Assurance GAF

SPOTLIGHT PAST & FUTURE INSURANCE FOOD & HEALTH LIFESTYLE

ASSURANCE ASSURANCE VOLUME 02/SPRING 2014 Garber Atlas Fries & Associates

Identity Theft

+

and Cyber Security

James white Understanding Terrorism Insurance

INTERVIEW WITH

MEGATRENDS MEGATRENDS TRANSFORMING TRANSFORMING OUR WORLD OUR WORLD 2013

HOW TO GET

out of a bad mood

most memorable moments

2013

HOW TO GET

out of a bad mood

most memorable moments

PAST & FUTURE IDENTITY THEFT

The increase in online shopping in recent years has created new avenues for identity thieves.

CYBER RISKS - THE GROWING THREAT government is stepping up its scrutiny of cyber security

AUTO THEFT

08 12 14

Auto theft is covered under the comprehensive section of an auto insurance policy

MEGATRENDS TRANSFORMING OUR WORLD

50

2013 - 10 MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT MOST COMMON RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

20 22 24

INSURANCE

26 30 32 34 36

EMPLOYMENT CHANGE UNDERSTANDING TERRORISM INSURANCE AT THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT DOES YOUR BUSINESS NEED CUSTOM AUTO INSURANCE? THE FUNDAMENTALS OF LIFE INSURANCE

FOOD & HEALTH

38 40 43 45

A GUIDE TO HELP YOU TEACH YOUR CHILDREN POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE THROUGH FITNESS 5 COMMON MYTHS ABOUT PROTEIN DIET DELICIOUS AND HEALTHY SNACKS FOR HEALTHY LIVING 4 NATURAL WEIGHT LOSS SUPPLEMENTS THAT WORK

46

GREAT ADVICE FOR LOSING WEIGHT THE HEALTHY WAY

48

HEALTHY FRUIT DRINK

2

14 LIFESTYLE HOW TO GET OUT OF A BAD MOOD MAKE A LEMONADE FROM A LEMON PRODUCTIVE LIVING GAMES OF THE PAST MEET THE PRESENT YOUR TEEN WANTS TO GE THEIR DRIVER’S LICENSE DECLUTTER YOUR HOME IN 11 EASY STEPS

50 52 54 56 58 60

SPOTLIGHT “ As the owners of GAF, Steven, Stuart and myself are proud of our management team. Here is a small example of why. ” - Justin Fries, CPCU, CIC, CPIA, Chief Operating Officer Garber, Atlas, Fries Agency – GAF or as the Management Team calls it, ‘A Family that plays well together.

You hear a lot of ‘we’ and ‘together’ when you listen to Operations & Marketing Manager Terri Marsh or Commercial Lines Manager Kristine McDermott speak.

The same is true with Controller Rita Ellman or Personal Lines Manager Eilleen Love.

Together they have a combined total of 65 years at GAF. No clearer picture could be drawn about how GAF functions as a caring family than of how they conducted themselves during Super Storm Sandy.

Terri – think Mom of GAF – learned of the evacuation order at her weekend home, away from the brunt of Sandy, and stayed put to become “operations central” for the next 24 hours. One of the few with power and phone, she took calls at all hours; and thanks to the foresight of Kristine who had sent out the latest contact list of employees and companies email that Friday; Terri was able to call in claims to the various companies as she spoke with clients.

With no policy info, as all systems were down, she could not tell who was covered for what, but most companies were helpful and did not require the policy number in this catastrophic event. Clients were so appreciative that someone even picked up the phone. She did this for a few days by herself and then with a co-worker tag-teamed the process. As soon as they were able any available employee, regardless of position, came to the building parking lot in case customers came in with claims. And came they did. There were lines of cars waiting. Employees were taking claims on paper or phones. They took pictures and texted them to a quickly-set-up temporary office who filed the claims with the companies.

Rita, not able to return to her home for 17 days, worked remotely and notes that, while they hope they never have to do it again, they are certainly better prepared now. Eileen says that Sandy is the story of stories and there are insureds that still have not recovered in many ways. Kristine remembers how appreciative clients were that their claims were paid due to the efforts and diligence of the agency staff.

Terri’s and Kristine’s 20 years at the agency – they came within a week of each other- as well as the longevity of Eileen and Rita has helped to bring the team to where it is today. Together they manage a total of 45 ‘family members’. Working with integrity, the team is always conscience of the needs of the client. So when a client comes to them, they can be confident that the recommendations are of the coverages they really need. As Terri says, “We write accounts and not just policies.” Kristine adds, “We are transparent and honest with what we do with the insurance companies, so they have a level of comfort working with us. “ This makes for a relationship that allows a win-win-win for everyone.

Terri’s marketing style is hands on. “I enjoy taking an account apart and putting it back together again, hopefully better than it was before. It’s like a puzzle when it first comes in and there’s a lot of research that goes into the process; analyze and review-repackaging it in the best interest of the client. “ ‘We are like a family who plays well together.’ Says Eileen, who will celebrate 15 years in April and truly appreciates the mutual respect and working relationship at GAF. She defines GAF as a highly professional team; all willing to do to do whatever they can to help the insureds and each other.’ Rita, who just had her 10 year anniversary, assures that the whole financial cycle works smoothly. Rita says, “Being a full-service agency, GAF writes all forms of insurance, whether commercial, personal, life or health. “ She finds that they work together as an agency rather than separate departments within an agency. People aren’t working in their own cubicle; they are working for and with the agency, all headed for the same goal. The goal becomes very clear when it is spelled out and with everybody a participant.

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From the EDITOR

Spring is a wonderful time. It is a time to reflect on the past and to dream for the future. Spring offers a clean, new slate for all of us to use our ingenuity and energy to create a brand new world for ourselves, our families and our businesses.

I would like to encourage you to take some time to think about what you want from 2014. Think about things you were not able to accomplish last year. What kept you from meeting your goals? How can you overcome these obstacles this year?

The wonderful thing about spring is that we are all given the same raw materials to work with. We all have 365 days. We each have 24 hours every day and 7 days each week. Some may have more resources than others, but we all have the same amount of time. It is up to each one of us to decide how we choose to use this wonderful gift.

Think about sitting down with family members and friends and share your dreams and goals. Put them down on paper. Place them on your wall where you can see them every day. Make yourself accountable to someone, even if it just yourself, to accomplish your goals.

These are not new ideas. As a matter of fact, they are old but true. The problem is that we tend to forget them.

From our family to yours, we wish you the most prosperous and happy remainder of 2014.

Justin Fries Editor

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GET A QUOTE TODAY! Contact your local Hartford agent.

Cyber Liability Click to view video

This document outlines in general terms the coverages that may be afforded under a Hartford policy. All policies must be examined carefully to determine suitability for your needs and to identify any exclusions, limitations or any other terms and conditions that may specifically affect coverage. In the event of a conflict, the terms and conditions of the policy prevail. All Hartford coverages described in this document may be offered by one or more of the property and casualty insurance company subsidiaries of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. 107866 © May 2011 The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., Hartford, CT 06155 All Rights Reserved

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7

PAST & FUTURE

BUILT IN CONCRETE Tiur sitatur, simincte lacessin eos adi quae quam faccaturi iducienisi cullore henduntia pore.

Cyber Risks: The Growing Threat Click to view video

IDENTITY THEFT AND CYBER SECURITY

A

s businesses increasingly depend on electronic data and computer networks to conduct their daily operations, growing pools of personal and financial information are being transferred and stored online. This can leave individuals exposed to privacy violations and financial institutions and other businesses exposed to potentially enormous liability, if and when a breach in data security occurs.

BELOW Chart graph of Identity Theft and Fraud Complaints

shopping in recent years has created new avenues for identity thieves. However, a study by Travelers Insurance of its 2011 identity claims found that burglary and theft of physical objects led to the majority of identity theft claims. The study identified the following five top causes of identity fraud:

• • •

Burglary and theft of a wallet, purse, personal identification or computer (73 percent) Online or data breach (15 percent) Forgery (10 percent) Change of address/postal fraud (2 percent)

IDENTITY THEFT AND FRAUD COMPLAINTS, 2010-2012 (1) 2,061,495

2,000,000

The Consumer Sentinel database, maintained by the Federal Trade Commission, contains over 8 million consumer fraud and identity theft complaints that have been filed with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and private organizations over the five years 2008 to 2012. In 2012 alone, 2 million complaints were filed.

The increase in online

•

1,895,012

1,750,000 1,500,000

1,467,255 1,038,966

55%

1,074,937

52%

576,820

30%

617,426

30%

279,226

15%

369,132

18%

1,250,000 1,000,000

818,239

56%

397,927

27%

251,089

17%

750,000 500,000 250,000 2010

2011

2012

(1) Percentages are based on the total number of Consumer Sentinel Network complaints by calendar year. These figures exclude "Do Not Call" registry complaints.

Source: Federal Trade Commission.

9

PAST & FUTURE

IDENTITY THEFT BY STATE, 2012 COMPLAINTS PER 100,000 POPULATION (1)

NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS

STATE

COMPLAINTS PER 100,000 POPULATION (1)

RANK(2)

Alabama

104.9

5,060

Alaska

51.7

378

10

Montana

45

Nebraska

Arizona

107.3

7,032

8

Arkansas

74.4

2,195

28

California

122.7

46,658

Colorado

93.8

4,864

Connecticut

81.2

2,915

STATE

10

NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS

RANK (2)

49.8

501

47

57.6

1,068

37

Nevada

109.9

3,032

6

New Hampshire

59.2

782

36

3

New Jersey

95.1

8,430

14

15

New Mexico

89.1

1,858

18

22

New York

110.1

21,538

5

Delaware

98.4

902

13

North Carolina

81.1

7,910

23

Florida

361.3

69,795

1

North Dakota

41.2

288

49

Georgia

193.9

19,232

2

Ohio

77.0

8,891

26

Hawaii

47.3

658

48

Oklahoma

67.8

2,586

32

Idaho

56.7

905

38

Oregon

63.3

2,467

35

Illinois

100.9

12,993

11

Pennsylvania

88.7

11,324

19

Indiana

67.5

4,412

33

Rhode Island

91.7

963

16

Iowa

52.3

1,608

43

South Carolina

90.6

4,282

17

Kansas

72.0

2,077

30

South Dakota

39.6

330

50

Kentucky

56.2

2,463

39

Tennessee

88.1

5,690

20

Louisiana

87.6

4,031

21

Texas

108.6

28,299

7

Maine

50.1

666

46

Utah

55.5

1,586

40

Maryland

105.0

6,178

9

Vermont

52.1

326

44

Massachusetts

73.4

4,879

29

Virginia

80.8

6,616

24

Michigan

122.2

12,075

4

Washington

77.9

5,373

25

Minnesota

63.9

3,437

34

West Virginia

54.0

1,002

42

Mississippi

100.2

2,990

12

Wisconsin

70.8

4,055

31

Missouri

74.8

4,505

27

Wyoming

55.2

318

41

TOP TEN STATES FOR CYBER CRIME, 2012 (1) RANK

TYPE OF IDENTITY THEFT FRAUD

STATE

PERCENT

1

California

13.41%

2

Florida

7.98

3

Texas

7.22

4

New York

5.70

5

New Jersey

3.81

6

Pennsylvania

3.70

7

Illinois

3.50

8

Virginia

3.30

9

Ohio

3.05

10

Washington

2.72

PERCENT

Government documents or benefits fraud

46%

Credit card fraud

13

Phone or utilities fraud

10

Bank fraud (2)

6

Employment-related fraud

5

Attempted identity theft

7

Loan fraud

2

Other identity theft

19

HOW VICTIMS' INFORMATION IS MISUSED, 2012 (1)

CYBER SECURITY CYBER CRIME COMPLAINTS, 2008-2012 (1) In 2000 the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National White Collar Crime Center and the Bureau of Justice Assistance joined together to create the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to monitor Internet-related criminal complaints. In 2012 the IC3 received and processed 289,874 complaints, averaging more than 24,000 complaints per month.

The IC3 reports that 114,908 of these complaints involved a dollar loss, and puts total dollar losses at $525 million.

The most common complaints received in 2012 included FBI impersonation email scams, various intimidation crimes, and scams that used computer “scareware� to extort money from Internet users.

500,000 450,000 400,000 336,655

350,000 300,000

314,246

303,809

289,874

275,284

250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000

146,663

121,710

116,830

114,908

72,940

50,000 2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

(1) Based on complaints submitted to the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Source: Internet Crime Complaint Center.

11

PAST & FUTURE

LEFT

Data shows that companies are learning from past cyber attacks and breaches.

CYBER RISKS: THE GROWING THREAT

by Dr. Robert P. Hartwig, CPCU and Claire Wilkinson

A

mid a rising number of high profile cyber attacks— most recently at Twitter, LinkedIn and Yahoo—government is stepping up its scrutiny of cyber security. This is leading to increased calls for legislation and regulation, placing the burden on companies to demonstrate that the information provided by customers and clients is properly safeguarded online.

12

Despite the fact that cyber risks and cyber security are widely acknowledged to be a serious threat, a majority of companies today still do not purchase cyber risk insurance, though this is changing.

Recent industry analysis suggests that more companies are now purchasing cyber coverage and that insurance has a key role to play as companies and individuals look to better manage and reduce

their potential financial losses from cyber risks in future.

Data shows that companies are learning from past cyber attacks and breaches. There is evidence companies are becoming better at managing the costs incurred to resolve a data breach incident and for the first time in seven years both the organization cost of a data breach and the cost per lost or stolen record declined in 2011.

13

PAST & FUTURE

AUTO THEFT 14

•

721,053 motor vehicles were reported stolen in the U.S. in 2012, up 0.6 percent from 2011, according to the FBI.

•

A motor vehicle was stolen in the U.S. every 44 seconds in 2012.

•

Eight of the top 10 cities with the highest rate of vehicle theft in 2012 were in California, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Filing An Auto Claim Click to view video

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the number of U.S. motor vehicle thefts rose 0.6 percent from 2011 to 2012 quakes. Premium rates for comprehensive insurance are affected by the risk of loss, meaning the likelihood that an insured car will be stolen or damaged, and also the car’s value at the time of the loss. The dollar size of claims has been going up, reflecting the higher value of new cars on the road, the value of the cars that are targets for theft or are damaged and the cost of vehicle bodywork. Vehicle bodywork costs include replacing stolen components.

Nationally, more than 75,000

A

uto theft is covered under the comprehensive section of an auto insurance policy. Theft coverage applies to the loss of the vehicles as well as parts of the car such as airbags. Comprehensive coverage, which is not mandatory, also pays for fire, vandalism and weather-related damage including damage from flooding and earth-

airbags are stolen every year.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the number of U.S. motor vehicle thefts rose 0.6 percent from 2011 to 2012, the first annual increase since 2003. In 2012 the value of stolen motor vehicles was more than $4.3 billion. The average value of a motor vehicle reported stolen in 2012 was $6,019.

The nationwide rate of motor vehicle thefts was 229.7 per 100,000 people.

THEFT AFFECTS THE PRICE OF OUR VEHICLES

The dollar size of claims has been going up, reflecting the higher value of new cars on the road

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PAST & FUTURE KEY STATISTICS

•

•

•

•

•

• • •

•

16

2012 Theft Statistics: According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Reports, a motor vehicle was stolen in the U.S. every 44 seconds.

The odds of a vehicle being stolen were 1 in 351 in 2011 (latest data available, based on motor vehicle registrations from the Federal Highway Administration, thefts from the FBI and calculated by the Insurance Information Institute). The odds are highest in urban areas.

U.S. motor vehicle thefts rose 0.6 percent from 2011 to 2012, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports. In 2012, 721,053 motor vehicles were reported stolen.

In 2012 the West accounted for the largest share of thefts—37.0 percent, followed by the South, with 34.8 percent. The Midwest accounted for 18.6 percent of thefts and the Northeast for 9.7 percent.

Nationwide the 2012 motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 people was 229.7, down 0.1 percent from 230.0 in 2011. The highest rate was reported in the West, 362.5, up 9.1 percent from 332.2 in 2011. The rate of motor vehicles stolen was 213.7 in the South,

RANK

VEHICLES STOLEN

STATE

RANK

STATE

VEHICLES STOLEN

1

California

168,608

1

Vermont

435

2

Texas

64,996

2

Wyoming

584

3

Florida

37,330

3

Maine

995

4

Georgia

28,536

4

New Hampshire

1,023

5

Washington

26,402

5

South Dakota

1,065

6

Illinois

25,690

6

North Dakota

1,151

7

Michigan

25,115

7

Idaho

1,364

8

Ohio

19,512

8

Delaware

1,436

9

Arizona

19,158

9

Alaska

1,522

10

New York

17,348

10

Montana

1,689

down 4.6 percent from 2011; 199.2 in the Midwest, down 3.4 percent; and 124.9 in the Northeast, down 8.8 percent.

In 2012 only 11.9 percent of thefts were cleared, either by arrests or by exceptional means, compared with 20.4 percent for arson and 19.0 percent for all property crimes.

More than half (56.1 percent) of the value of locally stolen motor vehicles was recovered in 2012, the highest rate for all types of property stolen.

Autos accounted for 73.9 percent of all motor vehicles stolen in 2012, trucks and buses accounted for 15.2 percent and other vehicles for 10.9 percent.

Insurance Premiums: The average comprehensive insurance premium in the U.S. rose slightly (0.51 percent) from $132.38 in 2009 to $133.06 in 2010 (the most recent data available), according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Carjackings: Carjackings occur most frequently in

RANK

METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA (1)

VEHICLES STOLEN

RATE (2)

1

Modesto, CA

4,260

816.52

2

Fresno, CA

7,563

797.87

3

Bakersfield, CA

6,797

793.90

4

Stockton-Lodi, CA

4,940

703.09

5

Yakima, WA

1,665

674.15

6

San FranciscoOakland-Hayward, CA

28,220

633.37

7

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

11,810

623.42

8

Vallejo-Fairfield, CA

2,615

621.50

9

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA

3,025

568.34

10

Redding, CA

938

525.24

urban areas. They accounted for only 3.0 percent of all motor vehicle thefts, based on Department of Justice data from 1993 to 2002 (latest available).

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

•

Thefts By City: According to a National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB, https://www.nicb.org ) study released in June 2012, the Fresno, California Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had the highest rate per 100,000 inhabitants for vehicle thefts in the nation in 2012. Eight of the top ten cities were in California. The remaining two were in the state of Washington.

YEAR

• •

•

VEHICLES STOLEN

PERCENT CHANGE

RANK

MODEL

THEFTS

2003

1,261,226

1.2%

1

Nissan Altima

921

2004

1,237,851

-1.9

2

Chevrolet Impala

778

2005

1,235,859

-0.2

3

Chevrolet Malibu

727

2006

1,198,245

-3.0

4

Toyota Camry

665

2007

1,100,472

-8.2

5

Ford Fusion

655

2008

959,059

-12.9

6

Ford Pickup (Full size)

595

2009

795,652

-17.0

7

Ford Focus

523

2010

739,565

-7.0

8

Chrysler 200

449

2011

716,508

-3.1

9

Dodge Charger

416

2012

721,053

0.6

10

Dodge Avenger

412

Motorcycles Theft: The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) said that motorcycle thefts fell 1 percent in 2012 from a year earlier, based on data from the National Crime Information Center of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The NICB noted that motorcycle thefts fell in 2012 while motorcycle sales increased.

The NICB’s report also details the seasonal nature of motorcycle thefts. More motorcycles are stolen during warm months—July and August had the most motorcycle thefts in 2012 while December and January had the least. The top five makes stolen in 2012, from highest to lowest, were American Honda Motor Co., Yamaha Motor Corporation, American Suzuki Motor Corporation, Kawasaki Motors Corp., and Harley-Davidson Inc. California had the most motorcycle thefts in 2012, followed by Florida and Texas. By city, New York City had the most thefts, followed by Las Vegas, NV and San Diego, CA. The top five states in motorcycle theft, shown in the chart below, accounted for 40 percent of total U.S. motorcycle thefts.

The recovery rate was 39 percent for 2012 motorcycle thefts. The number of motorcycles recovered rose 3 percent from 2011 to 2012. The full NICB report can be found at https://www.nicb.org/newsroom/news-releases/2012motorcycle-theft-and-recovery-report.

17

PAST & FUTURE

•

•

•

BACKGROUND Federal Antitheft Legislation: Federal intervention to combat

18

car theft began in 1919 with

stolen car database through a

made interstate transportation of stolen vehicles a federal crime. In 1984 Congress passed the Motor Vehicle Theft Law Enforcement Act, which toughened penalties by bringing theft of vehicle parts under federal racketeering statutes and by imposing heavy fines and prison terms for violations of export laws. It also required manufacturers to stamp identification numbers on major car components, making it easier to trace parts taken from vehicles stolen for dismantling.

fines. Additional provisions provided start-up funding linking all state motor vehicle departments to ensure access to titles; required states to check VINs of out-of-state cars before issuing a title to a new owner; required the Customs Office to perform spot checks of cars and containers leaving the country; required insurers to certify that the salvaged or junked vehicles they sell are not stolen; and established a grant program for state and local anti-car theft committees that was funded by car taxes or fees.

national clearinghouse or risk Bebis Insurance Customer Spotlight passage of the Dyer Act, which

Motorcycles Theft: The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) said that motorcycle thefts fell 1 percent in 2012 from a year earlier, based on data from the National Crime Information Center of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The NICB noted that motorcycle thefts fell in 2012 while motorcycle sales increased.

The NICB’s report also details the seasonal nature of motorcycle thefts. More motorcycles are stolen during warm months—July and August had the most motorcycle thefts in 2012 while December and January had the least. The top five makes stolen in 2012, from highest to lowest, were American Honda Motor Co., Yamaha Motor Corporation, American Suzuki Motor Corporation, Kawasaki Motors Corp., and Harley-Davidson Inc. California had the most motorcycle thefts in 2012, followed by Florida and Texas.

By city, New York City had the most thefts, followed by Las Vegas, NV and San Diego, CA. The top five states in motorcycle theft, shown in the chart below, accounted for 40 percent of total U.S. motorcycle thefts.

The recovery rate was 39 percent for 2012 motorcycle thefts. The number of motorcycles recovered rose 3 percent from 2011 to 2012. The full NICB report can be found at https:// www.nicb.org/newsroom/ news-releases/2012-motorcycle-theft-and-recovery-report.

The Act also required that vehicles be made available for inspection prior to export and expanded U.S. Customs officials’ powers of inspection and arrest in response to the growing international nature of motor vehicle theft. Cars and car parts stolen in the United States often wind up on overseas markets. Insurers or their designated agents are required to inform the Secretary of Transportation of vehicle theft and recovery and of rating data used to set insurance premiums for motor vehicles.

Another 1984 federal law made it a federal offense to counterfeit or forge motor vehicle title certificates. In 1985 the Department of Transportation required that 14 major vehicles parts be inscribed with a 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN).

The Anti-Car Theft Act, enacted in 1992, made armed auto theft, known as “carjacking,” a federal crime. In 1994 the passage of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act made carjacking resulting in death a federal crime punishable by death. Also under the Act repair shops that sell or install marked used parts must check VINs against the FBI’s

In response to Title II of the Anti-Car Theft Act combating title fraud, the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) was established. The system enables jurisdictions to verify the validity of titles prior to issuing new ones. It also curbs fraud associated with junk or salvage titles by recording this data in the system and preventing the sale of salvaged vehicles without disclosing this information. According to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, which manages the NMVTIS, as of December 2008 only 13 states had integrated the system’s online transactions into their titling systems, enabling them to make inquiries. Twelve states had provided files of all active titles and brands to the system, but do not make inquiries. Eleven more states are developing the capability to provide data and/or make inquiries.

The NMVTIS has the potential to track all vehicles by their vehicle identification numbers (VINs) and could be a valuable tool in terrorism-related investigations. The 1993 World Trade Center bombing was solved when authorities traced the truck that carried the

TOP FIVE STATES IN MOTORCYCLE THEFTS, 2012

TOP FIVE CITIES IN MOTORCYCLE THEFTS, 2012

1. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. 9,082

1. California 6,082

1. New York City, NY 903

2. Yamaha Motor Corporation 7,517

2. Florida 4,110

3. American Suzuki Motor Corporation 7,017

3. Texas 3,400

3. San Diego, CA 633

4. Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA 4,839

4. North Carolina 2,574

4. Indianapolis, IN 584

TOP FIVE MAKES STOLEN, 2012

5. Harley-Davidson Inc. 3,755

5. Indiana 2,334

explosives to its owners by its VIN. The NMVTIS can also aid law enforcement in curtailing VIN cloning, where thieves steal a VIN number from a legal vehicle and make a counterfeit VIN plate for a stolen vehicle.

Other Measures To Combat Auto Theft: The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) combats auto theft by investigating cases referred to it by insurers and through its online databases. The databases allow member insurance companies to search files by driver identification data and also by license plate numbers, VINs and component vehicle part and type numbers.

Information leading to the identification of the vehicle used in the World Trade Center bombing of 1993 was obtained through an NICB database that allows the user to enter a partial VIN. The complete VIN was reconstructed and matched to a van stolen from a truck rental company on the day of the bombing. The search service (VINCheck) is available to the public.

In the 1980s states and regions experiencing high auto thefts began to form Anti-Car Theft (ACT) groups funded by grants from coalitions of law enforcement groups, state funds, insurers and consumers to promote public awareness of vehicle theft and lobby for the passage of state legislation aimed at combating thefts. At least 13 states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Virginia) have created Automobile Theft Prevention Authorities (ATPAs), mostly funded by a small surcharge on drivers licenses or registration fees, or on auto insurance policies sold in the state. Michigan pioneered the ATPA concept in 1986, allocating $1 from each auto insurance policy and channeling the funds toward combating auto theft. Michigan’s program, called Help Eliminate Auto Theft (HEAT) includes a hotline for residents to report thefts and chop shop operations. In the 25 years since the program was instituted in 1985, information forwarded to HEAT has resulted in the recovery of more than 4,200 vehicles, valued at more than $51 million, and has led to the arrest of almost 3,400 suspects.

ATPAs and other state entities such as ACT groups use

2. Las Vegas, NE 757

5. Miami, Fl 535

a wide range of programs to fight auto theft. Besides HEAT hotline programs, Combat Auto Theft (CAT) programs involve auto owners who voluntarily put stickers on their windshields that alert police that they can stop the car for a theft check after a certain hour.

High-theft metropolitan areas have instituted task forces to combat auto theft. In Newark, New Jersey, a task force helped reduce the city’s theft rate from the highest in the United States in 1991 to sixteenth in 1996.

Component Theft: More than 75,000 airbags are stolen every year, according to estimates by the Insurance Information Institute. NICB says that airbag theft costs insurers and vehicle owners more than $50 million a year. New airbags cost about $1,000 from a car dealer; on the black market the cost is between $50 and $200. To thwart thieves, steering wheel covers used with a steel bar steering wheel lock are available. New York combats airbag theft by requiring accident reports to note airbag deployment, and specifies procedures for auto repair shops to follow when replacing stolen or deployed airbags. Xenon headlights and global positioning systems (GPS) are also popular with thieves. By mid-2008, insurers and the NICB had observed a growing nationwide trend in the theft of catalytic converters. These components contain small amounts of platinum and palladium, precious metals whose value has risen with the use of catalytic converters and the growth in popularity of platinum jewelery.

Antitheft Devices: Consumers spend hundreds of millions of dollars on vehicle security devices. Electronic tracking devices such as LoJack use a hidden transmitter to allow police to track the vehicle. (LoJack, which operates in 26 states and the District of Columbia claims a better-than 90 percent recovery rate.) These tracking devices not only help police find individual stolen vehicles but lead them to chop shops, thwart the export of stolen motor vehicles and lead to the recovery of expensive building construction vehicles as well as passenger cars. Some insurers offer their policyholders a LoJack tracking system at a discounted price along with premium discounts.

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PAST & FUTURE

MEGATREND 1: INDIVIDUAL EMPOWERMENT Individual empowerment will accelerate substantially during the next 15-20 years owing to poverty reduction and a huge growth of the global middle class, greater educational attainment, and better healthcare. This is the most important megatrend because it is both a cause and effect of most other trends - including the expanding global economy, rapid growth of developing countries, and widespread exploitation of new communications and manufacturing technologies.

MEGATRENDS TRANSFORMING OUR WORLD

The growth of the global middle class constitutes a tectonic shift. For the first time, a majority of the world’s population will not be impoverished, and the middle classes will be the most important social and economic sector in the vast majority of countries around the world.

WE CAN EMBRACE CHANGE OR GET LEFT BEHIND The megatrends and the related tectonic shifts described above will create massive transformations to the world that we live in today. Most of us don’t like such drastic changes - in fact we find it difficult to even accept the idea. As the great economist John Maynard Keynes succinctly put it in 1937: ”the idea of the future being different from the present is so repugnant to our conventional modes of thought and behavior that we, most of us, offer a great resistance to acting on it in practice”. But these megatrends are already here - they are not vague predictions.

So either we adapt and embrace the coming changes or we get left behind. That is the choice we have.

Barbara Meynert is the founder of http://www.sagevita.com.

Sage Vita, which means a life of wisdom, advocates a lifestyle that will enable us to live not only longer but also well and to engage in lifelong learning and with the world around us. Come and visit Sage Vita to learn more guidelines and information along a number of dimensions - including physical, mental, spiritual, social, and financial at http://www.sagevita.com

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MEGATREND 4: G WATER AND EN

Demand for food, water and ene 35, 40 and 50 per cent respectiv a result of an increase in global p patterns of an expanding middle c the outlook for the availability o many countries, including those Africa. Tackling problems pertain possible without affecting supply For example, agriculture is highl adequate sources of water as w

In another tectonic shift, the U independent and perhaps even hydraulic fracturing technologies as the world’s largest natural gas of its reserves from 30 to 100 yea through ”fracking” drilling techn deposits could resul in US net trade improved overall e

GROWING FOOD, NERGY NEXUS

ergy will grow by approximately vely between now and 2030 as population and the consumption class. Climate change will worsen of these critical commodities in e in the Middle East and parts of ning to one commodity won’t be y and demand for the other two. ly dependent on accessibility to well as on energy-rich fertilizers.

US would likely become energy n an exporter of energy. Due to s, the US has regained its position s producer and expanded the life ars. Addition crude oil production nologies on difficult-to-reach oil ult in a big reduction de balance and economic growth.

MEGATREND 2: DIFFUSION OF POWER The diffusion of power among countries will have a most dramatic impact by 2030. Asia will have surpassed North America and Europe combined in terms of global power - based upon GDP, population size, military spending and technological investment. China alone will probably have the largest economy, surpassing that of the US by 2030.

In a tectonic shift, the health of the global economy increasingly will be linked to how well the developing world does - more so than the traditional West. The shift in national power may be overshadowed by an even more fundamental shift in the nature of power.

Enabled by communications technologies, power will shift toward multifaceted and amorphous networks that will form to influence state and global actions. To be effective, even countries with the strongest fundamentals will have to learn to operate in networks and coalitions, including with non-state actors, in a multipolar world.

MEGATREND 3: DEMOGRAPHIC PATTERNS By 2030, the world’s population will be around 8.3 billion, up from 7.1 billion in 2012. Certain key demographic trends will fundamentally shape most countries’ economic and political conditions as well as relations among countries. These trends are: ageing populations, growing urbanization, and global migration. These are trends that I have addressed in some earlier articles.

Ageing is a tectonic shift for both the West and increasingly most developing countries. Ageing countries will face an uphill battle to maintain their living standards. Due to shrinking labor force in ageing societies, demand for both skilled and unskilled labor will expand, spurring mass migration, which will become increasingly a cross border issue. Growing urbanization is another tectonic shift - for the first time in human history, there will be more people living in urban than rural areas. This will spur economic growth but could put new strains on food and water as well as other resources. For example, owing to the rapid urbanization in the developing world, the volume of urban construction for housing, office space and transport services over the next 40 years could roughly equal the entire volume of such construction to-date in world history.

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PAST & FUTURE

2013

most memorable moments 10

Typhoon Haiyan

One of the strongest cyclones on record, this storm, and the damage it brought, was the biggest single weather event bringing mass devastation for the year. Thousands were killed (5,822 confirmed) and millions misplaced. It devastated portions of South-east Asia. Winds that topped 270kph (167mph or 75m/s) were officially recorded. This hurricane has broken a plethora of records. Its damage bill is $2.4 Billion (USD).

8

National and World Information Security Leaks

2013 will be long remembered for several instances where leaked classified documents caused international embarrassment and local pressure.

9

Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage

There are now twenty countries that have recognised same-sex marriages, though many of these, like in the United States, only small portions, or States, have passed laws. Same-sex marriage is now a global discussion point and debate on its merits and problems is an agenda item for almost every country.

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7

North Korea Situation

In February, North Korea conducts its third underground nuclear test and receives widespread condemnation. Of bigger concern to world leaders is the unpredictability of North Korea’s Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un.

6

Pope Benedict XVI Resigns

The first Pope to resign from the Papal Office since Pope Gregory XII in 1415 (who was forced to, due to the Western Schism), and the first Pope to resign under his own initiative since 1294, Pope Benedict XVI resigns due to declining health and old age. The resignation process commenced on February 11 and concluded on February 28.

5

Developments in the Middle East

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi is deposed by the military with Adly Mansour appointed interim president. Also, tensions and political unrest in Syria reach crisis point.

4

Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi is Burmese opposition politician and chairperson of the National League for Democracy in Burma, and the most prominent contemporary political prisoner in the world. She was released in 2010. Akin to Nelson Mandala - but in reverse (she was President in 1990 and was then under house arrest) - Aung San Suu Kyi stated in June that she will run for the 2015 Myanmar presidency in what is likely to be a massive regional development should she win and be allowed to govern.

3

The Boston Marathon Bombing

Although there were relatively few fatalities and casualties, the scale of terrorism - to strike at the world’s oldest marathon event, and one of six ’majors’ - defied belief, much the same as London (2005) and Bali (2002), but on a scale far less than September 11, 2001 in New York City. Three died and 264 were injured.

Pope Francis takes Papacy

2

Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the 266th Pope) becomes the first Pope to wash the feet of women in the Maundy Thursday service. Pope Francis seems to continue a more liberal and more compassionate stance from the Papacy than the traditional Roman Catholic Church might be remembered for.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela’s Death

The Twentieth century’s paragon for peace, unprecedented in the scale of both his personal suffering and global impact he made for good, died peacefully, aged 95. Twenty-seven years of hard imprisonment at Robben Island preceded his single-handed unification of a broken South Africa in the 1990s. Perhaps most enduring of ’Madiba’s’ legacies, however, is his personification of grace; his unstinting forgiveness of his transgressors.

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PAST & FUTURE

MOS

RENEW

Most comm

SOLAR POWER is one of the most widely used green energy sources.

Y

ou may have heard politicians talking about the desire to reach energy independence. No idea what that means?

Well, currently, in the United States we consume more energy than we produce which means we need to purchase energy from other places. Right now most of the energy we purchase is in the form of barrels of crude oil for different places around the globe. There are many different ideas about how we should work to achieve energy independence. Some people believe that tapping into the petroleum resources in the parks and of shore areas in and around the United States is the way to become more energy independent. Environmental groups and a number of others with long term vision for our country have an alternative plan that includes developing more eco-friendly energy options. Here is a breakdown of some of the most commonly used green energy sources. Solar power is one of the most widely used green energy sources. Capturing the reliable rays of the sun using specially designed solar panel cells and transferring that energy for use in a number of ways is an effective way to reduce our need to buy energy from other countries. Solar energy is often used to heat water, provide electricity to power lights and other machinery, and it can even be used to run the heating or cooling systems in our homes and offices. Another commonly used form of green energy is wind power. Windmills have been used for centuries but new developments in the wind power industry are making it a more viable source of energy for more people. In areas of the country where windy days are common, constructing windmills that turn as the wind blows helps to capture the power of the wind. As the wind mill turns, they cause a rotation in turbines and that generates electricity. Hydropower is another common alternative energy source. Perhaps the most widely known example of hydropower is the hoover dam. As the water from the river rushes over the man-made dam it spins turbines and produces electricity. The energy that is created at the hoover dam each day helps to power cities in states as far away

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ST COMMON

WABLE ENERGY SOURCES

mmon renewable energy sources.

RIGHT

Hydropower is another common alternative energy source.

as California. Anywhere that water flows naturally; its power can be harnessed and converted into electricity. Some advanced forms of hydro power that

BELOW

Biomass energy is not a new idea.

are still being explored include new developments that would use the tides and waves of the ocean to generate power. Others are researching the viability of extracting heat that is stored in the oceans waters and converting it to usable energy. Biomass energy is not a new idea, however advancements are being made that will help us utilize natural renewable resources that already exist in our current environment.

Burning wood is an example of biomass energy that

has been around throughout human history. While it is not the cleanest form of energy it is renewable if done responsibly. Scientists and engineers have begun to develop a number of biomass fuels including creating engines that can run on oil extracted from common food sources like corn. Others are looking into finding a ways to capture and use the large amounts of methane gases produced by landfills across the United States.

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INSURANCE

EMPLOYMENT

Change Many people obtain certain kinds of insurance through their employment, particularly health and disability coverage. Larger businesses may also offer retirement benefits, such as a 401(k) account. When changing jobs, rearranging coverage and finding out which accounts are portable becomes very important. A new job can also mean a change in lifestyle, which can also have an impact on insurance.

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AUTO IF changing jobs creates a change in the number of miles and where you drive, let the insurance company know.

For example, if the old job involved driving a lengthy distance to work and the new job is closer to home and family, you may be able to save money on your auto insurance policy. If you take public transportation and only use your car for pleasure trips on weekends, that matters, too. On the other hand, if you use your private vehicle for business purposes, check with your employer about liability coverage. If you are in an accident, you should be clear whether liability coverage applies to your personal insurance or your employer’s commercial coverage. Many of us try to increase our productivity by making business calls while driving. It’s important to know if your employer has a policy regarding cellphone use in your private car, and whether they consider that business-related or personal time. States are increasingly encouraging or mandating the use of hands-free technology while driving. And, of course, keep track of your usage and expenses for tax purposes. Your auto coverage also comes into play when renting a car. If renting for business purposes, your employer may already have a policy in place. If you decline coverage offered at the rental car counter, your personal auto policy may pay for any damage to the rental car. Check with your insurance company or agent. Your credit cards may also provide basic rental car protection.

HOME A change of jobs might mean you can work at home.

Some companies now allow flexible working schedules. Your employer may also provide some office equipment such as a laptop or fax machine. Your employer’s insurance should cover these items. Standard homeowner’s insurance does not cover commercial business activity. If you are self-employed or do consulting or out-sourced work for a company, you may need your own professional liability coverage.

If clients and vendors come to your home, you may need to buy a home business or small businessowners policy.

FINANCIAL PLANNING When changing jobs, in most cases, the major question is what to do with your 401(k) account.

There are basically three options:

1. Leave it where it is; 2. Roll it into your new employer’s plan; or 3. Convert your 401(k) into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA).

There is nothing wrong with leaving your 401(k) where it is. If you have more than $5,000, you can keep the money in the existing plan until you retire. Consider how your existing plan fit with your changing employment and economic needs. Another thing to consider is the relative financial health of your former employer.

If you are leaving because you think your current employer is financially unsteady, take your 401(k) with you, particularly if much of the plan is invested in company stock. Many people have lost their retirement savings when firms filed for bankruptcy. Rolling your existing 401(k) into your new employer’s plan makes sense, particularly if it offers more options.

The process is simple, but make sure it’s done properly so that excess charges are avoided. Finally, consider rolling your 401(k) into an IRA. This is the most flexible option because you get to decide how to invest the money. In the typical 401(k), you choose among a limited number of investment options. An IRA becomes a good choice if your new company doesn’t have a retirement plan, or if they don’t accept rollovers. This plan also allows you more control over your retirement plan.

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INSURANCE

LIFE A new job may mean a salary increase. The more you make, the more your family depends on that income, and the more important it becomes to protect it. Remember, the primary purpose for life insurance is to provide lost income if a wage earner dies. You should also be aware of the type of policy you have. If you participated in a group life insurance program with your former employer, that life insurance coverage will probably end when you leave the job, particularly if your employer purchased it. In some cases, you may be able to convert this to an individual policy, for example, when retiring. On the other hand, if you purchased insurance through a group insurance program and you paid for it through payroll deduction, for example, those policies are generally portable and can be taken with you. You would continue to pay on your own.

DISABILITY Disability insurance usually pays up to 70 percent of your income if you are unable to work temporarily or permanently because of an illness or injury. It provides for work-related and non-work related injuries. Ask about disability insurance when discussing benefits with your new employer. The availability of this coverage will vary from one employer to the next.

Some employers may allow you to carry disability insurance to your new job, but it’s not guaranteed. Even if your employer offers this coverage, it may be beneficial for you to obtain additional coverage through a private disability insurance policy. If you pay some or all of the cost of this coverage, when you are injured and require this benefit, the portion that you purchased will be tax deductible. If your employer pays for the coverage, it is considered a benefit and is fully taxable.

HEALTH IF you’re changing jobs, one of your first concerns might be maintaining your health care coverage.

Under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation or COBRA Act, the federal government requires employers with 20 or more employees to provide healthcare coverage for up to 18 months after a person leaves the job. Dependents are also included in the coverage. To continue receiving this group health insurance, you must inform your employer within 60 days. You continue to pay the full premium and administrative fees. If you do not qualify for COBRA, you may be able to convert your group policy to an individual policy. There are also interim or short-term options that provide medical insurance on a temporary basis, usually a few months. You can only renew this coverage once. The short term policy provides coverage for hospitalization, services such as X-rays and laboratory test, intensive care and surgical needs. policy.

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LONG-TERM CARE Long term care provides coverage for nursing home care. Some policies cover in home care, but not all. In order to qualify for long-term care, you must lose at least two of the functions of daily activity, such as the ability to dress yourself, or cognitive ability in order to trigger the coverage. You should be able to take your policy with you by converting to an individual policy. A premium increase is likely to accompany a conversion.

Extraordinary deserves extraordinary insurance.

Your personal risks are one of a kind. With the ACE Platinum Portfolio®, we can build an insurance program to match. To learn about protecting your family and lifestyle with superior coverage, loss prevention and claims expertise, please contact us for a consultative review.

HOME

•

AUTO

•

COLLECTIBLES

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WATERCRAFT

•

PERSONAL LIABILITY

Justin Fries Garber Atlas Fries & Associates, Inc. 3070 Lawson Boulevard • Oceanside • NY • 11572 T. 516.837. 1100 E. jfries@gafinsurance.com W.gafinsurance.com © 2014 ACE Group. Coverages underwritten by one or more of the ACE Group of Companies. Not all coverages available in all jurisdictions.

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INSURANCE

Terrorism insurance provides coverage to individuals and businesses for potential losses due to acts of terrorism.

Understanding Terrorism Insurance Individuals Standard homeowners insurance policies include coverage for damage to property and personal possessions resulting from acts of terrorism. Terrorism is not specifically referenced in homeowners policies. However, the policy does cover the homeowner for damage due to explosion, fire and smoke—the likely causes of damage in a terrorist attack.

Condominium or co-op owner policies also provide coverage for damage to personal possessions resulting from acts of terrorism. However, damage to the common areas of a building like the roof, basement, elevator, boiler and walkways would only be covered if the condo/co-op board has purchased terrorism coverage.

Standard renters policies include coverage for damage to personal possessions due to a terrorist attack. Again, coverage for the apartment complex itself must be purchased by the property owner or landlord.

Auto insurance policies will cover a car that is damaged or destroyed in a terrorist attack only if the policyholder has purchased “comprehensive� coverage. Most people who have loans on their cars or lease are required by lenders and leasing companies to carry this optional form of coverage. People who buy only liability coverage are not covered in the event their vehicle is damaged or destroyed as the result of a terrorist attack.

Life insurance policies do not contain terrorism exclusions; proceeds will be paid to the beneficiary as designated on the policy. Health and disability insurance policies may provide coverage for loss of life, injury or sickness to individuals in the event of a terrorist attack.

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Businesses

Business Interruption Insurance

Prior to 9/11, standard commercial insurance policies included terrorism coverage as part of the package, effectively free of charge. Today, terrorism coverage is generally offered separately at a price that more adequately reflects the current risk.

Property damage to commercial buildings from a terrorist attack also may include claims for business interruption. Business interruption insurance (sometimes referred to as business income coverage) covers financial losses that occur when a firm is forced to suspend business operations either due to direct damage to its premises or because civil authorities limit access to an area after the attack and those actions prevent entry to the business premises. Coverage depends on the individual policy, but typically begins after a waiting period or “time deductible” of two to three days and lasts for a period of two weeks to several months.

Insurance losses attributable to terrorist acts under these commercial policies are insured by private insurers and reinsured or “backstopped” by the federal government pursuant to the Terrorism Risk and Insurance Act of 2002 (TRIA). Under TRIA, owners of commercial property, such as office buildings, factories, shopping malls and apartment buildings, must be offered the opportunity to purchase terrorism coverage. TRIA was renewed for a further two years in 2005 and is set to expire at the end of 2007.For the terrorism coverage to be triggered under TRIA for commercial policies, a terrorist attack has to be declared a “certified act” by the Secretary of the Treasury.

No such declaration is needed to trigger coverage under home and auto policies because there are no exclusions for terrorism.

What is not covered?

Business interruption losses associated with acts of civil authority (e.g., closure of certain area around the disaster) can only be triggered when there is physical loss or damage arising from a covered peril (e.g., explosion, fire, smoke, etc.) within the area affected by the declaration. The loss/damage need not occur to the insured premises specifically. Reductions in business income associated with fear of traveling to a location, in addition to closure to areas by authorities because of a heightened state of alert, would not be covered by business interruption policies.

There are long-standing restrictions regarding war coverage and nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological (NBCR) events in both personal and commercial insurance policies.

War-risk exclusions reflect the realization that damage from acts of war is fundamentally uninsurable. No formal declaration of war by Congress is required for the war risk exclusion to apply. Nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological (NBCR) attacks are another example of catastrophic events that are fundamentally uninsurable due to the nature of the risk. Under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, if some NBCR exclusions are permitted by a state, an insurer does not have to make available the excluded coverage.

Workers compensation Workers compensation—a compulsory line of insurance for all businesses—covers employees injured or killed on the job and therefore automatically includes coverage for acts of terrorism. Workers compensation is also the only line of insurance that does not exclude coverage for acts of war. Coverage for terrorist acts cannot be excluded from workers compensation policies in any state.

Life/health and disability insurance policies may provide coverage for loss of life, injury or sickness to individuals in the event of a terrorist attack.

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INSURANCE

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AT THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT Knowing what to do if you are involved in an accident can save lives and also make the claims process easier.

1

Stop your car and find out if anyone is injured.

Call the police or highway patrol. Tell them how many people were hurt and the types of injuries. The police will notify the nearest medical unit.

2 3

Cover injured people with a blanket to keep them warm.

Try to protect the accident scene. Take reasonable steps to protect your car from further damage, such as setting up flares, getting the car off the road and calling a tow truck.

4

Ask the investigating officer where you can obtain a copy of the police report. You will probably need it when you submit your claim to your insurance company.

5

If necessary, have the car towed to a repair shop. But remember, your insurance company probably will want to have an adjuster inspect it and appraise the damage before you order repair work done.

6

7

Make notes. Keep a pad and pencil in your glove compartment.

Write down:

- the names and addresses of all drivers and passengers involved in the accident - license plate numbers - the make and model of each car - driver’s license numbers - insurance identifications - the names and addresses of witnesses - the names and badge numbers of police officers or other emergency personnel.

If you run into an unattended vehicle or object, try to find the owner. If you can’t, leave a note containing your name, address and phone number. Record the details of the accident.

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INSURANCE

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Does Your Business Need Commercial Auto Insurance?

When you’re talking about a major transport company, like McLane or Dominion, the question of commercial auto insurance is fairly obvious.

When you have hundreds or even thousands of trucks a day that are worth more in dollars and cents than many Americans make in a year hitting the highways in cities like Los Angeles and New York, you want to make sure they’re protected. You don’t want the loss to your investment and/ or the huge repair fees that come from an accident, and you can’t afford the loss of time and efficiency that comes from having trucks that can’t be driven. But what about the little guy?

The question of commercial auto insurance for smaller companies often isn’t quite as clear as it is for these major transporters, particularly if the business employs a small number of personnel and those personnel use their own vehicles for company business. Often, business owners believe that because these vehicles are already covered under a personal policy a commercial auto insurance policy would be a redundant waste of profits. Better to allow the auto insurance companies to do what they do best and put their profits to good use.

The catch is, cars that are on the road all day are at a higher risk of an accident than cars and trucks that are used primarily for commuting purposes. Auto insurance companies know that, which is why when they sell their insurance policies they ask their drivers to distinguish between whether their vehicles are used primarily for business or pleasure. They’re (relatively) happy to cover the damages that result from accidents that take place on their personal time, but they may drag their feet over paying a claim that happens on company time doing company business.

Because the last thing you or your employees want to do is get into a six month fight with your auto insurance provider about whether your vehicle is used primarily for business or pleasure because you’ve had an accident while on the road doing company business, a commercial auto insurance policy for your business is the best solution.

Commercial auto insurance comes with a price tag similar to that of a personal insurance policy, although some of the technical aspects are a little different. Your insurance agent can explain the ins and outs of their commercial policy options to you. Trying to do it here would take all day, and as most auto insurance providers have their own takes on commercial insurance policies it would be a waste of time anyway.

What you do need to know is that a commercial auto insurance policy will protect your employees when they’re out on the road doing company business, even if they’re in their own vehicles, and will protect company vehicles when employees slip behind the wheel. That saves your business from the loss of efficiency that comes from having vehicles off the road and your profits from the hard hit of a car accident that can result in tens of thousands of dollars in damages that might not be eligible for coverage under a personal policy.

The bottom line is, regardless of how large or small your business may be the protection offered by a commercial auto insurance policy is going to be invaluable in ensuring the continued success of your company.

Filing A Homeowners Claim Click to view video

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INSURANCE

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF LIFE INSURANCE

Another way of looking at life insurance is that it is buying money for future need. While the concept may sound peculiar at first, it is a concept that has been ingrained in the American psyche primarily because it makes sense.

We insure real estate, cars and other possessions, but what is more valuable than human life? While technically life insurance is insuring of human life value, the primary reason for life insurance is to take care of those left behind in one’s absence.

There are various types of life insurance, but the basics of each stay the same. Each one involves paying premiums to the insurance company, which in the event of death pays an amount to the person and/or people named in your policy, the beneficiaries. Your beneficiaries receive this money income tax free.

The value of a life insurance policy should be the amount of funds that your heirs would need upon your death.

This value will be different for everyone based on their goals. For some, they might want to be able to pay their mortgage, pay student loans for children or meet the needs of their spouse for a lifetime. A baseline multiplier that is often used to calculate life insurance value is ten to fifteen times your annual income.

can be a good value. Yet, while term life insurance has lower premiums than permanent life insurance, it builds no cash value and is only paid if the insured dies.

The two main categories of life insurance are term life insurance and permanent life. Term life insurance is for a particular period of time, usually 5, 10, 15, 20 or sometimes 30 years where the premium is usually set for the duration of the term.

Often term life insurance is purchased by people who are young and in good health because it is inexpensive and

Permanent life insurance, on the other hand, is intended to last for the entire life of the insured, rather than a particular time period. Additionally, it develops equity by earning interest, often similar to a long-term bond, which has cash value. This money, which is growing in your policy, can be accessed while you are still living as a beneficial piece of a balanced portfolio. While there are many varieties of permanent life insurance, the two main types are whole life insurance and universal life insurance.

So, if the insured lives through the entire term of their insurance, the coverage disappears and there are no benefits. Additionally, if a term life insurance policy expires on a person at an older age, perhaps in their 60s, it can result in what is called “exploding” term life insurance because the insured can’t afford to renew term. Unless the coverage can be rolled over into permanent life insurance, it expires.

The cost of life insurance premiums depends on a number of factors.

Underwriters analyze factors such as age, health and history of you and your parents’ medical histories. They even analyze habits such as the use of tobacco and look at avocation such as whether you an avid drag racer, scuba diver or skydiver. Underwriters review these factors and often request your past medical records and that you to undergo a medical exam.

The varieties and possibilities of life insurance policies can be staggering.

So how do you know which is best for you? It is a good idea to start by doing research to find out as much about life insurance as possible. Then think about your goals, what you want to provide for your beneficiaries after you are gone.

After equipping yourself and thinking about your goals, visit the experts Lifeinsure.com where you can get instant life insurance quotes anonymously seeing the entire market without giving personal information.

Thousands of homes were destroyed by Hurricane Sandy Just a few inches of water from a flood can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage. Over the past 10 years, the average flood claim has amounted to $33,000

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FOOD & HEALTH

A GUIDE TO HELP YOU TEACH YOUR CHILDREN POSITVE SELF-IMAGE THROUGH FITNESS

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aising a pre-teen or teenage daughter (or son) is not easy and can cause any parent a lot of stress. There’s so much to worry about – dating, drugs, alcohol, sex, school grades, just to name a few. But one crucial element often gets overlooked until it manifests itself in extreme ways (like through an eating disorder).

I’m talking about self-image.

It’s extremely important that parents ensure that their children have a positive self-image, especially in relation to their body.

The key to ensuring strong self-esteem and a positive body image starts with the parent. If you don’t feel positive about your self-image, then how can you expect your children to? While this is important for both genders, it is especially critical for rais-

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ing a healthy daughter. And beginning the lessons when a girl is young is imperative, so don’t wait until it’s too late – teaching your daughter to feel good about her body needs to start at a very young age.

Eating disorder experts say girls are developing eating disorders as young as 5 and 6 years old. And a recent study indicated that 70% of the sixth-grade girls they surveyed said they began worrying about their weight between ages 9 and 11. Why are so many young girls thinking that they are fat? Many are obsessing about their weight because they have parents who are preoccupied with their own poor body images. lot that can be done to help our children have positive self-images. And, even small changes that parents make

can help. Here are few tips to help your children avoid warped and negative body images: While the statistics are disheartening, the good news is that there’s a •

Establish a “no diet talk” rule. When your children are nearby, DON’T talk about dieting or how fat you feel! This is extremely important.

Remember, kids are listening all the time (even when you think that they aren’t – especially then). So, even though asking your spouse or friend “do I look fat in this?” may seem innocent, it can have a life-altering effect on your kids when they repeatedly hear it.

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Parents aren’t the only adults that influence their children.

Set the “no diet talk” rule mentioned above for all adults that are around your children.

This means you shouldn’t allow your friends, parents, siblings, neighbors, or anyone else to talk about being fat or being on a diet when they are around your children.

Set a good example. If your children never see you engage in fitness or if they hear you complain about working out, then they are going to have a negative image of exercise. Let them know that you workout to stay healthy, to be strong and to have more energy and stamina (so you can keep up with them)!

Get your kids involved in sports.

Experts say that playing sports really helps build confidence

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and improves self-esteem (especially for girls).

Teach your children to include physical activity as part of their daily routine. But don’t force them to exercise. Make sure that the physical activity is seen as something fun to do rather than teaching them to think of exercise as a necessary evil.

Good activities include taking a nightly family walk, turning off the t.v. and instead turning music on that you all can dance to, or taking a weekend family bike ride.

Try to prepare (or if you are short are time purchase) healthy meals. And teach them the importance of good nutrition. Don’t let them have the misconception that there are “good” and “bad” foods. If a kid thinks that candy is a “bad”

food, then naturally they will just want it more. Just try to encourage your kids to eat a balanced diet each day and to eat sugary and/or fatty foods in moderation.

Remember that something as small as talking about losing weight in front of your kids can have very detrimental effects on their self-image as they age. Damaging behavior learned from a parent at a young age can take years for a child to overcome. So, the sooner you start incorporating the tips above into your life, the better for you child.

But don’t forget that it has to start with you – make sure that you are incorporating healthy fitness and eating rituals into your daily routine and that you have a positive body image (no matter what your size or shape is)!

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FOOD & HEALTH

5 Common Myths About Protein Diet All these rumors come from a lack of knowledge. Even in information technology where we have information on our finger tips, still we believe in a world that no longer exists.

Do we believe that there is a dark side in the sky which covers the sky every night?

Of course not!

That’s it. If someone takes protein and he gets a heart attack, should we blame protein?

No! Let me give you the reason.

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Protein heart attack If someone eats red meat, there are a number of reasons they will get a heart attack. Red meat has a high amount of fat. Fat stored in blood vessels is the reason of a heart attack. If you are taking red meat you are less likely to consume fibers. Fibers are necessary for a healthy life. If you are eating red meat, chances are that you will not exercise much.

If you do not burn calories that you intake you are going to gain weight. Being overweight is a cause of a heart attack.

Stop blaming red meat. Red meat is safe to eat if you exercise regularly, eat less gram of red meat and eat fibers.

Another issue I have heard so many times is the diabetes case caused by protein.

Protein Diabetes

It repairs damaged tissues and it is essential for the building of new cells.

If you have a damaged liver you need a high protein diet.

This diet plan will repair tissue damage and will aid you in recovery.

I often suggest to my clients and friends and I am suggesting the same advice for you: “Every thing is good for you in moderation. To live a healthy life we need a balanced diet. If you will add protein and remove fibers from your diet, result are not supposed to be good for you. Instead try to add little bit of every healthy nutrient into your daily diet.�

Protein kidney disease Many people say that protein is harmful for your kidneys. It can cause kidney stones. Opposite is true. High protein diet is not harmful and will not give you osteoporosis if you are a healthy person.

It is just a false premise. Protein is helpful when you face obesity and diabetes. Protein is helpful in maintaining glucose level and insulin sensitivity level.

If you don’t have a healthy body before including protein in your diet you cannot blame protein for kidney disease.

Protein liver disease

Protein is not an energy source

I have watched clients complaining that taking protein is a wrong diet plan for them. Protein promotes liver diseases. While the truth is that protein is necessary for repairing process.

Who says protein does not give energy?

Protein has the same amount of calories as carbohydrates. Protein will not only keep you satisfied but will also give you energy for your daily tasks.

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Delicious and Healthy Snacks For Healthy Living Snacks are the food items that we munch on at odd times to keep the hunger pangs away until meal times. Can we indulge on snacks? Yes, as long as it is healthy. Over-indulgence on fried and sweet snacks causes weight gain.

Eating healthy snacks on the other hand keeps us slim and helps in our quest for weight loss too.

Many unhealthy snacks add empty calories that don’t have any nutrition to our diet. Yet, so many of us gorge ourselves on these useless items when we feel hungry. It is time we start reading the food labels and choose healthier options.

By doing so we set ourselves on path to good nutrition, improved lifestyle and also, keep ourselves disease free. The choices we make will provide us with the energy we need and also, keep us well-nourished.

It’s not just children, even adults love snacks. While a kid indulging in an occasional unhealthy snack doesn’t suffer too much. Adults leading sedentary lifestyle pack on the pounds if they over-indulge on these very snacks.

Nutritious and Small Pick nutrition-filled healthy snacks, each of about 100 calories. Pick delicious items that will quickly catch up with your family. These items must be easy to make and be approved by nutrition-experts.

Fat Burning Snacks If you pick the right products, not only will it satisfy your cravings but also, help burn off the fat. The food items which have nutrition and right amount of calories will metabolize fast and help you build muscle too.

Fiber-Laden Goodies The snacks you pick should contain fiber which aids in digestion and curb sugar

You need about 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in a day.

craving of our body. Suppose, you pick a 200 calorie snack. It should have 5 gm of fiber and 10 gm of protein.

Fruits And Vegetables You need about 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in a day. Very few people eat them in the required quantities. This vitamins, minerals and goodness laden foods help prevent heart problems, cancer, blood pressure and diabetes. They also help people live long and healthy lives. Eat fruits in season. These are best sources of nutrition as they are fresh produce. Also, they are inexpensive compared to other unhealthy processed foods.

Some all time favorites are mangoes, apples, bananas, blueberries, pears, peaches, plums, cherries, grapes, strawberries, watermelon and papaya. Vegetables that are used as snacks include carrots, cucumber, tomato, zucchini, celery, lettuce, bell peppers and avocado. Toss them in salads, add a low-fat dressing like olive oil and lemon juice and indulge in some dips for a delicious snack.

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4 NATURAL WEIGHT LOSS SUPPLEMENTS THAT WORK FISH OIL Fish oil is easily available in market at a very low-cost.

In a study of American journal of clinical nutrition, reduced calorie diet with fish oil supplements shown to have a great effect on weight loss.

Fish oil is mostly available in capsules or in bottled oil.

Fish oil is a light-sensitive product. Before buying fish oil, look for products packaged on dark or opaque bottles.

GREEN TEA Friends!

Green tea is a natural weight loss supplements. It has many health benefits.

Green tea extract promotes weight loss. Green tea

supplements burn fats. Green tea has a great amount of caffeine in it.

This stimulant will cause you to move and exercise. The more you exercise, more fats will you burn.

If you are sensitive to caffeine made products, don’t take caffeine based supplements. Too much caffeine can affect your heart rhythm and sleep routines.

COCONUT OIL

PROTEIN SHAKES Protein is a really necessary element of our regular diet. Used properly, protein is a power house of weight loss.

Protein is a muscle builder. If you take a protein serving (an egg) early in the day, you will feel satisfied through out your daily activities.

Protein satisfies appetite and prevents cravings. Protein boost metabolism rate and affect weight loss. You must know, that proteins have equal amount of calories as carbohydrates.

Try a scoop of protein, blended with skim milk and frozen fruits. It is a delicious dessert. You can get protein from these sources like milk protein, egg, whey, beef and soya bean etc.

Coconut oil offers a number of health benefits.

Coconut oil reduces abdominal fat. A study held in 2009 for 12 weeks showed that coconut oil users decreased their abdominal fats compared to people who use soya bean.

Coconut oil is also easily available in markets. You can also include coconut oil in your desserts.

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FOOD & HEALTH

Great Advice For Losing Weight The Healthy Way DON’T TAKE CHANCES WITH YOUR FAMILY’S LIFESTYLE

In order to lose any weight you have to be aware of what you are doing. With all the advice and often conflicting guidance available, it is hard to know the right way to go.

The best way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume.

If your main purpose in exercising is to lose weight, you should focus more on cardiovascular exercise than on weight training. Lifting weights for strength training will add to your fitness, but never forget that heart rate-boosting cardio is the center piece of a weight loss exercise program. If you want to lose weight cardio exercises are better than weight lifting.

Adding whole grains to your diet is important when it comes to losing weight. You can either ask a professional nutritionist for info about whole grains, or ask his uncertified counterpart, Google. Opt for foods that have not been enriched or refined. Many companies advertise their use of whole grains but once you know how to recognize them, shopping for whole grain products is simple.

Take a before photo and an after photo of yourself to document your progress.

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When you workout, try to use sneakers that are soft with a strong cushion.

reward yourself when you exhibit good behavior In order for your diet to be a success, reward yourself when you exhibit good behavior. Go to the movies, get a massage or take yourself shopping. The positive reinforcement of a new outfit can be a great motivator as you continue to work hard to reach your goal weight.

Make time for breakfast in the morning, before you go to work. If you don’t have time to cook, your first instinct may be to just grab a breakfast pastry on your way out. However, these items contain lots of empty calories. Fruit and a bowl of oatmeal can equal a great breakfast as opposed to

something like a pastry.

When you workout, try to use sneakers that are soft with a strong cushion. Since you will be working out your body and may become sore, you don’t want to add anymore soreness. You do not necessarily have to purchase the best shoes out there, but make sure you get a quality pair.

Manage your stress levels in order to keep off the weight.

When we’re stressed, our bodies hoard calories to help protect itself. Although you are aware your stress is just temporary, your body may think you are trying to fight off some terrible thing.

Therefore, keep your stress at a minimum and attempt to remain calm in order to assist your body in losing weight.

Take a before photo and an after photo of yourself to document your progress.

This helps you get perspective about your progress even when the scale says you haven’t lost any weight.

You can also use these photos to show your family and friends how you are progressing.

The tips outlined above have worked for countless people, and they can also be effective for you. Don’t

waste time reading and researching diets that seem too good to be true. By following our tips, you will be able to start losing weight this very moment. By using these tips, you will soon see great results.

There are many ways on how to buy a raspberry ketone. The only thing that you need is a professional who can give you some advices and suggestions on how to buy a good variety of raspberry. There are tips on how to know the places to buy raspberry ketone that can help you and give you those information.

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FOOD & HEALTH

Fact A major advantage of a healthy fruit drink is that they do not contain near as many calories as fruit drinks typically contain.

Healthy Fruit Drink A healthy fruit drink is an excellent way of ensuring that you get the daily recommended amount of nutrients and minerals.

Fruit makes up a very critical component of a human beings diet. This is because it is jam-packed with nutrients and minerals that are essential for health and vitality.

Fruits contain antioxidants that are essential in fighting

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free radicals that damage cells, cause premature aging and diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.

Fruits also contain essential vitamins and minerals that may not be found in other food groups or from other sources. For instance, fruits contain Vitamin C (that prevents scurvy), Vitamin A (that is good for eyesight and prevents macular degeneration), potassium, folate and other minerals.

So, a healthy fruit drink is an excellent way of ensuring that you get the daily recommended amount of nutrients and minerals. This is particularly so for children who may not take time for

There are numerous healthy fruit drinks that are easy to make and very delicious. eating the fruit itself. Having them drink a fruit drink is an easy way of getting them the nutrition that they need for their bodies to grow strong.

A major advantage of a healthy fruit drink is that they do not contain near as many calories as fruit drinks typically contain. They also will have no fat, though they have a little sugar that provides energy. Fruit also contain enzymes that aid in digestion so that the pancreas is not overworked.

There are numerous healthy fruit drinks that are easy to make and very delicious.

The best fruit drinks can be categorized into fruit smoothies and fruit juices.

Fruit smoothies are made of blended fruit that may be fresh or frozen (or both), yoghurt, milk or water, ice cubes and sometimes ice cream. Juice on the other hand is made by extracting the liquid from a fruit.

Therefore, a fruit smoothie and a fruit juice are different because a smoothie is made using the whole fruit (even the skin if it is edible), but when juice is made, the fruit pulp is usually gotten rid off.

Between the two kinds of healthy fruit drinks, the general consensus is that the fruit smoothie is more nutritious than the fruit juice.

By using the whole fruit, the

smoothie contains the fiber and pulp that are necessary for healthy digestion. The fiber also ensures that the sugar found in the fruit is slowly released so that there are no sudden spikes in blood sugar levels which can cause diabetes.

Smoothies are also more versatile than fruit juices when it comes to the number of ingredients that can be added to them. You can add yogurt, spinach, protein powder and any other ingredient you choose. This is because the ingredients of your healthy fruit drink are blended together so that even the solid ingredients are well integrated into the mixture.

It is best to make your healthy fruit drink at home as you can control the ingredients. However, you can purchase them from health food stores and supermarkets. If you do buy them instead of making them yourself be sure and always pay attention to the label of the fruit drinks to know all the ingredients. You should choose a drink that has no additives and is not made from concentrate.

The best thing of course about a healthy fruit drink is that it taste so great. How many foods do you find in life that have a delicious taste but are still good for you?

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LIFESTYLE

HOW TO GET OUT OF A BAD MOOD 1. WORK IT OUT.

While doing exercise when you’re feeling grumpy might not seem like an attractive plan of action, it’s actually one of the best things you can do. Physical activity releases endorphins, which are associated with feeling good. Not only this, but it could well help you work through some anger or feelings of aggression that have triggered your bad mood.

2. GET UNPLUGGED

Many people, when in a bad mood, waste time clicking around the Internet and on social networking sites. This generally does very little to help, but is more likely to put you in an even worse mood. Looking at social networking might affect you in a negative way because many people begin to compare what theyhavetootherswhenbrowsingtheirfriends’onlineprofiles.

What people share online are usually the best of the best moments, rarely a complete snapshot of their lives, but this can make you feel like your own life could never be so perfect. Do yourself a favor and turn off your computer and put down your smartphone if you’re feeling down in the dumps.

W

hen a bad mood kicks in, you might feel like there’s nothing you can do to get out of it.

Are you caught up with

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feelings of negativity and just can’t seem to see a way out? There really are things you can do to better your mood. Although each of us is unique, and we all measure our bad moods in different ways, there are some tried and tested techniques for

breaking out of a bad mood. As a result of your negative mood, it’s likely you might not be open to try some of these, but give them a go anyway. Even though your heart might not be in it at first, once you get into some of these techniques, you won’t be able to stay in a bad mood for long.

Bad moods - we all have them from time to time. In this interesting and helpful article, a leading UK psychotherapist gives tips on how to snap out of a bad mood and feel better.

3. GET OUT OF THE HOUSE

Now that you’ve closed your Internet down, get yourself out of the house for a period of time. Go outside and be in nature if you can. It this isn’t really possible, then get out and go to one of your favorite spots where you’re forced to be around other people. Maybe try a local coffee shop, restaurant, store, or park.

4. CALL YOUR FRIENDS UP

Being in a bad mood usually makes us pretty antisocial, but if you surround yourself with good friends, your bad mood won’t be able to stick around for long. You might find yourself faking a good mood for your friends’ sake until you surprise yourself and you actually start to feel better!

5. DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE ELSE

Nothing snaps a person out of their bad mood better than a little bit of perspective. There is always someone who has it worse than you do, and if you set out to help a person in need you’re guaranteed to have your own problems put into perspective in no time.

6. LAUGH

Put on your favorite movie. Listen to your favorite radio show, comedian, or call up a friend who makes you laugh. Put on your favorite song and dance around your house like a crazy person.

You might not feel like laughing at first, but once you start you’ll find that, despite what you expectedFree Web Content, your mood will change.

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MAKE LEMONADE FROM A LEMON

About 2 months ago my family grew by one more. When we had our baby, the reality that we could no longer fit our family into a car hit us.

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ur back seat simply would not fit 2 carseats and a carrier car seat. So off the the dealership we went to buy a mini-van.

After browsing several dealerships in one day. I found two vans that I liked at two different dealerships. Here is how I got a van that is practically brand new, though the year of the van is 1996, for $8,999.00. The best part about it is, you can do it too!

First, my husband and I went to 3 different dealerships. We found three vans that we loved. at the last dealership, I fell in love with a particular van. The van was marked at $13,995. I mentioned to the salesperson that there was a van that was practically identical at the dealership right across the street that was priced at only $9,999. I told my husband that maybe we should just go across the street and see about getting that one. I did this intentionally right in front of the salesman loud enough so that he could hear me.

Within two seconds, maybe less, he chimed in with, “Let me talk to my sales manager and see what we can do for you.” I agreed. I was expected him to come back with a price that matched the dealership across the street. To my amazement, he came back with a price of $8,999! That was a full $5,000 LESS that the original price with NO trade-in and nothing down! We jumped on that offer and signed the contract within 45 minutes. We did insist that they give us a 30 day dealer warranty with no deductible. They agreed.

Being the “savvy shopper” that I am, I immediately drove my new van off the lot and took it to my father, a mechanic. He gave the car a good evalutaion and gave me a list of everything that was wrong with it. On my way home that night, my service engine light came on, six hours after I signed the contract.

To say I was upset would be an understatement!

I got up the next morning and purposely got myself all worked up and ready for battle. I waited for one hour after the dealer opened then drove my new van back to the dealer-

ship. The trick here is to not call ahead of time and go to the dealership at a busy time, usually on the weekends.

One thing that dealers count on you not knowing is that, by law, you have a 72-hour cooling off period to take any major purchase back to where you got it and return it for no reason. So knowing this, I went back. As soon as I pulled into the lot, I was approached by another salesman. His first reaction to me was to ask me how I was. I replied with a simple, “Not good!” He asked what was the matter and I told him and gave him a list of everything that was wrong, including a cupholder being missing. I let him know that no matter how much I liked the van, I was had no reservations about giving it back, after all, I was within my legal limit.

He immediately went back and got the sales manager, I vented to him, in front of other customers. He took back my keys and put my van into the shop immediately to save face in front of the other customers. he gave us a loaner van to use in the mean time.

After two days, I still didn’t have my van back, so I called the dealership and told them that unless I could get another 72 hour cooling off period, he could keep my van. I was obviously not going to be stuck with a van that I only had for 6 hours! Needless to say, I got my time extended.

My van was returned to me that day. My cooling off period was extended, I had the 30 dealer warranty and the repairs were made.

Curious as to what needed to be fixed? He is the list: the catalytic converter, several sensors, the transmission, the alignment was out, two tires were worn, it needed an oil change, the gas cap was missing and my cup holder was broken. By the time my repairs were done, my $8,999 van was worth a total of $15, 127! I got a practically new van after all the work was done! Then 2 days before the dealer warranty was up, I took it back in and got a new belt in the motor. I got a lemon and made lemonaide, you can too!

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productive living

by David Allen www.davidallen.com

Hi Folks, Why did calendars show up and become ubiquitous tools for most people in the last few decades? Pretty simple: Life’s commitments got more complex than our heads could effectively manage. What’s remarkable to me is the resistance so many people still have to managing everything else in the same trusted way. I’ll expand, below.

If you’re like me, with quite a number of lists of many next actions, projects, someday/maybe’s, etc., you’re likely to encounter people who question your efficiency if not your sanity. “You’ve got so many lists! That’s just too much work!” (Sound familiar?) If you ever feel like you need to defend your lists, ask your skeptical friend if they are sitting around trying to remember what appointments they have on their calendar for next month. They’re probably not biting their nails about where they need to be a week from next Thursday at 4pm. They’re probably not even thinking about it. Why? Because they have their appointments tracked in a system they trust—a calendar they trust they’ll review at the appropriate time and place.

So, why not have the same lack of distraction about all the things that you need to be reminded of?

A calendar is nothing more than a list of next actions in the context of sequence in time—something to look at when time is of concern.

My “Calls” list is the same thing—a list of next actions that can be done from any phone, to be reviewed when I have time and a phone. In the same way I’m not distracted by trying to remember and remind myself about who to call—it’s in a trusted system. The problem with most people’s system is that the calendar is the only list they trust, and more than 95% of what they really need to keep track of is not a set of appointments but all the things to be done in between them. Thinking that your head is a better place to keep track of stuff, and yet finding it critical to maintain a calendar, seems to me a kind of intellectual dishonesty.

So, now that you have this secret knowledge of GTD lists, you no longer need to defend them!

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LIFESTYLE

GAMES OF THE PAST MEET THE PRESENT Recently, our family had the opportunity to care for sisters’ children for a couple days, when she and her husband traveled to a bed and breakfast for some much need rest and relaxation.

They don’t have a chance to get away that often, so I was more than happy to help them out for this little getaway. And, well, I would hope that she would do the same thing for me.

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Once I agreed to taking care of her children, reality set in.

My sister has six children, and while the youngest wouldn’t be staying with me, all the others would be. Add those five children to my three, you have eight, and add that to my small apartment and you have enough to drive any mom up a wall! How would I keep eight children occupied in my small home, without spending a lot of money?

One of the first activities we played was Twister. Twister was a gift for Christmas, so it was a game the children were still learning. As I watched them play, my I started thinking about the games my siblings and I played as children -- those easy games that usually required no extra supplies. There were six of us, and I can remember keeping ourselves occupied with old favorites such as “Mother May I?” and “Old Maid”. After reminiscing, I decided that I would take this opportunity to teach them these favorite games.

I am not sure who had more fun with it, but I taught them several of the games I played as a young child, and everyone had the greatest time. I taught them “Red Light, Green Light” and “Red Rover”, among others. Even the older children had fun playing “London Bridge” for the sake of the little ones. Want to know the best part?

It has been over a week since I taught the kids these games, and on several occasions, I have caught them playing them on their own. Now, what could be better than that?

I encourage you to think back to some of your favorite childhood games. Did you love to play “Simon Says”?

When was the last time you built a hopscotch? Do your children even know that there is actually a way to play marbles? Think of your favorites, and start teaching them to your children. Not only do most of these games require very little supplies, if any, but they show your children that there are fun activities that don’t have to be plugged in.

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LIFESTYLE

YOUR TEEN WANTS TO GET THEIR DRIVER’S LICENSE 5 Things Every Parent Must Consider

One of the biggest steps in life is that moment when a driver’s license becomes more than a dream, it becomes a reality.

Millions of teenagers today are just itching to get behind the wheel of a vehicle, legally, so that they can get a taste of freedom.

As a parent it’s important to not only help them get on their way to getting this privilege, but to also understand a few things before finally moving forward.

Not every teen should get a license, there are certain things that parents must consider.

Above all else, it’s imperative that they go through training, no matter what. Searching online for things like Georgia online drivers Ed course, can be helpful in the process of finding education solutions to help with learning how to drive. The following things every parent must consider will help as well.

Age- There is an age restriction placed on driving, and even learning. Getting a learner’s permit first at the right age is crucial, if they are ready. Only you can fully understand if your child is 58

ready to take on the challenge of driving. If they are not ready, don’t push them, and don’t let them dictate the age barrier.

Responsibility- Driving is not something that should be taken lightly. There are a lot of dangers that are on the open road, and that can prove to be difficult to deal with for a parent, which is why responsibility is a major factor in deciding whether or not a person is ready to start taking on the privilege of driving.

Keep this in mind so that an appropriate time is considered for the learning process.

Peer Pressure- In line with responsibility, parents must know whether or not their children are influenced by others. If they are easily convinced to do dumb things by friends, they may not be ready for the pressures of being on the open road.

Drinking and Driving- Parents should always try to gauge certain things from their teenagers, especially when it comes to the law. You’ll want to understand what their thoughts on drinking and driving are, especially in the context of small amounts. It’s imperative that they are firm in their answer, without hesitation, as you don’t want to risk them getting a license, drinking and driving.

Cell Phone Usage- If you have a teenager that is glued to their cell phone, you’ll want to have a stern talk and push the issue of focusing on the phone while driving. This is a major cause of death across the board for teens that are in the driver’s seat. Make sure that they are fully aware of the issues involved with doing this and enforce the notion that it is illegal.

Are you looking for more information regarding Driver’s License? Visit http://www. instructorleddriversed.com today!

These 5 things that every parent should consider, are just some of the things that are imperative to discuss and fully be aware of.

Teenagers are at great risk when behind the wheel, which is why it’s important to not skip out on the above issues.

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LIFESTYLE

R E T E T M U O L H C R U E D YO 1. PICK A ROOM -- ANY ROOM. Decide on what room to start on. Write it at the top of an 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper. This will be your Action Sheet.

Example: BEDROOM A

Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of organizing your home? Start on a smaller scale instead and it will be a whole lot easier. For example, instead of starting with the entire house, commit to starting with one room. Follow these 11 steps, and you’re well on your way to an organized home:

2. CHOOSE AN ENTICING REWARD. Designate an appropriate reward to give yourself on the Dumping portion of the job. The reward concept serves as your motivation, so be sure to choose something that you’d really enjoy! Write this reward on your Action Sheet. Example: Treat yourself to a massage or go out for a nice dinner -- whatever it is that you love to do.

Write it on your Action Sheet.

3. SET A DEADLINE. Set a specific Dumping Completion Deadline for this one room. Write it on your Action Sheet. Example: DUMPING DEADLINE: APRIL 30 4. SCHEDULE TIME TO DUMP. Schedule 3 specific dumping dates (one hour for each). Hopefully this will be enough to complete the dumping portion of the job. Write it on your Action Sheet. Then, post the Action Sheet in a prominent place where you are certain to see it every day, like your bathroom mirror.

It will serve as a reminder of your goal, deadline and pending reward. Example: DUMPING DATES: APRIL 18 from 8-9A, APRIL 21 from 8-9A, APRIL 24 from 8-9A

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5. KEEP YOUR APPOINTMENT. When the 1st dumping day arrives, keep that appointment, just as you would any other important appointment. Bring a bunch of large garbage bags. Play your favorite music in the background.

6. TIME IT. Set a timer for 1 Hour -- one that sounds off when the hour is up.

7. SORT THROUGH IT. Pick up one item at a time, and start dumping. (If you come across items you want to give to charity, designate a special bag for those items) Whatever you are going to keep, just put to one side of the room.

8. DO IT UNTIL THE TIME IS UP. Continue doing this until the timer goes off. If you prefer to continue, keep going. Otherwise, stop and follow the same procedures for your next two scheduled dates. Don’t let the garbage bags sit there. Make sure they are thrown out now (or donated), or on Garbage Day at the latest.

9. CELEBRATE. Once you’ve managed to dump everything you don’t want or need in that one room, it’s time to celebrate. Take advantage of that reward you designated.

10. KEEPING IT ORGANIZED. Now that everything in that room that you wanted dumped is gone, you’re ready to begin putting everything you are keeping back in an organized manner. Be very careful not to put anything else in this room that you don’t want.

11. REPEAT. Repeat this process for each of the other rooms in your house.

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