http://www.ipsagency.com/blog/View Insurance Planning Service's Website Blogen-uspostmaster@www.ipsagency.comInsurance Website Builder - www.insurancewebsitebuilder.comurn:uuid:fcae76d1-b5cd-4ac3-8d24-168bc0c74314urn:uuid:d0940c53-8195-4d24-bbef-2dfe2ca788c7<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/WC%20Claim%20Form.jpg' align='left' />In general, any Michigan firm that employs at least one full-time person (35 hours or more per week) or employs more than two people at one time (including part time) is required to carry Michigan Workers Compensation insurance.&nbsp; But my workers...Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:46:57 -0600<p><img style="width: 250px; margin-bottom: 2px; float: right; height: 200px; margin-left: 10px;" alt="Workers Compensation" src="/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/WC%20Claim%20Form.jpg" />In general, any Michigan firm that employs at least one full-time person (35 hours or more per week) or employs more than two people at one time (including part time) is required to carry <strong>Michigan Workers Compensation</strong> insurance.&nbsp; </p> <p><b><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline;">But my workers are all subcontractors!<br /> </span></b>We often hear - &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t need workers compensation insurance.&nbsp; My workers are all subcontractors because I don&rsquo;t withhold taxes and I send them a 1099.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(gak2yn45ii3z5155tlghrk3c))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&amp;objectName=mcl-Act-317-of-1969">Michigan&rsquo;s Workers Compensation law</a> (MCL -418.161(1)(n)) defines an employee as, <i>&ldquo;Every person performing service in the course of the trade, business, profession, or occupation of an employer at the time of the injury, if the person in relation to this service does not maintain a separate business, does not hold himself or herself out to and render service to the public, and is not an employer subject to this act&hellip;&rdquo;</i> .&nbsp; In other words, while there are some limited exceptions, anyone working for you that is not a separate business and subject to the workers compensation law is considered an employee!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><b><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline;">What does Workers Compensation insurance do?<br /> </span></b>A Workers Compensation insurance policy does 2 primary things:</p> <ol> <li>It provides valuable coverage for the medical, rehabilitation and work loss expenses that result from an employee&rsquo;s on-the-job injury or illness, and </li> <li>It provides a wall of protection for the employer.&nbsp; Workers compensation is an injured employee&rsquo;s sole or exclusive remedy.&nbsp; This means that, unless the employee&rsquo;s injury was caused by extreme negligence of the employer, the employee is not able to recover damages from the employer except as prescribed by the law. </li> </ol> <p><b><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline;">What happens if I don&rsquo;t have Workers Compensation insurance?<br /> </span></b>In the absence of workers compensation insurance an injured employee may be able to seek recovery directly from the employer.&nbsp; This can be very costly for the employer because the workers compensation law does not establish any dollar limits and other forms of insurance exclude coverage for injury to employees.&nbsp; In the case of an employee working for a contractor, the injured employee may even have recourse directly against a general contractor, if applicable, or the owner of the premises where work is being done.&nbsp; If this isn&rsquo;t enough, an employer that fails to carry workers compensation insurance may be subject to fines of up to $1,000 per day and 6-months in prison.&nbsp;</p> <p><b><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline;">What does workers compensation insurance cost?<br /> </span></b>Premiums for workers compensation insurance are based on the type of work being done by employees and annual payroll.&nbsp; A provisional premium is charged at the beginning of a policy year based on payroll estimates provided by the employer.&nbsp; After the policy expires, the insurance company will audit the firm&rsquo;s payroll and the premium will be adjusted up or down depending on how the estimated payroll compares with the actual audited payroll.&nbsp; The premium can also be discounted or surcharged by a Merit Modifier or Experience Modifier.<br /> <br /> The professionals at&nbsp;Insurance Planning Service are able to answer questions and help to&nbsp;secure a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/business/workers_compensation.aspx">Michigan Workers Compensation</a> insurance policy tailored to the needs of your business.&nbsp; Call us at <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">800-220-5582</span></strong> or <a href="/contact.aspx">contact us</a> for a free quote today!</p>urn:uuid:d7773331-638e-41c8-a577-2b98be9f5a54<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/GPS.jpg' align='left' /> Some may view them as science fiction gone wild. Others see them as indispensable, possibly life-saving tools. Regardless of your feelings about Global Positioning Systems (GPS), they continue to occupy the dashboards of millions of U.S. vehicles ea...Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:07:24 -0600<p style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 250px; margin-bottom: 2px; float: right; height: 200px; margin-left: 10px;" alt="GPS" src="/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/GPS.jpg" /></p> <p>Some may view them as science fiction gone wild. Others see them as indispensable, possibly life-saving tools. Regardless of your feelings about Global Positioning Systems (GPS), they continue to occupy the dashboards of millions of U.S. vehicles each year. The pervasiveness and expense of the technology has drivers asking if their GPS systems are covered by <a href="/automobile/default.aspx">auto insurance</a>. </p> <p><strong>Personal Auto Insurance<br /> </strong><br /> Whether its finding alternative routes to beat traffic or an Italian restaurant for the family, drivers rely on their GPS to get them places without the stress of winding up who knows where with an empty tank, no cellular service and shrieking children.</p> <p>If you depend on your GPS to maintain safety and sanity in your personal vehicle, you should call your Trusted Choice&reg; independent insurance agent<strong> </strong>and request that your auto insurance policy be endorsed to cover the system; failure to make this request will likely result in no coverage for the system after a loss. This is because most personal auto policies strictly limit or totally exclude coverage for GPS and other electronic devices in your car that are not used to operate the vehicle. Some policies will offer limited coverage for GPS devices that are built into the vehicle by the manufacturer or even some portable systems; however this is not the case for all policies and those that do include coverage are limited.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p><strong>Business Auto Insurance</strong>&nbsp; <br /> <br /> Any business person who has ever gotten lost finding a jobsite or received lousy directions to a meeting can attest to the value of a GPS system. Many businesses invest thousands into such systems for the mobile among their ranks&mdash;an investment that could be lost if the system is damaged in a crash or stolen. </p> <p>Similar to personal auto insurance policies, covering a GPS device under a business auto insurance policy likely requires a call to your insurance agent. Your Trusted Choice&reg;&nbsp;independent insurance&nbsp;agent&nbsp;should be able to endorse your policy to include coverage for the GPS system. This endorsement is necessary for most business auto policies&mdash;those that do extend coverage to the GPS system will do so only in a limited capacity; still leaving you with a bill for the damage. </p> <p><strong>Moral of the Story: Call&nbsp;your&nbsp;insurance agent</strong><br /> <br /> Regardless of the level of dependence you invest, losing the ability to use your vehicle&rsquo;s GPS system because it is damaged in an accident or stolen is frustrating and expensive. <br /> <br /> Call on the professionals at <strong>Insurance Planning Service</strong>&nbsp;today at <span style="text-decoration: underline;">800-220-5582</span> to help you discover how much coverage your current auto policy will offer towards replacing the damaged system. If your current auto policy does not offer any coverage, we will be happy to&nbsp;discuss with you how to close this gap.<br /> <br /> Courtesy:&nbsp; Trusted Choice</p>urn:uuid:4b0206fe-b77b-414b-b238-819c505bd4a4<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/%7Ewww.ipsagency.com/Michigan%20Home%20Insurance%20Remodel.jpg' align='left' />Remodeling your home, either to increase value or increase quality of life while living there, is almost a no-brainer. The activity of remodeling, however, and the results that follow will affect your homeowner&rsquo;s coverage. Insurance during the...Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:36:30 -0600<p><img height="142" width="215" src="/img/%7Ewww.ipsagency.com/Michigan%20Home%20Insurance%20Remodel.jpg" style="float: right; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 7px;" alt="Michigan Home Insurance Remodel" />Remodeling your home, either to increase value or increase quality of life while living there, is almost a no-brainer. The activity of remodeling, however, and the results that follow will affect your homeowner&rsquo;s coverage. </p> <h2><em>Insurance during the Remodel</em></h2> <p>While remodeling your house, you&rsquo;ll need to have the proper liability coverage in place. If you hire contractors to work on the home, they may have their own coverage. Although, handymen and friends of the family, if injured, should have the opportunity to file a claim on your homeowner&rsquo;s policy. </p> <p>Turning your home into a construction site can put the interior at risk for damages. You should try your best to minimize risk exposures so as not to be negligent or expose yourself to more risk than is necessary.</p> <p>The materials you use during your remodel could affect your insurance premiums. Be sure to follow the most recent code guidelines when making improvements. Also, try to invest in building materials that fortify the structure against damage. Fortifying your home can, in turn, add discounts to your <strong>home insurance policy</strong>. </p> <p>Finally, think about your possessions listed in the contents area of your policy during the renovation. For some, you may have to find temporary, offsite storage for some items. This can take them out of the scope of your policy and expose you to risk of loss unless you have a supplementary plan of coverage those items while they are offsite. </p> <h2><em>Insurance after the Remodel</em></h2> <p>Once your remodel is complete the property value, as well as your replacement costs, will increase. If any redecorating is included with the remodel, the value of your contents might also have increased. All of this translates into a need to review and possibly update your <strong>home insurance policy</strong> to reflect your new values. Raising your limits will ensure you&rsquo;ll get exactly what is needed out of your policy in the event of a post-remodel insurable incident.&nbsp; </p> <p>It&rsquo;s very easy to update your homeowner&rsquo;s policy to reflect these changes. Just give your agent a call to let them know what needs updated, and they can help you decide what your new property and contents limits should be. Since increasing your limits will likely increase your premiums, you could consider raising your deductible a bit in order to balance the changes out. <br /> <br /> Contact us at <strong><em>Insurance Planning Service</em></strong> today to make sure your <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/homeowners/default.aspx" title="Michigan home insurance"><strong>Michigan home insurance</strong></a><strong></strong> policy is all up to date!<br /> <span style="color: #ffffff;">JG</span></p>urn:uuid:046ac19a-1e12-4643-b8f4-c8e357e64f26<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/IPS_Carriers/Hastings2.gif' align='left' /> Hastings Mutual Insurance Company was again awarded an A+ Superior (stable outlook) financial strength rating from A.M. Best Company in 2011. This top honor is based on an independent evaluation by A.M. Best of the qualitative and quantitative stren...Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:29:37 -0600<p style="text-align: right;"><img style="width: 400px; margin-bottom: 2px; float: right; height: 140px; margin-left: 10px;" alt="Hastings Mutual" src="/img/~www.ipsagency.com/IPS_Carriers/Hastings2.gif" /></p> <p>Hastings Mutual Insurance Company was again awarded an A+ Superior (stable outlook) financial strength rating from A.M. Best Company in 2011. This top honor is based on an independent evaluation by A.M. Best of the qualitative and quantitative strength of Hastings Mutual&rsquo;s balance sheet. The financial responsibility and strength of this well-established, regional Property and Casualty carrier is highlighted in the affirmed rating. <br /> <br /> &ldquo;Hastings Mutual has achieved this recognition because of hard work, conservative financial practices, and the desire to meet the needs of our customers,&rdquo; says Bill Wallace, president and CEO of Hastings Mutual. &ldquo;We attribute this success to the dedication of our independent agents and company employees.&rdquo; <br /> <br /> A.M. Best&rsquo;s comprehensive review also considers other factors regarding the financial health of an organization and examines criterion such as overall performance, business profile, operating fundamentals, and business relationships. Through exceptional agency partnerships, Hastings Mutual has been able to achieve financial growth in commercial and farm lines while maintaining their existing market share in personal lines business. <br /> <br /> &ldquo;Independent agency partnerships are the key to Hastings Mutual&rsquo;s business model,&rdquo; says Wallace. &ldquo;Working with our agent network, we have been able to offer unparalleled service to our mutual customers. This A+ rating allows our agency partners to sell our financial security products with the utmost confidence that Hastings Mutual will be there to fulfill those promises.&rdquo; <br /> <br /> A.M. Best is among the most respected rating organizations. Now a global full-service agency, they have served the insurance industry for more than 100 years. Best&rsquo;s Financial Strength Rating is assigned exclusively to insurance companies based on financial strength and the ability to meet insurance policy contractual obligations.<br /> <br /> <a href="/contact.aspx">Contact</a> one of the insurance professionals at <strong>Insurance Planning Service</strong> at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>800-220-5522</strong></span> for a free quote with the Hastings Mutual Insurance Company on your <a href="/business/default.aspx">Michigan Business Insurance</a>, <a href="/homeowners/default.aspx">Michigan Homeowner Insurance</a>, or <a href="/automobile/default.aspx">Michigan Auto Insurance</a>.<br /> <br /> Courtesy:&nbsp; Hastings Mutual Insurance Company press release</p>urn:uuid:d2b4b0d7-f2e0-4c1b-87f0-970ca2ad440c<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/New%20Baby%201.jpg' align='left' /> Having a baby can be a very exciting, emotional, and exhausting experience for a family, and while most parents remember a lot of the preparation details -- such assembling the crib and installing child-safety locks -- updating their insurance may ...Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:50:08 -0600<div class="ms-rte-layoutszone-inner"> <p style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 350px; margin-bottom: 1px; float: right; height: 232px; margin-left: 10px;" alt="New Baby" src="/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/New%20Baby%201.jpg" /></p> <div>Having a baby can be a very exciting, emotional, and exhausting experience for a family, and while most parents remember a lot of the preparation details -- such assembling the crib and installing child-safety locks -- updating their insurance may not be the first thing that comes to mind.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Whether you&rsquo;re expecting, a new parent, or you know someone who is, it&rsquo;s important to have the right insurance. We at <strong>Insurance Planning Service</strong> want you and your growing family to be protected from all life&rsquo;s possibilities, so we&rsquo;re providing you an insurance checklist &ndash; no assembly required! &ndash; for expecting parents.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <h3 class="ms-rteElement-H3">Health Insurance </h3> <div>1.&nbsp;When you find out you&rsquo;re pregnant, make sure your&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/health/default.aspx" class="ms-wikilink" id="0::Life-Health/LIFE-HEALTH|&amp;#160;health insurance">health insurance</a> plan covers prenatal and maternity health costs. (An employer with 15 or more employees is required by federal law to provide coverage for pregnancy-related expenses.) </div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>2.&nbsp;Check your policy to find out if you need preauthorization for certain prenatal or maternity health costs, such as ultrasounds and amniocentesis.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>3.&nbsp;Call your health insurance company to ensure your obstetrician, doctor, and/or midwife and hospital or birthing center are both in-network. If they&rsquo;re out-of-network, there may be additional charges for your health-care expenses.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>4.&nbsp;Know how many days you&rsquo;re covered for after delivering your baby and if your insurance provides additional time for certain medical needs and scenarios, such as a C-section.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>5.&nbsp;If you&rsquo;re planning on a home birth, check with your insurance company to find out if any expenses are covered. (Most insurance plans will cover the cost of a midwife, but do not offer reimbursement for other costs associated with this type of birth.)</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>6.&nbsp;Contact your insurance provider to find out how to add your new baby to your insurance plan. Since a mother&rsquo;s and newborn&rsquo;s hospital stays are billed separately, you need to have coverage for both people. Many insurance plans will only cover expenses for an infant that is enrolled in a plan within 30 days of being born.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>7.&nbsp;Confirm that your health insurance plan covers your child&rsquo;s first set of doctor appointments and vaccinations, and that your pediatrician is in-network. </div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <h3 class="ms-rteElement-H3">Life/Disability Insurance</h3> <div>1.&nbsp;If you and your spouse don&rsquo; already have a&nbsp;<a href="http://http://www.ipsagency.com/life/default.aspx" class="ms-wikilink" id="1::Articles/get-a-life|&amp;#160;life insurance">life insurance</a> policy in place, a new baby is a good time to take out a policy. Most parents have a term life insurance policy, which usually is the least expensive options and provides coverage for a fixed amount of time at a set premium. Usually the beneficiary of this type of policy is a spouse, however, single parents may want to list their child or a family member.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>2.&nbsp;If you or your spouse become disabled and one of you is the primary breadwinner for the household, you may want to consider&nbsp;long-term disability insurance. This type of insurance will provide your family with financial support if you are disabled and cannot work. Some employers offer this coverage, but you should check to make sure you&rsquo;re covered and find out if you have enough coverage.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <h3 class="ms-rteElement-H3">Homeowner&rsquo;s Insurance</h3> <div>1.&nbsp;A baby comes with a lot of new stuff, which means you probably need to update your&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/homeowners/default.aspx" class="ms-wikilink" id="2::Home-Apartments/Home-Apartments|homeowner&rsquo;s insurance">homeowner&rsquo;s insurance</a> policy to included enough coverage to replace everything in your nursery. If your new bundle of joy doesn&rsquo;t have a state-of-the-art crib or fancy diaper genie, you may not need to increase your coverage, but you should check with your Trusted Choice independent insurance agent to find out. </div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <h3 class="ms-rteElement-H3">Auto Insurance</h3> <div>1.&nbsp;Unlike other types of insurance, which go up with a new addition, your&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/automobile/default.aspx" class="ms-wikilink" id="3::Auto-Insurance/auto_insurance|auto insurance">auto insurance</a> will likely stay the same. However, a major life milestone, such as having a baby, can be an indicator of increased responsibility, which can actually lead to a decrease in rates. If you&rsquo;re expecting or a new parent, contact your Trusted Choice independent insurance agent to find out if your rates can be reduced.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>If you have any questions, need help getting coverage, or simply want to double-check your insurance policies, call us at <span style="text-decoration: underline;">800-220-5582</span> or&nbsp;<a href="/contact.aspx">contact us</a> via the web.&nbsp; The professionals at Insurance Planning Service are&nbsp;happy to help &hellip; just don&rsquo;t ask us to baby-sit!<br /> <br /> Courtesy: Trusted Choice<br /> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>urn:uuid:ed657940-016a-4774-a968-cd8f06f36e5e<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Homeowners%20Insurance.jpg' align='left' />&ldquo;The market value of my home has dropped significantly.&nbsp; Yet, my insurance company wants to raise the amount of coverage on my homeowner&rsquo;s insurance.&nbsp; Shouldn&rsquo;t the amount of insurance be reduced?&rdquo; &nbsp;The short an...Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:44:19 -0600<p><i><img style="margin-top: 0px; width: 300px; margin-bottom: 2px; float: right; height: 214px; margin-left: 10px;" alt="Homeowners Insurance" src="/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Homeowners%20Insurance.jpg" />&ldquo;The market value of my home has dropped significantly.&nbsp; Yet, my insurance company wants to raise the amount of coverage on my homeowner&rsquo;s insurance.&nbsp; Shouldn&rsquo;t the amount of insurance be reduced?&rdquo;</i></p> <p>&nbsp;The short answer is probably not.</p> <p>A homeowner&rsquo;s insurance policy is a contract designed to repair or replace the home should it be damaged or destroyed by a covered cause of loss.&nbsp; And, it often costs more to replace a home than it does to build the same home starting with a vacant piece of property.&nbsp; This makes it necessary to carefully choose an amount of coverage that is sufficient to replace the home should it be destroyed.</p> <p>Many factors affect the market value, or selling price, of a home.&nbsp; They can include the age of the home, its condition, its location, the overall economy and what a buyer is willing to pay for it.&nbsp; On the other hand, the cost to replace the home is based on the cost of labor and materials to put the home back the way it was before the loss.&nbsp; For example, let&rsquo;s say the cost to replace a particular home is $250,000.&nbsp; The market value of this home could be one amount if the home was situated on a small urban lot, another amount if the home was located on a moderate-sized lot in a suburban city, and another amount if the home was on 10 acres in a rural setting.&nbsp; Now, let&rsquo;s say that this home suffers a total loss due to fire or tornado.&nbsp; The cost to replace the home will be the same regardless of where the home is located &ndash; even though the market value may vary substantially.</p> <p><i>&ldquo;But, even though I paid $300,000 for my home 12 years ago, and the replacement cost is estimated to be $250,000, I could only sell it for $150,000.&nbsp; I want to reduce the amount of insurance to $150,000.&nbsp; If I have a total loss, I should have enough money to buy another home similar to it, right?&rdquo;</i></p> <p>The problem is that a homeowner&rsquo;s insurance policy has a built-in kicker that is rarely discussed, and is designed to protect the insurance company in the event a person purchased an insufficient amount of insurance.&nbsp; The Loss Settlement section of the standard homeowner policy (ISO Form HO-3) says that:</p> <ul> <li>IF the amount of insurance is at least 80% of the cost to replace the home at the time a loss occurs, the insurance company will pay the full cost to repair the damage or replace the home (up to the amount of insurance and less the deductible). </li> <li>IF the amount of insurance is less than 80% of the cost to replace the home at the time a loss occurs, the insurance company can then settle on an Actual Cash Value basis rather than replacement cost. </li> </ul> <p>What is Actual Cash Value (ACV)?&nbsp; While it is not defined anywhere in the policy, ACV is commonly understood to mean the cost to replace less depreciation.&nbsp; Depreciation can be influenced by a number of factors including the age and condition of the home.&nbsp; But, the ACV can also be swayed by market values, etc.&nbsp; The truth is that, if you are subject to an ACV settlement, there is no way to know how much you might receive if a loss occurs.&nbsp; If you are unfortunate enough to suffer a total loss, chances are that you would receive the full amount of insurance.&nbsp; However, only a very small percentage of all homeowner claims are a total loss.&nbsp; The vast majority are partial losses.&nbsp; This is where the biggest problem comes in.</p> <p>Let&rsquo;s put this into perspective by using an example. &nbsp;For the sake of discussion, let&rsquo;s say the roof was replaced 10 years ago and that the normal life of a roof is 20 years.&nbsp; The replacement cost of the home (the cost to rebuild the home) is $250,000.&nbsp; Six months ago, you called your agent and reduced the amount of insurance to $150,000.&nbsp; Your policy has a $500 deductible.&nbsp; The now roof needs to be replaced due to severe damage from hail and the roofing contractor says repairs will cost $10,000.&nbsp; The loss is reported to the insurance company and you receive a check &hellip; for $4,500!</p> <p>Why did you receive $4,500 when the amount of the loss is $10,000?&nbsp; </p> <ul> <li>The amount of insurance was $150,000 on a home with a replacement cost of $250,000.&nbsp; That is less than the 80% requirement in the Loss Settlement provisions. </li> <li>When the amount of insurance is less than 80%, the insurance company pays Actual Cash Value instead of Replacement Cost. </li> <li>Remember the definition of Actual Cash Value &ndash; the cost to replace less depreciation. </li> <li>The roof used 10 years of its 20 year life, or 50%. </li> <li>The cost to replace is $10,000, less 50% ($5,000) = $5,000 </li> <li>Your policy had a $500 deductible - $5,000 less $500 = $4,500 </li> </ul> <p>If the home had been insured for its replacement cost, the settlement would have been $9,500 instead of $4,500 ($10,000 less the $500 deductible).</p> <p>Before rushing to reduce the amount of insurance to save a few premium dollars on your homeowner&rsquo;s policy, remember the Loss Settlement provisions and their requirements.&nbsp; Ask yourself - Is saving a few dollars in insurance premium worth the potential disappointment after a loss? </p> <p>A&nbsp;<strong>Michigan Homeowners Insurance</strong>&nbsp;professional at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/"><strong>Insurance Planning Service</strong></a>&nbsp;is a valuable source of safety and insurance information. Don&rsquo;t hesitate to contact an agent at <span style="text-decoration: underline;">800-220-5582</span> to discuss your questions or to receive a free quote on <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/homeowners/default.aspx">Michigan homeowners insurance</a>.</p>urn:uuid:1b8e811a-5376-42a2-9a9a-c08a457398d4<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Insurance%20Advisor.jpg' align='left' />Dramatic changes in the insurance marketplace make the professional insurance advisor's role increasingly important to individuals and small businesses in finding cost-saving measures and coverage options. They provide and service insurance products ...Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:21:07 -0600<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><img style="width: 225px; margin-bottom: 2px; float: right; height: 225px; margin-left: 10px;border: 0px solid;" alt="Insurance Advisor" src="/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Insurance%20Advisor.jpg" />Dramatic changes in the insurance marketplace make the professional insurance advisor's role increasingly important to individuals and small businesses in finding cost-saving measures and coverage options. They provide and service insurance products while educating and advising you on how to manage risk and make informed insurance choices. Many career life and health insurance advisors have completed a sequence of college level courses leading to a professional designation, such as: </p> <ul> <li>Registered Health Underwriter (RHU) </li> <li>Health Insurance Associate (HIA) </li> <li>Registered Employee Benefits Consultant (REBC) </li> <li>Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), or </li> <li style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; color: black;">Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) </li> </ul> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Similarly, many career property and casualty insurance advisors have completed courses leading to such professional designations as:</p> <ul> <li>Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) </li> <li>Accredited Adviser in Insurance (AAI) </li> <li>Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) </li> </ul> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Advisors are highly trained insurance professionals who will guide you through the complex task of choosing appropriate coverage at an affordable cost and are dedicated to serving the long-term interests of consumers. </p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><a href="http://www.ipsagency.com">Insurance Planning Service</a> has a staff of <a href="/employees.aspx">professional advisors</a> who are able to answer your questions and assist you in designing an insurance program tailored to your specific needs &ndash; whether auto, home, business, life or health insurance.&nbsp; <br /> <br /> Call us today at <span style="text-decoration: underline;">800-220-5582</span> for a free quote on all of your <strong>Michigan insurance policies</strong>.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Courtesy: NAHU</p>urn:uuid:03fff30a-2f54-4cb7-b749-ffcff90936e5<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Life%20Insurance.jpg' align='left' />Over the years, we have advised many&nbsp;clients on the importance of life insurance. You&rsquo;d think everyone would understand the need for life insurance in the event a wage earner or family member dies. Yet LIMRA estimates 41% of U.S. adults &m...Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:33:06 -0600<p><img style="margin-bottom: 2px; float: right; margin-left: 10px;border: 1px solid;" alt="Life Insurance" src="/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Life%20Insurance.jpg" />Over the years, we have advised many&nbsp;clients on the importance of life insurance. You&rsquo;d think everyone would understand the need for life insurance in the event a wage earner or family member dies. Yet LIMRA estimates 41% of U.S. adults &mdash; 95 million people &mdash; have no life insurance at all.¹ And 43% of those with coverage believe they need <em>additional</em> life insurance.² These statistics tell us that many still don't&nbsp;understand the need for life insurance and how to adequately protect themselves. </p> <p>Employers clearly feel an information gap exists among their workers when it comes to life insurance.³ In fact, only 41% of HR professionals say their employees understand the need for life protection very well. Improving benefits communication efforts at the policyholder level can reap strong rewards, helping clients who don&rsquo;t have life insurance understand the valuable need for this coverage.</p> <p>We can assist those who don&rsquo;t have enough coverage determine the right amount of life insurance for them and their families. LIMRA says 44% of those who say they need life insurance haven&rsquo;t bought because they don&rsquo;t know how much to buy.<br /> <br /> While many policyholders struggle to figure out how much life insurance they need, many of those with existing coverage simply don&rsquo;t understand the important features of the policies they own. It is important to understand these 10 commonly overlooked features of life insurance plans:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Waiver of premium</strong>. This feature pays the premium of a policy if a serious illness or injury causes the policyholder to become disabled. </li> <li><strong>Accelerated death benefit.</strong> This feature allows policyholders to receive cash advances against the death benefit of their policies if they&rsquo;re diagnosed with a terminal illness. Many people with this benefit use the money to help pay for treatment and other expenses when they have only a short time to live. </li> <li><strong>Guaranteed purchase option.</strong> With this feature, policyholders can purchase coverage at designated future dates or life events without proving they&rsquo;re in good health. </li> <li><strong>Long-term care riders</strong>. Some life products include this option, which allows individuals to use the benefits of their policies to pay for long-term care in exchange for a reduced life benefit. </li> <li><strong>Spouse or child term riders</strong>. Life policies with this feature allow policyholders to purchase term life insurance for their spouses or dependent children, up to age 26. This option can be a more affordable way to purchase coverage for those who can&rsquo;t afford separate policies. </li> <li><strong>Cash value plans. </strong>This type of policy pays out upon a policyholder&rsquo;s death and also accumulates value during their lifetime. individuals can use the cash value as a fund from which they can borrow and use to pay the policy premiums later. </li> <li><strong>Mortgage protection</strong>. Some term life plans are designed to provide mortgage protection for homeowners, typically paying a decreasing benefit that corresponds to the outstanding balance of the mortgage. </li> <li><strong>Cash withdrawals and loans</strong>. Many universal and whole life policies allow policyholders to withdraw or borrow money, using the cash value of the policy as collateral. Interest rates tend to be relatively low. Individuals can also use the cash value of their life policies to pay their premiums if they need or want to stop paying premiums for a period of time. Policyholders must pay back the loan, or your beneficiaries will receive a reduced death benefit. </li> <li><strong>Survivor support services.</strong> Some life policies offer services that provide objective financial and legal assistance to beneficiaries. </li> <li><strong>Employee assistance programs.</strong> This feature makes resources available to policyholders when they have problems that can affect their personal and professional lives. Resources are usually free and help address issues such as substance abuse, stress, marital problems, legal concerns and major life events. </li> </ul> <p><strong>Advantages of Voluntary<br /> </strong><br /> LIMRA research shows that 57% of people who are under-insured prefer to buy life insurance face to face. And 18% of them prefer to purchase at the workplace. Voluntary life insurance can be an important part of a company benefits package and can help meet the needs of employers and employees. This coverage can be&nbsp;purchased as a complement to company-provided life insurance or as a standalone offering. Because it&rsquo;s typically employee-paid, voluntary benefits allow employers to expand their benefits packages at little to no additional cost. Some other features of voluntary coverage include:</p> <ul> <li>Portability. With individual policies, the employee, not the employer, owns the policy, which means workers can keep their policies if they leave their jobs. </li> <li>Simplified underwriting. Both guaranteed issue (no health questions for underwriting) and simplified issue (minimal health questions for underwriting) are available, if participation and eligibility guidelines are met. </li> <li>Variety of life insurance plans. Employees now have choices in plans to meet their individual needs when it comes to protecting their families and building cash value. </li> </ul> <p>Voluntary life coverage&nbsp;can be an especially effective combination in an employee benefits plan. Companies that work with insurers to improve benefits education can boost participation in their programs, which helps ensure employees have the coverage they need to protect their families and their lifestyles.<br /> <br /> The insurance professionals at <strong>Insurance Planning Service</strong>&nbsp;can assist with questions you may have regarding your <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/life/default.aspx">Life Insurance</a>.&nbsp; Call us at (800) 220-5582 or visit us at <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/">www.ipsagency.com</a>&nbsp;for a free quote on <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/personal/term_life.aspx">Michigan&nbsp;Life Insurance</a>.<br /> <br /> Courtesy:&nbsp;LifeHealthPro.com<br /> <br /> FOOTNOTES:<br /> 1. LIMRA, (Life Insurance and Market Research Association) &ldquo;Facts About Life,&rdquo; 2011.<br /> 2. Retzloff, Cheryl, &ldquo;Trillion Dollar Baby &mdash; Growing Up,&rdquo; LIMRA, 2011.<br /> 3. Colonial Life, Life Insurance and Disability Insurance Survey, October 2011.</p>urn:uuid:605a1704-334b-4be2-b655-7bcc10034f34<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Ice%20Dam.jpg' align='left' /> Michigan residents&nbsp;know the winter season creates special challenges for homeowners. In this article, we discuss an icy situation - Ice Dams. An ice dam refers to ice that has formed along a roof&rsquo;s edge. The dam of ice blocks additional w...Wed, 28 Dec 2011 09:01:37 -0600<p style="text-align: right;"><img style="width: 250px; float: right; height: 228px; margin-left: 10px;border: 0px solid;" alt="Ice Dam" src="/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Ice%20Dam.jpg" /></p> Michigan residents&nbsp;know the winter season creates special challenges for homeowners. In this article, we discuss an icy situation - Ice Dams. <p>An ice dam refers to ice that has formed along a roof&rsquo;s edge. The dam of ice blocks additional water and the pooling water backs up and finds pathways into a home&rsquo;s interior. This water may cause deterioration and decay to interior wood and plaster, drywall or other insulation materials. Once an ice dam has forced paths into a home, the roof becomes more susceptible to future ice dams and water damage.&nbsp; Repairs&nbsp;to damage caused by ice dams can cost thousands of dollars.</p> <p>Too much heat rising from the home to warm the roof is the most frequent cause of ice dams. The process occurs unevenly with the warmer area at the higher part of the roof melting the snow and then the cooler, lower area, particularly the roof edge, permitting the water to refreeze and then accumulate. Inadequate insulation lets too much heat escape into the attic and this creates a warmer roof. Improper ventilation creates moisture and heat buildup due to the lack of air movement.</p> <p><strong>How To Detect A Problem</strong></p> <p>Compare the way the snow is melting from the living area of your home with how snow appears on the roof over an unheated area such as a garage or shed. How does any snow coverage on your roof compare with your neighbors&rsquo; homes? Check for icicles. They can be pretty, but heavy icicle buildup means that interior heat is melting a lot of snow and may contribute to ice dams.</p> <p><strong>How To Prevent Ice Dams</strong></p> <p>There are a number of ways to help prevent ice dams:</p> <ul> <li>Clear excess snow from the roof. However, in order to minimize damage to the roof and roofing, hire a professional to remove the snow.</li> <li>Add rubberized or special roofing adhesives to help prevent pooled water on the roof from finding entry into the home&rsquo;s interior.</li> <li>Inspect the attic and roof for cracks, holes, or joints that permit warm air to escape to the roof, and seal or repair these areas.</li> <li>Add the recommended amount of insulation to the attic and exterior walls of your home to minimize escaping heat (this also reduces your heating costs).</li> <li>Reduce your home&rsquo;s thermostat and throw on warmer clothing during extended cold spells.</li> <li>Clear your gutters and downspouts so that water is properly shed off your roof.</li> </ul> <p>As always, a&nbsp;<strong>Michigan Homeowners Insurance</strong>&nbsp;professional at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ipsagency.com"><strong>Insurance Planning Service</strong></a>&nbsp;is a valuable source of safety and insurance information. Don&rsquo;t hesitate to contact an agent at <span style="text-decoration: underline;">800-220-5582</span> to discuss your questions or to receive a free quote on <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/homeowners/default.aspx">Michigan homeowners insurance</a>.<br /> <br /> Source: Paradiso Insurance</p>urn:uuid:7e26534f-47d2-43a2-8af3-8eb5dfd546cc<img src='https://www.insurancewebsitebuilder.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Cobra.jpg' align='left' />COBRA is a law that protects you and your family if you lose your employer-sponsored health benefits. It can help you maintain coverage while you are in transition.&nbsp; COBRA allows you to keep the same coverage and the same physicians. If you qual...Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:33:58 -0600<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">COBRA is a law that protects you and your family if you lose your employer-sponsored health benefits. It can help you maintain coverage while you are in transition.&nbsp; COBRA allows you to keep the same coverage and the same physicians.<img style="margin-bottom: 2px; float: right; margin-left: 10px;border: 0px solid;" alt="COBRA" src="https://www.insurancewebsitebuilder.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Cobra.jpg" /></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">If you qualify for COBRA coverage, then you have the option of continuing your employer-sponsored health plan for a limited period of time (18-36 months.) COBRA can provide important protection for people who have pre-existing medical conditions. You should carefully consider COBRA coverage if you or a member of your family are currently pregnant, have a pre-existing health conditions, are taking prescription medications, or have been declined for private health insurance.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">However, if you and your family are relatively healthy, you may be able to purchase a comparable individual or family health insurance plan for a lot less money. In addition, since COBRA coverage is available to the unemployed, your lower income status may make your children under age 18 eligible for a low-cost government &ndash;subsidized program. MI-Child is a health insurance program for uninsured children of Michigan&rsquo;s working families. </p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">&nbsp;<b>As a consumer, you need to know your COBRA strategy</b>.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><strong>Consider continuing COBRA if:</strong></p> <ul> <li>You are pregnant or plan to become pregnant within the COBRA coverage period </li> <li>You have a pre-existing medical condition </li> <li>You are taking prescription medications, need to undergo a medical procedure in the near future, or need extensive medical care </li> <li>You have recently been declined for private health insurance </li> </ul> <p><b></b></p> <p><b>Options after COBRA</b>:</p> <ul> <li>HIPAA.&nbsp; Once&nbsp;a person has&nbsp;exhausted COBRA benefits or the company plan expires. i.e. the company goes out-of-business or discontinues the health plan, you may be &nbsp;eligible for an individual plan under the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability ACT), even with pre-existing health conditions. For more information, contact the state Department of Insurance. </li> </ul> <p><strong>Consider purchasing an individual/family plan if</strong></p> <ul> <li>You are in relatively good health </li> <li>The COBRA option is too expensive </li> <li>You are seeking health insurance coverage beyond the COBRA term (typically 18 months) </li> </ul> <p><strong>You can Mix &amp; Match:<br /> </strong></p> <ul> <li>Mix and match your COBRA coverage with individual and public sponsored alternatives. For example: <ul> <li>If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you can choose COBRA coverage for yourself but find a less expensive individual plan for your spouse and a public sponsored program for your children. </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p>We can assist with questions you may have regarding your <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/health/default.aspx">health insurance</a>.&nbsp; Call us at (800) 220-5582 or visit us at <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com">www.ipsagency.com</a>&nbsp;for a free quote on <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/health/default.aspx">Michigan health insurance</a>.<br /> <br /> Source: Foundation for Health Coverage Education</p>urn:uuid:67272bf9-78e0-4f7a-a1d0-9b0eb06fde3b<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/%7Ewww.ipsagency.com/Michigan%20auto%20insurance.jpg' align='left' />The goal of insurance is to take some of the risk you are exposed to every day off your shoulders. You pay the insurance company and, in turn, they accept the risk that you might have an accident and agree to pay a certain amount. Auto insurance oft...Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:41:37 -0600<p><img width="236" height="218" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; float: right; margin-left: 7px;" alt="Michigan Auto Insurance" src="/img/%7Ewww.ipsagency.com/Michigan%20auto%20insurance.jpg" />The goal of insurance is to take some of the risk you are exposed to every day off your shoulders. You pay the insurance company and, in turn, they accept the risk that you might have an accident and agree to pay a certain amount. </p> <p>Auto insurance often offers a sort of shared risk. Deductibles and limits divide the risk to make certain some of the risk is yours, and some of the risk belongs to your insurance carrier. </p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Deductibles</strong></span> are the amount of damages you&rsquo;re responsible for before your carrier pays out. If the cost of your damage does not exceed your deductible, however, you&rsquo;re responsible for the full amount. </p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Limits</strong></span> are the maximum amount that your insurance company will pay toward a claim. Any additional liability above your policy limits is your responsibility, unless you have an umbrella policy. </p> <p>Setting higher deductibles and lower limits, allows your insurance company to assume less risk. By your carrier assuming less risk, your premiums may be significantly lower. In the event of an accident, your financial responsibility may be greater since you have an aggressive deductible and lower limits to make up for.</p> <p>Ultimately, when using deductibles and limits to create an affordable <strong>auto insurance policy</strong>, you want to make sure you find the right balance.</p> <ul style="list-style-type: disc; margin-top: 0in;"> <li><strong><em>Can you afford the deductible?</em> </strong>You should be able to pay your deductible without going into debt or having to remove the money from an account with penalties for early withdrawal. </li> <li><strong><em>Do you have resources for claims that exceed limits?</em></strong> If you have a claim that exceeds the limits of your policy, you should try to pay the claim with funds that are readily available to you. </li> <li><strong><em>Is it worth the risk?</em></strong> Finally, make sure you perform many policy comparisons with lower deductibles and higher limits to make sure that your premium savings are really worth the increased exposure you have. Consider the changes in premium that these adjustments bring and then consider the amount of money you will need in reserves to pay your additional responsibility. </li> </ul> <p>Shopping for <strong>auto insurance</strong> is not just about finding the lowest premium. With a little finesse, you and your agent can design a plan with an affordable premium that offers you the coverage you need.Call us today at <span style="text-decoration: underline;">800-220-5582</span> for more information or get a free <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/automobile/default.aspx" title="Michigan auto insurance"><strong>Michigan auto insurance</strong></a><strong></strong> quote.<br /> <br /> <span style="color: #ffffff; font-size: 10px;">JG</span></p>urn:uuid:578b7df4-9975-435e-a37f-61b66f3a5a52<img src='https://www.insurancewebsitebuilder.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/DUI.jpg' align='left' />Here are the answers to three common questions regarding car insurance and alcohol-related driving violations. What will a DUI conviction do to my car insurance rates? In general, once your insurance company sees that you have a DUI on your driving r...Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:26:42 -0600<p>Here are the answers to three common questions regarding car insurance and alcohol-related driving violations.<img style="margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 2px; float: right; margin-left: 10px;" alt="DUI" src="https://www.insurancewebsitebuilder.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/DUI.jpg" /></p> <h2><strong><span style="font-size: 13px;">What will a DUI conviction do to my car insurance rates?</span></strong></h2> <p>In general, once your insurance company sees that you have a DUI on your driving record you will see an increase in your auto insurance rates. And it's not just a little hike in your rate; based on an analysis of <strong>car insurance quotes</strong>, premium amounts may increase 30 percent to 100 percent, or even more. For instance, in Colorado, your rates may spike up to 30 percent after a DUI violation, while in North Carolina, you get docked 12 points under the Safe Driver Incentive Points system for a DUI, which could cause your rates to jump 340 percent.</p> <p>Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol is seen as a major offense and seriously risky behavior by <strong>car insurance</strong> companies, so for that infraction you will be paying a lot more for your car insurance premium and will lose any preferred status that you had obtained.</p> <p>Your current car insurance company may even cancel you out at the end of your policy, and then you'll have to find coverage with a new&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/automobile/default.aspx">auto insurance</a> company that takes high-risk drivers.</p> <h2><strong><span style="font-size: 13px;">How long will a DUI affect my rates?</span></strong></h2> <p>Insurance company guidelines, governed by state laws, dictate how long your rates will be affected by a driving DUI conviction.&nbsp; As with most minor or major convictions, a DUI will keep your rates raised for at least three years.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p>If your state keeps the offense on your record longer than three years, and many do, it's common for this offense to affect your car insurance rates for five years or more. &nbsp;For instance, in California a DUI prevents you from receiving a safe-driver discount for 10 years from the date of your DUI conviction. &nbsp;</p> <h2><strong><span style="font-size: 13px;">What is an SR-22 and will it affect my rates?</span></strong></h2> <p>The SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility that many states require when you get your license reinstated after a DUI, though the certificates are not limited to just alcohol-related driving offenses.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>When you are notified of the need to carry a SR-22, you should be told what the minimum car insurance limits are that the state will accept for this filing. When you purchase the required coverage and have your insurer file the SR-22, the form verifies with the state that you have the mandated coverage in place -- the whole reason for the filing.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p>You must continue to carry the SR-22 for a certain number of years -- typically three but it ranges from one to five.&nbsp; If you cancel your insurance during this time period the state will be notified and usually your license and/or vehicle registration will be suspended.</p> <p>The <a href="http://www.insurance.com/auto-insurance.aspx?WT.qs_osrc=fxb-45570810">car insurance</a> coverage that is associated with the SR-22 form will be rated according to all the factors that ordinarily go into rating a policy, regardless of the SR-22 form filing.&nbsp; The SR-22 itself typically incurs a filing fee of $15 to $25.<br /> <br /> Contact&nbsp;<strong>Insurance Planning Service</strong>&nbsp;for further information on auto insurance or for a free <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/automobile/default.aspx">Michigan auto insurance</a>&nbsp;quote. </p> Courtesy: Fox Personal Finance<br /> <br />urn:uuid:43d49062-0427-4e62-927c-de515ee5c1e2In September 2011, the Michigan legislature passed a new 1% tax on health insurance claims.&nbsp; Beginning January 1, 2012 this tax will be levied on the insurance companies but, rest assured, it will come through to you &ndash; one way or another.&...Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:04:16 -0600<p><span style="font-family: calibri;">In September 2011, the Michigan legislature passed a new 1% tax on health insurance claims.&nbsp; Beginning January 1, 2012 this tax will be levied on the insurance companies but, rest assured, it will come through to you &ndash; one way or another.&nbsp; Blue Cross Blue Shield has already indicated they will be showing the tax assessment as an additional line item on their premium invoice. Other companies may simply choose to charge it as part of the premium. The tax will apply to insurance companies as well as Third Party Administrators for self-insured programs.&nbsp; It will apply to Michigan residents who receive medical services in Michigan.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: calibri;">This new tax is intended to replace an expiring 6% tax on certain Medicaid managed care programs by spreading the tax over a much broader base to reduce the impact.&nbsp; It guarantees continued funding for some of the State&rsquo;s most vulnerable residents, including elderly people receiving long-term care in nursing homes and health care for children.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: calibri;">The tax will not apply to copays and deductibles.&nbsp; Claims paid by Medicare, Department of Veterans Affairs and those of federal employees are exempt.</span></p> <span style="font-family: calibri;"> <p style="text-align: left;">For more details on <strong>Michigan&nbsp;Health Insurance</strong>&nbsp;or to get a free&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/health/default.aspx">Michigan&nbsp;health insurance quote</a> contact us at 800.225.5582.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: center;">734.421.9900&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; 800.220.5582&nbsp; |&nbsp; <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/" title="Insurance Planning Service">www.ipsagency.com</a></p> </span>urn:uuid:fc2e59f8-e2c2-42f5-af6e-f0b8015c9507<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/contractors.jpg' align='left' />It is customary for businesses to assume liability in a contract. These contracts are usually referred to as hold harmless agreements or indemnification agreements, an agreement where one party accepts responsibility for the other party&rsquo;s negli...Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:00:28 -0600<p><img src="http://www.ipsagency.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/contractors.jpg" style="float: right; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; margin-left: 7px;" alt="Contractors" />It is customary for businesses to assume liability in a contract. These contracts are usually referred to as <strong>hold harmless agreements</strong> or <strong>indemnification agreements</strong>, an agreement where one party accepts responsibility for the other party&rsquo;s negligence.&nbsp; Although it is not standard for an insurance policy to provide liability coverage for anyone else but the policyholder, a typical <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/business/liability.aspx" title="Commercial General Liability">Commercial General Liability policy</a> does provide some coverage for certain frequently used business contracts. </p> <p>Here are 5 of the most common coverages:</p> <ol> <li>Lease of premises (but not for liability assumed due to fire damage to a premises you occupy or rent)</li> <li>Sidetrack agreement</li> <li>Easement or license agreement (except in connection with construction or demolition operations on or within 50 feet of a railroad)</li> <li>Indemnification of a Municipality (except in connection with work for a municipality)</li> <li>Elevator maintenance agreement</li> </ol> <p>There are however, particular conditions contained in the policy that limit the coverage for these contracts.&nbsp; For example, coverage is not provided to architects, engineers or surveyors for their professional services as a professional liability policy is more appropriate for these occupations. &nbsp;Furthermore, personal or advertising injury is not covered; just bodily injury or property damage claims are covered.&nbsp; A personal injury claim is defined as libel or slander.</p> <p>It is always a good idea to evaluate all of the contracts you sign. This will determine whether you are assuming liability, and if so, to <a title="Contact" href="/contact.aspx">check with your insurance agent</a> if you are covered for such agreements. You can also get a <a href="https://6c92f787-0d3e-4590-8147-cdd15e2d6b71.insurancewebsitebuilder.com/business__commercial/business_insurance_quote.aspx" title="Commercial Quote">Michigan commercial insurance quote</a> by calling <strong> (734) 421-9900</strong>.</p>urn:uuid:ae8d63a3-8780-4cee-bd7f-4f9ce301e26b<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Rental%20Car.jpg' align='left' />Many people rent cars for various reasons; traveling out of town for vacation or business, as a temporary replacement for a car that is in for repair, or even just to save miles on a your lease car for a weekend trip.&nbsp; When you step up to the co...Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:02:38 -0600<p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Many people rent cars for various reasons; traveling out of town for vacation or business, as a temporary replacement for a car that<img style="margin-top: 2px; width: 325px; margin-bottom: 2px; float: right; height: 212px; margin-left: 10px;" alt="Rental Cars" src="/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Rental%20Car.jpg" /> is in for repair, or even just to save miles on a your lease car for a weekend trip.&nbsp; When you step up to the counter one question the rental car agent is certain to ask is: Do you want to purchase or decline <strong>rental car insurance</strong>?</span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">This is something to think about carefully before making a decision.&nbsp; Common suggestions will say rental car insurance is a waste of money.&nbsp; But could that advice be short-sighted?&nbsp; Paying a few extra dollars for the rental car insurance may actually be one of the smartest ways to spend your money.&nbsp; </span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">First, contact your&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ipsagency.com">insurance agent</a> to learn how your existing insurance covers damage to a rental car and the loss of personal property in it.&nbsp; </span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">If you have comprehensive and collision coverage on your auto insurance policy, most policies will allow those coverages to cover a rental car.&nbsp; The same deductibles and conditions will apply, of course.&nbsp; If you pay for your rental car using a credit card, check to see if you have any coverage provided as a cardholder benefit.</span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">But don&rsquo;t assume that because you have auto insurance with comprehensive and collision coverage or charge the cost of a rental car on your credit card that you don&rsquo;t need to consider rental car insurance.&nbsp; Here are a few things to think about when making your decision:</span></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">1.<span style="font: 7pt arial;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>If a rental car is damaged while rented to you, your insurance company will likely pay the cost of repairing the damage the same way it would have paid to repair your own car &ndash; the cost of repair, less your deductible.&nbsp; But, in addition, rental car companies are likely to charge you for &ldquo;loss of use&rdquo; during the time their car is out of service for repair &ndash; the rental fees they could have earned if their car had been in service.&nbsp; You may find yourself stuck paying their highest daily rate for that car which may be far more than the discount rate you may have paid.&nbsp; Some rental car companies also charge you for the reduced value of their car (diminishment) now that it has been in an accident.&nbsp; The bad news is that, when you pay for the rental car using a credit card and sign the agreement to rent the car and decline the rental car insurance, you have pre-authorized these costs to be charged to your credit card &ndash; potentially hundreds if not thousands of dollars!&nbsp; Don&rsquo;t expect your own auto insurance policy to pay for either of these costs.&nbsp; You need to purchase rental car insurance if you want them covered.</span>&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">2.<span style="font: 7pt arial;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>What if you travel out of the country?&nbsp; Check the coverage territory defined in your auto policy.&nbsp; Typically, it includes the United States of America, its territories or possessions; Puerto Rico; or Canada.&nbsp; If you are traveling anywhere else in the world, your auto insurance does not apply &ndash; not at all.&nbsp; We&rsquo;re not just talking about damage to the vehicle you rent.&nbsp; You could be responsible for the cost to repair or replace the other person&rsquo;s car.&nbsp; Worse yet, what if you are to blame for injuring another person in an accident?&nbsp; Unless you have a personal umbrella policy, you could be personally liability for the cost of their injuries.&nbsp; You absolutely need to purchase rental car insurance anytime you rent a car out of the country.</span></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">3.<span style="font: 7pt arial;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>What about personal effects in the rented car?&nbsp; Think about the items you take with you during a trip.&nbsp; Beyond clothing, what about that digital camera, laptop computer, cell phones, etc.?&nbsp; Most auto insurance policies do not provide any coverage for personal items in the car.&nbsp; Your homeowner&rsquo;s insurance may cover these things away from home and often anywhere in the world.&nbsp; But, the deductible on your homeowner&rsquo;s policy will apply &ndash; could be $500; $750; $1,000.&nbsp; If you want to avoid filing a claim against your home insurance and having to pay this deductible while away with a rental car, you can purchase coverage for personal effects with the rental car insurance.</span></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">4.<span style="font: 7pt arial;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Finally, the thing most often overlooked&hellip;&nbsp; When away from home using a rental car, you are in unfamiliar places and driving an unfamiliar car.&nbsp; This alone can raise the chance of having an accident.&nbsp; Without rental car insurance, you will file a claim under your own auto insurance policy. This could cause an increase in your premium that may remain for several years!&nbsp; You can avoid this possibility by purchasing rental car insurance.</span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">To Buy or Not To Buy &ndash; you decide!<br /> <br /> </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">For more details on <strong>Michigan&nbsp;Auto Insurance</strong>&nbsp;or to get a free </span><a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/automobile/default.aspx"><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 13px;">Michigan auto insurance quote</span></a><span style="font-size: 13px;"> contact us at 800.225.5582.&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">734.421.9900&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; 800.220.5582&nbsp; |&nbsp; </span><a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/" title="Insurance Planning Service"><span style="color: #810081; font-size: 13px;">www.ipsagency.com</span></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p>urn:uuid:e8ae45e5-846e-4d61-ab40-0b49cdad6957<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/MI%20Legislature.jpg' align='left' />If passed, HB-4936 will reform the Michigan No-Fault auto insurance law that was first created in the 1970&rsquo;s.&nbsp; Under the current No-Fault law, all Michigan auto insurance policies contain a coverage called Personal Injury Protection, or PI...Thu, 03 Nov 2011 07:16:11 -0500<p style="text-align: justify;"><img style="margin-top: 2px; width: 250px; margin-bottom: 2px; float: left; height: 185px; margin-right: 10px;" alt="MI Legislature" src="/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/MI%20Legislature.jpg" />If passed, HB-4936 will reform the Michigan No-Fault auto insurance law that was first created in the 1970&rsquo;s.&nbsp; Under the current No-Fault law, all Michigan auto insurance policies contain a coverage called Personal Injury Protection, or PIP.&nbsp; PIP includes several provisions, including <span style="text-decoration: underline;">unlimited</span> medical benefits and up to 85% of the insured&rsquo;s lost income from work, subject to a monthly maximum amount.&nbsp; Michigan is the only state that mandates unlimited medical coverage.<br /> <br /> The crux of the issue is the rate at which the cost of catastrophic injury claims are increasing in combination with the way our No-Fault Law currently works.&nbsp; At present, PIP benefits within the auto insurance policy must pay medical providers the full amount of fees they deem to be &ldquo;reasonable and customary&rdquo;.&nbsp; Other medical insurance sources are able to pay reduced fees because of PPO or HMO agreements or, in the case of workers compensation, a fee schedule that is part of Michigan&rsquo;s Workers Compensation Statute.<br /> <img style="margin-top: 15px; width: 275px; margin-bottom: 2px; float: right; height: 164px; margin-left: 10px;" alt="Auto Accident" src="https://www.insurancewebsitebuilder.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Car%20Accident%201.jpg" /><br /> At present, there is no dollar limit on the amount of PIP benefits payable for an injury stemming from an automobile accident.&nbsp; There are two charges within&nbsp;a Michigan auto insurance policy that pay for this benefit:&nbsp; One is the premium paid for PIP coverage.&nbsp; This money is retained by the insurance company and is used to cover the first $500,000 of a claim for PIP benefits.&nbsp; Another charge is the MCCA assessment.&nbsp; The assessment, which will increase slightly to $145.00 per vehicle in 2012, is a fee the insurance companies are required to collect and pass on to the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA).&nbsp; The MCCA fully reimburses the insurance company for the portion of an injury claim that exceeds $500,000.&nbsp; According to the MCCA, the highest percentage of people whose PIP claim costs exceed $500,000 are between the age of 16-20 (12.4%).</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">According to a report&nbsp;presented by Sharon Tennyson Ph.D.&nbsp;as testimony before the Michigan House Insurance Committee on October 4, 2011, the average amount paid for a Michigan PIP claim during 2010 was $35,446.&nbsp; The report also states that only 1% to 2% of all PIP claims in Michigan exceed $500,000.&nbsp; The problem is that the few claims (1% to 2%) that exceed $500,000 account for 47% of all PIP claims costs.&nbsp; In other words, once the claim cost exceeds $500,000, chances are that it&nbsp;may be huge.&nbsp; <br /> <br /> The goal of the proposed legislation is to help curb the rising cost of auto insurance in Michigan. According to a legislative analysis summary from the <a href="http://www.house.mi.gov/hfa">House Fiscal Agency</a>, there are six key provisions to the proposed change in our No-Fault Law:</p> <ul> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">No-fault policies would no longer automatically cover unlimited lifetime medical and rehabilitation benefits.&nbsp; Instead, drivers could choose personal injury protection (PIP) coverage with (1) a maximum of $500,000; (2) a maximum of $1,000,000; or (3) a maximum of $5,000,000.&nbsp; The default amount would be $500,000.<br /> </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">The current Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA), which currently pays medical and rehabilitation claims once they exceed $500,000, would be divided into two accounts:&nbsp; (1) the MCCA Account, which would only apply to losses attributable to accidents before July 1, 2012; and (2) an Excess PIP Account, which would apply to losses attributable to accidents on or after July 1, 2012.&nbsp; Each account would be self-supporting and assets and liabilities could not be transferred between them.<br /> </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Under the bill, for loss occurrences attributable to accidents on or after July 1, 2012, each auto insurance company would pay for 100% of the ultimate loss under PIP coverage up to $500,000.&nbsp; The MCCA would reimburse the auto insurance company 90% of the ultimate loss from $500,000 and $1,000,000 and 100% of the loss in excess of $1,000,000.<br /> </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">The fee schedule used in the Workers&rsquo; Compensation system would be applied to payments made by auto insurers to physicians, hospitals, and other providers treating an injured person or providing rehabilitation.&nbsp; (The fee schedule would not apply to emergency medical services provided by ambulance operations.)<br /> </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Individuals injured on a motorcycle involved in an accident with a motor vehicle could claim PIP benefits only up to a maximum of $250,000.<br /> </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Specific limits would be placed in statue on attendant care or nursing services provided in an injured person&rsquo;s home, including limits on hourly payment for the provision of basic services and skilled services.</div> </li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;">If passed, how would claim costs be covered if they exceeded the limit of insurance chosen on the auto insurance policy?&nbsp; Likely, they would become the responsibility of other insurance sources such as private medical insurance, VA Benefits or Medicaid.<br /> <br /> The airwaves are alive with radio ads from both those who favor this change and those who oppose this change.&nbsp; Insurance companies and many consumers favor the change as it would help contain spiraling medical costs resulting from auto accidents and help to keep auto insurance premiums reasonable.&nbsp; Health care providers oppose the change.<br /> <br /> Change to the Michigan No-Fault Law will affect every driver in the State of Michigan.&nbsp; It is important to stay informed and determine how this major change might affect you.&nbsp; </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">For more details on Michigan No-Fault reform may affect you, visit the <a href="http://ligislature.mi.gov/">Michigan Legislature&rsquo;s</a> website.&nbsp; You can also contact us at 800.225.5582 for more information about Michigan auto insurance, or to get a free <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/automobile/default.aspx">Michigan auto insurance quote</a>.</p> <p style="text-align: center;">734.421.9900&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; 800.220.5582&nbsp; |&nbsp; <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/" title="Insurance Planning Service">www.ipsagency.com</a></p>urn:uuid:984728cd-f0cc-4fd0-870c-bcdfa3fb1fc5<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/%7Ewww.ipsagency.com/livonia-home-insurance.jpg' align='left' />It is very difficult to put your life together after any traumatic event, but after a fire it can be especially challenging. Not only will you need to deal with the emotional aftermath of the event, but you also need to organize your belongings and a...Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:18:21 -0500<p><img alt="Livonia home insurance" style="float: right; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 10px;" src="/img/%7Ewww.ipsagency.com/livonia-home-insurance.jpg" />It is very difficult to put your life together after any traumatic event, but after a <strong>fire</strong> it can be especially challenging. Not only will you need to deal with the emotional aftermath of the event, but you also need to organize your belongings and arrange a place for your family to live for as long as it will take to make your home livable again. When you understand all the steps you need to take after a fire <strong><em>before</em></strong> it happens to you, you might be better prepared to deal with the aftermath. Here is a <strong>list to help you in the event that you are affected by a fire</strong>.</p> <ol style="margin-top: 0in; list-style-type: decimal;" start="1"> <li style="color: black;">Make sure you and your family have a safe place to stay. Make sure you have a place to sleep, clothes to wear and a place to bathe. If you need eyeglasses, prosthetics, food, certain medications or any other basic living essential, contact your local charitable and emergency management organizations like the Red Cross and they should be able to offer you a temporary supply or contact information to a group that can.</li> <li style="color: black;">Notify your loved ones about where you will be so that they know you are in a safe place. Your fire might make the evening news, and leaving your loved ones to find out about it that way is maybe not a good idea. Make some calls and ask others to spread the word for you so that no one in your circle is unduly concerned about your family&rsquo;s well being. </li> <li style="color: black;">Do not linger on the premises until you get the all-clear from the police and fire department.</li> <li style="color: black;">Call your insurance company to have an adjuster come out as soon as possible. You should do your best to leave the site intact until the adjuster arrives. Do not begin any cleanup efforts or sort through the rubble until after the insurance adjuster has met with you and completed the list of personal effects that are missing or damaged. You should also give your adjuster copies of any pictures you have of your home and contents taken before the fire. </li> <li style="color: black;">If possible, try to find your driver&rsquo;s license, social security cards, passports and other important personal documents first along with copies of your <a title="Livonia home insurance" href="http://www.ipsagency.com/homeowners/default.aspx"><strong>i</strong><strong>nsurance policies</strong></a>. Leaving them exposed could open you up to the risk of identity theft, something that you really don&rsquo;t need to deal with during this difficult time. </li> <li style="color: black;">Remove items that are salvageable and find out how to properly clean them. You may have some possessions that can be salvaged after a fire but don&rsquo;t assume that just because they look intact that they actually are. Find out how to restore them so that they are once again safe to use. </li> <li style="color: black;">Call your post office and utility companies. You may want to have your mail held until you are once again able to inhabit your home, and you should consider having your utilities temporarily shut off.</li> </ol> <p>For more details about how to safely handle yourself after a fire, you can visit the <a href="http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/index.shtm">U.S. Fire Administration website.</a> You can also contact us&nbsp;<span style="text-decoration: underline;">800.220.5582</span> for more information about home insurance or to get a free <a title="Livonia home insurance" href="http://www.ipsagency.com/homeowners/"><strong>Livonia home insurance</strong></a> quote.<br /> <br /> </p> <div style="text-align: center;">734.421.9900&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; 800.220.5582&nbsp; |&nbsp; <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/" title="Insurance Planning Service">www.ipsagency.com</a></div> <p>&nbsp;</p>urn:uuid:08384bdb-12d1-4b0b-9fd3-4e33bf9e393c<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/deer.jpg' align='left' /> According to information published by&nbsp;State Farm, Michigan drivers run a 1 in 90.5 chance of having an accident involving a deer.&nbsp; Michigan ranks 5th in the nation. The explosion in the deer population has lead to a continuing increase in...Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:40:50 -0500<p style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 350px; height: 263px; vertical-align: middle;" alt="Deer" src="/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/deer.jpg" /></p> <p style="text-align: left;">According to information published by&nbsp;State Farm, Michigan drivers run a 1 in 90.5 chance of having an accident involving a deer.&nbsp; Michigan ranks 5th in the nation.<br /> <br /> The explosion in the deer population has lead to a continuing increase in deer-car collisions. This trend will only increase as the deer population grows and urban habitats continue to encroach upon rural environments.<br /> <br /> According to the National Safety Council, there were 530,000 animal-related accidents in 2003 and these collisions resulted in 100 deaths and 10,000 injuries. <br /> <br /> The average cost per insurance claim for collision damage is $2,800, with costs varying depending on the type of vehicle and severity of damage. When you factor in auto claims involving bodily injury, the average rises to $10,000.</p> <strong> <h2><span style="font-size: 16px;">Defensive driving tips to avoid hitting a deer.</span></h2> </strong> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li>Be especially attentive from sunset to midnight and during the hours shortly before and after sunrise. These are the highest risk times for deer-vehicle collisions.</li> <li>Drive with caution when moving through deer-crossing zones, in areas known to have a large deer population and in areas where roads divide agricultural fields from forestland. Deer seldom run alone. If you see one deer, others may be nearby.</li> <li>When driving at night, use high beam headlights when there is no oncoming traffic. The high beams will better illuminate the eyes of deer on or near the roadway.</li> <li>Slow down and blow your horn with one long blast to frighten the deer away.</li> <li>Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near your path, but stay in your lane. Many serious crashes occur when drivers swerve to avoid a deer and hit another vehicle or lose control of their cars.</li> <li>Always wear your seat belt. Most people injured in car/deer crashes were not wearing their seat belt.</li> <li>Do not rely on devices such as deer whistles, deer fences and reflectors to deter deer. These devices have not been proven to reduce deer-vehicle collisions.</li> </ul> <p>If your vehicle strikes a deer, do not touch the animal. A frightened and wounded deer can hurt you or further injure itself. The best procedure is to get your car off the road, if possible, and call the police. <br /> <br /> Contact your insurance agent or company representative to report any damage to your car. Collision with an animal is covered under the comprehensive portion of your auto insurance policy.<br /> <br /> Courtesy:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.iii.org">Insurance Information Institute</a></p>urn:uuid:4c4a3836-1997-4752-9e2a-e1544a17b74cDo you know your insurance score? Most people don&rsquo;t even realize that they have one until they receive an &ldquo;adverse-action&rdquo;&nbsp;notice in the mail notifying them that, based on their&nbsp;insurance score, they don&rsquo;t qualify fo...Sat, 24 Sep 2011 14:32:32 -0500<p>Do you know your insurance score? Most people don&rsquo;t even realize that they have one until they receive an &ldquo;adverse-action&rdquo;&nbsp;notice in the mail notifying them that, based on their&nbsp;insurance score, they don&rsquo;t qualify for the lowest pricing available from their insurance provider. To help you decipher what all this means, here we go over what the insurance score is, how it&rsquo;s calculated and some things you can do to improve it.</p> <p><strong>The Mystery</strong><b><br /> </b>If you ever get one of these adverse-action letters, any efforts to dig a little deeper into the circumstances behind your low score requires more perseverance than most people are willing to put forth.</p> <p>The adventure begins&nbsp;by following&nbsp;the letter&rsquo;s instructions to call the listed 1-800 number to receive a free copy of your&nbsp;credit report &nbsp;&ndash; which apparently has some effect on the score. You may wait several weeks for a reply, only to be sent a consent form that reads like an&nbsp;<a href="http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/identitytheft.asp"></a>identity thief&lsquo;s dream: the form will request detailed proof of identification, including photocopies of your driver&rsquo;s license, in addition to your social security number and your insurance information.</p> <p >If after gathering all of that information you are brave enough to send it off through the mail, the packet that you get back will simply summarize your credit rating, with absolutely no information about your insurance score. If you inquire further with the credit-reporting agency, you will likely be told that your credit report contains information that was used to calculate your insurance score, but that the credit-reporting agency has no access to your actual score.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> If &nbsp;you persist and contact your insurance company, it will likely tell you that 99% of its clients do not qualify for the company&rsquo;s lowest rate, and to qualify, your credit must be absolutely perfect. In other words, even if you carry no balances on your credit cards, own your home free and clear, are completely debt free and have a credit rating in the high 700s, you&rsquo;re still unlikely to&nbsp;have an insurance score that qualifies you for the lowest available insurance rate. So what exactly is this mysterious insurance score, and what exactly is&nbsp;its reason and purpose?</p> <p><strong>What It Is and How It Is Calculated</strong><b><br /> </b>An insurance score is a rating used to predict the likelihood that a customer will file an insurance claim.&nbsp;This score &ndash; as we noted above -&nbsp;is based on an analysis of a consumer&rsquo;s credit rating, and the method for calculating it varies from insurer to insurer. While many companies use proprietary formulas to calculate the scores, the factors used in the calculation include the customer&rsquo;s outstanding debt, length of credit history, payment history, amount of&nbsp;revolving credit&nbsp;versus amount of credit in the form of loans, available credit&nbsp;and monthly account balance.</p> <p>Unlike a credit rating, which uses personal financial information to determine your ability to repay debts, insurance-score calculations do not factor in your income. This omission means that it is very possible for you to be penalized for taking out a large loan or charging a large amount on your credit cards each month even if your income is more than enough to cover the expenses.</p> <p><strong>The Logic</strong><b><br /> </b>Insurance companies justify the use of insurance scores by citing studies that apparently show a positive correlation between credit scores and insurance claims. At some level, this may seem to make sense. At the level of minor traffic accidents, for example, it is reasonable to argue that individuals with&nbsp;poor credit&nbsp;are more likely to file claims, if for no other reason than the fact that they lack the funds to make repairs on their own.</p> <p>Of course, if we look at the logic behind insurance scores we&nbsp;might want to&nbsp;look at it also from a business perspective: insurance scoring is quite profitable, especially since almost nobody qualifies for the lowest-tier pricing. Keep in mind that insurance premiums are a recurring revenue stream for insurance companies, and the&nbsp;scores help justify higher premiums.</p> <p><strong>How to Minimize the Impact on Your Wallet</strong><b><br /> </b>A perfect insurance score, in the eyes of an insurance company, represents a client with the lowest possible risk of filing a claim, so &ndash; since the probability of filing a claim is based on credit &ndash; good credit is the key to a high score. A good credit report can have such a large impact on your insurance premium that you can, for example, have a flawed driving record but good credit and pay less for your car insurance than a driver who has a perfect driving record but bad credit. Do keep in mind, however, that your insurance score is not the only factor that determines your premium&nbsp;(you can ask your insurer for more details on what the other factors are).</p> <p>While it is unlikely that your insurance score will ever be perfect, there are a few relatively painless steps that you can take to improve your score. To keep your insurance score high, be sure to pay all of your bills on time and limit the number of credit cards that you apply for and open. <br /> <br /> But, paying your bills on time isn&rsquo;t enough: as we mentioned above your insurance score is adversely impacted by large monthly credit card expenditures, even if you pay off your entire balance each month. To help your insurance score, you can minimize your credit card use. While it can prove unreasonably inconvenient to stop using your credit card entirely, most of us can find ways to cut down.</p> <p>That said, if your goal is to have a perfect insurance score, be sure to evaluate whether the costs of changing your financial&nbsp;spending patterns is worth it. Cutting out your use of credit cards means time-consuming trips to the ATM and extra service charges from increased debit card use. You might also have to avoid the convenience of online transactions (still done primarily through the credit card), and, finally, if your credit card company offers you benefits &ndash; such as air-travel or other types of points &ndash; you might have to forgo these as well.</p> <p>So, even after finding out about an imperfect insurance score, you may find the effort needed to perfect it is not worth what may amount to relatively small savings in premiums. (Remember, your insurance score is not the sole impact on your premium.)</p> <p><strong>The Insurance Score Is Here to Stay</strong><b><br /> </b>The use of credit history to determine insurance premiums is quite alarming to many consumers, particularly to those who have never filed an insurance claim but still don&rsquo;t qualify for the lowest available pricing. Unfortunately, insurance scoring is a standard practice among the ranks of the nation&rsquo;s largest insurers. Erie Insurance, in its explanation of insurance scoring on its <a href="http://www.erieinsurance.com/SafeCsmr/UndstndIns/Insurance%20Scoring/know.htm" target="_blank">website</a>,&nbsp;reports that 90% of insurers use insurance scoring in some way. Other studies place that percentage even higher. With that in mind, the best way to help keep your insurance premium low is to keep your credit score high. Take the same amount of caution with your credit score as you would with your driving &ndash; being responsible with both can save you serious amounts of money in insurance premiums.<br /> <br /> Source: <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/investopedia/2011/09/22/how-an-insurance-company-determines-your-premiums/?feed=rss_home">Forbes.com</a></p>urn:uuid:d2f3186c-e59d-4261-abfc-a21c44ae8c97<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Life.jpg' align='left' />Life Insurance Awareness Month is dedicated to educating consumers about the need for life insurance. LIAM is an industry-wide effort coordinated by the LIFE Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to helping consumers make smart insurance decis...Fri, 16 Sep 2011 09:48:40 -0500<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><img style="margin-top: 3px; width: 175px; margin-bottom: 3px; float: right; height: 150px; margin-left: 10px;" alt="Family" src="/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/Life.jpg" />Life Insurance Awareness Month</strong> is dedicated to educating consumers about the need for life insurance. LIAM is an industry-wide effort coordinated by the <a href="http://www.lifehappens.org/">LIFE Foundation</a>, a nonprofit organization devoted to helping consumers make smart insurance decisions. Launched as an educational campaign with the intention of alerting the American population about the devastating effect that life&rsquo;s uncertainties can cause, the main purpose is to bring greater visibility of the need for life insurance.&nbsp; This effort is&nbsp;supported by the <a href="http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2011-2012/resolutionadopted/House/pdf/2011-HAR-0122.pdf">Michigan Legislature&rsquo;s House Resolution 122</a>. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">According to the <a href="http://www.iamagazine.com/NewsViews/2011/September_15/Big-I-Employee-Benefits.aspx">Independent Agents Magazine</a>:</p> <ul> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">3 in 10 adult Americans have no life insurance. </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Insured Americans on average have only four times their annual income in life insurance coverage. Many insurance experts believe that an individual&rsquo;s true need for coverage is 10 times their gross annual income and sometimes more. </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Only 41% of adult Americans have individual life insurance. Many rely on insurance provided by their employers, leaving many employees without coverage if they were to lose their job or change jobs. </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Each year, a significant number of Americans (550,000) die prematurely. In fact, the chances a 25-year-old male will die before reaching the retirement age of 65 is nearly 1 in 5; for a female the odds are 1 in 9. </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">When a premature death occurs, insufficient life insurance coverage on the part of the insured results in 75% of surviving family members having to take measures to meet financial obligations: Working additional jobs, longer hours, borrowing money, withdrawing from savings and investments and, in some cases, moving to smaller, less expensive housing.&nbsp; </div> </li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;">As many Americans are struggling to survive on a day-to-day basis, it may seem hard to think about life insurance.&nbsp; But the sad story is that many don&rsquo;t think about it until it&rsquo;s too late. The financial safety net life insurance provides is especially important now given that many people have far fewer resources to fall back on in the event of a death in the family. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">What better time than now to contact <a href="http://ipsagency.com/">Insurance Planning Service</a> about <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/life/default.aspx">life insurance</a>?&nbsp; We can discuss your family situation, assist in determining your life insurance needs, and put together a program that will help accomplish your goals.&nbsp; We are&nbsp;an independent insurance agency offering a full range of insurance products &ndash; auto &ndash; home &ndash; business &ndash; life &ndash; health &ndash; to individuals, families and businesses throughout <strong>Michigan</strong>.&nbsp; Call or visit us on the web today for a quote on your insurance!</p> <p style="text-align: center; margin-left: 73.5pt;">734.421.9900&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; 800.220.5582&nbsp; |&nbsp; <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/" title="Insurance Planning Service">www.ipsagency.com</a></p> <p>[Source: <a href="http://www.iamagazine.com/NewsViews/2011/September_15/Big-I-Employee-Benefits.aspx">IIABA</a>]</p>urn:uuid:b45acd09-624d-4361-8a54-3db09b38d5baYoung Students.&nbsp; Pedestrian injuries are the second leading cause of unintentional death among children ages 5 to 14. Children who walk to school or to a bus stop must be reminded to: Look left, right, then left again before crossing t...Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:43:20 -0500<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Young Students</span>.</strong>&nbsp; Pedestrian injuries are the second leading cause of unintentional death among children ages 5 to 14. Children who walk to school or to a bus stop must be reminded to:</p> <ul> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Look left, right, then left again before crossing the street. </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Always try to cross a street were a crossing guard is present. </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Walk 10 giant steps away from the front of the school bus. </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Cross in front of the bus <span style="text-decoration: underline;">only</span> after the driver signals it&rsquo;s okay to do so. </div> </li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">High School Students</span></b><b>.</b> &nbsp;Statistics show that teen drivers are <span style="text-decoration: underline;">four times more likely</span> to be involved in a fatal crash. In fact, 6,000 young people are killed each year in fatal crashes. If your son or daughter drives to school:</p> <ul> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Teach them to always buckle up and require everyone else in the car to buckle as well. </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Remind them to always obey the speed limit. </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Choose a safe car for teens to drive&mdash;remember large cars are safer than small ones. </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Enforce no-drinking-and-driving rules. </div> </li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">College Students</span></b><b>. </b>&nbsp;The number one crime on college campuses is theft. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">One out of every 10</span>-college students will be robbed while away at school.&nbsp;&nbsp;If living on-campus,&nbsp;most students&rsquo; belongings are covered under their parent&rsquo;s homeowner policies, but expensive computer equipment and other items may not be.&nbsp;&nbsp;If living off-campus, the parent's homeowner insurance will not usually provide coverage.&nbsp; Students should purchase a <a href="/renters/default.aspx">renter's policy </a>to cover their belongings and to provide personal liability coverage in the event they should be held legally responsible for an injury at their residence.&nbsp;&nbsp;Parents should&nbsp;also:</p> <ul> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Remind students to always lock dormitory doors, even if they are just down the hall. </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Tell students not to keep large amounts of money or jewelry in their rooms. </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Have students mark personal property, such as book-bags and CD&rsquo;s, with identifiable marks. </div> </li> <li> <div style="text-align: justify;">Check&nbsp;<a href="/automobile/default.aspx">auto insurance</a> if your child takes a car to school to be sure no additional coverage is needed. </div> </li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;">Contact&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/" title="Insurance Planning Service"><strong>Insurance Planning Service</strong></a> for more insfomation about <a href="/renters/default.aspx">Michigan renters insurance</a>,&nbsp;<a href="/automobile/default.aspx">Michigan auto insurance</a> or other insurance needs for your student.&nbsp; We are&nbsp;an independent insurance agency offering a full range of insurance products &ndash; auto &ndash; home &ndash; business &ndash; life &ndash; health &ndash; to individuals, families and businesses throughout <strong>Michigan</strong>.&nbsp; Call or visit us on the web today for a quote on your insurance!</p> <p style="text-align: center;">734.421.9900&nbsp; |&nbsp; 800.220.5582&nbsp; |&nbsp; <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/" title="Insurance Planning Service">www.ipsagency.com</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>urn:uuid:b0925e28-dc24-4c50-856b-6279aca54e82<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/%7Ewww.ipsagency.com/iStock_000006888653XSmall.jpg' align='left' />The premium on my personal umbrella liability insurance policy increased halfway through the policy term. My insurance agent says it&rsquo;s because I added a teen driver. This doesn&rsquo;t seem right since our son is a good student and is covered b...Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:22:10 -0500<strong><img style="margin-top: 5px; width: 269px; margin-bottom: 5px; float: right; height: 200px; margin-left: 7px;" alt="Livonia Umbrella Policy" src="/img/%7Ewww.ipsagency.com/iStock_000006888653XSmall.jpg" /></strong>The premium on my personal <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/personal/umbrella.aspx" title="Livonia umbrella liability insurance"><strong>umbrella liability insurance</strong></a> policy increased halfway through the policy term. My insurance agent says it&rsquo;s because I added a <strong>teen driver</strong>. This doesn&rsquo;t seem right since our son is a good student and is covered by our auto <strong>insurance policy</strong>. <p>Umbrella coverage works hand in hand with your <strong>auto and home insurance</strong>. For example, if you are in an auto accident and badly injure&nbsp;or kill another, you can easily exhaust the bodily injury limits of your <a href="https://6c92f787-0d3e-4590-8147-cdd15e2d6b71.insurancewebsitebuilder.com/automobile/car_insurance_quote.aspx" title="Lovonia auto insurance"><strong>auto insurance</strong></a> policy. When that happens, your umbrella policy steps in and pays the extra expense you owe, up to the umbrella limit, which is usually $1 million.</p> <p>As a group, teenagers have the greatest accident rate of any drivers, and auto accidents are principal cause of teen deaths. There are many reasons for these data: teens are easily distracted by electronic devices (mp3 players, cell phones, etc.), they are more inexperienced drivers and they usually engage in riskier behaviors. However, there are precautions you can take to keep your son safe behind the wheel. If your state doesn&rsquo;t restrict cell phone use and texting while driving or impose curfews and passenger limits for young drivers, you can set limits on those activities yourself.</p> <p>With time and a good driving record, your son&rsquo;s <strong>auto and umbrella insurance premiums </strong>will decrease. Meanwhile, you can get a lower overall rate for your family&rsquo;s insurance by buying your auto, home and umbrella coverage from the same insurance agency. Also ask about good student and other relevant discounts. Increasing your auto and/or home deductibles is another way to make insurance more affordable, but make sure that you can actually afford to pay these deductibles.<br /> <br /> To learn more about <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/personal/umbrella.aspx" title="Livonia auto umbrella insurance"><strong>Livonia umbrella liability insurance</strong></a> contact us at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>800-220-5582</strong></span> or get a free <a href="https://6c92f787-0d3e-4590-8147-cdd15e2d6b71.insurancewebsitebuilder.com/contact.aspx" title="umbrella liability insurance">umbrella liability insurance</a>&nbsp;quote.<br /> <br /> </p> <div style="text-align: center;">734.421.9900&nbsp; |&nbsp; 800.220.5582&nbsp; |&nbsp; <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/" title="Insurance Planning Service">www.ipsagency.com</a></div> <p>&nbsp;</p>urn:uuid:19ed5366-017f-4d0e-9564-d9d69ae6925cFor those of you waiting for another COBRA subsidy to come along, the chances don't look great. A bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) last year to extend the subsidy went nowhere, and he has not reintroduced it this year, according to ...Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:44:24 -0500<p>For those of you waiting for another COBRA subsidy to come along, the chances don't look great. </p> <p>A bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) last year to extend the subsidy went nowhere, and he has not reintroduced it this year, according to a source in his office. And there's not much else in the works given anticipation of health care reform, according to insurance experts and consumer advocates.</p> <p>Leading up to the expiration of the subsidy, there have been many people dropping COBRA coverage because of the hefty price tag, said Carrie McLean, consumer health insurance expert for eHealthInsurance.com. But there are options, she maintained. </p> <p>Here are some tips from the company for people who were former subsidy recipients: </p> <p><strong>See if you can save money in the individual market</strong>. If you're relatively healthy, you may be able to purchase health insurance on your own at a cost similar to your formerly subsidized COBRA coverage, and for less than a full COBRA premium. However, if you are currently covered by COBRA and have a pre-existing medical condition, it is possible to be declined coverage in the individual and family market. Do not cancel your current insurance coverage until you are officially approved for a new plan. </p> <p><strong>Understand your government-sponsored options</strong>. Health care reform expands access to programs like CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Plan to provide insurance to kids) and Medicaid but does not provide free coverage. You may qualify for assistance based on your income. For persons with pre-existing medical conditions, health reform also expands access to high-risk pools, also known as pre-existing condition insurance plans (PCIP). Though you no longer need to be declined coverage before you can qualify for a PCIP, you may still have to be uninsured for six months. To learn more about your government-sponsored options, contact your state department of insurance or the nonprofit Foundation for Health Coverage Education at coverageforall.org. </p> <p><strong>Get hip to HIPAA</strong>. HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) is a law that guarantees access, for consumers who meet specific criteria, to special health insurance plans that do not have pre-existing condition limitations. If you can show that you have had 'creditable health insurance coverage' (which includes COBRA) without a gap of more than 63 days, you may qualify for a HIPAA plan. This is a good option for people who can afford COBRA at the full-price but have exhausted their 18 months of COBRA eligibility. HIPAA plans can be expensive, but they provide people with pre-existing medical conditions valuable access to coverage. </p> <p><strong>Make your consulting work official for health insurance and tax breaks</strong>. Many of today's unemployed earn supplemental income by consulting or contracting. By officially going into business for yourself, you may qualify for group health insurance and special health insurance tax breaks. Depending on the rules in your state, you may be eligible for a small business health insurance plan with only one or two full-time employees (including yourself) &ndash; and you can't be turned down due to pre-existing medical conditions. The 2010 health care reform law provides a tax credit of up to 35 percent of the money certain businesses spend on health insurance premiums for low- to moderate-income workers. Not all small businesses will qualify for the full tax credit, and rules for incorporating your business may vary from one state to another, so consult with your accountant. </p> <p><strong>Negotiate health care costs whenever possible</strong>. You may be able to save up to 30% off your medical bills by negotiating with your medical care provider. If you end up uninsured after the COBRA subsidy, you'll no longer automatically benefit from the discounted rates that doctors and hospitals agree to accept as payment in full from many insurance companies. That means the charges listed on your medical bills may be substantially higher than others are expected to pay. Talk to your doctor or your hospital's billing department to see if you can negotiate a discount for your care by paying up-front or creating a payment plan. </p> <p>Persons with Health Savings Accounts or enrolled in plans with high cost-sharing may also benefit by negotiating medical costs. Visit Healthcare Blue Book to learn more and find suggested prices for many standard medical services.<br /> <br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/" title="Insurance Planning Service">Insurance Planning Service</a></strong> is an independent insurance agency offering a full range of insurance products &ndash; auto &ndash; home &ndash; business &ndash; life &ndash; health &ndash; to individuals, families and businesses throughout <strong>Michigan</strong>.&nbsp; Call or visit us on the web today for a quote on your insurance!</p> <p style="text-align: center;">734.421.9900&nbsp; |&nbsp; 800.220.5582&nbsp; |&nbsp; <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com" title="Insurance Planning Service">www.ipsagency.com</a><br /> <br /> </p> <p style="text-align: left;">Source: <a href="http://mny.mobile.msn.com/en-us/articles.aspx?aid=44290380&amp;acid=1&amp;afid=1&amp;pg1=1">msnbc.com</a></p>urn:uuid:698d9cc7-4f04-4b35-a256-4f0d6693fbaeA fender bender isn't the only kind of accident that can raise your auto premium. Forget to make a credit card payment, and it might cost more to insure your ride. Most auto, homeowner and other property insurers use a credit-based insurance score to...Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:40:51 -0500<p>A fender bender isn't the only kind of accident that can raise your auto premium. Forget to make a credit card payment, and it might cost more to insure your ride.</p> <p>Most auto, homeowner and other property insurers use a credit-based insurance score to determine how likely it is you'll file a claim, according to David Snyder, vice president and associate general counsel of the American Insurance Association. It's similar to how mortgage lenders, banks and other gatekeepers of credit rely on a credit score to figure out the probability you'll default on payments.</p> <p>FICO, TransUnion and LexisNexis are among the major providers of insurance scores. About 90 percent of auto insurers and somewhere between 85 percent and 90 percent of homeowners insurers use the FICO score, says Lamont Boyd, director of FICO's insurance market. LexisNexis says more than 300 insurance carriers use its scores. TransUnion declined to comment on its market share.</p> <p>Insurers will use the score, plus other information, to determine what insurance rate they will offer you. For example, auto insurers will consider your driving record and the state where your car is registered, while mortgage lenders will take into account a house's location and construction materials, among other factors, says Snyder.</p> <p>Health and life insurers don't use the credit-based insurance score from FICO. Four states -- Massachusetts, California, Hawaii and Maryland -- don't allow one or more types of insurers to use credit-based insurance scores. </p> <h2><span style="color: #0070c0;">What goes into your insurance score?</span></h2> <p>So, how is your insurance score calculated? Generally, it's based on information found only in your credit report. However, it's important to remember the insurance score is not the same as your credit score. While the math behind the two scores often yields similar results, it is different.</p> <p>"Some factors that drive a credit score are similar to the ones that drive the insurance score," says Boyd. "But the weight or influence of those factors is different."</p> <p>For example, payment history makes up 35 percent of FICO's credit score; amount owed is 30 percent; length of credit history is 15 percent; and new credit and mix of credit are each 10 percent. That pie is sliced another way for insurance scores. Payment history accounts for 40 percent of the score, while mix of credit is reduced to 5 percent. The rest is the same.</p> <p>LexisNexis uses payment practices, adverse public records and collections (excluding medical), credit utilization, recent credit activity such as credit inquiries and new accounts, length of credit and the number and types of credit, says John Wilson, director of analytics at LexisNexis Risk Solutions.</p> <p>TransUnion's scores are weighted toward age of credit account and stability, which includes a responsible mix and use of credit, says Clifton O'Neal, a company spokesman. </p> <h2><span style="color: #0070c0;">Are insurance scores fair?</span></h2> <p>"These scores have been studied by the (Federal Trade Commission). It concluded that insurance scores do add a significant degree of risk assessment," Snyder says.</p> <p>There are critics, though.</p> <p>Amy Traub, a senior policy analyst at watchdog group Demos, says that credit-based insurance scores hurt lower-income people more because they are more likely to have lower scores. She noted a study that showed while those with lower scores made more claims because they couldn't swallow the costs, the cost of those claims were not necessarily greater.</p> <p>Supporters point to a July 2007 FTC study that shows insurance scores help more consumers save money. The study predicts that 3 out of every 5 consumers would receive a discount rather than a hike to their insurance premiums if credit-based insurance scores were used. The savings vary and depend on several factors other than scores, Snyder says. </p> <h2><span style="color: #0070c0;">Checking your insurance scores</span></h2> <p>Insurers don't have to disclose these credit-based insurance scores to consumers. FICO does not provide access to its insurance scores. However, consumers can obtain their LexisNexis auto or home insurance score through its website for a fee. Consumers can buy their TransUnion insurance scores at TrueCredit.com.</p> <p>Boyd, Wilson and O'Neal agree the best way to insure a higher insurance score is to polish your credit report. That means paying your bills on time, keeping credit card balances low and only opening new credit cards or loans when necessary. Keeping credit reports free of score-killing errors is also a smart move.</p> <p>"It makes sense that people with higher credit scores would generally have higher credit-based insurance scores," Boyd says. "Those who pay their bills on time are more likely the ones who keep up with car repairs or home maintenance."<br /> <br /> </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/" title="Insurance Planning Service">Insurance Planning Service</a></strong> is an independent insurance agency offering a full range of insurance products &ndash; auto &ndash; home &ndash; business &ndash; life &ndash; health &ndash; to individuals, families and businesses throughout <strong>Michigan</strong>.&nbsp; Call or visit us on the web today for a quote on your insurance!</p> <p style="text-align: center;">734.421.9900&nbsp; |&nbsp; 800.220.5582&nbsp; |&nbsp; <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/" title="Insurance Planning Service">www.ipsagency.com</a></p> <p>Source: <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/How-your-credit-affects-brn-3665009096.html?x=0&amp;.v=1">Yahoo News</a></p>urn:uuid:64bb8161-0541-4292-8f77-b90e4ed1e452<img src='http://www.ipsagency.com/img/%7Ewww.ipsagency.com/documents.jpg' align='left' />A Declarations Page is the part of a policy that lists your particular information.&nbsp; For instance, a homeowners&rsquo; declaration page will list your name, the home address, your policy number, the effective and expiration date of your policy, ...Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:23:40 -0500A Declarations Page is the part of a policy that lists your particular information.&nbsp; For instance, a homeowners&rsquo; declaration page will list your name, the home address, your policy number, the effective and expiration date of your policy, the premium for the coverages you have purchased and the limits of each of those coverages.<br /> <br /> <img alt="Insurance documents" style="float: right; margin-left: 7px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;" src="/img/%7Ewww.ipsagency.com/documents.jpg" />3 of the most common terms you may find on your Declarations Page:<br /> <ol> <li><strong>Named Insured</strong> &ndash; this is the individual or business that is recognized as the insured party.</li> <li><strong>Additional Insured</strong> &ndash; an additional insured is someone listed on your policy because certain coverages on the policy can be afforded to them.&nbsp; For instance, if you lease a vehicle, the leasing company may require to be listed as an additional insured.&nbsp; The leasing company is still the owner of the vehicle; therefore, they can be liable for damages caused by the vehicle.&nbsp; Being listed as an additional insured on your policy will trigger your policy to afford some coverages to the leasing company in the event they are subjected a suit involving the vehicle.</li> <li><strong>Endorsements</strong> &ndash; There can be circumstances where changes need to be made to the standard policy language.&nbsp; Instead of rewriting the entire policy, the insurance company includes endorsements to the policy.&nbsp; They are essentially amendments made to the insurance contract that can change the coverage or terms of the policy.&nbsp; Your Declarations Page will list which endorsements apply to your policy.</li> </ol> <h2>Livonia</h2> Livonia is a city in the northwest part of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Livonia is a very large suburb with an array of traditional neighborhoods (most of which were built in the 1950s and 1960s) connected to the metropolitan area by freeways. The population was 96,942 at the 2010 census, making it Michigan's 9th largest municipality. The municipality is a part of Metro Detroit, and located approximately 13 miles (21 km) northwest from downtown Detroit, and less than two miles (3 km) from the western city limits of Detroit (Redford Township lies in between the two).<br /> <br /> <h2>Insurance Planning Service</h2> At Insurance Planning Service, a family-owned business since 1957, we are a full service insurance agency offering home, auto, life, health and business insurance with professional and personal service.&nbsp; As a firm of proven experts, we are caring and conscientious people - the kind of people that you can depend on.&nbsp; Each member of our sales and service team is a licensed insurance professional. Contact us at (800) 220-5582 for get a free <a href="https://6c92f787-0d3e-4590-8147-cdd15e2d6b71.insurancewebsitebuilder.com/contact.aspx" title="Contact us">Livonia insurance quote</a> or visit our office.<br /> <br /> (Source: <a title="Wikipedia" target="_blank" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livonia,_Michigan">Wikipedia.com</a>)urn:uuid:102753e7-cfa4-436b-a1f6-76bb883d483e<img src='http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/1611/26335/9h/dramsey.download.akamai.com/23572/daveramsey.com/media/common_images/article_images/ai/ai_119785.jpg' align='left' />In the insurance world, you truly get what you pay for. Companies that specialize in providing low-cost insurance policies have grown in number and popularity in the last few years. Online services and build-your-own-policy features have convinced ...Sun, 21 Aug 2011 21:04:04 -0500<h2 class="left" style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 18px;">In the insurance world, you truly get what you pay for.<br /> </span><br /> <img alt="" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 2px; float: left; margin-right: 10px;border: 0px solid;" src="http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/1611/26335/9h/dramsey.download.akamai.com/23572/daveramsey.com/media/common_images/article_images/ai/ai_119785.jpg" /></h2> <p>Companies that specialize in providing low-cost insurance policies have grown in number and popularity in the last few years. Online services and build-your-own-policy features have convinced millions of customers they're getting a good deal.</p> <p><strong>But it doesn't take long for some customers to find out the deal might not have been as great as they thought.</strong></p> <h2><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 18px;">You Do Get What You Pay For</span></h2> <p>"My husband and I switched to [a popular online insurance company] because of their apparent low rates," an anonymous customer posted on automobileinsurancereview.com. "On our first renewal, they raised our premiums over 10%. When I called to ask why, I was told you get a discount the first time you sign up, but then every renewal is increased."</p> <p>It's true that every insurance company gets complaints, and you have to take anonymous, online posts with a grain of salt. But <strong>you can't expect to get superior coverage and full service at a discounted rate</strong>. In fact, that's the biggest danger of doing business with low-cost insurance providers. Most customers aren't aware of the gaps in their coverage until they file a claim and are denied coverage.</p> <h2><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 18px;">Is It Better To Pay More?</span></h2> <p>But doing business with a large insurance company isn't always the answer either.</p> <p>"I had [a major insurance provider's] auto insurance for 25 years with a perfect driving record," David Martin posted on a corporate complaint site. "Yet they kept raising my rates, and when asked, refused to lower them. Also had a homeowner's policy with the same company until recently. Found that <strong>they had been charging me 40% more</strong> than other comparable major carriers, and my agent never caught the mistake after six years."</p> <p>David probably had great coverage, but as he pointed out, he was paying too much. And his agent was no help since his loyalties were with the insurance company rather than the customer.</p> <h2><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 18px;">So What's The Answer?</span></h2> <p><strong>Independent insurance brokers work with many insurance providers</strong> and can shop for the best coverage at the best prices to find a real deal for their customers. And, instead of being loyal to the insurance company, a broker looks out for his customers and lets them know when a better policy or a better price is available.<br /> <br /> <strong><a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/" title="Insurance Planning Service" vglnk_1313978254718="3">Insurance Planning Service</a></strong> is an independent insurance agency offering a full range of insurance products &ndash; auto &ndash; home &ndash; business &ndash; life &ndash; health &ndash; to individuals, families and businesses throughout Michigan.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="/contact.aspx">Contact us</a> today for a quote on your insurance!<br /> <br /> Source: <a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/article/the-dangers-of-low-cost-insurance/lifeandmoney_insurance/lm4/">DaveRamsey.com</a></p>urn:uuid:67b5ef64-023c-4ddc-abc4-a30a482563da<img src='http://ipsagency.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/dream-cruise-2.jpg' align='left' /> What do you get when you combine an estimated 40,000+ classic collector cars with 1.5 million people?&nbsp; None other than the Woodward Dream Cruise, of course! Thought to be the largest cruise event in the world, the 17th annual Woodard Dream Cr...Thu, 18 Aug 2011 07:39:55 -0500<div class="entry"> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://ipsagency.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/dream-cruise-2.jpg" vglnk_1313671090406="2"><img title="Dream Cruise 2" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-252" style="margin-bottom: 2px; float: left; margin-right: 10px;border: 0px solid;" alt="Dream Cruise - Cruisin'" src="http://ipsagency.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/dream-cruise-2.jpg?w=150&amp;h=100" /></a></p> </div> What do you get when you combine an estimated 40,000+ classic collector cars with 1.5 million people?&nbsp; None other than the <strong>Woodward Dream Cruise</strong>, of course! <p style="text-align: justify;">Thought to be the largest cruise event in the world, the 17^thannual <strong><a href="http://www.woodwarddreamcruise.com/" vglnk_1313670517828="4">Woodard Dream Cruise</a></strong> takes place on Saturday, August 20, 2011 on a 16-mile stretch of the infamous <strong>Woodward Avenue</strong> &ndash; running north from 8-Mile Road to the Woodward Loop in Pontiac, Michigan.&nbsp; Bringing back the nostalgia &ndash; the good old days of convertible tops, drive-in restaurants, and muscle cars &amp; hot rods where an occasional run from the turning of a green traffic light could be seen (or heard).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Nowhere, aside from the <strong>Woodward Dream Cruise</strong>, can such an eclectic bunch of automotive memorabilia be<a href="http://ipsagency.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/dream-cruise-4.jpg" vglnk_1313670517828="2"><img title="Dream Cruise 4" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-254" style="margin: 1px 0px 1px 10px; float: right;border: 0px solid;" alt="Dream Cruise Spectators" src="http://ipsagency.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/dream-cruise-4.jpg?w=150&amp;h=100" /></a> seen!&nbsp; From antiques vehicles to classic muscle cars, from old fire trucks to motorcycles, street rods and race cars &ndash; they all sneak out of the garage to join the fun and festivities of the <strong>Woodward Dream Cruise</strong>!&nbsp; From individuals to entire car clubs &ndash; all come out for the massive event!&nbsp; According to <a href="http://www.woodwarddreamcruise.com/">woodwarddreamcruise.com</a>, an estimated $56 million is brought into the Detroit area economy each year from this event!&nbsp; They say cruisers from California, Georgia, Canada and all points in between caravan to Metro Detroit to participate in what has become, for many, an annual rite of summer.&nbsp; Even cars from as far away as New Zealand, Australia, Japan and the former Soviet Union have been seen at the Cruise.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><img style="margin-top: 2px; width: 150px; margin-bottom: 2px; float: left; height: 55px; margin-right: 10px;" alt="Road Runner" src="/img/~www.ipsagency.com/Misc%20Images/69%20Road%20Runner.JPG" />One of many clubs that&nbsp;participate each year is the <a href="http://www.michiganmoparmuscle.com/" vglnk_1313670517828="1">Michigan Mopar Muscle Car Club</a>.&nbsp; The array of gorgeous 60s &ndash; 70s Mopars from this club will be parked along W. Lawrence Street off the southbound side of the Woodward Avenue Loop in Pontiac.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">A few tips if you plan to visit the <strong>Woodward Dream Cruise</strong>:</p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li>Wear comfortable and supportive walking shoes!</li> <li>Apply sunscreen to avoid sunburn</li> <li>Drink plenty of fluids &ndash; food and beverage vendors are everywhere!</li> <li>Look, BUT DON&rsquo;T touch the cars!&nbsp; Owners spend a lot of time and thousands of dollars to get their cars looking great.</li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;">From all of us at <strong>Insurance Planning Service</strong> have a great the day at the Woodward Dream Cruise &ndash; enjoy the cars and the memories!&nbsp; And keep in mind that Insurance Planning Service insures <a href="http://www.ipsagency.com/Personal_Insurance/Collector_Vehicles.aspx" vglnk_1313670517828="6">collector cars</a>!</p>urn:uuid:661c423a-4bbe-453a-aac2-38c8b5d09279Our warm summer weather makes the beach a great place to be!&nbsp; Here are a few thoughts that can help keep your day at the beach enjoyable and safe: &bull; Protect your skin: Sunlight contains two kinds of UV rays. UVA increases the risk of skin ...Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:57:59 -0500<p style="text-align: justify;">Our warm summer weather makes the beach a great place to be!&nbsp; Here are a few thoughts that can help keep your day at the beach enjoyable and safe:<br /> <br /> &bull; <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Protect your skin</span>: Sunlight contains two kinds of UV rays. UVA increases the risk of skin cancer, skin aging, and other skin diseases. UVB causes sunburn and can lead to skin cancer. Limit the amount of direct sunlight you receive between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and wear a sunscreen with a high Sun Protection Factor (SPF) rating. <br /> <br /> &bull; <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Drink plenty of water</span> regularly and often even if you do not feel thirsty. Your body needs water to keep cool. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them. They can make you feel good briefly but make the heat's effects on your body worse. This is especially true with beer, which dehydrates the body. <br /> <br /> &bull; <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Watch for signs of heat stroke</span>: Heat stroke is life-threatening. The victim's temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. Signals include hot, red, and dry skin, changes in consciousness, rapid, weak pulse, and rapid, shallow breathing. Call 911 or your local EMS number immediately. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body by wrapping wet sheets around the body and fan it. If you have ice packs or cold packs, place them on each of the victim's wrists and ankles, in the armpits and on the neck to cool the large blood vessels. Watch for signals of breathing problems and make sure the airway is clear. Keep the person lying down. <br /> <br /> &bull; <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Wear eye protection</span>: Sunglasses are like sunscreen for your eyes and protect against damage that can occur from UV rays. Be sure to wear sunglasses with labels that indicate that they absorb at least 90 percent of UV sunlight. <br /> <br /> &bull; <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Wear foot protection</span>: Many times, people's feet can get burned from the sand or cut from glass in the sand. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;">From all of us at Insurance Planning Service, enjoy the summer&hellip;enjoy the beach&hellip;be safe!<i></i></p>urn:uuid:572ab273-788a-4053-b7b7-012eb10f61bcWe are excited that our new website is now up and running!&nbsp; We invite you to tour the site - it contains a lot of valuable information and ways to easily get a quote for any&nbsp;form of insurance including auto insurance, home insurance, busine...Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:52:38 -0500We are excited that our new website is now up and running!&nbsp; We invite you to tour the site - it contains a lot of valuable information and ways to easily get a quote for any&nbsp;form of insurance including auto insurance, home insurance, business insurance and more.&nbsp; Thanks for vising!