Shannon Harvey Insurance

"What if I died tomorrow. How would my loved ones fare financially?" That is the unthinkable...the dreaded question nobody likes to think about, but not doing so can have serious consequences. A death can cause plenty of emotional stress on a family - make sure financial difficulties don't get added to the mix. Take steps now so that if the worst were to happen, your family knows and understands how to execute your wishes and has the financial support it needs to carry on.

The nonprofit Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education (LIFE) offers the following five simple steps to help people get their financial affairs in order so that they can rest easy knowing their families would be taken care of when they die:

1. Make it a Family Affair. Be direct when talking with loved ones about this difficult topic. Keep the conversation private, in a setting where everyone feels comfortable and involve as many immediate family members as you can. Then talk through worst-case scenarios to find out what everyone's concerns are and needs would be, financial and otherwise. An example might be identifying who would take care of your children if you and your spouse died or deciding how much money your family would need upon your death to meet ongoing living expenses and fund future plans. Answering these questions will help ensure that your family is well taken care of no matter what twists and turns life brings.

2. Pay it Forward - Purchase adequate life insurance for you and your spouse now to help your family avoid financial potholes down the road. Having the right amount of coverage will help ensure that your family's dreams can be realized even if you're not there to witness them. How much and what kind of life insurance to buy is based on a number of factors,  so seek assistance from a qualified insurance professional.

3. Where There's A "Will" There's A Way. I often hear people say, "I don't want to make a will...I might die." Guess what...you're going to die anyway. You might as well die with a will in place. Make a will and update it frequently. Make sure it specifies executors, trustees and guardians for dependent children. And don't forget to get a living will also (health care directive) to make sure loved ones know whether or not you want to be kept on artificial life support. Likewise, you need to designate a power of attorney - someone you authorize to manage your affairs, typically financial ones, if you're not able to handle them yourself.

4. Rest in Peace - Make decisions for final arrangements including: your funeral, type of burial, where you want to be buried and whether you want to be an organ donor. Write wishes down and inform family and close friends.

5. Make a list and check it twice - Make a master list of all key financial information, to include bank account numbers, mortgage and insurance policies. Then go one step further and write down where important non-financial information and valuables are located, including birth and marriage certificates, titles and deeds and safe deposit box keys. Be sure to include contact information for all of the professionals who help with your financial and legal affairs, such as your insurance advisor, attorney or accountant. Lastly, keep copies of the list in a safe place and tell your family members how to get to it.

While we all like to hope for the best, it's always wise to plan for the worst.

Renting out part of your house can be a great source of passive income, especially in this economy. Good for you!

When it comes to home insurance, your policy is made up of several types of coverage. One is designed to protect the structure-your home itself. Another is meant to protect what's inside the home-your stuff.

Your home insurance policy will protect your home itself whether you rent out part, all, or none of it. But your tenant's possessions will only be covered if they're related to you. You might consider encouraging them to get renters insurance. You'd certainly hate for something to happen, especially if they're not properly protected.

If you're renting out a finished basement or garden apartment, keep in mind that the drywall, carpeting, and fixtures aren't protected by structure coverage. You may need to increase your personal property coverage to make sure they're protected in case of a fire, or other damage.

Remember, it's always a good idea to talk to an agent if you have questions about your home insurance policy.

Congratulations to our customer, Ben Blanton, for winning the May Referral Contest drawing for a $40 gas card! Thank you, Ben, for your business. We're glad to put you in Good Hands.

Thank you also to the other entrants in the drawing. Your referrals are greatly appreciated!

The contest is simple. For every referral that you send our way that calls and asks us for a home or auto insurance quote, we will enter you in the contest for the monthly and quarterly prize. If the referred individual purchases the quoted policy, your name will be entered a second time. The best part about this program is, there is no limit to how many times your name can be entered. The more referrals you send the better your chances of winning!

Each month we'll select one winner to receive a $40 gas card.  Additionally, each quarter we'll select one person as the winner of the quarterly prize--this quarter's item is a Nintendo Wii. So what are you waiting for?

The statistics regarding teen drivers are sobering.  Nearly 6,000 teens are killed every year in car crashes...and roughly two-thirds are male.  About one-in-five 16 year-olds - both male and female - are involved in police-reported crashes each year.  That's 20 percent of all 16 year-olds who drive! 

You can help make a difference. Take the time to talk with your teen about their becoming a safe driver (I'm happy to provide a few talking points to help you). And don't think they won't listen. Three out of four teens say their parents would be the best influence in getting them to drive more safely.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that night driving and driving with friends in the car often leads to more teen crashes and deaths.  Other distractions that you should talk to your teen about include talking on a cell phone, text-messaging, eating while driving, and listening to loud music.  Each of these activities impairs their ability to drive attentively.

So what else can be done to help reduce teen driver accidents and deaths?

Most states have introduced some form of Graduated Licensing program for new drivers. Graduated licensing means that as teens gain experience on the road and prove they're good drivers, they graduate to fewer restrictions and more driving privileges.  Here are some recommendations for creating your own graduated licensing program:

1. Put limits on the number of passengers your teen can have in the car.
2. Establish and enforce a house curfew. Check with your local police department to see if your town has an established curfew for teens. If not, set your own.  In addition, many states now include night driving restrictions as part of their graduated licensing system.  Make sure your child observes these.
3. Insist on use of seat belts. Remind your kids that just because the car has air bags doesn't mean that they don't have to wear seat belts anymore. The two are meant to work together.
4. Limit or supervise your teen's driving on weekends. The highest number of driving crashes occur on Friday and Saturday nights, and early Saturday and Sunday mornings.
5. Set driving area limits.
6. And, prohibit driving or riding with others under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  Also make sure your teen knows that you'll pick him or her up if they ever need a ride.

The other thing you should do is help your teen become a better driver.  That means practice, practice, practice!  As your parents probably did for you, start practicing in parking lots. For night driving, stick to roads that are familiar to your teen until he or she gets better at it.  Don't always drive the same route to the grocery store and back. Give your young driver a chance to practice on different routes that present different challenges.

Start slow with short sessions to minimize stress to both you and your teen.  Make sure your teen has had at least 50 hours of practice with you before getting licensed.  And, continue practicing until you and your teen feel comfortable with his or her driving abilities.

Learning to drive can be stressful, for both the teen and the parent. To ease the stress, don't make the same mistakes that other parents have made.  For example, don't talk too much while your teen is driving - but don't wait too long to point out problems.  Also, it's best not to have other people in the car. 

For teens, the mistakes are more technical.  First, they should slow down more in complex situations. They tend to expect the best rather than the worst. And they should scan the landscape more often.

As always, kids learn by example, so set a good one and be a good role model.  Always wear your seat belt, don't speed, and don't do other things while driving, like talking on the phone, putting on makeup, or eating and drinking.  Stay focused on the road and practice what you preach.

Parents, are you looking for some fire safety basics to discuss and practice at home with your children? Look no further. Tell your children that they can be the Deputy Fire Marshals in your home when they understand all nine rules. They can even help you draw an escape plan, lead fire drills at home, and teach others the 9 Cool Rules.

1. Don't play with matches and lighters.  If you see matches or a lighter where children can reach them, don't touch them--but go tell a grown-up right away.

2. Ask your parents to install smoke detectors on every floor of your home.  Smoke detectors can save lives. Ask your parents to show you where each one is located.

3. Remind your parents to test your smoke detectors every month.  Make sure everyone in the family is familiar with its piercing sound. Teach them that this sound means danger, and they must escape quickly.

4. When your parents change the time on your clocks for Daylight Savings, ask them to change your smoke alarm batteries.  A smoke detector can only save lives if it has working batteries. Give it fresh batteries and your smoke detector will stay awake and watch for fire while you're sleeping.

5. In case of fire: Don't Hide, Go Outside.  Fires are scary, but you should NEVER hide in closets or under beds when there is a fire. Firefighters may look scary when they're wearing their protective gear, but please don't hide from them. They are wearing special suits and masks as protection from flames and smoke--so they can save you.

6. To escape during a fire: Fall and Crawl.  It is easier to breathe in a fire if you stay low while getting out. Use the back of your hand to test if a door is hot before you open it. If it is hot, try to use another way out.

7. If your clothes are on fire: Stop, Drop, & Roll until the fire is out.  Shout for help, but don't run. Running makes fire burn faster.

8. Have an escape plan and practice it with your family.  Find two ways out of every room, in case one way is blocked by fire or smoke. Practice escaping by both routes to be sure that windows are not stuck and screens can be taken out quickly.

Choose a meeting place outside, such as a big tree or the end of the driveway, so you will know that everyone has gotten out safely. NEVER go back into a burning building for any reason. If someone is missing, tell the firefighters. They have the clothing and the equipment to safely rescue people.

9. Know your local emergency number.  Put the stickers and magnets with emergency numbers on your refrigerator and every telephone in the house. If there is a fire at your house, choose one family member to leave your meeting place and call the fire department from a neighbor's phone.

Make the effort to share these 9 Cool Fire Safety Rules with your family. You never know, doing so just might save a life. Special thanks to the For A Safer America Coalition for their suggestions.

According to a recent fire safety study conducted with kids ages 5-8, most families don't talk about fire safety at home. So, that means:

·        No escape plan designed

·        No meeting place identified

·        No home fire drills called

·        No emergency numbers posted

·        No regular smoke detector battery checks

It's sad but true - just because your kids learned about fire safety in school, doesn't mean they know what to do if a fire occurs at home. This is especially disturbing because 80 percent of all fire deaths take place in a home, and an average of three children die as a result of fire each day in the United States.

Parents, here are some ideas to help you teach your children about fire safety.

Keep it simple. Children learn best when the rules are straightforward and easy to remember. If you have preschoolers, you may want to introduce just one or two of the rules at a time.

Use teachable moments. Reinforce your discussions about fire safety whenever the topic arises- for example, when there's a fire in the news or in a book, or when you see a fire. Ask your children what they would do if they were in that situation.

Do it, don't just say it! Children learn by doing and by following your example. Make a game of practicing a fast escape from each room in your house, especially at night, when most deadly fires occur. Use a stopwatch and wait until everyone has gathered at your family's designated meeting place before you stop the timer. Work together to set a family record.

Repeat yourself. Children need to hear and do things over and over before they remember them. Practice your family's escape plan once every season.

Don't scare small children with too much responsibility. In a dangerous situation, it's normal for 3- to 6-year-olds to forget things they've learned. Make a game of practicing fire safety so they become very comfortable with all the rules. Remind them never to hide from firefighters because the firefighter's job is to help people.

Like many of the things we insure against (car accidents, theft, cancer), fire is something few of us think about routinely. It's easy to hope for the best, but I believe it's best to plan for the worst. Having conversations with your family about fire safety is easy to do and it could go a long way toward keeping your family safe.