help – Susman

August 27, 2013

Headed Out West

Many people have called insurance the necessary evil. No one wants to pay for insurance, but everyone has to. Whether you are speaking about medical insurance or automobile insurance, insurance is quite necessary. If you don’t think so, stop making your premium payments on your medical insurance, and then take a trip to the doctor’s office. Please don’t look surprised when the receptionist asks for more than your usual $10.00 co-pay.

Yes, we all need insurance. I don’t think anyone needs insurance more than the people that live in the state of California. California is an insurance haven. There is earthquake related insurance. There is fire insurance (this is very necessary because at some point in your life in California a brush fire is going to threaten your home).

In California you need travel insurance because nothing is close in proximity. If you live in Los Angeles you will needed health insurance because the smog is going to get you.

While on the subject of Los Angeles we might as well discuss auto insurance, because no one there can drive, but everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere. While on the subject of traffic I have to pose a rhetorical question: How is it that the 2^nd largest city in America has road construction going on constantly, but the traffic never improves. This is just a little something that boggles my mind.

I hate to keep picking on Los Angeles, but Santa Monica doesn’t register on the insurance Richter scale like Los Angeles. With that being said, if you live anywhere near South Central Los Angeles, you will need life insurance. Don’t be surprised if the premiums are a little higher than normal. You will soon find out why.

Back to earthquakes; why in the world are people literally making plans on retiring to a state in which the ground moves; frequently! No, really, the ground moves! Maybe, I am not being clear enough, the ground moves. In fact, if I was out there I would need extra health insurance because I would be consumed with postulating when the state will fall into the ocean. Who makes predictions like that anyway? Imagine, you are watching the news and the weather guy says, “Today we have sunny skies and no chance of rain. You can expect the high to be around 92, and by the way, look for the state to total fall off into the ocean. Are you kidding me?

How many parents couldn’t get their kids to go to school after something like that?

The truth is that California is an awesome state and next to San Francisco, Los Angeles is my favorite city to visit there, but even in a gorgeous state like California things happen. No, no one wants to give a company money on a just in case scenario, but the alternative is definitely not a good one.

So, we will have to learn how to fork over the cash and smile, because when that accident happens or that surgery is needed, we will be thinking, “Man, I am so glad I got this insurance.” It is always better to be safe than it is to be sorry.

June 27, 2013

Yes, It Can Wait!

We’ve all seen people doing crazy things while they’re driving. We’ve seen makeup applied, coffee sipped, s andwiches eaten, even clothes being changed, all while someone is maneuvering a three-ton vehicle down a road at 65 miles-per-hour. It would be funny if it weren’t so dangerous.

But those things pale in comparison to watching someone trying to talk or text on a cell phone while driving. It doesn’t matter how many multi-tasking championship belts you’ve won, no one can effectively text and drive while tooling down the 405 without putting other people at risk.

No one.

The right car insurance can make all the difference if you have a claim.

The stats don’t lie. Check out these nuggets:

Distractions caused by drivers using h and-held devices make them 4 times more likely to be in an injury-causing accident.

Using a cell phone while driving lowers the brain activity used for driving by 37 percent.

Sending or receiving a texts requires a driver to take his eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds. This means that at 55 miles-per-hour, a person can drive the length of a football field and never look at the road.

In short, using a cell phone while driving makes you deaf, dumb and blind. So just drive, will ya?

June 20, 2013

Life Insurance is Magic

I think life insurance is pure magic. I bought life insurance for myself several years ago so I could better protect my family in the event that I should die. Some life insurances do not have an accumulation of cash benefit and others do. I have been paying into my life insurance policy for some time now, and when I need extra money, there it is, just like magic.

I knew that after I have had the policy for a while, I could make a loan against this life insurance policy. The money from my life insurance policy is there when I need it. I do have to pay back the funds I borrow or I will get less when I really need the policy.

• Funds for a new home

• Funds for home repairs

• Funds for the kids for college

• Funds for emergency medical bills

• Funds to pay off the home

• Funds for a trip

Life Insurance is like magic. One minute there is no money the next there can be a TON of it!

The extra funds from my life insurance policy show up just like magic to take care of immediate needs. Life insurance policies are not just for the end of life. A life insurance policy can protect you when you need extra cash.

Just like magic, it is there to pay for the end of life expenses.

June 12, 2013

Why I love insurance

If you have bought a new car or a new home in the past few months and have had some kind of damage happen to it, then you know the love that some have for insurance. An insurance policy is deigned to help repair your belongings if they are ever damaged in an accident or storm. Below are some other reasons why insurance is a great thing to own.

The Benefits of Insurance

Insurance covers medical costs for people to visit the doctor. It can also help pay for the expensive procedures that come up from time to time.
The policy can pay for damages to your car or help replace the car if it is ever totaled.
The premiums you pay go into a larger pool of money that is held until you have a claim. It is like a savings account.
It can help cover the costs associated with the end of life. Things that can be covered are funeral costs, burial costs, hospital bills and many other expensive details.

An insurance policy only makes sense when you consider what it can do for you. Some things in life are very expensive and if you are not prepared the expenses can set you back financially for many years. Take the time and go over your life situation and make sure that everything is covered the way it should be.

June 5, 2013

Why I Love My Insurance Agent

Why do I love my insurance agent?

What’s not to love?

First of all, it is not easy being an insurance agent. Any insurance agent must care deeply about their families to go through the prospecting, presentations and many, many, many rejections. These people got Moxi and I love it.

Then you have to take into account they are survivors. They have been taken on by a whole host of virtual alternatives including a green lizard and a pale, slightly plump gal named Flo, and they keep on keepin’ on. What’s not to love?

I also love them because they know a language of their own. It’s not quite pig-Latin but it is close. Beneficiaries, actuaries, loss mitigation, and mortality tables all just bring a flutter to my heart. Whisper them and I’m yours.

Mainly I love them because through all of this, they are the heroes when it comes time to helping a family that is going through a very dark time. I love them because they provide financial help when a car accident occurs, when there is a house fire, when medical issues arise, or even when a loved one passes on. They are a beacon of hope to help in a desperate time.

The next time you deal with an insurance agent, remember that they are trying to help you. You may just begin to love them as much as I do.

April 17, 2013

Shopping for a safe car

Not only do vehicles vary in size and color, they can also vary in safety.

There are still important safety differences, and some vehicles are safer than others. Many automakers offer safety features beyond the required federal minimums. The following safety features should be considered when purchasing a car:

Crashworthiness

These features reduce the risk of death or serious injury when a crash occurs. You can get a rating of crashworthiness from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Web site (http://www.highwaysafety.org).

Vehicle structural design

A good structural design has a strong occupant compartment, known as the safety cage, as well as front and rear ends designed to buckle and bend in a crash to absorb the force of the crash. These crush zones should keep damage away from the safety cage because once the cage starts to collapse, the likelihood of injury increases rapidly.

Vehicle size and weight

The laws of physics dictate that larger and heavier cars are safer than lighter and smaller ones. Small cars have twice as many occupant deaths each year as large cars. In crashes involving smaller and larger vehicles, heavier vehicles drive lighter ones backwards, decreasing the forces inside the heavier car and increasing them in the lighter car.

Restraint systems

Belts, airbags and head restraints all work together with a vehicle’s structure to protect people in serious crashes. Lap/shoulder belts hold you in place, reducing the chance you’ll slam into something hard or get ejected from the crashing vehicle. If you aren’t belted, you’ll continue moving forward until something suddenly stops you – often a hard interior surface that will cause injuries.

Shoulder belts are on inertia reels that allow upper body movement during normal driving, but lock during hard braking or in a crash. Belt webbing is stored on the reel, and during a frontal crash any slack in the webbing can allow some forward movement of your upper body. Then you could strike the steering wheel, dashboard or windshield. This problem is addressed in some cars with belt crash tensioners that activate early in a collision to reel in belt slack and prevent some of the forward movement.
Airbags and lap/shoulder belts together are very effective. However in some circumstances, a deploying airbag can cause serious injuries and even death. The greatest risk of injury occurs when you are on top of, or very close to an airbag when it starts to inflate. Choose a car that allows you to reach the gas and brake pedals comfortably without sitting too close to the steering wheel. Some cars offer telescoping steering column adjustments that may help.
Side airbags are designed principally to protect your chest. They may also keep your head from hitting interior or intruding structures.
Head restraints are required in the front seats of all new passenger cars to keep your head from being snapped back, injuring your neck in a rear-end crash. But there are big differences among head restraints. Some are adjustable, and others are fixed. They also vary in height and how far they are set back from the head. To prevent neck injury, a head restraint has to be directly behind and close to the back of your head. Look for cars that have this type of restraint. If the restraints are adjustable, make sure they can be locked into place. Some don’t lock, so they can get pushed down in a crash.

Anti-lock brakes

When you brake hard with conventional brakes, the wheels may lock and cause skidding and a lack of control. Anti-lock brakes pump brakes automatically many times a second to prevent lockup and allow you to keep control of the car. If you were trained to brake gently on slippery roads or pump your brakes to avoid a skid, you may have to unlearn these habits and use hard, continuous pressure to activate your antilock brakes. Anti-lock brakes may help you keep steering control, but they won’t necessarily help you stop more quickly.

Daytime running lights

Daytime running lights are activated by the ignition switch. They are typically high-beam headlights at reduced intensity or low-beam lights at full or reduced power. By increasing the contrast between a vehicle and its backgrounds and making the vehicles more visible to oncoming drivers, these lights can prevent daytime accidents.

On the road experience

Other design characteristics can influence injury risk on the road. Some small utility vehicles and pickups are prone to rolling over. “High performance” cars typically have higher-than-average death rates because drivers are tempted to use excessive speed. Combining a young driver and a high-performance car can be particularly dangerous.

Source: Insurance Information Institute; www.iii.org

April 16, 2013

What to do when your vehicle breaks down

Follow some of these steps if your vehicle breaks down, and take extra precaution if you are in a busy intersection or on a highway.

Getting out of the car at a busy intersection or on a highway to change a tire or check damage from a fender bender is probably one of the worst things you can do. The Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) recommends the following precautions when your car breaks down:

Never get out of the vehicle to make a repair or examine the damage on a busy highway. Get the vehicle to a safe place before getting out. If you’ve been involved in an accident, motion the other driver to pull up to a safe spot ahead.
If you can’t drive the vehicle, it may be safer to stay in the vehicle and wait for help or use a cell phone to summon help. St anding outside the vehicle in the flow of traffic, under most circumstances, is a bad idea.
Carry flares or triangles to use to mark your location once you get to the side of the road. Marking your vehicle’s location to give other drivers advance warning of your location can be critical. Remember to put on your hazard lights!
In the case of a blowout or a flat tire, move the vehicle to a safer place before attempting a repair – even if it means destroying the wheel getting there. The cost of a tire, rim or wheel is minor compared to endangering your safety. Tips provided by the Insurance Information Institute, Inc. (http://www.insurance.info)

Source: Insurance Information Institute; www.iii.org

May 10, 2011

The Evolution of Assisted Living/Residential Care

Pioneering institutions across the country are emphasizing the “living” in assisted living/residential care facilities and focusing on personalized accommodations and services as they pursue the goal of greater client satisfaction. Common assisted living/residential care services may include such amenities as 24-hour emergency response services, three daily meals, personal care, transportation, housekeeping, and laundry services. However, an increasing number of assisted living/residential care facilities also aim to provide seniors with a living situation that caters to their active lifestyles. Adopting the motto “no two people are exactly alike,” they are offering an ever-increasing variety of choices in accommodations, activities, and personalized services.

Residential Options

Although assisted living/residential care facilities originated in private organization-based homes, today, the emergence of chain companies allows clients to choose a facility from a range of locations while being offered a consistent level of service. These facilities offer prospective residents the choice of buying or renting apartments or villas, with extra options of reserving guest suites and seasonal rentals. In addition, clients may select the type and size of accommodation—some offer spacious layouts that may include two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room, dining room, den, and deck.

Diverse Services

Apart from the individualized choice of residence, assisted living/residential care communities are focusing on independence and freedom by offering a diverse roster of activities and services. Residents are encouraged to remain physically active through swimming, yoga, and other fitness classes, and they are also offered a range of educational programs that may include courses in computers, investing, nutrition, or bird watching. Entertainment is often provided on-site with movies, concerts, and even concierge services.

In terms of health care, many facilities offer assistance with daily activities, as required, in order to enhance independence as much as possible. The resident can choose the level of care that he or she may need, with the option of adding more services. An increasing number of institutions embrace the concept of “aging in place,” providing additional medical services as the client ages and requires. As an example, basic help with medications and dressing are common services; however, if the client discovers he or she needs more skilled and personalized attention due to a medical condition, he or she may have the option of moving to the nursing wing of the residence. Some facilities even offer medical and check-in services through “at home” assisted living/residential care.

Today’s seniors are more active and healthier than ever before. As our population ages, the need and desire for more personalized services will increase. Changes in assisted living/residential care facilities that promote an active and independent lifestyle are a positive indicator of the future of senior health care.

Copies of Choosing An Assisted Living Facility is one of a series of Since You Care guides for caregivers produced by the MetLife Mature Market Institute in cooperation with the National Alliance for Caregiving. Single copies are available free to the public.

L0910131577(exp1211)(All States)(DC)

This article appears courtesy of Karl Susman. Karl Susman is a representative of the New Engl and Life Insurance Company. He focuses on meeting the individual insurance and financial services needs of people on the West Coast. You can reach Karl at the office at (424) 785-4337. New Engl and Life Insurance Company, 501 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116

May 6, 2011

Dealing with Debt

Most everyone has, at some point in their lives, accumulated personal debt—some more than others. Whether debt is a cause for concern depends upon a number of factors, including how the economy is functioning, your particular earning and economic prospects for the short and long term, and the type of debt you incur. By being conscious of your spending habits, including credit card use and large purchase habits, you can better underst and ways to control debt—before it starts to control you.

To gain a perspective on personal debt, it is useful to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy debt. Healthy debt refers to borrowing in order to purchase assets that are likely to appreciate in value, such as a home or business. Healthy debt is especially worthwhile to assume if you are able to itemize certain repayments (e.g., home mortgage interest) on your tax return and, as a result, qualify for certain tax deductions.

Unhealthy debt, on the other h and, refers to borrowing in order to purchase consumables or assets that are likely to depreciate in value, such as a vacation or an automobile. Unhealthy debt has taken an even more negative turn since the government stopped allowing tax deductions for most consumer debts, such as personal loans and credit cards.

Debt Management Basics

For most people, managing debt effectively is a learned skill. The following pointers may help you get your debt under control:

Categorize debts. To gain control of personal debt, you might start by developing an overall picture of your current debt situation. Debts should be categorized as healthy or unhealthy. Then, they should be scheduled according to whether they are short-term (e.g., credit cards), intermediate-term (e.g., auto loans), or long-term (e.g., mortgages and home equity lines of credit). The interest rate for each type of debt should be noted.

Pay off the “right” debt first. It usually makes the most sense to pay off high interest rate debt first, especially if the interest is not tax deductible (e.g., credit cards). Ideally, you should have enough in savings to pay off short-term debt, if needed. Because credit cards are typically used to purchase consumables, rather than assets that appreciate, they can easily tempt consumers to live beyond their means. Thus, it is best to develop the habit of paying off this type of debt on a monthly basis.

Avoid the minimum payment trap. Interest that accumulates by stretching out payments can make even a “bargain” costly in the long run. To underst and the impact of making only minimum monthly payments, you may want to ask your credit card company how long it would take to pay off your current balance at that rate, and how much total interest you will ultimately pay. This information prompts many individuals to adopt a “pay-as-they-go” strategy.

Curb impulse spending. If you are prone to impulse spending, you may find it best to avoid shopping when you don’t have a specific purpose in mind. Or, you could try to delay impulse purchases for 24 hours. Once you have had a chance to “sleep on it,” you may discover the impulse has passed.

Benefits in Good Times and Bad

If you are like many people, spending may not be based solely on financial considerations. Emotional factors may sometimes cause confusion between what you think you need, and what you actually do need. Still, the reality of living in the twenty-first century may leave you with little choice but to amass at least some debt. However, with discipline and planned spending, you can most likely manage your debt and live within your means.

Pursuant to IRS Circular 230, MetLife is providing you with the following notification: The information contained in this article is not intended to ( and cannot) be used by anyone to avoid IRS penalties. This article does not support the promotion and marketing of any particular product. You should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.

MetLife [New Engl and Financial] representatives do not provide tax or legal advice. Please consult your tax advisor or attorney for such guidance.

L0510106050(exp0511)(All States)(DC)

May 4, 2011

Disability Income Protection—Are Your Bases Covered?

Like most people, you may have life insurance to help protect your family against the financial impact of your unexpected death. You may also insure your home, car, and other personal possessions against financial loss resulting from fire, theft, or damage. However, you may have overlooked insuring one of the more important aspects of your financial life—the ability to earn an income.

Thinking the Unthinkable

Have you ever contemplated how long the combined resources of you and your spouse might last if you were suddenly out of work due to a disability? What long-term impact would exhausting your savings during a disability have on your ability to provide for your family and even yourself during your retirement years? If those resources provide less than your monthly expenses, including taxes and regular savings, or if exhausting them would significantly impact your ability to provide for yourself and your family on a long-term basis, you may need disability income insurance. Whether you need an individually owned policy depends on the extent of your liquid assets, your spouse’s income, and other potential sources of disability income, such as employer-sponsored group disability insurance, Social Security, and veterans or union benefits.

Depending on your income and the risk level of your occupation, the maximum coverage you can buy will generally replace 45% to 75% of your pre-disability earnings. The higher your income, the lower the percentage of replacement benefit may be. Typically, premiums will depend on your age, your health, the risk level of your occupation, and the type of coverage.

Examine Policy Provisions

To make sure your disability income insurance offers the protection that you and your family need, your policy should include the following:

A definition of total disability that is consistent with the risk of your occupation. You may also want to look for a policy that pays some benefits in the event you are not totally disabled, but you suffer a “loss of income” due to a disability. Often these provisions are called partial or residual disability provisions.

A non-cancelable clause that states the insurance company cannot cancel the policy or increase the premium until a certain age (as specified in the policy).

Benefits that are payable for the maximum amount of time for which you are eligible based on your occupation and health. Most often, you can find policies that provide benefit eligibility for two years, five years, or all the way until you reach age 65, or even payments beyond 65 for the rest of your life.

A waiting period that is consistent with your overall financial resources. The waiting period is the amount of time you must be disabled before becoming eligible for disability benefits. The longer the waiting period you choose, the lower the premium on your policy will be. Typically, you may purchase coverage that provides eligibility for benefits after 30 days of disability or for as long as after two years of disability.

Act Now

Now is the time to investigate the relative benefits and costs of disability income insurance to determine how much you need to spend to attain adequate protection. In addition, it is important to review the particular details and provisions of the policy you are considering with a qualified professional to help ensure your financial needs will be met.

L0910130926(exp0911)(All States)(DC)