $250 to $500 sometimes. And here’s a little secret for you, well, let me give you the obvious first. You assume that the higher the deductible, the lower the premium, and the lower the deductible, the higher the premium, right? Which makes sense if you’re going to be out of pocketing more in the event of an accident, then the premium you’re paying all along will be less and vice-versa. That makes sense, right?
Maureen: Right.
Karl: Okay. So everyone said well I want a large deductible. But I don’t necessarily want to have be out of pocketing that much money in the event of an accident. So here comes the magic. Did you know, did you know, I have wish i have sound effects, maybe I can get some of my sound effects, drum roll. But did you know that the only time that you would be responsible for the deductible on your vehicle would be in the event you have an accident that was your fault?
Maureen: No, I did not know that. I thought that your deductible is your deductible, is your fault or somebody else’s, you still have to pay all of that out before you get the initial amount.
Karl: That’s what everybody thinks but let me explain it to you.
Maureen: Yeah.
Karl: So, let’s say you have an accident with somebody and let’s assume again that’s not your fault. So what’s going to happen is the damage to your vehicle is your vehicle is going to get fixed and the other insurance company insuring the person you have an accident with is going to have to pay for. Make sense, right?
Maureen: Right.
Karl: Now let’s also, let’s assume that you have an accident and the other car doesn’t have insurance. Then there’s a specific coverage that we can add on to your auto insurance it’s called waiver of collision which basically says in the event you have an accident and the other person does not have an insurance, they will wave your deductibles. So you don’t pay and being out of pocket. Your insurance company simply fixes the car. So whether the other car you have an accident with has insurance or not, you’re not paying for the deductible for your car. The only time you would be responsible for that would be in the event you have an accident and the accident is your fault, then you will be responsible for that deductible. So knowing that, if you think you’re a good driver, right?
Maureen: Right.
Karl: You more likely will be able to go with a higher deductible now because you figure well. If it’s my fault, ok I’ll have to st and that money for the deductible. But if it’s not my fault, it doesn’t matter what my deductible is.
Maureen: Absolutely with a higher deductible knowing all of that, yeah.
Karl: And it makes sense. A lot of people don’t realize that and they think that, like you said that all deductibles are deductibles and I have to pay it [unintelligible 07:19 – 07:19] Incidentally knows good insurance company is if the accident is not your fault, not only will they repair your car and wave your deductible, but they’ll turn around and go back to the other insurance company for the person driving the other car and then they’ll subrogate, meaning they’re going to collect the money they pay to fix your car to reimburse themselves in. And once they have done that then they won’t even have to charge you to a higher premium for having been involve in an accident.
Maureen: Wow.
Karl: That’s another important thing to be aware of the all insurance company is not created equal. Some of them will say “it’s not just our process or we don’t go, or we don’t spend the time and the money to [unintelligible 07:57 – 07:57] or money, we’ll just trace the premium that you’re paying instead.” But the better companies, they wanna be able to maintain a better rate for you so the way they do that is by subrogating and going to the other insurance company for the other driver and collecting the money back.
Maureen: That’s awesome.
Karl: That’s the way –
Maureen: [unintelligible 08:16 – 08:17] information, I had no idea. It’s awesome.
Karl: You see, miss generic person, now you know, you’ve learned something else. Another thing –
Maureen: I’m becoming less and less generic as we go on.
Karl: That’s right. Now you’re going to become the insurance guru. Another tip that I can give is a lot, is people need to fondle together their auto insurance with their property insurance. Now I say property insurance because a lot of people think that it’s just home and auto, home and auto, that’s what they have trained to hear from all of the messages. Bundle your home and auto together and save money. Well it’s not just home owners insurance. You can usually get a discount on your auto insurance by bundling together your home insurance, if you own a condominium your condominium insurance. Even if you’re a renter, and you’re renting an apartment, you can bundle your renter’s insurance along with your auto insurance, and you can save money on both of those policies as well.
Maureen: That’s something else I definitely didn’t know either of each. Right now I have my car covered to one organization or one company [unintelligible 09:16 – 09:16] insurance completely somewhere else. I thought you have to own your home or you own your property that it could be rental combined as well.
Karl: Alright, that’s what most people think. They think the only discount is available of your home owner but it’s not. You can be a condominium owner, you can be a tenant and an apartment building. And if you bundle that together, you’re going to have the benefit of a discount there. And again, some of the better companies they won’t just give you a discount on your auto insurance, they’ll give you a discount on the auto insurance and on the property insurance, whether be a home owner or a condo or renter’s policies. So you’re really be able to double the discount on both ends.
Maureen: [unintelligible 09:50 – 09:50] discount.
Karl: Tada! That’s right. Everybody –
Maureen: Yeah.
Karl: Everybody loves to save money and if you’re looking –
Maureen: Absolutely.
Karl: If there’s a way to do it, we’ll find it. The last little tip I want to give you today is since we’re talking about discounts is to let you know that you can find discounts for your car insurance that you probably didn’t know existed. There is no st andardized formula or name for different auto insurance discounts. You hear good driver, excellent driver, prefer driver, extreme driver, those are all discounts, but they’re just marketing names that different insurance companies that come out with for that with the exception in California [unintelligible 10:27 – 10:28] good driver doesn’t have definitions based on California proposition 103 many years ago. But having said that, you can get discounts for everything. From being a college graduate to being with a certain profession, to being a member to a credit union. You can even get a discount with certain carriers that I know of if you’re a member of a college alumni association. There’s even a company that I know that would give you a discount in the event that you’re a civil servant, meaning if you work for government agencies, they’ll only give you a discount if you have a family member that works for a government agencies.
Maureen: Wow.
Karl: So there are –
Maureen: I –
Karl: Go ahead.
Maureen: The discount that you’re naming nobody has ever named those stuffs to me before. It’s all we hear in the driver, great driver, maybe [unintelligible 11:19 – 11:19] but never the discounts that you’re listing right now.
Karl: Yeah, good driver discounts and good student discount that’s another issues. Well if you’re a full-time college student there’s discounts out there if you’re a 3.0-grader discount student, there’s a discount for that 3.5. I mean, again, there’s no st andardization for it. Whatever one particular insurance company says is going to be a discount, they can offer that and they do. This is another reason why it’s important to go to an independent agent or broker because once you’ve give them your personal information, they can say “ah, you’re this, you’re this, you’re this, I know a company that would give you discounts for that”. And they can turn around to get your rate that’s probably better than you were finding just go online by yourself and [unintelligible 11:59 – 11:59] around. So –
Maureen: That’s definitely nobody online just gonna ask that kind of personal information when it’s just computerized. Well, another benefit of speaking to a human being.
Karl: There you go, I agree, I agree. Well listen, those are the tips for today that I wanted to go over for saving money on car insurance. If you have other questions or you wanted to talk about anything more specific about discounts or maybe you would talk about some companies and what their discounts are, we can do that in another show.
Maureen: Excellent.
Karl: But if you have any questions in general about the discounts that I’ve talked about, or do you have any other questions in general about discounts for car insurance?
Maureen: We know it. My only question will be [unintelligible 12:36 – 12:37] and finding me for more discounts?
Karl: There you go. And you can think [unintelligible 12:41 – 12:41] to say that. So perfect, right?
Maureen: [Laughing]
Karl: We will definitely do that for you, we’ll definitely do that for you. Well again, thank you everyone, thank you everyone for listening and thanks for subscribing to our podcast –
Maureen: Yeah, thank you.
Karl: And we will walk with you, we’ll talk next week.
Maureen: Sounds great.
Karl: Thanks.
END [13:13]
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Stop Seeking Clarity – It’s Right Here

Insurance.

Simply defined, it is:

  1. a :  the business of insuring persons or property
  2. b :  coverage by contract whereby one party undertakes to indemnify or guarantee another against loss by a specified contingency or peril
  3. c :  the sum for which something is insured

  4. 2 :  a means of guaranteeing protection or safety <the contract is your insurance against price changes>

(Merriam-Webster, 2016)

Again, that is just the simple definition.

For some of us that is just a bill we automatically pay each month or a deduction that comes immediately out of our paychecks.  For others, it is a lifeline and security for the future.  For all of us, it is extremely important.

Sometimes it is difficult to know which policy is the right policy.

Do you have what seems like endless questions regarding insurance coverage?

You are not alone.

You are not the only person to wonder about the who, what, when, where, why, and how?

Who needs insurance?  Who do I talk to about coverage?

What are the types of insurance?  What do I need to do to get insured?  What will it take to get the coverage I need?  What are the best rates?

When do I need to get life insurance?  When will my policy become active?

Where do I find a reliable insurance broker?  Where can I compare rates?  Where is my money going?

Why is insurance so important?

How much is insurance?  How do I know I will be approved?  How long before my coverage begins?

The questions seem endless and it all can be so confusing.

However, the right insurance agent already has the answers and can take the infinite list and narrow it down to just a few simple statements.  Education is the key to choosing the right policy/policies for you and your loved ones.  The types and varieties of insurance policies are almost infinite.  They include different features, coverage, and most definitely, costs.  It takes a certain amount of research – and patience – to find the right policies.  This is not something that you can go into blindly or just haphazardly sign on the dotted line without being completely educated.  The best thing to do is NOT go at it alone.  Yes, spend the time educating yourself, but also invest in partnering with an insurance agent – that you trusts and make you feel comfortable.  This partnership can last a life time and greatly decrease the amount of confusion and stress that can surround the purchasing of various insurance policies.
A competent and successful independent insurance agent can and will provide you with clarity, information, quotes, and a policy.  Please contact us today.  We have all of your insurance needs covered.

Time to find some clarity
Time to find some clarity

 

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Discounts Everywhere

Do you like discounts?  I know I do!  In fact, I don’t now anyone that doesn’t like to save money!  There are numerous factors that can determine the type of discounts you are eligible to receive on your car insurance.  Your gender, age, location, and driving record are the most common discounts that most of us either know about, hear about, and/or currently receive.  However, the majority of us out there have no idea how many other discounts are available – and if we don’t know about them, then we can’t ask about them, and then we can’t receive them!

You can potentially get discounts for – age, gender, location, driving record, driving training courses, multiple vehicles, policy bundling, being a good student, maintaining low mileage, having a low-risk profession, having a public service career, holding a degree in a specifc occupation, have memberships to  auto clubs, credit unions, alumni organizations ( and more), bing in the military, being a federal employee, paying your policy in full – and SO MUCH MORE.

That is nowhere near an all encompassing list of potential discounts.  Speak to your insurance agent as soon as possible and see how much money you could be saving with all these “hidden” discounts!

 

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Keeping Your Home Safe

Our previous blog was about protecting and keeping your children safe on Halloween.  There is something else you need to keep safe as well – your home.  Whether you stay home to h and-out c andy or join your kids in the neighborhood, you still need to take steps to keep you home out of harm’s way as much as you can.  It is unfortunate that property crime increases on Halloween, but you can still try to decreases the incidences.

Start by reviewing your insurance.  You want to make sure you are covered in the event of v andalism or burglary – the two mist popular crimes on Halloween.  If something happens, you will want that policy to be updated well in advance.  You also want to review your car insurance policy. If you park your car outside, it is worth it to make sure you are protected from v andalism to your vehicle.

Don’t turn-off all your lights.  Some people do this to let other know they aren’t h anding out c andy.  Other do it when they leave to take the kids out.  Either way, leave a light and television on to make people think someone is home.  A couple of rings of the doorbell might be annoying, but not as much as a break-in would be.  Yes – break-ins happen all the time on Halloween, because there are so many people walking around that hardly anyone notices what is going on. KEEP LIGHTS ON!

Stay off of social media.  Announcing where you will be and when gives criminals the perfect opportunity to find you or your empty home.

We hope you have a safe and happy night!

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Trick-or-Treat Safety

Halloween will be here in three days. I remember when I was younger, I would count down the days until I would be able to show-off my costume at school and then spend the evening filling a pillowcase with c andy from the house around my neighborhood. While Halloween doesn’t seem to be the same huge event as it was during my day, there are still tons of families that celebrate and take their children trick-or-treating. Now, more than ever, it is important to plan ahead and keep you children safe and always have a chaperone.

You can protect your children and allow them to have fun by starting with a safe costume that fits. Make sure it has some sort of reflective capabilities so it can be seen a night – especially by drivers. You always want to opt for face paint over a mask and make sure your child can see clearly. For extra safety, have everyone carry a flashlight.

While walking the neighborhoods, always cross in the appropriate areas and look both ways – multiple times. Make sure kids stay on the sidewalks or walking paths and consider putting a temporary ban on all electronic devices to keep eyes and heads up and alert.

If you opt to drive through the neighborhood, stay off your phone and watch the road. Children can be unpredictable and dart into the street at any time. Go slow and use hazards if needed. Drive on the correct side of the road and avoid blocking any entrances or exits.

It is VERY possible to be safe and have a great time!

halloween_safety

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Plan and Prepare

There are numerous ways you can plan, prepare, and do to ensure a long and healthy life.

*Eat healthy – Veggies, fruit, whole grains, lean protein, low fat dairy *Find a physical activity – CrossFit, basketball, football, baseball, running, kickboxing, boot camp, muai thai, MMA or other martial arts, even walking with a friend on a consistent basis). Pick one. *Find your bliss or mix and match – he options are endless. *Put your head in a good place mentally – the power of positive thinking; what you believe you attract *Choose happiness – no matter what life throws at you, choose to find a piece of good in all things

New information is thrown at us daily in regards to ways we can learn about new tricks to staying healthy and living a long life.  However, sometimes, fate steps in and takes the reins for a moment or two, often mangling our plans in extreme ways. There’s nothing you can do to stop the inevitable, but you can plan appropriately. Again, the key word being PLAN.

We know that it is hard for some people to be comfortable with the idea of purchasing life insurance. Knowing the inevitable can still be a hard pill to swallow – but you have to.

You can do everything possible to live a healthy life, but you still have to take the extra steps to protect yourself and more importantly, protect your family.

Life insurance, disability insurance, critical illness insurance ( and more) are all polices you should make part of your entire plan. Knowing you are living a healthy life isn’t enough to plan and prepare for the future. Financial planning and protection must be part of your daily health plan as well.

Plan and Prepare
Plan and Prepare
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Protected Traveler

Summer is long over and most of our travel and vacations have come to an end.

For now.

Holiday travel is quickly approaching. Some trips might just be a drive down the street, while other holiday travel might take you to another country.

Do you know if you need travel insurance?

Do you know why you need travel insurance?

Travel insurance can minimize financial risks associated with travel – especially out of the country. Often times the minute we leave US soil, health insurance says goodbye and you are on your own if you get sick or injured. Travel insurance can help protect you in instances of accident, illness, missed flights, canceled tours, lost baggage, theft, terrorism, travel-company bankruptcies, emergency evacuation, and getting your body home if you die. For some travelers, getting travel insurance is a no-brainer and something they do for every trip. For others, it is something they pass-up without hesitation, thinking “nothing will happen to me.” This isn’t a scare tactic to force you into getting travel insurance. We just want to educate you on why it might be beneficial. Are you willing to take certain risks when you spent a ton of money on a big trip?

Getting travel insurance through Susman Insurance is easy. You can speak to us directly or get a quote online. All we need to know is your destination, departure date, return date, age of travelers, zip code, trip costs, and the type of product (insurance) you need. EASY!

Everybody loves to travel and deserves the peace of mind knowing that even on vacation, you are protected.

Travel-Insurance-blogpost-1-iStock_000057048704_Medium-400x259

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Increase Productivity

We have all heard the saying “Work Smarter, Not Harder.”

Yeah.  Easier said than done.

We all want to be more productive and more successful, but how do we do that without working a million ours a week and forfeiting a huge chunk (if not all) of our social life?

Maybe these tips will help:

 

Once you have all the information you need, make small decisions in less than 60 seconds

Check email in the afternoon so you protect the peak energy hours of your mornings for your best work.

Set clear, well-defined deadlines for your projects.

Stop waiting for perfect conditions to launch a great project.

Mess creates stress.  Clean out the clutter in your office to get more done.

Say goodbye to the energy vampires in your life (the negative souls who steal your enthusiasm).

Win the battle of the bed- put mind over mattress.

Turn off the TV.

Knock your worst task out first thing, and clear it from your stack of work

Don’t do so many meetings.

Don’t say yes to every request.

Get into your absolute best physical condition – it creates explosive energy and focus

Drink more water.

Delegate.

Stop working overtime.

Use your commute time – listen to books on audio, podcasts and learning programs.

Get things right the first time.

If it’s not absolutely necessary, take it off of your to-do list.

Get lost – don’t be so available to everyone.

At the end of the day, laser in on one final task, finish it, then call it quits.

Review your progress each day and find ways to improve.

Sleep.

 

Productive

Sources:

www.robinsharma.com

www.inc.com

 

 

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No More 9-5

Our lives change daily and sometimes super-fast and dramatically. It isn’t as ‘easy’ as it was back in the day. The 9-5 lifestyle of the man working and the woman at home has changed. Yes, it still happens, but it is not as common as it once was. It has become more common for both parents to work outside the home, because of the increase in the cost of living and the need to cover all expenses. Trying to cover basic needs can be overwhelming. Keeping a roof over your head, gas in the car and food in the fridge is a herculean task in itself, let alone trying to afford private school tuition for your kids or paying off college loans or even simply building up the savings account so you can cover unexpected costs like repairs for your car.

Imagine if you didn’t have all the income you needed to cover all your expenses. Imagine of you were suddenly left without the second income – or worse, left without your spouse due to a sudden and unexpected death. The stress of thinking how hard that would be on your loved ones is why we talk so often about the importance of having a life insurance policy that will support your family when you die. There is a lot of comfort in knowing your family won’t have to struggle through a financial mess, that your kids will be taken care of, that your small business will still survive.

There are plenty of options when it comes to your life insurance. We offer a very personalized service – as personalized as you want. Whether you speak to use directly purchase online, we hope you get a life insurance policy sooner rather than later.

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