• Make a detailed written or videotaped inventory of your property and house-hold possessions. Take a video camera and go through every room, taping and describing what you see. For valuable items, note when and where you purchased them and how much you paid for them. Include the serial numbers of major appliances.

• Don’t forget to inventory the garage, attic, basement and the exterior of your house, including landscaping and fencing.

• Update the inventory yearly.

• Keep your inventory, insurance policies and other important documents in a safedeposit box and keep a duplicate set in a fire- and water-proof container at home. Include important documents such as wills, deeds, titles, stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, passports, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, income tax returns, birth certificates and so on.

STORM-PROOF YOUR HOME

• Keep your home in tip-top shape to protect it against the damage of heavy winds or rain. Make sure your roof, windows and doors are not in need of major repair.

• Position cribs/beds away from windows or tall furniture that could slide or topple.

• If you live in a hurricane-prone area, purchase sheets of plywood to cover your home’s windows and store them in your garage or shed. If you wait until a storm is imminent, your local hardware store may be sold out.

• Bolt bookcases and other tall pieces of furniture to the wall.

• Power generators are often used during power outages. If you own one, make sure it is well maintained and that all family members know how to operate it properly.

• If you live in a mobile home, make sure it is securely anchored down.

• If you own a boat, make sure it is securely moored.

• If there is a fire hydrant near your home, make sure it is clear of debris and can easily be located by the fire department.

• Remove low branches and dead trees from around your house.

• Clear debris from the chimney, gutters and vents.

Courtesy of Trusted Choice

We will be offering videos and links on our Facebook and Twitter account educating you on all things life insurance. We hope it will be fun and entertaining and most of all educational. We encourage you to come in and talk with Jack about your life insurance needs.

I was always a skeptic of life insurance.  I don’t like fear tactics that are used to sell insurance and never well. So please understand I could show numerous amounts of very sad and somber images that will make you realize how important protecting your families future is. That is not how we choose to do it. That being said, the conversation about life insurance lends itself to those images without much effort and is a conversation that needs to occur.

Here is a short video on life insurance and the excuses we make for not doing it.

We look forward to seeing you to discuss your life insurance options, stop in or give us a call.

Jack has nearly 7 years experience in insurance and a lifetime experience in agriculture. He brings with him a tremendous knowledge of what the ag producer needs to protect their business and their family. He also has experience helping varying types of business owners insure their business so they can worry about running their own business.

Along with that great experience and knowledge Jack also brings to us health insurance and life insurance. We now will offer Blue Cross/Blue Shield individual and group health insurance as well as several different life insurance options from companies like Genworth, Prudential and MetLife, to name a few.

Jack will be a tremendous asset to our company and our community. His wife Julie will be a physician at Central Nebraska Medical Clinic and they have two wonderful daughters in school as well.

Come on in or give us a call and let us be your full service insurance agency. With several of the top ag insurers in the state in Farmers Mutual, Nationwide and North Star and many commercial and personal companies there is rarely a need we can’t serve.

A benefit to marriage that is often overlooked (perhaps because of its dismal ranking on the romantic scale) is insurance. Married couples experience advantages that are not available to others living together. If you are not married and living with a significant other (SO), there are some important things you should understand about your home insurance.

Standard home insurance is designed to cover damage to personal property like furniture, electronics and clothing that is owned by residents of the home who are related to the person named on the actual home insurance policy (i.e., you). The term “related” is where your SO’s problems begin.

Certainly the cost to replace that stolen television or incinerated clothing is essential. But home insurance has another important role: personal liability coverage. Personal liability is insurance that will cover expenses for which you are liable, like when a guest slips and falls on that lose step or your amateur attempt at controlled brush-burning sets your neighbor’s home ablaze.

Following are some important limitations found in a standard home insurance policy that you and your SO should know:

First, there is no personal liability insurance offered to individuals residing in the home who are not related to the person whose name is on the home insurance policy. For example, did your boyfriend move his dog in? Does your girlfriend’s son host football games in the yard? Examples like these (dogs can bite and children will hurt themselves) serve as a reminder of the unpredictable nature and expenses of a liability claim. The good news is that your personal liability is covered by your home insurance. The bad news is your SO isn’t—a potentially devastating expense that he will have to pay for personally unless he has his own insurance (discussed below).

Second, personal property of a non-relative is not covered by your home insurance. This means no coverage for claims like when your SO’s laptop is stolen from home or school or if that plaid recliner he can’t live without is burned in a fire.

Not all hope is lost. In some cases it is possible to modify a standard home insurance policy to cover losses to your SO’s personal property. However, this won’t fix everything. The best solution is for your partner to purchase a home insurance policy (often called “renter’s insurance”) that will offer your SO protection for expensive property losses and/or a significant liability expense.  Your Trusted Choice^® insurance professional Nate Bell at Universal Insurance can recommend some solutions.

If you aren’t sure what’s covered by your car insurance, you’re not alone. In this article, you’ll find some of the most frequently asked questions of Progressive Insurance —and their answers—so that you can be confident when making decisions about your car insurance.

How can I make sure I have “full coverage”?

Generally, people ask for “full coverage” when they want more than just what’s required by the state. Most states require that all drivers carry Liability coverage, which pays for damage to other vehicles or injuries to other people that you cause.

By adding what is commonly referred to as “physical damage” coverages, which include Comprehensive and Collision insurance, damage to your own vehicle is also covered, regardless of who caused the crash.

Once you’ve chosen these coverages, you might also want to add insurance that will cover your medical payments, protect you if you’re hit by an uninsured driver, or come to the rescue if you break down on the side of the road. Your local independent insurance agent can walk you through all of your options and help you choose the policy that’s right for you.

If I get into a fender bender when driving a rental car, would it be covered under my car insurance?

Generally, if you have liability and physical damage coverages on your car insurance policy, there’s a good chance you’ll be covered in a rental car. Call your independent agent to get the facts before you turn down that extra coverage.

Another option: check with your credit card company. Some credit cards provide coverage at no charge if you use their card to pay for the rental. Restrictions may apply, so be sure to ask for an exact description of what’s covered.

A friend just borrowed my car. Will my car insurance pay for the damages if he or she causes an accident?

In most states, insurance coverage follows the car, so your car insurance would pay for the damage if your friend causes a wreck. Two things to keep in mind: if the cost to repair that damage exceeds the amount allowed by your policy, your friend may need to make a claim on his or her car insurance policy to pay the difference. And, your rate may go up as a result of the claim.

For more information, talk to your local independent agent.

From Progressive

Umbrella liability insurance covers you in many situations if you are held responsible for bodily injury, property damage, or personal injury. The product got its name because it adds a higher level of protection above auto, homeowners and boat policies, which are “primary” policies.  Umbrella coverage kicks in after primary insurance is exhausted. What’s more, an umbrella policy offers primary coverage for losses not covered by other insurance.

Typically, insurance agents sell an umbrella policy in conjunction with auto and homeowners coverage. You can usually add $1 million-plus of liability insurance for a few hundred dollars per year, and a multiple-policy discounts often can be had. One tactic insurance pros suggest: raise deductibles on auto and homeowners policies, and use the premium savings to pay for umbrella coverage.

What does primary insurance pay for? Liability insurance under auto and homeowners policies pays expenses (for example, an injured person’s medical care, rehabilitation and lost wages) because the policyholder was at fault through negligent actions. Liability coverage also pays for costs of defending against a claim or lawsuit.

It’s common for a driver, vehicle owner, homeowner, or boat operator/owner to be held responsible for someone else’s injuries, property damage, lost wage and/or expenses. An at-fault driver also can be held liable for personal injury (which is distinct from bodily injury), including psychological injury such as “pain and suffering.”

What does umbrella coverage do? The umbrella is a shield to protect an individual from having to tap into savings or sell assets to pay a judgment or claim. The umbrella policy keeps the hands of the claimant from the personal, family and business assets of the negligent person.  Intoxicated drivers leaving a party at your home, dog bites, and the neighbor kid falling off the trampoline– these incidents can cause financial losses. Even lending a friend a ski house or lake house for the weekend can create a claim. A tree in your yard that blows over in a storm and crushes the neighbor’s car is another example. A home-based business that requires visitors to come to your house may create a loss that’s excluded from homeowners coverage.   But all these incidents may cause bodily injury, personal injury and loss of wages. These losses might exceed (or be excluded from) primary insurance limits and coverages.

Who should consider an umbrella policy? Most homeowners should consider an umbrella, but especially those active in community affairs. Serving in civic, charitable, and religious organizations can lead to conflicts, claims, and even lawsuits. Even if a lawsuit is thrown out of court, you still must defend yourself. Umbrella liability coverage picks up these costs, whether or not a person is actually found to be liable. Defense costs generally are covered in addition to the liability limits of the umbrella policy.

Conversely, a person might face a damaging situation such as a false arrest or imprisonment, defamation, invasion of privacy, wrongful entry, eviction or malicious prosecution. Most will want to defend themselves, but will face legal and other costs to do so. Homeowners coverage won’t cover it; umbrella coverage can.

A Trusted Choice® agent can review your family’s coverage to ensure you are protected. Click here to find a Trusted Choice® agency in your community.

Common Causes of Flood

Floods often result from torrential rainstorms and hurricanes. Floods also commonly result from snow melt. Floods also result as a side effect of development- such as road construction or a new housing community- that alter storm water drainage patterns.

Who is at Risk?

Flood insurance is not just for people living or working on the coast. According to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), 31 percent of the properties damaged by floods are located outside of a special flood hazard area as designated by FEMA. The NFIP reports that floods happen in all 50 states and that floods are the second most common cause of property damage behind fire.

Property owners are often mislead into believing that flood insurance is only available for properties that are located in a special flood hazard area or “flood zone.” Unfortunately, this myth has caused many property owners to suffer from uninsured flood losses that could have been easily covered. The only requirement is that the property is located in a “participating community.” This could be a township, municipality, city or county that has agreed to participate in the NFIP.

Preferred Risk Policy (PRP)

The NFIP offers the PRP for homes and businesses that are not located in a special flood hazard area and do not have a history of flood claims. The PRP allows eligible buyers the opportunity to purchase flood insurance at a pre-determined rate. PRP rates are intended to remind property owners that regardless of where the property is located the aforementioned data is proof that it’s still a good idea to purchase flood insurance.

A Few Unique Features of Flood Insurance

It is important to remember that a flood insurance policy is a separate policy from your home, condo, or business insurance. This means that flood insurance is subject to its own terms and conditions.

Following are a few of the unique features:

Waiting Period

There is a 30-day waiting period from the date you first purchase flood insurance to the date that policy takes effect. This is designed to prevent the purchase of coverage for losses in progress. The 30-day waiting period also applies to changes made to an in-force flood policy. For example, if you currently carry $200,000 in coverage for your home and decide to raise that amount to $250,000, you must wait 30 days before the change will take effect.

The waiting period does not apply to a renewal policy. There are two exceptions to the 30-day waiting period: the first is if the policy is required in conjunction with the closing of a loan. The second is for property owners that previously were not required to purchase flood insurance but are now being told they must as a result of a new map from FEMA indicating that property is now located in a special flood hazard area.

Two Deductibles?

Let’s say a flood causes $50,000 in damage to your home and $10,000 to contents. Your policy includes a $1,000 deductible. That deductible will apply once towards the recovery of your home and once towards the recovery of your contents. This means it’s possible you will pay the deductible twice for the same loss: once for the dwelling and once again for contents.

Note that lenders who require owners to purchase flood insurance typically only require insurance on the dwelling or building and do not require flood insurance on contents. Owners should carefully consider the cost to repair or replace contents before choosing to forgo insuring them.

Other Structures

An important feature of your home insurance is the inclusion of coverage for certain types of other structures such as a detached garage or pool house. The only other structure that the flood insurance policy will extend coverage to is a detached garage. Other structures may be eligible for coverage under a separate flood policy.

No Additional Living Expenses

An important feature of your home insurance is the ability to collect money from the insurance company to pay living expenses while your home undergoes repair. These expenses may include hotel, food and other expenses. Unfortunately, the flood insurance policy offers no coverage for additional living expenses- such costs must be paid out-of-pocket.

These examples are intended to illustrate some of the important differences in flood insurance and your typical home, condo or business policy. There are several other factors that differentiate a flood insurance policy from the type of insurance you may already have. This is why a conversation with your Trusted Choice^® insurance professional is the important first step in learning how to protect your biggest asset from flood damage. Call today!

Source: National Flood Insurance Program, www.floodsmart.gov

How to Save, Avoid Risk

Tax season is a great time to reexamine your financial risk with your insurance adviser, says Nate Bell at Universal Insurance in Broken Bow, NE. You may be wasting money on unnecessary coverage or not realize where you are vulnerable to serious losses. In addition, the insurance landscape has shifted since September 11^th, and prices and protections are changing in some key areas.

Because there are so many types of insurance available, consumers should sit down with a reputable insurance professional who can help sort through some of the confusion. Solid advice from a Trusted Choice^® insurance agency may save homeowners thousands of dollars by outlining which kind of coverage suits them. A comprehensive homeowners policy may even eliminate the need for other smaller, more specific personal insurance policies. Here are a few key issues consumers may want to explore when deciding if the insurance coverage they have is really right for them.

AT RISK:  HOW COULD YOU BE UNDERINSURED?

Home-based business. At least 60% of in-home entrepreneurs are not properly insured, according to an IIABA study. Of those inadequately protected, nearly half didn’t realize they were at risk because they thought their homeowners insurance covered them. While a basic homeowners policy will cover a computer used at home for personal use, it won’t protect entire home-based firms. For example, homeowners’ policies typically provide $250 for computers off-site and won’t cover lost data or business liability. That leaves many people who use laptops for business and other entrepreneurs vulnerable.

Valuable collectibles. “Standard” homeowners’ policies usually provide coverage for the “contents” of a home to 50% of the value of the house. So, people with extensive collections of silver, antiques, jewelry, dolls, etc. should consider additional coverage to protect these sentimental treasures. But the best way to buy this type of coverage is from the home insurance company—an “endorsement,” which is cheaper than a stand-alone policy. (For instance, a person with $100,000 coverage on their home will have its contents insured to $50,000. If that same person has $30,000 in antiques, that will significantly subtract from coverage for the rest of the home’s contents, such as clothing or furniture.) Many policies also set “sublimates” for contents insurance. For instance, most limit theft coverage on jewelry to $1,000 and firearms to $2,000. Those with more valuable jewelry, gun, or other collections should consider additional protection.

High income bracket. People lucky enough to have high-profile jobs or other accumulated assets should consider a comprehensive umbrella liability policy to protect against serious financial loss. Unfortunately, many people don’t have this coverage because they haven’t thought of it or they feel that their basic insurance programs are adequate. A good umbrella policy can cost as little as $150 per $1 million in coverage and insures against personal liabilities, including car- and home-related claims.

No replacement cost coverage on their property. Replacement cost coverage is 10 or 15% more expensive, but it replaces the item(s) with like kind and quality. Most standard home insurance policies provide replacement cost on the structure, but only “actual cash value” (ACV) on the property. ACV is the actual cost to replace the item, but after depreciation. With replacement cost coverage, a $1,000 TV set bought eight years ago would be replaced with a similar type of TV, regardless of depreciation.

Children in college. An IIABA national survey showed that 80% of college students who rent housing for the school year may not have adequate coverage to protect their belongings when away from their primary residence. Incidentally, it also revealed that one-in-seven college students lack health insurance coverage and that an alarming 85% of families thought their health insurance would cover a college student studying overseas for more than a month. In fact, most health policies do not extend abroad and families need to know they may be underinsured in that area.

Home remodeling. Home renovation can leave homeowners vulnerable. One-in-four home remodeling projects increase the value of a home by more than 25%, but too few consumers consider increasing their homeowners insurance limits to reflect that increased value. Most insurance companies require homeowners to insure their home to a minimum of 80% of its replacement value to be eligible for full coverage. If coverage falls below that level and the homeowner experiences a loss, they will be penalized with a partial settlement. In addition, many people don’t take basic steps to protect themselves from liability exposure while construction workers are in the home. Consumers should always ask for a certificate of insurance from anyone employed in their home and seek advice from a good insurance agent.

SAVING MONEY:  HOW COULD YOU BE OVERINSURED?

Both travel and flight insurance usually are costly and unnecessary short-term policies that simply aren’t needed for those who have broader health and disability insurance through an employer or other plan. Don’t be lured by the flood of travel-related insurance offers since September 11^th. Most typical health or life insurance policies include anything offered in specific travel insurance packages. And incidentally, baggage insurance is usually covered by a homeowners policy.

Credit life insurance. Trusted Choice^® agencies recommend avoiding credit life insurance (for new furniture or credit card debt, for example) under any circumstance.  These policies, offered by credit card companies and other lenders, extend for the term of the loan and decrease in value over its life. They are designed to protect a third party if the consumer dies before the loan is paid off. However, they provide no protection to beneficiaries, only to the company that offered the credit or loan.

Deductibles are too low. The owners of an expensive home need to consider whether a low deductible makes sense. If someone steals the TV, it isn’t going to break the bank.  Those same consumers need lots of insurance for a total catastrophe or if they get sued. Therefore, they may want to take a $1,000 deductible and use the savings, which can be 10 to 20%, and buy an “umbrella liability” policy to give them $1 million or $2 million of coverage in case they’re sued.

Specific computer insurance policies. Though this coverage may seem like a good idea, because so many people now have computers at home, a standard homeowners policy will cover most basic personal computer equipment. If you have a home insured for $100,000, you typically have $50,000 of personal property coverage, including computer equipment not used for business. If used for business, the home insurance policy typically provides $1,500 or $2,500 of coverage for computers. Only people with home-based businesses, laptops used for business outside the home, or elaborate high-tech equipment need to consider extra coverage. But it’s cheaper to buy an endorsement to the home or home-business policy rather than a separate computer policy. (By the way, the same concept holds true for cancer insurance or trip-specific life insurance, and other specific policies. Broader coverage is cheaper in the long run and might be needed.)

DID YOU KNOW?

Renters insurance not only protects the contents of a rented property, but also almost always shields the policyholder from liability. And it’s not expensive (because you’re not insuring the building—that’s the landlord’s responsibility). A typical policy that offers $15,000 in property protection and $100,000-$300,000 in liability coverage can be as little as $150-200 a year.

Dog owners whose pets are known to be aggressive should never go without liability insurance or they may be in for a rude awakening if they get sued. Bites are by no means rare. Companies pay out about $1 billion in dog-related claims a year and estimate that one-third of all homeowners’ liability claims are due to dogs.

Insurance discounts are readily available for consumers who combine family policies, use one insurance company for several types of coverage, or take other measures such as using property theft deterrents or maintaining good driving records. Consumers should consult with an independent insurance agent at least once a year to evaluate changing needs and look for cost savings.

As insurance agents, we  know we may seem a bit paranoid at times. That’s because we’ve seen some of the craziest insurance claims arise out of the most seemingly innocent events. Good news for you is that we use our experience to give you the best tips on how to protect your home and family. So, before tuning in for Super Bowl XLV this Sunday- read our tips on:

How to Prevent the Top 4 Potential Super Bowl Insurance Claims!

#1-  Safeguard the TV- Unfortunately, “angry fans” are not a covered peril when it comes to the contents portion of your homeowners insurance. So, if your next door neighbor has a habit of throwing things at the television when his team isn’t playing up to par, you might want to ask him to stay home this year!

#2- Assign a ‘Designated Griller’- If you’re planning on grilling up some grub for the big game, make sure you have a responsible person manning (or wo-manning) the barbecue grill.  Leaving it unattended for even a few minutes leaves you open to the potential for a house fire. Also make sure the barbecue grill is placed far enough distance from the structure of your home.

#3-  (The obvious) Avoid drunk driving- As everyone knows, football and beer typically go together like chips and gravy. And whether to celebrate a win or drown out of the sorrow of a loss, some fans have a tendency to overindulge each year. If you’re hosting the party at your house, keep a close eye on your guests’ alcohol consumption and take the keys away from anyone who tries to drive after even a few drinks or you could be setting yourself up for a lawsuit. And whether you participated in the fun or not, be careful on the roads that night as you are always at risk of an auto accident caused by another intoxicated driver.

#4- “You make me sick!”-Are you cooking this year? Make sure to always follow the recommended cooking instructions for raw foods and never serve anything undercooked as this could pose a serious health risk for your guests. The last thing anyone wants the next day is a case of food poisoning!

Hopefully we haven’t scared you senseless. Now have a great weekend and enjoy the game!

Hope that everyone enjoys the game and your team wins!