Hurricane Season: Insurance

With Hurricane Irene threatening the East Coast, it is important to review your insurance.  There are several types you will want to look at!

Windstorm Insurance.  Here in Texas, we have the windstorm association.  This covers the 14 1/2 counties that border the Gulf of Mexico.  Each state should have it's own fund.  If you cannot find it, check with your State Insurance Department.

Flood Insurance.  Since Homeowner's, Condominium, and Renter's policies DO NOT cover flood, river overflow, coastal surges.  It is important to have coverage at or near the coast or in low lying inland areas.  The National Flood Insurance Program is offered through FEMA.  The one thing to remember is that the coverage does not take effect until 30 days after the application is turned in.

Homeowner's Insurance.  It is a good time to review your insurance coverage on your home.  Keep in mind, even if your home is not flooded or hit by hurricane force winds, fire is another major danger, also theft from looting is also a possible loss that you could suffer.  Is it up to date?  Do you have enough coverage for your personal property (contents)?  Have you made any additions on the outside such as a shed or deck?  Check your policy and make sure the limits are what you need, if you think they are not or just not sure, contact your agent. 

Condominium Insurance.  This covers the inner walls and personal property withing your condo that you occupy.  Again, see above - is your limits what you need?

Renters Insurance.  Just as it says - this coverage will protect your personal property as a renter.  It will cover only your personal property - I have included calculators here and here.  Keep in mind, most policies will not cover flood or mold.  It is very affordable and after the massive apartment fire that happened here this past week, I recommend it for everyone.

Life Insurance.  Is your life insurance up to date?  There are always risk and not just from natural disasters.  Let's face it, everyone will die at some point, I prefer that to happen much later in life, but reality is - we never know!  If for some reason, you are not insurable, you may want to consider a pre-paid funeral plan or a death policy - which is a policy with a maximum pay out of around $10,000.  This should cover your final expenses.  Any sane person will not want to place that burden on your survivors.  Believe me, it was not a pleasant experience, having just had my son, turning 30, my mother dying, and then having to handle her affairs because my sisters lived out of state - all within a two month period.

Medical Insurance.  If you have medical insurance make sure that you have your insurance cards and a copy of your policy or benefits page with you in case you need it.



One thing that I always recommend is a fire proof file/safe box.  This is where you can put birth certificates, social security cards, insurance policies, credit cards, passports, and other important documents.  They are affordable.  Get one.

One of my Favorite Vacations Ever! Disneyland

One of the best vacations that we took with our children was to Disneyland in California.  In addition to an unbelievable air fare sale that will probably never be repeated (Family of 5 round trip from SAT to LAX $250 - that's for the family not per person).

There are three hotels associated with the park.  The Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel.

There are also Good Neighbor Hotels.  Far too many to list here - but here is a page that has the list.  I stayed in a hotel across the street from the main gate of Disneyland.  It was much more affordable and when I choose a hotel - I look for one that is clean, one that is safe, and one close to where I'm going to be spending most of my time.  I look at it as a place to shower and sleep.

Pricing packages for 2 adults, 2 children with 5 day park tickets at a Good Neighbor Hotel - Holiday Inn is $1,993.14 verses the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is $5,061.14.

Another option is to book the hotel only, and use a discount plan to buy the park hopper tickets.  Be sure to compare before booking to see which works best for your budget.

The last time we went, we had bought a package.  This included the cost of the hotel, tickets for the park, and 2 get away days that were included in the 7 day package.  The get away days were tickets for the San Diego Zoo and Knott's Berry Farm.

Disneyland has discounts on the special offers page.

There are meal plans available also.  Since we were there during Christmas week, we took advantage of the Christmas Dinner Buffet at the Disneyland Hotel.  Great buffet and well worth the money!  My children, including the older ones still remember the characters coming around and taking their pictures with them, and the Gingerbread houses that were almost as big as they were!

If you go, HAVE A GREAT TIME!  The memories are well worth it!

Getting Serious About Life Insurance

One of the things that I have found in nearly 30 years of working in the Financial Services industry is that most people either don't have enough insurance or those who need it, don't have it.

There are two basic types of insurance:  Term and Permanent.

Term insurance is usually for a set period of years - 10, 20, 30, etc.  Most term policies expire by age 65 and most are convertable to a permanent policy.

Permanent insurance includes:  Whole Life, Universal Life, Variable Life, and many more.  These policies gain cash value, some policies such as Universal Life have investment options.

I have included a couple of different calculators here and here so that you can find the amount that you need.

When looking at beneficiaries, most companies will not allow minors to be beneficiaries.  This is a situation that you would want to have an attorney set up a living trust.  Not only does this allow the trustee to support your minor children, it allows you to designate when and how much each beneficiary will receive.  You can see a better explanation here.  When naming a beneficiary, be sure it is someone that you can trust.  There are far few many stories of people being betrayed for life insurance proceeds.

Ownership is another important issue.  The owner of the policy is also the CONTROLLER of the policy.  They can make changes and keep the policy in case of divorce or separation.

Make sure that the company that you buy from is rated A+ by A.M. Best.  It is best that your agent has designations such as CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter), ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant), or CFP (Certified Financial Planner) or numerous years of experience.

Hurricane Season: Inventory

So the storm is coming and it's strong - do you know what you have?

It's something all of us should have at all times anyway.

It's time to make an inventory of your household goods.  By this I mean:

• Take snapshots of each room in your home.
• Write down the serial number and model number of electronics and appliances.
• Count the number of articles of clothing that you have.  This will give you an idea of the monetary amount of your clothing.
• Don't forget you bed (I bought one last year, $900).
• Don't forget the number of kitchen towels, bath towels, sheets, other bedding.
• Don't forget food (some homeowner's and  renter's policies will cover this)
• Don't forget all the stuff you have in the garage.

 This is something that should be done whether a storm is approaching or not.  This information can be used in case of fire, theft, tornadoes or other perils.

Do not store this information on your computer since it may be damaged or stolen. 

Do not put this information on a public site, after all you do not want to make yourself a target for theft.

Do keep these somewhere safe that you can access if needed and update often.

Hurricane Season: Transportation

The question is - If you decide to evacuate, how do you get out of town?

If you do not have a car, start looking into what programs your city or town will offer for evacuation, this way you know where to go.

Also, start looking local bus routes, ticket rates, and schedules.  Be sure you know where the bus station is.  This way you will know when and where you have to be.

For you car, you will want to make sure you car is in good running order.

First, when you find out the hurricane is headed your way, fill up your car.  Even if the hurricane does not strike where you are, you can use this gas in the future.

Next, make sure that your car is in good working order. 
Has the oil been changed recently?  If not, you may want to go ahead and do that now.  The average is 3,000 miles, maximum is 5,000 miles for most cars.  If you are evacuating - make sure you have 2 extra quarts of oil. 

Does your car have adequate coolant?  It is best to have at least 1 extra gallon.

When is the last time your headlights or bulbs were changed?  It is best to have at least one extra headlight bulb and extra turning light bulbs.

Wiper blades and window washer are important.  If you are caught in the rain while evacuating, you will want to make sure you are able to see while driving.

Fuses, jumper cables, fix-it sealer, clear plastic and duct tape(in case a window becomes broken) are also things to consider.  Make sure you have a good jack and tire wrench.

Just remember, in evacuation there will be a lot of people on the roads, be courteous and be careful!

Ever Wonder Where All Those Rules for School Buses Came From?

This is from the town I grew up in, all the time living there I never knew, but I find it interesting.

From The Williamson County Historical Society:

By BOB BRINKMAN
Special to the Leader

Time Capsule – January 1927

In 1927, Round Rock was a quiet town of 1,000 people at the intersection of State Highway 2 and the International and Great Northern Railroad. But on Jan. 22 of that year, this little community was the scene of a terrible tragedy that drew an international spotlight. On a cold and rainy afternoon, the Baylor University's men's basketball team was traveling to Austin for a night game with the Texas Longhorns. The high-way from Waco came through town along Georgetown and Main streets, then turned south at Mays. Where the auto road met the railroad, there was no overpass, no automated arms and no lights.

As the bus driver turned toward the railroad tracks, he noticed the Sunshine Special train was speeding along east-ward, and that a collision was imminent. He attempted to turn east off the road and put the bus between the railroad tracks and the passenger depot. But on the slick roads, his actions only changed the angle of the inevitable impact. The train tore through the back and right side of the bus, instantly killing six of the players and student passengers.

When the train was finally able to stop, it backed up with the crew joined by the Round Rock citizens who had rushed to the scene. Then the train, which was headed for Taylor, continued on with two of the injured students, rushing them to the Taylor hospital. Two more students were taken to the hospital in Georgetown, but they died on the way. The two who were taken to Taylor also died that day. In a terrible irony, one of the men who heard of the crash and came to help was Ivey Foster Sr. of Taylor. Among the dead students, he found his own son.

After the bus crash, Baylor received an outpouring of attention and sympathy. Other basketball games and events that weekend were cancelled or postponed out of respect. Yet some long-reaching and beneficial developments came out of that awful Saturday. State legislation was immediately introduced to construct over-passes or underpasses at all places where state highways intersected with railroads. When U.S. Highway 81 was built through Round Rock eight years later, the Texas Highway Department built the first rail-road overpass in Texas, as well as dedicating a plaque to the Baylor victims. School buses across the United States soon introduced new safety features, and have been required ever since to stop at all railroad crossings before proceeding. One of the crash survivors, John Kane, graduated from Baylor and joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. Kane received the Congressional Medal of Honor in August 1943 for commanding his B-24 in a raid on oil refineries near Ploesti, Romania, safely returning his crew over a round trip of more than 2,400 miles. And at the first student assembly each fall at Baylor, they still set out empty chairs for each of the Immortal Ten.

So Who Is Hugo Weaving Anyway?????

It's Friday, time to have a little fun.  I started noticing this guy showing up in movie after movie.  Let's face it, he's not some heart throb which made it even more amazing.  He is a qualified actor capable of  moving from role to role.  It's great to see such talent!  Here's some clips:

Agent Smith in The Matrix trilogy

As Elrond in Lord of the Rings

As Abberline in The Wolfman

As the voice of Megatron in Transformers

As V in V for Vendetta

As Johann Schmidt / Red Skull in Captain America

Next year he will reprise his role of Elrond in The Hobbit.

Hurricane Season: Disaster Kit

So what exactly goes into a disaster kit?  Planning for more than just a hurricane.  I've copied some tips from the Ready South Texas website:

Food and Water:

Water

	One gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation.
	Children, nursing mothers, and sick people may need more water.
	If you live in a warm weather climate more water may be necessary.
	Store water tightly in clean plastic containers such as soft drink bottles.
	Keep at least a three-day supply of water per person.

Food

	Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food.
	Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water.
	Pack a manual can opener and eating utensils.
	Choose foods your family will eat: Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables Protein or fruit bars Dry cereal or granola Peanut butter Dried fruit Nuts Crackers Canned juices Non-perishable pasteurized milk High energy foods Vitamins Food for infants Comfort/stress foo

Medical Supplies:
Things you should have:

	Two pairs of Latex, or other sterile gloves (if you are allergic to Latex).
	Sterile dressings to stop bleeding.
	Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes to disinfect.
	Antibiotic ointment to prevent infection.
	Burn ointment to prevent infection.
	Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes.
	Eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as general decontaminant.
	Thermometer (Read more: Biological Threat)
	Prescription medications you take every day such as insulin, heart medicine and asthma inhalers. You should periodically rotate medicines to account for expiration dates.
	Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring equipment and supplies.

Things it may be good to have:

	Cell Phone
	Scissors
	Tweezers
	Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant

Non-prescription drugs:

	Aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever
	Anti-diarrhea medication
	Antacid (for upset stomach)
	Laxative

Special Needs:
For baby:

	Formula
	Diapers
	Bottles
	Powdered milk
	Medications
	Moist towelettes
	Diaper rash ointment

For adults:

	Ask your doctor about storing prescription medications such as heart and high blood pressure medication, insulin and other prescription drugs.
	Denture needs
	Contact lenses and supplies
	Extra eye glasses

For seniors:

	Plan how you will evacuate or signal for help.
	Plan emergency procedures with home health care agencies or workers.
	Tell others where you keep your emergency supplies.
	Teach others how to operate necessary equipment.
	Label equipment like wheelchairs, canes or walkers.

Additional supplies for seniors:

	List of prescription medications including dosage in your supply kits. Include any allergies.
	Extra eyeglasses and hearing-aid batteries.
	Extra wheelchair batteries or other special equipment in your supply kit.
	A list of the style and serial numbers of medical devices such as pacemakers in your emergency supply kits.
	Copies of medical insurance and Medicare cards.
	List of doctors and emergency contacts.

For People with Disabilities:

	Create a support network to help in an emergency.
	Tell these people where you keep your emergency supplies.
	Give one member of your support network a key to your house or apartment.
	Contact your city or county government's emergency information management office. Many local offices keep lists of people with disabilities so they can be located quickly in a sudden emergency.
	Wear medical alert tags or bracelets to help identify your disability.
	If you are dependent on dialysis or other life sustaining treatment, know the location and availability of more than one facility.
	Show others how to operate your wheelchair.
	Know the size and weight of your wheelchair, in addition to whether or not it is collapsible, in case it has to be transported.

Additional Supplies for People with Disabilities:

	Prescription medicines, list of medications including dosage, list of any allergies.
	Extra eyeglasses, hearing aid batteries and cane.
	Extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen.
	Scooter or wheelchair patch kit, extra inner tubes and other repair supplies. Also include heavy gloves for wheeling over glass and debris.
	Keep a list of the style and serial number of medical devices.
	Medical insurance and Medicare cards.
	List of doctors, relatives or friends who should be notified if you are hurt.

Other items to consider:

	Pads and pencils for communication and/or to keep track of instructions you may receive
	Power converter for communicating with a lap top computer
	Animal supplies

A Portable Kit:
Emergency supplies
Water, food, and clean air are the essential items for survival. Each family or individual's kit should be customized to meet specific needs, such as medications and infant formula. It should also be customized to include important family documents.

Recommended supplies to include in a portable kit:

	Water, amounts for portable kits will vary. Individuals should determine what amount they are able to both store comfortably outside the home and be able to transport to other locations
	Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
	Battery-powered radio and extra batteries
	Flashlight and extra batteries
	First Aid kit
	Whistle to signal for help
	Dust mask or cotton t-shirt, to help filter the air
	Moist towelettes for sanitation
	Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
	Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
	Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
	Infant formula and diapers, if you have an infant
	Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation

So after all this- what was the one thing not on the list?? 

TOILET PAPER!


I would buy at least a 4 pack if I were evacuating.  Think about this, if you are leaving an area along with a few hundred thousand other people, and have to stop at rest stops, what is the first thing that's going to be gone?

These kits are good for preparation for other disasters too.  Not only hurricanes, but also earthquakes, blizzards (although you may want to add a heavy coat or sleeping bag), fires, or flooding.