Personal – Susman

April 15, 2017

Insurance Fun Facts

We don’t always want to be serious and beat a dead horse about how much we want you to have the right insurance policies and always keep them updated!

We also like fun stuff – we promise! Check-out these super silly insurance-related facts we found on the wonderful internet – some of them might be worth your time to explore further. The stories that go along with the facts a quite interesting and entertaining!

The Padres have signed the same h andicapped ball player 20 years in row so he doesn’t lose his health insurance. San Diego has signed former left-h ander Matt LaChappa to a minor league deal each year since 1996, when LaChappa suffered a heart attack while warming up in the bullpen for a Class-A game.

Top and bottom. Ugly Betty star America Ferrera had had her teeth insured by her sponsor, Aquafresh, for $10,000,000 while Jennifer Lo has insured her butt for $27,000,000.

A French man, Max Herve-George, has an insurance policy that lets him trade stocks based on last week’s prices. It has been called the stupidest contract ever signed, and may end up with him owning the insurance company.

Dolly Parton first insured her famous 40DD breasts in the 1970’s for the then princely sum of $ 600,000.

The Apollo Astronauts, unable to qualify for life insurance and not insured by NASA, resorted to ‘insurance autographs’, signing just before launch in the expectation that the value would skyrocket in the event of their deaths.

Hiding behind teeth lies the tongue, and Gene Simmons, bassist for 70’s b and, Kiss, once insured his for $1,000,000.

Iran eliminated its kidney transplant waiting list by incentivizing unrelated donors with financial compensation and health insurance.

Coffee taster Gennaro Pelliccia has had his taste buds insured for $10 million by employer Costa Coffee.

Amish refuse to pay the premium or accept the benefits of social security.

No insurance company will underwrite Jackie Chan’s productions.

Hawaii has required employers to pay health insurance benefits to employees who work 20 hours or more per week since 1975.

“Lord of the Dance” Michael Flatley insured his legs for $40 million.

Japanese life insurance will pay, even if you commit suicide. One of many reasons for the high suicide rate in Japan.

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Sources:

25 Interesting Facts About Insurance

http://trafalgar-intl.com/interesting-weird- and-quite-possibly-useless-insurance-facts/

January 30, 2017

Love Your Heart

February is quickly approaching and it’s American Heart Month!

While the month is close to being over, thoughts of forgetting about heart health should be far from your mind. After all, there is a direct link between your heart health and your life insurance coverage.

Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women?
To better underst and the status of your current heart condition, first schedule an appointment with a medical professional. It is always best to know the medical facts first. After your doctor visit, consider making the following changes:

1. Increase or add exercise to your daily routine
2. Cook heart-healthy meals and avoid BAD FOODS
3. Stop smoking
4. Underst and the medication that you take and learn how it affects your heart
5. Avoid high-stress situations

That list can go on and on, but the one item that the majority of the people seem to have questions about concerns a heart-healthy diet.

Take the following advice under consideration:
1. Plan a healthy menu ahead of time and only buy food for those meals
2. Always control portion size. Use smaller sizes of plates and bowls, eat slowly, and never stuff yourself. Eat larger portions of smaller calories/healthy foods and smaller portions of high calorie foods.
3. Limit how much bad fat you consume
4. Load up on vegetables and be careful about eating too much fruit
5. Choose whole grains
6. Add more fiber
7. Eat proteins that are lower in fat
8. Dramatically reduce your sodium intake
9. Be careful about which condiments you use – READ LABLES
10. There is no such thing as a cheat day!
11. Allow yourself to have a treat (not every day), but don’t go overboard

Don’t forget that while February focuses on heart health, there are still eleven other months in the year where you should be treating your heart with as much love as possible. Changes in lifestyle, diet, and exercise can help make your heart the strongest it has ever been. Commit now to a healthy lifestyle that includes preventative measures to keep your heart healthy, your life long, and your premiums low.

January 23, 2017

American Dream

How would you describe the American Dream?

By definition, it is the ideal that every citizen of the United States should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. The terms was originally coined in 1931 by writer and historian James Truslow in Epic of America. He wrote:
“The American Dream is that dream of a l and in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”

There are so many opportunities available to you for your own American Dream. Is what you have now what you dreamed it would be?
Regardless of the path you chose or are currently choosing in pursuit of your personal American Dream, you want to make sure you include insurance coverage and protection. For example, a big part of many people’s dream is to become a homeowner. You pinch pennies, tighten the budget, and save-save-save – finally you buy a home!!

Immediately – Get Homeowners Insurance! Homeowner’s insurance is a specific type of property insurance that protects your home against damages or to your possessions in the home. It also provides liability coverage against accidents in the home or on your property. So, if your buddy drinks a little too much, trips over your dog, and falls down the stairs – you are protected! However, ‘acts of god,’ war, aliens, earthquakes, floods, zombies, and many others are not covered and you may have to seek different policies for some of those items. You can’t just pick any homeowners policy. There are seven forms of homeowners insurance that offer various levels of protection depending on your needs. The best way to choose your level of coverage is to work with you insurance agent. They can evaluate your needs as a homeowner and recommend the best level of coverage.

There is so much more of your dream to protect than just your home. Evaluate where you are – where you are going – where you want to be – and get that insurance so your American Dream stays protected!

January 13, 2017

Think Before You Act

I watched a report on television tonight about drugs and alcohol abuse. It wasn’t just one of those statistical reports that spouted off mindless numbers and socioeconomic causes. The show interviewed numerous different people:

Current addicts
Former addicts
People currently in rehab centers
People in hospitals due to permanent damage from substance abuse
People in jail due to killing someone because of substance abuse
Friends, family, and loved ones affected by users/abusers

I have experienced people I love go down the road of addiction. Sometimes an intervention worked and other times it didn’t. This show reminded me of that. It was painful and sad to watch, but also a major eye opener. Addiction or abuse of drugs and alcohol aren’t the only issues that plague the health and wellbeing of those closest to us. A loved one that you knew at one time could have been perfectly healthy and on the right track and the next thing you know, they have made a sudden decision that altered their life forever. While abusing drugs and alcohol is no joke, this sudden shift from the right track to the wrong one can be the unfortunate case in some many other aspects in life. It only takes one small movement or ripple to cause a massive wave in our own lives and in the lives of those around us. Sometimes we fail to look at the big picture and don’t truly underst and cause and effect.

Take a minute to reevaluate the decisions you think you are going to make today or don’t be so quick to leap before looking. Your life is so much more important than that – and so much more important to those that love you than you can ever imagine.

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December 30, 2016

New Year Update

As humans, people, consumers, etc… We love to constantly update our life status, as well as be up-to-date on the latest and greatest. It can be the newest cell phones, techno-gadgets, movies, and fashion – whatever. We like to appear to our social universe as being interesting, exciting, fresh, and new. It is a competition of who can post and update first or who can get the newest ‘it’ item. Nobody wants to finish last or be left behind. It is all about the update!

Do you know what else needs to be updated?
Your insurance policies.

The start of the year is always a good time to review all of your polices and make any necessary changes. However, it is almost entering the third month of the year – have no fear! There is still plenty of time to update, but don’t procrastinate.
I know a woman that updates her policies almost a dozen times per year. She is always reviewing coverage to ensure that it matches with her current coverage needs and lifestyle. Marriage, divorce, children, pets, change of job, business ownership, and health – all of these events create a change in insurance policies. She consistently updates, because she knows that as life goes through changes, the amount and type of coverage for each policy must also change.

Have you made any major purchases? Save your receipts and educate yourself on inflation and exchange rates (for items purchased overseas) and how those might affect the value of your items and the replacement value as well. On the other side, be aware of insured items that have potentially depreciated. You don’t want to be paying a ton of extra money for being over-insured.
Did you do any major home renovations? Added solar panels? Updated your security system? Yes – you need to update!

Don’t get discourage or confused and feel like you have to go at this alone. Yes, there is plenty of information you can find on the internet, but our recommendation is to contact your agent and allow them to assist. Updating isn’t a difficult process, but it is an important one that deserve a lot of attention to detail. The right changes can save you money – now and in the future.

NOW might be a good time to review and update all your policies and make sure everything is still in alignment with your lifestyle. Then you can be the first among your friends to brag and update your social status!

December 26, 2016

Only Human

Things in our lives are constantly evolving, changing. It’s inevitable. There are many people who crack under the pressure and stress of change, making complicated situations even worse and slowing the growth process.

We currently have numerous opportunities afforded to us that our ancestors quite possibly couldn’t even comprehend. I think those “perks” make the wheels of change turn even faster than they once did. Life is fast-paced and hectic. We often convince ourselves that we have the strength and endurance of superhero. Certainly we can argue that we’re all superhero material in our own way, but we still have to remind ourselves that failure can and will happen. We are only human after all. Sometimes change comes in the form of a sudden event – illness, car accident or any event that can turn life upside-down in the blink of an eye. When those moments strike, we don’t want you worrying about ANYTHING other than getting back on your feet.

Take a moment and look at life insurance through a different lens. Buying life insurance doesn’t have to be stressful. We underst and the struggles of comparing life insurance companies and policies, because we’ve been there. It can be confusing and frustrating, which is why we are here for you now. We wanted to make it easy for you to feel financially protected and we have done just that. We can offer protection whether you’re old or young, sick or healthy, male or female, gay or straight, married or single.

No matter what, we’ve got you covered.
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December 19, 2016

Fur Baby Love

We love our fur babies. Chances are if you have one, you love yours as well. Pets are members of the family. They play the role of child, companion, therapist, and best friend. There isn’t much we wouldn’t do for those cute, furry little effaces with suck-you-in- and-wrap-you-around-their-paw-eyes. So we say.

What happens when a major medical issue occurs and now you have a vet bill that is large enough to purchase a small isl and? Would you and are you willing to spend the money to help heal your pet?

About a decade ago, I learned about health insurance for my pets. Just like my own health insurance, I was able to pay each month and get a portion of pet expenses covered each time I took them to the veterinarian. Basically I was able to get coverage for my dog that included accident and illness plans reimburse a high percentage of my vet bill. The best part? I was able to choose any licensed veterinarian, specialist or emergency center anywhere in the world. I was also able to purchase routine care coverage to help pay for annual checkups, dental cleanings, and so much more.

I have to admit that at first it made me laugh that pet insurance existed. I know I said that my dogs were always a part of the family, but prior to a decade ago, I never associated pets with insurance. However, once brought to my attention, it made perfect sense. Just like humans, pets are at risk of injury, illness, and death. I purchased my own various and affordable policies from my insurance agent and was able to do the exact same thing with the pet insurance. The same great coverage and inexpensive rates made purchasing the policy so easy.

There are so many different types of insurance, but the one that every dog owner (or animal of choice) should consider is for pets. For me personally, it felt good knowing that not only was I providing extra protection for my dogs, but also protection for my budget and finances.

I highly recommend discussing a pet insurance policy with your agent and your veterinarian.

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November 28, 2016

Cyber Monday

Welcome to Cyber Monday – a newer holiday season shopping tradition where rather than in-store door-buster deals, you can find crazy deals online at many your favorite online retailers. Because so much shopping will take pace online today, it is very important to protect yourself, your credit card information, and to know how to shop like a pro.

– Prepare by setting up all your accounts ahead of time on the sites that you know you want to shop. All your information will be ready and this will decrease the number of clicks you must make during your check-out… and could help you get the item before someone else takes it from the inventory.

– Look for deals and special codes on social media. There are tons of exclusive discounts

– Make sure you really consider the ‘deal.’ The item might look like the item you want for a great price, but it could very well be a secondary style made with cheaper parts. Double check specifications and model numbers. Always make sure that what you think it is, is really what you want.

– Protect your purchase and identity by using a credit card rather than a debit card

– Double check the discounts to make sure it really exists on your exact item

– Only shop on legitimate websites and save all receipts, emails, and tracking info for all purchases

– Look for cashback, bounce back, and points programs to save you more money in the future.

Everyone has their own style of online shopping. We hope you find all the deals you are looking for an if you come across anything super amazing, please send it our way!

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November 11, 2016

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.

November 7, 2016

Stop Seeking Clarity – It’s Right Here

Insurance.

Simply defined, it is:

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

Insurance Fun Facts

Insurance Fun Facts

Love Your Heart

American Dream

Think Before You Act

New Year Update

Only Human

Fur Baby Love

Cyber Monday

Protecting What’s Valuable

Stop Seeking Clarity – It’s Right Here

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Specialty Products

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