General
New Content for 2011: Have you seen our Twitter or Facebook lately?
Thursday, February 3, 2011
If you are following our blog, we hope that you are already a fan of ours on Facebook. Please “like” our page if you haven’t already to stay up-to-date on great insurance resources as well as to receive some other great insight. If you also have a twitter, stay active or get reacquainted with @salmonagency. Every week, you can expect to see a few things posted to help ease your pockets or to help you stay positive and motivated during the week. Here’s the rundown of what to expect:
Magical Monday: One of the few things that people don’t mind being extra plump on their body is the size of their wallets. On Mondays, look out for money saving deals to help keep that cash in your pockets. The Salmon Agency will also be spotlighting unique local organizations and community leaders to keep our followers up to date on our area and the people making difference in it. If you or your nonprofit organization (or charitable works by your business) are interested in being featured here, please contact us.
Wednesday’s Wise Words: If you find the hump on Wednesdays too hard to get over and you’re just dying for the weekend, check out Wednesdays Wise Words to find inspiration to not just survive the day, but also thrive. If you have a quote that’s helped you, don’t be too shy to let us know about it.
Fun Fridays: Fun polls on Friday – We’ll post some interactive questions about popular discussions so that you can chime in and let us know your opinion!
We hope you will enjoy this refreshing new content in 2011 and please don’t be shy about sharing our blog, our Facebook and our Twitter page with your friends and followers.
New Year's Resolutions: Often Overlooked Resolutions to Tackle in 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Every new year, you not only have a fresh start, but a wholly new perspective for your life and your work. Oftentimes, we approach the New Year with a mind fixed on shedding those pounds we gained over the holidays. We commit to fad diets or to actually using our gym memberships.
While these resolutions have great intentions and paying attention to diet and exercise are critical for a healthy, full life; you may be ignoring some other key goals that are necessary for what I call a “whole life.” Here are some resolutions you may want to consider along with your new workout plan:
1) Use a Flexible Spending Account (FSA):
FSAs allow you to use pre-tax income for anything from purchasing aspirin to other eligible medical expenses. The benefits are huge; according to FSAFEDs, with an FSA, you can both reduce your taxes and get more for your money by saving at least 20 percent of what you would normally pay for out-of-pocket health care and dependent care expenses with after-tax (as opposed to taxed) dollars!
2) Review Your Insurance Policies
It may have been a year, or perhaps even over five years since you last reviewed your insurance policies. You may be able to increase or lower your deductibles and save on your premiums, helping you to lower your bills. Your life situation may have also changed (marriage, children, divorce, career, property sale or purchase) and your insurance needs may have changed significantly. This year, make sure you and your loved ones are properly protected. For your insurance review, contact Salmon Agency at 407-365-1766.
3) Consider Your Investment Options
The economy is looking up and as the country’s economic situation improves, you may be considering your own investment options but feel unsure. Make sure you speak with a trusted financial planner before proceeding. There are options such as fixed annuities - a guaranteed income stream for retirement – that you may want to consider. Our Salmon Agency financial experts can help you to make sense of what works for you from where you are currently at in your “whole life.”
We hope our “overlooked resolutions” will help you to have a more prosperous and healthy future ahead. Happy New Year from our Salmon Agency family to yours!
Halloween Safety Tips
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Halloween is one of the most exciting holidays of the year! You get to dress up, have fun, watch spooky movies and eat lots of candy! Although this holiday is a happy one, it could become dangerous if some precautions are not taken. Here are some trick or treating and decorating tips to be safe this upcoming Halloween.
Trick or treating tips to safety:
- It is always wise to go online and see if there are sex offenders in your area, map out their houses and make sure your kids stay away!
- Always keep an eye on your child when trick or treating.
- Make sure costumes are made out of fire retardant material or fire proof and make sure the costume is comfortable to walk in (a scraped knee might ruin the Halloween fun!).
- Carry a flash light or some type of reflective stripe to allow drivers to easily see the trick or treaters.
- Wait to get home before allowing children to consume any candy. Parents need to inspect all candies first; do not let children eat unwrapped, open or suspicious candy.
Spooky decoration safety tips:
- Take caution with candles, make sure if Jack O’ Lantern have candles inside that they are out of children’s reach or switch out the candles for battery powered lights (a safer choice).
- Do not over power your electrical outlet.
- Make sure the lights or items that require electricity are certified for outside use if that is where you are going to place them.
- If you decide to create a haunted house on your property, you may want to call Salmon Agency for extra insurance that day. This will protect you if someone happens to become injured inside your property.
From our Salmon Agency family to yours, we hope you enjoy the holiday and be safe this Halloween. If you have any insurance questions or concerns this holiday season, our experts are only a phone call away at 407-365-1766.
College Students and Parents: Expect the Unexpected
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Are you a college student or parent? A new college school year means a new apartment/house, new roommates and new adventures. College students aren't usually prepared to deal with unexpected disasters that come along with living alone in a new place, and far away from home. This could mean a fire, an overflowed kitchen or bathroom, or any other unexpected emergency. These events can be prevented with the right precautions and the right tools. Make sure to have the electronics plugged into surge protectors, especially here in Florida with those unpredictable thunderstorms. You’ll also want to make sure you have a plunger on hand, a mop and a fire extinguisher!
After properly equipping your place with these handy tools, the next step is to make a plan in the case of unexpected events occurring. Make sure to also draw a map identifying where the fire extinguisher, the circuit breaker, the plunger and the fire detectors are located. Share your plan and map with your roommates (if you have any) and post in a conspicuous location.
Now, for your quick tips and solutions:
- Electrical problems? Live wires or electrical surges? Shut off the circuit breaker.
- Remember to unplug all heat producing electronics when you leave the house (i.e. irons, curling irons, hair straighteners and hair dryers).
- Overflowed bathroom? Close the water valve and mop up the water before furniture and carpets get ruined. Get the plunger and start unclogging.
- Make sure to clean off the stove before cooking something new; old food remains could help start a fire.
- Do not heat food in containers not approved for heating and take food out of aluminum containers.
- Expensive electronics in the house? Make sure to locate them in areas that don’t cause temptation for burglary. Keep the blinds closed and always lock the doors.
Since you are either alone or living with strangers in your new apartment/house, it's important to be ready for anything that might come up. New responsibilities arise with a new apartment and new roommates. The Salmon Agency also offers renters insurance that can help cover unexpected events! Call 407-365-1766 to chat with our team of experts about coverage for your new or returning college student.
Hard Times for Auto Thieves
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Auto thefts nationwide are decreasing quickly. Based on the FBI’s estimates, auto theft rates are down 20 percent from last year! As new technology and dedicated cops are cracking down the bad guys, this means two things for you: 
1) you don’t need to worry so much about your car being stolen, and
2) this could mean cheaper insurance rates for you.
Most insurance companies calculate their rates based on the number of claims made within a certain ZIP code. It’s fairly simple; more claims mean higher costs while fewer claims mean lower costs. However, if you’ve ever had a car stolen, you know that higher premiums aren’t the only way consumers pay; you’ve also got insurance to cover deductibles plus incidentals, annoyances and lost time.
Most cars equipped with anti-theft technology receive a two to ten percent discount from their insurance companies. So, if your vehicle has a car alarm, keyless entry system or a steering-wheel disabler, you should be racking in a few discounts. Better yet, if you install the LoJack vehicle recovery system or have GM’s OnStar navigation system, which helps cops to track a stolen vehicle, you can bank on a few more generous discounts.
Can’t afford a fancy car security system? No problem. Many car manufacturers are using other measures to make their vehicles less appealing to auto thieves - from tinted glass to covered storage areas and louder car alarms. Law enforcement have also been putting these thieves behind bars thank to their use of ‘bait cars;’ decoy vehicles equipped with GPS tracking, audio and video surveillance and remote engine-kill switches. Watch out car thieves! I think it’s fairly safe to say this; auto theft is a dead-end job. Literally.
Do I need Business Interruption Insurance?
Friday, April 30, 2010
Business interruption insurance can be as vital to your survival as a business as fire insurance. Most people would never consider opening a business without buying insurance to cover damage due to fire and windstorms. But too many small businessowners fail to think about how they would manage if a fire or other disaster damaged their business premises so that they were temporarily unusable. Business interruption coverage is not sold separately. It is added to a property insurance policy or included in a package policy.
A business that has to close down completely while the premises are being repaired may lose out to competitors. A quick resumption of business after a disaster is essential.
- Business interruption insurance compensates you for lost income if your company has to vacate the premises due to disaster-related damage that is covered under your property insurance policy, such as a fire. Business interruption insurance covers the profits you would have earned, based on your financial records, had the disaster not occurred. The policy also covers operating expenses, like electricity, that continue even though business activities have come to a temporary halt.
- Make sure the policy limits are sufficient to cover your company for more than a few days. After a major disaster, it can take more time than many people anticipate to get the business back on track. There is generally a 48-hour waiting period before business interruption coverage kicks in.
- The price of the policy is related to the risk of a fire or other disaster damaging your premises. All other things being equal, the price would probably be higher for a restaurant than a real estate agency, for example, because of the greater risk of fire. Also, a real estate agency can more easily operate out of another location.
Extra Expense Insurance
Extra expense insurance reimburses your company for a reasonable sum of money that it spends, over and above normal operating expenses, to avoid having to shut down during the restoration period. Usually, extra expenses will be paid if they help to decrease business interruption costs. In some instances, extra expense insurance alone may provide sufficient coverage, without the purchase of business interruption insurance.
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