We Love our Communtiy
According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, NCCP, there is around 15 million children in families across the United States that have incomes below the poverty line. These are families struggling to make end meet, and their children are being impacted in many ways. Poverty isn’t just a issue of struggling to find food and shelter it also plays effect in children social, emotional, and cognitive health.
When you hear poverty, you may first think of third world countries, but this is an issue right out our back doors. You can make a difference:
- Tutor/Mentor: see if you can volunteer at a local school or church to tutor a child in a subject area. Tutors give that one-on-one attention that kids strive for and a bond to help them learn at their level.
- Donate: You can donate food, clothes, and even money to different local programs to help families right in our own area. (Open Doors, Hamilton County Youth Assistance Program, White River Church Food Pantry, Third Phase, Prevail)
- Volunteer: Volunteer your time to local youth programing and community events. There are plenty of events our community puts on and need volunteers to make run smoothly.
We love our community and want the very best for it!
Red Noses for Child Poverty Awareness
Resources used: http://youthassistance.org/westfield/ , http://www.nccp.org/topics/childpoverty.html
Rental Car: Am I Covered?
Renting a car
If you are like many of our customers, it’s June and you are looking forward to your summer vacation. There are many ways to travel and you have decided to rent a vehicle instead of flying, whether it’s because you simply need more room, want better gas mileage, or you’re saving the mileage on your current vehicle. Here is something to keep in mind: some of you will rent the biggest vehicle you’ve ever driven. Some of you will drive what may be your next personal car. Either way, it’s a car you are not familiar with. For some, you rent vehicles every month, and for some, it will be your first time. We get it…insurance can be confusing, so we thought we would try to answer the most common question we get at the Agency:
Do you need to get the insurance offered through the rental company?
The simple answer: your coverage on the rental vehicle will be the same as the coverage you have on your current vehicles. Your personal auto insurance will have you covered for liability claims and, if you have collision and comprehensive coverage, for damage to the rental car.
However, this is not a simple question. There are some advantages to using the rental company’s coverage, as it can sometimes eliminate your deductible or waive the cost of the loss of use.
I know you have heard “call before you dig;” we recommend you “call before you rent.”
Other tips for traveling in a rental car:
Call your us before the trip so we can get you a “spare” ID card to keep in an email or in your wallet while traveling.
If you are sharing the rental car with another family member outside your household or a friend, we recommend getting the insurance to potentially save a friendship or prevent a family feud!
That said, it’s always a good idea to check with us before your trip since auto policies vary from person to person.
#NOBSTRONG
Recently Noblesville was rocked by the shocking event that happened at Noblesville West Middle School. Our hearts, just like everyone else, were breaking to hear about the young lady and teacher that were injured.
While this was a shocking event and brought about a dark cloud for a brief moment. The dark cloud was pushed away from our great community by a great outpouring of prayer and support.
There are several GoFundMe pages set up, and t-shirt fundraisers that have popped up to support the families of both victims. The local daycare where Ella used to attend and her family still uses, is collecting gift cards for local restaurants, gas cards, grocery cards to give to her family while they are spending much time out of their home to be by Ella’s side. Brittany, in our office, has a close connection with this daycare. Ella lives in Dean’s neighbor and we’d love to share our support with the family as well.
If you are out and pick up a gift card you’d like to donate to the family please feel free to drop it by our office, or mail it to us. We will get it to the right spot. This is a season of life this family will never forget, and easing their day to day expenses could bring great joy as it is one less thing they have to worry about.
Noblesville Miller
Current Trends Sending up RED FLAGS on Home Buying
You are ready to find your dream home. You have spent many hours online doing your research and,more than likely, just as many hours have been spent in the car driving from one neighborhood to the next, “hunting for it”. You have found your realtor and narrowed down your search the new spot that you can call home.
Then “it” appears, the home that meets your wants…on to the offer.
Fast forward a little bit, the process is moving right along and a closing date is set. The current owners ask to stay in the house after closing, while they wait on their new home to close. It seems like a reasonable request and you decide to let them stay.
Now bare with me while we jump back a little bit. Before closing you got your new homeowners policy in place. Since your are officially the owner of the new residence, your policy is in place. Your homeowners policy is now covering a home you are not living in, and you are now assuming the risk of someone else.
Does this raise any red flags to you. Maybe this isn’t even something you thought about before, or an experience you’ve had throughout the home buying process.
- What if the previous owner flooded the laundry room with that last load of laundry when they overloaded it?
- What if they put all sorts of large dents in the walls getting the couch out of the basement?
- What if the wood flooring you fell in love with now has gashing’s in it from where they scooted the dryer across it?
Who is responsible for these repairs? As the new homeowner having the damage done post-closing you are responsible for the repairs. It could be you could submit a claim against your brand new homeowners policy, however it could be turn down. If you are lucky enough that your new policy would cover it, you will still have your out of pocket expense would be your $1000 deductible. It doesn’t have to be that way though.
That previous homeowner turned into a tenant at closing. So they are now renting from you, often realtors add wording into the contact to pay for their use of the home past closing. Ask them to take it a step further and require the previous owner to gets a short term renters policy to cover you for the their time in your home.
Renters policies are inexpensive but provides coverage needed in case an accident were to happen in the interim time period. For the short time period a renters policy would be in place, it may cost the previous owner $10-30 for the month and possible save you thousand.
Now those what if’s, have favorable answers. You can turn those claims into the other persons insurance instead of taking the burden and the deductible on your own.
If your are currently house hunting or are a realtor with a client in the same place and this sparks some questions give us a call. We are here as your resource.
“Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride”
Fat Tire Bike
May 18, 2018 is National Bike to Work Day
Wow it’s finally that time of year. Bikes are tuned up and your helmets still fit. Your ready to hit the road. Well maybe not so fast. In April we shared posts about Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Whether you are biking alone or with your family, our busy streets may seem a bit more overwhelming. Especially since the number of accidents due to distracted driving is every increasing which makes even an avid cyclist a little nervous on the road let alone a family trying to go out for a summer bike ride.
Here are a few things to think about when hitting the street with your bike:
- Helmet: Everyone should be wearing a helmet that fits. Remember that a crash unplanned is call a accident and everyone should have their head protected. It’s a quick and easy safety precaution. You are sharing the road with vehicles that are bigger and moving faster than you are. Even taking cars out of the situation, falling over on a bike in your driveway, trail or roadway will hurt.
- Reflective Flags: If you are toting a bike trailer or riding tantum add a reflective flag to your bike set-up to add more visibility.
- Reflectors and Lights: Turn it into a family decorating contest to make the reflective gear more exciting. There are many options when looking into reflectors and lights to wear and mount to your bike. You can find reflective tape to decorate your helmet with or get spoke lights. When riding at night this is essential. Check out this fun night: The N.I.T.E. Ride starts at 11:00 pm (at NIGHT!) from City Market and takes you on a tour of downtown Indianapolis, The Indianapolis Children’s Museum, Butler University, Hinkle Fieldhouse, The Indianapolis Museum of Art, IUPUI and Monument Circle. Total route length is between 17 and 20 niteride-registration
- The rules of the Rules of the Road have changed: When reviewing rules of the road with your family and before heading out. “Please stress don’t assume they see you”. Keep in mind Bikes ride with traffic and are responsible for follow the same rules as cars, ride on the right-hand side of the road. Stop Lights and stop signs do apply to bike riders when they are riding on the road. If your family is older you can learn hand signals for turning as well.
Most importantly, have fun! John F. Kennedy said it best, “Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride.”
Open House
It’s about time to see those caps being tossed in the air to celebrate a great accomplishment, graduation! During graduation season we here in Indiana fill our calendars going to open houses honoring graduates. I’m sure the planning is already in the works choosing the date, picking out decorations, planning the menu and so much more. Have you thought about your insurance coverage? What if something were to happen during your event? That’s way we have you covered for the Seasons in your Life.
We have good news, your homeowners liability part of your policy will cover you for events at your home, up to the policy limits. While extra insurance isn’t needed for an event at your home, if you are using an alternative venue this would be a great question to ask them before booking, just so everyone is on the same page.
Here are some things to consider to be proactive while you are planning your event, especially if alcohol is involved:
- Bartender: You may know someone who can make a mean mixed drink, or has a secret margarita recipe. Keep in mind the person serving the drinks, probably shouldn’t be one that is consuming them. So that good judgement can be made when to stop set a time limit or drink limit serving.
- Put out a sign “Keep Calm call Uber”: Post it in clear view at your open house as a reminder and keep yourself safe along with other on the road.
- Don’t allow underage drinking, so keep an eye on the cold brew hen house!
While your planning your fun, plan your protection as well, you’ve worked to hard for what you have. Congrats and have a safe summer.
Non-Handy Homeowner, Need a Contractor?
If you are a non-handy homeowner, there is no doubt that you rely on contractors. That’s why this month is a great time to talk about a Certificate of Insurance ( COI), for your safety and your financial security. When having any project or repair done around your house, you should be Requesting a (COI) up front. This can help you in situations that could safeguard against the unforeseen losses, reducing your liability risk and increasing your chance of avoiding a insurance claim on your homeowners policy. Make sure the COI is current for the dates they will be working at your property and you are listed as the certificate holder down at the bottom left corner. Also that it is sent form the his agent. A unsigned or out date COI will do you no good and could leave you without the protection you think you have because the policy coverage could lapsed and on longer in place.
Make sure to look at their reviews online for comments like this,
My contractor took every precautions while at my home to always made sure the work area was left in a neat and secure. We found a issue and they came right back out and got the repair done with in 48 hrs. Keep work and be sure your employees are well-versed in the dangers of the job. We have a neighborhood full of kids and they always keep the children a safe distance from where they were working.z
Charcoal Grilling
Charcoal Grilling Safety Tips:
-When using barbecue grills on decks or patios, be sure to leave sufficient space from siding and leaves.
-Place your grill at least 15 feet from any building.
-If you live in an apartment, place your grill on a parking lot or section of lawn far away from buildings and flammable items.
-Grill only on a flat surface that can’t catch fire.
-Never use gasoline, alcohol or kerosene to start your coals.
-Do not add lighter fluid once your coals are on fire, glowing or smoldering.
-Since charcoal produces CO fumes until the charcoal is completely extinguished, do not store the grill indoors with freshly used coals.
-Close the grill lid and any vents tightly.
-Do not move the grill or remove the coals for 48 hours, unless you can safely transfer the coals to a stainless steel container.
-When dinner is done, soak the coals
-Keep in mind that charcoal when burned in grills produces carbon monoxide (CO). CO is a colorless, odorless gas that can accumulate to toxic levels in closed environments. Each year about 17 people die as a result of CO fumes from charcoal being burned indoors or in a poorly ventilated area. To reduce the risk of CO poisoning:
-Never burn charcoal inside of homes, vehicles, tents or campers, even if ventilation is provided.
-Since charcoal produces CO fumes until the charcoal is completely extinguished, do not store the grill indoors with freshly used coals.
Jackie Robinson Day – April 15
About Jackie Robinson Day:
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson broke Baseball’s color barrier when he made his historic MLB debut. Every year on April 15, Baseball honors Jackie’s legacy by celebrating his life, values and accomplishments. The extensive and unified League-wide show of support has included retiring Jackie’s number throughout the Majors in 1997; dedicating April 15 as Jackie Robinson Day each year since 2004; and requesting that every player and all on-field personnel wear his No. 42 during games scheduled on Jackie Robinson Day since 2009.
Thank you MLB for sharing about such a legend who has had a hand at shaping our country.
Baseball
Reflection:
Being courageous comes in many forms. When watching the movie, 42, the thing I was most impressed with was how Jackie realized that he was making a bigger difference for the many versus the one. His choice to remain peaceful changed the world. If he retaliated it would have been a different story and where would we be today? Instead of being hated he was loved. At the end of the day it shouldn’t be about you.
“A life is not important, except in the impact it has on other’s lives.” – Jackie Robinson