Thursday, December 27, 2012

Get To Know Your Policy Before It's Too Late!


Winter Storms Ahead: Are You Ready?

We admit it: As insurance pros, our picture of winter isn’t exactly cozy. Winter storms mean traffic snarls, hillsides turning to sheets of ice, and cars sliding around like hockey pucks. Cold temperatures can cause pipes to burst, frost swells and other damage. Heating your home with fireplaces and holiday lighting can increase the risk of fire.

A picture-perfect winter requires a few precautions...

Here are a few of our top tips to help reduce weather-related hassles this winter:

Winter-proof your car with good snow tires or chains, new wiper blades, antifreeze, and emergency road supplies.

Keep your attic cool to help prevent ice dams. Insulate the attic floor and make sure it is well-ventilated.

Do not overload circuits with holiday decorations.

When winter storms hit, be smart...

If you do not have to drive, stay put. If you must drive, make sure you’ve winterized your car and have a full tank of gas.

When the air is cold, keep bath and kitchen cabinet doors open so warm air can circulate around pipes. If pipes do freeze, let them thaw normally—they’ll be less likely to burst.

And if the power is out, make sure you avoid leaving candles or fires burning unattended. If you use a portable generator, follow the instructions and do not use it indoors.

Know what your insurance covers...

We want to help you rest easy.  You will be more relaxed when you know you have prepared your property to lessen the chance of winter storm damage. Your insurance policy covers repair or rebuilding costs. However, your deductible does apply. Check your policy to see what is covered and to confirm the deductible you have chosen.

If you have any questions at all about your coverage, contact Modern Insurance Marketing, Inc. at www.moderninsurance.com or 1-800-762-4646 and we will help you review your options.


Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Traveling with your Furry Friends







Make sure your pets travel well for the holidays


The holiday season is here and that means it’s time to eat good food and join together with loved ones. For many who have families far away, this is also the time to pack up and get out of town. 

If you are gearing up to travel and have pets at home, you’re probably considering their holiday options, perhaps a dog sitter, cat spa or kennel. If you just can’t bear leaving your frisky friends behind, you’re in luck! With the following tips, you and your cuddly companions can be on your way — via car, plane or train - in safety and comfort. 

  • Pre-travel honesty. Before you consider making Fido your backseat driver or your wingman, consider whether he will feel safer en route or at home. Some pets simply don’t like to travel, while others are more versatile. 
  • Hit the rails. If you’re traveling by train, plan ahead. Make sure pets are allowed on the train and find out what rules apply. Also, ensure your pet can stay with you in the passenger compartment, versus needing to be placed in cargo. 
  • Comfort your four-legged friends in flight. Before you book your flight, make sure the air carrier allows pets in the cabin or if they need to ride in cargo. Research weight requirements ahead of time, and check the airline’s website for additional regulations. 
  • Pack their bags with care. Pack a travel bag for your pet, just as you do for yourself and your family. Consider items like food bowls, leashes, treats and favorite toys, as well as immunization records and identification tags. 
  • Put the pedal to the metal. If you have a choice, travel by car. This way you can stop as frequently as necessary for potty stops and feedings. 
  • Avoid accidents. Regardless of your mode of travel, be cognizant of the duration of your journey. Gauge how much your pet eats and drinks according to the length of the trip. If you’re traveling by train, find out in advance if there are stops when you and your pet can get out and get relief.

At Modern Insurance Marketing Inc, we hope you and your pets have a comfortable, safe journey wherever you travel for the holidays.  


All the best to you and your families this season!




Friday, December 14, 2012

10 Effective Ways to De-stress During The Holidays

The most wonderful time of the year, huh? 

So why do the holidays sometimes feel like a month-long panic attack? 




This can be a time for joy and celebration but it can also be a time when people experience sadness, anxiety, stress and exhaustion. Here are 10 ways to stay healthy this holiday season:

1. With the exception of one night a week, stick to the same sleep schedule. Don’t try to make up for lost sleep by sleeping late. Instead, try to nap once or twice during the day for 15 minutes. Drink lots of water or other vitamin-infused drinks. Use cold compresses on your eyes to decrease swelling and increase brightness.

2. Set a limit for gift giving and stick to it. Use cash as much as you can. This can be very difficult as you may feel pressure to buy a number of gifts for people you love and popular gifts for children as well as include colleagues and neighbors. Look for inexpensive gifts to acknowledge the person (gift cards to a local coffee shop, gift certificates for manicures and pedicures or freshly ground coffee with a cute mug or travel cup). Use cash or debit cards as much as possible. One surefire way to increase holiday stress is to face credit card debt on Jan. 2. Instead, be practical and express love and goodwill as an accompaniment to a small gift.

3. Stick to a regular exercise schedule. If you don’t exercise, add two days a week of brisk walking outside for at least 20 minutes. Exercise is one of the best ways to decrease stress. If you have a regular schedule already, do everything you can to preserve your workout time. If not, at a minimum, take a few walks per week. Being outside is key, so as a long as weather permits, get some fresh air.

4. Take five minutes a day to sit on a chair, close your eyes and take several deep breaths. If the idea of meditation completely freaks you out and you think you don’t have the attention span to sit still, limit yourself to 10 deep breaths with eyes closed. There are many benefits of deep breathing, not the least of which is decreased stress and blood pressure and an increase of healthy hormones (and a decrease in cortisol, related to stress).

5. Put aside old grudges with family members and drop expectations for them to change old habits. Rather than going home, ready to take up the same fight and frustrations with family members, spend time with family accepting them as they are. You’ll have less stress, as will they, and maybe you’ll find a new middle ground on which to relate.

6. Resist the urge to attend every holiday celebration. Rather than set yourself up to be grumpy, tired and short on cash from buying multiple hostess gifts, pick one or two parties but no more. Politely decline but do it early and do it. Resist the urge to cancel at the last minute.

7. Eat as much fresh, unprocessed food as possible. Have a lot of clear-based, hot soups, salads and vegetables. I recently read that one of the best ways to increase your immunity during the winter is to refrain from eating cold foods. Along those lines, stay healthy by eating as much fresh food as you can. Good choices are sushi, Thai and Chinese where you can order steamed vegetables and hot, clear soups. Other ideas are roasted winter vegetables and grilled fish.

8. Before bed each night, do a yoga pose called “Legs up the Wall.” After pushing your hips to the bottom of a wall, lie on your bed and lift your legs up the wall. Lean them against the wall for support. The legs can be slightly bent and you can cover your eyes with a towel. This pose restores the body by flushing the feet and legs of blood, lactic acid and other by-products of standing on the feet all day (or shopping!).

9. Ask for help. We all like to be able to get everything done this time of year, but one of the most powerful things to do is admit we need help. Ask your loved one to cook you dinner or get take-out one night. Hire a babysitter or a personal errand assistant to outsource some of your holiday chores. Use the extra time to do something healthy for yourself.

10. Let yourself be sad if those feelings arise. This time of year can bring up many memories of happy times as well as sadness and loss. Instead of acting as if everything is fine and stuffing these feelings deep inside, let them out. Talk to your family about how you’re feeling. Exercise and invest in massage, meditation and restorative yoga classes to express your emotions. Let yourself cry if it comes up. Only through releasing these feelings will you be able to move forward in a healthy way

The best way to dodge holiday stress: Take a time-out. A break from the hubbub re-energizes and refocuses you, making you able to avoid holiday stress (or at least handle it better). Plus, it doesn’t take much time. Whether you have 15 minutes or just one, catch a break that will restore your sanity and your ability to savor the season.






Happy Holidays from Modern Insurance Marketing, Inc!
 

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!


Tips to stay safe during snowmobile season


If you live or vacation where the weather gets cold and the snow starts falling, some people are content to cozy up next to the fire with a good book and concentrate on staying warm.

For others, though, it’s time to get excited — because it’s time to break out the snowmobiles and head to the nearest winter recreation spot. It’s a popular activity, and for good reason: Snowmobiling allows you to explore natural areas that may be hard to access by foot (or snowshoe), and provides a different kind of excitement than skiing or hiking.

Of course, snowmobiling presents some dangers as well. And here at Modern Insurance Marketing, Inc, we want you to make it home safely after your day in the snow. Read on for safety tips from the American Council of Snowmobile Associations — and keep in mind that following these will not only help you stay safe, but also influence equitable treatment of snowmobile access by government, agencies and landowners.

SPEED: Speed is a major factor in many snowmobile crashes. Always keep your speed slow enough to ensure that you’re in control.
ALCOHOL: Use of alcohol or any other drug that causes impairment is a leading cause of snowmobile-related fatalities. It’s best to refrain from any use at all before and during outings because of potential effects on vision, reaction time, balance and coordination. When combined with excess speed in particular, the results can be deadly.
AVALANCHE: More than 90 percent of the time, avalanches that involve people are triggered by the victims. Learn to follow avalanche safety procedures and always know the risks at all times.
RIDING AT NIGHT: Nighttime snowmobiling is fun, but extra caution should be used. Ride at slower speeds so as not to override your headlights (which generally illuminate your path for about 200 feet). Faster speeds could mean that you have little or no time to react to an obstacle in your path.
ROADWAYS: Always keep an eye out for vehicles, as many trails are located alongside roadways and can cross over them. Be sure to stop fully at all stop signs and unmarked road crossings.
CLOSED AREAS: Areas may be closed to snowmobiles due to hazardous conditions, wintering wildlife, non-motorized recreation or by landowner request. It’s important to honor these closures for safety purposes and to help protect access to other riding areas.

While it’s extremely important to follow these tips for your personal safety, it’s also vital to encourage others to snowmobile safely as well. Helping to educate others will not only promote safety for all snowmobilers, but also protect the sport’s image as well.

Whether you’re a new rider or have been on the trails for years, ask yourself if you could be riding more safely. There are many more winters to come, and we want you to be able to enjoy as many of them as possible!

From all of us at MIM, happy trails to you...



Monday, December 3, 2012

Toy Box Trivia

Celebrating the most beloved toys of Christmases past and present...


1.  What was the 1st toy to ever have a TV commercial?



Mr. Potato Head in 1952.
The original toy was a jumbled set of accessories meant to pierce a real potato.

2.  Which toy was considered a potential national security threat because of its voice-recording abilities?


Furby.
The 1998 Christmas craze led to a countrywide shortage of the toy, with the originally priced $30 to $35 model selling online for more than $100. 

3.  What's the most sought after Beanie Baby?


Peanut, the Royal Blue Elephant, which sells for upwards of $3000.  A manufacturing error left 2000 Peanuts a darker shade than the typical light blue, making the elephant one pricey Beanie Baby!

4.  What was the brand name of ZhuZhu Pets marketed in the United Kingdom?
Go Go Hamsters.
In 2009, the little critters sold online for almost 10 times their original retail price of $8.

5.  How many little green houses have been created since Monopoly was first introduced?


5.12 Billion.
Since its creation in 1934, an estimated 500 million people have passed go without stopping.

6. Who is the youngest Rubik's Cube solver ever recorded?


Yi Hui of China.  He was only 3 years, 6 months and 5 days old when he solved the cube in two minutes and 43 seconds in 2011.

7.  Who invented the NERF football?

Fred Cox, a kicker for the Minnesota Vikings in the early 1970's.
This product was originally advertised as "the world's first indoor ball."


8.  What is the Italian name for Garbage Pail kids?


Sgorbions or Snotlings, ewww!!! 
These were collectible cards that were created as an alternative to the more wholesome Cabbage Patch Dolls.  Schools banned them and parents labeled them "not at all healthy."

Share your favorite Holiday toys on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/moderninsurancemarketing.

Happy Holidays!!!