Loving Animals: The best gift you can give


Written on September 27, 2011 – 6:03 am | by Sara Steel

As a volunteer at the local animal shelter, I see lots of dog and cat adoptions. Some are successful and result in the “forever family” that we so desperately want for our four-legged residents; however, some are not successful and result in the animal being returned to the shelter.

Typically, returns are due to poor choices on the adopter’s part and are not the animal’s fault. When you adopt a pet, you take responsibility for that animal for its lifetime; therefore, it’s hard to understand why some people don’t put a little more thought into choosing a pet.

Mos

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Irene Destroys Small Town in Upstate New York #riskymonday


Written on September 26, 2011 – 10:42 pm | by Ethan Kinnear

For many East Coasters, Hurricane Irene caused large amounts of devastation as the storm ravaged towns and left millions of residents without power. Many were left stranded as Irene flooded coastal towns pushing water inland destroying roads and homes along its path. Check out the video and share your thoughts by commenting below or on Twitter using the hashtag #riskymonday.

#riskymonday, brought to you by Bankers Insurance Group, covers one important video highlighting the risks we face each week.

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Tags: Town, Town Upstate

Applying for Life Insurance – Do Medical Exams Scare You?


Written on September 26, 2011 – 1:13 pm | by Lola Benny

I wish I had a dollar for every prospective life insurance client I spoke with who was nervous about getting their blood drawn.  I have even had a few people decide against purchasing life insurance because they couldnt confront the needle.  Medical exams, including blood tests, are part and parcel of the life insurance application.  It provides valuable data to the underwriter as to what type of risk you present to the life insurance company.  Along with a review of your application and medical records, the underwriter will determine your health class and premiums you pay for the policy.

For those of you who are a bit more than squeamish about getting poked in the arm with a needle, here are some tips for relaxing during your blood draw I found at labtestsonline.org:

  • Breathe:  Take three slow breaths, counting to three for each one and breath through your nose.  Brea

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Tags: Insurance, Life Insurance

Life Insurance Check-Up


Written on September 26, 2011 – 12:27 pm | by Lola Benny

In honor of life insurance awareness month, LifeHappens.org has listed a check-up checklist for those who are rethinking their need for coverage.  If you have previously gone without life insurance coverage, its time to sit down and take a closer look at what would happen if you were to pass away.  How would your loved ones manage?  How would your bills be paid?  The checklist helps you ask all of the important questions.

Step 1 discusses education on life insurance in general.  Review reputable information that can give you insight into the buying process and what to look for when shopping for term or whole life insurance quotes.  Be aware of key terms and concepts so that you make the best possible decision.  Step

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Tags: Insurance, Life Insurance

Disability Insurance Risk Factors


Written on September 23, 2011 – 7:01 pm | by Ethan Kinnear

When you apply for a disability insurance policy, the insurance company, through their underwriting process, will evaluate the risk of becoming disabled that you present to the company.  In this post, I will address the main factors the underwriter looks at when determining your risk to the company.

I often write about how disability insurance companies group occupations into risk classes, or better known in the industry as occupations classes.  There isnt an industry-wide occupation classification system, but they all use a numerical system, with the highest numerical value (usually 6) representing the lowest risk class and, therefore, the lowest premium.  

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Tags: Disability Insurance, Risk